What makes a Religion? By: Ronnie L. Nida jr. Submitted to: Professor McGoran Religions 212 February 3‚ 2013 Strayer University To study religion one must first determine what the term religion actually involves. When asked‚ most people would probably suggest that religion is the belief in a higher power. However‚ in reality it is much more than that. Mary Pat Fisher said “religion is such a complex and elusive topic that some contemporary scholars of religion are
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Thales (624 BC-546 BC) lived in Ancient Greece and was arguably the world’s first philosopher and scientist. Prior to Thales‚ supernaturalism was considered to be the cause of most if not all things. For example‚ the answer to a question such as‚ "Why does the wind blow?" or "What caused the epidemic?" would invariably involve a supernatural explanation such as‚ "It is the will of the gods." Explanations based on supernaturalism‚ however‚ are not really explanations at all. They represent non-rational
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Sketch: Thales and Hypatia Thales While it is clear that Euclid definitely set a precedent for geometry and mathematics as a whole‚ he was not alone in his work‚ his endeavors‚ or his ideas. He certainly was not the first to come up with these theories or rules for geometry either. Before there was Euclid‚ there was Thales of Miletus. Thales‚ along with other mathematicians or “geometers” laid some of the foundation for Euclid to compile in order to write the Elements centuries later. Thales was a
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Thales Thales was a native of Miletus‚ in Asia Minor. He flourished in 585 BCE (the date of an eclipse he is reputed to have predicted). No fragments of his work have survived‚ only testimony. Aristotle attributes the following four views to Thales: 1. The earth rests on water. (De Caelo 294a28) 2. Water is the archê of all things. (Metaph. 983b18) 3. The magnet has a soul. (De Anima 405a19) 4. All things are full of gods. (De Anima 411a7) This seems like a very bizarre collection of
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Foundations of Mythology Short Answers HUM/105 World Mythology April 30‚ 2014 How is the word myth used popularly? For example‚ what does the statement‚ “It’s a myth” mean? In contrast‚ how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials‚ write a definition in your own words. The word myth is used popularly‚ for example the statement‚ “It’s a myth” generally means that is untrue or a lie. The term myth
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In this paper I have answered the questions in short answers. I go over what a myth is and how they have been passed on through different generations. How different cultures believe in different thing but in a way they kind of believe in the same thing just a different way. I also go over what the difference is that is between belief‚ knowledge‚ mythology and religion. Myth is used more in short stories that have been passed on through different generations‚ half the time the stories are not
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Benjamin Foster 9-15-2011 Philosophy 101-501 "Thales" In Brian Magee’s " Story of Philosophy" he composed that Thales‚the pre Socratic Greek philospher of Miletus and founder of Milesian school‚taught that everything in nature is composed of one basic matter.Thales presumed that water the was the fundamental building block of all things and the Earth floated on water.In Joseph Carter’s lecture he states that "Thales concluded that everything seem to need water‚if not directly then
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Mythology The word myth on this century is used to identify a story of some sort. Which usually is a fiction story stating it is not real? “It’s a myth” means that it is not a fictional story‚ it is sort of like a rumor no one really knows if it truly happened or not. In contrast‚ the word myth in academic context is used as follows; a myth is a form of story that did or did not happened in ancient times. To me a myth is a story that is told to children to either scare them or make them feel like
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The Celts were a superstitious‚ polytheistic society with high importance placed on religion. Similar to the Greek and Roman religious system‚ the Celtic deities were assigned different roles and were worshipped based on the population’s current needs i.e. harvest‚ success in battle‚ etc. However‚ the Celtic deities appear to have been more wide reaching in their functions than their Roman counterparts. Although the names of over 200 separate deities have been recorded in the Celtic world‚ when examined
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WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? I. Definition µυθος - word‚ speech‚ story (origin of the word myth) A) Definition Proper "A myth is a story...which has "proven itself worthy of becoming traditional." M & LI. Definition "A myth is a traditional tale with secondary‚ partial reference to something of collective importance" (W. Burkert) "Myths are traditional tales‚ which maintain contact with the past and hand on inherited wisdom to the future. Traditional tales explain a society to itself‚ promulgating its
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