Biology Questions: What is wrong with Naturalism?

I personally would say the biggest belief of a naturalist that I find completely wrong and intangible is the belief that living organisms came from non-living organisms, or otherwise referred to as spontaneous generation. It cannot be proved that living matter can come from non-living matter. This belief not only strips us of purpose, but it would mean that everything, all the intricacies of this planet are all formed by accident, that emotions and feels were all generated by lifeless matter. To me, this seems completely impossible. The belief that all of this came about by accident, and continues to come about by accident takes more faith than the belief in an all-powerful creator in my perspective.

Secondly, naturalists state their views on macroevolution as facts when in reality it cannot be tested or proved. They place so much of their beliefs on chance, that we all came to being living, breathing, emotion-filled beings by CHANCE. They attempt to prove their views on macroevolution by using microevolution, something that is nowhere near proving macroevolution to be true, they are completely different and that is therefore unreliable.

Lastly, overall naturalism fails to provide a logical explanation for the origin of life and how it has sustained for so many years. The belief in naturalism discredits all forms of knowledge, logic, or emotions. How then can they explain sadness or cleverness. If it is merely an extension of the physical then it does not exist the way that we most often feel it. If one believes in the feelings or intuition that they have then they are in turn disproving naturalism.

Thought Piece

I never saw a Moor -Emily Dickinson
I never saw a Moor-
I never saw the Sea-
Yet know I how the Heather looks
And what a Billow be.

I never spoke with God
Nor visited in Heaven-
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the Checks were given-

I believe that the meaning of this poem revolves around a comparison, as well as something that most readers can relate to. Many people have not seen in person the Eiffel Tower, but they believe that it exists and they know what it looks like. This same idea is presented as Emily Dickinson's argument for why and how she believes in God. In the first stanza she speaks of things she has not seen but still understands and then indirectly in the second stanza she compares this to her belief in a God and heaven. If someone was to read just the lines "I never saw a Moor- I never saw the Sea- Yet know I how the Heather looks And what a Billow be" they would not understand the meaning to be representative of her faith in God. As a whole meaning, Emily is presenting the idea of faith in the unseen, and despite the fact that some may criticize this when it comes to religion, many do not realize that they make assumptions such as these on an everyday basis. Even people that are non-religious could relate with the first stanza of the poem, so Dickinson effectively draws the reader in with something they can relate to and then compares this with her religious beliefs. She is as certain of the waves (billows) in the sea as she is certain of Heaven and the presence of God. The last line "As if the Checks were given" shows that to her this idea is concrete and just as valuable as if she was holding something in her hand. Checks are tangible and are therefore representative of how she views her beliefs. The comparison of the first stanza being concrete and provable to God and Heaven shows that she has no differentiation between the two. Overall I see this as a very convincing argument for the belief in a God and Heaven. Although people mock beliefs in things that one has not seen, they too do the same. Although the two stanzas separately could be understood completely different if they were analyzed separately, when they are together the comparison proves a very strong point- that she places her faith in things that she does not always have to see.

Tone Analysis

Sonnet 18- William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And Summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And oft' is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd:
But thy eternal Summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Throughout this poem there is an evident tone of adoration expressed towards the woman to which Shakespeare is writing this. The first section establishes the flaws within a summer’s day which goes on to be compared to the elegance and timeless beauty of the woman. Although some could separate this into separate and slightly shifting tones, moving from being critical and then into adoration, all of the critique was stated in a graceful manner, all with the purpose of making evident his adoration for the woman.  Through the comparison of summer’s declining fervor and the woman’s never ending beauty and poise, the perception of speaker is one of awe and tenderness. Even within the slander of summer, he still references its beauty by recognizing "the darling buds of May," the "gold complexion," and the heat from heaven, which are all good qualities yet he overshadows them by the qualities of this woman that outlast those of summer. He holds her with the highest regard and even in his slander he is referencing all the unending beauty and fairness that she holds. Overall, this poem has a steady tone of admiration and affection for the elegance and timeless beauty of this woman.

 

Personality Test

I am 22% extraverted, 25% sensing, 12% feeling, and 33% judging. This means I am classified at ESFJ. When reading the description of these results it says that I am a "provider." The description ties in directly to what I want to do with my life. I desire to work in the area of psychology. I love to analyze and sympathize with others. It also stated that I cherish the relationships I have with the people around me which is also true. I seem to find myself when I am surrounded by the people I love. Although I am shy to the people I first meet, the relationships I sustain mean more to me than anything. Also, I found it interesting that a provider find most joy in the well-being of others. To me, I also seem to be the happiest when the people around me are happy. The one thing I found very interesting is that it distinguished me as an extravert. I guess in some ways around people that I feel comfortable with then I am an extravert, but around people I do not know or don't feel comfortable with then I am definately an introvert in my opinion.

Crime and Punishment Thought Piece #1

         It is striking how the novel uses so many details in order to reveal how after a double murder was committed, the murderer, Raskolnikov, was constantly worrying about his consequences despite his feeling of satisfaction. For instance, directly after the murders were committed it describes the growing excitement within Raskolnikov as if he took it as a compliment that he was clever enough to follow through with them. After escaping the scene of the crime without notice, this excitement turns into the pride of a job well done. With a growing curiosity that the people around him may know about the gruesome act he had committed, his excitement turns into anguish and a giddy concern. With that in mind, a topic that stands out within the novel is the anticipation for the consequences of one's actions.


        Furthermore, the author accentuates the thought process which enabled a man to commit such a terrible act. "Why am I going there now? Am I capable of that? Is that serious? It is not serious at all. It's simply a fantasy to amuse myself; a plaything! Yes, maybe it is a plaything" (Dostoevsky). This demonstrates the uncertainty within the human mind to be able to commit such a crime. A human mind alone is not fully capable of doing such things without the sway of evil within the world. It is incredibly rare to find a being so drawn to the actual thought of carrying out the harm of others because within a society that discourages such actions, many are not brave enough to follow through with such a thing.

         So, why is this important within the novel? The novel is a very strong representation of the thought processes within the human mind. One is constantly questioning themselves, and questioning what they themselves are capable of. Whether these thoughts lead to such extreme measures as murder or not, everyone explores their own moral rights and wrongs. With a novel so centered with a concentration on consequences, it accurately portrays the timeline of human emotions after committing an act they morally know to be wrong. The more time one spends ignoring their actions, the more they internally focus on it. The initial joy that is caused by getting away with an offense is eventually overshadowed by the realization of the consequences they will eventually face. Dostoevsky uses Crime and Punishment to reveal the human thought process as well as the consequences that follow one’s actions.