Augustine’s Conception of Sin in Confessions - 1700 Words

In this paper I will write about Augustine and his thoughts and ideas on sin in the Confessions, where sin originates and whether or not I believe that Augustine’s conception of sin has a place in modern society. From all of this I will conclude that through Augustines work and findings, Augustine’s conception of the human person and their human actions are somewhat relevant today, due to the fact Augustine set a standard for what human nature is, known as the ability to desire, think and do, yet, people see the human differently today than Augustine did. At the same time his ideas of original sin and how the evil nature of humans is associated with original sin are still very relevant today. Augustine is our exemplar to human nature, as well as the guideline to what it means to be human. He demonstrates both the good and bad qualities that humans obtain and show that not everything can always be all-good. In the Confessions Augustine talks about how he knows about his own imperfections. He states â€Å"At one time in adolescence I was burning to find satisfaction in hellish pleasures† (Augustine, Confessions, pg. 24). Many of his imperfections have brought a new way of thinking about the human being. In the Confessions, Augustine focuses on his autobiography and how sin comes from inside us humans. From this we have learned about the term introspective conscience and how it depicts when someone is constantly looking at him or herself and looking at the motivation to sin.Show MoreRelatedAugustines View of Humanity1047 Words   |  4 PagesTopic:Essay Assignment Augustines Confessions Throughout Confessions, Augustines view humans-- essential nature interesting dif ferences , time periods civilizations, humans. The classical Greeks , optimistic, Europeans Renaissance Age Enlightenment, humans optimistically: center measure creation; supreme strivers, good evil; characterized reason, inherently good perfectible. Instructions: Essay Assignment on Augustines Confessions Throughout his Confessions, Augustines view of humans--our essentialRead MoreIn Confessions By Saint Augustine He Recognizes That Friendships1329 Words   |  6 PagesIn Confessions by Saint Augustine he recognizes that friendships are necessities to human life because they bring people happiness and during the course of his life he ponders the role of happiness plays in his life. The philosophical term for happiness is Eudaimonia which is imperative to creating a whole person. Friends help strengthen and encourage Augustine to find a sense of community and belonging. He evaluates his friendships over the course of the three life stages. These stages in his lifeRead MoreAugustine Reflection Essay1386 Words   |  6 Pages The first two books of â€Å"Augustine’s Confessions† focuses primarily on his intellectual formation, his spirituality, and his education. Undoubtedly, Augustine is a very inquisitive individual, and obsesses over his sins. In doing so, Augustine poses all his questions to God, because he believed that our sole existence is to please God until we return to his presence. Moreover, Augustine’s primary lesson learned through his reflection, was that young Christians would benefit more from the studyRead MoreAugustine’s Journey to the Truth in The Confessions of St. Augustine952 Words   |  4 PagesIn the Confessions by Saint Augustine, this great philosopher experiences many problems and emotions related to sin and evil. As a boy, he often felt darkness, blindness, and confusion while attempting to find rest in God. Augustine started out in childhood with a restless heart because he had to live in two different worlds. These worlds consisted of his mother’s Christian faith, and the world of everything else. These two worlds confused and disturbed Augustine as a child. Augustine’s father wasRead More Evil and Sin Essay1624 Words   |  7 Pagesof the paradox of sin. How can a world created by a su premely good God contain evil? What is sin and, if everything was created by God, where did it come from? Intellectuals in the Middle Ages explored these questions and each arrived at their own shade of conclusion. To use a chromatic analogy, all could be called red, but with their own tints and tinges. For example, Dante Alighieris masterpiece The Divine Comedy can be thought of as an explication of his conception on sin. He spends two-thirdsRead MoreThe Early Days of the Christian Church: Sin and Salvation1284 Words   |  5 PagesThe controversy started in the 5th century when Pelagius a British spiritual director heard a bishop quote from Augustine’s Confessions. The quote stated, â€Å"Grant what you command and command what you will†. Pelagius believed the quote allowed humans to avoid taking responsibility for choosing to sin. Pelagius’ views on the nature of sin and grace not only conflicted with Augustine’s views but they conflicted with the church’s views. Prior to the controversy, the church’s main concern had beenRead MoreAnalysis Of St. Augustine s The Confessions 1297 Words   |  6 PagesFour-Page Essay In Books VIII and IX of the Confessions, St. Augustine describes a long and difficult personal spiritual journey to the end of being to accept and receive God’s grace. Augustine finally had to come to terms with his own intellectual and moral pride masquerading as autonomy and independence. He finally realized that his intellect could not serve as a tool to help a will incapable of overcoming his own sin. One useful way to compare Augustine’s spiritual struggle is to see in it some similaritiesRead MoreRelationship between St Augustine and Plato1773 Words   |  8 Pagestruth.† (Confessions 189) Something that puzzled St. Augustine was how memory worked. He did not understand the concepts of skills, images, and even forgetfulness. Augustine is certain that he remembers forgetfulness itself, and yet forgetfulness destroys what we remember. (Fiero 43-46) Augustine’s last bit of effort-included information about memory assembles pieces of an eternal knowledge found deep in the soul. Which was later accessed by Thomas Aquinas who was a student of St. Augustine’s. TheRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Human Nature1140 Words   |  5 Pagescreated with the freedom to do as they choose, despite any possible omniscience of God. However, they will still be held accountable for any vice or sin committed. Augustine believes the intellect holds all truth, but the will has the capacity to choose. The will does not always follow the intellect. So, one can willingly do wrong on Augustine’s view if the will decides to make the ultimate decision. Augustine feels while one’s choices are ultimately part of God s plan; one should still haveRead MoreThe Confessions, Book Xi : Time And Eternity2932 Words   |  12 PagesStocker Augustine s Confessions, Book XI: Time and Eternity Augustine s Confessions is a series of complex books that he compiled to elucidate his relationship with an all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving God who is also the Creator of all things. Confessions recapitulates that those who have commenced their return to God must acknowledge their state before God so that He might set them free. It should be mentioned that Chan and Outler each point out that the word confessions has a two fold meaning

Benjamin Franklin Believed Moderation Most Important...

Benjamin Franklin’s most important virtue is moderation, without it many individuals could get disorientated to the point where stimulation dominants their daily lives. Benjamin Franklin said, â€Å"Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.† However, the extreme consequence of moderation is that the creativity in many individuals wouldn’t exist. If the new ideas and inspirations of creative individuals can’t grow than evolution can’t take place. Therefore, if moderation is used carefully in a society, it is an important virtue for present and future generations. Moderation balances all qualities of life and helps individuals to cherish these qualities. Joseph Hall giving an example stated, â€Å"Moderation is†¦show more content†¦Yet moderation only makes the individuals enjoy the desires of everyday life. â€Å"Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.† (Epicurus) The gratification of an experience is better delayed so that the qualities and true desires for significant options are available in the future. Stimulation takes a big part of an individual’s life, causing the mental health to think of inadequate attempts of suicide. Statics from Lifeline’s 2012 Stress Poll says average humans stress on thoughts about the future (51%) and has continued to be the biggest contributors in suicides. Many people believe that suicide victims are infested with lies and don’t take caution to suicidal individuals. The National Institute of Mental Health have aware the citizens of United States in 2010 by warning â€Å"Most suicide attempts are expressions of extreme distress, not harmless bids for attention. A person who appears suicidal should not be left alone and needs immediate mental-health treatment. Studies showed that a type of psychotherapy called cognitive therapy reduced the rate of repeated suicide attempts by 50 percent during a year of follow-up6.† In our nation, many suicidal citizens are constantly trying to be accepted into modern society, this loses mod eration and the inspiration to live every day. This is some of the many notes of individuals taking their own lives by over thinking the future and present stimulation: In 1954, 49-year-old John Thomas Doyle took his own life. PeopleShow MoreRelatedF. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby1299 Words   |  6 Pagesto most, it simply means rising from humble beginnings to great success through hard work and determination. Benjamin Franklin, a great American leader, pursued the American Dream through the creation of his â€Å"13 Moral Virtues.† Like Benjamin Franklin, Jay Gatsby, the main character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, created his own list of virtues as a child that he believed would make him successful if done correctly. This list contains items that overlap many of the ideas Benjamin FranklinRead MoreBenjamin Franklin Virtue Essay997 Words   |  4 PagesBenjamin Franklin came up with the idea to make his life better by trying to be perfect in every way. This can otherwise be known as trying to reach a state of moral perfection, in which one could find themselves being happy with the life they live, a nd also living a pure, sinless life. It has come to be questioned if attempting to achieve moral perfection is a worthwhile goal. In the end of his experiment he ended up not being able to reach or achieve his goal but learned a very crucial, very valuableRead MoreBenjamin Franklins Arriving at Perfection Essay953 Words   |  4 PagesPerfection? Can any one person be perfect? Benjamin Franklin believed that he could accomplish this task. Benjamin Franklin was known for being a cognizant and diligent perfectionist. During his lifetime, many people were concerned with correcting themselves of any fault that they may have had. Benjamin Franklin did have an interesting way to proclaim how he, could show everyone how to be perfect. He believes that he can make himself perfect. Even though his ways of being perfect are not the sameRead MoreFranklin And The American Dream Essay1486 Words   |  6 Pageshave studied the life of Benjamin Franklin would say, he was the man who invented the American Dream. His unfinished autobiography, written in the late 1700’s, is a perfect insight into the society he was developing in and his passion to benefit his community. His worth ethic and determination led to his many accomplishments that helped shape the New World. Franklin’s involvement in community projects in Philadelphia was very important to him and reflected his idea of the virtuous life and moral perfectionRead More Franklin Essay1455 Words   |  6 Pagesthis life, or is it impossible? Benjamin Franklin was an extremely brilliant and talented individual. He constantly sought ways to improve himself. After he read â€Å"The Spectator† he put in a very dedicated effort to imitate their style of writing because he loved how precise the authors wrote out their thoughts. Franklin was also a relatively religious man or at least believed enough to try to be a morally righteous man so that he would avoid his way into hell. Through these beliefs and vir tues FranklinRead MoreBenjamin Franklin : The Legacy Of Moral Perfection, And Franklin s Religion Essay1310 Words   |  6 PagesBenjamin Franklin is often known as one of the Founding Father of the United States, or further a famous politician. However, people should know that he also was a scientist, an author, a printer, postmaster, inventor, civic activist and a diplomat. He owned a diverse talent. And whenever we discuss about talented people, it is always attractive. Franklin was not an exception, his life was totally full of interesting stories. Through his autobiography, we can know more about this great person. DespiteRead MoreThe Ideal American Vision : Benjamin Franklin Vs. John Winthrop2087 Words   |  9 PagesAmerican Vision: Benjamin Franklin vs. John Winthrop Billions of people all over the nation and world have heard of the ideal American vision to be defined as a perfect set of rules and regulations that provide the ideal conditions for living life. Though many people to this day may still argue their understanding of these idealistic views, there is an ideniable truth that it was two most influential figures in history from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Benjamin Franklin and John WinthropRead MoreThe Quest to Moral Perfection 1689 Words   |  7 Pagesthat dates to the times before Christ, where the idea of moral perfection was used to determine one’s right of passage into heaven. It was not until Benjamin Franklin, who published a guide within of his autobiography, describing thirteen steps to achieving moral perfection. Franklin used these morality milestones to thrive in living a successful life and eventually become one of the founding fathers of the United States. Great leaders have different characters that are expected from them beyondRead MoreThe Success Of The American Revolution1304 Words   |  6 Pagesfor technological advancements that would change American’s life forever. After every war, the development of a country increases. As for the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin influenced and created a huge contribution in his politics, scientifical research, and for his war effort. During the American Revolution Era there was a strong conflict between Britain and the thirteen colonies that was resolved with Franklin’s help. â€Å"Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706† (Goldman)Read More Herman Melvilles Bartleby, the Scrivener Essay3521 Words   |  15 Pagesuses this narrative to attack the mythology previous autobiographers such as Benjamin Franklin created concerning the archetypal, self-made American man -- the new sons of Adam. For Melville, it was a mythology and persona that no longer applied because it supported a burgeoning class of capitalists, destined in the future to become the robber barons, who placed a higher value on the utilitarian ethics espoused by Franklin than on humanity. This Adam with whom the narrator identifies, becomes at

Social Expectations and Identity Development Free Essays

string(110) " expectations and rules that don’t belong to the society where he lives, but rather to a 4 foreign society\." Mounia RBIHA SSK1204 Social Expectations and Identity Development 1 The task that the individual is confronted to during his adolescence is to get socialized. Adolescents are strongly requested to deal with socialization. During this process, the adolescent encounters all the society’s demands and standards. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Expectations and Identity Development or any similar topic only for you Order Now The challenge that remains at that stage for the adolescent is to form his own place in the society where he lives. Moreover, he has to feel that he fits in that place. All through the socialization, the adolescent has to consider the social expectations because he can’t forge his personality regardless of the surrounding environment and the external rules. Social expectations can push the adolescents to change their behaviors, their way of thinking. Actually, social expectations shape the identity of the adolescent. Freedom and independence are two major concepts that the individual tries to search for during his adolescence. Freedom and independence have a special meaning for the adolescent which is to not to be compelled or forced to do something. The adolescent doesn’t want to feel the pressure on him. This pressure becomes greater when it comes to social rules and expectations because the adolescent may feel that he is judged according to the society’s standards and conventions. Sometimes, adolescents may perceive these expectations as a challenge that they have to win, and according to Crockett and Silbereisen, â€Å"adolescents are thought to perceive social expectations and to define tasks for themselves based on these expectations†, (p. 6, 1999). From this view, the social expectations seem inescapable. The adolescent can’t deal with the external world without these expectations. This requirement is frequently responsible for the rebellion. (Geldard, Geldard, 2004). The adolescent feels that he is surrounded by different rules that don’t fit necessarily his personality. So, sometimes he feels the need to make some changes in his behavior to make it more socialized. This change that occurs varies from an adolescent to 2 another depending on how the adolescent accept it. Some of them can perceive that change as a necessity and as a need. So, he would do his best to create a space where he can match his own needs and what he is expected to do. Others would perceive it as a duty where they feel no responsibility. Their change would be not effective since they don’t think that they are in a need of such adjustment to create a harmony between themselves and the society’s expectations. The social expectations involve the interaction with others. In fact, the adolescent cannot form his identity without developing some relationships that link him with the others, as it is said by David Geldard and Kathryn Geldard in their book Counseling Adolescents, â€Å" the adolescent can only construct a personal identity in the context of relationship with others† (2004, p. 1). This fact leads to recall the childhood. Childhood is also a stage in one’s life where the individual is being used to get in touch with the external world. By starting to be socialized, social expectations begin at that specific period of life. Children are supposed to behave in such a way that would make the others call them, sweet or c ute. Nobody would hear someone call a kid a devil in a serious way. Actually, children are expected to be angels. No one can imagine an evil act done by a kid. In the Moroccan society, children are often asked to call someone that they don’t really know khalti or aami depending on the gender, which can be translated as â€Å"aunt† or â€Å"uncle†. Everybody becomes an aunt and an uncle, from the friend of the mother to the neighbor passing by the seller. This naming is spread all over Morocco. It is a rule that links young people and older people. It is a sign of respect regards the older persons. This fact shows one of the society’s expectations regards the individual that starts from childhood and continue during adolescence until adulthood. At that point, children begin to be aware of the presence of different behaviors that are not all accepted and where the choice is not allowed. In fact, they understand that the choice had been done by the society, and this society expects from that child to behave according to its choice. Actually, while being a child, the individual is not given a lot of choice. Most of t he time, he does what older people ask him to do, which he believes is the best alternatives. But at the same time, these demands at this age help children to get used to such expectations that will become bigger and heavier to stand over the next coming years. During the growing up process, the adolescent meets at each stage more social expectations. Sometimes, they get more complicated. In fact, social expectations are the mould where the identity of the individual is put. They define and draw the borders of the identity. According to Levesque in his book Not by Faith Alone, â€Å"social expectations inspire the identity formation process as much as the more obvious biological and cognitive changes. † (2001, p. 36). This is to say that they play a huge role in determining the attitude of the adolescent towards himself and towards the whole society. Due to the hardness of the task of coping with these expectations, there are some adolescents that meet them and others who are unable to achieve them. At the adolescence stage, it is difficult to deal with the society’s expectations. People who are in this case are overwhelmed by these expectations. (Geldard. K, Geldard. D) . For those people, this feeling of inability that haunts them would push them to an â€Å"anti-social behavior† (Geldard. D, Geldard. K. , p. 12, 2004), which is most of the time rebellion. Since he cannot get socialized, the individual chooses isolation. Other times, he can choose to do exactly the opposite of what he is expected to do. For instance, following a set of expectations and rules that don’t belong to the society where he lives, but rather to a 4 foreign society. You read "Social Expectations and Identity Development" in category "Essay examples" The outcomes of those situations are several. Delinquency is one of them. The adolescent can’t find his place among the society members. He starts to search for ways to belong to the marginalized peers, which meets the isolation concept. In fact, this turning to that marginalized members reveals a real lack in the need of belonging. The belonging need is not met, (Geldard,D. , Geldard, K. , 2004). The inability to belong to a group may affect the self esteem of the adolescent. Thus, it can bring a sense of doubt in his own capacities about undertaking some initiatives. This lack of self confidence may push the adolescent to avoid any kind of susceptible situation, as it was said by Eriksson (Muuss, 1999) in his theory of identity development in the conflict about autonomy, shame and doubt. In contrast, people who achieve these expectations feel that their goal is reached, which is about to get socialized. They feel more and more comfortable in that new place where they have just settled. This achieved goal can bring a feeling of satisfaction. The individual can start to be proud of himself and more self confident. Thus, a higher self-esteem of himself could be attained. It would allow him to undertake more initiatives and to be more willing to take actions. In that situation, it is the autonomy part of Eriksson’s theory that it is being satisfied. The adolescent would be no more afraid of relying on himself because he knows that he succeeded in doing the hardest task that he would be asked to accomplish during his entire life, which is to get socialized. Social expectations vary from a society to another depending on its standards and conventions that are tightly related to culture and religion. But in fact, Havighurst, (as cited in Geldar, Geldar. , 2004), has defined some tasks that the adolescent has to make adjustments on and has to achieve. These tasks concern at first the gender and sexual role 5 of the adolescence. The adolescent must accept the role that is attributed to him and create according to that role relationships with peers who belong to that society. Secondly, the adolescent is expected to start preparing his future life by developing some intellectual skills which would help him to have an occupation that will ensure an economic independence. This economic independence will bring the adolescent to prepare for a family life. Finally, the adolescent is required to build a set of values that fit with the environment where he lives in. These expectations form a sequence of achievements. Each expectation generates another one. Also, as the individual goes into age, he faces more complicated expectations that aim mainly the future life that is about adulthood. Moreover, those social expectations vary according to gender. Females and males are not expected to do the same things or to have the same goals or values. In fact, the expectation that was previously mentioned about the sex role is tightly related to this one. Each gender has its own role. Girls may feel that their main goal is to get married and to have children. Boys have to be always strong and never display or show any weakness. These expectations exert a huge pressure on both genders. Additionally, due to these expectations, girls may form long-term goals. They would stop thinking about the present moment, but rather start to prepare for their future lives as spouses and as mothers. Boys, would never act like they feel like to. They would always remember that they don’t have to show their feelings. Failing in achieving these goals and coping with them is often responsible for the appearance of the violent behavior as it is said in Counseling Adolescents. Social expectations could be perceived as a limitation of the development of the dentity. But in some cases, it is considered as the element that saves the individual from 6 identity confusion. The adolescent has to find a landmark that would guide him through the process of the development of his identity. Eriksson refers to peers’ expectations that can be considered also as social expectations since they are members of the society. According to him, the adolescent is in need of these expectations that come specifically from his peers to start having a sense of his identity which is different from the one that he gets from his parents. This distance that the adolescent creates towards his parents marks the end of the strong emotional dependence that he had with them—the departure. To maintain this relationship with parents, the adolescent has to respond to some expectations. Parents often, expect from their children to be and to do what they had wanted to be in their youth. Sometimes they don’t realize deeply what they are asking their children to do. These behaviors can bring the adolescent to form what is called a false identity. The individual doesn’t consider his own needs, or sometimes he can only perceive his needs through the others’ needs. As it is said in Normal Child and Adolescent Development, â€Å"a false identity is also established in adolescents who have grown up in a family in which they continually adapted to their parents’ needs and expectations at the expense of their own innate needs†, (Gemelli, p. 478, 1996). They just want to see and recall their own youth through the one of their children. But at a certain moment, parents find themselves in the obligation of withdrawing from their children’s lives (Geldard, Geldard. , 2004) to give them the opportunity to become independent. Eriksson (Muuss, 1996) believes that this stage of independence is crucial for the adolescent â€Å"to attain a mature identity†, (p. 52). In fact, while the parents’ expectations vanish from the adolescent life, the social expectations in contrast, follow him through all his life. Actually, these expectations help him to stay focus on his own identity and 7 according to Erikson (Muuss, 1996), these expectations becomes more important at the period of entering adulthood because they are more likely to cause crisis due to the fundamental changes that they may set off. Living in a community requires giving oneself up to its rules. Social expectations are the primary rules that the individual is confronted to during all his life. So, the individual can not act and react only depending on his own point of view. A whole society must be considered. In fact, it is not a simple task for an adolescent, especially when he is in a position that doesn’t allow him to judge any of those expectations. Thus, the formation of his identity depends on how he coped with these social expectations and if he reached his goals by accomplishing the tasks that these expectations define for him. How to cite Social Expectations and Identity Development, Essay examples