The Existence of God and the Meaning of Life Essay

Canadian author, W.O. Mitchell, is fascinated with the meaning of life. Whether this is a result of growing up during the depression or simply indicative of Mitchell’s deep philosophical thinking, this theme constantly shows up in his work. In both his humorous drama, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon and the eloquent children’s Canadian classic, Who has Seen the Wind, Mitchell tackles the age-old question with grace, humor, and care. Not only is Mitchell concerned with the minute details of human existence, throughout his work, Mitchell constantly evokes a Canadian persona and creates literature based on the country. Despite Wullie MacCrimmon being a Scottish character, the drama itself is set in Canada during a curling†¦show more content†¦Mitchell used the land of his birthplace, Weyburn, Saskatchewan, to place an unknown small prairie town on a literary map. Butala concludes her article by stating, â€Å"for many western fans, he was someone who had lived as they did, who remembered their childhoods for them †¦ the sights and sounds and smells of spring on the prairie, bringing to conscious awareness their joy and great good fortune in being Prairie people.† Who has Seen the Wind has become a cultural coming-of-age story for western Canadians. W.P. Kinsella argues that, â€Å"Who has Seen the Wind is the counterpart of The Catcher in the Rye. It’s the quintessential novel of growing up on the Prairies† (Shermata 40) and believes that Mitchell deserved a Governor General’s Award for his literature. While Who has Seen the Wind is an account created with love for the prairies, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon is a well-written, humorous account of a curling match, also indicative of Canadian culture. Alan Dilworth, a director of the play, states, â€Å"it is so archetypically Canadian. There is something about this that’s even more social in the act itself.† The chief concern of the drama is one of religion, leading to a fascinating dissonance between Presbyterians and Methodists. This issue regards immigrants of Canada of varying ethnic groups. Wullie, the protagonist, is a Presbyterian, as his Scottish rootsShow MoreRelatedThe Arguments For The Existence Of God940 Words   |  4 Pagesp. 209, question# 1 Among the numerous arguments for the existence of God, the argument of design stands as the most persuasive in terms of providing a logical basis for the absolute presence of God. This argument is concerned with the intricate nature of creation and existence: one must believe that there is a Supreme Being that designed the characteristics and features of every existing thing in the entire universe, both living and non-living. The precise and complicated design of the universeRead MoreTo Live for God or for Meaning737 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout the history of philosophical theories there have many shifts of thought, one of the most dramatic would certainly be the change from focusing on ideas of God and the proving of God’s existence to thoughts on the â€Å"death of God† and ways to find meaning in life despite his absence. This shift is demonstrated by the changing tone of the writings of Anselm and Descartes to the writings of Feuerbach and Nietzsche. This cha nge happened for a variety of reasons including but not limited to theRead MoreIs There Good Evidence for or Against the Existence of God?1557 Words   |  7 PagesTitle 1: Is there good evidence for or against the existence of God? Throughout the ages, the topic of religion has always been discussed and argued over. Some people will always argue that God does exist, whilst others will argue that he doesn’t. Firstly I would like to start my argument with the famous 13th century philosopher, Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas’ argument is known as the cosmological argument. This is the idea of: the unmoved mover, the uncaused causer and idea of contingency, theseRead MoreObtaining A Life Of Meaning And Purpose In Life Is Something1579 Words   |  7 PagesObtaining a life of meaning and purpose in life is something that every human being struggles with. Trying to find yourself and locate your value in society. Even today it’s one of the biggest struggles. That feeling of acceptance comes from everything, your back round, your race, your skin color, your religious belief, your political belief. God intended for us to be here in this world but he leaves your meaning and purpose for you to find and seek it through whatever lessons and teachings you findRead MoreKierkegaard Essay519 Words   |  3 Pagesthat subjective reflection was more crucial to the individual life than objective ref lection because it focused on passion and human existence instead of logic and impersonal truth. The objective world is the world of facts and truth independent of the perceptions of humans. Objective reflection focuses on what actually is, in the objective world. Objective reflection centers on the things and ideas in the world that can give meaning to life. The subjective world is the world of human thoughts, feelingsRead MoreWhat Can You Know What Your Meaning?946 Words   |  4 PagesHave you ever asked yourself about the meaning of life? According the Nagel, if we look at the big picture than all of our lives are meaningless. One day the universe is going to stop functioning and all life will perish so what is the point of our existence? To some people this could be harmful to their self-esteem because they want to be able to know that they live for a reason. To others, the thought of an overall meaningless life doesn’t mean that their life is meaningless within their lifetimeRead MoreEnglish Preliminary Speech : My Name Is Tom Hanaee1029 Words   |  5 PagesHanaee, C: And I am Christian Damiano. If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. T: Now this quote may seem random and out of place, but it in fact reflects the entire purpose and conceptual focus of today’s presentation. This seminar revolves around the exploration of meaning and purpose in an individual’s life, specifically as a response to the Aristotelian quote ‘Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.’ This quote that mimics the credence of theRead MoreApol 104 Secular Humanisn and Christianity917 Words   |  4 PagesPart One: Secular Humanism 1. The Question of Origin A humanist rejects any existence and or thought of God and is believed that modern science can answer the question of how life began. â€Å"Atheists†¦propose the idea that God is not necessary for life or morals, and the answer to mankind’s existence is found only in nature itself† (Weider Gutierrez. 2011, p56). They believe that the entire universe as well as life is simply by coincidence and that lucky for us, nonliving matter turned to livingRead More Nietsche and Evolution Essay1157 Words   |  5 PagesNietsche and Evolution It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all. -Melville In 1859 Charles Darwin offered a theory that seemed to disprove the longstanding explanation of the Origin of existence. Darwins theory of evolution proposes a convincing argument that the universe was not created for a purpose, with intention, by a conscious God, but rather, was a phenomenon of random change. Fredrick Nietzsche articulated the gravity of the effect ofRead MoreWhat Is It s One Of The Big Question About Human Existence?875 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Clinton Hinkley 5/31/2015 The meaning of life. It’s one of the big questions in philosophy, one of the big questions about human existence. A big part of the Christians or at least to (Page,2015) Page is to believes â€Å"the meaning of life is to fulfill God’s will, live our lives, have a career, make a family, have fun, and then die at the time God appointed for us to die.† (Page, Pg. 1) To some atheist, their belief is that there’s no meaning to life. They believe in evolution, to survive

Achievement Gaps - 1012 Words

Achievement Gaps Reading, writing and the ability to solve simple mathematical problems are a part of the necessary tools needed to survive in America. Consequently, such learning tools are used numerous times throughout the day without recognition. However, reading, writing and basic knowledge of mathematical problems are not equally achieved by all social groups. It is clear that education plays a major role in the future of an individual, yet there are achievement gaps between Black, White and Hispanic groups. Unfortunately, minority groups are not meeting the standard scoring according to statistics. White groups are exceeding Black and Hispanic groups in reading, writing, and mathematics. There are a vast number of reasons for†¦show more content†¦For instance, the gap in reading in 2007 between Black and White groups was significant in 44 states, in grade four. However, in 1999 to 2004 the gap for the age nine, in reading, was lower for a longer term than any other per iod. In the mathematic department, Black groups have grown significantly in 2005, while the White counterpart’s scores have not changed. Thus, causing the gaps between White and Black groups to be narrower in 2005. In 2005, Whites had a twenty-seven point lead over Blacks. The gap point gap in 2007 remained almost the same, with Whites having a twenty-six point lead in reading over Blacks. The reasons for the achievement gaps between Black and White groups are based on family income, social status, and poor schools. The conflict perspective best describes the achievement gaps for blacks and Hispanics. According to this conflict perspective, there is a constant struggle between the dominant group (whites) and the subordinate groups (blacks and Hispanics). Those that are a part of the dominant group have economic and political control. The subordinate group is often left ignored and ridiculed for having a lower status by the subordinate groups. Those who support the conflict theory also believe that the subordinate group is stereotyped as lazy and lack the knowledge and/or desire to narrow the gap between blacks, Hispanics and whites; that is subsequently known as â€Å"blaming the victim†. Overall, the subordinate group is viewedShow MoreRelatedThe Gap Of The Achievement Gap917 Words   |  4 Pages The achievement gap is the education gap between the performance group of students in which these groups are usually defined by their social status, race or gender. The education experts proved that this gap had a negative impact on the students of the new generation as most of them tend to believe that this gap couldn t be changed and that their life success and learning will be depending on their social status, race or gender. This gap not only affects students, but also affects everyone in theRead MoreThe Achievement Gap1119 Words   |  5 Pagesthe education sector, the achievement gap delineates the observed disparity in school performance among student groups. This gap is manifested in measures such as test scores, grades, college completion and dropout rates, and selection of courses. Within the U.S. context, the achievement gap has often been used to refer to the worrying performance disparities between Latinos and African-Americans on one hand and their non-Hispanic white counterparts on the other. The gap also describes academic differencesRead More Achievement Gap Essay1447 Words   |  6 PagesThe achievement gap is defined as the disparity between the performance groups of students, especially groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, ability and socio-economic status. The achievement gap can be observed through a variety of measures including standardized test scores, grade point averages, drop out rates, college enrollment and completion rates. The Black-White achievement gap is a critical issue in modern society’s education system. Although data surrounding the issue clearly indicatesRead MoreAchievement Gap with Minorities753 Words   |  3 Pagesabout achievement gap is broached, it is often offensive towards minorities. Mainly because it implies that you’re acknowledging the fact that there is and achievement difference among their race and Whites. Personally I have no problem with the term because it is factual. It’s what school officials are not doing to close this gap that i have a problem with The achievement gap is sustained by poor school management and teaching—not o ther social or cultural factors. In order to close this gap amongRead MoreThe Achievement Gap Of Education905 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Achievement Gap.† These are two of the most powerful and controversial words in the educational field today. Professionals use the term achievement gap to refer to the differences in performance, whether it be test scores, attendance, drop-out rates, graduation rates, etc., amongst the various student populations in education. There have been many educational policies and reforms in an attempt to narrow the achievement gap amongst the various ethnic groups namely, â€Å"No Child Left Behind† (NCLB)Read MoreThe Segregation Of The Achievement Gap1837 Words   |  8 PagesThe Camouflaged Segregation of the Achievement Gap in the United States Education System The first public school in the United States opened in Boston in the year of 1821. By the end of the 19th century, public secondary schools began to outnumber private ones. Nevertheless, the education system started with many flaws. One of the biggest problems of the public educational system is that, although it gave the less advantaged an opportunity to learn, it did so in a segregated way. When we talk aboutRead MoreAchievement Gap Between The Educational Performance Gap931 Words   |  4 PagesAchievement gap refers to the difference between the educational performances of different groups of students (Hidden Curriculum, 2014). While this is still a common problem in society, many educators are trying to close the gap and get all students on the same page for success. It is important to know not only the types of achievement gaps faced within schools, but also how they can be handled effectively. One common achievement gap is that of upper-class majority students versus lower-c lass minorityRead MoreEducation And Academic Achievement Gap1304 Words   |  6 Pagesstudents. Many people believe that schools should focus on excelling on standardized testing, such as state tests and college entrance exams, and lowering the academic achievement gap. After all, these examinations are major factors in students’ future decisions and schools’ academic success greatly affects their overall achievement. Focusing on standardized testing is important; however, basic courses—such as English, mathematics, and science—are not the only subjects that are beneficial when preparingRead MoreThe Black White Achievement Gap1462 Words   |  6 PagesAfrican American students in an affluent, suburban district have not successfully closed the achievement gap. These students’ are generally lower performing that whites and Asians and sometimes lower than Hispanic and/or socio-economically disadvantaged. According to Sohn (2012) the phenomenon of the black white achievement gap has returned. Slaven and Madden (2006) assert â€Å"The gap in academic achievement between African American (as well as Latino) children and their White peers is arguably theRead MoreThe Achievement Gap Is Difficult For Children2305 Words   |  10 PagesMarkese Jones Mr. Hance AP Writing Lab 10 February 2015 The Achievement Gap The achievement gap is difficult for children just entering school because the bar has already been set to where some of those children are going to land. At the age of three, children of people with careers have vocabularies that are nearly 1.5 times greater than

Importance of Listening Free Essays

Listening is part of communication and language arts. There are fights and miscommunications because nobody has the time to listen. This is a very important tool to avoid misconceptions and misunderstanding. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of Listening or any similar topic only for you Order Now Careful listening gives individual good and accurate information. Every individual should develop their listening skills. Until the 1940’s, no one seems to have thought that skillful listening required any particular training. Two causes have produced a changed attitude toward listening. First, there has been enormous expansion in the means of transmitting the spoken voice: by disc record, tape recording, radio, television, sound motion pictures, and videotapes. Second, there has been increased interest in group discussion, as shown partly by the conferences, conventions, and workshops that are held, and by the many discussion programs on the air. The language system encompasses the language of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The acquisition of these skills follows a general sequence of development: (1) listening, (2) speaking, (3) reading, and (4) writing. The different language forms have a core language system that underlies and integrates the four elements of language. Experiences with each language form strengthen the underlying language system, which in turn influences an individual’s facility in each language form. Numerous situations in everyday living require skillful listening. For example, informal conversation, social and business telephoning; interviews; taking part in conferences; listening to speeches, lectures, readings, reports, and plays; and following oral directions. From the young child, who gains much of his or her knowledge from speech activities in the classroom, to the courtroom lawyer, whose success depends largely on understanding what is said, the art of listening is a language skill vital to each person’s life and work. Good listening enlarges the listener’s command of language. Through listening to speeches, poetry, and plays, a person can gain an appreciation of literature and of the spoken language. Through reading and listening have similar problems, listeners face two special conditions. First, they must grasp the meaning at once; there is no opportunity to reflect on what was said or to go back and review it. Second, listeners are directly affected by the personality of the speaker, whose voice, gestures, and presence are often as important as the words being spoken. Thus, there are good reasons for training people to listen effectively. To be most effective, listening must meet four requirements. Listening must be focused; listeners cannot be half-hearted in their attention. 2. Listening must be exact; listeners must grasp precisely what has been said, not some vague notion of it. They must be able to take hold of the content, including the sequence of parts and their relationship to the whole. 3. Listening must be aware. Listeners must be critics as well as receivers; they must be able to distinguish the essential from the nonessential; they must be as objective as possible, alert for bias in themselves as well as in the speaker. 4.Listening must be courteous; listener owes the speaker respect and interest. In education, listening is an element of the language system that has been neglected by educators. Although concern for the instruction of speaking and reading, is common, the student’s ability to listen has been taken for granted. Students are typically expected to acquire this ability without special instructions. The fact is, however, that many students   do not acquire functional skills in listening by themselves. According to medical hearing specialists, over half the people referred to them for suspected deafness have no defect in hearing acuity and no organic pathology that would cause their seeming hearing impairment. Listening is a basic skill that can be improved through teaching and practice. Compared with the quantity of research in reading, research in listening is minuscule. One explanation for poor listening skills is that students and people today are so bombarded with constant sound that may have actually learned to â€Å"tune out† what they do not wish to hear, and they have become skillful at not listening. How to cite Importance of Listening, Essay examples