Culture Jamming - Definition and Examples

Culture Jamming s Culture sticking is the act of upsetting the unremarkable idea of regular daily existence and the state of affairs with astonishing, frequently hilarious or mocking acts or works of art. The training was promoted by the counter consumerist association Adbusters, which frequently utilizes it to compel the individuals who experience their work to scrutinize the nearness and impact of publicizing and industrialism in our lives. Specifically, culture sticking frequently requests that we consider the pace and volume at which we devour and the unchallenged job that the utilization of merchandise plays in our lives, regardless of the numerous human and ecological expenses of worldwide large scale manufacturing. Key Takeaways: Culture Jamming Culture sticking alludes to the making of pictures or practices that power watchers to scrutinize the status quo.Culture sticking disturbs accepted practices and is frequently utilized as a device for social change. Activists have utilized culture sticking to bring issues to light of issues including sweatshop work, rape on school grounds, and police mercilessness. The Critical Theory Behind Culture Jamming Culture sticking regularly includes the utilization of an image that updates or plays off of a usually perceived image of a corporate brand, (for example, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Nike, and Apple, to give some examples). The image is commonly intended to raise doubt about the brand picture and qualities joined to the corporate logo, to scrutinize the purchaser relationship to the brand, and to enlighten destructive activities with respect to the enterprise. For instance, when Apple propelled the iPhone 6 of every 2014, the Hong Kong-based Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) organized a dissent at a Hong Kong Apple Store where they spread out an enormous standard that included the picture of the new gadget sandwiched between the words, iSlave. Harsher than harsher. Still made in sweatshops. The act of culture sticking is roused by the basic hypothesis of the Frankfurt School, which concentrated on the intensity of broad communications and publicizing to shape and direct our standards, qualities, desires, and behaviorâ through oblivious and subliminal strategies. By undermining the picture and qualities joined to a corporate brand, the images sent in culture sticking plan to deliver sentiments of stun, disgrace, dread, and at last annoyance in the watcher, since it is these feelings that lead to social change and political activity. Once in a while, culture sticking utilizations an image or an open exhibition to evaluate the standards and practices of social establishments or to address political suspicions that lead to disparity or foul play. The craftsman Banksy is a striking case of this kind of culture sticking. Here, well look at some ongoing cases that do likewise. Emma Sulkowicz and Rape Culture Emma Sulkowicz propelled her presentation piece and senior postulation venture Mattress Performance: Carry That Weight at Columbia University in New York Cityâ in Septemberâ 2014, as an approach to cause basic to notice the universitys misusing of disciplinary procedures for her supposed attacker, and its misusing of rape cases by and large. Talking about her presentation and her experience of assault, Emma told the Columbia Spectator that the piece is intended to take her private experience of assault and disgrace in the consequence of her assault into the open circle andâ to truly inspire the mental weight she has conveyed since the affirmed attack. Emma promised to convey the weight in broad daylight until her supposed attacker was ousted or left grounds. This never occurred, so Emma and supporters of the reason conveyed her sleeping cushion all through her graduation function. Emmas day by day execution not just broughtâ her asserted assaultâ into the open circle, it additionally stuck the notionâ that rape and its results are private issues, and lit up the truth that they are oftenâ hidden from see by the disgrace and dread that survivors experience. Declining to endure peacefully and in private, Emma madeâ her individual understudies, workforce, chairmen, and staff at Columbia face the truth of rape on school grounds by making the issue noticeable with her presentation. In sociological terms, Emmas execution served to disappear the no-no on recognizing and talking about the broad issue of sexual viciousness by disturbing the accepted practices of every day grounds conduct. She brought assault culture into sharp spotlight on Columbias grounds, and in the public eye when all is said in done. Emma got a load of media inclusion for her way of life sticking execution piece, and individual understudies and graduated class of Columbia joined her in conveying the weight every day. Of the social and political intensity of her work and the boundless media consideration it got, Ben Davis of ArtNet, the pioneer in worldwide news about the workmanship world, composed, I can scarcely think about a fine art in late memory that legitimizes the conviction that craftsmanship can at present helpâ lead a conversationâ in a remarkable way Mattress Performanceâ already has. People of color Matter and Justice for Michael Brown While Emma was hauling that weight around Columbias grounds, most of the way the nation over in St. Louis, Missouri, dissenters innovatively demandedâ justice for 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed Black manâ who was executed by a Ferguson, MO cop Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014. Wilson had by then yet to be accused of a wrongdoing, and since the slaughtering happened, Ferguson, a dominatingly Black cityâ with an overwhelmingly white police power and a past filled with police provocation and brutality,â had been raked by day by day and daily fights. Similarly as recess finished up during an exhibition of Requiem by Johannes Brahms by the St. Louis Symphony on October 4, a racially differing gathering of vocalists remained from their seats, individually, singing the exemplary Civil Rights song of devotion, Which Side Are You On? In a delightful and frequenting execution, nonconformists tended to the transcendently white crowd with the tunes nominal inquiry, and beseeched, Justice for Mike Brown is equity for every one of us. In a recorded video of the occasion, some crowd individuals look on disapprovingly while many applauded the artists. Dissenters dropped bannersâ from the gallery recognizing Michael Browns lifeâ during the performanceâ and recited Black lives matter! as they calmly left the orchestra corridor at the finish of the melody. The astonishing, inventive, and delightful nature of this culture sticking dissent made it especially viable. The dissidents profited by the nearness of a calm and mindful crowd to disturb the standard of audienceâ silence and stillnessâ and rather madeâ the crowd the site of a politically connected with execution. At the point when accepted practices are upset in spaces in which they are generally carefully complied, we will in general rapidly pay heed and spotlight on the disturbance, which makes this type of culture sticking effective. Further, this exhibition disturbs the favored solace that individuals from an ensemble crowd appreciate, given that they are basically white and well off, or if nothing else working class. The presentation was a viable method of reminding individuals who are not troubled by bigotry that the network wherein they live is right now under ambush by it in physical, institutional, and ideological waysâ and that, as individuals from that network, they have an obligation to battle those powers. Both of these exhibitions, by Emma Sulkowicz and the St. Louis nonconformists, are instances of culture sticking at its best. They shock the individuals who take the stand concerning them with their disturbance of accepted practices, and in doing as such, call those very standards, and the legitimacy of the organizations that sort out themâ into question. Each offers an ideal and profoundly importantâ commentary on upsetting social problemsâ and constrains us to go up against that which is all the more helpfully cleared aside. This issues on the grounds that instinctively going up against the social issues of our day is a significant advance toward important social change.

The Barn free essay sample

At the point when my grandparents presented giving me my very own pony, I attempted to work out an arrangement. My Papa had quite recently educated me regarding the way that on the off chance that I had a pony, I would be answerable for taking care of it, practicing it, messing its slow down, and the entirety of different errands that mark the life of an equestrian. â€Å"Well, Papa,† I started in my best adult voice, â€Å"I was believing that I would be the mentor, you know? So I’d get the chance to work and train the ponies, and you’d get the chance to do the taking care of and messing slows down and stuff.† As delighted as my Nana and Papa were by this suggestion, they didn’t give it an excessive amount of thought. Throughout the previous fourteen years of my life, I have been a glad and cheerful slow down mucker. It didn’t take long for me to get into the daily schedule of ascending before the sun each morning, tossing on a couple of boots and a coat, and advancing sluggishly out to the horse shelter. We will compose a custom exposition test on The Barn or then again any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page The stable has been remaining in our terrace for such a long time that I can’t even recall what the property resembled without it. It was worked by my Papa and a portion of his companions when I was only an infant, and however it’s required a couple of touch-ups and fixes throughout the years, it is as yet a similar natural, inviting spot in which I spent such a large amount of my youth. Similarly as the remainder of my home, little leftovers of my Papa’s life are wherever in the horse shelter. Despite the fact that he spent away nine years back, I can nearly observe his face each time I go all over the steps to the silo. The steps are an aftereffect of his craftsmanship, and the reason for some contorted lower legs and â€Å"close calls† of tumbling down the steps. They start with four stages, at that point a bit of landing, at that point a more extended arrangement of steps opposite to the main set. The issue is that the principal set of steps are unadroitly near one another, similar to they were worked for a little youngster or maybe a smaller person. The second arrangement of steps is a remarkable inverse, with such a great amount of room between every step that you need to lift your knees up to your chest to climb them. â€Å"Gives ‘em character,† my Papa used to state when Nana or I would gripe about his carpentry. Obviously, at whatever point he needed to utilize the steps himself, each progression was joined by a brilliant slew of condemnations. I took in another assortment of jargon during my time spent at the animal dwellingplace a healthy blend of â€Å"horse lingo† and swears. Obviously, this wasn’t the main thing that I got the hang of, growing up as a â€Å"horse kid.† I was really scared by ponies when I was more youthful. The sheer size of them made me somewhat uncomfortable. Presently I’m the kind of individual who takes a gander at the biggest of draft ponies and broadcasts, â€Å"Well aren’t you just adorable!† When I started my duties as a â€Å"horse owner,† I imagined that pony compost was appalling, and 5am appeared to be a crazy time for any animal to require food, horse or not. In any case, it wasn’t some time before hungry pony whinnies turned into my preferred sort of good-mornings, and I found that nothing could perk me up like a fluffy horse kiss. Cleaning a few slows down wasn’t about such an errand as cleaning my own room, and little hooves against the solid horse shelter floor delivered a more lovely stable than any music I had ever heard. The main thing that’s changed about my stable from that point forward are the ponies who dwell in it. The outbuilding right now houses four ponies, one of which is mine. Be that as it may, we have had upwards of seven ponies one after another. My Nana has been known to change over the attach space to a pony slow down to suit her assortment of ponies (â€Å"A tack room is an extravagance; it’s similarly as simple to keep the attach the yard and put a pony in there!†). According to my observation, we have had somewhere close to fifteen and twenty ponies throughout the years, every one of whom has added to the horse shelter somehow or another. A while ago when we had our first pregnant female horse, we concluded that we required a foaling slow down and an a framework to screen it. Right up 'til the present time, one of our slows down remains observably bigger than the remainder of them, and there is a camcorder that investigates the slow down and connects to our TV. We had a steed who got a kick out of the chance to raise up and flaunt for the horses in the stable, and we were anxious about the possibility that that he would stall out over the entryway. Despite the fact that we haven’t had a steed in quite a long while now, there stays a lot of bars that can be established over the slow down entryway, similarly as a safeguard. Much more than each pony has had an effect on the animal dwellingplace, the horse shelter has had an effect on me. I esteem things distinctively on account of the time that I’ve spent at the animal dwellingplace, and have figured out how to welcome the little things throughout everyday life. Being an equestrian has instructed me to think and react quickly, be versatile, have tolerance, and follow what I need throughout everyday life. I have increased a feeling of administration, certainty, and classic good judgment that I don’t figure I could have accomplished anyplace else. The outbuilding has remained steadfast against wind, downpour, sun, and snow for whatever length of time that I can recollect. Inside those dividers, it houses four ponies, yet my biography. Bits of my history are dissipated about like dandelion seeds in the breeze. Bits of who I am can be discovered lying in the base of the brush can, settled between parcels of feed, laced into a horse’s mane. The horse shelter speaks to my past, incorporates my present, and is something that I expectation will remain everlastingly in my future.

The Types of Aptitude Testing

The Types of Aptitude Testing Student Resources Print The Types of Aptitude Testing By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on January 31, 2020 Ragip Candan / Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers An aptitude test is designed to assess what a person is capable of doing or to predict what a person is able to learn or do given the right education and instruction. It represents a persons level of competency to perform a certain type of task. Such aptitude tests are often used to assess academic potential or career suitability. Such tests may be used to assess either mental or physical talent in a variety of domains. A Few Examples of Aptitude Tests Some examples of aptitude tests include: A test assessing an individuals aptitude to become a fighter pilotA career test evaluating a persons capability to work as an air traffic controllerAn aptitude test is given to high school students to determine which type of careers they might be good atA computer programming test to determine how a job candidate might solve different hypothetical problems  A test designed to test a persons physical abilities needed for a particular job such as a police officer or firefighter Students often encounter a variety of aptitude tests throughout school as they think about what they might like to study in college or do for as a career someday. High school students often take a variety of aptitude tests designed to help them determine what they should study in college or pursue as a career. These tests can sometimes give a general idea of what might interest students as a future career. For example, a student might take an aptitude test suggesting that they are good with numbers and data. Such results might imply that a career as an accountant, banker,  or stockbroker would be a good choice for that particular student. Another student might find that they have strong language and verbal skills, which might suggest that a career as an English teacher, writer, or journalist might be a good choice. Unlike achievement tests, which are concerned with looking a persons level of skill or knowledge at any given time, aptitude tests are instead focused on determining how capable of a person might be of performing a certain task. Aptitude Tests Versus Intelligence Tests So what exactly makes an aptitude test different from an intelligence test? Many intelligence tests are designed to measure what is known as general intelligence, or an underlying global mental capacity that affects performance in all areas. Intelligence encompasses many different abilities including problem-solving, reasoning, memory, knowledge, and ability to adapt to a changing environment. Aptitude tests, on the other hand, are designed to measure a much narrower range of abilities than IQ tests do. However, some aptitude tests might have a very narrow focus that limits what they are able to predict. Other tests that look at multiple domains are much more similar to intelligence tests. Special aptitude tests are those designed to look at an individuals capacity in a particular area.?? For example, imagine that a business wants to hire a computer programmer to work for their company. They will likely look at a range of things including work history and interview performance, but they might also want to administer an aptitude test to determine if job candidates possess the necessary skill to perform the job. This special aptitude test is designed to look at a very narrow range of ability - how skilled and knowledgeable the candidate is at computer programming. Multiple aptitude tests are designed to measure two or more different abilities.?? In some cases, such tests may even resemble intelligence tests in terms of their focus and scope. The Scholastic Assessment Test (or SAT) that high-school students take during their senior year is a good example of a multiple aptitude test. The SAT measures aptitudes in areas including math, reasoning, and language and is often used by colleges and universities to determine if an applicant is prepared and has the ability to do well in college. The Graduate Requisite Exam (GRE), as well as the specialized tests required in order to get into medical, law and business graduate programs, are also examples of multiple aptitude tests. A Word From Verywell Aptitude tests can be a good way to get an idea of what you are good at or what you might be good at given the right training. However, such tests cannot tell you everything. Consider your results carefully but also evaluate other factors such as your interests and experiences and then use this information when exploring different career options.

A Critical Evaluation of Consumers Attitude Formation towards the Purchasing of Jeans - Levis Jeans Example Free Essay Example, 3000 words

Though jeans have been embraced across all culture, their acceptability is varied. In most cases, they have been branded as casual wear. The choice to purchase jeans is dependent on a number of consumer-related needs. Levi s is an international company that has built a brand based on its innovativeness that has fostered continued development. Started by the Strauss family around 1875, the company was focused on developing jeans made from denim that could be sold to the miners. Above the initial focus on the jeans trousers, the company has diversified into other products such as shirts and suits. Through the introduction of the Levi 501s products, the company experienced rising sales in the early 1990s. The uniqueness and the strong brand of the Levis products have greatly promoted its sales. Jeans are capable of attracting customers based on the sensory attributes, which can help develop a perception towards the products. The consumers will be motivated to purchase a particular styl e or brand of jeans based on its attributes which appeal to their senses (Son 2007). Through vision, the aesthetics of the jeans can make the consumer to have a desire to purchase. We will write a custom essay sample on A Critical Evaluation of Consumers Attitude Formation towards the Purchasing of Jeans - Levis Jeans Example or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Persuasive Essay Homework - 1361 Words

Homework has been a topic of conversation and controversy in elementary education for as long as many people can remember, the pros and cons have been argued and researched time and time again. While most professionals in the field agree that homework is needed and helpful in middle and high school grade levels, when it comes to younger grades the information strongly shows that it is a waste of time. At its core homework has two possible effects in the home. Homework can be seen as a rule over parents from the school to manage their children’s time outside of school or as a way to inform parents on what their children are currently studying and allow them a participation in their children’s education (Wright). Around the time leading†¦show more content†¦But when it comes to the elementary grade levels, the cons of homework far outweigh the pros. The research shows time and time again that higher levels of homework in elementary school cause more issues than i t does benefits. So, what are the cons? And how can learning be encouraged outside of the classroom without it having a negative impact? In 2008 the MetLife American Teacher series polled students, teachers, and parents on their feelings and thoughts about homework and the results were as follows; one-third of parents rated the quality of homework given as fair or poor, one-quarter of students say that they as if their homework is busywork and unrelated to what they were learning in class (MetLife). But, one of the leading reasons that people support homework in elementary levels is because they believe it can kick-start healthy and even necessary habits. These habits include; time-management, study skills, independent working, etc. It is unrealistic to expect students to gain important life skills from poorly created and unrealistic homework. Jay Matthews of the Washington Post says â€Å"What most people do not know about elementary school homework is that the research strongly suggests that it is a waste of time, something I began to suspect after my daughters eighth or ninth collage.† Matthews consulted with a Duke psychologist who helped him to conclude that in elementary education the correlationShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Homework Is Homework1077 Words   |  5 Pagesstill has thirty more minutes to read, and a math test to study for. It might take another aggravating hour, that feels like days, to finish. He thinks about skipping the rest of the homework that is required of him to do, but it is strictly due the next day. In other words, he has approximately seven hours until his homework is due, and only five hours until his alarm is screaming at him to wake up and get out of bed. It’s like a very time consuming neverending corn maze that you have to go through everyRead MorePersuasive Essay Homework1054 Words   |  5 PagesShould homework be given in school? Although homework gives students a chance to succeed in a very competitive world, it takes up a lot of time in the day, it doesn’t help students grow academically, and it also takes a toll on the personal lives and the health of many students. Kids go to school everyday for 6-7 hours a day, and are stuffed with things to memorize and ‘understand’ everyday until test day comes and they throw up all the information on the test, only to forget it after a weekRead MoreThe Importance Of Writing In Writing1094 Words   |  5 PagesEssays tend to stress everyone involved in the process of creating them. Why, then do teachers still expect students to write these old-fashioned assignments? We have developed an entire language made solely of pictures. People hardly write in complete sentences while communicating with one another. As long as this trend keeps up, eventually proper grammar will be practically non-existent and the English language almost obsolete (Why Do We Make Our Students Write Essays? ). Yet, every year afterRead MoreEssay about Should Electronic Devices Be Used in School?616 Words   |  3 PagesPersuasive Essay Do you like your electronic devices? Do you want to use it at school? Well, you have come to the right place. By electronics in school can mean you can use your phones, laptops, Ipods, and tablets in school. Not only these devices but more like a Playstation Portable(PSP) or a Dual Screen(DS). You would only use these devices for school work nothing else, but only after school. Electronic devices should be used in school because they can be used in an emergency, increases studentsRead MoreBeing An Academic Writer Is More Of Your Attitude Than Your Capabilities931 Words   |  4 Pagesthat your essay is qualified and convincible. About a month ago, I was carrying out my plan of my research project of my writing class. As an international student, I spend most of time on this course because I need to improve my writing and reading abilities within a short period. Before last month, I never wrote this kind of essay that explain your thesis statement based on your research. You need to collect authoritative data and facts to support your idea in order to make your essay more persuasiveRead MoreMy First Attempt At Redemptive Accomplishment935 Words   |  4 Pageseffort. Southern New Hampshire University’s English Composition course is my first attempt at redemptive accomplishment. When I began this writing course, I was asked what I hoped to accomplish. I even wrote a reflective essay as a journal entry on the topic. Looking back at the essay and reading it again, I am struck by how much I have learned in such a brief time span. My initial concerns were surrounded in a perceived fear of academia. I was insecure in my ability to convey thoughts in a structuredRead MoreThe Mom2180 Words   |  9 Pages |10 Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze and draw conclusions about persuasive text and | | |provide evidence from text to support their analysis | |(Include TEK number and (SE) |10A Evaluate how the author’s purpose and stated or perceived audience affect the tone of persuasive texts | |student expectationRead MoreEssay on should students be allowed to use cell phones in school1043 Words   |  5 PagesVernon School Room 218 Persuasive Essay / Cellular Telephone Cell Phones: Many American youth now have cell phones that they carry with them everywhere .Should cell phones be allowed at school ?Many teachers and students claim that phones are distracting while many parents and students insist that phones are necessary. Write a persuasive essay explaining your position on the issue. Although not everybody would agree,Read MorePersuasive Essay on Social Networking: Con1115 Words   |  5 PagesPERSUASIVE ESSAY ON SOCIAL NETWORKING: CON In today’s society, billions of people across the world are accessing the internet multiple times a day. Why wouldn’t they? Many people have the internet on their smart phones, and at the touch of a button can check their email, their Facebook, their bank account balance, movie times, you name it. One of these things, however, usually consumes more of the user’s time than the others. Yes, you guessed it: Facebook. Any social networking site or applicationRead MoreSpeech Against Procrastination1290 Words   |  6 Pagesmany parents have in common? No, itæŠ ¯ not that they all have Golgi bodies and retinas. Let me give you a hint. They put off 憈ill tomorrow what they should do today... get my drift? About right now, Joey is late for an audition, Spongebob is writing an essay due in five minutes, my theatre teacher is dilly dallying on who to cast for the upcoming show, high school students are too tired to do anything and parents are putting off their mor ning meetings until the afternoon! And do you know what causes all

Athens vs Sparta Free Essays

Jocelynn Grabowski Social Studies P. 6 Ms. Kaputa 2-10-13 Athens vs. We will write a custom essay sample on Athens vs Sparta or any similar topic only for you Order Now Sparta In Greece, Sparta and Athens society was very different in many ways. However, at the same time the two shared a number of character in common. The differences are what set the two apart while the things that they shared in common are what united them as Greek city-states. Sparta and Athens shared similarities and differences in their systems of government, and in education. One of the bigger differences between Sparta and Athens was their systems of government. There were many statuses to the Spartan government. There were the two kings who ruled the city, but a 28-member council of elders limited their power. The 28-member council of elders were 60 year old men or older elected for life by the citizens. These citizens voted for these men at the assembly. They also voted for five overseers, ephors, annually and ran the day to day operations of Sparta. The assembly was where they voted on and decided political issues. Only men of age 30 or older could attend. They were able to support or veto the councils recommendations by shouting out their votes. Women did not participate in the political life of Sparta. The differences and similarities coincide with each other in Athens. Athens had an assembly just like Sparta did. The assembly was at the hill of prnx at the foot of the Acropolis. During Pericles age the citizens were paid to go to assemblies so it wouldn’t just be the wealthy men. This was called jury service. They were a direct democracy, which meant everyone attended the assembly not just men or politicians (the wealthy). Athens had a council of elders like the 28 elder, but with a lot more people, 500 more people and citizens elected officials such as 10 generals (strategous), magistrates (archons), and others. Women, as well as in Sparta, did not participate in the political life, such as voting, of Athens. The government and how it was handled was very good and important, maybe not to fair but important, education is a highly needed subject to have in a Greek city-state. Education has big differences and similarities between the two great city-states. In Athens it was quite unfair for education. Boys got taught from ages 5-16 but if you came from a wealthier family you could be taught from ages 5-18, some in their twenties. Boys entered military training for two years until age of twenty. Foreign and slaves got taught only basic Greek education and they were not excluded from the public. Girls received very little formal education. They were usually kept at home and had no political powers. The women would learn spinning, weaving, and domestic art. If they were to learn any formal education it would be from their fathers or their brothers teaching them. There were not all equal differences and similarities between Athens and Sparta for their education. There were more differences than similarities. At age 7 boys were taken and trained in the art of warfare. The boys were given only a cloak and they were under fed. This required them to steal food and clothing. It was for survival. If the boys got caught stealing food they would get in trouble for getting caught not actually stealing the food. At age twenty they went to a higher rank of military. At 30 they could marry and live in the barracks with other soldiers. Military was all they learned though. They were educated in choral dance, reading, and writing. Military and athletics were favored more in Sparta. So Athens and Sparta’s boys education both mainly focused on warfare tactics and raising them to be soldiers. Spartan girls got taught at age 7 in gymnastics, athletics, and survival skills. They could participate in the sports boys did, but not play with the boys. The girls were more equal to the men in Sparta compared to in Athens. Athens girls had pretty close to no rights. Education and the system of government in Athens and Sparta were shared in similarities and in differences. Athens and Sparta’s government did not let women participate in their political life, but their statuses were quite alike in many stations. Sparta treated their women with more equal right than Athens did. Athens gave girl close to no rights through education. Both city-states were focused of war and teaching young men to fight in battle and survive. Both of these city-states were great, but was Sparta better than Athens, or Athens better than Sparta, or were they both as great as the each other? How to cite Athens vs Sparta, Essay examples

Presence Of A God Essay Paper Example For Students

Presence Of A God Essay Paper Either God exists or He doesnt. There is no middle ground. Any attempt to remain neutral in relation to Gods existence is automatically synonymous with unbelief. It is far from a moot question, for if God does exist, then nothing else really matters; if He does not exist, then nothing really matters at all. If He does exist, then there is an eternal heaven to be gained (Hebrews 11:16) and an eternal Hell to be avoided (Revelation 21:8). The question for Gods existence is an extremely important one. One might wonder why it is necessary to present evidence for the existence of God. As Edward Thomson so beautifully stated it: the doctrine of the one living and true God, Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of the universe, as it solves so many problems, resolves so many doubts, banishes so many fears, inspires so many hopes, gives such sublimity to all things, and such spring to all noble powers, we might presume would, as soon as it was announced, be received by every healthy mind. Some, however, contrary to their higher interests, have refused to have God in their knowledge and thus have become vain in their reasonings and foolish in their philosophy (Romans 1:21,22,28). They do not see the folly (Psalm 14:1) of saying there is no God. The Christian has not only the obligation to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you.. . (I Peter 3:15), but an obligation to carry the Gospel message to a lost and dying world (Mark 16:15-16, et al.). There will be times when carrying the Gospel message to the world will entail setting forth the case for the existence of God. In addition, we need to remember that Christians are not agnostics. The agnostic is the person who says that Gods existence is unknowable. As difficult as it is to believe, some Christians take that same stance in regard to Gods existence. They assert that they believe there is a God, but that they cannot know it. They state that Gods existence cannot be proved. This is false! Gods existence is both knowable and provable. Acceptance of Gods existence is not some blind leap into the dark as so many have erroneously asserted. The Christians faith is not a purely emotional, subjective leap, but instead is a firm conviction regarding facts based upon reasonable evidence. Gods existence can be proved to any fair-minded person. Granted, we do not mean by the word proved that Gods existence can be scientifically demonstrated to human senses as one might, for example, prove that a sack of potatoes weighs ten pounds. But we need to be reminded (especially in our day of scientific intimidation) that empirical evidence (that based solely upon experiment and/or observation) is not the only basis for establishing a provable case. Legal authorities recognize the validity of a prima facie case. Such a case exists when adequate evidence is available to establish the presumption of a fact which, unless such can be refuted, legally stands as a fact. Inferential proof (the culmination of many lines of evidence into only one possible conclusion) is an invaluable part of a prima facie case which simply cannot be refuted. But an important question which serves as a preface to the case for Gods existence is this: From whence has come the idea of God in mans mind? The inclination to be religious is universally and peculiarly a human trait. As one writer observed, even today the evidence indicates that no race or tribe of men, however degraded and apparently atheistic, lacks that spark of religious capacity which may be fanned and fed into a mighty flame. If, therefore, man is incurably religiousand has the idea of God in his mindand if we assume that the world is rational, it is impossible that a phenomenon so universal as religion could be founded upon illusion. The question is highly appropriate therefore: what is the source of this religious tendency within man? Alexander Campbell, in his celebrated debate April 13-23, 1829 in Cincinnati, Ohio with Robert Owen, provided the answer to this question in a very positive fashion. He asked Owen from whence the idea of God had come in mans mind. Owen (and all skeptics) had (have) stated that the idea of God has not come from reason (skeptics hold, of course, that the concept is unreasonable), and that it has not come from revelation. Campbell pressed Owen to tell him from whence the idea of God had come. Owen retorted, by imagination. Campbell then quoted both John Locke and David Hume, two philosophers who are highly respected in the secular community. Hume stated that the creative power of the mind amounts to nothing more than the faculty of combining, transposing, augmenting and diminishing the materials afforded to us by sense and experience. The imagination, it turns out, has no creative power. Neither reason nor imagination create. Reason, like a carpenters yardstick, is a measure, not an originator. Imagination works only on those items already in the mind; it does not create anything new. Sigmund Freud, German psychoanalyst of the first part of the 20th century, attempted to explain Gods existence by stating that man had indeed formed the heavenly father from the idea in his mind of his earthly father. But this idea will not suffice either. Is the God of the Bible the God man would invent if asked to do so? Hardly. Look around at the god man invents when left to his own devicesthe god of hedonism, epicurianism, subjectivism, or the god of if it feels good, do it. The God of the Bible is not the God man would invent, if left to his own devices. Freuds attempt to explain the idea of God in mans mind failed miserably. Campbell pointed out to Owen, in a very forceful way, that the idea of God in mans mind could only have come through revelation. There is no other choice. The concept of God, therefore, though greatly perverted in heathen hands, is ultimately traceable to an original communication between the Creator and the creature. There is no other alternative, all the disclaimers of the atheist notwithstanding. But suppose the unbeliever objects: If the idea of God is basic to human nature, we would not be able to deny it; we do deny it, however; therefore it is not intuitive. It is sufficient to observe in rebuttal to such a claim that man, under the enchantment of a deceptive philosophy, can deny the most obvious of things. Those deluded, for example, by Christian Science religion deny the existence of matter and death. Some today deny that the earth is spherical or that man has ever been to the moon. But a denial of facts does not automatically negate the facts. Mans attitude toward Truth does not change Truth. Can Gods existence be proven? Can we know God exists? The answer is a resounding YES! The psalmist said, Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10) as he echoed the Creators sentiments to man. The allusions to th e manifestations of Deity in the created world are profuse. David exclaimed, O Jehovah, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, Who has set thy glory upon the heavens? (Psalm 8:1). In the same psalm, the inspired writer was constrained to say that the heavens are the work of thy fingers and the moon and stars thou hast ordained (Psalm 8:3). Later David was to utter the beautiful words of Psalm 19:1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Isaiah graphically portrayed the majesty and power of natures God when he wrote that God hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance (40:12). Dr. E. A. Maness once remarked, If the word God were written upon every blowing leaf, embossed on every passing cloud, engraved on every granite rock, the inductive evidence of God in the world would be no stronger than it is. John C. Monsma, in the text which he edited entitled, The Evidence of God in an Expanding Universe (which is a compilation of testimony from forty outstanding American scientists), affirmed that science can establish, by the observed facts of Nature and intellectual argumentation, that a super-human power exists. . Dr. A. Cressy Morrison, former President of the New York Academy of Sciences, affirmed that so many essential conditions are necessary for life to exist on our earth that it is mathematically impossible that all of them could exist in proper relationship by chance on any one earth at one time. Dr. Arthur H. Compton, Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago and Nobel laureate, wrote: It is not difficult for me to have this faith, for it is incontrovertible that where there is a plan there is intelligencean orderly, unfolding universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever utteredIn the beginning, God.' . Louis Agassiz, M.D., Ph.D. , Harvard University (and a life-long opponent of Darwinian evolution), made these remarks:.. Though I know those who hold it to be very unscientific to believe that thinking is not something inherent in matter, and that there is an essential difference between inorganic and living and thinking beings, I shall not be prevent ed by any such pretentions of a false philosophy from expressing my conviction that as long as it cannot be shown that matter or physical forces do actually reason, I shall consider any manifestation of physical thought as an evidence of the existence of a thinking being as the author of such thought, and shall look upon intelligent and intelligible connection between the facts of nature as direct proof of a thinking God.. .. All these facts in their natural connection proclaim aloud the one God whom man may know, adore, and love, and natural history must in good time become the analysis of the thoughts of the Creator of the universe as manifested in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Lord Kelvin, the famed English thermodynamicist once said, I cannot admit that, with regard to the origin of life, science neither affirms nor denies Creative Power. Science positively affirms Creative Power. It is not in dead matter that we live and move and have our being, but in the creating and directing Power which science compels us to accept as an article of belief . There is nothing between absolute scientific belief in a Creative Power, and the acceptance of the theory of a fortuitous concourse of atoms . Forty years ago I asked Liebig famed chemist Justus von LiebigBT, walking some-where in the country, if he believed that the grass and flowers that we saw around us grew by mere chemical forces. He answered, No, no more than I could believe that a book of botany describing them could grow by mere chemical forces.. .. Do not be afraid of being free thinkers! If you think strongly enough you will be forced by science to the belief in God, which is the foundation all religion. You will find science not antagonistic but helpful to religion. . One cannot help but wonder what has caused many of the most prominent and brilliant minds of both days gone by and of our day to make such statements. No doubt, at least a partial explanation lies in the fact that they saw a few, or many, of the thousands of signposts or ensigns scattered throughout the natural world which point clearly to the unseen Designer of nature. These signposts are multitudinous in our world, and plainly obvious to those whose minds have not been blinded by the god of this world (II Corinthians 4:4), refusing to have God in their knowledge (Romans 1:28). Immune-mediated diabetes (formerly called insulin- Essay If there are roughly 5 billion people on the earth, and it took two cells to make each of them, thats approximately 10 billion cells (remember: this is the DNA it took to give every living person every physical characteristic he or she has), and that DNA would fit into no more than 1/8th of a cubic inch! Does that tell you how powerful the DNA is? Are we to then understand that this kind of design came by accident? Hardly! The Hebrew writer was correct when he said, For every house is builded by someone; but he that built all things is God(3:4). Consider the skin of the human. It is a nearly waterproof layer, enclosing the bodys contents, almost 60% of which is water. It prevents the exit or entrance of too much moisture, and acts as a protector for the rest of the body. At the same time it is both a radiator and retainer of heat, helping to regulate the bodys temperature in conjunction with the two hypothalamus glands in the brain. Skin may be as thick as 5/16th of an inch (e.g., the eyelid). The skin contains over 2,000 sweat glands which form one of the most ingenious air-conditioning systems ever known to man. Skin acts as a barrier to protect the sensitive internal organs, and even has the power to regenerate itself. Consider the skeletal system of the body. It is composed of 206 bones, more durable and longer lasting than mans best steel. Each joint produces its own lubrication and the system as a whole is able to provide not only structure, but great protection (e.g., the 24 ribs guarding the internal viscera). There are 29 skull bones, 26 spinal vertebrae, 24 ribs, 2 girdle bones, and 120 other bones scattered over the body. The bones range in size, from the tiny pisiform bone in the hand, to the great femur (over 20 inches long in the thigh of an average man). Yet in a man weighing 160 pounds, the bones weigh only 29 pounds. Remember Pauls comment about all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, making the increase of the body into the building up of itself.. . (Ephesians 4:16). And consider, of course, the muscles. There are over 600 of them in the human, with the function of contraction and release. From the smile on the face of the newborn baby to the legs of the marathon runner, the muscles are in charge. They are placed, however, into two systemsthe voluntary system over which you have control (reach out and grab a ball), and the involuntary system over which you have little or no control (try stopping a kidney). Are we to believe that the skeletal and muscle systems, in all their complexity, just happened? No one could ever convince you that, for example, a Cadillac limousine just happened. Yet something infinitely greater in design and structure the human bodywe are asked to believe just happened. What kind of incongruous logic is that, to reach such a conclusion? As G.K. Chesterton once said: When men stop believing in God, they dont believe in nothing. They believe in anything!' How true. One does not get a poem without a poet, or a law without a lawgiver. One does not get a painting without a painter, or a musical score without a composer. And just as surely, one does not get purposeful design without a designer! Consider, for example, the human ear and the human eye. The average piano can distinguish the sounds of 88 keys; the human ear can distinguish over 2,500 different key tones. In fact, the human ear can detect sound frequencies that flutter the ear drums as faintly as one- billionth of a centimeter (a distance one-tenth the diameter of a hydrogen atom).. The ear is so sensitive that it could even hear, were the body placed in a completely soundproof room, the blood coursing through the veins. Over 100,000 hearing receptors in the ears are sending impulses to the brain to be decoded and answered. The human eye is the most perfect camera ever known to man. So perfect is it that its very presence caused Charles Darwin to say, That the eye with all its inimitable contrivances could have been formed by natural selection seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree. Darwin also commented: If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. The eye, as it turns out, is such an organ, and Darwins theory, as such, has broken down. Each human eye is composed of over 107 million cells with 7 million cones (allowing the eye to see in full, living color) and 100 million rods (allowing the eye to see in blacks, whites, and greys). The eyes are connected to the brain by over 300,000 nerves, and can detect light as feeble as 1/100 trillionth of a watt. How is the eye supposed to have evolved? What intermediate state between no eye and a perfect eye could nature have selected to be passed on to successive generations? As Mark Twain once c ommented, Its amazing what men will believe, so long as its not in the Bible! There are so many systems in the human body that could be discussed, but since space precludes discussing them all, it is now to the brain that we turn our attention. The brain, of course, regulates the rest of the body. It contains over 10 billion nerve cells, and 100 billion glia cells (which provide the biological batteries for brain activity). These cells float in a jellied mass, sifting through information, storing memories, creating what we call consciousness, etc.. Over 120 trillion connections tie these cells together. The brain sends out electrical impulses at a speed of 393 feet per second (270 mph), and receives nerve impulses being produced at a rate of over 2,000/second. The brain receives signals continuously from 130,000 light receptors in the eyes, 100,000 hearing receptors in the ears, 3,000 tastebuds, 30,000 heat spots on the skin, 250,000 cold spots, and 500,000 touch spots. The brain does not move, yet consumes 25% of the bloods oxygen supply. It is constantly bathed in blood, its vessels receiving 20% of all the blood pumped from the heart. If the blood flow is interrupted for 15-30 seconds, unconsciousness results. If blood is cut off to the brain for longer than 4 minutes, brain damage results. Four major arteries carry blood to the brain as a sort of fail-safe system. And, the brain is protected from damage by not one, but three major systems: (1) the outer skull bone; (2) the dura mater (Latin for hard motherthe protective lining around the brain), and; (3) the absorbing fluid, which keeps the brain from hitting the inner skull. With the brain properly functioning, all the other body systems (hormones, circulatory, digestive, reproductive, etc. ) can be overseen and controlled. Are we, as Dr. George Gaylord Simpson of Harvard stated some years ago, an accident in a universe that did not have us in mind in the first place? Or, are we created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26,27)? Sir Isaac Newton once said, In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of Gods existence. How much more, then, should the cells, the brain, the lungs, the heart, the reproductive system, etc. , be shouting to us that there is a God, and He is not silent. As the psalmist so well said, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Or, as Imogene Fey has observed: The birth of every new baby is Gods vote of confidence in the future of man. Dr. Lewis Thomas, the renowned medical doctor and author of The Medusa and the Snail, commented in that work about the miracle of how one sperm cell forms with one egg cell to produce a single cell that will, nine months later, become a new human being. His conclusion: The mere existence of that cell should be one of the greatest astonishments of the earth. People ought to be walking around all day, all through their waking hours, calling to each other in endless wonderment, talking of nothing except that cell.. .. If anyone does succeed in explaining it, within my lifetime, I will charter a skywriting airplane, maybe a whole fleet of them, and send them aloft to write one great exclamation point after another around the whole sky, until a ll my money runs out. Yet we are told that such a miracle has just happened. Carl W. Miller once stated: To the reverent scientist the simplest features of the world about us are in themselves so awe-inspiring that there seems no need to seek new and greater miracles of Gods care. In order to get a poem, one must have a poet. In order to have a law, one must have a lawgiver. In order to have a mathematical diagram, one must have a mathematician. A deduction commonly made is that order, arrangement, or design in a system suggest intelligence and purpose on the part of the originating cause. In the universe, from the vastness of multiplied solar systems to the tiny world of molecules, marvelous design and purposeful arrangement are evidenced. In the case of man, from the imposing skeletal system to the impressive genetic code in all of its intricacy, that same design and purposeful arrangement are evidenced. The only conclusion that a reasonable, rational, unbiased mind can reach is that the existing systems of our world, including all life, have been purposefully designed by an Intelligent Cause. We call that Cause God. Conclusion Alan Devoe significantly writes, Some naturalists have become convinced that there is an unknown force at worka force that guides creatures by influences outside the entire sphere with which science ordinarily works. We would prayerfully urge those who speak of this unknown force to turn to the God that made the world and all things therein (Acts 17:24), and ascribe honor and glory to Him. The revelation He has left of Himself in nature simply could speak no louder of His existence than it already does. Furthermore, this examination of arguments for Gods existence has not even touched upon the historical arguments which come to bear on the case. For example, the historical Christ, the resurrection, the Bible, the system of Christianity, and other such arguments are equally as important. The arguments from historical fact are additional proof that there is a God, and He is not silent. That Christ existed cannot he doubted by any rational person. His miracles and other works are documented, not only in biblical literature, but in profane, secular history as well. The empty tomb stands as a silent but powerful witness that God does exist (Acts 2:24; Romans 10:9) and that Christ is His Son. The Bible exists; therefore, it must be explained. The men who wrote it were either deceivers, deluded, or telling the truth. What do the evidences say? The internal and external evidences are enough to tell the story of Gods existence, and the fact that He has spoken to us from His inspired word. Additional evidences are available at every turn. Little wonder Paul stated that in him we live, and move, and have our being.. . (Acts 17:28). Moses statement still stands as inspired testimony to the fact of the existence of God: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).Bibliography: