Blog assignment: For topic 1, 2, OR 3 complete the following assignment.
[Topic resources are on file in Engrade and I also e-mailed them].
In your own words, identify and discuss the arguments given to support the dangerous idea presented in one of the following topics. In your discussion make clear what the dangerous idea is, why the idea is dangerous, and the reasons given to support the idea. In addition, provide a definition in context for the underlined words or phrases.
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Remember to include the word count and YOUR FULL NAME in your post.
ReplyDeleteAnswer the above questions carefully.
Topic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
ReplyDelete"Myths and fairy tales are not true." According to Todd E. Feinberg, he has an increasing difficulty believing that there is a higher power ruling the universe. This is Feinberg's dangerous idea. This idea only affects the opposing view, god-fearing people. During a neurological examination of patients with brain damage came upon some disturbances of both mental and physical functions. Some patients when in an altered state of consciousness have "dream-like" qualities when associating with the loss of self or personal identity, even death. Therefore , to help the individual deal with the prospect of inevitability of personal death, cultural and religious institutions provide metaphors of everlasting life. One patient Feinberg examined had a right hemisphere stroke and had a paralyzed left arm claimed that the arm was severed from his brothers corpse and later re-attached. The dangers of Feinberg's idea is that even though patients who have sever head trauma have the same metaphorical effect as non-trauma patients. In some cases this "belief" in fairy tales and myths can actually aid to the recovery of patients. Patients in which have no head trauma are more adaptive to realistic thinking rather than mythological belief. This idea has a strong opposing effect on those who are "god-fearing" people because this religious entrapment is everywhere. God has overall authority over an individuals life no matter the circumstances. If the individual had a brain aneurysm, it was gods plan. According to Feinberg this has a negative unrealistic effect on patients. Creating mythological adaptations to compensate for unpleasant reality.
Self-concepts : The way an individual views him/herself.
Ego: self motivated reasoning for attitude and comprehension.
Delusions: Mental manifestations
Confabulations: Unrealistic mental expression for non-copacetic trauma.
Constitute: Made certain of, replacment.
Aneurysm: is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.
Amnesia: Significant memory loss
Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies: Knowledge acquired from books and social media.
Metaphorical: Relation to a non-existent mythology.
Word Count: 254 (paragraph)
(Word Count 308)
ReplyDeleteTopic 1: Science Must Destroy Religion –Sam Harris
The dangerous idea of this topic is Harris’ belief and writing that faith and religious beliefs are absurd because there is no scientific fact to back them up.
Harris claims that the books we consider to be divinely inspired are false. He believes we are lying to ourselves and that creates a huge issue between absurd religious faith and reasonable rational science. He also believes whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other and that no one comes out the winner. He states science gives us factual proof of our world, ourselves, etc. while faith gives us some excuse for belief when our reasons don’t work. Differences between religion and science are differences between being closed minded and having a natural curiosity and willingness to learn the factual truth of things based on real reasonable evidence. Harris goes on to state his perception that people who believe in God, the soul, sin, and free will are delusional and negatively impact scientific research and warp the public’s mind.
There is religious tolerance in our society which influences the scientific community to not challenge religion with all their scientific proof. The rational community consists of scientists who need to influence the world to become conscious of believing evidence that is based on reason and fact. Our emotional needs should be met by sound foundations and not delusions of grandeur.
Harris is optimistic that as our society matures so will our sound way of thinking.
Definitions:
Maladaptive: failing to adjust adequately to the environment, and undergoing emotional, behavioral, physical, or mental repercussions.
Zero-sum: in which whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other so that the net change is always zero.
Travesties: a grotesque misrepresentation or imitation.
Elided: crush out.
Intractable: hard to control or deal with.
Ashley Howland WORD COUNT: 281
ReplyDeleteIn “Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True” Todd E. Feinberg dangerous idea is that he does not believe a higher power does not exist. After many studies with patients he concluded that they socially invented these myths because of the fear or a cruel reality. The stories told by patients in altered neurological states of mind that constraints of a full functioning conscience they dream of myths that they believe about themselves. Such as one patient who had had a right hemisphere stroke and paralyzed left arm claimed that it was actually his brother’s arm which the gang members threw in the East River. Another patient with a ruptured brain aneurysm and amnesia a did not think he had any disability and was planning to a adopt a child which never existed who was need of medical assistance. For many to go in with life, death must be denied. Therefore cultural and religious institutions provide idea of everlasting life. Beliefs in angels and eternal souls are myths and fairytales.
Self concepts is a mental image one has of oneself
Ego is an inflated feeling of pride in your superiority to others
Confabulation an informal conversation
Delusions is a fixed belief that is either false, fanciful, or derived from deception
Amniesa is partial or total loss of memory
Aneurysm is a a cardiovascular disease by a saclike widening of an artery resulting from weakening of the artery wall.
Constitute – to be apart of
Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies is knowledge from books
Metaphorical is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit
Word Count (223)
ReplyDeleteJavier Piverno
Topic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
“Myths and fairy tales are not true.” According to Todd E. Feinberg, he states that fairy tales are not true, that there is no Santa Claus, no Easter Bunny, and Moses may never have existed, that all of that is fantasy. This is Feinberg’s dangerous idea. He has an increasing difficulty believing that there is a higher power ruling the universe. After neurological examinations to patients with brain damage they came upon some results, they conclude that they invented these myths because of fear and for a cruel reality. There was one patient who had a right hemisphere stroke and paralyzed left arm claimed that it was actually his brother’s arm that later was re-attached. Another patient with a ruptured brain aneurysm and amnesia who denied his disabilities claimed he was planning to adopt a (phantom) child who was in need of medical assistant. These believe are all myths and fairy tales.
Self-Concepts- The way you think about yourself
Ego- Self motivation, attitude, comprehension
Delusions- Mental Manifestations
Confabulations- An informal conversation
Amnesia- memory loss
Constitute- to be away from
Aneurysm: Weakness in the wall of the blood vessels, a cardiovascular disease
Sonically endorsed fairy tales and mythologies is knowledge acquired from books
Metaphorical – a work or a phrase that doesn’t exist
Topic 1: Science Must Destroy Religion – Sam Harris
ReplyDeleteSam Harris argues that to allow our fear of provoking religious hatred force us to lie to ourselves about the compatibility between science and religion is dangerous. In his argument, he compounds the vast opposite nature between religion and science going as far as to say that the conflict is inherent, and “(very nearly) zero-sum.” Harris argues that the success of science comes at the expense of religious faith and vice versa. Science, explains Harris, “includes all reasonable claims to knowledge about ourselves and the world.” By contrast, Harris clearly states that faith lacks all reason. The difference between these two could not be clearer. However, the majority of mankind chooses to ignore these differences in order to avoid conflict. Ironically, these differences impede the growth of a global civil society.
Harris believes that the fear is dangerous because medical research, public policy, and public safety are all compromised by religious fanaticism. In order to win this battle of beliefs, “Scientists and other rational people will need to find new ways of talking about ethics and spiritual experience.” In fact, he goes as far as suggesting scientists blast unfounded religious beliefs instead of being tolerant of faith. It is important we accept reality and proven fact as standards for society, and only by doing so, Harris believes, we will be able to mend the worlds’ dangerous differences.
Definitions:
1. Maladaptive: Unsuitably adapted or adapting poorly to (a situation, purpose, etc)
2. Zero-Sum: of or denoting a system in which the sum of the gains equals the sum of the losses.
3. Travesties: Any grotesque or debased likeness or imitation.
4. Elided: To suppress; omit; ignore; pass over.
5. Intractable: hard to shape or work with. Hard to treat, relieve, or cure.
Irene Manalis
Word Count: 305
Science Must Destroy Religion
ReplyDeleteWhat the dangerous Idea is:
Sam Harris proposes the idea that there are several doctrines and beliefs that, to this day, control and influence people all over the world. The problem lies in the fact that so many of our beliefs can be so vastly different. Sam Harris is prospective doctor in neuroscience and feels that religion can be counterproductive to the advance of the human race. Harris claims that “Every sane human being recognizes that to rely on merely faith to decide specific questions of historical fact would be both idiotic and grotesque”. Also, he states that this circumstance has “obliged us to lie to ourselves” repeatedly, out of overall respect for faith and other religions. Harris feels that certain ideas and morals that are still being practiced in this day-and-age, along with the things we ‘ought to do’, should by now be considered illogical, and “maladaptive” due to years of scientific advance.
Why is the idea dangerous:
Even though in our more modern world, we have adapted, and in a way, have agreed-to-disagree to form what is considered ‘religious tolerance’, however, “tolerance is not without its liabilities”. Out of fear of provoking ‘religious hatred’, the proof and knowledge acquired through years of scientific research has the potential to not amount to much, as the voice of reason falls on the deaf ears of religion and faith. Science is all about facts, religion is based on faith. When science attempts to present logic in the eyes religious practices, it arises controversy and ‘travesty’; as in many religions, it may even be considered blasphemous to question certain motives and beliefs. Even the author can agree that the success of science often comes at the expense of religion (and vice-versa)
Reasons given to support Idea:
Harris states that “faith is nothing more than the license that religious people give one another to believe such propositions when reason fails”. In other words, people will defend the honor of their beliefs, regardless of factual validity –and because of this, there will be obvious disagreements and inevitable conflict. The author is very emphatic in expressing the extremes in beliefs, from Jesus coming back to earth for judgement day, to Muslim matrys going straight to Paradise. Even though these religious beliefs can be absurd and contradictory, they’re still taken very seriously, and vary dramatically from culture to culture.
Provide definition in context of underlined words:
Maladaptive- ideas, morals, and practices that are now illogical and impractical, due to evolution and knowledge through science
Zero-sum- The ‘give and take’ idea. In order to support one another, to an extent, they must disagree.
Travesty- considered blasphemous and in appropriate in the eyes of religion
Elided- to omit and/or exclude from..
Intractable- a difficult and hard to recover from..
word count: 400
Kristine Aguilera
ReplyDeleteScience Must Destroy Religion
In the article ,"Science Must Destroy Religion "by Sam Harris . He points out the issue that religion brings into the world , such as it dictates and rules over people's lives . Where science is the only reasonable claim to knowledge about ourselves and the world . Towards the end of his argument he gives his opinion on how we should make peace between both science and religion. At the beginning of his article the writer identifies the danger and obscurity behind religion by saying "The creator of the universe made the Bible and the Bible dictates how we all must live ,and the characters in that book inspire large amount of human conflict ". In other words since the Bible been created people have been depending and living their life based on that book . Now in the twenty first century instead of religious wars . People advocate "religious tolerance ". According to the writer religious tolerance has only caused people to live in a lie about the nature in reality . In addition he also states that "faith is nothing more than the license that religious people give one another to believe such propositions when reason fails ". Furthermore at the end of his argument he concludes that "In order to win this war of ideas scientist and other rational people will need to find new ways of talking about ethics and spiritual experiences , and only then will we stand a chance of healing the deepest fracture of the world .
Definitions
-Religious Tolerance : the condition of accepting or permitting others religious beliefs and practices which disagree with one's own .
- Dogma : a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof.
- Maladaptive : failing to adjust adequately to the environmental and undergoing emotional , behavioral , physical , or mental repercussions .
word count :291
Andres Conde
ReplyDeleteTopic #3
“Myths and fairy tales are not true.” By Todd E. Feinberg
In this article Todd E. Feinberg dangerous idea states that “he had difficulty believing that there is a higher power ruling the universe.” He did many studies on patients through neurological examination. The reason why society would tell the myths and fair tales is because they could not deal with the reality of life. Todd examined a patient with a right hemisphere stroke and paralyzed left arm. He claimed that the arm was actually severed from his brother’s body by gang members, thrown in the East River, and later attached to the patient’s shoulder. He had another patient who had a brain aneurysm and amnesia. He believed he didn’t have any disabilities and planned to adopt a kid who never existed, he was in need of medical assistance. He states that “cultural and religious institutions provide metaphors of everlasting life.” In conclusion Todd E. Feinberg believes all myths and fairy tales are around just to cope with the reality of life.
1. Self-concepts: The idea one has of oneself of one's strengths, weaknesses, status, etc.; self-image.
2. Ego: The “I” or self of any person.
3. Delusions: An act or instance of deluding.
4. Confabulations: The act of confabulating; conversation; discussion.
5. Constitute: To establish.
6. Aneurysm: A permanent cardiac or arterial dilatation usually caused by weakening of the vessel wall.
7. Amnesia: Complete or partial loss of memory.
8. Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies: Being able to gather information from books and social media.
9. Metaphorical: Something used, or regarded as being used, to represent something else.
Word Count= 272
Rafael Veiga
ReplyDeleteTopic 3: “Myths and Fairy tales are not true”
Word Count: 385
According to Todd E. Feinberg myths and fairy tales are not true he believes that all fairy tales are false. And that he has trouble believing that there is in fact a higher power, and that is his dangerous idea. He began to contemplate these ideas through his neurological examinations of patients with brain damage. According to Feinberg his patients had delusions and metaphorical confabulations towards their bodies, family members, friends, and their personal experiences. For instance Feinberg examined a patient that had a stroke and paralyzed left arm, and the patient claimed that the arm was actually severed from his own brothers body by gang members, that was thrown in the east river and attached to the patients shoulder. After having examined these patients Feinberg realized that through myths and fairy tales is why his patients were creating bizarre delusions and puzzling occurrences that did not happen at all. They used fictitious occurrences from personal experiences but also from external fictitious people, places, and objects. Which is why Feinberg believes that fairy tales and myths can be dangerous, because by living with such fictional believes for so long, when a person goes into a state of mind for example a stroke or severe brain damage, they begin to consider that their dreamlike happenings are in fact true and real. Also Feinberg states that many people fear death, or personal death, which is why cultural and religious institutions provide metaphors of everlasting life. By doing so people can better comprehend a life, which to them they do not fully accept of grasp to their liking.
Self-Concepts: an idea of the self-constructed from the beliefs one holds about oneself and the responses of others.
Ego: A person’s sense of self-esteem of self-importance.
Delusions: An idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally as a reality or rational argument.
Confabulations: A formal engage in conversation.
Aneurysm: An excessive localized enlargement of an artery caused by a weakening of the artery wall.
Amnesia: A partial or total loss of memory.
Constitute: Be (a part of) a whole.
Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies: Knowledge acquired from books or social media.
Metaphorical: Relation to a non-existent mythology.
Word Count: 345
ReplyDeleteTopic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
“Myths and fairy tales are not true.” According to Todd E. Feinberg, he states that fairy tales are not true, that there is no all mighty or higher being ruling the universe. This is Feinberg’s dangerous idea.
Feinberg was a doctor that dealt with patients that had neurological damage after suffering from strokes, aneurysms, and amnesia. Dr. Feinberg noticed that the patient that a stroke and paralyzed left
arm claimed that it was actually his brother’s arm which the gang members had thrown in the East River. Dr. Feinberg also noticed that the patient that suffered a brain aneurysm and amnesia did not
think he had any disability and wanted to a adopt a child which did not exist and was in need of medical assistance. This shows how some patients when in an altered state of consciousness have dream-like qualities when associating the loss of self or personal identity, even death. The dangers of
Feinberg's idea is that even though patients who have severe head trauma have the same metaphorical effect as non-trauma patients. In some cases this "belief" in fairy tales and myths can actually aid to the recovery of patients. But in some circumstances belief in myths and fairy tales can actually aid to the recovery of patients. In contrast, Patients in which have not suffered from any head trauma are more adaptive to realistic thinking rather than mythological belief. This idea has a strong opposing effect on those who fear God because it can be seen as a religious entrapment because at the end of the day, God has overall power over individuals lives no matter what the circumstances are: rich, poor, beautiful or ugly. Therefore, if something bad happens to someone whether it’s a stroke, heart attack, car accident,
etc, it was Gods plan for it to happen that way and this according to Feinberg has a negative unrealistic effect on patients because it can create mythological adaptations to compensate for the reality we do not want to see or face.
Ego: self-motivated reasoning for attitude and comprehension.
Delusions: Mental manifestations
Self-concepts: The way an individual views himself.
Metaphorical: Relation to a non-existent mythology.
Amnesia: Significant memory loss
Confabulations: Unrealistic mental expression for non-copacetic trauma.
Constitute: Made certain of, replacement.
Aneurysm: is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.
Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies: Knowledge acquired from books and social media.
Word Count: 280
ReplyDeleteTopic 3:
Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
The dangerous idea proposed by Feinberg in his article is that he has an increasing difficulty believing that the universe is ruled by a higher power. The idea is dangerous to him because he has observed patients with brain damage having mental disturbances that distort their self-image and ego. He gives several reasons of people creating absurd fantasies that are untrue and unrealistic. Feinberg examined a patient who had a brain stroke and a paralyzed arm. This patient had delusions that his arm was actually a severed arm of his brother. He thought a gang cut off his brothers arm and threw it into the river, later being found and attached to himself. Another instance of delusion was from a patient with a brain aneurysm and amnesia who believed that he had no disability. He also wanted to adopt a child that needed medical assistance whom never existed but in his mind she did. In their minds these metaphors of people or situations are actually real. Without the conscious mind restraining belief of fantasy, these thoughts can dominate and distort ones vision of reality. This leads him to believe that the myths and fairy tales told in our society are products of fantasy. He says that the idea of everlasting life may very well be a fantasy made to allow people some hope and less fear of death. He believes many of these ideas of deities, angels, and so forth is created to ease the pain of reality which without these ideas seems to be a world of pain and suffering and nothing more.
1.) Self-concept- the way someone perceives themselves
2.) Ego- seeing one’s self separate from everyone else
3.) Delusion- having a false perception of reality or believing something that is false
4.) Confabulation- reporting events that never happened
5.) Aneurysm- a blood-filled bulge in the wall of a blood vessel
6.) Amnesia- loss or disturbance of memory
7.) Constitute- composing something such as constituting an idea meaning to give an idea
8.) Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies- fairy tales and myths that are supported by society
9.) Metaphorical- understanding something by giving comparisons such as an analogy, in the context of the article, it can mean creating a reality solely of fantasy
Topic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales are not True
ReplyDeleteIn this brief article Todd E. Feinberg explains his dangerous idea regarding the fact that he finds it harder and harder to believe that there is any type of higher power ruling the universe. Stating that most if not any of the stories we've all been fed to since our youths have been nothing but disturbances and delusions caused by people of the past's inability to deal with their unhappy realities. He gives examples such as Santa Claus, the Easter bunny and even Moses himself as demonstrations to such occurrences that have no real basis for existence but yet and still we carry on and on about them. He understands that there will always be those who simply choose to believe in these "fairy tales" but he began to think about his theory while working on neurological examinations on patients with brain damage. His patients all had different situations they had gone though and had left them mentally ill. One man explained how is severed arm was actually his brothers attacked arm that got attached to his body after the sibling died; when in actuality it was simply paralyzed after a stroke. Instances such as this one help Feinberg to believe that patients with similar brain illnesses prey on their own mind and create confabulations in order to better deal with unhappy realities.
Feinberg's believes his idea is dangerous because if there really is no higher power then the human race has basically been looking towards fables as guidance; Fables most likely begun by possibly mentally ill generations from hundreds or thousands of years ago. These confabulations are dream like and very believable to those looking for something to believe in. Especially apparent when concerning death. He notes that for many the idea of death is simply ignored in order to pursue happier lives. And so, to go forth with knowing that death is inevitable, cultural and religious institutions provide metaphors of everlasting lives. This coincides with his patients metaphorical substitutes to ease their thought to be difficult realities. And so if such stories are brought on and believed in so strongly by just about anyone, it brings Feinberg to really examine these "beliefs" that we know as mythologies and fairy tales.
Terms:
-Self-concepts: The self-concept is the accumulation of knowledge about the self, such as beliefs regarding personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals, and roles.
-Delusions: A delusion is a fixed belief that is either false, fanciful, or derived from deception.
-Confabulation: the spontaneous narrative report of events that never happened.
-Aneurysm: An aneurysm is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.
-Amnesia: a condition in which memory is disturbed or lost.
-Socially Endorsed Fairy Tales and Mythologies: Stories socially made popular by cultures.
-Metaphorical: a figure of speech that constructs an analogy between two things or ideas; Metaphorical language is a common feature of religious discussion.
WORD COUNT: 381 (plus term definitions)
Total: 508
Topic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
ReplyDeleteFeinberg, has an increasing difficulty believing that there is a higher power ruling the universe. Feinberg's has a dangerous idea. The idea only affects the opposing view and god-fearing people. During a examination of patients with brain damage came upon some both mental and physical functions. Some patients when in an altered state of consciousness have "dream-like" qualities when associating with the loss of self or personal identity, even death. Therefore , to help the individual deal with the prospect of inevitability of personal death, cultural and religious institutions provide metaphors of everlasting life. One patient Feinberg examined had a right hemisphere stroke and had a paralyzed left arm claimed that the arm was severed from his brothers corpse and later re-attached. The dangers of Feinberg's idea is that even though patients who have sever head trauma have the same metaphorical effect as non-trauma patients. In some cases this "belief" in fairy tales and myths can actually aid to the recovery of patients. Patients in which have no head trauma are more adaptive to realistic thinking rather than mythological belief. This idea has a strong opposing effect on those who are "god-fearing" people because this religious entrapment is everywhere. God has overall authority over an individuals life no matter the circumstances. If the individual had a brain aneurysm, it was gods plan. According to Feinberg this has a negative unrealistic effect on patients. Creating mythological adaptations to compensate for unpleasant reality.
Aneurysm: is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.
Amnesia: Significant memory loss
Metaphorical: Relation to a non-existent mythology.
Self-concepts : The way an individual views him/herself.
Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies: Knowledge acquired from books and social media.
Ego: self motivated reasoning for attitude and comprehension.
Delusions: Mental manifestations
Confabulations: Unrealistic mental expression for non-copacetic trauma.
Constitute: Made certain of, replacment.
Topic 1:Sam Harris- Science Must Destroy Religion
ReplyDeleteI believe that this topic and Harris idea , belief of writing about faith and religious beliefs are out of the way because he have no facts to back any of it up.
Harris believes we are lying to ourselves and that has caused huge problem between people and their religious faith and beliefs. Sam Harris also one side is lost by the other and that no one comes out the winner as a winner. Stated that science gives us factual proof of our world, while faith also gives us some belief when our reasons don’t work. The differences between religion and science are being closed minded and having a natural curiosity and willingness to learn the factual truth of things based on real reasonable evidence. He also believes that because of medical research, public safety are all compromised by religious fantasies. The fact the matter is that Sam Harris in fact he suggest that scientists and religious beliefs instead of being tolerant of faith.
In our society there is religious tolerance, which has influence the community to not challenge religion with all their scientific proof. The rational community consists of scientists who need to influence the world to become conscious of believing evidence that is based on reason and fact.
Definitions:
Maladaptive: failing to adjust adequately to the environment, and undergoing emotional, behavioral, physical, or mental repercussions.
Zero-sum: in which whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other so that the net change is always zero.
Travesties: a grotesque misrepresentation or imitation.
Elided: crush out.
Intractable: hard to control or deal with.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJerel Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteWord count(296)
Topic 2: This Is All There Is
ROBERT R. PROVINE is a professor of psychology and assistant director of the Neuroscience Program at the University Of Maryland Baltimore County. He states that believing that life or existence extends after death or before birth is a dangerous idea. He believes the dangers don’t come from the idea itself but the people who defend the idea. Those people who believe in the idea that if they live their life a certain way or do specific things that they will be rewarded or punished in the after life. In likelihood, who wouldn’t want to believe a thing like heaven or hell? A magical place where all is fair and those who bring pain or despair to you are punished for their actions. A place serves justice to all good or bad. The worst part about it is what happens to those that don’t believe. An everlasting torturous life is demanded by a mythical being. This is why the believers of this idea are dangerous. These people will fight, kill, and destroy for their beliefs. For something that in reality is contradicted by so many forces like nature and science. The biggest problem with these people is the fighting between them. A fight between whether one ridiculous place is more believable than the other. This fight is never ending. Snowballing into a catastrophe in where the result maybe the end of human kind as we know it. Robert states the only way to resolve this fight is to find a goal that everyone will want to achieve. Two examples he offers is the exploration of space and the improvement of health everywhere. But there will always be people who don’t want things like that to happen. There are always people who benefit from the fighting and arguments.
Heretics a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.
Neurobehavioral endowment- the natural behavior of our brains like emotions
Super ordinate- universal or parallel to everyone
Pandemic- catastrophe
Military-industrial complex- The politicians, companies and armed forces that profit off of conflicts and/or wars
Tiane Fernandez
ReplyDeleteTopic 2
In the article This Is All There Is by Robert R. Provine it suggests that what is now in the present, in our current lives is what will be and what will always be no more, no less. Nothing after this life just as it was before we came into it, blank, dark, and alone. The arguments presented in this are of course the various religious view of our after life and what is to become of it. When such strong feelings and beliefs of something so personal and inevitable are not commonly shared by a population is when the danger arises. Imagine the conflict when one tries to convince the other what is to become of us when we die, I feel like no one knows for sure, we all have our ideas and perceptions on what we think might become of us but no one can predict the unpredictable. It just does not make any sense if you ask me. Each individual has the right to faith, let them believe what makes them happy or feel satisfied. I am sure in the end we will all point to the guy who guessed it right and have a good laugh about it, but then again...we might just die and be alone.
Definitions:
Heretics - a person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the common belief.
Neurobehavioral endowment - something predisposed into our brain by our ancestors.
Super ordinate - a superior category, something higher
Pandemic - a virus that falls over a population
Military-Industrial complex - policies and monetary relationships between different military branches.
Word count: 273
Tarell Koinyan
ReplyDeleteWord Count (281)
Topic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
Here Todd E. Feinberg explains to us his dangerous idea regarding the fact that he finds it hard to believe that there is any type of higher power ruling the universe. He says that a majority of the patients that hes worked with cannot prove that such a being exist and came to the conclusion that they all believe in a higher power because they of society, and what they have learned growing up to deal with their unhappy realities. He gives examples such as Santa Claus, the Easter bunny and even Moses that cant really be proven that they existed.
he began to think about his theory while working on neurological examinations on patients with brain damage. His patients all had different situations they had gone though and had left them mentally ill. He concluded that the idea of eternal life may very well be a dream made to allow people some hope and less fear of death. We make up things in our head to help us cope with the harsh ongoing trials and tribulations of our everyday life.
1.) Self-concept- the way someone perceives themselves
2.) Ego- seeing one’s self as superior to others
3.) Delusion- having a false perception of reality or believing something that is false
4.) Confabulation- reporting events that never happened
5.) Aneurysm- a blood-filled bulge in the wall of a blood vessel
6.) Amnesia- loss or disturbance of memory
7.) Constitute- composing something such as constituting an idea meaning to give an idea
8.) Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies- fairy tales and myths that are supported by society
9.) Metaphorical- understanding something by giving comparisons such as an analogy
Topic 3: Myths and Fairy Tales Are Not True
ReplyDeleteAccording to psychiatrist Todd E. Feiberg dangerous idea, he has an increasing difficulty believing that there is a higher power ruling the universe. He states that although there is no Easter Bunny, nor a Santa Clause, some people might not share his personal views or fears as dangerous idea. For them it might just be a trivially true. After conducting neurological examinations to patients with brain damage that causes a disturbance in their mental and physical functions, he concluded that this patient created these myths because of fear. One particular patient who had the right hemisphere stroked and a paralyzed left arm, claimed the arm belong to his brother and later was re-attached. Another patient that had a ruptured brain with amnesia, who did not recognized his disabilities, claimed he was in the process of adopting a child that needed medical assistant. According to Feiberg, these patients were creating mythological adaptations to be able to believe in all myths and fairy tales for compensation to cruel reality.
DEFINITIONS :
1. Self-Concept - mental image one has of oneself.
2. Ego - self-esteem, self image, attitude, and comprehension.
3. Delusions - an act of mental manifestations.
4. Confabulations - the act of unrealistic conversation or expressions.
5. Aneurysm - a permanent cardiac or arterial dilatation usually caused by weakening of the vessel wal.
6. Amnesia - loss of memory caused by brain injury, shock, etc.
7. Constitute - something made certain of, or replacement.
8. Socially endorsed fairy tales and mythologies - knoledge acquired from books.
9. Metaphorical - an understanding of a non existent mythology.
Word: 274
Nataly Moncayo: Word Count 333
ReplyDeleteTopic 1 Science Must Destroy Religion -Sam Harris (pages 149-151)
In Sam Harris' "Science Must Destroy Religion" I find that the scale tilts more in favor of science than it does religion. It is understandable why, from his point of view. Religion has been society's reference when it comes to decisions that will affect the way it (society) functions. The most common point of reference is the book that each religion --Christian, Jewish, Muslim-- claims to have been written by a deity itself. These books that trace back to ages when issues like Stem Cell Research, endangered species or movie ratings did not exist; are being used as a guide in today's society. With religion, humans explain what they do not understand --which is fine--; but, the dangerous idea is that we refuse to move forward and accept the scientific advances that disprove some the beliefs from centuries ago.
There are many things that science cannot explain; however, it continues to move forward searching for the answers to those questions; religion often fails to do so. Instead we interpret the Bible or Koran to our advantage, to manipulate and inevitably cause chaos. In the United States, as much as we would like to claim that Government and Church are two separate entities, it is obvious not only to us; but, also to the rest of the world that it is not the case at all. It cripples us and impedes our progress as a developed Country.
Underlined-words definition
Maladaptive: Unsuitably adapted or adapting poorly in relation to a situation or purpose.
Zero-sum: is a situation in which the gain or loss is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of the other party. If the total gains of the participants were added up, and the total losses were subtracted, they would sum to zero.
Travesties: A false, absurd of distorted representation of something.
Elided: Avoided, suppressed or altered
Intractable: Not easily governed, managed or directed