Meaning Of Life Essays (1903 words) - Meaning Of Life, Metaphysics

Meaning Of Life Is there a meaning to life? First, to clear up any misunderstandings in the next few paragraphs you are about to read, I shall explain a few things. I am not talking about the individual people in our lives, that mean so much to us, or individual lives. That is a whole other matter. What I mean by the "meaning of life", is the greater picture. There are people all over the world, doing their own thing, living their own lives, in their own areas. Is there a point to this? The people themselves, benefit from learning and having experiences while they're alive, but then they die, and all they have accomplished, ends. Then the process begins all over again with the next generation. So one purpose for life is established. We are here to reproduce. It has been genetically coded into us, and with little prompting, we continue to produce tiny versions of ourselves. But, is there a POINT to this? Well, I solemnly believe not. Some people say the point of life, is to have fun and make others happy. Righto then. Sure, that's a good thing to do, I don't disagree with that. But in terms of the big picture, what does it exactly accomplish? A person lives their life, has fun, and perhaps has the knack of making lots of other people happy in the process, then that person dies. And so eventually, do all the other people they brought happiness to. And through different generations come people who have the same philosophy....same thing, just happening later in time, with different people. Nothing has been accomplished...So, this obviously cannot be the point of life, unless it's inventor has the same intellect as that of pond scum. I would like to think otherwise, so I am interested in finding another answer. Other people believe that God is the point of life. God gives us a booklet of rules and regulations, for us to be eligible to receive his personal 'attention'. We respect his wishes and act accordingly, as to how we believe he would like us to act. Then, it is thought, he looks after us and takes care of us. I find this theory hard to grasp...God, usually, is seen as this great celestial being, that is far more advanced and powerful than any person here on Earth. He has these 'talents' and powers by simply...not being one of us. So, there's God....Way up there, looking down upon us. Earth must seem like a little ant farm to him. If he's up there, looking down and watching over us, how is it so many horrible things happen in the world? Some of you may say it's because the people that these things happened to, weren't behaving how they should have been, how God would have liked them to. Or that God allows us to make choices, good or bad. Ok, then that would mean to me that God is an unforgiving and unsympathetic, celestial meanie. Why should he watch us create misery, see wars break out, while he remains aloof, superior and more powerful than us? I say that's unfair. Perhaps one reason for him would be, because it's more 'fun' to us be so 'handicapped' in the celestial scheme of things. It provides more entertainment, more adventure, and it's harder. And because it's harder, he knows there will be more rewards for us when we succeed in being "good". Something is obviously amiss with this plan, since we continue to do the same things over and over again through the generations, and centuries. We just do not learn this particular philosophy of his. Perhaps he could have let us work the controls? Do you think God has been GOOD at it? Heck no. Look at the world's history...It hasn't exactly been a bed full of roses. Sure, God tried. But while the footy game was on tv, he forgot to cut some of the thorns off the roses when he was preparing Earth's future. You reckon we could do any worse? I don't think so. Seems to me we'd all have just as much luck, even more so, at running a world, than God would. Even if God really was this powerful, wise, kind and forgiving fellow, why is he running a world? He obviously hasn't succeeded in achieving much. Humanity hasn't made any real accomplishments (I'm not talking technology...I'm talking about discovering anything that would lead us to understanding why we are here at all). What's in

Books Every Student Should Read - EssaySupply.com

Books Every Student Should Read Books Every Student Should Read When college students become intently focused on their classes and working towards their degrees, many wonderful things happen. For one thing, students begin developing their critical thinking skills at a rapid pace. They learn to form ideas and opinions, interact with others in discussions about those ideas and opinions, and ultimately improve and modify their opinions and ideas based on these interactions. College students also spend a lot of time reading and absorbing information that is directly related to their studies. On one hand, this is a good thing. They are learning and absorbing the information that they need to learn. On the other hand, this doesn't leave much time for other reading. This is a shame, because there are so many books that college students should be reading that can teach them life lessons, inspire them, or simply provide a bit of reprieve. So, we have decided to step away from our 'day job' of providing research paper, essay, thesis, and dissertation writi ng help to go over a few books that we believe every college student should read. Fish Author: Steven Lundin When we began discussing this book, one of our staff members recalled her first flight on Southwest Airlines. The flight attendant was giving the standard instructions about emergency exits, oxygen masks, and flotation devices. Then, at the end of the presentation the flight attendant began to offer some additional advice. She began, ' for those of you who are traveling with children...' '...bummer.' Her perfectly timed, dead-pan delivery earned her laughs from both the passengers and the crew. The loudest laughs actually came from the parents she had targeted. If you have ever wondered where the famously irreverent culture at Southwest originates, the answer is this book. It is based on a woman who comes to the realization that among other things people must find a way to have fun at work. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Author: Stephen Covey This is a classic, but still amazingly relevant book that provides its readers with action steps that one can take at any age to achieve their goals. Students who are looking for very specific information on improving their lives can definitely learn from this book. The Automatic Millionaire Author: David Bach Many students don't realize that they can begin building wealth right now. David Bach provides many tips in his book that go well beyond the typical advice that students receive about financial issues. Some of his advice includes living below your means and directing money towards valuable purchases that benefit the entire family. The Tao of Pooh Author: Benjamin Hoff It is easy to envision Winnie the Pooh as an adorable literary character who has delighted children for decades, but are you ready to view the adorable bear as an Eastern philosopher? The Tao of Pooh asks you to do just that, and in turn provides amazing perspective. If it sounds unrealistic, take a moment to consider the characters. Piglet worries, Rabbit micromanages, Owl detaches, and Tigger acts out. Pooh simply is.

Impact of the European Union on France Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Impact of the European Union on France - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  the European Union (EU) is a political and economic federation comprising 27 member countries, and all of them design same policies for different areas. In 1993 the EU was formed with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, but later there was a great contribution from multiple European organizations, which led to the development of European Union. This represents an effort to bring forth unity in Europe encompassing various attempts of establishing unity through armed forces. France was one of the member nations involved in European Union. There were several criteria associated with joining the Union which were evaluated by the European Council country-wise.  This paper outlines that the major benefit of EU was that it focused on a stable democracy where one nation would not be unduly harmed by other nations. One European currency and economic integration proved to be primary goals of European Union. The research question for this particular study is – â€Å"what is the impact of Euro and EU on France in economical, social, political and cultural context.† This study will help to evaluate the positive and negative impacts created on France by European Union.  In the economic context the impact of EU and Euro on France would be analysed on the basis of GDP components, productivity, public finances, external trade and labour market. EU possessed GDP of 11,600 billion Euros and a total population of 500 million in 2006.

Compare the differences and similarities in how stories are framed Assignment

Compare the differences and similarities in how stories are framed - Assignment Example There is a quote from the nuclear specialist who narrates his meeting after the disaster with his wife and children (MSNBC, 19 March 2011). By including this real life experience, the report gets more close to the human disaster rather than dwelling only on technical details. While reporting the radiation contamination of food items, Fox News has included crucial information that others have not- the tap water also has become contaminated with radiation (Fox News, 19 March 2011). This is important information and missing this does not go well with other news agencies. Fox News also has included the emotional account of the nuclear specialist about meeting his family (Fox News, 19 March 2011). Fox News has also given a brief history of the disaster by telling how it started and through which phases it developed (Fox News, 19 March 2011). It is a good practice to keep the viewers informed about the history of an event when it is a running story. CNBC has not made th food contamination a major headline and has given it as only a sub-heading to the main heading, ‘Japan Sees Some Stabilization in Nuclear Crisis’ (19 March 2011).

Julius Caesar Essay Example for Free

Julius Caesar Essay The author, William Shakespeare, portrays Caesar in a more favorable light compared to Plutarch. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Caesar’s character sketch is that of a just, fair, patriotic, loyal and dominating leader. He is in favor of the people and always acts for their benefit. Whereas Plutarch shows Caesar as a dictator, a fearless man who does nothing but keep to his word and disregard all kinds of modern amendments. It can only be William Shakespeare, a well-known genius praised by people for decades, can do full justice to the character of the great Roman leader, Julius Caesar, in his play. Shakespeare mentions the instance where Julius Caesar goes to the senate house where all of Brutus’ confederates add their petitions to those of Tillius Cimber, in behalf of his brother who was in exile, to withdraw his banishment. They kissed Caesar’s hand and praised him but Julius Caesar like a truly just leader did not subject to that flattery and refused to comply with their requests. Another instance is where Caesar in spite of people warning him about the omens of the Ides of March, dutiful of his kingship still goes to the senate house and attends the meeting which he thought was to discuss important issues concerning the people of Rome. Both of these instances show a true king in the face of Caesar. Caesar was most definitely a model political figure. He refused the crown three times when it was awarded by the people. All his actions showed that he cared only about the people of Rome and not about his achievements. This puts all the notions about Caesar being a dictator and unjust ambitious leader, totally wrong. Caesar truthfully contributed to Rome and its people throughout his life. 1

Another Albert Einstein :: essays research papers

Albert Einstein was a great man who contributed many theories and ideas to the world of science. Some people considered him one of the smartest human beings alive. The theory of relativity is also said to be â€Å"held as the human thought of highest quality. Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany in 1879. In 1894, Einstein’s family moved to Milan. Einstein went to Switzerland, and he attended Aarau Secondary School. There, he received his Swiss Citizenship. Afterwards, Einstein returned back to his home, Ulm Germany, and studied to become a mathematics and physics teacher. Later in 1902-1909, he worked at the patent office, as an examiner in Bern. He obtained his doctorate while working there. During this time he developed the theory of relativity, in 1905, which explained the photoelectric effect and studied the motion of atoms. The theory, E=mc explained that mass and energy were equivalent. Later in 1908, he became a lecturer at the University of Bern. Then eventually in 1909, he became a physics teacher back at the University of Bern. As you can see, Einstein had a very busy academic life. By this time, Einstein’s incredible knowledge had attracted many scientists. In 1910, he became a professor at the German University, in Prague. By 1913, Einstein had become famous internationally. In 1921, Einstein was awarded with the Nobel Prize for his incredible work in physics, especially his theory of Relativity. In 1933, he accepted a place at Princeton, the institute for advanced study. Einstein became very happy in 1940, when he became an American citizen. Although, Einstein was very worried about the possible use of Atomic Energy in bombs. He wrote to the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, to investigate this. Einstein wanted world peace and disagreed with wars. Here is a more detailed explanation of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Einstein's early work on the theory of relativity (1905) dealt only with systems or observers in uniform (unaccelerated) motion with respect to one another and is referred to as the special theory of relativity; among other results, it demonstrated that two observers moving at great speed with respect to each other will disagree about measurements of length and time intervals made in each other's systems, that the speed of light is the limiting speed of all bodies having mass, and that mass and energy are equivalent. Overall Einstein had wished that his theories would be very simple and easy to understand, but no matter how simple he made them, they were still hard to interpret.

The Vandals

‘Answers to question on prose fiction should address relevantly the central concern(s)/theme(s) of the text and be supported by reference to appropriate techniques of prose fiction such as: Characterisation, setting, key incident(s), narrative technique, symbolism, structure, climax, plot, atmosphere, dialogue, imagery. Choose a novel or short story with a central character you consider to be heroic, Show how the heroic qualities are revealed and discuss how this portrayal of the character enhances your understanding of the text as a whole.ANSWER: Many complaints recently have revolved around the strong targeting the weak. In Alan Bolds short story ‘The Vandals’ we hear the story of Gordon Miller. A retired Civil Servant whom is a quiet gentle man. He could have been considered heroic when he stood up to a ground of youths – The Vandals of the story. Bold uses numerous techniques such as setting, imagery and foreshadowing to highlight Gordon Millers transiti on from hero to villain. The Vandals by Alan Bold is set in a small fictional Scottish town called Marshend.Gordon Miller moves into a small cottage here looking for peace and quiet. This is soon disrupted by a local group of youths who call him names and vandalise his property. After trying to confront these youths to reason with them he soon realises that he is trying to reason with people who know no limits, he soon takes things into his own hands. In the opening of the story Bold refers to the Roman invasion of Marshend and to the Roman General Agricola. However the Roman’s failed to completely conquer Marshend.From the beginning of the story Bold juxtaposes Miller against the Romans. Bold does this by giving the imagery of Miller being the Inhabitants of Marshend and the vandals being the Roman army. First Miller tries to reason with the vandals, however after multiple reoccurring attacks on his house Miller declares what would be classed as war on the vandals. Through n umerous applications of word choice Bold manages to foreshadow the fact that Gordon Miller may not be as calm and tolerable person as he seems to be. ‘Gordon Miller decided he would keep calm’This is after the first attack on his home. By having to decide to stay calm this shows that it is almost like he is forcing himself to do so and this is doubting that he isn’t as calm a person as he seems. In the village the others formed an opinion on Gordon Millers ‘mental stability’ from this it was reflected back to him to make an opinion on himself. This tells the reader that apart from what we have read Gordon Miller may act very differently as well. Bold seems to keep Gordon Miller personality close to his chest revealing only what he has too.It triggers a reaction in the readers mind wondering as to why the other villagers have been commenting on his mental stability. It also would make Miller question his actions, if he has been acting a certain way an d villagers were starting to question and talk about his actions then it would possibly make him take notice and try to change the way he acts around others. Nearing the end of the story Bold uses a lot of imagery linked in with Gordon Miller and the theme of the Romans.When the vandals come back for the last time Bold describes Miller as standing at the ‘summit of the hill, on the top terrace. ’ This is similar to the idea of the Roman General waiting and observing his territory. Gordon Miller is standing and observing the youths and his home before he launches his attack on the youths. This is the turning point in the story where Bold twists Gordon Miller from being symbolic of the villagers in Marshend under attack to being the Roman General who is waiting to start his attack.This shows Gordon Miller becoming heroic as he is standing up to the vandals who have been tormenting him. This gives us the understanding that certain people can only take so much stress and di sruption in their lives before they come to the end of their tether and retaliate. The last sentence in the story is an image of Miller sitting playing with a set of ‘Roman Soldiers’. This shows that Gordon Miller is a lot more complex than Bold let us believe. He likes order and stability in his life, he does not like change and disruptions.As he is playing with the Roman Soldier set this represents the order that he likes in his life. In conclusion revealing Gordon Millers personality slowly throughout the short story Bold uses a number of techniques such as pathos, setting, imagery and word choice. Through these we feel empathy towards Gordon Miller and understand why he proceeded taking the heroic actions that he did. This helps the reader not to dislike Miller for his actions but feel happy for him that he finally got justice on the vandals.Word Count: 755