Career Plan Essays

Career Plan Essays Career Plan Essay Career Plan Essay ECPY 2040: Principles of Career and Life Planning Fall 2013 section# 6300 Tues/Thurs 8:45am-10:05am Social Sciences 255 Instructor: Gabrielle Groth Office: Humanities 028 Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 10:15-11:15 or by appt. Email: [emailprotected] edu Office Phone: 518-442-2624 Course Description: Mailbox: outside ED 242 Review of theories of decision-making career development, occupational choice, and job satisfaction. Additional topics include vocational measurement and assessment, evaluation and use of occupational information, and strategies of life-span planning. Course Objectives: Develop a conceptual framework of how careers begin and evolve Develop an understanding of the factors affecting your career development and planning Research, evaluate, and use occupational information from a variety of resources Develop communication skills in order to facilitate self-reflection and enhance the ability to market yourself in a career This course meets the Information Literacy and the Oral Discourse requirement for the University at Albany. Required Books and Materials: 1 . Sukiennik, D. , Raufman, L. , Bendat, W. (2013). The career fitness program: exercising your options (10th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson. ISBN: 978-0132762335 2. A $35 materials fee will be due in class for the following assessment materials: Strong Interest Inventory (S) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) CASH ONLY! Recommended Texts: 1 . Bolles, R. N. (2012). What color is your parachute? (40th ed. ). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. 2. American Psychological Association (APA). (2009). Publication manual, 6th edition. washington, DC. ISBN: 978-1433805615 Attendance/Participation: Because this course is intended to benefit your career development, you will be time; thus, regular attendance, punctuality, and participation are essential and will e reflected in your grade. You are responsible for all readings and assignments listed in the syllabus, as well as any extra readings distributed in class, and should come to class prepared for discussions and activities. If you are absent from class: You are responsible for any missed lecture notes or materials. It is not the responsibility of the instructor to inform you of what you missed in class. Some assignments may be made-up at the instructors discretion only if the instructor is made aware of the absence beforehand. Exceptions may be made in extreme cases (e. g. death in the family) at the instructors discretion. Attendance will be taken EVERY class period. A total of 60 points can be earned if you attend class regularly. Each student is allowed three free absences. More than three absences throughout the semester will be reflected in your final grade. For each class missed beyond the three allowed, 10 points will be deducted from your total score. Any exceptions to this policy will be made at the ins tructors discretion and only in extreme situations. Please not that your UAlbany email account is considered an official form of communication. Thus, you will need to check this address regularly to receive class nnouncements and changes in the schedule. Classroom Decorum: Students are expected to arrive to class on time and actively participate in classroom activities. If students arrive late to the class period, it is their responsibility to check in with the instructor at the end of the class period to ensure that they were counted as present. It is expected that students will conduct themselves in a mature and professional manner. This course provides a unique opportunity for growth and self- exploration. Please be respectful of your classmates, remain attentive during class, and keep an open mind to others ideas and views. All electronic devices (e. g. , cell phones) must be turned OFF during class. The use of laptops for anything other than note taking is considered disruptive and not permitted. Disruptive behavior during class time will not be tolerated. If you are having difficulty following expected classroom behavior, you will be asked to leave, an unexcused absence will be recorded, and you will not receive credit for any work completed during class that day. If the disruptive behavior persists, it will be brought to the attention of the Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility; and you may be asked to leave the lass permanently. Academic Integrity: A students work for this class should reflect the highest standards of academic integrity. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Examples include, but are not limited to plagiarism, multiple submissions, cheating, and falsification. Submitting work completed by anyone other than yourself or resubmitting your own work from a prior class is unacceptable. Consequences may include failure of the assignment, Responsibility. If you have any questions, consult the instructor or contact the Office of Conflict Resolution and Civic Responsibility, or refer to the Community Rights and Responsibilities Booklet. Writing Requirements: All assignments must be submitted on time via Blackboard. Assignments submitted via disk, email, or paper form will not be accepted unless in an extreme circumstance, which is left to the discretion of the instructor. All assignments are to be typed, proofread, properly formatted in the most current APA style (e. g. 2 point Time New Roman font, double spaced with 1 inch margins). Students are expected to use the writing and referencing guidelines as published in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed. ), a recommended text. The manual is vailable in the reference section of the University, Science, and Dewey libraries. For additional referencing guides visit: http://owl. english. p urdue. edu/owl/resource/ 560/01/ http://library. albany. edu/usered/cite/apaw-header. pdf Late assignment policy: Assignments are to be submitted online at the beginning of the class period for which they are due. Submissions after the start time of the class are considered late and 5 points will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. Late assignments will not be accepted after 5 days (including non-class days and weekends) and will result in a grade of O for that assignment. Exceptions will only be made at the discretion of the instructor in extreme situations. Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with documented physical, sensory, systemic, cognitive, learning and psychiatric disabilities. Any student who has a documented disability through the Disability Resource Center (Campus Center 137, 442-5490) and is in need of academic accommodations should notify the instructor of this course. Accommodations are individualized and in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992. If you believe you have a disability requiring accommodation in this class, please visit the Director of Disabled Student Services. Grading Distribution and Points: Assignment Point Breakdown: Introduction Blackboard Post 15 Inventories 30 (2 x 15 points each) Registration with Career Services Occupational Report Resume and Cover Letter: First Draft and Peer Review Final Draft 5 55 20 Mock Career Interview Informational Interview Career Topic Presentation 50 35 Final Paper Attendance 75 Total Possible Points Grade distribution: A = 465-500 (93-100%) A- = 450-464 (90-92%) + = 434-449 (87-89%) B = 413-433 (83-86%) B- = 400-412 (80-82%) C+ = 385-399 (77-79%) c = 365-384 (73-76%) c- 350-364 (70-72%) = 335-349 (67-69%) D = 315-334 (63-66%) D- = 300-314 (6M2%) E = 0-299 (less than 60%) * Incompletes are only given under extraordinary circumstances, at the discretion of the instructor. Assignments and Exams Introduction Blackboard Post: To facilitate classmates and the instructor in getting to know one another, students will create an introductory post to the Blackboard discussion board started by the instructor. Posts should be 1 3 paragraphs in length nd should address the following things: 1- Tell us a little about yourself (hometown, favorite hobbies, etc. ; 2- What is your status as a student (year in college)? ; 3- What is your intended major? Or, if unsure of major, what is one of your areas of academic interest? ; 4- When you were in elementary school and people asked you what do you want to be when you grow up, what did you tell them? ; 5- What are your career aspirations at this time? In other words, what do you want to be when you grow up? ; 6- What do you hope to get out of this course? If possible, include a photo of yourself ith your discussion board post. Inventories: As part of the course requirements, you must purchase and complete the Strong Interest Inventory (S) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). 35 will be collected by the instructor in the beginning of the semester for these exams and will be returned by the specified due date to be sent off for scoring. If the mone y or the inventories are not turned in on their respective due dates, you may lose points or receive a zero for this project. Because the information from the inventories will be used in the final paper, incomplete inventories may also result in additional oss of points on the final paper. Registration with Career Services: You will receive 5 points for registering with IJAlbanys Career Services. The purpose of registering is to become familiar with the resources at the Career Center and have access to future career events, Job fairs, internships, and Job listings. To register go to: albany. edu/career/ index. shtml title page and references) on an occupation. The purpose of this report is to give you the opportunity to explore and write about an occupation that is of interest to you. You will need to use at least TWO outside sources of information other than the equired texts for the course. The paper must be in APA style with proper citations and a reference page. More details will be provided in class. Resume and Cover Letter: You will prepare a professional resume and cover letter. You will receive 20 points for the completion of the first draft and participating in the peer revision during class time. Students that do not bring copies of their first drafts to class on the day of the peer revision will not be able to participate in the peer revision process AND will not receive the 20 points. The final draft of the resume and cover letter you will submit via Blackboard. The final draft is worth a total of 40 points, and will be graded by your instructor. By the completion of this assignment, you should have a resume and cover letter worthy of submitting to potential employers. The content and style should be professional, concise, and comprehensive of your abilities and goals. Midterm: A multiple-choice and/or short answer exam designed to test your knowledge of the course material up to the date of the exam. Materials tested will include readings, lectures, presentation information, and classroom exercises. Makeup exams are based on the discretion of the instructor. Mock Career Interview: Students work in pairs to prepare and present 10-minute mock career interviews in front of the class. Each student will have the opportunity to be both the interviewer and interviewee within the 10-minutes. The mock interview will give you a chance to gain interviewing experience in your field of interest. Students will be expected to dress in interview attire for this presentation. A zero may be given on this assignment if students fail to show up on their assigned presentation day. Interviews will be rescheduled only in extreme circumstances at he discretion of the instructor. Informational Interview: Each student will arrange an interview with someone who is currently working in the field he or she is interested in. Worksheets will be provided to help you formulate questions and evaluate the information you receive. You will then be asked to share some of the information you learned from the interview in class. Additional information will be provided in class. Career Topic Presentation: You will be preparing and conducting a 10-minute presentation on a special topic of your choice related to career development and/or the world of work. For the presentation, you will be informing the class about the contents of an article or book chapter related to your topic that you have read. Students must seek approval of their resources at least 2 weeks prior to their presentation. Additional information will be provided in class. A zero may be given on Presentations will be rescheduled only in extreme circumstances at the discretion of Final Paper: You will submit via Blackboard a 5-7 page (not including title page and references) self-reflective paper that integrates what you have learned in the course with your own ideas about career and life planning. This should include information you learned from your SII and MBTI inventories, as well as what you have learned from the informational and mock interviews. At least 5 sources should be used and referenced in APA style. More details will be provided in class. EXTRA Credit: Two assignments can be completed for a maximum of 20 extra credit points. They are to be completed and turned in before or on the last day of class. Career Services Events Write-up (10 pts each): You can attend one Career Services Event for 10 points or you can attend 2 different events for a total of 20 points that will count as extra credit. For each event attended you must provide a I-page summary of the even and what you have learned from it. In addition, you will need to complete the extra credit even form (attached). The list of events and dates can be found at albany. edu/career. Likewise, once you register with Career Services you will receive email announcements for events. Please ask the instructor for approval if an event is not sponsored by Career Services. Career Article (10 pts): Find an article related to social media and its relevance on career development, networking and write a 1-2 page review of the article. Research Participation (1 Opts): Students will have the opportunity to earn up to 10 points extra credit for participating in research opportunities announced in class. ONLY the opportunities announced in class will count towards your grade. Tentative Class Schedule Date Day Topic Reading Assignment Due Aug. 27 Tuesday Course Overview and Syllabus Aug. 29 Introduction to career theories and development CFP Chapter 1 sept. Values in the Workplace CFP Chapters 2 CFP Chapter 3 sept. 5 Thursday No Class†Rosh Hashanah sept. 10 Career Services Guest Speaker $35 Cash Due (Exact change please! sept. 12 Work Interests and Personality CFP Chapter 4 (Boiles p. 189-229) sept. 17 Aptitudes, Abilities, and Skills CFP Chapter 5 (Boiles p. 230-250) sept. 19 Tour of the University Library: Meet in the Lobby MBTI Due sept. 24 APA Style and Plagiarism sept. 26 CFP Chapter 7 (Boiles p. 252-269) oct. 1 Making Career Decisions CFP Chapter 8 oct. 3 Job Search/Leads CFP Chapter 9 (Bolles Chapter 5) oct. 8 Career Services Resume Workshop oct. 10 Midterm Review oct. 15 Midterm Exam oct. 7 Resume/Cover Letter Peer Feedback Session CFP Chapter 10 1st Draft Cover Letter/Resume Due ct. 22 Presentations oct. 29 Final Draft Resume/Cover Letter Due oct. 31 NOV. 5 NOV. 7 SII MBTI Interpretation NOV. 12 Career Services Guest Speaker (Social Networking) (Bolles Chapter 6) Occupational Research Report Due NOV. 14 Issues in the Working World CFP Chapter 6 NOV. 19 Interviewing for Jobs and Into the World of Work CFP Chapter 11 (Bolles Chapter 8) NOV. 21 Mock Interviews NOV. 26 NOV. 28 No Class†Thanksgiving Dec. 3 Dec. 5 Dec. 10 Last Day of Class/Wrap Up All Extra Credit Assignments Dec. 12 Submit Final Paper via Blackboard Final Paper Due: 5 pm

Top Opportunities in the Online Retail Revolution

Top Opportunities in the Online Retail Revolution Working in the retail industry used to be pretty straightforward. Customers would shop in brick-and-mortar storefronts, helped by sales associates or customer service reps. Then, anything they couldn’t get in person was purchased from a printed catalog. Now, things have changed almost completely- virtually anything you need or want can be delivered right to your door, within a few days (or even hours) of making a purchase on your preferred device. You don’t even have to leave home if you don’t want to. We still have traditional stores, of course, but the economics and priorities behind retail have totally shifted. And if you’re looking at a career in the retail field, your options have changed as well. Being an in-store associate used to be the stepping stone to a retail career path, but now that companies like Amazon and Walmart have moved so many of their resources toward online sales and offsite fulfillment, your retail career might start in a more behi nd-the-scenes role, with an entirely different set of skills and opportunities.How the Retail Landscape is ChangingRight now, there are a few overarching trends that are changing how retail works- and therefore what a career in retail looks like as well.Online DominationAccording to Forbes, the retail industry is in a bit of a personality crisis right now. Companies are coming to an unavoidable point where they will either embrace the changes of the internet era or fall far behind. Online retailers like Amazon, along with traditional department stores like Kohl’s or Target, are building a more robust online shopping platform. These companies are at the forefront of these changes, emphasizing the ability to shop from anywhere. Stores and chains that are not adapting as quickly are at risk of falling behind in sales and growth.Companies like Walmart are also looking to beef up their online game by acquiring existing retailers that can provide the sales infrastructure and mercha ndising know-how to bring the parent companies into the next phase of retail.Traditional Stores ClosingThink about your local mall. Chances are, at least one of the big â€Å"anchor† stores has closed recently, or may be at risk of closing soon- chains like Macy’s, Sears, Kmart, and others have all recently announced that underperforming brick-and-mortar stores will be shuttered for streamlining.Embracing the TechIt’s impossible to underestimate how technology has changed the shopping experience- and therefore the strategies used by retailers. First came shopping via computers, then smartphones, then tablets, causing retailers to develop online retail plans and platforms to support these new ways of browsing and shopping. And now â€Å"virtual assistants† like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home have made it so that consumers don’t even need to go online to browse- they can merely ask the virtual assistant to search and buy for them, based on pre -set account and payment settings. According to RetailDive, Amazon customers spent 10% more in the months after buying the Amazon Echo device, suggesting that more retailers will get in on the voice-activated shopping train.And it’s not just the usual devices you’d expect to do the shopping for you- smart appliances like LG’s â€Å"smart† refrigerator can tell you what you have inside, and what you might need to add to your shopping list. (No word on whether these fridges can judge us yet for those late-night pints of ice cream, or farmer’s market produce that goes untouched in favor of takeout containers.)Many stores are also using tech to enhance the in-store shopping experience, using location functions on smartphones and push notifications to alert shoppers to sales and promotions in-store.Summer Black Friday SalesIf you’ve ever been at a large chain store on Black Friday (or seen the endless news coverage of cringe-inducing behavior eve ry year), you know it can be a bloodsport, with people literally pushing each other out of the way to get big-ticket products at a discount. And while Black Friday may not be the best trend in terms of humanity, for retail it can be a major asset- it brings in customers and boosts sales during the critical holiday period.Online-only retailers like Amazon have started featuring similar sales around July, at a traditionally quiet retail period of the year, taking advantage of the idea that you don’t need to be present in a store to score a deal on a new TV. So while customers may be taking time away from the beach instead of the Thanksgiving table to shop, the idea is quickly catching on that a summer counterpart to Black Friday can help boost retail bottom lines during a traditionally dead time. As other retailers begin to incorporate these steep summer sales, it has the potential to change how retail stores and fulfillment centers are staffed, year-round.â€Å"Need It Nowâ⠂¬  ShippingIf you’ve seen your mailman making the rounds on previously unheard-of Sundays, dropping Amazon-logo-stamped boxes on doorsteps, then you’ve seen how the increased demand for fast shipping has begun to take hold in the retail industry. Amazon Prime was one of the pioneers in this field, and other major retailers have followed suit, offering insta-shipping as part of their online shopping experience. Accommodating these shipping needs means having strategically located warehouses and fulfillment centers around the country, so products have a shorter way to go when customers want that video game in less than two days’ time.Retail Warehouse JobsSo what do these trends changes mean for a career in retail? For starters, it means that your starting point may not be working on a sales floor, handling direct transactions. Many of the best retail opportunities will be coming from warehouses and fulfillment centers, as retailers try to find the sweet spot bet ween retail and logistics to meet customer needs.Let’s look at some of the entry-level jobs and career paths that are growing due to the new retail economy. We’ve included some sample links for each that you can use as a starting point for your own search.Sorting AssociateSorting associates are responsible for (as you might have guessed) sorting outgoing packages by size, shape, destination, or other criteria. They’re responsible for making sure that shipments are organized and packed efficiently- kind of like box Tetris.Skills needed: Attention to detail, ability to lift heavy packages, customer service focus, physical stamina, flexible work schedulePantry AssociateAs online grocery delivery companies like Fresh Direct and Amazon Fresh expand and make quality and speed essential for shipping food products, pantry associates are responsible for sorting and packing shipments of groceries to make sure everything goes out quickly and as fresh as possible.Skills nee ded: Attention to detail, ability to lift heavy packages, customer service focus, physical stamina, flexible work scheduleWarehouse/Fulfillment AssociateAs more and more importance is placed on online shopping and order fulfillment, warehouse staff are essential. Warehouse associates are responsible for loading and unloading shipments, as well as tracking, scanning, and monitoring shipments. These associates may also operate heavy equipment to move products and shipments.Skills needed: Attention to detail, ability to lift heavy packages, customer service focus, physical stamina, flexible work scheduleSeasonal Fulfillment AssociatesRetail has its busy seasons and its not-so-busy seasons. During the busiest parts of the year, like back-to-school and the winter holidays, almost every retailer needs as many hands on deck as they can find. If you’re looking for seasonal employment in a warehouse, this is a flexible option for you that can build experience or help you fill a gap be tween jobs. Seasonal warehouse and fulfillment associates perform the same tasks as full-time warehouse associates, but during a set period of time (for example, November through December).Skills needed: Attention to detail, ability to lift heavy packages, customer service focus, physical stamina, flexible work scheduleOperations AssociateOnce orders are collected, assembled, and readied for shipping, operations professionals take over to make sure that everything goes where it’s supposed to go, and when it’s supposed to go out. The job may involve analyzing the best way to ship merchandise (shipping routes, timelines, costs, etc.) as well as coordinating with fulfillment and logistics teams to ensure smooth delivery and a good customer experience.Skills needed: Attention to detail, great organization, data analysis, project management, customer service focus, ability to work as part of a team with many moving partsBenefits of a Warehouse CareerThese warehouse and ship ping jobs typically don’t require a college degree to get started, and usually include on-the-job training once you’re in the door. They’re also geographically flexible: because retailers are setting up satellite warehouses and fulfillment centers around the country to make shipping faster and cheaper, you won’t necessarily need to concentrate your job search in a limited number of â€Å"hubs.†As retail itself continues to evolve, so to do the opportunities to work in the field. And no matter how people are shopping these days (or how they’ll shop five years from now), companies will always need qualified professionals behind the scenes to make sure customers get what they want, and that they keep coming back. If you have a passion for logistics and customer service, the fulfillment path can be a great option for your retail career.

Education by Postcode Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education by Postcode - Essay Example (58) Hence as a result, the modern society's realization of the fact that education is indeed a vital part of human development, it could not be denied that experts on the matter never stop finding better ways to assist human individuals [both young and old] to realize their capabilities and the opportunities available for them to learn more and be able to have better use of their time as well as to have better future ahead of them. It could be noted education then is drawn even closer to the learners so as to assure that the said individuals would not loose their interest in the matter simply because of the not being able to handle the matter considerably for certain reasons. (Vandergrift, 1992, 58, 59) In some faraway places, say for example distant areas that are found around the suburbs, universities and other he facilities for learning are at times absent in the area. Hence, as a result, only a few among those living in such areas are able to get access to the most effective educati on that they deserve. To be able to cater to these students, the experts found better systems of learning that would be most effective for the learning of the said individuals. ... Most of these educational forms take place through the Internet. Botelho (2004) describes the matter as a process that involves high tech gadgets as means of connection between instructors and students which include a hooked up video conferencing may best be used in this course of learning thus virtually connecting the learner to the instructor's care. (Internet) It is undeniable that through the said process, students are given the chance to learn normally even though they are not physically present in class. (EET, 2007, Internet) The said process is still classified as part of the postcode system of education because the process still involves snail-mailing the results of exams, provision of some school materials (such as books and other materials of the same kind) that the students may need for learning. Through this, the student would have soothing tangible out of the system that he or she chooses to learn from. Vandergrift (1992) further adds that education, as known is very much significant for the human society as this is viewed and considered as the most efficient and effective means for personal and social development among human individuals. (58) The concept of education entitles an individual, if properly trained and utilized the essential ability to progress for personal sustenance and economic survival. This is considered as one of the most important realm in one's life that must be achieved by each and everyone in the society. In addition, education can be used by the society as a whole to developed productive and capable citizens for fueling the progress of the humanity. Thus, education indeed is important. In the present

Crital Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crital Art - Essay Example Therefore, in essence, Leonardo DiCaprio who is the star of the movie reflects the nature of men in the story Roman emperor Caligula. This similarity in the storyline especially the sex lives of these historical setting makes the movie an ethical into the contemporary society. Notably, Terence Winter adopted the Wolf of Wall Street storyline from Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who succeeded in the stockbroking venture between the 1980s and 1990s. Belfort fortune into the business was a fortune that led him to earn status quo. Therefore, the film was pegged within this understanding, but the film seems to be highly exaggerated especially in the excessive pleasures that also seem to be bottomless. The film runs for three hours but it may interesting to watch for over hours; however, some scenes make the movie disturbing that elongate the time on such scene. The film is made up of characters from different background including low life and high life personalities. The mixture of this nature only tries to bring the film into the mediate societal context. For instance, Queens who raised Belfort were from middle class setting. These queens failed to elevate Belfort to his targets to his Wall Street dreams. This failure may be translated that more traditional ways of life cannot fit into the contemporary demands and successes (The Wolf of Wall Street, 2013). Alternatively, the successes achieved by most of the characters especially the main character is an indication that hard work and right strategies are the key successes in in life. Additionally, just like in the film where Leonardo DiCaprio reinvented himself by leaving a larger firm to start from smaller start, Matthew McConaughey got laid off in 1987 from the market crash. In this nature, he reinvented himself by moving to the Long Island where he made a penny stock boiler room and renaming his old

Spiritual Beliefs Vs Human Reason Philosophy Essay

Spiritual Beliefs Vs Human Reason Philosophy Essay Philosophers and scientists have constantly attempted to explain concepts divine processes described initially. They always sought for a scientific or logical explanation for a phenomenon explained through religion, or not explained at all. Scientists believed natural laws govern universe. As a result, a quest for explanation of events, which seemed illogical, began. The first philosophers speculated that beneath the ever-changing natural world was an unchanging matter (Matthews Platt, 46). They also believed in rationality. Thus, any explanation of a natural concept seemingly unrealistic was questioned. This mindset progressed throughout Western history, and presently, there is the attempt to prove the role of God, and the existence of God through human reason. My opinion is human reason should not preclude the existence of God. Spiritual beliefs and logic should be separate spheres of human existence. Humans beings have two paths to knowledge During the time of the Greeks, there was a myth claiming Apollo drove his chariots across the sky, which was responsible for the rising and setting of the sun. This myth, though illogical, was held high and any opposition to this myth would have been called, in modern terms, blasphemy. The belief was held as firmly as the monotheistic religions believe in the existence of God through faith. Later science was able to prove false the reason for the rising and setting of the sun the Greeks believed in. Even in the case of Galileo Galilee, the churchs theory was that the sun revolved around the fixed Earth: Geocentrism. Galileos attempt to prove otherwise, scientifically, was vigorously fought-against. They forced him to recant his theory because it went against their theory. In their explanation for the cause of rain, Ancient Greeks believed Heras cries fell as rain whenever she found out Zeus, her husband, had gone after other women. These concepts, clearly unscientific, were assumed true. As history moved from the Greek civilization to the modern era, a number of myths were dogmatically believed. Later science and rational thought refuted most of these myths or concepts, while others,-especially those related to spiritual realm, such as the existence of God-are difficult to prove. The Greek civilization was perhaps the foremost place where the tension or dispute between faith, religious thought, spiritual belief; and science, natural philosophy and logical thought began. Philosophers such as Thales, Pythagoras and Heraclitus believed in rationality and the fact that the universe operated on natural laws. Such philosophers believed God or their religious deities had no effect on the natural order of things. The Greeks of the Archaic Age believed the muses were responsible for creative inspiration. Muses were the goddesses of artistic inspiration and claimed to stimulate every work. The monody, lyrical poetry, is based on the personal thoughts of the poet. Then how did the goddesses inspire a work that was based on the poets personal thoughts? In spite of the irrationality of the explanations, the Greeks believed in the explanation of concepts that involved the deities. Philosophers in later civilization asked questions, probing the credibility of the beliefs which resulted in several proofs that opposed myths and religious dogma. Philosophers, since the Hellenic Age have been inquisitive; they questioned divine or illogical explanations to concepts in the universe. Still in the Archaic Age, the idea of believing in concepts, despite the lack of logic behind them, was a key element in their religion. It carried over to later religions in the modern era where religious dogmas are still held. An example of such is the hypostatic union. It is the claim Jesus was both divine and human while in his physical form on earth. To me, the reason the search to understand the natural order of things started, was that everything in the Archaic Age was attributed to the deities. The deities determined the inspiration for works of art, the survival and prosperity of the Greeks, and their cultural accomplishments. Embedded in the Greeks was the belief that as long as they recognized the divinities power and did not challenge themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they would survive and often prosper. (Matthews Platt, 41). The initial philosophers were able to ignore the beliefs (or dogma), because they thought of a world that was controlled by natural causes and deities had no eff ect on the world. However, explaining concepts illogically, which actually are scientific, has been a part of religion, even from the Egyptians. This is not to say that religions knew the concepts were of natural causes, but scientific proofs that came later on would not cause the religions to waiver in their initial beliefs. An example is the tale of the beginning of the world. Scientists claim that the world was formed because of an explosion- The Big Bang. Scientists would then question the tale of Christianity: how did God create the whole world in seven days? Many have tried to answer this rationally or scientifically, but in my opinion, it is almost impossible to explain. Yet, Christians still hold on to this belief firmly. So many cultures, as well as science, have their own speculation about the beginning of the universe. The Hebrews belief of the beginning of the world then became the accepted Word of God thus making it seem as if other beliefs are wrong. This undermines the credibility of re ligious beliefs, but does not mean the Hebrews version is false. Take an instance where a murder is commited and three witnesses give entirely different accounts of the details. However, because the three of them gave separate accounts of the murder, does not mean that no version can be the correct one. In fact, the real version might be a combination of all three accounts. I disagree with the attempt to use reason or rational thought to predetermine if God has effect on the world or if He exists. A logical claim I could make is God creates the natural order philosophers try to understand. An example is the recent science discovery refuting the effects of God on the parting of the Red Sea. Scientists found out that the biblical account of the splitting of the Red Sea might have actually been due to natural causes. In the Bible (Exodus 14), God caused the Red Sea to split, allowing the Israelites to pass on dry ground and then the sea caved back in and drowned the Egyptians. However, according to science, the wind from the East (East Wind) could have been so strong as to push the water up several streams for a certain period (for the Israelites to cross) and then cease, to cause water to return to the sea (to drown the Egyptians). It could have been possible that God caused the East Wind to drive the Red Sea up the tributaries at the time the Israelites wanted it, and then caused the river to fall in when the Egyptians were passing through it. The desire to prove the role or existence of God has persisted through centuries. There is such a strong belief that human reasoning can prove the existence of God, if He exists. But if God cannot be proven, then He does not exist, and He is just a fiction of the imagination of monotheists. I disagree with this perspective because the existence of God has to do with the spiritual realm. The existence of God has for a long time, been questioned, and therefore has troubled philosophers and scientists who always seek to explain every concept, but these two theories (mention the name of the theories), in my opinion, should be completely separate spheres of human existence. To Ockham, faith and reason were both valid approaches to truth, but they should be kept apart so that each could achieve its respective end (Matthews Platt, 261). I agree with William of Ockham in this statement because the fact that the first philosophers believed there is regularity in the universe and that human reason can ultimately understand the natural order, does not imply the use of reason should preclude the existence of God. Just as Thales was wrong about the fundamental substance being water, so also could the Milesian school be wrong about using human reason to prove or try to verify the existence of God-that is if God falls under the natural order of things. William of Ockham lived from about 1300 to about 1349, during which many things in the physical world have been invented or discovered. Up until now, the spiritual realm remains a mystery. Apparently, there is a great disparity in achievement between the use of reason to explain things in the physical world and to explain things of the spiritual realm. William of Ockham accepts reason as a valid approach to truth, but he also includes faith as a valid approach to truth. He explicitly says reason alone cannot question the existence of God. Instead, he suggests the existence of God can only be accepted by faith and the divine mysteries can simply be understood by faith. John Duns Scotus concluded, The theologian and the philosopher have different intellectual tasks, [therefore] theology and science should be independent fields of inquiry (Matthews Platt, 261). To elaborate on John Duns Scotus conclusions, as a Christian, I tried to prove the concept of the Trinity to a Muslim, using only logic. No matter how logical my answers were, they still involved spiritual beliefs and faith. Scientists who have attempted to measure the efficacy of prayer have obtained rather conflicting results. How can one attempt to solve a physics problem by reading a literature book? How can scientists make an effort to verify the spiritual beliefs using human reason? According to Ockham, human reason cannot produce any meaningful knowledge about the spiritual realm (Matthews Platt, 261). Furthermore, there are several religious events recorded in the Bible or Quran that are unfounded; for instance, how Noah was able to get all types of animals into the ark and prevent them from eating one another. One cannot answer this question because it does not make sense logically, so humans have to use another form of inquiry, faith. Only faith can explain the divine mystery. William of Ockham asserted, Reason, senses and empirical evidence could enable human beings to discover and hence understand the natural world, stoicism-a philosophy in the Hellenistic Age-offered a seemingly contradictory point of view. The Stoics believed that reason and the senses could be used jointly to uncover the underlying moral law as well as Gods design [or effect] in the world. The Stoics accepted that a spiritual being had effect on the happenings of the universe. An issue is does God have any effect on the universe. The Stoics acknowledge the effect of a supernatural being, William of Ockham does not. The Greeks/Mesopotamians/Egyptians believed that the More importantly, the use of faith to explain spiritual beliefs or religious dogma caused tension between religious thought and rational thought. From the Hellenistic Age, philosophies and religion have offered conflicting answers to unpredictable events and those beyond human control. Concepts, which could not be explained initially, were attributed to God or religious deities like the myth of rain: Hera. The inclination to leave the happenings during their time to the hands of the deities had a strong impact began with the Mesopotamians, who believed they were created to serve the deities. They probably held an even stronger dogma than modern times, because they believed human destinies were in the hands of the gods, and there was nothing they could do about that. Whatever the gods did with their lives could not be questioned. Also, the Hellenistic world had a section of people who believed in Fate. Fate, in that era, meant there were non-physical beings that controlled the natural events. They felt human reason could not understand the natural order of things. The Greeks who began to put humans at the center of the universe fortunately altered this pessimistic approach to life. Their mindset led them to question divine explanations for natural events. The disagreement between materialists and idealists could represent the early dispute between rational thought and spiritual beliefs. Materialists in the Archaic Age believed that the world was made of some basic physical element whereas the idealists reasoned that the physical world was deceptive and that there was a spiritual force or metaphysical power being the physical world. Also in the Hellenistic Age, the clash between these two paths to knowledge has been so significant; they can be found in other works of art. Dramatists wrote plots that dealt with divine law versus human law. Evident in Age of Synthesis (1000 to1300 CE), the tension or dispute has been carried through civilizations. Thomas Aquinas in this Age, tried to resolve the dispute by stating that human beings have two divine paths to truth or knowledge: reason and faith. He refers to divine paths, which indirectly means that the paths are God-given-a spiritual being exists that determines the limit to what we know. However, perhaps the period when the gap between philosophy and theology became the widest was in the Baroque Age 2 (1600 to 1715CE). In this Age of Scientific Revolution, the scientists and philosophers questioned divine explanations; they countered faith with reason, dogma with skepticism, and divine intervention with natural law. Nonetheless, scientists and philosophers have the tendency to assume that if divine concepts or events cannot be explained scientifically or logically, then these concepts or events never happened, or do not exist. This supposed misconception probably came about as a result of the actions of ancient civilizations. These civilizations produced explanations for things beyond their comprehension, which led led religions in later civilizations to explain other concepts divinely. Science has proven some of these concepts false and as a result, this has fuelled the constant dispute between religious beliefs and logical thought. Nevertheless, because some accounts were wrong does not mean all other explanations are. For the reason that Thales was wrong about water being the fundamental substance, did not mean that his belief-there is regularity in the universe-was wrong. Consequently, the use of reason cannot and should not preclude the existence of God. Religious dogma started on earth in Egypt and has manifested in different religions in history. Religious dogma is a belief without proof. Starting from the Egyptians, they believed that the king as god on earth embodied the state. Likewise, there have been several civilizations, which have provided different explanations about the beginning of the universe or life after death. Religious people believe in one holy book or another. The Christian version of the history of the universe is the biblical account. However, just like every tribe has a different story of the creation, the Hebrews had their own, and their version then became the accepted version by Christians-the word of God. Another concept for which several civilizations provided different explanations is life after death. The Egyptians, according to their religion, believed that if they remained faithful to their gods, they would be rewarded with a new life after death. About a thousand years later, the Hellenistic world held similar beliefs. Mithraism followers believed immortality awaited them after death. This concept of immortality is similar to the Egyptians new life after death. Philosophies in the Hellenistic Age attempted to explain life after death. According to Epicureanism, the atoms that made up the soul simply separated from the bodys atoms and united with other particles to create new forms. This way of life made its followers believe that there was a happy life after death. Couples of centuries later, Christians are made to believe the same underlying perception of life after death as did the Egyptians and the Epicureans: if they remain faithful, there would be paradise awaiting them. All through Western history until this date, science has never been able to refute any of these beliefs. Rational thought, or human reason, has not been able to come up with a description of life after death, which would refute these beliefs. Only spiritual belief has helped in understanding life after death. This suggests human reasoning or science is has a limit to which it can understand certain concepts in the universe. Restating Ockams concept, no useful knowledge can be gained through reason or the senses about the spiritual realm. To further the achievement of the Greek genius, human reason, as well as spiritual beliefs can understand concepts of the universe CONCLUSION

Compare and Contrast the “White Public Opinion” Essay

Public opinion is simply the complex of preferences expressed by a significant number of persons on an issue of general importance. Blacks were included in national polls and surveys in numbers reflecting their proportion of the population, but typically these surveys yielded too few respondents to produce valid and reliable findings or to explore opinion differences internal to the black community in terms of such things as gender, class, age or region. Black opinion was seen as a mere derivative, secondary and less important compared to white opinion. Research shows that White Americans are not racist in the old fashioned way; instead they resent or are hostile to blacks because of the whites’ commitment to basic or core American values, particularly individualism. White Americans resist equality in the name of self-reliance, achievement, individual initiative and they do so not merely because the value of individualism provides a socially acceptable pretext but because it provides an integral component of the new racism. It’s a perceived belief that whites are more intelligent and better than blacks, but the problems facing the black community have been ignored, because they feel like the black community is inferior and don’t have anything better to do. So therefore they refuse blacks the resources they need for a good foundation, like education, jobs and so on. The pervasive and deep sense of alienation from and distrust of the American government as well as the deep racial divide between blacks and whites was reflected in public opinion on hurricane Katrina. There is a lack of attention and urgency in handling the problems which are facing the black community, both in the past and present. Another powerful function of the press was to attack and remake the stereotypes and negative characterizations that the white press visited on the community. They see the issues affecting the black community and use it to pass negative comments and judgments against them, Instead of addressing the situation and seeking amends. The mainstream or white media tend to ignore the internal life of the black community, thus the black media serve as a vehicle of intragroup communication and solidarity. The mainstream or mass media gathers and reports news of interest to the mass public, which are mostly middle class whites. Since the 1950’s, content analysis of the mass media has consistently shown that the routine, day-to-day coverage of African Americans is predominantly negative and stereotypical; blacks are portrayed as poor or criminal and they are shown as entertainers or athletes. The fact is that, black Americans have being fighting for equal rights and opportunities for some time, but discrimination against minorities still exist. We have to keep fighting for any changes we want done in our community and take it upon ourselves to transform some of those issues, because the mass media focus on the problems facing the majority of the American problems in the white community.

The Disadvantages Of Oil Drilling Offshore - 2181 Words

The Disadvantages of Oil Drilling In Environmentally Sensitive Areas In The United States Oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas in the United States had been an ongoing controversial problem for a very long time. There are so many opinions along with outlooks on the present topic. Many people are against oil drilling offshore because of the issues that it creates. However, there are many critics that agree with drilling in environmentally sensitive areas because they do not worry about the long term effects it has on our environment. The United States have been drilling for oil since the 1900’s. Although oil is of great importance to maintain our everyday lives, we have alternative sources of energy. If we want to try to keep our planet vital for the next couple centuries, we must stop oil drilling. There are many reasons why oil drilling is hazardous, not only to our environment, but also to the people and the wildlife. Major explosions have happened due to oil dril ling offshore. These major explosions are devastating and cause effects that last for years. Once an area is destroyed because of oil drilling it is seldom that, that area is ever able to restore itself back to its normal state. It is easy to turn a cheek to the situation at hand because it is not happening in our areas. However, what about the people that live nearby these oil rigs and are breathing in the hazardous chemicals used to operate these oil rigs? When we create drilling sites, we pose aShow MoreRelatedOil Drilling Essay examples1403 Words   |  6 PagesCrude oil is black gold that has been even sought out even in the ancient times. The Chinese in the fourth century drilled 800 feet deep oil wells to burn the oil to produce salt. Oil has a long history. 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