Carl Sagan starts by wondering why we have various belief systems. There have been many examples of belief systems and at any time “you would find a set of popular, more or less similar, belief systems” (Sagan, pg. 379). The systems can change in a matter of years or last thousands of years, depending on the support provided to the system from the people. Also, there are always a number of belief systems to choose from. These systems are similar in that they have a comparable reason for their presence. He came to the conclusion that belief systems fulfill a “real human need that [is] not being met by our society” (Sagan, pg. 379). These include medical needs, spiritual needs, or a need to communicate and connect with the rest of society. …show more content…
Both view the belief systems as offering a different way to satisfy the needs of the public, if the social systems that are in place cannot satisfy those needs. They differ in that Hufford says that it is a criticism of the social system, calling the system indirectly inadequate. Sagan may have held this view as well, but did not discuss it within this article. The idea that belief fulfills a need is accurate. I agree that their observation holds true to society. Taking an example of mainstream religions, many say that they join and practice because they feel closer to a community of like-minded individuals.
Carl Sagan’s argues for skepticism to be more widely used in a person’s daily life. He leads with an example of buying a used car. He goes on to explain that many people will question the dealer about the quality of the car or bring a mechanically inclined friend along. This opens the audience to the idea that many people are already skeptical of certain situations. People have heard stories that used car salesmen may sell malfunctioning cars and will take precautions when purchasing a car. Skepticism is something that is necessary to our lives, because it can prevent us from making a mistake by not asking questions. Sagan wants that skepticism to spread to other beliefs and ideas. As an example of people or ideas people do not question, Sagan uses commercials. Sagan says that commercials are not meant to be questioned about
Individuals decide whether or not he or she want to believe the advertisements they see and hear. Just as O’Neill evinced “You must listen. You must read. And finally you must think – all by yourself” (352). If individuals learned how advertisements work, he or she can avoid being persuaded by the salesman. The individual will no longer feel forced to buy products he or she did not want. Society should serve a positive influence for change in advertising.
Religion is constructed on faith and belief of an individual even though it is the individual choice to follow it or not. It has stirred a lot of debates for years; those who are trying to prove that God exists throughout history and follow to modern day. While, those who are atheist are trying to prove their point of God does not exist. There are still more and more theories and debate over the subject of religious view. It is a matter of theism versus atheism; new and old philosophers have joined the debate and all with different sides to another philosopher’s theory or view on the matter. In this paper, I will attempt to illustrate the reasons given by Louis Pojman of why religion is good or bad, as well as evaluating Bertrand Russell argument about religion. This can define the meaning of life and the creation of life as we know it. It can change views or switch sides for there is always another explanation to exactly what religion is all about and having a superior ruler that created all.
“Religious belief evolved by group-selection, tribe competing against tribe, and the illogic of religions is not a weakness, but their essential strength” these words spoken by Edward Osborne Wilson an American Biologist speaks volume not just in our daily lives, but it can be seen in science fiction films like Star Wars Episode 1V: A New Hope released in 1977 written and directed by George Lucas. Religion means to have faith in something. It explains the thinks we are unable to see. To find true religion one must have The Force and believe.
“Religious belief evolved by group-selection, tribe competing against tribe, and the illogic of religions is not a weakness, but their essential strength” these words spoken by Edward Osborne Wilson an American Biologist speaks volume in our daily lives, George Lucas in his science fiction film Star Wars Episode 1V: A New Hope, explores the theme of religion. Religion means to have faith in something. It explains the things we are unable to see. To find true religion, we must have “ Force” and believe.
According to the ancient Aztec religion, in the beginning there was a God named Ometechutli who was both male and female. Ometechutli represented opposites and was both good and bad, chaos and order. Being male and female, Ometechutli could procreate asexually. Ometechutli created four Gods; Xipe Totec who was the God of agriculture, fertility and the north. Huizilopochtli, who was the God of war, the sun, and the south. Quetzalcoatl the God of learning, knowledge, and the east. Lastly, there was Tezcatilpoca; who was the God of the west and evil power. Aztec’s great empire was believed to be around the centre of the universe, so these directions were very important to Aztec’s. The four gods began created the universe; producing water and other Gods. Within the waters was born a sea monster called Cipactli who dwelled in the water and had the body of a fish but the head of a crocodile. Although, every other creature the gods created would fall into the sea and be eaten by Cipactli. The Gods destroyed the sea monster and from his head formed 13 heavens; the tail 7 underworlds and its body became the earth. However, in order to complete the world a great source of energy needed to be created, which was the sun. The sun had to be created through a sacrifice of a God. Four attempts were made through sacrifice, however, only the fifth try was successful. On the fifth attempt, Tecuciztecatl offered for himself to be
Don’t Panic- America is Being Run by a Two-Headed Intergalactic Troll: Or How Humorous Social Commentary from the “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” Shapes its Way into a Current Political Reality
Spiritual beliefs can be either religion or the belief of finding one's own individual path to spirituality. The philosophies of Plato and Sagan clash when it comes to where spiritual beliefs fit in. In
Scientology is a collection of beliefs and practices that were created by science fiction writer L. on Hubbard. It began in 1952 and was based off one of Hubbard’s previous works, Dianetics. Hubbard recognized the organization as a religion from the beginning and quickly began campaigned for it to be legally recognized as one as well. In 1953 he incorporated the collection of beliefs into The Church of Scientology and based the new church out of Camden, New Jersey. (Melton, 1992)
Wernher Von Braun said that Science and Religion are not antagonistic, they are sisters. The same can be said of technology. As Billy Graham stated neither science or technology can answer the question of human evil, human suffering, and Death. Only God can change the heart and only God can right wrong. Science and technology are tools in the hands of man. Those tools can be used for good or for evil. The same atomic technology can destroy an entire city or provide power to the same. Rocket technology can send a man to the moon or destroy plans, shipped, and other target from mile away. The internet can be a great resource of learning and knowledge sharing or a place of degradation and evil. Science has always been a close companion
What I found in the video, Cosmology and Belief, that I really have not thought about is there is a reason to the site planning and the architecture built on the location. An example of this, is El Castillo by the Mayans, which shows their self conscious attempt to depict ideas such as belief system, cosmology, and how the world is structured. El Castillo is a man-made mountain, the interesting meaning about the mountain is it stand for an access to the heavens. The location of this source is near the sinkhole, Sacred Cenote that is represent as the portal to the underworld.
In response to problems surrounding the ascription of beliefs, Daniel Dennett developed his essay True Believers, where he outlined an intentionalist theory. My intent in this paper is to explain his ideas and defend on of his presuppositions, namely, that most of what people believe is true. First I will briefly explain intentionalism and point out why Dennett feels that his syst3em is so useful. Then I will explain the necessary pretension that most beliefs ascribed are true and explain the validity of that position in greater detail. With a more concise explanation it will then become clear that Dennett’s position is not as implausible as it may seem.
Stephen Jay Gould, more than any other modern American scientist maybe, has exposed the nature of science, its advantages and shortcomings and their implications, to the literate public. He has participated in and even shaped a number of debates in evolutionary biology of monumental significance, regarding the different interpretations of the theory of evolution first proposed by Charles Darwin, research on fossil evidence, and the state of diversity and change in geology and biology. With a worldwide readership of his dozens of books and hundreds of research articles, essays and peer reviews, Gould is one of the most well-known and well-received writers in science (quote Stanford). He has made a name for himself by developing a detailed critique
Early belief systems created a bond between people that led to communal rituals and ceremonies. People formed communities with their shared beliefs in deities. In simple words, early belief systems
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Christian belief encountered significant opposition. Until then, most of the world shared the belief of the “Medieval world view” that not only was the earth positioned at the center of the universe, but that God was all knowing, all powerful and all good. God was thought to have created and sustained the wondrous workings of the universe. This belief told the people all they needed to know about the meaning and purpose of life. Then, scientific discovery and methods began to undermine religious beliefs. Scientists began to reveal that natural laws and natural forces governed the world. Opposing beliefs, e.g. the Marxism belief, criticized Christian views. People like, Bacon, Copernicus, Kepler,
"The Convergence of Science and Religion" by Charles H. Townes shows that science and religion are different in many ways. Overall, their foundations are based on different principles such as in belief versus evidence. In his work “The Convergence of Science and Religion”, Townes (1966) initially shows the fact that science and religion are related by observing that both are universal and have superficial differences.