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Pascal's wager criticism
Pascal's wager criticism
Affects of global warming
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Since measurements began in 1958 -- and it can be assumed to have been the case since the industrial revolution -- emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere has risen steadily as a result of the burning of fossil fuels (Quay, pp 2344). Although there is much argument over the implications of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, there are several points that almost all scientists would agree on: firstly, carbon dioxide acts to absorb radiated heat; if present in our atmosphere will do just that to some extent. Second, the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is rising. Third, the temperature of the planet is rising - although the amount of this increase and the causes of this rise are subject to disagreement (Philander, pp 193).
When I was at school in Vermont, one of my teachers explained to me Pascal's Wager. According to this teacher, the philosopher and mathematician Pascal had tried to establish the costs and benefits of believing in God. He saw it in this way: you can either believe in God or not. If you do believe in God, and there is in fact no God, then you will perhaps have spent some extra energy unnecessarily abstaining from certain pleasures and wasting your Sunday mornings in Church, but overall you did not give up too much. And, it could be argued, you may have actually treated your fellow men more kindly then you would have otherwise. If, however, there is a God, and you believed in him, then you get eternal salvation.
On the other hand, you could choose not to believe in God. If there is no God, then you are fine. You can sin all you like, you can allow yourself transgressions and forbidden acts, and the only punishments you will face will be those of this life. If, however, you lived thusly and there is a God, then you face an eternity of torture and unbearable misery. So, Pascal reasoned, one would do best to believe in God and act accordingly. That way, if you're wrong, the worst thing that could happen is that you were more pious and caring then you may have otherwise been. If you do not believe in God and you turn out to be wrong, the risks become terrifying.
My teacher suggested that I apply this same logic to global warming. It is a matter of playing the odds.
Captivatingly, both women act daringly, regardless of the culturally constructed labels as women, products of incest and wickedness. They use their “otherness” as a power mechanism, rather than an excuse to passivity. In conclusion, Elphaba and Antigone challenge conventional roles of gender, as they are strong, courageous figures of rebellion and exemplify a lack of traditional gender normativity.
Arrhenius estimated using the greenhouse gas effect theory, that if the total amount of the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere were cut in half the surface temperature of the Earth would decrease and if the opposite occurred and the carbon dioxide concentration doubled the temperature of the surface would in turn increase. His ideas remained under high scrutiny because of conflicting ideas that were successfully debunked in the1980s. In 1987, Stephen Schneider predicted that the Earth would warm at an exponential rate due to increased carbon dioxide emissions facilitated by humans. The majority of scientists agreed with his predictions and today his estimations are relatively close (Enzler). However, today many scientists are still disputing the effects global warming will have on the world and with good reason. On one hand, some theorists believe global warming is a catastrophic world event in which the Earth will become uninhabitable for life in a rather short period of time, between one to three hundred years (Edwards). On the other hand, the Earth will simply experience changes in its climates that cause increased strain on ecosystems and certain regions, which must adapt to their new climate for sustenance. Overall, the severity of the implications global warming presents has yet to be settled by scientists. This can be attributed to the fact that weather can be an incredibly complex entity to predict and climate is directly derived from all of the weather a region
Antigone herself is quite the character, her confidence is indubitable, and coupled with her righteousness, she stands as a key tool for Sophocles’ use in addressing gender roles. In an act of virtue, Antigone decides to bury her brother's body, and to perform all of the necessary rites associated with doing so, all while knowing that what she hopes to attempt is forbidden by royal decree. Confronting her sister, Ismene, with her idea, she is reminded that women have a certain place in society, being told, “[W]e were born / Women, and so not meant to fight with men” (Sophocles 63-4). Antigone takes this statement offensively, learning that her sister has a different understanding of what is important, and what is not. Ismene believes her own life has more
One of the conflicts in Antigone, is the struggle between men and women. Ismene tells Antigone that since birth, women “were not born to contend with men,” (75) displaying women’s obedience and passivity. In the same passage, Ismene says: “we’re underlings, ruled by stronger hands,” (76) a representation of men’s aggressive and “stronger hands” that dominate women and treats them as second-class citizens. The only woman in Thebes who desires to break free from these chains is Antigone, who stands up against Ismene’s passivity urging her to “submit to this,” (77) and defy Creon by burying Polynices. By breaking Creon’s edict, Antigone challenges the traditional gender roles women and men play. In what ways does the theme of gender in Antigone, demonstrate the passion and choices behind Antigone and Ismene’s decisions?
Modern techniques , rather than the gene map , maps the map of the DNA within the gene itself : the positions of short sequences " marker " are used as markers signaling over the cromosssomas . Once a gene is discovered, it is necessary to unravel its base sequence prior to its function being studied . The sequencing has become easier with the development of methods for cloning the DNA - producing large amounts of identical fragments. In the method most widely used DNA sequencing , the chain is denatured into single strands . These are then used as templates for DNA synthesis , but such that replication to as the double helix reaches a certain growth in the mold base . In addition to provide DNA polymerase and the four bases, A - G -C- T, also using small amounts of these dideoxynucleotide bases. This is incorporated , as the normal bases, the double helix growth but prevent the continuation of the chain. The fragments are then separated by gel electrophoresis and the base seq...
If one is ought to believe in God, using the reasoning of Pascal’s Wager, one can believe in any religion, and it would be logical, due to Wager’s argument, because most of the religions (probably all except for Satanism, there is only hell there) have some concept for good and bad afterlife, and using Pascal’s Wager believing into any religion would grant you the good afterlife (heaven) of that religion, but considering the amount of religions the possibility of getting the right one is slim to none. And there is also no evidence that the right religion does exist, because out of all religions which do exist, there is still a very huge amount (maybe infinite) of religions which do not exist, and have just as much of a chance to be right in concern of what God is, and what he
...n anything at all. Therefore Pascal represents a better argument than Clifford. We live our lives seeking happiness. When someone plays the lottery they play with the intent to win but if they don’t they still did not lose anything. Well living your life for god is the same thing. Refusing to believe in god could only lead to a loss, lose situation. If you live your life with faith that god is watching over you, you will only live a much happier life. In (KJV John 15:7) god tells us: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. That is gods promise to us that if we abide in him he will supply our needs. If there were anything in the world worth wagering for believing in god should be one of them. We were given the ability to act upon our faith with confidence to hopefully one day to have everlasting life.
Pascal’s Wager is an argument for the existence of God. Pascal’s Wager was written by Blaise Pascal, who was a French philosopher and mathematician during the 17th century. Pascal says that it is in our best interest to believe in God. The wager argues that we should believe that God exists, as it is the best option. The wager attempts to justify the belief in God through an appeal to self-interest rather than an appeal to evidence. Pascal argues that reason and intellect cannot alone decided whether God exists or not. Therefore, it would be the beneficial to us if indeed we just decided to believe that God does exist. Meaning that it is in our best interests to believe in God of Christianity. Pascal’s wager tries to justify Christian faith
The proof for the existence of God is an issue that may never be resolved. It has caused division among families and friends, nations and society. The answer to the question “does God exist?” is almost an impossible one to give with certainty seeing that there is a variety of people, ideas, cultures and beliefs. So how does one know if one’s actions here on earth could have eternal consequences? What is, if any, a “safe bet” to make? Blaise Pascal was a 15th century philosopher and a mathematician who proposed the idea that although one cannot know for certain that God exists, one can make a “safe bet” that it is far better to believe in God than not to believe in God. This is not a proof for the existence of God but rather an idea that suggest that if there is a God, it is in the person’s benefit to believe rather to disbelieve because the odds are in favor of the believer. This gambler-like idea is better known as “Pascal’s Wager” or “The Gambler’s Argument.” Nevertheless, this sort of play-the-ponies idea is not quite precise. Although Pascal’s Wager serves as a stepping-stone for non-believers, it is a rather vague, faithless and inaccurate argument.
Several authors that we have studied have argued for and against the concept of believing in a higher power. It is a debate that has been argued over since the days of Plato and Aristotle, and it continues to be written about today. People have their own views on what happens after life and if it is or is not defined by a god, and these views essentially are the dogmas that define different religions. Blaise Pascal had his own opinion on whether a reasonable person should believe in God. Essentially, Pascal believed that there is no justifiable reason not to believe in God. Despite the counterarguments by several scholars against Pascal’s proposition, his proof still stands as a justification for a reasonable person to believe.
...ldings with zillion products we can select from. There must be a place where we can get the goods, it is fantastic that we also can relax, listen music, meet a friend, and enjoy ourselves there. However we, the clients must be aware of the fact, that those places are gigantic, war arenas where our minds are under siege, where our brains may be attacked by subconscious contents, that those palaces are really full of hidden suggestion traps. This is the full package. Don DeLillo in his novel states, that we easily become victims of massive number of commercials, and salesmen, whose job is to guide us “to endless well-being” (83). From the well-trained specialist we hear: what we want to wear, eat, listen, read, and this is the time when we truthfully die. We die as a separate, unique, valuable unit, in order to become subscriber to the “noises from the tiers” (84).
One of the most compelling and difficult environmental problems society faces today is climate change. People do not realize how much the environment has changed for the worse in the last ten years, until they are told that the last two decades of the 20th century have been the hottest in the last 400 years, according to climate studies (Conserve Energy Future). Today, the carbon dioxide levels have reached 396.81 parts per million (ppm). “Carbon dioxide (CO2) has also increased over the last 100 years-- from about 300 ppm to 370 ppm. Interestingly, the majority of these additions have occurred in the last 50 years, when temperature increases have been the slowest” (geocraft).
With the Wager, Pascal seemingly laid the groundwork for apologetics ever since. Pascal set a line of reasoning a person as close to they can to Christianity, but they have to wager the last part on their own. We as Christians can’t do that for them and ultimately it is left up to the Holy Spirit to do the rest. Now every apologist today will tell you that exact same thing, of course their are some exceptions of people who think they can rason people to
When looking at Pascal’s arguments that emerge in Pensees; the history, ideas, and people that influenced Pascal must be examined. Many of Pascal’s arguments involve the unity of both religion and science. This can be very controversial at a time where an absolute monarch challenges and tries to destroy other faith practices. Along with introducing scientific ideas others may misinterpret as trying to disprove God’s existence. Pascal was heavily influenced by the Christian church and was a firm believer in God. In fact, Pascal’s discoveries and experiments only solidify his faith even more. Pensees is Pascal’s thoughts on God and some other subjects that tie philosophy and the nature of man.
The burning of fossil fuels has greatly harmed our environment and is a leading cause as to why climate change has become such a threat to our way of living. In May of 2013, the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached 400 parts per million, an increase of more than 40 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This could cause the Arctic Ocean to be nearly ice-free during the summer by 2020(Overland and Wang, 2013).