Conflict And Functionalist Theories In Religion Sociology Essay

Conflict And Functionalist Theories In Religion Sociology Essay The difference between conflict and functionalist theories on religion are: *Conflict theory refers to religion as the sigh of the oppressed creature, the sentiment of a heartless world, and the soul of the soulless condition. It is the opium of the people. Functionalism is a structural-consensus perspective that views society as a system. As its name implies this theory seeks to define the separate institutions of society in terms of how they function to maintain the social system. It should be noted that sociological research into religion does not attempt to reveal the mysteries of the supernatural, however whilst seeking to understand the role of religion within society some theorists have been drawn to rather unfaithful conclusions. Emile Durkheim, the founding father of functionalism, claimed that all societies divide the world into the sacred and the profane. He observed that even seemingly ordinary objects, for instance a wooden cross, could provoke deep emotions, though they held no intrinsic power. For Durkheim the significance of such objects was symbolic, and for Durkheim the wooden cross did not represent sacrifice and eternal salvation, as with all religious iconography it represented the collective conscience, the shared set of beliefs that bind society together. One common way to define religion is to focus on what are known as functional definitions: these are definitions which emphasize the way religion operates in human lives. When constructing a functional definition is to ask what a religion does usually psychologically or socially. Functional definitions are so common that most academic definitions of religion can be categorized as either psychological or sociological in nature. Psychological definitions focus upon the ways in which religion plays a role in the mental, emotional, and psychological lives of believers. Sometimes this is described in a positive way (for example as a means of preserving mental health in a chaotic world) and sometimes in a negative way (for example as with Freuds explanation of religion as a type of neurosis). Functionalists argue that the role of religion is to preserve the status quo rather than to promote social change. They agree that religion is a beneficial conservative force because it maintains consensus, binds people together and promotes social order. They however see it as having a positive influence, whereas the Marxist view is somewhat more negative in its outlook. (Especially when looking at social change) It is impossible to see how religion can be functioning to socialise the majority of societies members into morality, and integration in the 21st century, when only a minority of people attend church and of course when some of the attendees these days engage in anti moral and antisocial behaviour and to a large extent sizeable percentage of people especially the young teens are been exposed to some of these moral dangers. Having said this, it could be observed that functionalists tend to neglect the areas in which religion has been dysfunctional for society for example in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, religious divisions have caused disruption and conflict rather than promoted social order. Another pertinent point that can be argued is that the post modernist believes that the old sociological searches for the grand explanations of social behaviour and values are pointless. They believe there are no absolute truths, and values in society are only relative ones, this is due to the fact that society is more fragmented due to modernisation, and there are also various ideologies to choose from. Along with this added choice non-traditional beliefs and behaviours are being adopted. People now select their beliefs like they select lifestyles and leisure activities, a good example is the concept of consumerism. This shift away from the traditional has a huge impact on religion according to postmodernists. Religion no longer holds the role of promoting social solidarity and social order that the functionalists argue to be the case. Instead religion has become a personalised entity; it has become pick and mix in a sense. People are becoming more aware and open to new ideas; this could explain the growth in new religious movements. Religion has to shift according to the needs of the people in different social contexts. Theologically, from the bible for instance God recommended in the institution of marriage a unique and acceptable union between a man and a woman in the book of Genesis which has serve as a standard for a while in some part of the world but as a result of man insatiable quest for new ideas, experience and adventure we now have what we call gay marriage which many countries are now institutionalised and drafted into the constitutional right of the citizenry. Undoubtedly, religion had a prominent position in early functionalism. According to Comte, the macrofunctionalist, it prompted simple folk to serve unseen purposes that even clever scholars could barely detect. Durkheim (1912) proposed that religion sacralised social life itself and, because the perspective of society was implicit in all cognition, religion thus served as the foundation of all knowledge. The micro functionalist Malinowski (1948 [1925]) observed that religion established, fixed, and enhanced individual attitudes that were valuable to the collective existence and survival of societies-attitudes such as reverence for tradition, harmony with the environment, and courage in the struggle with difficulties and at the prospect of death. However, many of these functions that used to be the hallmark of religion could no longer uphold the central pillar of the society canon that seems to be falling apart or perhaps, eroding. The Irish society can be cited as an example of a dedicated religious state for many decades, which as a result serve as a way of modelling and tailoring people in a particular direction of social values and norms but unfortunately in todays world all of these norms and values are eroding speedily and consequently peoples way is now perverse, the act of terrorism is now a lifestyle, statistic has revealed alarming rate of people committing or about to commit suicide due to issues related to emotion stress and financial issues just to mention a few, basically these are some of the hole that religion used to fill perfectly in the heart of people. Edit- Nevertheless, it is also true that from the fundamental perspective that religion could relieve social anxiety, that it could provide a sense of security when people are faced with uncontrollable situations. Malinowski observed that when the islanders fished in the calm lagoon, no religious practice was attached, however when faced with the perils of fishing in the open ocean, religious rituals were always performed. In this way, Malinowski believed humans could exert a perceived control over a world in which they held no significant, individual, power. Apparently, this is not really the case anymore why because the greatest problem of insecurity that is most imminent all over the world now can be traced to the fragmented religion sect been propagated Islamic fundamentalist which has changed the world order and shaped how we lived our lives tremendously and consequently create a tense and uneasy atmosphere rather than the secure, hopeful and serene expectations postulated by functionalist school of thoughts. Perhaps the most extreme functionalist assessment of religion has been put forward by the American sociologist Robert Bellah. Bellah has fused Parsons argument that America derives its values from Protestantism and added that to Durkheims belief that the worship of god is the disguised worship of society creating the concept of a civil religion. Bellah believes that what unifies Americans, whichever religion they may be is an overarching civil religion; a faith in Americanism and not necessarily need not contain supernatural belief, Bellah maintains that in America it does. For instance God Bless America is a common phrase, American Presidents swear an oath before god and American currency pronounces to the world In God We Trust. However this god is not the god of any particular creed but a god of America. In this respect faith in America unites all the American peoples. CONCUSION In analyzing religion, functionalists argue that religions serve a number of functions, such as: they preserve and integrate society, create communities of believers, promote social control, provide answers to ultimate questions, provide us with rites of passage, and cultivate social change. Religions may also be dysfunctional in some respects. The conflict perspective suggests that religion is a tool used by the elite to subjugate the masses. The functionalist and conflict perspectives have a number of practical applications, such as providing a link to the understanding of an entire culture and learning much about a particular community. Not least Durkheims prediction of the cult of man. Certainly modern religious phenomena such as having a personal relationship with Jesus , religious trends such as Wicca or even the rise of the tele-evangelist are evidence that religion is becoming less social and more personal. Whether this is mere coincidence or proof of Durkheims prediction is at the very least debatable, but surely it is the human ability to question and wonder that initially gave rise to religion. Apparently, in the times past religion as the functionalist postulated as served as a unifying factor, dictator of status quo, canon of values, bind people together, promote social order and so on in many society but things are changing fast, religion has become so fragmented not only to the extent of eroding the social values that it stood for in the hands of radical fundamentalists to perpetrate terror in the name of religion but it has also facilitate uncountable exposure of people especially the young teens who are vulnerable to diverse moral dangers, the rapid cases of paedophiles across the western hemisphere is a good example. Basically, vast majority of people have lost faith and hope in what used to be a unifying force in the society, people have been wounded both emotionally and psychologically. Rather than binding people together and promoting social order, religion has left more people in a state of disillusioned. It can be aptly concluded that universal functional need can neither be served by religion nor can religion be the sole survival and sustainers of any system in a modern society as once believed by the functionalist scholars. People now have individualistic adorement as against the universal religion that used to determine the way be think, react and live in term of our value system an d one of such things is sport specifically football which has suddenly turned to some kind of god. Obviously, there is a paradign shift from the old values that used to hold any societal system together from the functionalist view to the modernistic era where technology and other things now determines value system.

John Donne: A Poet Out of His Time Essay -- Biography Biographies Essa

John Donne: A Poet Out of His Time      Ã‚   "The first poet in the world in some things," applauded Ben Jonson of his friend, John Donne (Donne, John Donne: A Selection of His Poetry 11). In the midst of the stylized and often frivolous verses of the Elizabethan and cavalier poets, John Donne's work emerges as startling, intellectual, and honest to human nature and emotion- classifying him as the first of the modern poets. Through an exploration of Donne's "The Sun Rising" and "The Flea", we shall reveal Donne's innovative style and technique, and how this repels him from the poetic orthodoxy of the seventeenth century and towards the style of the modern age.    0 "Busy old fool, unruly sun,/ Why dost thou thus?" Donne audaciously denounces the sun itself, a heavenly body worshipped through the ages, in his poem, "The Sun Rising". Moreover, Donne employs an interesting conceit: he uses the routine, everyday phenomena of the rising sun as the basis for a love poem, love being extraordinary, new, and often once-in-a-lifetime. Donne goes on dramatically and arrogantly to thre... John Donne: A Poet Out of His Time Essay -- Biography Biographies Essa John Donne: A Poet Out of His Time      Ã‚   "The first poet in the world in some things," applauded Ben Jonson of his friend, John Donne (Donne, John Donne: A Selection of His Poetry 11). In the midst of the stylized and often frivolous verses of the Elizabethan and cavalier poets, John Donne's work emerges as startling, intellectual, and honest to human nature and emotion- classifying him as the first of the modern poets. Through an exploration of Donne's "The Sun Rising" and "The Flea", we shall reveal Donne's innovative style and technique, and how this repels him from the poetic orthodoxy of the seventeenth century and towards the style of the modern age.    0 "Busy old fool, unruly sun,/ Why dost thou thus?" Donne audaciously denounces the sun itself, a heavenly body worshipped through the ages, in his poem, "The Sun Rising". Moreover, Donne employs an interesting conceit: he uses the routine, everyday phenomena of the rising sun as the basis for a love poem, love being extraordinary, new, and often once-in-a-lifetime. Donne goes on dramatically and arrogantly to thre...

The Decline of Literacy and Education in America

The Decline of Literacy and Education in America Attention Getter: One of the major problems in America today is the decline of literacy and education. A recent study found that only 50% of high school students in major cities graduate. A 2007 study by the National Endowment for the Arts proved that Americans read less and not as well as previous generations. Americans teenagers are ranked behind countries such as Poland, Korea, France and Canada in reading. Many educators believe illiteracy is to blame for negative teen endeavors.Literate, educated people are more like to partake in positive activities because they are more confident. Psychological Orientation: Education is taken for granted in America. Americans are worried about all the wrong things and that is why our country is suffering. Speaking correctly is laughed at. Memorizing historical events and multiplication tables is outdated because we have Google and calculators. We would rather read pre-digested textbooks than ori ginal sources. We spend more time on our phones and watching reality shows than visiting libraries.We are not concerned with spelling because we have auto-correct. It has become difficult to put in the hard work of literature because we spend our time writing in 140 characters. We believe school should be entertaining, if learning is not fun it is not effective. That education is the job of the professionals and not the parents. Statistics don’t lie. Our modern education system is not working. We are failing to demand the best in students we let them get by instead of making them do what they are capable of. Resulting in our failure to compete in the global economy.We are far less literate and educated than our competitors. Logical Orientation: There are many reasons for the decline of literacy and education in America but I believe technology, parents, and unqualified teachers hold the biggest responsibility. Body I. What impact does technology have on literacy and education ? A. New media- radio, cinema, television, computer are making writing obsolete. B. Lack of reading causes our brains not to decipher the meaning of words. II. What impact do parents have on literacy and education?A. Today’s parent does not work with their child. B. They use technology as a baby sitter instead of using it to educate their children. III. What impact does people with learning disabilities not being taught properly have on literacy and education? A. The teachers do not care are not qualified. B. Their parents feel it is professionals job to help their child learn and not theirs. Logical Closure: I believe that the way for Americans to increase literacy is to stop taking education for granted. Technology is not all bad.Parents should use technology to educate their children instead of using it as a baby sitter. Teachers should truly care and Truancy laws should be enforced. Psychological Closure: Instead of being brainwashed with fashion, reality tv, and cell pho nes we need to be brainwashed with math, reading, and science. Clincher: It was Clive Lewis that said â€Å"We all want progress but if you are on the wrong word, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road. † It is not to late to stop the decrease in literacy. Promote education not entertainment.

Titanium Chemical & Physical Properties

Titanium is a strong metal used in human implants, aircraft, and many other products. Here are facts about this useful element: Basic Facts Titanium Atomic Number: 22Symbol: TiAtomic weight: 47.88Discovery: William Gregor 1791 (England)Electron configuration: [Ar] 4s2 3d2Word origin: Latin titans: in mythology, the first sons of Earth Isotopes There are 26 known isotopes of titanium ranging from Ti-38 to Ti-63. Titanium has five stable isotopes with atomic masses 46-50. The most abundant isotope is Ti-48, accounting for 73.8% of all natural titanium. Properties Titanium has a melting point of 1660 /- 10Â °C, boiling point of 3287Â °C, specific gravity of 4.54, with a valence of 2, 3, or 4. Pure titanium is a lustrous white metal with low density, high strength, and high corrosion resistance. It is resistant to dilute sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, moist chlorine gas, most organic acids, and chloride solutions. Titanium is only ductile when it is free of oxygen. Titanium burns in air and is the only element that burns in nitrogen. Titanium is dimorphic, with the hexagonal a form slowly changing to the cubic b form around 880Â °C. The metal combines with oxygen at red heat temperatures and with chlorine at 550Â °C. Titanium is as strong as steel, but it is 45% lighter. The metal is 60% heavier than aluminum, but it is twice as strong. Titanium metal is considered to be physiologically inert. Pure titanium dioxide is reasonably clear, with an extremely high index of refraction and an optical dispersion higher than that of a diamond. Natural titanium becomes highly radioactive upon bombardment with deuterons. Uses Titanium is important for alloying with aluminum, molybdenum, iron, manganese, and other metals. Titanium alloys are used in situations where lightweight strength and ability to withstand temperature extremes are required (e.g., aerospace applications). Titanium may be used in desalination plants. The metal is frequently used for components which must be exposed to seawater. A titanium anode coated with platinum may be used to provide cathodic corrosion protection from seawater. Because it is inert in the body, titanium metal has surgical applications. Titanium dioxide is used to make man-made gemstones, although the resulting stone is relatively soft. The asterism of star sapphires and rubies is a result of the presence of TiO2. Titanium dioxide is used in house paint and artist paint. The paint is permanent and provides good coverage. It is an excellent reflector of infrared radiation. The paint is also used in solar observatories. Titanium oxide pigments account for the largest use of the element. Titanium oxide is used in some cosmetics to disperse light. Titanium tetrachloride is used to iridize glass. Since the compound fumes strongly in air, it is also used to produce smoke screens. Sources Titanium is the 9th most abundant element in the earths crust. It is almost always found in igneous rocks. It occurs in rutile, ilmenite, sphene, and many iron ores and titanates. Titanium is found in coal ash, plants, and in the human body. Titanium is found in the sun and in meteorites. Rocks from the Apollo 17 mission to the moon contained up to 12.1% TiO2. Rocks from earlier missions showed lower percentages of titanium dioxide. Titanium oxide bands are seen in spectra of M-type stars. In 1946, Kroll showed that titanium could be produced commercially by reducing titanium tetrachloride with magnesium. Physical Data Element Classification: Transition MetalDensity (g/cc): 4.54Melting Point (K): 1933Boiling Point (K): 3560Appearance: Shiny, dark-gray metalAtomic Radius (pm): 147Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 10.6Covalent Radius (pm): 132Ionic Radius: 68 (4e) 94 (2e)Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.523Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 18.8Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 422.6Debye Temperature (K): 380.00Pauling Negativity Number: 1.54First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 657.8Oxidation States: 4, 3Lattice Structure: 1.588Lattice Constant (Ã…): 2.950CAS Registry Number: 7440-32-6 Trivia Titanium was discovered in a black sand known as ilmenite. Ilmenite is a mixture of iron oxides and titanium oxides.William Gregor was the pastor of Mannacan parish when he discovered titanium. He named his new metal manaccanite.The German chemist Martin Klaproth rediscovered Gregors new metal and named it titanium after the Titans, Greek mythological beings of the Earth. The name titanium was preferred and ultimately adopted by other chemists but acknowledged Gregor as the original discoverer.Pure titanium metal was not isolated until 1910 by Matthew Hunter--119 years after its discovery.Approximately 95% of all titanium is used in the production of titanium dioxide, TiO2. Titanium dioxide is an extremely bright white pigment used in paints, plastics, toothpaste, and paper.Titanium is used in medical procedures because it is non-toxic and non-reactive in the body. References Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) International Atomic Energy Agency ENSDF database (Oct 2010)