Understanding the Philosophy of Culture

The ability to transmit information across generations and peers by means other than genetic exchange is a key trait of the human species; even more specific to humans seems the capacity to use symbolic systems to communicate. In the anthropological use of the term, culture refers to all the practices of information exchange that are not genetic or epigenetic. This includes all behavioral and symbolic systems. The Invention of Culture Although the term culture has been around at least since the early Christian era (we know, for instance, that Cicero used it), its anthropological use was established between the end of eighteen-hundreds and the beginning of the past century. Before this time, culture typically referred to the educational process through which an individual had undergone; in other words, for centuries culture was associated with a philosophy of education. We can hence say that culture, as we mostly employ the term nowadays, is a recent invention. Culture and Relativism Within contemporary theorizing, the anthropological conception of culture has been one of the most fertile terrains for cultural relativism. While some societies have clear-cut gender and racial divisions, for instance, others do not seem to exhibit a similar metaphysics. Cultural relativists hold that no culture has a truer worldview than any other; they are simply different views. Such an attitude has been at the center of some of the most memorable debates over the past decades, entrenched with socio-political consequences. Multiculturalism The idea of culture, most notably in connection with the phenomenon of globalization, has given rise to the concept of multiculturalism. In one way or other, a large part of the contemporary world population lives in more than one culture, be it because of the exchange of culinary techniques, or musical knowledge, or fashion ideas, and so on. How to Study a Culture? One of the most intriguing philosophical aspects of culture is the methodology by means of which its specimens have been and are studied. It seems, in fact, that in order to study a culture one has to remove herself from it, which in some sense it means that the only way to study a culture is by not sharing it.The study of culture poses thus one of the hardest questions with respect to human nature: to what extent can you really understand yourself? To what extent can a society assess its own practices? If the capacity of self-analysis of an individual or a group is limited, who is entitled to a better analysis and why? Is there a point of view, which is best suited for the study of an individual or a society?It is no accident, one could argue, that cultural anthropology developed at a similar time at which psychology and sociology also flourished. All three disciplines, however, seem to potentially suffer from a similar defect: a weak theoretical foundation concerning their respecti ve relationship with the object of study. If in psychology it seems always legitimate to ask on which grounds a professional has a better insight into a patient’s life than the patient herself, in cultural anthropology one could ask on what grounds the anthropologists can better understand the dynamics of a society than the members of the society themselves.How to study a culture? This is still an open question. To date, there certainly are several instances of research that try and address the questions raised above by means of sophisticated methodologies. And yet the foundation seems to be still in need of being addressed, or re-addressed, from a philosophical point of view. Further Online Readings The entry on cultural evolution at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.The entry on multiculturalism at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.The entry on culture and cognitive science at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Abortion An Article By Pro Life New Zealand Essay

Any woman who doesn’t want a child would clearly want an abortion, however there are negatives to having abortion. An article by Pro-Life New Zealand talks about a young mother, aged 21 who hung herself over the guilt of having an abortion. Jade Rees, the 21 year old mother, left several handwritten notes to her family, one of which was to her two year old son. Jade Rees had already been a teenage mum and supposedly â€Å"coped exceptionally well as a doting single mother.† There are also many negative physical effects of an abortion, according to americapregancy.org some of these may include abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, spotting and bleeding.Some of the mental/emotional side effects of abortion, are regret, anger, guilt, shame, sense of loneliness or isolation, loss of self confidence, insomnia or nightmares, relationship issues, suicidal thoughts and feelings, eating disorders, anxiety and depression However, there is a much more negative impact on women, which comes with banning abortion. Dorothy Shaw, a clinical professor wrote about how women will have abortions, regardless of the law. One in five pregnancies end in abortion, legal or not. This is an insane amount of unsafe abortions we would get if society failed to provide sanitary, safe and legal abortions for women. Any pregnancy should be supported with the option of abortion, however rape, incest and teenage pregnancy especially deserve the option of abortion. According to Linda Lowen, aShow MoreRelatedEthical Issue Of Elective Abortion Essay1738 Words   |  7 PagesEthical issue in the news June 2016 Three online news articles, two of which are New Zealand-centric, on the subject of elective abortion were published on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of June. News The first article I read called attention to New Zealand’s elective abortion laws, which criminalises elective abortion. The article claimed that the laws are outdated and requires change. It mentioned the pro-elective abortion faction’s campaign to remove elective abortion from the 1961 Crimes ActRead MoreIs Abortion A Violation Of An Unborn Child s Right? Essay1709 Words   |  7 Pagesjudgments and forming conclusions Abortion has essentially been around since women have, yet this old issue, is still around and being heavily debated. 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When woman decidesRead MoreShould Females Be The Abortion?1418 Words   |  6 PagesShould Females be aloud to have an Abortion? Millions are not alive today, because they were never given the chance to be born. Did you know four out of ten pregnancies end in abortion? In the United States, abortion one of the most controversial and most debated topics. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 22 percent of all pregnancies, excluding miscarriages, end in abortion. Abortion is when a woman chooses or is forced to terminate the fetus inside her body. Do you think that a fetus has theRead MoreThe History of Abortion and Its Effects2555 Words   |  11 PagesAbortion is the conclusion of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. It can also happen unconsciously, which is known as a â€Å"miscarriage.† For centuries the Church accepted abortion and the law did not punish it. 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Intense protest against such came at full force in the late 19th century, from women who were seeking political and legal reforms. Achieving franchise for women was the primary focus of the first wave of feminism in New Zealand. 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Culture of Life vs. Death free essay sample

Today, we, activists and pro-life believers, are really counter culture. Why? We reject society’s culture of death. We are politically incorrect when we defend unborn human life. That is good. By our lives and actions we silently preach the culture of life. We stand up for human life and we will defend it. We celebrate and welcome each new child into our lives and families. In proclaiming the culture of life today here on the streets of Washington and before the Supreme Court, we need to consider and ask ourselves if we are consistent across the board in our pro-life thinking and beliefs.The culture of life recognizes the truth of the natural law. The culture of death confuses freedom with license, moreover making unlimited freedom the defining characteristic of a soulless man. The culture of life recognizes the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. We will write a custom essay sample on Culture of Life vs. Death or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The culture of death ridicules the very concept of life through its entire spectrum from conception to natural death. Babies are referred to as fetuses, euthanasia is called assisted death, and infanticide becomes dilation and extraction or a late term abortion procedure.The culture of life affirms the right of every human being to recognize the sacred value of human life and to have this primary good respected to the highest degree. The culture of death recognizes no such right and makes man independent of his neighbors in regard to his actions as the greater good of the human communities is ignored. The culture of life recognizes Gods creative action involved in every created thing or process especially in the case of the coming into being of a human person. I knew you before you were in the womb (Jeremiah). When man interferes with this creative process as is the case with artificial contraception, man is not letting God be God. Man becomes the arbiter of when life begins, not God. Man becomes the arbiter of when life ends. The culture of death redefines marriage, as the two genders of Genesis no longer suffice. Five genders are now required per recent UN women conferences to include homosexuals, bisexuals, and something called transgendered (transsexuals). Procreation becomes an enemy of the state.

Strong And Courageous Essay Example For Students

Strong And Courageous Essay Strong and CourageousStrong and courageous, it could be thought at in many different ways when it is used in the biblical realm. You could use it for a positive way to stay close to God if you are a Christian. Perhaps if you were a non-believer you would used it for worldly matters such as muscle and guts. For myself I am a believer of the Christian perspective of staying close to God. Throughout our world today we having so many hurting people and lost people that sometimes to be the most courageous person is the one who steps out of their own comfort zone to help another in a time of need. Then there are those people who have a difficult time withstanding temptation from fellow peers or co-workers. These are all issues we deal with in the world today and can be helped only through God. We will write a custom essay on Strong And Courageous specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Your strength that you have all comes from God. Many Christians I believe lose sight on what there means of stronghold is really from. In the beginning of their relationship with God they are on such a spiritual high that when they come down from cloud nine they are lost. In Deut. 6:5 it says â€Å"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.† This simply put, if you put everything with God he will not let you down. You will be in good hands that love you and all he ask is for you to love him back. The term courageous I believe falls in right behind strength. They work as one, for if you have strength in God you will have courage as well. In Deut. 31, it talks about how Moses summons Joshua to the people of Israel. He says.. â€Å"be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land,† this is a prime example of how if you are strong and courageous anything is possible. You need to be confident when doi ng something but there is a fine line between confidence and being cocky. Which can normally be ignored when you are totally dealing with the Lord. In 1 Samuel 17, it is the story about the Philistines violated the honor of God. In this case Paul to Saul to fight the Philistines. For they had done dishonor to our Lord. In this situation the phrase strong and courageous was used by force but only for the intentions to preserve the honor of God. There is countless stories that deal with the same basic reasoning for violence. It is to hold up honor or respect for ones country. In today’s society you do not have the strong and courageous people fighting to hold up the Lord’s name, for the most part they fight to get respect or popularity amongst peers. Which is not what the bible intended or spoke about. It was based on events like the Philistines and such. In Matthew Henry’s Commentary he deals with the statement of strong and courage or courageous deals with the l aw of God. Which is correct, God wants people to be willing for him so calls for strength and courage from us. This goes along with my thoughts on standing firm for what you believe. For without the loyalty for something, a person would learn no worth for anything in life. Henry also says â€Å"Fear him and serve him, (for, if he be a Master, we must both reverence him and do his work); and swear by his name, that is, they must not upon any occasion appeal to any other, as the discerner of truth and avenger of wrong.† What I believe that he is trying to get across is that if we fear and have so much for respect for God as we are suppose to then we will have no problem being strong and courageous for him. The dictionary meaning for courageous or courage is the quality that enables people to meet dangers without giving way to fear, bravery, spirit. This can be used in a biblical manner, for if we believe that God gives us the strength and power to be courageous then that is wha t enables us. The meaning for the strong is firm, solid, well fortified, having wealth or resources. This too can be put into Christian perspective. For is you stand strong in your faith and have the right mind set (which would be the resources), then you will have strength. This just re-affirms what I stated earlier about God and have yourself right with him. If you can just keep yourself on the right path, you can have courage and strength through the help of God. .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b , .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .postImageUrl , .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b , .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:hover , .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:visited , .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:active { border:0!important; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:active , .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7350900f0d108b758c380e4332c2d26b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Child Abuse Essay WritingI believe the concept of strong and courageous has hurt Israel. It is not do to the term itself it is how people view it. The Israelites and Palestinians are fighting today over violent issues. Not of issues that deal with God, so this takes the saying â€Å"strong and courageous† out of text when putting it in biblical terms. For if the over the years Israel and other surrounding neighbors would not have fought over issues that were selfish, they would not have the problems that they do today. Everyday you hear about some violent act at the Gaza Strip. All of which is over land which has nothing to do with their spiritual well-being. For Is raelites and Palestinians deal with pride over land. This is not what God or the writers of the bible intended for this statement. Although this happens on a daily basis, I still feel with the right leadership the violence and selfishness could stop. The problem of the world today in the Christian realm, is the lack of strength and courage about their faith. In recent studies only 2% of the population of Christians fulfill the â€Å"Great Commission†, sadly enough it is because us as Christian are afraid of what people would think. If we are to change in our ways of shyness then perhaps the church will be able to grow and the family of God can expand. This is what ultimately our goal as Christians and we must have the strength and the courage to do this. Religion Essays