Atheism as a historical philosophy and its relevance in contemporary Am

Disbelief in the existence of God is an enduring, worldwide phenomenon that is quite possibly also one of the most misunderstood belief systems in the world. For many, the term â€Å"atheism† immediately spurs negative imagery inspired by years of indoctrination – churches proclaiming the sins of the infidels, and how questioning God’s infinite love will result in instant damnation. Atheists are perceived as dark, nihilistic, immoral, amoral, pessimistic, and even evil, because without God, clearly they are also without morality and goodness. But if this disbelief is so negative, why would nearly 1 billion people globally, and more than 16 percent of the American population identify themselves as â€Å"nonbelievers†? In fact, a survey published in January 2007 by the Pew Research Center for the People & The Press found that â€Å"20 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 say they have no religious affiliation or consider themselves atheists o r agnostics – nearly double those who said that in a similar survey 20 years ago† (Abel). Surely there is something to be gained in denying one of contemporary civilization’s most accepted and cherished beliefs in order to garner the respect of (and often participation from) some of the greatest minds in human history. Indeed, for most nonbelievers, it seems the justification for atheism far outweighs the justifications for theism, which they view as moot, obsolete, and inaccurate. THE PHILOSOPHY Put simply, atheism is the belief that there is no God or gods. In this sense, it is true that atheism is a â€Å"negative† philosophy in that it is the negation of theism (the word is derived from the Greek ‘a’ - without, ‘theos’ - God). However, as we shall see, this perception of atheism as a negative w... ...008 . Martin, Michael. Atheism : A Philosophical Justification. New York, MI: Temple UP, 1990. Martin, Michael, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Atheism. New York: Cambridge UP, 2006. Mills, David, and Dorion Sagan. Atheist Universe : The Thinking Person's Answer to Christian Fundamentalism. New York: Ulysses P, 2006 Nielsen, Kai. God, Scepticism and Modernity. Boston: Paul & Company Consortium, Incorporated, 1989. Odell v. Koppee, 5 Heisk. (Tenn) 91. Religulous. Dir. Larry Charles. Perf. Bill Maher. Film. 2008. Thrower, James. Western Atheism : A Short History. New York: Pyr Books, 1999. "17th Century - Investigating Atheism." Investigating Atheism. 2008. University of Cambridge. .

Uniform Code of Military Justice

Article 92 is perhaps the most important article in the entire Uniform Code of Military Justice. It lays down the ground law, which is the absolute line that may not be crossed. Everything else in the UCMJ is an explanation of the various forms that disobeying an order can take. Without the support given by Article 92, service members would be free to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and wouldn't be any more accountable than a civilian could in a civilian job. However, service members are held to a higher standard.We are the line that protects this country and we are the defense against the storm. Without us, this country would not exist and could not exist. And for that, I have to follow the orders and instructions given by anyone appointed over me. The fact that I didn’t get to an appointment on time showed lack of accountability on my part, a lack of discipline to follow orders I was given and a lack of respect to those who are appointed over me as a leader. I fai led to be at my place of duty, which costs the Army money for another Soldier who could’ve been at that appointment and been on time.The military can only function if orders, when given, are obeyed. We would like to trust in the honesty and integrity of the Soldiers who made that oath and put their lives on the line for their country. The truth is that there are many out there that, if not given a clear set of rules, will not follow the rules. Will not care about the punishments, will not be productive or efficient members of the military machine. That is why Article 92, and the entire UCMJ, are necessary. They reinforce the behavior of those who do the right thing, promoting it and praising it.They punish those who do not do the right thing, undercutting and stamping out such behaviors. With such a system, the bad eggs, those who are unable to fit into the machine, will be ground up by it and spit out. Broken, incomplete, forever bemoaning the lack of foresight and flexibili ty that would have saved them. Accountability in the Army is paramount to the successful completion of the mission. It is a soldier’s personal responsibility to keep all his or her items accountable at all times. This ensures that the Army mission will be completed and that the soldier will remain prepared at all times.On a daily basis, thousands of Soldiers are seen at appointments varying anywhere from surgery on better eye sight to putting a broken foot into a cast for 6 weeks to heal. Appointments can be located anywhere on or off post depending on the type of appointment or preference of the Soldier. It is every Soldier’s right to choose where they would like to receive health care services. The Army spends Billions of dollars on medical supplies, medications, the latest and newest high tech equipment, and the healthcare facilities and the healthcare providers. When a Soldier misses an appointment, the Army’s money is then wasted.Money that could have been used on something such as new trucks, weapons and equipment. With budget cuts on funds within the ranks, missing an appointment is money the Army could use elsewhere. Of all the complications for military funding due to budget cuts, missing an appointment should not factor into it at all. Budget cuts have influenced the Chain of Command and their decisions on requiring Soldiers to pay out of pocket for their missed appointment. The government was starting to discuss having Soldiers pay out of pocket for their missed appointments.Have the Soldier pay out of pocket for the injuries received in an accident because they neglected their profile restrictions. Whether this has taken effect now or it will in the future, Soldiers will be less likely to miss any kind of appointment. If the responsibility were to fall on the shoulder of each individual Soldier, the Army would more than likely not have to inflict budget cuts and â€Å"Troop Cuts† we have all been reading about in The Arm y Times. If each Soldier were accountable for paying for their appointments, there wouldn’t be another wasted appointment because the Soldier was forgetful.It is every Soldiers responsibility to be healthy and remain in a fit condition. When Soldiers fails to do so however, the consequences can be catastrophic or even fatal in some cases. Best example, a Soldier has a tooth ache but ignores it because he or she thinks it’s a sign of weakness, that tooth ache can develop into something much worse than a cavity filling, the Soldier could end up being hospitalized because they didn’t take care of the issue when it was small. They ignored their MEDPROs warning about being past due for a check in.This action seems small, but when the Soldiers fall out of the ranks because they needed more medical attention such as surgery. That unit needs to replace that Soldier to remain fit and ready to deploy. This can led to issues and financial problems within that unit. Their d own a Soldier, which means they have to file paperwork to request a Soldier to replace him. That leads to more money to have that new Soldier coming in for travel and new training. Everything costs money. From the paper we use to request a Soldier to the training that he or she must receive so they can be ready to deploy on a mission.All of that money spent on the new Soldier could have been completely avoided if the Soldier had not ignored his MEDPROs dental warning. Something so small, like a tooth ache, turned in all new training requirements for a new and unprepared Soldier to keep a unit ready for a mission. If Soldiers were required to pay out of pocket for all of their appointments they made, the Army could spend more money where it is needed most. Such things are better training for Soldiers, Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, better equipment for deployed units and faster approval on funding.This increase in money in better areas can lead to more successful missions an d fewer fatalities on the battle field because the equipment is more accurate. Soldiers have been trained to the highest level, instead of just the basics for life saver course. The Army can afford to push every Soldier through the advanced kind of training needed to save lives. All of this could happen if every Soldier was held responsible for their actions of missing an appointment. Including, if every Soldier made it to all their appointments on time.If every Soldier was paying out of pocket for their appointments, the bigger picture we see is more saved lives in the combat zone. Every Soldier has the right to be seen for health issues. The well being of every Soldier, whether it’s their mental state or their physical health, is required for the best combat ready Soldier the Army has. That is the reality in today’s forces. The citizens of our country need us at our highest peak in health. So when unexplainable and tragic accident such as 9/11 ever happens again, a f orgotten dental appointment will not hold out any Soldier.The responsibility in accountability is every single individual’s duty for themselves and their team. The rank is not a concern when compared to responsibility. No one is singled out. It is my responsibility and my responsibility alone to maintain my physical and mental health state. I have to maintain myself at the highest level for Soldier readiness. That is my responsibility, no one else’s. However, in the long run, I affect someone else’s life if I neglect that responsibility. A simple phone call to change the time of my appointment could have avoided all of this.Neglecting to call was a failure on my part completely. I do not blame nor will I blame anyone but me. On the next appointment, I will be sure to make my appointment on time with enough reminders that it would be impossible not to forget. This standard for accountability needs to be a high priority of every Soldier who does not know much abou t the Army. Such as young privates coming out of Basic and AIT, can be trained and carry on the standard for responsibility and accountability. So future funds can be focused more for the training and not for missed appointments. Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 92 is perhaps the most important article in the entire Uniform Code of Military Justice. It lays down the ground law, which is the absolute line that may not be crossed. Everything else in the UCMJ is an explanation of the various forms that disobeying an order can take. Without the support given by Article 92, service members would be free to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and wouldn't be any more accountable than a civilian could in a civilian job. However, service members are held to a higher standard.We are the line that protects this country and we are the defense against the storm. Without us, this country would not exist and could not exist. And for that, I have to follow the orders and instructions given by anyone appointed over me. The fact that I didn’t get to an appointment on time showed lack of accountability on my part, a lack of discipline to follow orders I was given and a lack of respect to those who are appointed over me as a leader. I fai led to be at my place of duty, which costs the Army money for another Soldier who could’ve been at that appointment and been on time.The military can only function if orders, when given, are obeyed. We would like to trust in the honesty and integrity of the Soldiers who made that oath and put their lives on the line for their country. The truth is that there are many out there that, if not given a clear set of rules, will not follow the rules. Will not care about the punishments, will not be productive or efficient members of the military machine. That is why Article 92, and the entire UCMJ, are necessary. They reinforce the behavior of those who do the right thing, promoting it and praising it.They punish those who do not do the right thing, undercutting and stamping out such behaviors. With such a system, the bad eggs, those who are unable to fit into the machine, will be ground up by it and spit out. Broken, incomplete, forever bemoaning the lack of foresight and flexibili ty that would have saved them. Accountability in the Army is paramount to the successful completion of the mission. It is a soldier’s personal responsibility to keep all his or her items accountable at all times. This ensures that the Army mission will be completed and that the soldier will remain prepared at all times.On a daily basis, thousands of Soldiers are seen at appointments varying anywhere from surgery on better eye sight to putting a broken foot into a cast for 6 weeks to heal. Appointments can be located anywhere on or off post depending on the type of appointment or preference of the Soldier. It is every Soldier’s right to choose where they would like to receive health care services. The Army spends Billions of dollars on medical supplies, medications, the latest and newest high tech equipment, and the healthcare facilities and the healthcare providers. When a Soldier misses an appointment, the Army’s money is then wasted.Money that could have been used on something such as new trucks, weapons and equipment. With budget cuts on funds within the ranks, missing an appointment is money the Army could use elsewhere. Of all the complications for military funding due to budget cuts, missing an appointment should not factor into it at all. Budget cuts have influenced the Chain of Command and their decisions on requiring Soldiers to pay out of pocket for their missed appointment. The government was starting to discuss having Soldiers pay out of pocket for their missed appointments.Have the Soldier pay out of pocket for the injuries received in an accident because they neglected their profile restrictions. Whether this has taken effect now or it will in the future, Soldiers will be less likely to miss any kind of appointment. If the responsibility were to fall on the shoulder of each individual Soldier, the Army would more than likely not have to inflict budget cuts and â€Å"Troop Cuts† we have all been reading about in The Arm y Times. If each Soldier were accountable for paying for their appointments, there wouldn’t be another wasted appointment because the Soldier was forgetful.It is every Soldiers responsibility to be healthy and remain in a fit condition. When Soldiers fails to do so however, the consequences can be catastrophic or even fatal in some cases. Best example, a Soldier has a tooth ache but ignores it because he or she thinks it’s a sign of weakness, that tooth ache can develop into something much worse than a cavity filling, the Soldier could end up being hospitalized because they didn’t take care of the issue when it was small. They ignored their MEDPROs warning about being past due for a check in.This action seems small, but when the Soldiers fall out of the ranks because they needed more medical attention such as surgery. That unit needs to replace that Soldier to remain fit and ready to deploy. This can led to issues and financial problems within that unit. Their d own a Soldier, which means they have to file paperwork to request a Soldier to replace him. That leads to more money to have that new Soldier coming in for travel and new training. Everything costs money. From the paper we use to request a Soldier to the training that he or she must receive so they can be ready to deploy on a mission.All of that money spent on the new Soldier could have been completely avoided if the Soldier had not ignored his MEDPROs dental warning. Something so small, like a tooth ache, turned in all new training requirements for a new and unprepared Soldier to keep a unit ready for a mission. If Soldiers were required to pay out of pocket for all of their appointments they made, the Army could spend more money where it is needed most. Such things are better training for Soldiers, Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, better equipment for deployed units and faster approval on funding.This increase in money in better areas can lead to more successful missions an d fewer fatalities on the battle field because the equipment is more accurate. Soldiers have been trained to the highest level, instead of just the basics for life saver course. The Army can afford to push every Soldier through the advanced kind of training needed to save lives. All of this could happen if every Soldier was held responsible for their actions of missing an appointment. Including, if every Soldier made it to all their appointments on time.If every Soldier was paying out of pocket for their appointments, the bigger picture we see is more saved lives in the combat zone. Every Soldier has the right to be seen for health issues. The well being of every Soldier, whether it’s their mental state or their physical health, is required for the best combat ready Soldier the Army has. That is the reality in today’s forces. The citizens of our country need us at our highest peak in health. So when unexplainable and tragic accident such as 9/11 ever happens again, a f orgotten dental appointment will not hold out any Soldier.The responsibility in accountability is every single individual’s duty for themselves and their team. The rank is not a concern when compared to responsibility. No one is singled out. It is my responsibility and my responsibility alone to maintain my physical and mental health state. I have to maintain myself at the highest level for Soldier readiness. That is my responsibility, no one else’s. However, in the long run, I affect someone else’s life if I neglect that responsibility. A simple phone call to change the time of my appointment could have avoided all of this.Neglecting to call was a failure on my part completely. I do not blame nor will I blame anyone but me. On the next appointment, I will be sure to make my appointment on time with enough reminders that it would be impossible not to forget. This standard for accountability needs to be a high priority of every Soldier who does not know much abou t the Army. Such as young privates coming out of Basic and AIT, can be trained and carry on the standard for responsibility and accountability. So future funds can be focused more for the training and not for missed appointments.

Global Warming and Climate Change - 1016 Words

In recent years, global warming is a topic that has received much attention. It’s is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earths atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants, which also known as the green house effect. Global warming can negatively affect the earths delicate ecosystems. It has been linked to dangerous new weather patterns, the extinction of plant and animal species and so many others bad effects. Global warming is caused by pollution eating away at the ozone layer of the atmosphere, as well as greenhouse gases trapping heat. The global average surface temperature rose 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius (1.1 to 1.6 ° F) between 1906 and†¦show more content†¦Their best estimate is that humans have caused 100 percent of that global warming† (Nuccitelli 1). We, humans, are definitely the cause of all these. Every year, almost 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere by human activity. Everyday, we humans are responsible for litter. With the bad habits, we throw everything into landfills. The garbage just piles up everywhere. Humans are responsible for pollution. Other than that, the burning of fossil fuels as you all know leads to an increase in pollution in the air which traps the heat from the sun in the earths atmosphere there is no other cause that I can see apart from wasting energy and not being as energy efficient as we should be. Coal, nat ural gas, oil and electrical power are all sources of carbon dioxide, and they are used to power everything from industrial plants, vehicles, electricity and households. Trees are the only nature source that helps to filter carbon dioxide. But one more time, the human’s act make our own environment become worse. Mass deforestation reduces the number of trees and plants available to clean the air and, as a result, carbon dioxide levels are becoming increasingly unabated and evermore noxious. Overall, the problem of global warming should be solved before its effects lead the Earth to be catastrophic. There are so many solutions that we can do to help to reduce it. Transport isShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming And Climate Change974 Words   |  4 Pagesabout global warming, whether it is true or false. Is there evidence to prove that global warming has impacted the climate due to the rise in the earth’s temperature? Climate change is a problem that is worldwide that should be reviewed. The rise in the earth’s temperature has caused some impact to the weather and climate changes to many places worldwide. This rise in temperature has the potential of causing drastic changes to the earth in many ways. It is time to view the global warming concernsRead MoreClimate Change Of Global Warming924 Words   |  4 Pages Figure 0.1 shows the different effects of global warming. Global warming is the warming of our planet at an extreme rate. The Earth’s climate has warmed by 7.8OC since 1880. (Quick facts about science, 2015). What causes global warming? The cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide. This acts like a blanket. Protecting the earth, and heating the earth. Sun rays would normally bounce around the earth, but with the blanket, the sun rays heat the blanket which heats the earth. (Petersen ScienceRead MoreGlobal Warming And Climate Change1398 Words   |  6 Pages Global warming and climate change have been frequent topics of discussion over the past several years. Although people tend to focus on the politics, it is important to look past the media aspects of it into the cold hard facts of what our Earth is currently experiencing, and what has caused it in the first place. The cause of climate change includes natural causes, but human causes are what is generating such a rapid global temperature change. It’s time that the ways in which humanity affectsRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1060 Words   |  5 PagesClimate change (Klaus) 1000 The terms â€Å"global warming†, â€Å"climate change† or â€Å"greenhouse effect† have become more than just parts of the popular lexicon as they rather are subject of public discussions, scientific research or political debates. Despite the popularity and the ubiquity of these terms, the public’s theoretical and conceptual understanding of them and their causal relations is often based on superficial knowledge and buzzwords or caricatures outlined and depicted in several popular mediaRead MoreClimate Change : Global Warming1194 Words   |  5 PagesDonya Curtis April 19, 2017 English 1001-rough draft Global Warming Global warming is one facet of the broader term climate change. It is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth s surface air and oceans from the mid 20th century and the projected continuation. The Global warming is primarily the consequence of building up greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Emission rates for most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, CO2, have increased 120 fold in the past 140 years. WhileRead MoreClimate Change and Global Warming1074 Words   |  5 PagesClimate change and Global Warming are out of control. This means that, no matter what policies, processes or actions are implemented, the Earth as we know it will never be the same again. There is significant evidence to support this hypothesis. The dilemma becomes whether we can limit the damage and adapt to a new status quo or not. Rising sea levels and the damage caused by this phenomenon has irreversible impacts on coastlines worldwide. Damage to sensitive reef systems cannot be fixed. This alsoRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1022 Words   |  5 PagesWhat = Climate Change Who = Emma, Aoife, Julia, Rachael, Mariah and Cà ©line What is it? Climate Change is a change in the demographic distribution of weather patterns, and related change in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, happening over time scales of decades or longer. It’s the world’s greatest threat. Climate change is the change in temperature over a period of time. It involves the greenhouse effect and global warming. Where is it? It is an issue affecting everyone everywhere. ClimateRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1474 Words   |  6 Pagesphenomenon, known as â€Å"smog† became an often daily occurrence in big, urbanized cites across the globe. Also, Al Gore’s book, An Inconvenient Truth, popularized the issue of climate change and global warming as a result of the damage that the modern world has done to the atmosphere. He noted that people resist the facts about climate change due to the inconvenience of changing their lifestyles. But, uninhibited industrialization of several countries has led to intense modernization and revolution of theRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming928 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper will discuss climate change and global warming on the economy. The paper also gives a description on climate change and global warming. As well as what it hold for future business owners. It will also discuss what the government is doing about climate change/global warming. Climate change is a long-term shift in the statistics of the weather (including its averages). For example, it could show up as a change in climate normal (expected average values for temperature and precipitation)Read MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1630 Words   |  7 PagesClimate Related Threats Global warming will lead to uncontrollable devastation such as famine, war, and economic instability. Climate change will accelerate the dislocation of hundreds of millions of people and the extinction of many species. The negative effects of climate change are obvious on every continent. Professor Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia said, The human influence on climate change is clear. The atmosphere and