Augustine and The Problem of Evil Essay - 886 Words

In the beginning, God created the world. He created the earth, air, stars, trees and mortal animals, heaven above, the angels, every spiritual being. God looked at these things and said that they were good. However, if all that God created was good, from where does un-good come? How did evil creep into the universal picture? In Book VII of his Confessions, St. Augustine reflects on the existence of evil and the theological problem it poses. For evil to exist, the Creator God must have granted it existence. This fundamentally contradicts the Christian confession that God is Good. Logically, this leads one to conclude evil does not exist in a created sense. Augustine arrives at the conclusion that evil itself is not a formal thing, but the†¦show more content†¦This means that both the fish owner also owns a cat, and that God at some point had to create this evil force. Given this light, Augustine’s argument does not stand. However, he includes with his solution the idea that this corruption is not just a material or spiritual transformation, from one kind of existence to another but an erasure, toward nonexistence. (7.12.8) Thus, Augustine merely reframes the problem of good vs. evil as creation vs. uncreation. This realization undermines the necessity of an evil force, source, power or form that is, (i.e. existing as a result of divine creation) because these terms refer to everything that is not. To Augustine, an evil act is one that moves any member of creation towards exclusion from God’s universe. If a being with free will elects to move away from God for a temporal end, they are moving towards corruption or death and unleashing this force on the world around them. Once a body becomes in entirely corrupted it has no existence whatsoever, it is irrelevant to this reality and we can only imagine it based on the imprint left before it was no more. This is the ultimate death; complete exclusion from God’s universe and Augustine contrasts it with the ultimate Good, which is complete inclusion with God’s universe. Once something is outside of God’s universe, it is impossible for it have any effect. (7.13.1)Show MoreRelatedSt. Augustine s The Problem Of Evil1143 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion: Explain how St. Augustine ultimately solves the â€Å"problem of evil† in a way that is compatible with his Christian faith. Be sure to refer in your answer to the two aspects of his solution that we discussed in class- the one centring on the nature of evil itself, the other on why we sin. Do you agree that the problem has been solved adequately? Defend your answer. Introduction: â€Å" Inside each of us there is the seed of both good and evil. It is a consistent struggle as to which one willRead MoreThe Problem of Evil accoding to Saint Augustine Essay628 Words   |  3 PagesThe Problem of Evil Saint Augustine was one of the first to really address the problem of evil in the Christian sense. After disbanding from the Manicheans due to his dissatisfaction with the way they viewed the problem, he reasoned a sound solution to the problem of evil that could put Christians minds at ease. Saint Augustine lived from 354-430. During the era in which he lived, his world was a crockpot of instability and suffering. The Roman Empire, a symbol of strength, was falling. He lostRead MoreThe Problem of Evil: Augustine and Irenaeus Essay757 Words   |  4 Pagesa) Explain how the theodicy of Irenaeus differs from that of Augustine. One of the main arguments used by non-believers against the existence of God is the presence of evil and suffering in the world. The term ‘evil’ is often used to describe something that is morally wrong. Philosophers make a distinction between moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil results from human actions that are morally reproachable, and Natural evil results from the malfunctioning of the natural world, which producesRead MoreDiscuss Augustine s Questions On The Problem Of Evil857 Words   |  4 PagesFreedom and Evil This paper I’m going to discuss Augustine’s answers to the problem of evil. Why didn’t God only create free beings who use their freedom for good? What is the source of the free movement of will? Lastly why do some free begins sin and others do well if they are in the situation? First question I will talk about is why didn’t God only create free beings who use their freedom for good? We all see good and evil around us every day. The sources of good and evil are independent and eternalRead More St. Augustine and the Problem of Evil from a Christian Basis2419 Words   |  10 PagesSt. Augustine and the Problem of Evil from a Christian Basis In his Confessions, St. Augustine writes about a large number of topics that continue to have relevance today. The text documents the development of Augustine’s faith and his Christian philosophy, and one thing of particular interest is his argument for the nature of evil. Christianity predicates several important ideas that Augustine builds upon in his philosophy, and within its context, he presents a thorough, compellingRead MoreSt. Augustines important philosophical contributions to defend the philosophy of Christianity.1709 Words   |  7 PagesSt. Augustine made some very important philosophical contributions to defend the philosophy of Christianity. One of these contributions concerned the philosophical problem of evil. Up until St. Augustines time, philosophers questioned the idea proposed by Christians that evil generated in a world created by a perfectly good God. The problem is easy enough to understand, yet slightly more complicated to solve. St. Augu stine raised some fairly good propositions to offer an explanation for this questionRead MoreAugustine s Confessions By John Augustine Essay1721 Words   |  7 PagesConfession is the problem which many Americans face today. That is evil. Evil is everywhere in the world. Augustine lost his mistress, mother and even his own son in the book. He had to also figure out why god is punishing people with these action. So found out the answer to the evil, Augustine ask why is God good and still allows suffering to exist. Augustine found out that evil because of the free will that people have. God lets human pick what to do with their lives and the evil comes from the choicesRead MoreMoral Evil vs. Natural Evil Essay1118 Words   |  5 PagesEvil can be categorized into two forms, moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil is brought about by bad choices that stem from our free will. Natural evil is bad things that happen to people, whether they deserve them or not. The problem with evil i s, â€Å"Either we must say that God is not wholly good, and that he permits or is even the author of evil. Or we must say that God is not omnipotent, and although he is wholly good and would prevent evil if he could, he is powerless to stop it.† (FitzgeraldRead MoreEssay on The Problem of Evil1269 Words   |  6 PagesPhil 300 The Problem of Evil One of the most interesting questions in the world is, â€Å"If a God exists, why is there evil in the world?† Most people respond with, â€Å"If God created the universe and us, then there should not be evil in the world,† when asked about God or any other powerful being. The problem of evil is also believed to be the cause of Atheism, and I do believe that there is a solution for this. The problem of evil is not a correct argument. The arguments from evil state that ifRead MoreThe Two Kinds of Evil According to Augustine Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pages which makes us wonder what kind of morally sufficient reason justifies God to allow evil. We know that evil exists in our world, but so does God, so would God be the source of evil as well as good? We have established that God is the omnipotent and benevolent free creator of the world, but suffering and evil exist. Is God unable to prevent evil? If so, he would not be omnipotent. Is He able to prevent the evil in our world but unwilling? If this were then case then he wouldn’t be benevolent. A Persian

Guidelines For Format And Content Of The Thesis - 3172 Words

GUIDELINES FOR FORMAT AND CONTENT OF THE DISSERTATION CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Background The accounting profession was founded on the basis of public trust; the public must have confidence in the services provided by public accountants. Scholars agree accounting ethics education is one way to solidify public trust in the accounting profession. (Mastracchio Jr, Jimà ©nez-Angueira, Toth, 2015). In the aftermath of accounting scandals of the previous decade - specifically, those involving the scandals surrounding Enron, Arthur Anderson, and WorldCom - practitioners, regulators and educators have called for ethics reform and the introduction of ethics in university accounting programs. While current research confirms an†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, accountants need to have the ability to recognize moral issues that happen in business circumstances and the skill of judgment to determine alternatives for resolving ethical predicaments. Ethical standards apply to all accountants who enter the profession. The nature of accounting work, as it relates to deci sion-making, and its impact on businesses and stakeholders, requires the highest level of ethics. Accordingly, accountants must possess a dual competency of technical skills and knowledge and the ability to take ethical actions within accounting decisions. Statement of the Problem Accounting graduates are likely to encounter ethical situations in the workforce; however, ethics instruction in universities is inadequate and accounting graduates are ill prepared to handle ethical duties of complex, modern business organizations and transactions. The drive for high profit and high stock prices can tempt management to falsify or hide financial information from other stakeholders. Intense competitiveness and uncertainties of the global marketplace can force accountants to consider decisions to either benefit or to harm stakeholders. Accounting graduates must be able to consider the ethical implications of accounting decision making as well understand, apply and implement the rules and regulations of the accounting profession, which

Strategic Opportunities and Cultural Challenges

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Opportunities and Cultural Challenges. Answer: One of the fastest growing economy in the world is that of India where there has been a drastic increase in the overseas ventures, outsourcing activities and foreign business investments in the country. However, there are few management challenges in the cultural environment of India that create hurdles for the management of the organization and its operations (Thomas and Peterson 2014). There are strict rituals and protocols in the country with a strong structure of hierarchy that is based on the title of the job. Because of this hierarchy in the business community, the managers tend to have a paternalistic attitude towards the employees which is absent in the culture of the western organizations. The culture in India is polychronic where the people change priorities that are dependent on the importance. This relaxes the punctuality and this is in contrast to the western business culture where the global organizations strictly adhere to the deadlines and quick decision making abilities (Kapur and Janakiram 2015). Therefore, the management of these global companies struggles to cope up with the Indian culture while conducting business in the country as they fail to control the time limits. On the contrary, Singapore does not face such cultural management challenges as the country is highly influenced by the cultures of both the west and the east by combining the western technology with the eastern philosophy. The culture of India is very much different from the western culture that raises unintentional challenges for the business persons from the west as the communications between the hierarchy levels is rarely passed over, especially from the lower levels to the superior ones. Culture, Socialization and Normative Behavior The Indian culture describes the people and their way of living and the culture differs from one place to another throughout the country. Several cultures are amalgamated into the Indian culture that includes its cuisines, philosophy and religions that have left a profound impact throughout the world. All the relationships follow a hierarchical structure due to the influences of Hinduism (Budhwar and Debrah 2013). Indians prefer to carry out commercial and business activities with their known counterparts as the relationships are built upon the pillars of respect and trust. Unlike Singapore, business does not follow a strict chain of commands in India and rather, third party introducers are involved in the commercial relationships to gain immediate credibility. India is recognized as the land of festivals and a harmonious co-existence of people belonging from different religions is a factual manifestation of the rich traditions and culture of the country. Socialization in India is much more fluid in India as compared with the western world and it is a common practice to suggest another get together upon departing while meeting for the first time. Traditions of exchange of gifts are absent in a get together however, certain etiquettes are followed like avoiding of black colors as they are considered unlucky. Social interdependence is a prevalent theme in the life of the Indians and people are deeply involved with their groups and communities and do not prefer to stay alone (Shah 2014). The normative behavior of India starts with the greeting gesture saying Namastay' which means The God in my heart greets the God in yours.' This gesture is used everywhere following the hierarchical pattern where the inferiors are offering the greeting either to their subordinates or superiors. While sitting, it should always be considered that the feet should not be pointing towards any religious images kept on the wall, an altar or at another person. T hese normative behaviors are unique to India. Descriptive Models of Culture Among the oldest civilizations of the world, Indian culture is one that dates back to about 4,500 years ago (Ardichvili et al. 2012). Significant advances have been made by the Indians in the fields of medicine (Ayurveda), mathematics (invention of zero) and architecture (Taj Mahal). According to the descriptive model, the culture of India can be segmented into religion, food, art and architecture, clothing and celebrations and customs. The language of India is highly diversified wherein Hindi is the language that is used throughout the country. Other leading languages of the country include Tamil, Bengali, Marathi and Telugu. Buddhism and Hinduism are considered to have evolved in India which is the fourth and third largest religions. India is also considered one of the biggest Islamic nations of the world. The cuisine of India is influenced by several countries and is known basically for its liberal use of spices and herbs. Pulses, rice and wheat, are the staple Indian diet and the foods are rich in spices and curries that include cardamom, coriander and ginger (Cole and Cole 2016). The most striking illustration of Indian architecture is the Taj Mahal and also there are several ancient temples. The popular dance forms of India consists of the Odissi, Kathak and Bharata Natyam are based on the mythological themes and literature. Colorful silk sarees forms the traditional clothing of Indian women and along with that, dhoti and kurta form the traditional clothing of the men. The most important festivals of India are Diwali and Holi which are the festivals of lights and colors respectively. Cultural and Institutional Environments The basic style of business in India has remained same since its independence and most of them are the family controlled business. The leading business families of the country are Reliance, Tata and Birla where the major posts of management are held by the family members who are responsible. It is also a part of the cultural management of India that the economy has the largest share occupied by the non-corporate sector (McFarlin and Sweeney 2014). The service and manufacturing industries are managed by the non-corporate sector that mostly consists of the family business. The institutional environment also plays a decisive role in Indian business as the language of business is a mixture of the local language with English, especially in the urban parts of the country. Though Hindi is the predominant language in the country, yet the state dialects are also involved in the commercial processes, especially in the rural parts. Therefore, a business negotiator from a western country has to be well versed with the language of the region where he expects to trade. Since the middle class is the prime consumer of goods and services in the country, they believe in the Indian culture that will make the Western multinationals to adopt themselves to the tastes of the country. Cultural Complexities and Contradictions There are several cultural complexities throughout India due to the diversities of the caste groups, class and religion that influence the society in terms of economic, regional, linguistic and ethnic multiplicity. The north and south Indian difference are the most significant that is prominent in the systems of marriage and kinship. The Indian society is considered to be multifaceted that is one of the widest single nation variety and there are remarkable changes occurring in the contemporary Indian culture that is affecting the different socioeconomic groups and religions (Moran, Abramson and Moran 2014). This has brought about several contradictions in the modernity of India. Unlike the western states, boys are favored by the parents in India over girls as they continue to reside with their parents and support them in their old age. Whereas girls, they drain the resources of the family in the form of dowry and weakens the economy. As they depart to the home of their husbands, they cannot provide support to their aging parents. However, these concepts are changing and dowry is getting abolished and love marriages are getting recognition. A person might shake hands with his business partner and might kneel down before his elders for receiving their blessings. Therefore, the complexities and contradictions of cultural norms have to be observed by Western business persons while establishing trade relations in India. Cultural Diversity and Multiculturism India is the best example of cultural diversity and multiculturism as people here speak 1599 minor languages and 122 major languages (Stock, Strecker and Bieling 2016). The beauty of the country lies in its unity in diversity and its constitution promotes the pluralistic tradition by assigning equal duties, privileges and rights to every citizen of the country. Clear distinctions are notable in the rituals, religion practices, food habits, language and dress in the largest democracy of the world that is based on cultural diversity and multiculturalism. It is important for any organization in India to respect the cultural diversity as it helps the organization to compete, develop and grow the human talent and to retain its greatest resource. India has started to produce categories of cultural markets on a global scale for developing globalized technical workers and linking them with the global economy in technology-mediated and novel ways. Multicultural global management practices have been placed in practice for managing the multinational workforces that have helped the Indian organizations to govern the works that are outsourced to the offshore clients. India has produced multi-sited and multicultural virtual teams to maintain the cultural differences in the corporate workplaces. References Ardichvili, A., Jondle, D., Kowske, B., Cornachione, E., Li, J. and Thakadipuram, T., 2012. Ethical cultures in large business organizations in Brazil, Russia, India, and China.Journal of Business Ethics,105(4), pp.415-428. Budhwar, P.S. and Debrah, Y.A. eds., 2013.Human resource management in developing countries. Routledge. Cole, G. and Cole, G., 2016. Smoothing the passage to India: How cultural knowledge enhances HR management.Human Resource Management International Digest,24(4), pp.41-43. Eriksson, S. and Hgg, C., 2016. Cultural Diversity: How to Manage a Cross-Cultural Workforce in a Global Organization: A case study between India and Sweden. Freeth, M., Sheppard, E., Ramachandran, R. and Milne, E., 2013. A cross-cultural comparison of autistic traits in the UK, India and Malaysia.Journal of autism and developmental disorders,43(11), pp.2569-2583. Kapur, N. and Janakiram, B., 2015. Cross cultural management and it's role in diversity management: Evidence from companies in India.International Journal of Research in IT and Management,5(7), pp.7-19. Liang, P., Biswas, P., Vinnakota, S., Fu, L., Chen, M., Quan, Y., Zhan, Y., Zhang, G. and Roy, S., 2016. Invariant effect of vision on taste across two Asian cultures: India and China.Journal of Sensory Studies,31(5), pp.416-422. Mandair, A.P.S., 2013.Religion and the specter of the West: Sikhism, India, postcoloniality, and the politics of translation. Columbia University Press. McFarlin, D. and Sweeney, P.D., 2014.International Management: Strategic Opportunities Cultural Challenges. Routledge. Moran, R.T., Abramson, N.R. and Moran, S.V., 2014.Managing cultural differences. Routledge. Pohjonen, M. and Paul, S., 2013. Theory and Practice in Emerging Digital Cultures in India.Indian Mass Media and the Politics of Change, p.184. Raj, S., Singh, A., Goel, S., Malhotra, A., Kaur, T. and Thingham, N., 2016. Comparison of Health Promoting Lifestyle of Undergraduate Students from Two Diverse Cultures of India.Healthline, Journal of Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine,7(1), pp.37-43. Shah, P., 2014. Critiquing the Western Account of India Studies within a Comparative Science of Cultures.International Journal of Hindu Studies,18(1), p.67. Stock, R.M., Strecker, M.M. and Bieling, G.I., 2016. Organizational workfamily support as universal remedy? A cross-cultural comparison of China, India and the USA.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,27(11), pp.1192-1216. Thomas, D.C. and Peterson, M.F., 2014.Cross-cultural management: Essential concepts. Sage Publications.

Two Godesses and A Woman Essay Example For Students

Two Godesses and A Woman Essay Throughout history, women have been looked at as the lesser gender, mortal or immortal. They are always stereotyped as not equally important as men. I strongly disagree with this idea, especially in the book The Odyssey. In The Odyssey, Homer suggests that the women characters in the book are more important than the characters of men despite their stereotype. He portrays this through the characters of Penelope, Kalypso, and Kirke. They are important because they are a large part of the story. The most important woman in this book is Penelope, mainly because of her guile and intelligence. Her guile and intelligence make her important because they put her at a much-needed mental advantage over the suitors. An example of her guile and intelligence is the instance of the shroud she wove for Laertes. When Antinoos is talking to Telemakhos about how Telemakhoss mother, Penelope, tricked the suitors by weaving and unweaving the shroud to avoid marrying a suitor, he says, We have mens hearts ; she touched them; we agreed. So every day she wove on the great loom- but every night by torchlight she unwove it; and so for three years she deceived the Akhains.(2:111-114). As a result of doing this, Penelope delayed having to marry one of the suitors for almost four years. It gave Odysseus more time to get home. Another example of Penelopes guile and intelligence is when she tested Odysseus when she was first reunited with him. She tested him by telling Eurykleia to make up his bed and to put it outside the bedchamber. In this quote Penelope is telling Eurykleia to move Odysseus bed. Make up his bed for him, Eurykleia. Place it outside the bedchamber my lord made with his own hands. Pile the big bed with fleeces, rugs, and sheets of the purest linen. (23:202-205). Upon hearing this, Odysseus claimed that his great bed couldnt be moved because it was connected to a living tree. He knew this, because he had built it many years before. Then Penelope knew it was he because only th e real Odysseus could have known that. Penelope is more important than other men because she settles some problems temporarily and some problems permanently.Kalypso, the goddess-nymph is also a key woman in the Odyssey. She is important because of the fact that Odysseus slept with her for seven years. When, Odysseus is telling King Anlkinoos about his wanderings, he says, Though I have been detained long by Kalypso, loveliest among goddesses, who held me in her smooth caves, to be her hearts delight, (9:32-34). This is significant because for seven years of being held captive by Kalypso, Odysseus is sleeping with her for the whole time. Meanwhile, back at Ithaca, Penelope successfully stayed faithful to her husband for ten years. Kalypso is basically one of the two women that Odysseus slept with during his wanderings. Kalypso is more important than other men because Odysseus slept with her for seven years. If Penelope ever found out, it could possibly be a problem for Odysseus. She is also important because she was most of Odysseus journey home.Another vital woman in The Odyssey is the goddess-enchantress Kirke. She is important because of the amount of time Odysseus and his men spent at her castle and all the information she gave Odysseus regarding the journey he must make in order to get home to Ithaka. Kirke describes what they will encounter on the sea on their way to Ithaka. This is important because there is many things they encountered at sea and they would not of known what to do if it wasnt for her. When Kirke is about to tell Odysseus what is in his path, she says, Listen with care to this, now, and a god will arm your mind. (12:46-47). This is important because if she hadnt given this advice, everyone, including Odysseus would have died. Kirke is also important because of the amount of time they spent there. In this quote Odysseus is telling the story of Kirke and the amount of time they spent there.So day by day we lingered, feasting long on roasts and wine, until a year we grew fat My shipmates one day summoned me and said: Captain shake off this trance, and think of home if home indeed awaits us (10:515-522). The significance of this is the time factor. If Odysseus wanderings were ten years this was definitely a large amount of time. Kirke is more important than other men because Odysseus slept with her, which could possibly be a problem for him in the future. She is also important because if she did not tell Odysseus what he was going to encounter, he would have never made it home alive.In the book The Odyssey, Homer proves that men characters are less significant than the women characters like Penelope, Kirke, and Kalypso, even though women are stereotyped to be inferior to men.In a way, this idea relates to women in the workplace. A lot of times women are paid less than a man for doing the same job. Given what Homer has taught us about the equality of women shouldnt we treat them the same. For starters, we could pay them just as much money as a man makes in the workplace. .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 , .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .postImageUrl , .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 , .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:hover , .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:visited , .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:active { border:0!important; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:active , .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185 .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6f0f5584236a2f9dbc1be1863bd86185:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Concept of The Natural Step Essay