Deism

The 17th to 18th century was a time of new knowledge and reasoning that greatly affected society to this day. These two centuries were known as the Enlightenment Period or the Age of Reason. There were many people called philosophes or philosophers that believed in using reason, observation, and nature to come up with an unbiased answer. There were many philosophers during this time who believed in different things. Some main beliefs were: the right to govern, the right to education, and…

Enlightenment thinkers believed that man could be perfected, rejecting the view that man was inherently corrupt and distanced from God. Corrupted social traditions and institutions of church and state, they asserted, were the source of problems. Popular Culture Flourishing in Europe’s cultural centers, the Enlightenment saw an explosion of printing, libraries, salons, and book clubs. Satire, which often bordered on the pornographic, criticized institutions of church and state. Challenges to…

As I read and pondered on the Moralistic Therapeutic Deism thesis written by Christian Smith, it is of my opinion this unfounded religion depicts the lackadaisical attitude some teenagers as well as adults have chosen to live by. When reading some of the responses from various young people the perception is they know God does exist, however God to them is a feel good God meaning they know God is around and He answers when they are in need for something as well as when they are experiencing a…

Adam Michnik, a Polish historian believed that “After the French Revolution, it was not the treason of the king that was in question; it was the existence of the king. You have to be very careful when you judge and execute somebody for being a symbol.” When the colonists declared war on Britain in 1776, they promoted “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Declaration of Independence par. 2).” When the citizens of France and the Third Estate became weary of the tyranny and despotism of…

Jean Baudrillard: Postmodernism 1] Historical Context Postmodern theory emerged at the end of the enlightenment period in Europe. The roots of postmodern theory are within the switch from traditional societies where magic and religion were the main sources of explanation for social phenomena to a new meta-narrative which was, science and ration thought. Meta-narratives are beliefs that offer people hope and guidance they are the “big story” and it represents an explanation for everything. A key…

Oftentimes, humans place religion on a pedestal and view religious beings in a positive light. However, the Age of Enlightenment challenged these customs instead of blindly following them. Similarly, in his satirical novella Candide, Voltaire imbeds his belief that religion is superstitious as he constructs specific characters who mock the superficiality and hypocrisy of it. As he highlights the varying philosophies and beliefs of these characters, he advances the plot and shames the world’s…

An evolving cultural dialogue between political, philosophical, literary and social spheres greatly characterises the Utopian genre. Literary utopias negotiate the condition of modernity and ponder its implications for the future of mankind. For that reason alone, Utopia’s contemporaneity renders it a genre capable of adapting to the demands of time. Influential texts in the utopian dialectic are unique negotiations between Utopia, reality and the desires of the author. This is evidenced in…

Recognizing God’s existence has never been an easy task. From century to century, people continue to search for ways to find proof God does exist. In consulting with Foreman’s (2016) presentation, “Approaching the Question of God’s Existence” the use of proof to illustrate that God does exist is not a virtuous practice and the word “proof” should be avoided when wanting to claim God is real. He makes an effective point that there are some things in the world that have no complete explanation for…

H. J. McCloskey wrote the article “ On Being an Atheist”. This very interesting article gave his personal opinion on why he did not believe in God. In his article he gives his opinions of the cosmological, and teleological arguments. The main argument he makes in his article is about the evil and hardship in the world which is suppose to be created by a caring and loving God. Though H.j Mcloskey wanted to have proof and contrary to his opinions of the cosmological and theological arguments…

Thomas Paine A Loyal Disciple Of Socrates “I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.”(Paine, 1776-1809) Thomas Paine had many similar beliefs as Socrates. His opinion on the government is almost identical. Paine believed that the government is a necessary evil and that should not be ran by a tyrant such as a greedy king or a royal family that stay in power for years to come.…