Friday, December 27, 2019

Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion

You may be surprised to learn that much of your life consists of constructing arguments. If you ever plead a case to your parents—in order to extend your curfew or to get a new gadget, for example—you are using persuasive strategies. When you discuss music with friends and agree or disagree with them about the merits of one singer compared to another, you are also using strategies for persuasion. Indeed, when you engage in these arguments with your parents and friends, you are instinctively using ancient strategies for persuasion that were identified by the Greek philosopher Aristotle a few thousand years ago. Aristotle called his ingredients for persuasion pathos, logos, and ethos. Persuasion Tactics and Homework When you write a research paper, write a speech, or participate in a debate, you also use the persuasion strategies mentioned above. You come up with an idea (a thesis) and then construct an argument to convince readers that your idea is sound. You should become familiar with pathos, logos, and ethos for two reasons: First, you need to develop your own skills at crafting a good argument so that others will take you seriously. Second, you must develop the ability to identify a really weak argument, stance, claim, or position when you see or hear it. Logos Defined Logos refers to an appeal to reason based on logic. Logical conclusions come from assumptions and decisions derived from weighing a collection of solid facts and statistics. Academic arguments (research papers) rely on logos. An example of an argument that relies on logos is the argument that smoking is harmful based on the evidence that, When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic, according to the American Lung Association. Notice that the statement above uses specific numbers. Numbers are sound and logical. An everyday example of an appeal to logos is the argument that Lady Gaga is more popular than Justin Bieber because Gagas fan pages collected 10 million more Facebook fans than Biebers. As a researcher, your job is to find statistics and other facts to back up your claims. When you do this, you are appealing to your audience with logic or logos. Ethos Defined Trustworthiness is important in research. You must trust your sources, and your readers must trust you. The example above concerning logos contained two examples that were based on hard facts (numbers). However, one example comes from the American Lung Association. The other comes from Facebook fan pages. You should ask yourself: Which of these sources do you suppose is more credible? Anyone can start a Facebook page. Lady Gaga may have 50 different fan pages, and each page may contain duplicate fans. The fan page argument is probably not very sound (even though it seems logical). Ethos refers to the credibility of the person posing the argument or stating the facts. The facts provided by the American Lung Association are probably more persuasive than those provided by fan pages since the American Lung Association has been around for more than 100 years. At first glance, you might think that your own credibility is out of your control when it comes to posing academic arguments, but that is incorrect. Even if you write an academic paper on a topic that is outside your area of expertise, you can improve your credibility—using ethos to persuade—by coming across as a professional by citing credible sources and making your writing error-free and concise. Pathos Defined Pathos refers to appealing to a person by influencing his emotions. Pathos is involved in the strategy of convincing the audience by invoking feelings through their own imaginations. You appeal through pathos when you try to convince your parents of something. Consider this statement: Mom, there is clear evidence that cellphones save lives in emergency situations. While that statement is true, the real power lies in the emotions that you will likely invoke in your parents. What mother wouldnt envision a broken-down automobile perched by the side of a busy highway upon hearing that statement? Emotional appeals are extremely effective, but they can be tricky. There may or may not be a place for pathos in your research paper. For example, you may be writing an argumentative essay about the death penalty. Ideally, your paper should contain a logical argument. You should appeal to logos by including statics to support your view such as data that suggests that the death penalty does/does not cut down on crime (theres plenty of research both ways). Use Appeals to Emotion Sparingly You may also use pathos by interviewing someone who witnessed an execution (on the anti-death penalty side) or someone who found closure when a criminal was executed (on the pro-death penalty side). Generally, however, academic papers should employ appeals to emotions sparingly. A long paper that is purely based on emotions is not considered very professional. Even when you are writing about an emotionally charged, controversial issue like the death penalty, you cant write a paper that is all emotion and opinion. The teacher, in that circumstance, will likely assign a failing grade because you havent provided a sound (logical) argument. Source â€Å"Whats In a Cigarette?†Ã‚  American Lung Association,

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Obesity Is The Reason Our Youth - 972 Words

Introduction Childhood obesity has been on a steady incline over the past 30 years and is considered a serious public health concern, especially in elementary school aged children. According to the US Surgeon General, nearly one in three children are overweight or obese (US Department of Human Health Services, 2014). The American Heart Association (2010) has age and sex specific growth charts that show the calculation of children’s BMI using their height and weight. When children’s weight is well above the average for their height and age they are classified as obese. Children BMI- for age is in the 95th percentile or higher is considered to be obese. Obese children normally consume more energy in the form of food and drinks then they burn off with physical exercise (Kids Health, 2014). Our nation’s obesity epidemic effects are immense: taxpayers, communities, and families spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year in medical costs and attempts to end childhood obe sity (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014). Obesity is the reason our youth is predicted to live shorter lives than our parents and we need to change this. Childhood obesity has long-term harmful effects on a child’s future health. Obese children are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol which put them more at risk for cardiovascular disease in the future (Center for Disease Control Prevention, 2014). Childhood obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes, cancer, asthma, jointShow MoreRelatedHealthy Choices for Better Living Essay1588 Words   |  7 Pagesand key role in childhood obesity? Can we hold the media responsible for our food purchases and meals that we as a society choose to provide our children? 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ThisRead MoreEducation Of A School s Physical Education Program1280 Words   |  6 Pageslast, obesity. According to schools in Texas and Governor Rick Perry, these schools will be participating in physical education to reduce the beginning of diabetes. Since America is considered overweight, they did not think there was a better way to hopefully decrease obesity than to incorporate more physical education in to schools. â€Å"Kindergarten through fifth grade graders are required to ex ert for thirty minutes during PE or structured recess, which students will begin this fall† (Obesity, 2007Read MoreChildhood Obesity663 Words   |  3 PagesChildhood Obesity ENG 202 English Composition II Joan Martell Smith 7/3/2011 I. Introduction A. Thesis Statement Obesity can happen to anyone for many reasons and it can be reversed many different ways. There are several causes for obesity in America, including fast- food restaurants and their marketing, hereditary obesity, and people reacting to the stereotypes in the media that you must be beautiful to be accepted. Read MoreVideo Mediums and Childhood Obesity971 Words   |  4 PagesVideo Mediums and Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity has now reached a critical level. The main reason for the growing number of obese children is inactivity. With obesity in children being related to many health issues, it is important that we not only stop the rise in childhood obesity, but reverse it. With their health at risk, it is imperative that we assure our children are in good physical shape and at healthy weight levels. The stakes are quite high, according to the U.S. Department

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Analysis of Conceptual Framework Standards

Question: Discuss about the Analysis of Conceptual Framework Standards. Answer: Introduction The primary purpose of developing general purpose financial statements is to disclose the information related to financial growth and development of a business corporation. The primary users of financial reports of a corporation includes investors, creditors and other stakeholders who need the information to make decisions about selling, buying or holding their equity or debt instruments. In addition to this, the primary users of financial statements also need to assess the financial information for gaining an analysis of the efficiency of management in carrying out their roles and responsibilities (Titilayo et al., 2014). The IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) has developed and established conceptual accounting framework that describes the principles and standards to be adopted by the accountants at the time of preparing financial statements (Persons, 2013). In this context, the present report evaluates the need and effectiveness of accounting framework for supporting t he decision-making process of end-users. This is done in the report by analyzing the compliance of annual reports of Medibank health insurance ltd and Virtus health ltd with the conceptual framework and AASB standard requirements. This will help in examining the effectiveness of conceptual framework in meeting the financial reporting requirements of business corporations. Also, the report examines the need of including Prudence in conceptual framework to overcome any type of disparity in corporate reporting. Examining Compliance of Medibank health insurance ltd and Virus health ltd with the conceptual framework and AASB standard requirements The major principles of conceptual framework of accounting are reliability, relevance, consistency and comparability that need to be followed by business entities during financial reporting. The reliability principle states that financial statements must provide true and realistic information to the external parties with no concealing of financial facts and figures. As per the relevance principle, the information disclosed must be complete and relevant to be used by external parties in decision-making (Burton and Jermakowicz, 2015). The consistency principle states that financial information disclosed on an annual basis by a business corporation must be consistent with that of previous year. At last, the comparability principle states that financial information disclosed must be comparable with the previous year results in order to demonstrate the net financial growth. The Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) holds the responsibility within Australia to ensure that all busine sses should comply with the IASB standards (Hoffman, 2016). The annual reports of Medibank health insurance ltd and Virtus health ltd are analyzed to examine their compliance with the above mentioned principles of conceptual accounting framework. Medibank health insurance is a leading private health insurer of Australia actively involved in providing varying range of health insurance options for individual, couple and family. The annual report analyses demonstrates that the company have prepared and published its remuneration report, directors report, corporate governance statement, auditors report as per the AASB standards. The remuneration report of Medibank health insurance is developed in accordance with the AASB standards as analyzed from its annual report. The remuneration report is as per the relevance principle of conceptual framework as it provides complete information related to compensation of board members. Also, the remuneration policies adopted by the company for controlling and reviewing the remuneration of board members are also discussed in the report. The role of remuneration committee in deciding the compensation including incentives of executives and non-executive directors is clearly mentioned in the repo rt (Medibank: Annual Report, 2016). The remuneration report also illustrates that the reward and incentive system of employees is directly linked with their performance. Thus, the company has shared all the information related to compensation and reward in an honest and transparent manner in order to comply with AASB standard of honesty and integrity (Knight, 2004). The corporate governance statement of the company has also disclosed all the necessary information related to corporate rules and policies adopted for managing the workplace diversity. The auditors report discloses the standards adopted by the company to maintain integrity and quality of the financial reporting (Kieso et al., 2010). The company has established an independent audit and risk management committee for irks management, compliance and internal control. Thus, it can be said that Medibank effectively complies with reliability and relevance principle of conceptual framework by disclosing all the relevant and reliable information to the stakeholders (Medibank: Annual Report, 2016). The company also complies with the consistency and comparability principle of conceptual framework as it discloses all the financial information that is in consistent and comparable with that of previous years. The financial information is disclosed through preparation of cash flows, statement of changes in equity, income statement and balance sheet. The accounting policies and procedures adopted for the preparation of the financial statements are also disclosed properly in the annual report of the company. The directors report also declares that financial statements comply with the Corporations Act 2001 as per the AASB standards. The annual report of the company meets the different needs of stakeholders through demonstrating a link between governance and shareholder value creation. The directors report states that companys leaders satisfy their statutory duties well by promoting its long-term development. The company also develops and publishes its consolidated financial statements as per the Corporations Act 2001. The development of consolidated financial statements is required to integrate the financial reports of all subsidiaries in a single economic entity (Medibank: Annual Report, 2016). On the other hand, Virtus Health ltd is an Australian company involved in providing hospital and pathology services. The company is recognized to be largest in vitro fertilization provider in Australia. The annual report of the company publishes and discloses effectively all the information related to the compensation of executive directors and non-executive directors. The remuneration committee holds the responsibility of deciding over the matters related to compensation of board members. However, the company has not disclosed its corporate governance statement in the annual report. The disclosure of corporate governance policies followed within the workplace is required by a business entity in order to comply with the AASB standards of ethics and integrity (Persons, 2013). The auditors report of the company also has not published complete information about the procedures adopted for risk management. The company has not disclosed concise information about the control systems impleme nted for monitoring and controlling its internal business procedures (Virtus Health: Annual Report, 2016). The company though has published all its financial information as per the AASB standards through developing its statement of cash flows, statement of financial position, income statement and balance sheet. It has also published its consolidated financial statements as per the Corporations Act 2001 mandated by the AASB standards. Thus, it can be said that there is some difference in the financial disclosure of both the corporations. The companies are operating within Australia and thus need to comply with AASB standards effectively. However, as analyzed from the annual report of both companies, only Medibank health insurance ltd effectively complies with all the AASB standards and principle of conceptual framework (Medibank: Annual Report, 2016). Vitrus health ltd does not comply with all principle of conceptual framework such as relevance and reliability. The company has not disclosed all information related to the accounting policies and procedures adopted for the preparation of fin ancial statements. Also, the pattern of disclosing financial information is different in both the companies due to their varying nature of business operations (Virtus Health: Annual Report, 2016). Thus, it can be stated from analysis of annual report of both the companies that they develop their financial reports in accordance with the conceptual framework and AASB standards. The adoption of conceptual framework of accounting has enabled them to meet the needs of end-users of financial reports through providing complete and concise financial information. However, Virtus health ltd has not effectively complied with all the accounting standards and principles of conceptual framework and AASB (Virtus Health: Annual Report, 2016). The complete disclosure regarding the remuneration, risk management, internal control, operating income and expenses is provided in the annual reports through the adoption of conceptual accounting framework. Thus, it can be stated that conceptual framework principles effectively meets the needs of end-users of financial reports (Whittington, 2008). Inclusion of Prudence to address Disparity in Corporate Reporting The accounting transactions are related with uncertainties and require to be reported in time. The uncertainties in financial transactions need to be reported by making proper estimates during financial reporting. The accountants need to be very cautious and prudent at the time of taking financial decisions (Mbira and Tapera, 2016). In this context, prudence is a major accounting principle according to which assets and income should not be overstated and liabilities should not be understated during financial reporting. The concept states that expenses and liabilities should be recognized immediately after their occurrence but revenues should be reported only when they are actually realized. This concept was included in the conceptual accounting framework in order to meet the varying needs of different stakeholders of a business corporation. The main objective behind the development of conceptual accounting framework is to protect the stakeholders interest by promoting transparency an d integrity in financial reporting. The implementation of prudence principle ensures that businesses do not report overstated revenues or understated expenses during financial reporting (Malley, 2014). The concept is in accordance with the conservatism principle of accounting according to which expenses and liabilities should be reported immediately when there is uncertainty about the outcome. However, revenues and assets should be recognized only when they are assured of being received. The concept was removed from the conceptual accounting framework on the basis as it opposes accrual basis of accounting. Accrual basis of accounting states that businesses should prepare themselves in advance for the occurrence of any uncertain condition through creation of hidden reserves. Thus, the concept of prudence was removed from the conceptual accounting framework as it received criticism from some financial experts as it was found to be against accrual basis of accounting. However, the increasing evidence of corporate scandal worldwide due to manipulation of accounting information has caused its inclusion again in the conceptual framework (Araujo and Gomes, 2015). The inclusion of prudence concept will ensure that there is no biasness in the financial statements and the information presented is fair and transparent. This will help in overcoming the increasing evidences of corporate scandal that are occurring due to misrepresentation of financial statements. The IASB has again adopted the principle of prudence in the accounting framework so that potential investors and creditors get fair representation of a business financial position. This is necessary so that there is no manipulation of accounts and stakeholders get a clear demonstration of the financial position of a business entity (Ataman et al., 2014). The occurrence of corporate scandals such as Enron, World.com etc has lead to the downfall of investors and creditors as they suffered huge losses by financial misrepresentation. This caused IASB to adopt strict accounting standards that need to be followed by businesses during financial reporting. This has caused the need of including prud ence in conceptual framework again for overcoming disparity in corporate reporting (Prudence and IFRS, 2014). Recommendations On the basis of analysis of annual reports of Medibank health insurance and Virtus health ltd, it can be said that conceptual framework principles adequately meeting the needs of stakeholders. The companies are complying with conceptual framework principles and AASB standards and thus have achieved a good brand image in the country. The main advantages of adopting conceptual framework of accounting principles by businesses are increasing the users confidence and gaining a realistic image of the financial performance of the business organization (Macve, 2015). However, IASB still need to develop more strict guidelines for business corporations for meeting the needs of end-users of financial reports. This is because adoption of conceptual framework principle is very difficult for all organization as it is very expensive and time consuming (Unegbu, 2014). This can be demonstrated from the fact that Virtus health ltd has also not effectively complied with all the principles of conceptual framework (Virtus Health: Annual Report, 2016). Also, it will restrict the business to develop new idea of financial reporting as they will be mandated to report their financial performance using same standard accounting practices. Thus, IASB still need to consider all the above mentioned points for improving the financial reporting system of businesses worldwide (Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting 2010, 2017). Conclusion It can be summarized from the overall discussion that the adoption of conceptual accounting framework principles by businesses promotes transparency and honesty in financial reporting. However, there is still need of improvement in accounting standards so that all businesses are able to implement sound financial reporting system that is able to meet the varying needs of stakeholders. References Araujo, V. and Gomes, A. 2015. Analysis of Opinions Issued in Comment Letters on the Term Prudence. Journal of Education and Research in Accounting 9(2), pp. 209-225. Ataman, B. et al. 2014. Preparedness for and perception of IFRS for SMEs: evidence from Turkey. Accounting and Management Information Systems 13(3), pp. 492-519. Burton, G. and Jermakowicz, E.K. 2015. International Financial Reporting Standards: A Framework-Based Perspective. Routledge. Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting 2010. 2017. [Online]. Available at: https://www.iasplus.com/en/standards/other/framework [Accessed on: 17 April 2017]. Hoffman, C.W. 2016. Revising the Conceptual Framework of the International Standards: IASB Proposals Met with Support and Skepticism. World Journal of Business and Management 2 (1), pp. 1-32. Kieso, D. E. et al. 2010. Intermediate Accounting: IFRS Edition. John Wiley Sons. Knight, J. 2004. Internationalization Remodeled: Definition, Approaches, and Rationales. Journal of Studies in International Education 8 (5), pp. 5-29. Macve, R. 2015. A Conceptual Framework for Financial Accounting and Reporting: Vision, Tool, Or Threat. Routledge. Malley, A. 2014. Opinion: Is prudence still a virtue? [Online]. Available at: https://www.theaccountant-online.com/news/is-prudence-still-a-virtue-4276220 [Accessed on: 17April 2017]. Mbira, L. and Tapera, J. 2016. Key Success Drivers for Microfinance Institutions in Zimbabwe: Developing Core Competences for Financial Inclusion. International Journal of Business and Social Science 7 (3), pp. 128-136. Medibank: Annual Report. 2016. [Online]. Available at: https://www.medibank.com.au/content/dam/medibank/About-Us/reporting-centre-2016/Annual%20report/Medibank_Annual_Report_2016.pdf [Accessed on: 17 April 2017]. Persons, O. 2013. A principles-based approach to teaching International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Journal of Instructional Pedagogies. Whittington, G. 2008. Fair Value and the IASB/FASB Conceptual Framework Project: An Alternative View. ABACUS 44 (2), pp. 139-168. Prudence and IFRS. 2014. [Online]. Available at: https://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/acca/global/PDF-technical/financial-reporting/tech-tp-prudence.pdf[Accessed on: 17 April 2017]. Titilayo, D. et al. 2014. International Financial Reporting Standards (Ifrs) For Smes Adoption Process In Nigeria. European Journal of Accounting Auditing and Finance Research 2 (4), pp.33-38. Unegbu, A. O. 2014. Theories of Accounting: Evolution Developments, Income Determination and Diversities in Use. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting 5 (19), pp. 1-15. Virtus Health: Annual Report. 2016. [Online]. Available at: https://www.virtushealth.com.au/sites/virtushealth.com.au/files/reports/vrt-annual-report-fy16.pdf [Accessed on: 17 April 2017].

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Taoism, Confucianism And Buddhism Essay Example For Students

Taoism, Confucianism And Buddhism Essay Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. The other religion native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time, around the sixth century B.C.E. China’s third great religion, Buddhism, came to China from India around the second century of the common era. Together, these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five hundred years (Legge1, 124). One dominate concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the belief in some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies is an integral part of these religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Reincarnation, life after death, beliefs are not standardized. Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its beliefs. This paper will describe the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism, and then provide a comparison of the two. We will write a custom essay on Taoism, Confucianism And Buddhism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The goal in Taoism is to achieve Tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the world and everything in it. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of all things. That source is not a god or a supreme being, as Taoism is not monotheistic. The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on coming into harmony with Tao (Legge 8). Tao is the essence of everything that is right, and complications exist only because people choose to complicate their own lives. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as hindrances to a harmonious life. It is only when a person rids himself of all desires that Tao can be achieved. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the person’s life, the more saintly the person is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal, to achieve Tao, to have reached the dee per life. This is the after life for a Taoist, to be in harmony with the universe, to have achieved Tao (Legge2, 65). To understand the relationship between life, and the Taoism concept of life and death, the origin of the word Tao must be understood. The Chinese character for Tao is a combination of two characters that represent the words head and foot. The character for foot represents the idea of a person’s direction or path. The character for head also suggests a beginning, and a foot, an ending. Thus the character for Tao also conveys the continuing course of the universe, the circle of heaven and earth. Finally, the character for Tao represents the Taoist idea that the eternal Tao is both moving and unmoving. The head in the character means the beginning, the source of all things, or Tao itself, which never moves or changes; the foot is the movement on the path (Cooper, 122). Taoism upholds the belief in the survival of the spirit after death. â€Å"To have attained th e human form must be always a source of joy and then to undergo countless transitions, with only the infinite to look forward to, what comparable bliss is that! Therefore it is that the truly wise rejoice in, that which can never be lost, but endures always† (Leek, 190). Taoist believe that birth is not a beginning and death is not an end. There is an existence without limit. Applying reincarnation theory to Taoism is the belief that the soul never dies; a person’s soul is eternal. â€Å"You see death in contrast to life; and both are unreal – both are changing and seeming. Your soul does not glide out of a familiar sea into an unfamiliar ocean. That which is real in you, your soul, can never pass away, and this fear is no part of her† (Legge2, 199). In the writings of The Tao Te King, Tao is described as having existed before heaven and earth. Tao is formless, stands alone without change and reaches everywhere without harm. The Taoist is told to use the l ight that is inside to revert to the natural clearness of sight. By divesting oneself of all external distractions and desires, only then can one achieve Tao. In ancient days a Taoist that had transcended birth and death, achieved Tao, was said to have cut the Thread of Life (Cooper, 13). The soul, or spirit, in Taoism does not die at death. The soul is not reborn, it migrates to another life. This process, the Taoist version of reincarnation, is repeated until Tao is achieved. The following translation from The Tao Te King best summarizes the theory behind Tao and how a Taoist can achieve Tao. The Great Way is very smooth, but the people love the by-paths†¦The wearing of gay embroidered robes, the carrying of sharp swords, fastidiousness in food and drink, superabundance of property and wealth: this I call flaunting robbery; most assuredly it is not Tao†¦He who acts in accordance with Tao, becomes one with Tao†¦Being akin to Heaven, he possesses Tao. Possessed of Ta o, he endures forever†¦Being great (Tao) passes on; passing on, it becomes remote; having become remote, it returns (Cooper, 109). .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 , .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .postImageUrl , .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 , .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:hover , .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:visited , .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:active { border:0!important; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:active , .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87 .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3a2f0e9dc80173910f49be227b963f87:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Physician assisted suicide EssayThe followers of the Buddha believe life goes on and on in many reincarnations or rebirths. The eternal hope for all followers of Buddha is that through reincarnation one comes back into successively better lives – until one achieves the goal of being free from pain and suffering and not having to come back again. This wheel of rebirth, known as samsara, goes on forever or until one achieves Nirvana. The Buddhist definition of Nirvana is â€Å"the highest state of spiritual bliss, as absolute immortality through absorption of the soul into itself, but preserving individuality† (Reat, 57). Birth is not the beginning and death is not the end. This cycle of life has no beginning and can go on forever without an end. The ultimate goal for every Buddhist, Nirvana, represents total enlightenment and liberation. Only through achieving this goal is one liberated from the never ending round of birth, death, and rebirth (Reat, 73). Transmigration, the Buddhist cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, involves not the reincarnation of a spirit but the rebirth of a consciousness containing the seeds of good and evil deeds. Buddhism’s world of transmigration encompasses three stages. The first stage is concerned with desire, which goes against the teachings of Buddha, is the lowest form and involves a rebirth into any number of hells. The second stage is one in which animals dominate. But after many reincarnations in this stage the spirit becomes more and more human, until one attains a deep spiritual understanding. At this point in the second stage the Buddhist gradually begins to abandon materialism and seek a con templative life. The Buddhist in the third stage is ultimately able to put his ego to the side and become a pure spirit, having no perception of the material world. This stage requires one to move from perception to non-perception. And so, through many stages of spiritual evolution and numerous reincarnat6ions, the Buddhist reaches the state of Nirvana (Leek, 171). The transition from one stage to another, or the progression within a stage is based on the actions of the Buddhist. All actions are simply the display of thought, the will of man. This will is caused by character, and character is manufactured from karma. Karma means action or doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or physical, is regarded as karma. All good and bad actions constitute karma. As is the karma, so is the will of the man. A person’s karma determines what he deserves and what goals can be achieved. The Buddhists past life actions determine the next life, all is determined by the Buddhist’s karma (Reat, 20). Buddha developed a doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths based on his experience and inspiration about the nature of life. These truths are the basis for all schools of Buddhism. The fourth truth describes the way to overcome personal desire through the Eightfold Path. Buddha called his path the Middle Way, because it lies between a life of luxury and a life of poverty. Not everyone can reach the goal of Nirvana, but every Buddhist is at least on the path toward enlightenment. To achieve Nirvana the Buddhist must follow the steps of the Eightfold Path. 1. Right knowledge is knowledge of what life is all about; knowledge of the Four Noble Truths is basic to any further growth as a Buddhist. 2. Right Aspiration means a clear devotion to being on the Path toward Enlightenment. 3. Right Speech involves both clarity of what is said and speaking kindly and without malice. 4. Right Behavior involves reflection on one’s behavior and the reasons for it. It also involves five basic laws of behavior for Buddhists: not to kill, steal, lie, drink intoxicants, or commit sexual offenses. 5. Right Livelihood involves choosing an occupation that keeps an individual on the Path; that is, a path that promotes life and well-being, rather than the accumulation of a lot of money. .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 , .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .postImageUrl , .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 , .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:hover , .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:visited , .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:active { border:0!important; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:active , .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641 .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1605b7b2ea963fb9e8facc4069354641:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Earthquake San Francisco- 1906 Essay6. Right Effort means training the will and curbing selfish passions and wants. It also means placing oneself along the Path toward Enlightenment. 7. Right Mindfulness implies continuing self-examination and awareness. 8. Right Concentration is the final goal to be absorbed into a state of Nirvana Compliance to the path does not guarantee reaching Nirvana, but it is the only path that leads to Nirvana. Only through following this path established by Buddha does a Buddhist have a chance to reach enlightenment, to free oneself from the continuous rounds of birth, death, and rebirth, to have reached the ultimate goal – to be absorbed into a state of Nirvana. The goal in both Taoism and Buddhism is to reach the ultimate goal, to transcend life on earth as a physical being, to achieve harmony with nature and the universe. The ultimate goal for both religions is to achieve immortality. The Taoist called this ultimate goal Tao, while the Buddhist seek Nirvana. Whatever the name, the followers of these religions believe there is an existence beyond life which can be achieved provided the right path or behavior is followed. The paths to Tao and Nirvana are similar, yet different. Both believe there i s an inner light to guide a person to achieve eternal bliss. â€Å"The teaching regarding the inner light is just as prominent in the Taoist schools as it is among the practices of Buddhism† (Reat, 36). The inner light concept is similar, but the actual path is the difference between the Taoism and Buddhism. The path toward enlightenment for the Buddhist was defined by Buddha in his Eightfold Path. Only through following this path does the Buddhist reach Nirvana. The path to Tao is individual, it comes from within. No one can define a path for the Taoist; it must come from the inner light. â€Å"Tao means way, but in the original and succeeding manuscripts no direct path is explored or expounded. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as complications. That idea is consistent with Buddhist teachings; it is the personal life of each individual that gives Taoism its special form† (Leek, 188). Taoism and Buddhism perceive life, death, and rebirth as a continuous cycle. This cycle has no beginning and no end. The soul is eternal, yet the soul is not the object of reincarnation. Taoists believe the soul is not reborn, it â€Å"migrates to another life† (Legge1, 109). Buddhist also believe the soul is not reborn, but instead a â€Å"consciousness containing the seeds of good and evil deeds† is the object of rebirth (Leek, 171). One major difference between Taoism and Buddhism is the concept of karma to the Buddhist. This idea that all actions are the display of thought, the will of man, is known as karma. Karma determines where in the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth the consciousness return. This return can be in the form of an animal or human, and the Buddhist must progress through a hierarchy to achieve Nirvana (Leek, 171). The Taoist has no concept similar to karma, and no mention of the soul migrating to an animal form. The determining factor to one’s life is contained in the individual behavior fro the Taoist. By forsaking personal desires in life, by concentrating of the self, a longer life is prolonged. Eventually, by following the inner light, immortality can be achieved. The similarities between Taoism and Buddhism in the belief of life after death far outweigh the differences. Both religions believe the individual must focus on the self to achieve the ultimate goal. To focus on oneself, all desires and personal ambitions must be forsaken. One must focus on the self and the proper way of life to reach immortality. The cycle of life continues indefinitely until the Thread of Life is broken. Only through proper living, by following the correct path guided by the inner light, can one achieve the ultimate goal of Tao or Nirvana. Religion Taoism, Confucianism And Buddhism Essay Example For Students Taoism, Confucianism And Buddhism Essay Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. The other religion native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time, around the sixth century B.C.E. Chinas third great religion, Buddhism, came to China from India around the second century of the common era. Together, these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five hundred years (Legge1, 124). One dominate concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the belief in some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies is an integral part of these religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Reincarnation, life after death, beliefs are not standardized. Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its beliefs. We will write a custom essay on Taoism, Confucianism And Buddhism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This paper will describe the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism, and then provide a comparison of the two. The goal in Taoism is to achieve Tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the world and everything in it. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of all things. That source is not a god or a supreme being, as Taoism is not monotheistic. The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on coming into harmony with Tao (Legge 8). Tao is the essence of everything that is right, and complications exist only because people choose to complicate their own lives. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as hindrances to a harmonious life. It is only when a person rids himself of all desires that Tao can be achieved. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the persons life, the more saintly the person is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal, to achieve Tao, to have reached the deeper life. This is the after life for a Taoist, to be in harmony with the universe, to have achieved Tao (Legge2, 65). To understand the relationship between life, and the Taoism concept of life and death, the origin of the word Tao must be understood. The Chinese character for Tao is a combination of two characters that represent the words head and foot. The character for foot represents the idea of a persons direction or path. The character for head also suggests a beginning, and a foot, an ending. Thus the character for Tao also conveys the continuing course of the universe, the circle of heaven and earth. Finally, the character for Tao represents the Taoist idea that the eternal Tao is both moving and unmoving. The head in the character means the beginning, the source of all things, or Tao itself, which never moves or changes; the foot is the movement on the path (Cooper, 122). Taoism upholds the belief in the survival of the spirit after death. To have attained the human form must be always a source of joy and then to undergo countless transitions, with only the infinite to look forward to, what comparable bliss is that! Therefore it is that the truly wise rejoice in, that which can never be lost, but endures always (Leek, 190). Taoist believe that birth is not a beginning and death is not an end. There is an existence without limit. Applying reincarnation theory to Taoism is the belief that the soul never dies; a persons soul is eternal. You see death in contrast to life; and both are unreal both are changing and seeming. Your soul does not glide out of a familiar sea into an unfamiliar ocean. That which is real in you, your soul, can never pass away, and this fear is no part of her (Legge2, 199). In the writings of The Tao Te King, Tao is described as having existed before heaven and earth. Tao is formless, stands alone without change and reaches everywhere without harm. .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 , .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .postImageUrl , .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 , .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:hover , .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:visited , .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:active { border:0!important; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:active , .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19 .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u50f18d97fc25e217ea00842f814ecd19:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sexual Harassment Essay The Taoist is told to use the light that is inside to revert to the natural clearness of sight. By divesting oneself of all external .