Creationism vs Evolutionism Essay Example for Free

Creationism vs Evolutionism Essay From the beginning of time there has been a controversy about how the world was created. At this time we can agree that there can only be one of two ways that the world could have been created, and that is scientifically or non scientifically. While in the world today mostly everything is being created from science although that might not have been the case back in the days. In this research paper I will try to show the difference between the two and how they are still one in the same. While this research paper is not designed to persuade you in your beliefs, it is a bucket of knowledge that will better educate you on the two. The Creationism vs. Evolutionism controversy represents a clash between two ways of relating to the world (scientific/non-scientific). The central idea of biological evolution (scientific) is that all life on Earth shares a common ancestor, just as you and your cousins share a common grandmother. Creationism (non-scientific) is someone who believes in a god who is absolute creator of heaven and earth, out of nothing, by an act of free will. Creationists do not believe that all of today’s living things evolved from simple organisms changing slowly over time. Creationism opposes the idea of human evolution. (Ruse, Michael, fall 2008) Since the creation of the universe is typically explained by two popular beliefs. One being the scientific explanation and the other being biblical explanation. These are two very different explanations, and while I believe ones religious beliefs can have a role in which explanation one chooses to follow, one is free to choose how they believe the world was created. The scientific explanation is explained by the Big Bang Theory. A basic definition of the Big Bang Theory is that the universe began at a specific time and has been cooling and expanding ever since. According to this explanation, a hot ball of energy expanded outward in all directions and in time radiation and matter began to rise. Gravity now comes in to play and draws the matter into dense regions. After billions of years this formed all things that exist now, stars, planets and galaxies. In our text the biblical explanation for the creation of the universe is explained to us through the Judeo-Christian Biblical account of the creation of earth. The Judeo-Christian account is believed that God made its first inhabitants, fashioning them out of clay, and breathing life into them. With this theory it is obvious to see the two explanations; scientific and biblical are very different. Scientific belief is the universe was created through hot energy expanding and eventually creating our galaxies. The biblical explanation is the belief of the Holy Spirit (God) created all things. With these two very different explanations I dont see how they can become reconciled. Being of Pentecostal faith, I was taught, and brought up to believe in the biblical explanation. However, one cannot ignore the scientific explanation. With the research given today it’s hard to deny the scientific facts available. For some it can be difficult picking one explanation if they don’t believe in religion, for me, I can believe is that the world was created by (god) and the continued creation that came there after over time is created through science. Creationism vs. volutionism has often been incorrectly drawn out as a debate between science and religion, very little can be gained by debating evolution vs. creationism. Two of the biggest obstacles to effective debate on the topic are: †¢The lack of conclusive scientific evidence to forever resolve the issue †¢And the lack of open mindedness on the part of both camps. The geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky stated that, nothing in biology makes sense except in terms of evolution. The theory of evolution merely explains a process by which species undergoes change over an extended period of time. It is believed that different species evolved from a common ancestor. In order to understand the concept of evolution we must think of time in large units like millions of years. Blocks of time like months and years are of little significance. Evolution refers to entire populations and not individuals. The changes must be passed on to the next generation. Though not the first person to present the idea of evolution; Charles Darwin has been dubbed the father of evolution. He is the most noted and supported, for his theory of natural selection. Darwin’s theory of natural selection simply states that nature favors the survival of organisms that have traits that are best suited for their environment. In other words, only the strong survive. (Max O. Hallman third edition pp 159- 166) Since Darwin’s proposal, scientists such as geologist, biologists, biochemists and others have conducted studies, gathered evidence and developed theories to explain the probable mechanisms of evolution. Modifications are constantly being made to findings and theories as new evidence is accepted. These scientists have conducted studies to compare organisms. Their research includes the study of fossil records, cell structure and function, DNA and the process of heredity (ancestral background). Their theory of evolution suggests that species that currently exist on earth, developed from ancestral species that have adapted to changing conditions. Scientist evidence suggests that life on earth probably began billions of years ago with a unicellular organism. This information has been obtained through Radio-carbon dating which is a method of obtaining age estimates on organic materials. It has been used to date samples as old as 50,000 years. The method was developed immediately following World War II by Willard F. Libby and coworkers, and has provided age determinations in archaeology, geology, geophysics and other branches of science. Radiocarbon determinations can be obtained on wood; charcoal; marine and fresh-water shell; bone and antler; peat and organic-bearing sediments, carbonate deposits such as tufa, caliche, and marl; and dissolved carbon dioxide and carbonates in ocean, lake and ground-water sources. Darwin hypothesized that changes in species is due to the concept of natural selection (only the strong survive). Organisms with favorable traits to those environments are more likely to survive, reproducing and passing on the better traits to the next generation. The new off spring world have an increased chance of survival. Over time, the fittest of the species will survive with different characteristics from those of the original species. This will now be recognized as a new species. (William P. marryA. cunningham chapter 4. Pp 75-90) While absolute proof of the existence of God cannot be realized by any human being, the great weight of evidence, when rationally evaluated, clearly balances the scales heavily in favor of God. We can demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that He is, and that He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) Creationism is the religious belief that all life on earth is the creation of a supernatural being- god. This relates to the history of religion as described in religious text and the bible. As described in genesis, humans, the world, the universe and all that exists was created by god: Creatio ex nihilo- Latin for creation from nothing.

Sanctity of Life Essay -- Science Biology

Sanctity of Human Life Does a person have the right to kill another human life, at any stage of development? A city council debates over whether to sacrifice Bill, a man with no earthly attachments, to save five members of society. Two parents face the choice of using an embryonic stem cell treatment to reverse their son’s paralysis, or leave him paralyzed from the neck down. The mother wishes to employ the treatment while the stepfather is against the treatment because it kills an embryo. In both situations, sanctity of life compels one not to sacrifice an innocent human life, potential or existing, to improve the well-being of another. An embryo is potential human life; therefore, one cannot sacrifice it. Potential human life is present at the point of conception, when the egg and sperm join. Only nine months separate this embryo from being a developed human. Letting an embryo die to increase the well-being of the young man disregards the sanctity of human life. The young man still has potential; he is not dead. The embryo personifies the rawest potential in human life. Both are human lives that have inviolable potential. Kant’s categorical imperative is applicable here. The embryo is an end, not a means. It should be valued for its very existence; it is a significant life with equal standing alongside other lives. A universal law is moral only if applied to all persons. If one believes all should be honest, then he or she must be honest or that law is not universal. Universal application of the sanctity of life deems sacrificing one to save another as immoral, for then one is making an exception to that law . Thus, no form of human life is worthy of sacrifice. In the organ-harvesting dilemma, the sanctity of life prevents... ...at endangers others. Works Cited Weston, Anthony. A 21st Century Ethical Tool Box. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford, 2008. Print. Pgs.127-144 Anthony Weston has taught ethics for 25 years and currently is a professor of ethics at Elon University. He has written numerous books regarding ethics and the employment of them. This book is a guide discovering ethics, their morality, and application. He utilizes vivid excerpts from renowned authors and philosophers to impart information effectively. While reading this book, one discovers new concepts about the world around one and oneself. Weston credits collaborative professors of similar studies, with helping produce this book in the beginning of the text. Information taken from Weston’s book was crucial for understanding ethics, especially the excerpt from Kant’s Grounding for the Metaphysics Morals.

The Evolution of Courtship

CHAPTER 1I. IntroductionA. DefinitionCourtship is the process or period of courting. Through the years, it is evident that there has been a significant change in the way courtship is done. Especially in the Philippines, where culture is dynamic and ever-changing, it has to the researcher’s attention that there has been great changes in the way courtship is done between Filipino males and females. With this, the researcher would like to interpret the evolution of courtship. The landscape of male and female interaction has changed over the past 100 years, revealing a very sharp contrast in shape and form.One significant area where this is clearly seen is in the area of courtship and dating. In 1896, the word â€Å"dating† was known to be lower-class slang in reference to prostitution. Basically, going on a date was an understatement for paid sex. By the 1900s, the word â€Å"Calling† (or courtship) was introduced into households. Calling was the process of a man, t he suitor, coming into the home of a young woman to meet her and get to know her and get to know her better and eventually end up marrying her.This was highly preferred by parents since the meeting between the man and young woman was highly supervised – everything from the length of the meeting to what food they would eat (Discroll, 2009). Furthermore, it gave parents a sense of safety since it protected adolescents from any kind of danger like rape, and involved the maximum participation of family members. In this, however, the process of courtship was not always perfect. It was seen that it only placed itself in the households of the rich and not the lower-class (hence the lower class slang).It would seem that courtship was too expensive an activity for the lower-class. They simply could not affor the luxury of fine dining in a parlour and/or traveling to meet with their sweetheart (Discroll, 2009). In this, the progression and seeming perfect balance did not last long. As population, poverty, technology, economy, and innovation grew, change in the lower and higher classes rose. Because of this, they had to find more adaptive solutions as to how they would interact and meet with the opposite sex; a great change was seen throughout the years effectively changing the landscape of courtship.Today, technology has made easy interaction even more possible. With the dawn of the internet, men and women no longer need to be with each other physically or in the woman’s home to interact; it can all be done with a simple click of a few buttons. Now taken into the context of the Philippine setting, changing trends and patterns are not so much different from their western counterparts. Over the past decades, Filipinos have taken a more practical approach towards the relationships involved in their lives due to the increased use and innovation of technology and change in social landscape (Ogena, 1999).So like their western counterparts, no longer do men apply the idea of Chaperonage or Panliligaw (courtship) with the opposite sex. And as patterns have changed, the main influencers – parents – have found the style of dating more acceptable (Ogena, 1999). A study done by UPPL & DRPF called the YAFS (Young Adult Fertility and Sexual Study) for the Philippines showed that there was a significant number of adolescents going on dates.Another significant YAFS data shows that from 1982 to 1994, a majority of the youth (40.4%) group dated but later split to single dates (39. 7%) which enabled more intimate encounters with each other, with Filipino teens engaging in sexual activities (9. 7% for males and 2. 9% for females). As dating became a more regular activity among the youth, intimacies heightened. This resulted in an increase in the corresponding proportions of the youth engaging in petting and sexual intercourse, 16. 3% and 8. 1%, respectively (De Guzman,1997).B. Significance/ RelevanceIt is clear that Filipinos have changed the way they see courtship. Especially that technology has affected lives of teenagers today that it is now easy to communicate with anyone. It is then the researcher’s privilege to show the evolution of courtship. The study will also be beneficial to the general public to make them aware of how courtship worked then and now. The study will serve as a reference on the processes, style, and evolution of courtship.C. Research ObjectivesThis research paper aims to answer the question: 1. How has courtship evolved throughout the years? To answer the question/ problem, the researcher will investigate the following sub-questions: 1. What was the courtship process then? 2. What is the courtship process now? 3. How did courtship evolve throughout the years in terms of: a. Process of Courting b. Socialization c. CommunicationCHAPTER 2I. Review of Related LiteratureA. Local LiteratureCourtship is known in the local language as Panliligaw or Ligawan and is also synonymous to pandidiga o r digahan from some of the Tagalog-speaking regions in the Philippines. It has rooted from the Spanish word ‘diga’ which means to ‘to say, express. ’ The term manliligaw refers to a man who tries to court a woman and pursue her for marriage. On the other hand, the term nililigawan refers to the woman who is being pursued, hence, the one being courted.Courtship in the Philippines is known to be moderate and to ba taken under control unlike those of the western cultures. Traditionally, it has been done with the first step of the man visiting the woman’s house and presents himself to her parents in an official manner. It is generally unacceptable to most Filipino families to court the woman without knowledge of her family. The most usual trend to be acceptable to the woman’s family is from the saying â€Å"courting a Filipina means courting her family too† (Business World, 2002).Courtship in the Philippines involves the suitor working hard for his love even if he has to go through a long time of courtship. Traditional courtship would entail men serenading (harana) the â€Å"women at night and sing songs of love and affection† (Business World, 2002). Others would give love notes to express their feelings. It would also entail going to the woman’s house to bring her flowers and other sorts of gifts. And in some cases, men are shown to be courting the woman’s parents to get their acceptance before he could actually court the woman.Courtship allows women to enjoy the attention they get from men by being treated in a special way and receiving gifts from them. Because of this, some women even delay their marriage so that they have more time to experience what it’s like to be showered with attention and affection. (Molina, 1983 as cited in Courtship in the Philippines Today) Parents and family members are very much involved in courtship because of the Filipino viewpoint that marriage doesnâ€℠¢t just involve a man and woman, but their families as well.It became important for a person to choose well to enhance his or her family’s image. Dating as an activity in courtship, has become very popular, as it was an influence from the western culture. But even before people were influenced and dating became popular, the Philippines already had come up with its own courting practices. These practices were passes on by their families to use when entering into courtship. (Medina, 2005 as cited in Courtship in the Philippines Today)B. Local StudiesIn a 2012 study entitled â€Å"E-Courtship: A Descriptive Study† by Pamela Concepcion Panganiban, she explained that when two human beings start developing emotional attachments to one another, the relationship often tirns from simple friendship to a romantic kind (Tucker, 2008) and once feelings are established between the two parties, the individual then pursues the person his or her interest (Tucker, 2008). It is therefore appropriate to say that when an individual, much like a male, pursues a female, it signifies the act of courtship (Akiteng, N. D. ).Courtship often precedes itself as the stage where a male signifies his interest for an established romantic committed relationship with another person or before each can call themselves â€Å"official. † The study of Brinas, Ramirez, and Ty on â€Å"Ang Proseso ng Pagliligawan† (1996) mentioned that there are many reasons why men court women. Aside from the usual reason of preparing for marriage, a man courts a woman because first, he could be physically attracted to her. Men are visual creatures; that is why the physical appearance of a woman may be a big deal for them.Another reason is he wants to feel loved. A man courts a woman so that he could show love and at the same time, hopes that he receives that kind of love from the woman as well. The next reason is that a man wants to have someone to be with all the time because men treasur e companionship. He wants to have someone to be with because this makes him happy, especially during special moments in his life. A man courts a woman also for his own satisfaction. For a man, a woman seems to be like a reward or a challenge to him. So courting a woman – and eventually getting her makes him satisfied.These reasons vary, depending on the person. Looks and physical appearance may be a major factor for some men, but for others, this might just be a bonus. A common reason for a man to court a woman is because he is pressured by his friends and family to get a girlfriend. There are also some men who only want to court women who are attractive to show them off to the people around them. This is not an ideal reason to court a woman, but this happens especially when the man isn’t that mature yet as a person. The last reason is because a man simply has feelings for a woman.(Continuado, Marcos, and Renton, 2007) A 2009 study entitles â€Å"Courtship Among Emerg ing Adults in the Philippines: Definition, Activities, Influences and Motivations (Fabic, Feliciano, & Nery, 2009),† focused on the difference of understanding of the middle and lower class Filipinos about courtship. They conducted surveys from middle class groups and lower class groups living in the slum areas. But according to the results of the study for both male and female, the difference is not that big among the two different groups with their ideas of courtship.Most of them defined courtship as a process of knowing someone and â€Å"showing a girl how a guy feels towards her. † Proving Social Cognitive Theory’s assumption of having different factors (personal and environmental factor) affect that way people behave, act or think towards courtship, the said study found out that the topmost factors in their idea of courtship are â€Å"friends, media, family, and culture. † These factors are what motivates them and influences them if they will court so meone or if they want to be courted.There is no major difference with the activities done on courtship with those in the middle class and lower class group. Both classes agreed that â€Å"spending time with the other person, giving gifts, and basically just putting one’s best foot forward† are the most evident things to be done in the courtship stage. (pp. 78-78) The 2012 study entitled â€Å"Mix & Match: A Descriptive Study of Filipinos’ Ideals in Social Relationships (Olalia and Ylagan, 2012)† also proved how different factors influence a person’s behaviour or point of view towards courtship and marriage.Although the study focused on â€Å"ideals,† they concluded that â€Å"a number of informants shared that they patterned their ideal boyfriends or girlfriends and husband or wives from their parents. † One male respondent, 27, shared that because he grew up in an environment where his mother is more strong-willed than his father, he also wanted a girlfriend who is more strong-willed than him, which is true to his current girlfriend. Another informant (Ellaine, 22) shared that she wants someone who is like her brothers or her father.C. Foreign LiteratureIn the book â€Å"Boy Meets Girl,† Joshua Harris defines courtship as â€Å"dating with a purpose† and a â€Å"relationship between a man and a woman that has a purpose of being actively and intentionally together to consider marriage. † It is a process that has a direction and a purpose and involves knowing a person better to see if they are right for each other, and eventually, if they are, leads to marriage. A courtship can be considered successful when the man and woman find out if they are right for each other or not.They pursue marriage when they find out that they are for each other, and they end the courtship if they see that they are not right for each other. When a man and a woman understand the purpose of courtship, it is much eas ier for both of them to move on when their relationship doesn’t work out. Courtship is like a new season of friendship. It is something that should be entered into when a man or woman is ready for marriage. According to Joshua Harris, courtship is a relationship guided by the principle that â€Å"the joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment.† (Harris, 2005)Before courtship actually commences, a man and woman must have a deeper level of friendship than that of just an acquaintance. Normally, the second phase, or the actual courting stage will be initiated by the man asking permission from the woman’s father to begin courtship with his daughter, and the man’s obvious reason is to know if they both want to get married to each other in the future. The father usually acts as the initial â€Å"protective screening test. † Both the man’s and the woman’s families must be involved.â€Å"They ought to understand, through experience, each pa rt of the other person’s life as much as possible. † Instead of interrupting each one’s daily routines to make way for their alone time, couples in the courtship stage will most likely try to involve each one in their daily routines. It is important for a man and a woman who enter into courtship to have good communication to be able to know where they are in their relationship and how they feel towards each other. If everything is going well, they can spend more time alone together and take on activities like watching movies and concerts, going to the mall or having dinner alone.When men court women, they are usually romantic, and they buy flowers or cards to make the women feel special. When the man gets the blessing of the woman’s father, he then proposes to her. When the woman accepts the proposal, they would get married and live together as husband and wife. (Gianforte, 2008) Back then, it involved the control of women because it’s the men who g o to their homes to get to know them better.But as courtship evolved into a more free and liberated type, it has now been occurring outside the home, which means it’s now more of the man’s control because he is the one paying for the date. Since women started working and had more time to spend with men outside the house, new rules of engagement were formed where the men were able to take women out on dates. â€Å"The entire romantic system moved out from under the parent’s supervision, and like an eloping couple, it never wanted to go back.† (Gianforte, 2008)In Joushua Harris’ book â€Å"I Kisses Dating Goodbye,† he described dating as an act of a man and a woman going out to have a good time, nothing more, nothing less. He even added that people date because they want to be able to enjoy the physical and emotional benefits of being intimate without the need to be In a real commitment. This generation’s pursuit of fulfilment in relati onships, especially in dating, is that they want intimacy without the responsibility, sex with no expectations, and love without hard work and sacrifice.  (Harris, 2004)Today, the intent of dating ranges from getting to know the person to wanting to marry the person. (Gianforte, 2008) But because of the western influence today, courtship has been delivered to be vanishing. Contrary to that, the said study by Fabic, Feliciano, and Nery (2009), also found out that courting is still manifested in the local society. Depending on the respondent’s point of view, the definition of courtship will vary but will still lead to a common idea â€Å"which is the process of a guy expressing how he feels towards a girl by pleasing her, so that in return, the girl will like him back.†Prominent among the results is the idea that courtship is still initiated by the men. What varies now is the way men do their courtship especially because the use of technology is already inevitable toda y. This is what most people refer to now as â€Å"modern courtship† just as revealed in â€Å"an Asia-wide survey that was conducted during 2002, not only that the Filipinos say I love you through text messaging (Ellwood Clayton, 2006 as cited to court a woman through electronic devices. † (pp. 69-70)D. Foreign StudiesEven with the emergence of technology that makes it easier for young people to connect with other people, they still prefer the traditional style of courtship. Even if they use technology in communicating with their loves, they still prefer face to face communication and interaction rather than just texting or meeting online.Internet video started with a little film called â€Å"The Spot† by a filmmaker Scott Zzakarin in 1995 (Letizia, 2011). â€Å"The spot† was a simple film and into a two-inch two-inch screen and attributed to it were lol quality images at the same time were not equipped to handle the flop of Zakarin’s project, it i s considered today one o the first web or â€Å"webisodes† to hit the internet.

How The Kkk, Anarchists, Preaks Compare To Big Brother Essay

How the KKK, Anarchists, Preaks Compare to Big Brother nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Many organizations today are considered bad or quot;evilquot;. Groups like the Ku Klux Klan, The Anarchy Organization, Supreme White Power, which are Skinheads and Neo-Nazis, and Phreaks are a few of these groups. These groups all have one thing in common......they somehow break the law. The Ku Klux Klan quot;terrorized public officials in efforts to drive them from office and blacks in general to prevent them from voting and holding office.quot; ( Microsoft Encarta 1995 Ku Klux Klan) The quot;Klansmenquot; flogged, mutilated, or murdered their victims. Supreme White Power (SWP) or quot;skin headsquot; are somewhat like the Ku Klux Klan. The†¦show more content†¦Like in 1984, if these people surface, government will quickly shut these people up and try and cover up. Anarchists have begun to think and have chosen to rebel against their government. Perhaps everyone else has been brainwashed into thinking that government is the best. Members of the Brotherhood think, remember, and know something is not right with their society. Just like the anarchists see all the laws being broken and rights violated. there is a new bill that simply wants to have censorship on the internet so you cannot access anything quot;badquot;. This violates the 1st Amendment which gives us the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press, but this bill some how even made it to court. In 1984, people against The Party saw that the quantity of food distributed was becoming less. The Party stated, while talking about chocolate, something that now theyll be giving more chocolate to each family. This was obviously a lie when last week the quantity was more. In the Brotherhood they believed in truth and letting people live life as they want to live it, just like The Anarchy Organization. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Supreme White Power has over 30 different