Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus of Nazareth(c.4 BC/BCE-CE), also known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure of Christianity, which views him as the messiah foretold in the OLD Testament, and within which most denominations recognize him as the Son of God and as God incarnate. Islam considers Jesus a prophet and also the messiah, where as Judaism rejects these claims. Several other religions revere him in some way.

Noah's Ark

Scripture Reference: Genesis6:1-9:17

Noah's Ark and the Flood -Story summary:

God saw how great wickedness had become and decided to wipe mankind from the face of the earth. However, one righteous man among all the people of that time, Noah, found favor in God's eyes. With very specific instructions, God told Noah to build an ark for him and his family in preparation for a catastrophic flood that would destroy every living thing on earth.

God also instructed Noah to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, along with every kind of food to be stored as food for the animals and his family while on the ark. Noah obeyed everything God commanded him to do.


After they entered the ark, rain fell on the earth for a period of forty days and nights. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days, and every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out. As the waters receded, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah and his family continued to wait for almost eight more months while the surface of the earth dried out.
According to the Bible account in the book of Genesis, Noah's Ark came to rest over 4300 years ago on the mountains of Ararat. Based upon the information which gathered, Noah's Ark does exist on Mount Ararat also known as Mount Judi by some Muslim scholars. It has been preserved all of these years by the hand of god and exists the ice fields on Ararat.

In Genesis6:19-21 it is written: And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male &female. of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gathered it to thee; and it shall be food for thee and for them. In Genesis7:2-3, it is written: of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male& the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. There is only one verse in the Bible which gives us a hint of where we the ark came to rest, "the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat."Genesis8:4. Where is Ararat? The length of the ruins of the ark is 515ft.'which is exactly 300 Egyptian cubits (20.6 inches!)Moses was schooled in Egypt and was not familiar with the Hebrew cubit which was not even in existence when Moses wrote Genesis.

Monday, November 30, 2009

The Classification of knowledge

The Classification of knowledge
Perhaps the most fundamental aspect of Aristoteleanism is the classification of knowledge according the objects of that knowledge. The Greeks for some time had been concerned about the nature of human knowledge ; this concern is called epistemology, or the "study of knowledge ."For a long time, Greek philosophy dealt with questions of certainty; how could one be certain of knowledge? Suppose everything was an illusion? Aristotle resolved the question by categorizing knowledge based on their objects and the relative certainty with which you could know those objects. For instance, certain objects (such as in mathematics or logic) permit you to have a knowledge that is true all the time (two plus two always equals four). These types of knowledge are characterized by probability and imprecise explanations. Knowledge that would fall into this category would include ethics, psychology, or politics. Unlike Plato and Socrates, Aristotle did not demand certainty in everything. One cannot expect the same level of certainty in politics or ethics that one can demand in geometry or logic. In Ethics 1.3, Aristotle defines the difference in the following way,” we must be satisfied to indicate the truth with a rough and general sketch :when the subject and the basis of a discussion consist of matters which hold good only as a general rule ,but not always, the conclusions reached must be of the same order For as well-schooled man is one who searches for that degree of precision in each kind of study which the nature of the subject at hand admits: it is obviously just as foolish to accept arguments of probability from a mathematician as to demand strict demonstrations from an orator.”

Friday, November 27, 2009

KANT

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Philo Notes

- A being of higher faculties requries more to make him happy, is capable probably of more acute suffering,and certainly accessible to it at more points,than one of an inferior type; but in spite of these liabilities ,he can never really wish to sink into what he feels to be a lower grade existence.

- for the standard is not the agent's own greatest happiness, but the greatest amount of happiness altgether

- Alternative to happiness : Virtue and the absence of vice no less really than pleasure and the absence of pain. The desire of virtue is not as universal ,but it is an authentic a fact as the desire to happiness. And hence the opponents of the utilitarian standard deem that they have a right to infer that there are other ends of human action besides happiness

- Psychological fact the possibility of its being, to the individual,a good in itself ,without looking to any end beyond it.

- Virtue is part of happiness. The reason people seek for itself is because of the connection to happiness

- There is in reality nothing desired except happiness.

- Virtue: Moral excellence and righteousness;goodness.

JOHN STUART MILL

JOHN STUART MILL

Utilitarianism The ethical doctrine that one should always act in a way that maximizes "utility'' which is understood as the greatest good for the greatest number. According to act utilitarianism, one should perform the act that maximizes utility in a particular situation.

- Political parties utilize this philosophy


- Secular ethic


- A theory of human nature

- The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals "utility" or the "greatest happiness principle" holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness

- This theory of morality is grounded namely, that pleasure and freedom from pain are the only things desirable as ends! And that all desirable things are desirable either for pleasure inherent in themselves or as means to the promotion of pleasure and prevention of pain.


- Human beings have facilities more elevated than the animal appetites and, when once made conscious of them, do not regard anything as happiness, which does not include their gratification

- However, that utilitarian writers in general have placed the superiority of mental over bodily pleasures chiefly in the greater permancy, safety, uncostliness, ect., of the former-that is, in their circumstantial advantages rather than in their intrinsic nature.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Aristotle: Bio

Aristotle (384-322Bc) was Greek Philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, Music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Together with Plato and Socrates (Plato’s teacher), Aristotle is one of the most important founding figures in western philosophy. He was the first to create a comprehensive system of western philosophy, encompassing morality and aesthetics, logic and science, politics and metaphysics.

Aristotle’s views on the physical sciences profoundly shaped medieval scholarship, and their influence extended well into the Renaissance, although they were ultimately replaced by Newtonian physics. In the biological sciences, some of his observations were confirmed to be accurate only in the nineteenth century. His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic. Which was incorporated in the late nineteenth century into modern formal logic .In metaphysics, Aristotelianism had a profound influence on philosophical and theological thinking in the Islamic and Jewish Traditions in the middle Ages, and it continues to influence Christian theology, especially Eastern Orthodox theology, and the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church. His ethics, though always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics. All aspects of Aristotle’s philosophy continue to be the object of active academic study today. Though Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues it is thought that the majority of his writings are now lost and only about one-third of the original works have survived.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

NOVELLA Def

A short prose tale often characterized by moral teaching or satire.

Ruth Con't


- Scholars argee that Ruth is a narrative Story, and they often use terms like Novella 'to describe it. This style of writing reflects the Craftsmanship of the writer.

- The meanings hidden in the names: Elimelech- my God is king"
Naomi- "my gracious one" or my delight"; later she asks to be called Mara- "the bitter one"
Mahlon- "sick"
Chilion-"weakening"
Orpah-"mane"or"back of the neck"
Ruth-"Friend"
Boaz -"He comes in Strength"
- The use of names in the book of Ruth deepens the Story's narrative Strengthand assits the reader in appreciating the text's meaning.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

ARCHAIC def:

Of, relating to, or characteristic of a much earlier, often more primitive period, especially one that develops into a classical stage of civilization.

Ruth Con't


The book of Ruth, according to many Scholars,was originally part of the book of Judges, but it was later separated from that book and made independent. It is likely that the author wrote the story after the time of King David.

- The message of the book shows acceptance of Israelites marrying converts to Judaism.

- According to theory, the book was written in response to Ezra's reform and in defense of a marriage to a foreign wife when the wife Converts to Judaism.

- The Book of Ruth demonstrates the belief that a marriage to a foreigner is acceptable to God when the foreigner follows God.

- Explaining the use of language in Ruth: wrote in archaic Style of Hebrew.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Ruth Con't


Many of the books of the old testament do not identify their authors, and the book of Ruth is one of these. There is, however, a historical tradition that alludes to a possibility . The Talmud refers to Samuel as the author, but Scholars do not accept this tradition because Samuel died before David became King, and the way in which the author writes the genealogy.

Some Scholars suggest that the author of the text is a women. Two observations point in the direction of a women author. First, the story centers on the life journey of two women in desperate straits in a male - dominnated society and appears to be from the Viewpoint of a Women. Second, Naomi and Ruth's ingenuity and assertiveness propels the Story line.

Friday, October 23, 2009

LEVITE: Def

In general, members of the priestly tribe of Levi. In the Book of Deuteronomy, a term for the priests who conducted sacrifices and administrated the law. After centralization of worship in
Jerusalm, the Levites were apparently reduced to a position subordinate to the Aaronide Temple priesthood. After the Exile, however, certain Levites constituted the temple choirs.

Ruth Con't



During the time of the Judges when there was a famine, an Israelite family from Bethlehem - Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion- emigrate to the nearby country of Moab. Elimelech dies and the sons marry two Moabite women: Mahlon marries Ruth and Chilion marries Orpah.

The two sons of Naomi then die themselves. Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. She tells her daughters-In-Law to return to their own Mothers, and remarry. Orpah reluctantly leaves; however ...to be continued...

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Ruth: Theo notes


Ruth is one of the Megilloth (five Scrolls) read out loud in the Synagogue , during the Shavuot(Feast of Weeks or Pentecost) celebrates the end of the Torah, Connecting the Story of the book with the 'Covenant between Yahweh and the people of Isreal.



Various places expolore the question of the value of the Ruth Story as an indicator of what Early Isrealite life was like. The Book of Ruth falls into the J Source, its short form places the writing in between poetry and prose.



The Book of Ruth Can be divided into four distinct Sections: Ruth1:1-22, Ruth2:1-23, Ruth3:1-18 and Ruth 4:1-22.

The book of Ruth is an exemplar of faith in the Coveanant of the Lord with the people of Isreal. The Role of Ruth in this book is a roleof unselfishness! In times when Naomi is bitter and hopeless, the Lord uses Ruth's faithfulness as an instrument to accomplish Naomi's redemption. In using Ruth as an instrument, Yahweh shows his love for Isreal through a marriage oriented toward redemption.

Across the centuries, many legends have grown around the biblical Story of Ruth. All of them begin in the ancient land of Judah.

The old testament Story of the pagan idolater Ruth, who married Mahlon found faith and a great Mother-in- law.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Theo Notes

Myth: A story of the Gods and ancient heros, which Symbolically alludes to forces that affect the lives of human beings.

Myths of creation in Babylon:

Atrahasis epic: Humans were created to be the Slaves of the Gods, providing offerings to the Gods. So that the Gods would not have to work.

EnumaElish: Marduk killed Tiamat and divided her corpus to form the dome of heaven and Earth.

- Genesis1:1 and Babylonian myths of creation have these qualities in common: Chaos is present before creation; the Earth is flat; and the Sky is a dome.


Etiology: A story set in the distant past that explains the origins of an aspect of humans living in the Present.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Theo Notes


Jewish bibles: Tanak


- Torah, Prophets, and the writings

- These make up 24 Scrolls Languages : Hebrew with a few pieces in Aramaic

- The Torah and prophets were collected and became normative by the Second Century B.C.E.

- Rabbis, who met at Jamnia on the coast of palestine in 100 C.E.

Established the books in Tanak as Canonical. The destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70C.E. Prompted these Jewish rabbis to identify these biblical texts as the unifying Principle of Judaism Protestant Bibles (16th) Century.

The old testament Pentateuch (Greek for the five Scrolls). Historical books, wisdom literature and Prophets. The Categories differ from the Tanak but the books in the collection.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Philo Notes


Categorical syllogism a syllogism consisting of three categorical Statements (Statements that affirm or deny a relation between two classes of things), in which the Premises connect two classes of things by means of a third class.


Deductive argument

1. All dogs are mammals

2. All mammals are animals

: All dogs are animals

Middle term - Mammals
Never occurs in the Conclusion

Dogs subject term

Animals - Predicate term

Disjunctive Syllogism

syllogism whose Premises are a disjunctive (either_or) Statement and a Statement that affirms or denies one part of the disjunctive Statement.


Hypothetical Syllogism a syllogism whose Premises are a hypothetical (if then) Statement and a Statement that affirms or denies one part of the hypothetical Statement.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Theo 201


The final book of the New Testament (the revelation of John) is, like the book of Daniel, an apocalyptic work featuring visions of the end of history and with the triumphant return of Jesus Christ , the beginning of a New age. The Jewish and Christian Bibles both have Central themes both focus on the involvement of the creator of the universe in the unfolding story of life ,especially human life.



Canon: From a Greek term for rule or standard any list of religious writings deemed authoritative.

Tanak: An acronym created from the Hebrew word for the three canonical sections
of the Hebrew BiBLE; Torah.

Torah: Hebrew for instruction, teaching Refers to God's instruction to the covenant people as well as, to the first five books of the tanak. In its broadest sense refers to all of the divine commandments, from both the tanak the written (Torah), Mishnah the oral Torah, and the other religious teaching, and thus to the total divine revelation of how the covenant people are to live.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Conclusion and Premise

Conclusion: In logic the statement in an argumement that is intended to be established by the
Premises

Premises: In logic, a statement in an argument used to established a conclusion



Is it deccriptive or does it Contain an argument?



How to know whether or not you have an argument:



Conclusion Indicators
Premise Indicators


Inference - The mental process of moving from the premises of an argument to the conclusion


Is it Good or bad?
What is the logic of this argument?


Logic's concern is the relationship between the Premises and the Conclusion.



Here's an example of a flawed argument: no logical connection:



P1 All Rubies are Red.



P2 All sapphires are Blue



All Emeralds are Green.


There was no Previous Statement about emeralds.

All premises must be true for a good argument.


Two types of problems:


1 Language , vagueness and ambiguity


2 Logic (deductive or inductive or abductive)


3 Truth value - is it True or False


Deductive argument: An argument that claims to lead from the premises to the conclusion in a necessary way.

Two things needed for a deductive Argument - True premise and valid argument form.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Theo 201


The word Bible derives from the Greek Biblia, which means books. Book really meant a scroll in the ancient World. The bible is Composed of 24 books divided into three sections:

1 Torah (law)
2 Prophets
3 writings

- Jewish Bible : Tanak
- Tanak and The new testament
- The first ten books of the Tanak Genesis -Kings

The Torah (GenesiS, Levitcus, Numbers and Deuteronomy)begins with a pre -history , including accounts of cosmic origins, the first humans, a disastrous flood, restoration after the flood, and the Spread of humanity.

The New testament begins with four works known as Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke,and John). Each is a narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazarth, proclaiming him to be the Christ, which means The anointed one (messiah) who fulfills the promises made by God to Isreal and the son of God.

Today, I watched this clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4fiu1iFeYg

Monday, September 21, 2009

Philo Notes


Logic - A tool to use, in order to better critize what you read and hear.

Premises - Giving reasons when fromulating an arguement. It is important to suppot original claim

The original Claim becomes the conclusion of the arguement.

Arguements
1- Can be acceptable in various ways

2- In various ways they can fail

Logic of the arguement Questions:

Is it merely descriptive or does it contain an arguement?

How to know if whether or not you have an arguement?

Conclusion Indicators

Premise Indicators

Friday, September 18, 2009

Philosophy200: The course's Importance,Benefits & Main Objectives


The Scope of philosophy's Impact in your life: Philosophy is of immense value to each of you as a student, in your professional career, and your daily existence.

The valuable skills learned from and improved by philosophy: Philosophy makes you a better thinker.

Ethical wisdom: Philosophy also offers you an opportuntity to be a better human being in treatment of others. You will learn the importance of ethical thinking and ethical action, and the challenges posed by ethically issues.

Important Words and Their Definitions

LOGIC: The branch of philosophy that systmatically studies correct and incorrect inferences.

ETHICS: The branch of philosophy that studies right conduct and charater includes normative ethics and meta ethics

KNOWLEDGE: Familiarity awareness, or understanding gained through experince or study.

MIND: The problem of explaning how the mind, soul , self and body are related and can interact, if they are two fundamentally different kinds of kinds of reality.

EXISTENTIALISM: a school of philosophy holding that human beings create their own nature by their free choices

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Welcome

Hello,

My name is Jonathan stel. Iam 22 years old . This is my 4th year at St. Mary's university college. This semester, I am taking Philosophy 200 and Theology 201.

I have a dog named Raz. I take very good care of my dog. I also work @ winners's.

Please enjoy my blog!
 
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