Covenants Essay -- Essays Papers

Covenants The Lord said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3) According to J.I. Packer, "Covenants are solemn agreements, negotiated or unilaterally imposed, that bind the parties to each other in permanent defined relationships, with specific promises, claims, and obligations on both sides." There are essentially two types of covenants in Scripture: a covenant of works and a covenant of grace. A covenant of works does not offer salvation and will result in the spiritual death of those who trusts their ability to fulfill their part of the covenant. The reason for this is because the covenant is annulled if either party fails to perfectly fulfill the conditions of the covenant. On the other hand, the covenant of grace is established upon a relationship that God maintains with those whom He has chosen. This covenant has characteristics that are considered unilateral or hierarchical. That is, such a covenant is mutually binding between the Sovereign and His chosen people, even though its implementation is entirely one sided. An example is the case of Noah. God's sovereignty is evident in His establishment of who was to be saved from the flood by means of the ark (He even decided the means whereby mankind was saved from eternal destruction through His Son Jesus Christ). Furthermore, God determined who should be saved, specifically, Noah, his sons and their wives. God himself administered the covenant, thus... ...ligations, promises, and oaths. When someone enters into a covenant it is implicate that they will fulfill their obligations. From this it is obvious why a covenant is necessary in our relationship with God. God is under no authority but His own, he has no one to call him to account for what he does other than his own standards or righteousness. He has no obligation to anyone; he is completely independent of his creation, his creatures, and of Mankind. How do we know that he will keep his word? How can we be sure that in the end he will not deceive us? The only basis for our hope is that God has bound himself in a covenantal agreement with his people. He has more than promised, or given us his word; rather he has entered into a sacred contract, upon the penalty of death. It is precisely for this reason that we may be assured that He will fulfill all that He has said.

Aristotelian Perspectives on Social Ethics Essay -- Philosophy Medicin

Aristotelian Perspectives on Social Ethics I examine the philosophical perspectives of Aristotle on issues of medical ethics and on his social ethics in general, including the moral issues of abortion, euthanasia, and other issues of social ethics such as the issue of cloning. I have chosen the domain of applied ethics as viewed from the Aristotelian point of view precisely because certain issues have been virtually unexamined by scholars. I shall direct attention to certain treatises of the Aristotelian corpus such as On the History of Animals, On the Generation of Animals, On the Soul, The Nicomachean Ethics and The Politics. My main objective is to provide a more systematic account of the Aristotelian perspectives on the above controversial issues and to establish the Stagirite’s main approach to social ethics. For this reason, issues like the notion of personhood, his attitude towards death, and his theory of the will and ethical conduct of a moral citizen-agent will be examined. Throughout this investigation, the close interrelation between philosophy and medicine, both in antiquity and in modern times, will also become more apparent. I. Abortion Concerning the issue of abortion Aristotle's views are not considered as very clear or consistent throughout. We shall examine the relevant passages from both the biological and psychological treatises in connection with other of his contemporary — or not — medical findings. In our attempt to establish his main approach, we shall also unfold his views on the more modern notions of personhood as they are examined in his ethical and political works. According to the Hippocratic oath, abortion is forbidden as morally unjustifiable. A physician is not to help a woman abort he... ...Fye, Bruce W (1978): "Active Euthanasia: An Historical survey of its conceptual origins and introduction to medical thought", Bulletin of the History of Medicine 52, 492-502. Gracia, Diego (1978): "The structure of medical knowledge in Aristotle's philosophy", Sudhoff Archiv 62 (No.1), 1-36. Hartman, Edwin (1977): Aristotelian Investigation: Substance, Body and Soul, U.S.A.:Princeton University Press. Jaeger, Werner (1957): "Aristotle's use of medicine as a model of Method in his Ethics", Journal of the History of Science 77, 54-61. Kudlien, Fridolf (1970): "Medical Ethics and Popular Ethics in Greece and Rome", Clio Medica 5, 91-121. Veach, Robert M (1978): "Codes of Medical Ethics: Ethical Analysis", Encyclopaedia of Bioethics 4, 172-9. Westermack, Edward A (1906-8): The origins and development of the Moral Ideas, 2 vols., London: MacMillan & Co.

Hellenistic and Hellenic Interpretation of Popper :: Scientific Theories Science Essays

Hellenistic and Hellenic Interpretation of Popper Sir Karl Popper states in his treatise "Philosophy of Science: a Personal Report" asserts that "the criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its falsifiability, or refutability, or testability" (Popper 23). He claims that a 'good' scientific theory must meet a single requirement: its capability of being tested. In other words, a good theory predicts future observations, and the accuracy of the prediction supports or refutes it. If a theory can't be tested then it isn't scientific. While agreeing with Popper's falsifiability criteria, I question his initial assumptions of the nature of science. He suggests that all scientific thought is purely logical and scientific theories are rigorous, mathematical and precise. While true for most modern theories, this assumption is not true for ancient scientific theories. Modern science is a product of Hellenistic thought, which evolved from Alexandrine culture. Modern theories, as well as those which follow the Hellenistic tradition, are characterized by their narrow focus of logic and mathematics -- they explain how something works (Kuhn 104). However, the scientific predecessor of Hellenistic thought, Hellenic science, provided explanations for not only how something works, but also why it was there. Hellenic theories, by their nature, were loosely constructed in order to explain both observed anomalies and questions of existence. Since Hellenic theories tackle both of these questions, they often cannot be tested (how does a person test the nature of reality?). So Popper's claim of falsifiability can't apply to Hellenic science, as the majority of its theories fail Popper's criteria. Indeed, the foundations of scientific thought are unscientific. His argument eliminates the backbone of scientific thought by the presumption that all science is Hellenistic. Modern science bases itself on Hellenistic thought, so its theories are characterized by quantitative value rather than qualitative thought. Relating the two fields of scientific thought, Kuhn observes that Hellenistic science is "less philosophical [and] more mathematical and numerical, than its Hellenic predecessor" (104). Compared to Hellenic thought, the very nature of science changed from speculative and philosophical to precise and mathematical. In fact, the modern scientific method is Hellenistic. But, Hellenistic thought does not address any philosophical implications which arise from scientific theories. Kuhn addresses this dichotic split between philosophy and logic: "Economy as a purely logical function, and cosmological satisfaction as a purely psychological function, lie at opposite ends of a spectrum" (39). Einstein's gravitational theory illustrates modern Hellenistic theory.

Organizational Theories Response Essay

The different levels of law enforcement agencies all revolve around theories. The theories that are associated with law enforcement are the Organizational Theory, Management Theory. Within the Organizational Theory the departments are out to achieve specific goals. For example an organizational theory of a police department could be to ensure that the juvenile crime rate within specific areas are under control. To ensure that the juvenile crime rates are under control a specific police organization within a community could be tasked with monitoring juvenile crime and activities within the community in effort to bring the crimes committed by juvenile delinquents down to a minimum. The management theory within law enforcement revolves around ensuring that all of the police officers within a police department and the community are being properly managed. This would include managing all of the police officers within a police department to ensure that you have the right officers in the right areas for the right jobs. The management theory will also help to combat crime because a police commissioner would be able to manage the police officers under his or her charge to ensure that the right amount of officer are in the right places at the right time. The organizational theory breaks down how our law enforcement agencies are run. Within the different law enforcement agencies every agency is broken down and organized. This gives a structure a chain of command to follow and breaks down the responsibilities within a specific law enforcement agency. Refrences: Police Management: Police Management. (2002). Retrieved from http://roxbury.net/images/pdfs/pm3ch1.pdf Organizational Theory: Foundations of Organizational Theory . (2010). Retrieved from http://www.drtomoconnor.com/4000/4000lect01.htm

“Habit is a great deadener”. In what ways does Waiting for Godot illustrate this idea? Essay

Habit and routine form an important part of the play Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett. The play, a famous product of the ‘Theatre of the Absurd’, is characterized by a circular structure which doesn’t lead anywhere, repetitive dialogue and a general absurdity. It witnesses two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who spend the entire two acts waiting for Godot. The routines they develop throughout the play are mainly a result of their attempts to pass the time. Habits such as fiddling with objects and telling stories become part of their routine and seem like a good way to get through the waiting. However, as Vladimir himself says, â€Å"habit is a great deadener† (Beckett 105) and eventually their habits deaden them. The term â€Å"deadener† implies that the habits make the characters even more bored and that instead of helping them, they lead to their downfall and make their lives even more meaningless. This essay will discuss the habits developed by the various characters and explore whether they indeed illustrate the idea of habits being a deadener. Through this, it will also discuss what Beckett is trying to prove about habit in human life in general. One habit that is developed in Waiting for Godot by both Estragon and Pozzo is fiddling with objects. This habit is portrayed mainly through the stage directions and is therefore visual action instead of words. Estragon uses objects such as his boot in order to pass time. â€Å"Silence. Estragon is fiddling with his boot again† (Beckett 37). In this stage direction, Beckett places Estragon’s fiddling within a silence which shows how he tries to fill the void by playing with his boot. This habit is formed out of boredom and therefore designed to relieve it. Through this, Beckett seems to be commenting on how human beings rely on habits in order to give their lives meaning and security. However, instead of making life more interesting, the repeated fiddling only reinforces the monotony in the play making the characters even more bored. Pozzo on the other hand fiddles mostly with his watch, â€Å"cuddling his watch to his ear [†¦] he puts his watch back in his pocket† (Beckett 37). He repeatedly takes his watch out, consults it, puts it away, and gets it out again in a very routinely manner. He does not only do this to pass the time; it is also a way for him to prove his superiority through the material objects he owns. It is important for him to continuously assert his power and position. However, instead of giving him power, this habit eventually contributes to his downfall. In the second act, Pozzo becomes blind and loses all his power. A second way for Pozzo to prove his power and seek attention is by performing which also becomes habitual. At several occasions, Pozzo takes on another role and starts performing in order to entertain the others and become the centre of attention. He usually performs dramatic monologues, â€Å"tirelessly torrents of red and white light it begins to lose its effulgence† (Beckett 38). This sentence clearly shows his eloquent diction chosen to impress his audience and again prove his superiority. The varied syntax of this particular speech, ranging from complicated poetic sentences to short crude phrases, makes it interesting to his audience and shows how he is indeed acting. Every time he takes on a role, he ensures that everyone is paying attention to him because that is his ultimate goal. Routines are a way for people to define themselves by what they habitually do. But again, this habit turns out to be a deadener which is illustrated by Pozzo’s sudden change of status in the second act. Suddenly he is blind and no one pays attention to him anymore. He repeatedly asks for help but no one responds and this proves how his habits deadened him. A similar habit to that of performing is telling stories. It is one of the first habits to be introduced in the play and is again a way for them to fill the time. In the beginning of the play, Vladimir attempts to tell his first story, but Estragon repeatedly interrupts him: â€Å"two thieves, crucified at the same time as Our Saviour. One – / our what?† (Beckett 6). This habit is almost an immediate deadener as it fails to achieve its goal of passing time and giving them something to do. Estragon’s interruptions undermine Vladimir’s capabilities as a story teller and turn the stories into meaningless, circular debates. Instead of storytelling becoming a routine to give their lives meaning, it becomes a reinforcement of the meaninglessness of their existence proving that they aren’t going anywhere. None of the routines or habits they develop is helping. They are in fact doing the opposite and making their situation worse. They are still stuck waitin g for Godot and always will be. Waiting in itself could be considered as a deadening habit. It is definitely the dominating habit in the play as they are continuously waiting. The phrase â€Å"we’re waiting for Godot† (Beckett 51), which also inspires the title, is the most repeated sentence in the entire play. The fact that it is repeated so many times shows how desperate and meaningless their situation has become. The repetition of the phrase emphasises its importance to the overall play because even though it is very simple, it sums up the entirety of the play. This habit is arguably the most deadening of all as it prevents them from leaving and going on with their lives. It forces them to stay put and thereby takes all the meaning out of their existence, diminishing them to mere spectators rather than participators in life. A final habit that Estragon and Vladimir develop is that of staying together. In staying together, they attempt to avoid the insecurity of being lonely and try to use each other to confirm that their lives do have meaning. â€Å"I felt lonely†, says Vladimir when Estragon falls asleep (Beckett 10). This simple sentence is the very essence of why they develop the habit of staying together. Even though Estragon is physically there, Vladimir has no one to talk to anymore and this agitates him. They need each other even if they don’t always get along in order to confirm each other’s existence. At the slightest threat of being left alone, they panic and therefore stay together as a matter of necessity. The above quotation invokes pathos in the audience as they realise how strong their reliance is upon one another and therefore how low they have sunk as individuals. They are trying to avoid insecurity through their habits, but Beckett is implying that this is impossible and that habits will lead to monotony and insignificance in your life. Instead of profiting from each other, staying together prevents them from moving forward and thereby deadens them. Habit is indeed a deadener and Waiting for Godot illustrates this in numerous ways. All four characters in the play have been deadened by their habits and instead of their routine saving them, they caused their downfall. It seems as if Beckett is trying to illustrate how habit affects people in reality. It is unavoidable as human beings to develop habits. It is almost like a natural mechanism in order for us to avoid absurdity in life. However, Beckett implies, one has to accept absurdity as it is part of life. Habits won’t give us the security we need, they will only bring monotony and eventual deadening to our lives as happened in Waiting for Godot. This play is obviously part of absurdist theatre and therefore an exaggeration, however Beckett seems to be relating it to real life to a certain extent. He seems to be advising to prevent from developing habits and instead accept the randomness that unavoidably accompanies life. Work cited: Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. Grove Press: New York, 1982.

Christian environment Essay

â€Å"Today’s Stock market dropped 5%, unemployment rate reaching 10%, Gross Domestic Products dropped for the sixth month in a row. † This economic crisis happened in South Korea in 1999. For sure it was a big trouble for those who lost the job they thought will be their permanent job, like a government owned financial company which I worked for. I witnessed many employees laid off and they were unable to find a new job for a long time due to the lack of technical skills. This event got me thinking of changing my career. My job as an investment bank teller, was very simple and was being replaced by machine. I quit my banking job and started to study in America in 2000. Everything from language to culture was hard for me to adapt but the dream of finding a meaningful career for the rest of my life was a motivation enough to keep me going. Fortunately, I met a good Christian family who introduced me to nursing and it was so attractive to me. First it is its need to solve common societal issues as caring for aging population and Second I thought nursing always needed human touch. One of the new cultures I have observed while living in America is the stress on personal right. Most of the time I hear how important it is to speak up for your own right or people will intimidate or rip you off. I might be wrong because I am an immigrant as I don’t fully understand American society, but can you imagine I never used to speak up for my own interest in a group of people working together? I had to leave my own interest and think about others and the whole organizations. That is how I was taught at home and school in Korea and I learned that practicing these values, altruism and respecting wholeness, brings more joy than loss to my life. Moral Re Armament; was a name of group activity that I was involved in high school. From this group activity,I found myself volunteering for the community. We learned dancing and songs and performed at elderly care centers and orphanages. We visited them with food, helped them clean and played with them regularly. For me it was heart breaking to see how people could be lonely and living in a poor condition. However, these experiences opened my eyes to the world surrounding me as I had thought that I was the poor and the unfortunate one by not having both parents. I started to appreciate the little things such as living in a home, seeing my family each day and laughing with my friends. Most important of all that I learned was extending my hands to those who need help and knowing that there are people in need of help. The reason I chose Loma Linda University Nursing School is because of its Christian environment. I used to believe there was some power handling world beyond human’ limitation, I learned it was God’s hands. Nine years ago when I arrived in America , I needed help desperately, I went to a Korean church. In there I found God’s existence and saw people living as Christians. For me becoming a nurse wouldn’t be possible if there’s no God’s intervention. I have now decided to step towards new nursing knowledge. I believe a good nurse needs to have humbleness, compassion and caring mind for the sick like what we were taught by Jesus. These Christian perspectives in nursing education at Loma Linda University will play an important role in my career to become a good nurse caring for aging population.

Caledonia Products

Caledonia Products Integrative Problem 1. Why should Caledonia focus on project free cash flows as opposed to the accounting profits earned by the project when analyzing whether to undertake the project? Free cash flows are being focused on because it the amount that Caledonia will receive and they will be able to reinvest that amount. Caledonia should analyze the free cash flow so that they are able to see the real amount of value or what the cost may be. The marginal value from the project would be in the incremental cash flow. The earnings would be much less if they were looking at it through the accounting profits.It would be less because of the depreciation would be considered an expense causing a larger expense for Caledonia. Describe factors Caledonia must consider if it were to lease versus buy First Caledonia must figure out if they will have enough cash flow to pay the bill each month. Leasing would give Caledonia the benefit of decreasing costs. The down side of leasing wo uld mean that Caledonia will not be out of the lease until it has been paid off and the company who leased the property will be the owners until that is completed.Buying property means that the item is usually in better condition, better value, and they will own it. Prices are often better when buying than with leasing. Tax expenses may be a downside of owning the property. 2. Incremental Cash Flow Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Operating Cash Flow 5,949,200 9,909,200 11,493,200 6,741,200 3,771,200 Each year results in positive incremental cash flow and the new project appears to be a profitable business option.Accounting profits represent the total cost of doing business. The difference would be that this company requires additional net working capital every year which is not reflected in the incremental costs. 3. Initial Outlay Year 0 New Product Cost of new plant and equipment$(7,900,000) Shipping and installation costs (100,000) Total costs$(8,000,000) Initial working capital $(1 00,000) Initial cash flow (8,100,000) 4. Free Cash FlowYear0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year 5 Project Revenues $21,000,000 $36,000,000 $42,000,000 $24,000,000 $15,600,000 Unit Costs (12,600,000) (21,600,000) (25,200,000) (14,400,000) (10,800,000) Gross Profit 8,400,000 14,400,000 16,800,000 9,600,000 4,800,000 Annual fixed costs (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) (200,000) Depreciation (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) (1,580,000) Net operating income 6,620,000 12,620,000 15,020,000 7,820,000 3,320,000 Taxes (34%) (2,250,800) (4,290,800) (5,106,800) (2,658,800) (1,128,800) NOPAT 4,369,200 8,329,200 9,913,200 5,161,200 2,191,200 Depreciation 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 1,580,000 Operating cash flow 5,949,200 9,909,200 11,493,200 6,741,200 3,771,200Year0 Year1 Year2 Year3 Year4 Year5 Net Capital $(100,00) (2,100,000) (3,600,000) (4,200,000) (2,400,000) (1,560,000) CAPEX $(8,000,000) — —- —- — — Free Cash Flow $(8,100,000) 3,849,200 6,309,200 7,293,200 4,341,200 2,211,200 5. 6. 7. Should the project be accepted? Why or why not? Yes. This project should be accepted because the NPV ? 0. and the IRR ? required rate of return. Or No. This project should not be accepted because the NPV < and the IRR < required rate of return.