Abstract This paper looks at the central concept of Islamic cosmology and then goes on to explain Sufism and why it should be viewed as a spiritual dimension of Islam. Furthermore, based on the research cited, the paper concludes that the emergence of Sufism is a natural development within the religion and a necessary revelation of Islamic faith.
From the Paper "Nasr states categorically that Sufism is a part of the Islamic tradition that extends the spiritual and the ' esoteric' dimensions of the faith. "The truth and reality of the inner teachings of Islam became crystallized mostly in Sufism. Sufism therefore embodies more than any other facet of Islam the various aspects of Islamic spirituality". (Nasr, 1987. p 3) As such, Islamic Sufism also extends and adds to the understanding of the essential cosmological elements that characterize Islam. Sufism is related to these cosmological aspects as an extension and a deepening of the spirituality of Islam."
Abstract This paper analyzes the life story of Muhammad according to the rites-of-passage model of Arnold van Gennep and Victor Turner, the relationship between the life story of Muhammad, and some of the key principles of Islamic cosmology and the ways in which Muhammad's life story might be linked to the cosmological traditions of the religions out of which Islam emerged.
From the Paper "The rites-of-passage model, explained by Victor Turner, "indicate and constitute transitions between states" of ?relatively fixed or stable conditions.? This model contains three phases, pre-liminal, liminal, and post-liminal characterized by certain transitional traits: during the pre-liminal phase the individual or group ?comprises symbolic behavior signifying detachment from an earlier fixed point in the social structure or a set of cultural conditions;? during the liminal phase ?the state of the ritual subject is ambiguous; he passes through a realm that has few or none of the attributes of the past or coming state;? and during the post-liminal ?the passage is consummated.? "
Abstract This paper critiques and analyzes Mary Douglas's major work, "Natural Symbols: Explorations in Cosmology", and looks at the main thesis of the book, which revolves around the idea that rules of physical body turn into natural symbols for decoding the norms of the society.
From the Paper "Douglas believes natural symbols play an important role in determining the nature of various social and religious rituals and practices. How we perceive a norm is connected with how we view bodily functions and vice versa. In this book, the author gives us an explanation of how our perception of human bodily functions is an extension of different social experiences."
Abstract This paper discusses Dine cosmology and how it is structured. It describes Dine as a homology and shows how Dine holds that all elements derive from a common source. The paper discusses the roles of baskets, hooghans and textiles and then shows how they represent universal structures, elements, colors, numbers, shapes and forms within Dine belief.
From the Paper "Without the strict binaries that characterize the cosmologies of other cultures, the Dine propose a more integrated vision of the universe. The breath of life permeates everything, and life is cyclical and eternal. Death means only a transition from one phase of life or one form of life to another. Upon death, the same basic elements of creation continue to characterize life and that individual. The number four is structural and represents not only the four elements of moisture, air, substance and heat but also the four cardinal directions and the movement of the sun throughout the year. Directionality and the compas points denote the sacred geography that characterizes the Navajoland and Dine cosmos. As a result, the hooghan is constructed with four main structural poles. Each pole corresponds to a direction with the entrance of the house always in the east. The poles create special sections within the hooghan that are also linked to sacred geography and directionality. A fifth pole flanks the doorway, demarcating the presence of the fifth element."
Abstract This paper attempts to defend the cosmological argument for the existence of God against the theory of evolution by presenting arguments in favor of the cosmological argument, refuting some of the major objections against it and elaborating the weaknesses of the evolutionary theory.
Outline:
The Cosmological Argument
Criticisms of the Cosmological Argument & their Refutation
The Theory of Evolution
Does the Theory of Evolution Negate the Cosmological Argument?
Conclusion
From the Paper "Man has sought to unravel the mysteries about the origins of the universe, life, and mankind itself since times immemorial. Philosophers, theologians, and scientists have thought hard and deep through the ages and put forwarded divergent theories about the mystery. These have eventually boiled down to two major and contrary ideas, i.e., the "evolutionary" theory that life was created by pure chance and has over time evolved into ever-more complex forms of life through a process of natural selection, and the theist argument that an outside supreme force (God) was responsible for the start of the universe and life. The "Cosmological Argument" for the existence of God and the "theory of evolution" best represent the two divergent schools of thought on this important argument."
Abstract This paper discusses how the modern discoveries of physics, astronomy, cosmology and biology have provided mankind with a compellingly robust set of proofs for the existence of God. The purpose of this paper is to examine what some of these good reasons are for believing in God's existence. It also includes an examination of the following classical proofs for God's existence: the cosmological argument and the teleological argument, which is also known as the argument from design. The cosmological argument is examined with respect to views of both Plato and Aristotle because of their great influence on other proponents of the cosmological argument.
Outline:
Introduction
The Cosmological Argument
The Teleological Argument
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "How does one possess knowledge of something? Knowledge allows one to attempt to ask what something is and why it is; "it also inquires into the grounds of this knowledge - including knowledge of and talk about God." The act of knowing is one, which provides both arguments and proofs. One trait, which is common to the method of formulating proofs, is that of repetition. Proofs can take on many different dimensions: "the proof of a mathematician, the proof a natural scientists who proceeds by experiment, the proof of a lawyer, a historian, a literary researcher, or the proof of a doctor when he diagnoses an illness." The 'proofs of God's existence' are of a completely different nature than those aforementioned. This is true because God is immaterial and transcends the universe. He cannot be proved by a series of bullet experiments. It is inevitable that one will approach the issue of God's existence with a set of presuppositions. "
Abstract This paper examines the implications, relevance, and significance that the current, best theories in physics and cosmology have for the understanding of our lives and our place in the world. In particular, it seeks to determine what our best theories in physics and cosmology, including relativity theory, quantum theory, and big bang cosmology, imply about the nature of the physical world and about the nature of our selves. An overview of these best theories is followed by an analysis of their implications, relevance, and significance today, followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.
From the Paper "According to Bergmann (2004), the general theory of relativity was developed in response to the need to extend the new space and time concepts of the special theory of relativity from the domain of electric and magnetic phenomena to all of physics and, particularly, to the theory of gravitation. Because space and time relations are the foundation of all physical phenomena, researchers recognized the inherent constraints in applying mutually contradictory concepts of space and time to explain different types of interactions, particularly in view of the fact that the same particles may interact with each other in several different ways-electromagnetically, gravitationally, and through the so-called nuclear forces (Bergmann 2004)."
Abstract This paper describes dark energy, or anti-gravity, and debates theories of universe expansion, touching on Einstein's theory of relativity and cosmological constant. It also talks about the equation of state of the universe and its impact on universe expansion or contraction. It looks at how there are many theories about dark energy from the quintessence theory and the topological defect theory to the cosmological constant theory. It explains that, by analyzing the equation of state of this energy and evaluating current theories, scientists can construe a plausible theory for the fate of the universe.
From the Paper "Physicists started negotiating and theorizing about the possibility of a dark energy around the turn of the century. One generally un-disproved theory from that time is that which relates the equation of state to the "cosmological constant". The cosmological constant (often called lambda) was proposed by Einstein in 1917 to make the universe unchanging in his equations (5). He was generally unsure of this idea, and rejected this theory shortly after it was determined that the universe is perpetually growing. However, his idea of a cosmological constant is currently applied to the universe in a slightly different way, setting the equation of state constant (5)(4). The current theories of dark energy date back to 1998 when supernovae were discovered to be dimmer than expected."
Abstract This paper discusses R. G. Collingwood's book, "The Idea of Nature". The paper examines whether the modern view of nature is closer to the ancient than the renaissance view. The paper illustrates how Collingwood analyzes the principle characteristics of three periods of cosmological thinking in the history of European thought: Greek, Renaissance and the Modern. The paper explains that by taking such an approach, Collingwood makes it possible for his readers to distinguish the similarities as well as fundamental differences between the modern view of nature and that of Greek and Renaissance cosmology.
From the Paper "In fact, Collingwood himself suggests as much at several points in his book. For instance, in his introduction he observes, "The modern view of Nature owes something both to Greek and to Renaissance cosmology, but it differs from each in fundamental ways." (p. 9) Thus, it is evident that Collingwood is conscious of the dangers inherent in any comparison that does not examine the antecedents of a particular school of thought. In fact, to avoid falling into such a trap, he takes meticulous care to establish how the scholars within a particular period and across eras built on the work of their predecessors by identifying and addressing loopholes and unanswered questions."
Abstract This paper explores comets; the astronomical bodies made up of frozen gases and dust particles, which orbit the solar system. The author discusses how comets develop, their structure, their volatility, and the important role that comets play in the revolution of astronomy and cosmology. The paper also contains a detailed description of Halley's Comet.
From the Paper "Comet structures are diverse and very dynamic, but they all develop a surrounding cloud of diffuse material, called a coma, that usually grows in size and brightness as the comet approaches the Sun. Usually a small, bright nucleus (less than 10 km in diameter) is visible in the middle of the coma. The coma and the nucleus together constitute the head of the comet."
Abstract An analysis of the great questions that have beset the religious and scientific worlds as the last few centuries have seemingly brought about collision between the two. This is perhaps the greatest issue that faces modern debate in either religion or cosmology. This essay looks at the main questions at hand and the ramifications of the scientific theories currently in vogue. It considers them on an individual basis and precisely what they mean for individual Christian understandings of the model of the universe.
From the Paper "The question of the reconciliation of Christian and Scientific ideas of creation carries with it a number of significant implications and ideas which must be examined in some details before any kind of answer can be reached. The most obvious element of this is the question of what precisely is meant by a Christian concept of creation. This could easily be an idea as broad as the number of Christians. The fundamentalist creationist account is one idea but then anything which posits God as what might be called the cause of the universe is realistically a form of Christian concept of creation. The ultimate upshot of any examination of this issue, then, is that Christian creation is easily reconcilable with science because anything that science postulates could have happened could have been put in place by God. The main issue, then, in this examination, must be that of assessing the way, if at all, science allows the presence of a creator be it in the capacity of an inexplicable early event or the creator of the Genesis account. The answer to this question is that cosmology has been able to assemble a model of the universe which, broadly speaking, functions without need for a creator God. This in no way makes it impossible for Christianity to, as it were, add God on to the existing model but would suggest, although certainly not conclusively, a self-sufficient model of the universe which is likely to be free of the presence of a divine creator."
Abstract The essay reveals that the argument primarily suggests the innate existence of ideas. Descartes employs his famous "dream argument" to argue that the idea of one's own existence proves the difference between objective and subjective reality.
Abstract This paper looks at the lives of Plato and Aristotle and compares their upbringings. It then compares their main ideas towards epistemology, cosmology, ethics, and politics.
From the Paper "Plato is believed to be the most influential thinker in the history of Western culture (Howland, 1993). He was strongly influenced by Socrates before him. Plato was in his twenties when the seventy-year-old Socrates' career ended with a political trial and his death. Plato created his own philosophy based on ostensible conversations and dialogues he witnessed between Socrates and others. Similarly, Aristotle became a student of Plato when he just seventeen years old. He became a leader in philosophy, and today is seen as an icon of difficult or abstruse philosophical thinking. This paper will describe the philosophies of these great thinkers."
Abstract This paper explains that all the great philosophers, from the ancients to the moderns, proposed and developed the concept of God. The author points out that the ontological arguments seek to establish the existence of God on the basis of logic. The paper relates that the most common and ancient among all the traditional classical arguments is the teleological argument, which attempts to prove the existence of God within the systematization of universe.
From the Paper "There was a shortcoming in the view of Descartes which was sorted out through an attempt of Gottfried Leibniz. Leibniz argues that the arguments of Descartes are not perfect as it has not been shown that the concept of the being which is Supreme and perfect is coherent, or that it is possible for a supremely perfect being to exist. He then argued that perfections cannot be analysed and thus it cannot be shown that perfections are not compatible, and this led him to conclude that all the perfections can exist simultaneously in one entity. The arguments of St. Anselm, Descartes and Leibniz have interesting connections to the recent arguments of Godel, Plantinga and Malcolm. Among these, the most interesting are the arguments of Godel and Plantinga. At the same time, it is difficult to say whether the claims of these authors really lead to any further proofs of the prevalence of God."
Abstract The paper explains that the Rapture doctrine may not be spelled out in the Bible, but it is epistemologically and theologically consistent with the books of the Gospels and of Revelation, as well as the expressed notion of Jesus's cosmological significance. The author points out that the Rapture is a physical action that is prefigured in the Old Testament and makes reference to what will occur during the Rapture, that is, a cleansing and a removal of the faithful from the world of idols into an equally, physically manifest world of heavenly life. The paper relates that, in John 14:2-3, Christ foretells his coming back to the earth after the crucifixion and resurrection of his body.
From the Paper "Although the word "rapture" itself, nor the doctrinal explanation of "rapture" in its strictest sense, is not to be found in the scriptures of either the Hebraic or the New Testaments, this does not invalidate its truth. It is true as well that the idea of the coming even where all the faithful will be physically taken up into the spiritual bosom of Christ is not specifically and literally cited in scripture, either. But the idea of rapture as expressed in the Christian community today amongst the faithful is an idea that is manifest throughout the Holy Bible."
