Assignment 5:

Jodie Foster-Pilia

Research on potential topics

My two favourite topicsMy two topics that I have chosen:

Why I have chosen these topics:

Can God’s Existence ever be verified?

• I will make an informative documentary with the knowledge I have gained from the study of philosophy.

• people have many views and opinions in relation to this topic and I should get a wide range of interviews.

Is the advance of technology an advantage or disadvantage?

• There is a strong debate, as there are a lot of positive and negatives regarding the advance of technology.

• The rapid advance in technology is also something that is modern, and happening in the world, so would make a good topic to discuss

Can God’s Existence be verified?(things I would include in my documentary)

Can God’s Existence be verified?

William Paley - Philosopher

The watch was made for a purpose : telling

the time

The parts fit together to achieve the purpose

The parts are ordered in a certain way so the watch

functions . So it must have been designed.

So the watch had a maker who must have

existed

Paley stated that if you found an old fashioned watch with cogs and springs you could conclude that:

We as humans function, our heart pumps blood around our body in order so we survive. Someone must have designed us. We must have a maker who exists. This is God.

Christianity

We know a house has a builder, but we cant compare this to the designer of the universe. Moreover if the house is built badly we would blame the builder. So does this mean God is responsible for evil in the world

Theres no evidence to show there is one designer, we may look at a ship and think ‘wow what a great design’ but the ship may be a product of many hands. So you cant suggest that the universe has just one designer.

Paley's argument doesn't prove Gods existence

David Hume (philosopher) criticises Paley argument

With the amount moral evil in the world can Gods existence really be verified?

St Augustine's (philosopher) explanation

There is no such thing as evil, there is just a thing that is lacking.

If I am evil, I lack the quality of being respectful to others

If I am not generous I lack the quality of charity

No one can be purely evil because to be evil you must lack goodness, which you must of had to start with.

If there was no good in the person, there would be nothing capable of being corrupted.

Even the Devil has some good in him.

So Augustine concludes there is no such thing as moral evil

An interesting point to add in my documentary

Can God create something more powerful than himself?

Overall the idea of a God could be questionable

If so yes, you are saying it is possible for there to be something greater than God, which should be impossible

If you say no then u are saying Gods power is limited, which doesn't fit the idea of God

Quote

Bertrand Russell – Just because every man has a mother doesn’t mean the human race has a mother!

This is a quote, that I feel goes greatly with the topic.

Descartes (philosopher)view on the existence of God.

God has placed an idea of God in every bodies mind, just like a trade mark. For example we see a MacDonald sign and recognise it. We automatically are born with an idea of God. God must exist.

Some things cannot be doubted like the truth of maths. This is called immutable. It is immutable that 1 + 1 =2.

Gods existence is also immutable, and cannot be doubted.

Demonstrating Gods existence isn’t about Proving God exists, but showing there is no reason to ever doubt God!

Descartes argument doesn't prove God exists

‘You cant demonstrate the existence of something by having an idea about it. Just because we have an idea of God in our minds doesn't mean he exists ‘

Gaunilo ( philosopher)

‘Human beings are not in a position to understand Gods nature ‘

Aquinas (philosopher)

Percentage of people who believe in God

Country with the strongest belief

The country with the strongest belief is the Philippines, where 94% of those surveyed said they always had believed in God. In the United States, that response came from 81 per cent of people surveyed.

http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/04/18/belief-god-rises-age-even-atheist-nations#sthash.zeYlftpi.dpuf

THE BELIEF IN GOD GROWS WITH AGE• Belief is highest among older adults. On average, 43 % of those

aged 68 and older are certain that God exists, compared with 23 %of those 27 and younger.

http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/04/18/belief-god-rises-age-even-atheist-nations#sthash.zeYlftpi.dpuf

Is the advance of technology an advantage or disadvantage?(things I would include in my documentary)

Health technology

Advantage Disadvantage

If technology didn't advance, health facilities would be limited, making it harder to prolong life.

The advanced technology used in hospitals is very expensive

Prevents the rise of illness. X ray gamer rays can sometimes lead to cancer, due to the mass of radiation

Has the ability to see beneath the skin and detect and give an idea as to what's happening in the body

How health technology has changed our society for the better!

The first UK heart transplant patient, in 1968, survives for only 46 days

after his operation

Two-thirds of patients who have a heart transplant are still alive five

years later

The world's first test-tube baby is born in the UK in 1978

Around 6,000 test-tube babies are born in the UK each year

Then Now

Tuberculosis is one of the country's leading causes of death, killing

almost 22,000 people in England and Wales in 1948

Deaths from tuberculosis are around 70 times lower than they

were in 1948

http://www.imperial.nhs.uk/nhs60/past60years/how_healthcare_has_changed/

Fast communication Advantages Disadvantages

Contacting anyone around the world is now easier than ever before due to instant messaging , email and social networking sites.

Makes it easier for cyber bullying to take place.

We don't have to rely on letters in order to contact someone quickly

Junk mail is received on email which could contain viruses

Makes it easier for and unwanted person to find you

The first forms of communication

3000 B.C. - The Egyptians created a picture language called hieroglyphics.

105 A.D. - Chinese began using paper and ink.

450 A.D. - Asia used Block Printing.

1539 A.D. - Mexico began using the first printing press in the Western Hemisphere.

http://library.thinkquest.org/5729/

Educational technologyAdvantages Disadvantages

students are engaged and learn more. The active white bored is a great form of technology that is used in many schools across the world and allows children to interact with many different methods of learning.

Can be massive distraction, and ultimately lead to failure

Children are able to keep up to date with the modern world

Very expensive, a large amount of money is spent on technology in schools

There are school websites which make it easy to access information such as school events.

Transport

Advantage Disadvantage

cars are very useful in our everyday lives , and ensure that we are able to get around quicker.

every time a car is driven, the fuel releases carbon which is bad for the atmosphere, and can cause global warming.

Advantage to old sick people, who may struggle to go out.

Many accidents are caused by transportation such as cars, trains etc

Make large family outings possible. Cars ensure that people are less active, as they become lazy as a result of constantly relying on their car

Entertainment technologyAdvantages Disadvantages

One form of technology is able to do what another form of technology can do i.e. we are able to watch DVDs on playstaions

Technology has become much more portable, making it easier to steal

Fun and entertaining. The constant use of entertainment technology i.e. x box, can cause laziness and in extreme case lead to health issues

My favourite topic

• My favourite topic out of two would be ‘Can the existence of God be verified’ as this is a massive debate that I am largely fascinated with.

• Although I feel that the topic regarding the advance technology is also quite strong, I am not as intrigued about it, and I feel this would come across in the documentary.