Sceptical theism and moral scepticism

2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
IRA M. SCHNALL

Several theists have adopted a position known as ‘sceptical theism’, according to which God is justified in allowing suffering, but the justification is often beyond human comprehension. A problem for sceptical theism is that if there are unknown justifications for suffering, then we cannot know whether it is right for a human being to relieve suffering. After examining several proposed solutions to this problem, I conclude that one who is committed to a revealed religion has a simpler and more effective solution. In particular, according to traditional Judaism, God has permitted us, indeed commanded us, to relieve suffering, so we know that it is right for us to do so. I further show how God's command, according to Judaism, that we save lives provides an answer to an analogous argument put forward by David Hume. Thus, revealed theistic religions can sometimes solve problems more effectively than theism alone.

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (295) ◽  
pp. 564-598
Author(s):  
Alzirinha Rocha de Souza

Em 1968, José Comblin publicou Théologie de la ville.1 Desde então, o assunto “cidade” tornou-se tema de reflexão teológica. Elaborado a partir da percepção das mudanças em curso nas cidades e, mesmo, a partir da formação de metrópoles latino-americanas, este tema será recorrente em sua vida e em suas obras. Mas, o presente artigo busca demonstrar: 1) que a reflexão de Comblin é, antes de tudo, uma reflexão sobre o ser humano; 2) que a centralidade antropológica é colocada a partir do papel que as estruturas urbanas desempenham na constituição e na integração das dimensões humanas; 3) que, o ser humano perfaz um caminho processual. Para tanto, estruturamos o texto em três partes: 1) Contextualização histórica; 2) Teologia da cidade; 3) Perspectiva humana e pastoral.Abstract: In 1968, Joseph Comblin published Théologie de la ville. Since then, the topic «city» became the subject of theological reflection. Drawn on the perception of the changes underway in the cities and even on the development of Latin American metropolises, this theme will recur in his life and in his works. This article, however, seeks to demonstrate: 1) that Comblin’s reflection is above all a reflection on the human being; 2) that the anthropological centrality is a result of the role that urban structures play in the creation and integration of human dimensions; 3) that the human being’s path is a procedural one. To do so, we structured the text into three parts: 1) Historical context; 2) Theology of the city; 3) Human and pastoral perspective.Keywords: Joseph Comblin. Anthropology. City. Theology of the city. Pastoral.


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Priscila Marchiori Dal Gallo

A literatura pode ser entendida como uma expressão poética e lírica das vivências e experiências do escritor. Dentro desse contexto, a escrita se figura como uma possibilidade de autocompreensão e de reflexões diante de questões humanas universais. A literatura desvela o Ser, não só do autor, mas também o Ser humano. Buscamos pensar sobre tal entendimento da literatura na obra de Isak Dinesen: Minha Fazenda na África. Para tanto exploramos e refletimos no presente texto as conexões entre: escritor e obra; leitor e obra; escritor-leitor-obra para assim avançarmos mais especificamente para as ponderações a respeito das conexões entre a escrita de Isak Dinesen e as experiências de Karen Blixen. Pelas vias do tom autobiográfico de Minha Fazenda na África, entrecruzamos a escritora e seu pseudônimo de modo a desvendar as motivações, anseios, devaneios e escapismos que estão envolvidos no ato de criação literária de Karen e que desvelam o sentido ontológico de sua escrita.Palavras-chave: Literatura. Experiência. Escapismo.REFLECTIONS ON THE ONTOLOGICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THE ART OF KAREN BLIXEN: out of AfricaAbstract: Literature can be understood as a poetical and lyric expression of the experiences of the writer. Inside of this context, the writing configures itself as a possibility of self-understanding and reflections in front of questions of universal human beings. Literature reveals the Being, not only of the author, but also the Human being. We seek to think about such understanding of the literature on the work of Isak Dinesen: Out of Africa. In order to do so we explore and reflect in the present text about the connections between: writer and work; reader and work; writer-reader-work thus to advance more specifically for the considerations regarding the connections between the writing of Isak Dinesen and the experiences of Karen Blixen. Through the autobiographical tone of Out of Africa, we intercross the writer and its pseudonym in order to unmask the motivations, desires, dreams and escapisms that are involved in the act of Karen' literary creation which unveil the ontological sense of her writing.Keywords: Literature. Experience. Escapism.REFLEXIONES SOBRE LAS RAMIFICACIONES ONTOLÓGICAS DE LA OBRA DE KAREN BLIXEN: mi hacienda en ÁfricaResumen: La literatura puede ser entendida como una expresión poética y lírica de las vivencias y experiencias del escritor. Dentro de este contexto, la escritura se presenta como una posibilidad de autocomprensióny de las reflexiones delante de las preguntas universales de los seres humanos. La literatura revela el Ser, no sólo del autor, sino también del Ser humano. Tratamos de pensar en esa comprensión de la literatura en la obra de Isak Dinesen: mi hacienda en África. De tal manera exploramos y reflejamos en este texto sobre las conexiones: escritor y obra; lector y obra; escritor-lector-obra y así a avanzar más específicamente para las consideraciones con respecto a las conexiones entre la escritura de Isak Dinesen y las experiencias de Karen Blixen. A través del tono autobiográfico de Memorias de África, entrecruzamos el escritor y su seudónimo para desenmascarar las motivaciones, los deseos, los sueños y los escapismos que intervienen en el acto de la creación literaria de Karen y que devela el sentido ontológico de su escritura.Palabras clave: Literatura. Experiencia. Escapismo.


2019 ◽  
pp. 23-50
Author(s):  
Luís Greco

If we recognize that animals have rights, even minimal and rudimentary as the right to not to be killed without an acceptable reason or the right to live without constant or repetitive pain (§ 17 Animal Protection Law), then the consequence is that they would be covered by the right to self­defense. Such rights would configure the attacked subjective right, which is exercised by humans instead of animals and they do so in their interest based on a legitimate third party’s defense. The legitimate defense in favor of animals is, however, less extensive than the one which is carried out in favor of a human being, according to the thesis I defend in this article.


Author(s):  
Christopher Pelling

This article points out that the genre of biography was also fundamentally concerned with Hellenic identity. As the discussion holds, ancient biographies do not just describe individuals, they tackle a range of issues, chief among which is that crucial question, what it might mean to be Greek. Biography is about individuals. That is what makes it interesting; it is also what leaves it vulnerable to critics who look for something more, for the big things rather than Plutarch's ‘small things’. However, the individuals matter too, and usually matter most. The reason biography can do so much is because a human being is both what other human beings tend to find most interesting, and the mechanism and the phenomenon that other humans understand most intuitively.


Philosophy ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 57 (220) ◽  
pp. 173-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Harrison

Gallant hero of romantic film, who has just killed his equally gallant antagonist in a duel: ‘Was I wrong, father?’ Father (Yul Brynner): ‘You were both wrong; and you were both right, too.’David Hume, speaking of moral sceptics, once said ‘And as reasoning is not the source, whence either disputant derives his tenets; it is in vain to expect, that any logic, which speaks not to the affections, will ever engage him to embrace sounder opinions‘. I am guilty of an inconsistency of some kind in quoting the above passage from Hume with approval for, though everything Hume wrote ought to be quoted with approval, it is inconsistent to approve of advice, and then immediately to disregard it. I am also guilty of an inconsistency of another kind. Once upon a time I myself defended a version of moral scepticism, but I can say in mitigation of this deplorable act that my tongue was partly in my cheek at the time, which is where one's tongue should be on the occasion of addressing the Joint Session of the Mind Association and the Aristotelian Society.


Human Affairs ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kile Jones

Lest We Forget: Free-Thought and the EnvironmentIn the world of modern theology, specifically Western theology, there has been a tendency to knit together religion and morality. It is partially because much work in theology is done with the assumption that since God exists God must care about human intentions and actions. The existence of God and religion, as the public manifestation of shared philosophical and moral beliefs, has been thought to impart moral awareness and behavior, as well as ground morality. Many modern theologians have given voice to sentiments like these. They equate irreligion with iniquity, freethinking with depravity, and atheism with apathy about the world, human life, and morality. This essay challenges such positions by arguing for the validity of naturalistic accounts of morality. It shows how such accounts can be applied to the treatment of our environment as well as give us the motivation to do so. From David Hume to Paul Kurtz a history of freethought is drawn and the human reasons for protecting and conserving our environment are examined.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-136
Author(s):  
Iqbal Hasanuddin

Charles Taylor is a Canadian Philosopher who is very critical to the idea of distributive justice from the liberal thinkers. One of them is John Rawls, especially his thought in A Theory of Justice. Then, this paper will examine Taylor’s view on that idea. To do so, I analyze Taylor’s Philosophy and the Human Sciences. Following Aristotelian way of thinking on the importance of society to achieve the human good, Taylor criticizes some basic assumptions which support the liberal idea of justice. For him, the emergence of the idea of distributive justice is caused by the failure of the modern thinkers to understand the essence of human being and its relation to society.


sjesr ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-298
Author(s):  
Dr. Samina Begum ◽  
Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Ibrar Ullah ◽  
Dr. Hashmat Begum

The contemplation of God’s creation is one of the greatest forms of worship in Islam  every human being, when he observes the different scenes of this universe of colors and smells, enjoys seeing some of them so much that he longs to repeat this pleasure۔  It is not amazing, therefore, that countless Quranic verses give confidence this action and do so using a range of methods to appeal to every temperament and religious state. The mean is to switch people away from their dulled senses, awful habits, and monotonous familiarity, and encourage them to observe the signs of their Lord in the world with insight and vulnerable hearts. True Islamic contemplation can only spring from a mind that believes in God and a mind that submits to Him and His glorious Attributes. This is the unwavering faith of oneness (tawhÏd), which is to bear witness that the Almighty is the One and only God Who created, governs, and maintain the universe. Any other form of contemplation of the attractiveness and brilliance of the heavens and the earth would be measured atheism or polytheism (shirk) because the contemplator would not be distinguished, let alone admiring and express thanks to the Creator. In all religions, after beliefs, the highest importance is given to worship. Worship and contemplation are inseparable.


The health issues caused due to the abnormal and accidental falls increasing every day, some falls are even leading to death or fatal injuries. Such falls can cause trauma both physically and psychologically. To overcome these circumstances fall detection has become an important topic for researchers and scientists to provide better and effective solution. A proper detection of fall can save a life of human being be it any age by giving immediate required treatment. Generally alerting the concerned authorities regarding the fall happens to be crucial in the fall detection systems. There are many existing systems that tend to this problem but they all are heavily equipped and have some drawbacks. In this proposed system Raspberry pi4 is used with OpenCV for using MOG2 machine learning algorithm to detect the fall by concentrating only on the person. And for alerting the fall this system uses internet based REST API called TWILIO.


2018 ◽  
pp. 179-188
Author(s):  
Magdalena KACPERSKA

The situation of women in the labor market in Poland depends on numerous complex micro- and macroeconomic factors. It results from the economic condition of the country and the global economic situation. It is a product of decisions made on a micro level as a result of macro circumstances. When discussing the employment market it should be borne in mind that it is not an ordinary market, such as the market for wellington boots or that of strawber- ries. The ‘product’ here is a human being and an ‘excess’ in the labor market creates a certain unfavorable outcome, namely unemployment. Just as an excess in the supply of wellingtons or strawberries leads to a drop in price, in the labor market it means cuts in salaries or stopping paychecks. That is why one of the tasks of the government is to provide people with the basic opportunity to get a job and earn money. Why then should the state react to the turbulence in the labor market when it does not necessarily have to do so in other markets? The answer is simply that wellingtons and strawberries do not have to provide for themselves and the family.


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