Pharisees Sadducees Zealots And Essenes Theology Religion Essay

Pharisees Sadducees Zealots And Essenes Theology Religion Essay We must first look at the history of Israel to find the emergence of the main religious sects. Israel was sinning against God, not following the laws of Moses, intermarrying with other nations, and worshiping other gods. God sent prophets to speak to the Israelites to bring them back to him, but if they would not listen. The prophets would often prophesize events that would come because of the disobedience, but also restoration also. The events that lead to this split within the Jewish culture happened around the deportation and exile of an unknown number of Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II, starting with the first deportation in 597 BCE (Coogan, 1999, pg 350) and continuing after the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple in 587 BCE (Jer 52,12-13). Fast forward to 539 BC, the Persians had captured Babylon; and Cyrus the great had allowed the Israelites to return back to Israel. Ezra 1:1-2: In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in ord er to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.It was during these times that it is believed the two main sects; the Pharisees and Sadducees emerged. W. D. Morrison puts it: Long before the names Pharisee and Sadducee appear in the pages of history the divergent tendencies which these two parties represented were in existence within the Jewish community. It has, in fact, been contended that the foundation of their differences goes back into pre-exilian times, and that the priests and prophets of the old Israelitish monarchy are the true precursors of the Sadducees and Pharisees. But the complete transformation which Jewish society underwent after the return from Babylon (W Morrison, 2007, pg 13). Although it was not until the Maccabean period that these two groups properly emerged as prominent groups within the Jewish culture Pharisees The name Pharisee in its Hebrew form means separatists, or the separated ones, The Pharisees were common people, which consisted of laymen and scribes. According to Maayan Jaffe The Pharisees offered answers for how to live in a post-Temple world and for how to engage with the sacred in their daily lives. Likewise, the Pharisees had a commitment to scholarly debate. Their responses and their inclination for argument for the sake of Torah would eventually constitute Rabbinic Judaism. (The rabbis of the Amoraic period, for example, completed redacting the Jerusalem Talmud circa 400 C.E. and the Babylonia one circa 500 C.E.) (Jaffe pg 14, 2008). While Encyclopedia Britannica gives the reader further information on the beliefs of the Pharisees The Pharisees, on the other hand, believed that the Law that God gave to Moses was twofold, consisting of the Written Law and the Oral Law, i.e. the teachings of the prophets and the oral traditions of the Jewish people (Encyclopedia Britannica onl ine). The Basic role of The Pharisees was to keep the law. The Pharisees were very zealous for the Law of Moses, but they also considered themselves the guardians of the oral traditions that scholars developed over generations. The oral traditions interpreted the Law of Moses. For example, the Law said to keep the Sabbath. They were not to work on Gods holy day. Yet, what was work and what was not? The oral traditions filled in the details that Moses left out. For instance, how far could a person walk on the Sabbath without it being work? The interpreters decided that the distance was 2000 cubits which is about 2/3 of a mile. This was known as a Sabbaths day journey. Where did they get that number? When the Hebrews carried the Ark of the Covenant in the wilderness, God commanded them to walk 2000 cubits behind the ark. They decided that was Gods way of telling them how far one could walk on the Sabbath (Doug Reed, pg 1, 2011) The Pharisees also maintained that an afterlife existed and that God punished the wicked and rewarded the righteous in the world to come. They also believed in a messiah who would herald an era of world peace. Sadducees The Sadducees, by contrast, were the chief priests and people of the highest social and wealth class of the time, who were installed by the Roman government, primarily for the purpose of keeping the peace between Rome and the Jews. They were often wealthy and part of the ruling class in Jesus day. Many of them comprised the priesthood, but unlike the Levites, were not from the ancestral line of priests (royal priesthood, descendents of Aaron) that controlled the temple in Jerusalem. They only recognized the Torah as the inspired word of God. They acknowledged neither the prophets nor the oral traditions that came after the first five books of the Bible. Consequently, they did not believe in the resurrection or any life after death. They were often at odds with the Pharisees over this matter. (Doug Reed, pg 1, 2011) Essenes/Qumran The Essenes were a branch of Pharisees who emphasized a communal life and ritual purity, including full-body immersion for spiritual cleansing. Perhaps the best-known Essene is John the Baptist, And so John the Baptist  appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance  for the forgiveness of sins.  The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.   John wore clothing made of camels hair, with a leather belt around his waist,  and he ate locusts  and wild honey (Mark 1:4-6). According to the Jewish Dictionary: A branch of the Pharisees who conformed to the most rigid rules of Levitical purity while aspiring to the highest degree of holiness. They lived solely by the work of their hands and in a state of communism, devoted their time to study and devotion and to the practice of benevolence, and refrained as far as feasible from conjugal intercourse and sensual ple asures, in order to be initiated into the highest mysteries of heaven and cause the expected Messianic time to come (Jewish Encyclopedia pg 19-20, 1906), it goes on to say: that ten thousand of them had been initiated by Moses into the mysteries of the sect, which, consisting of men of advanced years having neither wives nor children, practised the virtues of love and holiness and inhabited many cities and villages of Judea, living in communism as tillers of the soil or as mechanics according to common rules of simplicity and abstinence. In another passage he speaks of only four thousand Essenes, who lived as farmers and artisans apart from the cities and in a perfect state of communism, and who condemned slavery, avoided sacrifice, abstained from swearing, strove for holiness, and were particularly scrupulous regarding the Sabbath, which day was devoted to the reading and allegorical interpretation of the Law. Zealots The Zealots were yet another offshoot of the Pharisees. The Zealots believed that they could bring the beginning of the Messianic era (which included an end to foreign domination of Judea) by starting a rebellion against Rome. The dictionary also refers to Zealots as a member of a radical, warlike, ardently patriotic group of Jews in Judea, particularly prominent from a.d. 69 to 81, advocating the violent overthrow of Roman rule and vigorously resisting the efforts of the Romans and their supporters to heathenize the Jews. (Dictionary.com 2008) The Oxford History of the Biblical World, ed. by Michael D Coogan. Pub. by Oxford University Press, 1999. pg 350 Jews under Roman RulebyW. D. Morrison pg 13 2007 Dictionary.com was launched in 1995, under the name of Lexico Publishing, LLC and was acquired by IAC in 2008. Today, it is the most-visited, most trusted, online dictionary.   1906 Jewish Encyclopedia pg 19-20 Jaffe, Maayan.  Baltimore Jewish TimesHYPERLINK http://search.proquest.com/socialsciences/indexingvolumeissuelinkhandler/25578/Baltimore+Jewish+Times/02008Y01Y04$23Jan+4,+2008$3b++Vol.+300+$281$29/300/1?accountid=44543300.  1  (Jan 4, 2008): 14. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica  Ã‚   Author(s) As of 2008, 4,411 named contributors Country Scotland (1768-1900) United States (1901-present) Language English Subject(s) General Genre(s) Referenceencyclopaedia Publisher Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc. Official site Publication date 1768-2010 (printed version) Media type As of 2010, 32 volumes (hardbound) ISBN ISBN 1-59339-292-3 OCLC  Number 71783328 LC Classification AE5 .E363 2007 Thorncrownjournal Doug Reed 2011

Guardian :: essays papers

Guardian He stood at a crossroads. He turned in one direction, and found his small battalion fleeing from the spot, leaving him to the coming evil. Turning the other way he found a dark horizon, and knew that shortly beyond it lay a myriad amount of soldiers, each one branded with the stink of malice. And he lay at the crossroads. The full moon's glow appeared out of the murk of clouds above, as if to warn of coming danger. The lone warrior trembled in the frosty winter air, and let out a deep breath, then watching the mist disintegrate into the air. Sounds were beginning to flow up from beyond that dark horizon. The evil one and his war force were coming. He turned slowly and mounted his mighty black stallion, still trembling with fear and cold. He reluctantly started it at a slow pace toward the edge of the cliff that marked the path of flight. He stared down at the thing that lay at the bottom of that cliff, marveling in its wonder. A small town lay there. It was a simple town, much like any other, but he was suddenly moved by it. It lay at the bottom of the valley, made up of a few buildings and a few families. The people of the town went about their business each day, most likely in the same manner every time. Each person probably knew every other person, and everyone was everyone's neighbor. They never hurt anything, and they probably never would. And now the evil one lay only a few paces away and the poor, ignorant villagers had no idea. No, they only knew their farms and the growing seasons, and each other. And they hadn't done a thing. No, they were innocents in long a bloody war, and they did not deserve their inevitable fate. The man considered this, and was surprised to find a tear in his eye. He squinted and looked down at the town once more, finding it a work of art. The stars above appeared bright orbs of light, protecting the tiny town of innocents below. The heavens above strived to reach down to that place, to save it from the evil of the earth, to protect the innocent. The orbs reached out to the village, acting as great guardians of the pure. Guardian :: essays papers Guardian He stood at a crossroads. He turned in one direction, and found his small battalion fleeing from the spot, leaving him to the coming evil. Turning the other way he found a dark horizon, and knew that shortly beyond it lay a myriad amount of soldiers, each one branded with the stink of malice. And he lay at the crossroads. The full moon's glow appeared out of the murk of clouds above, as if to warn of coming danger. The lone warrior trembled in the frosty winter air, and let out a deep breath, then watching the mist disintegrate into the air. Sounds were beginning to flow up from beyond that dark horizon. The evil one and his war force were coming. He turned slowly and mounted his mighty black stallion, still trembling with fear and cold. He reluctantly started it at a slow pace toward the edge of the cliff that marked the path of flight. He stared down at the thing that lay at the bottom of that cliff, marveling in its wonder. A small town lay there. It was a simple town, much like any other, but he was suddenly moved by it. It lay at the bottom of the valley, made up of a few buildings and a few families. The people of the town went about their business each day, most likely in the same manner every time. Each person probably knew every other person, and everyone was everyone's neighbor. They never hurt anything, and they probably never would. And now the evil one lay only a few paces away and the poor, ignorant villagers had no idea. No, they only knew their farms and the growing seasons, and each other. And they hadn't done a thing. No, they were innocents in long a bloody war, and they did not deserve their inevitable fate. The man considered this, and was surprised to find a tear in his eye. He squinted and looked down at the town once more, finding it a work of art. The stars above appeared bright orbs of light, protecting the tiny town of innocents below. The heavens above strived to reach down to that place, to save it from the evil of the earth, to protect the innocent. The orbs reached out to the village, acting as great guardians of the pure.

Is Homosexuality a learned behavior or biological Essay

Homosexuality is a controversial issue within any society in the world and has been debated upon in the public in recent years. The debate on homosexuality has typically concentrated on the social and legal issues surrounding the concept and little regard has been given to the cause of the problem. The controversy that has surrounded the homosexuality issue has spread to the determination of the cause of the phenomenon. This has been brought about by those arguing that homosexuality is caused by environmental factors whereas others argue that homosexuality is caused by biological factors. This paper is going to give an analysis of whether homosexuality is a learned behavior or a biological one. Homosexuality: Homosexuality is a concept that has been controversial in many societies. Though the behavior has been widely spoken about in the recent past, it was almost forbidden in the traditional societies and anyone involved was considered immoral. Homosexuality has been defined as a romantic attraction towards individuals of the same sex. Homosexuality is therefore part of the three notable sexual orientations exhibited in human species which also include bisexuality and heterosexuality. Homosexuality has elicited a strong debate not only on its acceptability within the society but also regarding its causes. The controversy has led to the legal and social implications of the issue dominating the media as well as the biological debate sparked by the research finding in the recent past. The central question in regard to the causes of homosexuality has been on whether homosexuality is caused by biological concepts or it is a learned behavior that has been entrenched in the cultural norms (Lawrence, para 1). Homosexuality is characterized by an individual having sexual preference with others of the same sex. In females, such preferences are referred to as lesbianism whereas in males it is called gay. This is in contravention to the conventional societal expectations of heterosexuality. Homosexuality has been met with social consequences especially for those with same sex sexual preferences. It has been estimated that between 2 and 5 percent of males are gays whereas between 1 and 2 percent of females practice lesbianism (Pease & Bull, para 5). In the United States, despite the eminence of the phenomenon, most of the states do not approve of same sex marriages. It has been previously thought that homosexuality is a choice and that individuals do learn the behavior. A survey conducted in 1970 indicated that over 40 percent of the public were of the opinion that the young gays had learned the habit from the older ones (Pease & Bull, para 5). Homosexuality as a biological behavior: In the development of the child, genetics that are inherited from the parents play a vital role in the determination of character and behavior. Genes are known to carry all the biological information and may be incorrectly placed during the cell division process through mutations. Homosexuality is considered as coming from gene mutation in human development. The biological explanation of the homosexual behavior was given impetus by Simon Levay who discovered that the hypothalamus of the brain in homosexuals was small compared to heterosexuals. He concluded that differences in the brain formation were responsible for homosexual behavior (Queer Foundation, para 4). There is also a hormonal imbalance amongst the homosexuals. Hormones are responsible for controlling and stimulating the body and therefore any imbalance in hormones will lead to disorientation in the erotic attraction (Queer Foundation, para 4). Research has continued to point towards a biological cause of homosexuality. There are certain observations that point to the biological causes of homosexuality as observed by Dan Eden. According to Eden, the heterosexuals and homosexuals exhibit observable differences that have a biological orientation. He observed that the index and the ring fingers are about the same in length for heterosexual women whereas in men, the index finger is usually shorter compared to the ring finger. On the contrary, lesbians’ finger length were more like men’s and this is also seen in other character traits including eye-blink patterns and other male traits (Eden, para 1). Research has also indicated the differences in the brain of the males and females. Studies that have been conducted indicate that there is sexual dimorphism in the hypothalamus of the two sexes. The males have shown greater differences in terms of cell numbers compared to the females in this part of the brain. Studies have indicated that between two and four of the Interstitial Nuclei of the Anterior Hypothalamus (INAH) in males are double the size found in females. Since the INAH is responsible for sexual dimorphism, scientists believe that differences in this region of the brain are responsible for the sexual orientation in individuals (Deem, para 3). Another study done by scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden reinforced the notion that homosexuality is an inborn phenomenon. In this study, both heterosexuals and homosexuals were exposed to sex hormones and their stimulation in the hypothalamus measured. There was a great difference in how the hypothalamus in the two categories of sexual orientation reacted to sexual hormones. Upon being exposed to the male hormones, the hypothalamus in heterosexual females and homosexual males was activated but heterosexual males did not respond to the same. Similar observations were observed when female hormones were introduced. In this case, the heterosexual males’ hypothalamus got activated as opposed to heterosexual females and homosexual males (McHugh, para 3). Studies by biologists Ward Odenwald and Shan-Ding Zhang on fruit flies tend to indicate that homosexuality is a genetic issue. In their experiment, the two scientists transplanted a single gene into the flies which was responsible for the homosexual behavior that was observed. They inferred their findings to human homosexuality claiming that since there is the presence of a related gene in humans, homosexuality was a genetic issue though no much has been done to prove this claim. The two scientists are however cautious on the issue and hopes that their revelation would be important in analyzing how the genetic make up in individuals could be responsible in influencing the sexual orientation (Thompson/Bethesda, para 2). Homosexual as a learned behavior: Socio-behaviorists are opposed to the biological notion in regard to the homosexual behavior in humans. Homosexuality is attributed to the environmental factors which hold that homosexuality is a learned behavior. Behaviorists regard childhood experiences as responsible for homosexuality behavior that is exhibited by individuals. As a learned behavior, homosexuality can be traced by analyzing the play patterns during childhood, peer relations and interaction, and parental influence. Psychoanalysts in particular had extensive studies on homosexuality in trying to explain the ‘abnormal’ behavior. Their explanations seem to point to an individual’s upbringing as the main cause of the homosexuality. In simple terms, they were of the view that homosexuality was caused by environmental factors (Newman, para 1). Homosexuality has been with us since the ancient times and it was accepted in some cultures. A Greek philosopher by the name Aristophanes believed that there is a longing between two souls to get together and that sexual desire on its own is not responsible for homosexuality thus culture has greater influence on the trend. In Greece, homosexuality was practiced in ancient times between young boys and adult males as part of initiation into adulthood. In New Guinea, there are instances where young males are inseminated by tribal warriors which is allowed y their culture. In Crete, the male adolescents had to engage in a homosexual relationship as initiation to adulthood (Johnson, para 17). The social and cultural environment is therefore core in determination of the sexual orientation of the individuals. Behaviorists hold that â€Å"some sexual and gender identification differences result from roles imposed by family and friends upon children, such as the masculine and the feminine stereotypes† (Johnson, para 18). Some studies have contradicted the genetic determinism in homosexuality. If genetics were fully responsible for homosexuality, then one would expect it will be permanent. Studies have however indicated that sexual preferences can change over time especially in females. In a five-year study conducted on female homosexuals, it was discovered that more than ? abandoned lesbianism with ? reclaiming heterosexuality. Other studies have continued to reinforce the notion that sexual orientation is not fixed and can change over time. A good example is given by Kerry Pacer who was a gay advocate when in High School but later changed to a heterosexual relationship. It is therefore imperative to note that in some individuals sexual orientation is something that they can choose and thus a learned behavior. Some engage in homosexuality after being influenced by their role models or peers (Deem, para 17). For those arguing that homosexuality is a learned behavior, it is argued that children from a tender age have to be taught the acceptable standards of behavior in the society and that they should also be exposed to the right role models. Peer influence, the media and the internet has been blamed for having influenced the youth in practicing bad behaviors like homosexuality. It is obvious that in the current times teenagers discover their sexual experiences at a tender age and that any harmful patterns of sexuality can have a lasting impact on these young people. Since sexual experience is pleasurable, it is usually reinforced by the experience irrespective of whether it is acceptable or not (Dolphin, para 21). Conclusion: The controversy surrounding homosexuality is far from over. Though increased research activity has surfaced to determine its cause, there is no universal agreement on the matter as the findings can not settle on a particular cause of the issue. It will not be comprehensive to argue that homosexuality is caused by biological factors neither can it conclusively be argued that homosexuality is a learned phenomenon. The complexity surrounding the issue has led to a divided opinion on the matter. Nevertheless, it would be more accommodative to bring the two positions together and recognize that each can contribute to the same problem in a way. Biological causes can not be dismissed neither can we dissociate the environmental causes. Homosexual behavior is best understood if biological and environmental factors are incorporated.

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Law Essay Example about Muslim Faith - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2506 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Law Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? A. Maria Haines has recently converted to the muslim faith and has now insisted on wearing the appropriate religious dress which requires Maria to wear clothing revealing only her eyes. Customers have refused to deal with her Maria is the sole Receptionist as BIS and they have told her that they will have to terminate her contract. If BIS decides to terminate Marias contract, then it is likely that she will commence proceeding against BIS for unfair dismissal, pursuant to section 94(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Law Essay Example about Muslim Faith" essay for you Create order It is likely that the primary basis for her claim will be that her right to freedom of religion, under Article 9 of the Human Rights Act 1998, has been infringed by her employers decision to dismiss her for wearing her religious head veil. Article 9(1) of this Act provides that, â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.† (Art. 9(1) HRA 1998) Maria will likely argue that in wearing a veil she is publically manifesting her religion in practice and observance. She may even try to rely upon the recent House of Lords decision in the case of R (Begum) v Governors of Denbigh High School [2006] UKHL 15 to support this argument. By virtue of section 98(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, the burden of proof will rest upon BIS to satisfy the Tribunal, on the balance of probabilities, that the dismissal was not unfair. Maria may also argue that BIS has unlawfully discriminated against her on grounds of her religion and belief, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. Her argument would likely be that, in dismissing her, BIS treated her â€Å"less favourably than [it] treats or would treat other persons.† (Reg. 3(1)(a) EE(RoB)R 2003) There are several aspects to this claim which present opportunities for BIS to mount a successful defence to these claims: The first argument that BIS might make is that the dismissal in question was not unfair, because the reason for her dismissal â€Å"relates to [her] capability†¦ for performing work of the kind which [she] was employed by BIS to do.† (s.98(2)(a) ERA 1996) There is clear evidence here that Maria could not continue as receptionist, because BISs customers refused to have any further dealings with her, due to her insistence on covering her face with a religious veil. BIS can argue that Marias rights under Article 9(1) of the Human Rights Act 1998 are not absolute because they are qualified by Article 9(2) of that same Act, which provides that, â€Å"Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.† (Art. 9(2) HRA 1998) BIS can argue that its right to run an effective business is one of the rights against which Article 9 must be weighed and that this latter right must prevail. There is recent and good judicial authority for this proposition; namely, in the case of Copsey v WWB Devon Clays Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 932 which applied the earlier case of Stedman v United Kingdom (1997) 23 E.H.R.R. CD 168. Mar ia might try to rebut this argument and distinguish these authorities on the basis that, in those cases, the employees in question refused to accept offers of alternative employment, although the success of this argument will depend upon whether or not it was viable for BIS to make such an offer in this case. In light of the fact that BIS is only a small company, it may well be the case that there did not, at the time of dismissal, exist any other vacancies for which Maria would have been suitably qualified. BIS might also try to argue, in light of the fact that Maria has only recently converted to Islam, that her religious beliefs are not sufficiently cogent, serious or important to warrant her reliance on Article 9 of the Human Rights Act 1998; while the success of this argument will fall on the Courts interpretation of the facts, there is judicial authority, at least at the European level, that lack of real or strong religious belief precludes the operation of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights 1950 (Campbell and Cosans v United Kingdom (1982) 4 EHRR 293). A similar argument to this that BIS might try to rely upon is that Maria, in wearing a head veil, was not manifesting her religious beliefs, but was merely motivated to wear religious dress by those beliefs; again, there is judicial authority at the European level to support the validity of this argument (Arrowsmith v UK (1978) 3 EHRR 218). BIS can distinguish the decision handed down by the House of Lords in the case of R (Begum) v Governors of Denbigh High School [2006] UKHL 15 on the basis that this case concerned the treatment of a student in compulsory full-time education. Both Brooke LJ and Mummery LJ both explicitly declared in this case that the principles in operation were not the same as those applicable in the employment context (Sandberg, 2009:272). In regard to the argument that BISs dismissal constitutes discrimination under regulation 3 of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003: BIS can argue that, in light of the reaction of its customers to Marias head veil, requiring her to remove the veil during working hours became a genuine and proportionate occupational requirement, in accordance with regulation 7(2) of the 2003 Regulations (Nairns, 2007:93). In conclusion, so long as BIS can satisfy the Court that it was not in a position to be able to offer Maria any alternative employment, where she would have been able to continue wearing her religious dress, then it is highly unlikely that any of Marias claims will be successful. B. Josie Rimson has been employed in BIS cafeteria to prepare staff meats. She has noticed that some of the meats and sauces are out of date, but, having raised the issue, was told: â€Å"Your job is to make the meals, just get on with it†. She has now heard that some staff are off sick with suspected food poisoning and she is afraid she will be blamed. Repeated complaints to Senior Managers at BIS have been rejected so now she has reported the problem to Bramley Council. An item on the matter has now appeared in the Bramley Gazette. BIS has decided to discipline her, and have warned that she may be dismissed. The main issue here is whether or not a dismissal of Josie by BIS would be deemed unfair under the Employment Rights Act 1996, as amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, an Act which inserted into the 1996 Act clause 103A, which provides that, â€Å"An employee who is dismissed shall be regarded for the purposes of this Part as unfairly dismissed if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for the dismissal is that the employee made a protected disclosure.† (s. 103A ERA 1996; s. 5 PIDA 1998) The term ‘protected disclosure is defined by sections 43A and 43B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended) as, â€Å"†¦any disclosure of information which, in the reasonable belief of the worker making the disclosure, tends to show one or more of the following— (†¦) (b) that a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation to which he is subject, (†¦) (d) that the health or safety of any individual has been, is being or is likely to be endangered (†¦) (f) that information tending to show any matter falling within any one of the preceding paragraphs has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed.† (s. 43A 43B ERA 1996) In the present case, it is reasonably clear, on the facts, that the reason Josie reported this matter to the Bramley Gazette was because she felt that her Senior Managers were trying to conceal or, at least, disregard the possibility that the instances of staff poisoning were the result of their consuming out of date food in the staff canteen, in which case section 43B(f) of the Employments Rights Act 1996 would likely be deemed satisfied. It may also be the case that Josie felt, in light of the despondence of BISs senior managers, that unless she reported this incident to the Bramley Gazette, the events giving rise to these incidences of food poisoning would repeat themselves in the future, in which case section 43B(d) of the Employments Rights Act 1996 would likely be deemed satisfied. If the Tribunal is satisfied (1) that Josie ‘reasonably believed that there had been malpractice on the part of her Senior Managers (Babula v Waltham Forest College [2007] EWCA Civ 174); and, (2) that Josies disclosure was the reason for her dismissal (Kuzel v Roche Products Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 380), then it is highly likely that Josie will be able to bring a successful claim against BIS for unfair dismissal. BIS might try to argue that Josie is being dismissed for gross negligence, in preparing staff meals using foods which were out of date , and that when the Senior Managers told her â€Å"Your job is to make the meals, just get on with it,† they were merely reminding her that it is within her job capacity to make decisions in regard to which food stuffs to use and which to discard. While this argument might have had some merit if Josies Senior Managers had commenced disciplinary proceedings afte r Josie admitted that the recent outbreak of food poisoning was potentially attributable to her having served out of date food stuffs in the staff canteen, the fact that such proceedings were only initiated after the article was published in the Bramley Gazette, renders this version of events highly improbable. C. Harriet Jameson has recently returned from sick leave following a serious car accident, which required her to have extensive surgery for major facial injuries. The surgery left her with very visible red scarring on her face. BIS has interviewed her and suggested removing her from her post as Manager of the company creche because the children of the employees have refused to attend: they have been having nightmares, and this is affecting attendance of the female employees at work. Harriet has refused her relocation to the personnel Department, claiming discrimination. The main issue which falls for determination here is whether or not Harriet, if dismissed from her position as Manager of the company crà ¨che, will be able to mount a successful claim against BIS for unfair dismissal. We have been told that Harriet is claiming that she is being discriminated against on the basis of her facial disfigurement. However, in order for this argument to have legal validity, it is necessary that Harriet can satisfy the Tribunal that her facial scarring qualifies her for protection under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. For the purposes of this Act, a ‘person with disability is defined as follows: â€Å"†¦ a person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.† (s. 1(1) DDA 1995) While there is no doubt that Harriets purported disability is physical in nature, in order for her to argue that it is a qualifying impairment, she must satisfy the Tribunal that it is having substantial adverse effects, that those substantial adverse effects will likely remain for the long-term and that they affect her ability to carry out normal day-to-day functions or activities (Department for Work and Pensions, 2005:3). The Guidance issued by the Secretary of State on the definition of disability, pursuant to section 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 confirms that, with some limited exceptions (e.g. for self-inflicted scarring, piercing or tattoos), bodily scarring or disfigurement will be deemed to have substantial adverse effects on a persons ability to undertake normal day-to-day activities (Department for Work and Pensions, 2005:6; Adams, 2008:375). To satisfy the ‘long-term criterion of the 1995 Act, the scarring must either have been present for 12 months or be likely to remain for that period (Adams, 2008:375). In this present case, while the s urgery was only recent, it seems likely, due to its severity, that the scarring will remain for at least this length of time. Having established that Harriet qualified for protection under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, it is now necessary to consider whether or not she has been discriminated against on the basis of her disability. ‘Discrimination is defined by section 5 of the 1995 Act: â€Å"For the purposes of this Part, an employer discriminates against a disabled person if— (a) for a reason which relates to the disabled persons disability, he treats him less favourably than he treats or would treat others to whom that reason does not or would not apply; and (b) he cannot show that the treatment in question is justified.† (s. 5(1) DDA 1995). While it is certainly the case that BIS has asked Harriet to accept a lateral move on the basis of her disability, BIS will seek to show that this did not constitute discrimination because it was not approp riate for her to remain working with children, in light of the effect that her disfigurement has had on them, in practice. In the opinion of this author, BIS has acted reasonably and proportionately in asking Harriet to relinquish her role as Manager of the company crà ¨che and to accept an alternative employment position in the company. As Adams (2008:367) argues, albeit in a slightly different context, â€Å"An employer†¦ may be justified in refusing to employ as a model for cosmetics someone who suffers from a disfiguring scarring†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In conclusion, if Harriet refuses to accept BISs offer of alternative employment, BIS will be entitled to terminate her contract, without fear of any legal repercussions under the Employment Rights Act 1996 or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. References/ Bibliography The Employment Rights Act 1996. The Employment Rights Act 2002. The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. Stedman v United Kingdom (1997) 23 E.H.R.R. CD 168. The Human Rights Act 1998. Copsey v WWB Devon Clays Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 932. The European Convention on Human Rights 1950. Campbell and Cosans v United Kingdom (1982) 4 EHRR 293. Arrowsmith v UK (1978) 3 EHRR 218. R (Begum) v Governors of Denbigh High School [2006] UKHL 15. Sandberg, R., 2009. The Changing Position of Religious Minorities in English Law: The Legacy of Begum. In RD Grillo (ed.), Legal Practice and Cultural Diversity, Ch. 14. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited. Nairns, J., 2007. Employment law for business students. 3rd edition. London: Pearson Education Publishing. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Babula v Waltham Forest College [2007] EWCA Civ 174. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Kuzel v Roche Products Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 380. Department for Work and Pensions, 2005. Disability Discrimination Act consultation document: guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability. London: The Stationary Office. Adams, A., (2008). Law for business students. 5th edition. London: Pearson Education Publishing.

Essay about Descartes First Meditation - 924 Words

Descartes#8217; first meditation, his main objective is to present three skeptical arguments to bring doubt upon what he considers his basic beliefs. Descartes believes this to be an intricate part of his complete epistemological argument. Descartes skeptical arguments are not intended to be a denial of his basic beliefs. On the contrary, he uses these arguments to help prove one of his main theses, which is the existence of God. One of the main premises that Descartes uses in his proof for the existence of God comes from the evil demon argument, which he proposed, in the first meditation. It is this evil demon argument, which will be the topic of the following discussion. The purpose of Descartes#8217; evil demon argument is to†¦show more content†¦Therefore meaning that the world that we live in, the external world, is non-existent and merely a mirage placed into our minds by an evil demon. Obviously, to any sane person, this would sound irrational, but this is the p ossible world that Descartes presents to establish doubt in his common beliefs, mainly his belief that there exists an external world. One of the questions that needs to be raised when discussing Descartes#8217; first meditation and his skeptical arguments is; is it possible to completely separate one#8217;s self from all their current beliefs? For this is what Descartes sets out to do in the first meditation. This question is highly relevant in terms of Descartes evil demon argument, for it appears no matter what, he is not able to separate himself from his belief in God. Descartes#8217; argument is not that the evil demon is replacing God, which would seem to be the logical view. Instead, Descartes says that the evil demon is coexisting with God. Therefore, even though Descartes claims to be starting at ground zero and proceeding to prove that his common beliefs are true, he never actually denies the existence of God. In the later meditations, he reveals his belief in innate ideas and the existence of God is one of them. Yet as far as Descartes evil demon argument is concerned, the fact that he maintains this belief in God throughoutShow MoreRelatedDescartes Meditations On First Philosophy1318 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophical Questions November 2, 2017 Cogito Ergo Sum Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy and his questioning of our existence in reality is a question which philosophers have tackled throughout time. Cogito ergo sum or I think therefore I am, a phrase brought about by Descartes is the backbone of his whole philosophy of our existence in reality. As long as we are thinking things, we exist. 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Grading Machines free essay sample

There has been a push to evaluate English essays through online grading machines recently. Teachers would virtually have no role in judging student writing and only need to submit the essays to the site. The process is quite meaningless; the site would scan for plagiarism, check the writing formulas, and ensure that the structure is precise. Therefore, the process would be entirely based on the structure  ­essentially without any focus on the actual content. As long as the grammar and vocabulary are correct, the student would receive a stellar grade. If grading machines were introduced, it would make writing essays much easier and save students a lot of time. However, such an innovation would be a major setback and an atrocity for our literary future. The unique style of each student would disappear once online grading sites are instituted. Since the essays would be based purely on structure, the desire to articulate thoughtful and profound content will inevitably fade. We will write a custom essay sample on Grading Machines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page  ­Essays will not represent the students voice; instead they will essentially become simple mathematical equations. The inner core of true literature, an expression of the soul and innate creativity, would soon be forgotten. Writing devices would become vestigial. Why write a complex simile or metaphor when a simple sentence would suffice? Though essays based on a formula would make English class decisively easier, they would be detrimental to the students inner growth and reflection. The true purpose of writing is to form personal  ­perspectives and personal identity. Such values must not be collectivized and disregarded. Once the formula becomes the most important part of an essay, each will sound same as the next. Furthermore, essentially every subject is objective; math problems each have one answer, history has one story, and science has one solution. However, English takes on many forms with its many styles. People can view a story based on their own interpretation. In literature, you can say that 2+2=5 and that 1 is infinite. Grand possibilities only exist through writing, in which there is no defined right answer, but instead an opportunity to create something that is truly unique and phenomenal. Scholars do not study great writers like Shakespeare for his formula of a play. They do not care the most about his structure of a love story. Instead, they care about how the story is presented, the emotions of the characters, and the creativity of the story. Leo Tolstoys War and Peace is not a classic because its formulaic. George Orwells Animal Farm has not achieved notoriety for being simple or straightforward. True classics are assembled with marvelous artistry, which online sites would cause to die. A successful movement to install grading machines would be a detrimental move toward uniformity. Great literature thrives on creative, progressive, and convoluted thoughts. Simply grading based on structure would destroy writing and make it truly objective. Literature without creativity is like a painting with no color or flamboyance; it loses its meaning, its dramatic nature, everything. To protect the sanctity of writing, these corrupt grading machines must be abandoned. The future of literature depends on it. If these ghastly machines become popular, the entire world will become one cliche.