What role has human activity played in causing climate change Essay

What role has human activity played in causing climate change - Essay Example Fossil fuels burnt to achieve humanistic objectives raise the extent of such greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons. Besides, rapid deforestation has also contributed to the 30% increase in the extent of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last two centuries which is even expected to double in amount by the end of 21st century should the current practices continue. (Hamburg et al, 1997). Methane, second to carbon dioxide in amount in the atmosphere is generated from rice cultivation and decaying landfills. Human agricultural and industrial activities have drastically increased the amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which has led to an increase in temperature and ozone depletion. Studies have been conducted on various levels to estimate the human contribution to the change in climate and scientists are of the view that had humans not been involved in the game, Earth’s surface temperature would not ha ve even risen by 0.5C where it is actually foreseen to rise by 3.5C till 2100 since 1991. (Hamburg et al, 1997). Research suggests that humans are chiefly responsible for changes in climate. Hamburg, SP, Harris, N, Jaeger, J, Karl, TR, McFarland, M, Mitchell, JFB, Oppenheimer, M, Santer, BD, Schneider, S, Trenberth, KE and Wigley, TML 1997. â€Å"Common Questions about Climate Change†. United Nations Environment Programme - World Meteorological Organization, viewed 5 September, 2010,

Assign5G Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assign5G - Assignment Example This view is quite controversial and is known as "Snowball Earth." Summarize what this theory is and what is some of the evidence for and against this hypothesis. The Snowball Earth is a theory that posits the Earth could have entirely frozen about 650 million years ago. This could be explained to have resulted from events of very weak sun output and low CO2 output. The major evidence that show the possibility of such a situation happening is the existence of organisms that can survive such conditions today. Additionally, the drop stone that are found at the bottom of sea beds all over the world could be as a result of the ice age. However, there is evidence that suggests otherwise on occurrence of an ice age (Lallanilla, 2013). This includes the chemical weathering activities and complex photosynthesized organisms dating back to same period of ice age. 5. Do some research on the warming in the arctic and the thawing of Arctic permafrost which releases Methane as part of the thawing process. Discuss whether or not you think we are now heading towards a climate

A Report in Soil Science: Soil Water Budget

A Report in Soil Science: Soil Water Budget SOIL WATER BUDGET INTRODUCTION Soil is the most crucial factors for life on Earth. Soil is linked to everything around us and performs many important roles in sustaining life on Earth. One of those is for providing the basis for food and biomass production. However, this role is being affected by the degradation of soil. Hence, an understanding of soil is needed for finding an optimal measure for soil management. As a matter of facts, numerous factors are needed for the soil formation. Water is one of the most important constituents in any soil. Without water, soil formation would not be possible. Moreover, water availability in soil is a significant factor that affecting the crop growth. However, in many area crops, soil water is not properly managed which will lead to a poor yield. Therefore, an understanding of the hydrological cycle is essential for the effective management of soil water. Especially, in the hydrological cycle, the water budget is used as an approach to reflect the relationship between the input and output of water through a region. In particular, the balance between precipitation and evapotranspiration potential will help us to directly compare the water supply and the natural demand for water as well as to determine the time when there is much rain and when there is not enough. Studying soil water budget makes it possible to determine if there is a water shortage that can reduce yields or if there is excessive water application that can result in water logging or leaching of nitrates below the root zone. Moreover, it can build knowledge of the soil and water storage and supplying capacity of each irrigated. II. WATER BUDGET Water budgets are used for accounting the inputs, outputs, and changes in the amount of water by breaking the hydrological cycle down into components. Basic components of water budgets are precipitation (rainfall), evapotranspiration (the upward flux of water from the land surface to the atmosphere, a combination of evaporation from the soil and transpiration by plants), surface-water (such as streams and lakes) and groundwater flow (aquifers) into and out of the watershed, change in surface-water and groundwater storage, change in snow and ice storage, and human withdrawals and inter-basin transfers. The water budget affects how much water is stored in a system. And the stored water is calculated by the following formula: Stored Water = (Rain + Irr.) (Runoff + ET + Drainage) Where Irr is abbreviated for irrigated water, ET is abbreviated for evapotranspiration. For instance, in wet seasons, precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration, it means (Rain + Irr.) > (Runoff + ET + Drainage), which creates a water surplus. Ground stores fill with water, which results in increased surface runoff, higher discharge and higher river levels. This means there is a positive water balance. Contrastly, in drier seasons, evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation ((Rain + Irr.) . As plants absorb, water ground stores are depleted. There is a water deficit at the end of a dry season. The storage ability depends on depth and texture of the soil. Drainage and runoff only happen when the bucket is full. III. THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER BUDGET They provide scientific measurements and estimates of the amount of water in each component and calculate the movement of water among the different components – the flux or flow of water. The result is a budget that is a hydrologic record comparable to deposits, withdrawals, and changes in the balance of a checking account.   Soil water budget is the balance of water in the soil; this is the net result of the combined effects of precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PE). . The storage ability of the water budget is greatly influenced by the depth and the texture of the soil. The drainage and runoff of water in the soil occur when the budget is full and they are considered as recoverable losses while evaporation and transpiration are considered as non-recoverable losses. Water budget can be used to help manage water supply and predict where there may be water shortages. Likewise, it is also used in irrigation, runoff assessment, flood control and pollution control. Further it is used in the design of subsurface drainage systems which may be horizontal (i.e. using pipes, tile drains or ditches) or vertical (drainage by wells). To estimate the drainage requirement, the use of a hydrogeological water balance and a groundwater model may be instrumental. Why need soil water budget: – Optimize water use – Determine irrigation needs Increased soil moisture will result in: higher yields, through maximised rainfall utilization recharge of groundwater and thus securing the water level in wells and the continuity of river and stream flows reduced risk of yield losses due to drought A sound irrigation scheduling program can help an operator: prevent economic yield losses due to moisture stress. maximize efficiency of production inputs. minimize leaching potential of nitrates and other agrichemicals below the rooting zone. conserve the water resource and maximize its beneficial use. This publication describes some best soil moisture management strategies and monitoring techniques that an irrigating farmer should consider in managing irrigation water and soil moisture for optimum crop production and least possible degradation of ground water quality. Understanding the process of soil-water budget, By calculating the Stored water in the soil, With the use of a soil water balance or budget, daily evapotranspiration (ET) amounts are withdrawn from storage (or the balance of plant available water) in the soil profile. Rainfall or irrigation amounts are added to soil water storage. Should the water balance calculations project soil water to drop below some minimum level, irrigation is indicated. Weather forecasts enable prediction of ET rates and projection of soil water balance to indicate whether irrigation is needed in the near future. Likewise, it is also used in irrigation, runoff assessment, flood control and pollution control. Further it is used in the design of subsurface drainage systems which may be horizontal (i.e. using pipes, tile drains or ditches) or vertical (drainage by wells). To estimate the drainage requirement, the use of a hydrogeological water balance and a groundwater model may be instrumental. In the complete view of the panorama of the earth, all organisms live on or beneath the soil. Therefore, the systems of flows that are happening on Earth have consequences on nature. Mainly, the soil biota is greatly affected by the movement of water in the soil. Soil water affects both the temperature and its aeration activities so it affects the movement and predation of microorganisms in the soil. When the soil pores are so much filled with water, the organisms tend to be disoriented for the sudden change in their environment as well as for the lack of air. The oxygen needed by the organisms depletes that later on leads to anaerobic condition which is hardly a good condition for soil biota. Moreover, if the soil is very dry, plants takes too much energy in order to remove water from the small pores that is why the plants inhabiting the area tend to suffer from difficulty to extract sufficient amount of water through the roots—this phenomenon is called as the permanent wilti ng point—the condition which plant hardly recover. In addition, irrigated soils contain significant amount of salt which develops osmotic pressure that slows down the uptake of water by the plants that doesn’t help them for good growth. Thus, significant increase in slow growth might also mean the slow production of food for all organisms in the ecosystem. IV SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The following are the summary of the main points of the report: Soil water budget, is a balance in a net result of hydrological cycle in nature in which the inputs, output Larger pores conduct water more rapidly in saturated soils than smaller pores while in unsaturated soil condition, smaller pores conduct water movement more rapidly. Coarse over Fine– Water build up over fine soil because water moves faster through coarse soil. Fine over Coarse– Water movement will temporarily stop until fine soil is nearly saturated. There’s always flow in every system and those flows are very much necessary even the tiny little bits of details of it. Once subjected to changes, could lead to negative flaws. BIBLIOGRAPHY SAI Platform. (2010, June). Water Conservation Technical Briefs—The Importance of Soil to Water Use. From http://www.saiplatform.org/uploads/Modules/Library/SAI%20Technical%20Brief%205%20%20The%20Importance%20of%20Soil%20to%20Water%20Use.pdf Irrigation Management—Chapter 3, Soil Water. From http://croptechnology.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=1130447123topicorder=3maxto=13minto=1 Food and Agriculture Organization. Physical Factors Affecting Soil Organisms. From http://www.fao.org/agriculture/crops/thematic-sitemap/theme/spi/soil-biodiversity/soil-organisms/physical-factors-affecting-soil-organisms/en/

Its Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act Essay -- Argumentative

It's Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. The Act was passed in response to findings by Congress that growth and development were responsible for the extinction of species of fish, wildlife and plants. This Act was to provide programs to protect species identified as either endangered or threatened. It also mandated Federal agencies and departments to protect endangered and threatened species in their own operations, as well as work with State and local agencies to further promote conservation and protection of identified species. By the definition of the Endangered Species Act, a species covered by the legislation is either classified â€Å"Endangered† if threatened with extinction, or â€Å"Threatened† if in a state of decline that might place it on the endangered list. As of 23 March 2003, 1262 species of plants and animals were listed as endangered or threatened by the Endangered Species Act, with thirty-three species proposed for listing. To date, twenty-six species have been removed from the list, either due to recovery or the discovery of new information about their status, while seven were removed due to becoming extinct. THIRTY YEARS LATER: NEW LOOKS AT THE SUCCESS OF THE ACT There are concerns about the Endangered Species Act upon business, industry, and property owners, as well as Wildlife groups, about the effectiveness of the Act in protecting and restoring listed species. A report from the Ecological Society of America entitled â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act†, calls upon the Federal government to adopt a more-proactive approach in species preservation. They note that by the time a species... ... important. But anything worth doing is worth doing right. The Act should be reformed in a manner which will increase cooperation by all interested parties, and in doing so, help us reach the ultimate objective of the Endangered Species Act. SOURCES: Ecological Society of America, The. â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act† http://www.esa.org/publications/esarpt.htm National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition http://www.nesarc.org/ National Wildlife Institute. â€Å"Conservation Under the Endangered Species Act: A Promise Broken† http://www.nwi.org/SpecialStudies/ESAstudy.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"Endangered Species Information† U.S. Fish http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"The Endangered Species Act of 1973† http://endangered.few.gov/esa.html It's Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act Essay -- Argumentative It's Time to Reform the Endangered Species Act In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. The Act was passed in response to findings by Congress that growth and development were responsible for the extinction of species of fish, wildlife and plants. This Act was to provide programs to protect species identified as either endangered or threatened. It also mandated Federal agencies and departments to protect endangered and threatened species in their own operations, as well as work with State and local agencies to further promote conservation and protection of identified species. By the definition of the Endangered Species Act, a species covered by the legislation is either classified â€Å"Endangered† if threatened with extinction, or â€Å"Threatened† if in a state of decline that might place it on the endangered list. As of 23 March 2003, 1262 species of plants and animals were listed as endangered or threatened by the Endangered Species Act, with thirty-three species proposed for listing. To date, twenty-six species have been removed from the list, either due to recovery or the discovery of new information about their status, while seven were removed due to becoming extinct. THIRTY YEARS LATER: NEW LOOKS AT THE SUCCESS OF THE ACT There are concerns about the Endangered Species Act upon business, industry, and property owners, as well as Wildlife groups, about the effectiveness of the Act in protecting and restoring listed species. A report from the Ecological Society of America entitled â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act†, calls upon the Federal government to adopt a more-proactive approach in species preservation. They note that by the time a species... ... important. But anything worth doing is worth doing right. The Act should be reformed in a manner which will increase cooperation by all interested parties, and in doing so, help us reach the ultimate objective of the Endangered Species Act. SOURCES: Ecological Society of America, The. â€Å"Strengthening the Use of Science in Achieving the Goals of the Endangered Species Act† http://www.esa.org/publications/esarpt.htm National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition http://www.nesarc.org/ National Wildlife Institute. â€Å"Conservation Under the Endangered Species Act: A Promise Broken† http://www.nwi.org/SpecialStudies/ESAstudy.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"Endangered Species Information† U.S. Fish http://endangered.fws.gov/wildlife.html U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. â€Å"The Endangered Species Act of 1973† http://endangered.few.gov/esa.html

Social Policy and Its Application to Social Services Provision

Private problems become public issues when an individual’s problem/problems spill out into the community for example youth homelessness. Youth homelessness is greater than you might think in May 2008 it was thought that there were over 75000 youths at risk of becoming homeless, mostly due to the breakdown of the family or the introduction of a step family, 65% of these young people experienced violence as their family broke down and 20% experienced sexual abuse. The really sad thing about the number of youths at risk of homelessness is, in order to be detected as at risk something extreme has to happen e. g. the young homeless person was arrested for causing a disturbance or ends up in hospital after a violent incident. Mostly when families breakdown we as a community know nothing about it (their family problems are kept private) this becomes a public issue which may require the creation of a â€Å"policy for dealing with social issues†, when we see young people sleeping rough or the crime rate increases as the homeless person steals to feed them self. Over the years there has been significant research and development of policies which are aimed at combating homelessness among the 16-25 year olds and in 2002 the homelessness Act was endorsed by the Scottish parliament after it was highlighted that the numbers of homeless people sleeping rough in our cities, could affect the tourist trade, which in turn would affect our economy, this act extended the definition of priority need to include new groups of vulnerable people including youths. This Homeless act means that young people are no longer turned away from hostels; in fact there are hostels that are just for young people (these hostels help protect the young people on the streets from abuse i. e. prostitution) This homeless act also made local authorities develop homeless strategies e. g. the housing and support team that we have in West Lothian. Due to new policy the numbers of young people sleeping on the streets is few, and the ease of access to information/services means homeless people have hope and can access services before they actually become homeless, which in turn combats drug/alcohol abuse (which also relieves pressure off the NHS) and crime statics. 2. Social policies come about due to various influences. Nationwide statics are gathered for various reasons and as a result these figures/statics can and do bring around change in policy or even the implementation of new olicies e. g. it was found that the number of people binge drinking and requiring hospital treatment was on the rise, so the government created a policy that it was illegal to have happy hours in bar’s and it was illegal for shops to have two for one offers on alcohol. Another way the government is influenced to change or create policy is through pressure groups. Pressure groups don’t have to be official bodies or organisations like â⠂¬Å"fathers for justice†, they can be a group of people who are concerned about an issue in their community e. . a group of concerned parents petitioning the government about the lack of services for teenagers in their area (youth club) due to the planned closure of the community centre. Social policies can also come about if there is a threat to society e. g. terrorism, after 9/11 the pass port policy changed, before 9/11 children were able to travel on their parents passport, after 9/11 the policy changed and now everyone needs a passport regardless of age. Before 9/11 we could travel within our own country (Glasgow-London) without a passport now we can’t. Policies have also changed after public outcry. After the abduction, rape and murder of a child in England by a convicted paedophile, who had been housed in the area on his release from prison. The policy that gave these people anonymity was reviewed and changed, so that anyone who is concerned about an adult, who is working with children, can ask the police if they are a risk. 3. The mixed economy of care came about due to the governments of the 1980s being concerned that the place for the care of people should be provided from within their communities and that the â€Å"sense of community† would be lost as people stopped â€Å"looking after their own†. People would stop contributing charitably to the community and the people in it ( popping in on a neighbour to give her a break from her ill husband or running to the shop for an older person as well as fund raising and legacies), as it would become taken for granted that the state would provide everything i. e. ousing and Health Care as well as meals on wheels and respite, as a result, people would not feel like it was their job to help themselves, their community or their neighbours, that it was the states job, and so the fear was the sense of community would be lost to dependency on the state. The mixed economy of care means that different services collaborate/works together in order to provid e a service for an individual which not only meets their needs, but makes sure that the care being provided doesn’t over lap i. e. one care plan is made for the individual and all the required services work within this plan. Our government as it is now (2009) has picked up where the 1980/90s left off (they carried on where the last government left off instead of returning to state provided care) and is working towards a â€Å"mixed economy of care†, it has identified 4 sectors of care provision i. e. statutory, private, voluntary and informal. The statutory sector is care what is provided by the state for example benefits, cars for the disabled and access to health care e. g. occupational health (home adaptations). The private sector offers care as part of a business for example private nursing care, respite and private pensions. The voluntary/charity sector provide care that is funded through fundraising and donations and offers things like lunch clubs (help the aged), meals on wheels (WRVS) and hospital transport (red cross). The final sector, the informal sector comes by way of care provided by a non professional/specialist; this could be family, the community (neighbours) or friends who give up their time to look after their community and the people in it. The informal sector saves the government and NHS millions of pounds every year as their contribution relieves the need for official respite services and health care and it’s free. The Community Care Act 1990 came about as in order to fulfil the recommendations /objectives that the white paper (1989) Caring for People had identified (the enabling of older people to live independently for as long as possible in their own home, practical support for carers, guidelines for quality individual needs assessments and accountability for service providers and the quality of care they provide) new legislation was needed, thus the community care act (1990) was passed. Nowadays we see people living and working in our community who, not so many years ago, would have lived their lives in institutions or sanatoriums without any human rights or even choice, but now with implementation of individual/ person centred care plans/assessments, designed with the individuals needs, rights, circumstance and abilities in mind, as well as making access to different care services more easily available e. g. upported accommodation/residential nursing care, benefits, disabled employment (Remploy), occupational therapy, day care and befriending, not only are the individuals needs being met, the human rights of these individuals are being recognised. The individuals who were once locked away from the rest of society without any rights, choices or quality of life are now (with a little help from the care in the community act) living, working (Remploy) and contributing in and to communities (Volunteering in a charity shop). 4. Funding for different care services comes from various sources for example the services that are state/government services e. g. benefits, NHS departments (occupational therapy) and pensions are funded mostly through income tax, VAT, and national insurance, but not all of these services are completely free for example an older person who requires residential care will have to contribute financially if they have enough of an income or assets to cover the cost, they will also receive little or no help financially if they have a private pension i. e. they will have to pay for glasses and prescriptions. Funding for the local authority care services is much the same as central government funding comes firstly from the annual government grants as detailed in the 2009, amendment of the local government finance act 1992 Scotland order. Funding also comes from council tax income, business rates, licensing (alcohol) and recycling. While all this income generates wealth it does not mean everything is free and individuals will still contribute via user charges. Voluntary/charitable organisations also contribute to care services through fund raising and free care service i. . volunteers. There is also the Scottish post code lottery which has funded community projects as has the national lottery. Legacies also contribute to the financing of a service. 5. European commission was established in 1954 and has members from every country in Europe (two from the UK) its job is to form policy and legislation that protects the individuals’ human rights. They give the country an amount of time t o comply adequately to any new policy/legislation, before the country is taken to the human rights court e. g. he Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment, in employment and occupation. The minimum standard (directive) as stated by the EC included the protection of equal rights. The regulations (which must be implemented immediately) for this act included equal employment opportunities (promotion). Sometimes new legislations/policies cost money to implement and it falls to the local authority to decide how best to do this, finding the money often results in other services suffering through smaller grants e. . the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources (â€Å"Renewables Directive†) the local authorities are obligated to implement these directives within a set time frame. The local authorities have to find the money, this is usually through council tax and money they make through council busin ess e. g. Neighbourhood Recycling, this in turn affects the care service and volunteer services by reducing the budget or funding they receive and possibly a rise in taxes and rates. The guide lines that come from the EC are a bit like expectations for example the government/EC expects local planners, architects and developers to take into account crime prevention when designing streets for example, this is to provide a safe and secure environment (your human right to live in a safe/secure environment) The duty to make this happen falls on local authority that, for example would have street/security lighting and the installation of CCTV as a condition of the planning application or they could create a local policy that says new housing schemes will only receive planning approval if there is security lighting fitted as standard.

Is God Responsible for Evil in the World? Essay

For thousands of years already the adepts of the three world’s most widespread monotheistic religions, which are Christianity, Islam and Judaism, have been arguing for whether their deity is responsible for all the evil that happens in our world. Numerous books were written on this issue, and lots of disputes took place worldwide, but the answer hadn’t been found that would satisfy both the followers of those religions and their opponents. The believers deny the assumption that their omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God is also the creator of evil, while atheists use it as the main argument in proving the ridiculousness of religious beliefs. Lots of philosophers, politicians and theologians have devoted their works to the research of this issue. Moojan Moman in his book The Phenomenon of Religion writes: â€Å"the presence of evil and suffering in the world has even been argued by some philosophers from Epicurus (341-270bce) to David Hume (1711-76ce) to cast doubt on the existence of God. Other more modern writers such as Freud and Marx sought to show that religion’s explanations of the presence of evil and suffering were based on delusion†[1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The adepts of monotheistic religions reject this hypothesis because it conflicts with their statement that the God loves all of his creations. In the notion of most people it’s impossible to love someone deeply, and, in the same time, to make him or her suffer. Thus, the explanation of the existence of evil in the world for the common believers is that the deity granted free will and a right to choose to all of his creations, and if people choose to commit wrong and evil deeds, it’s not his fault. But here a question arises which’s why the omnipotent deity does nothing to stop the doings that hurt the creatures he loves so much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other religious leaders explain that all the evil in the world happens because God wants to temp his adepts, or to give them a chance to become stronger through the trials he sends them. But if we look at this question from that viewpoint, therefore the kind nature of the deity would again be questioned, as a â€Å"loving father†, as the believers sometimes call their worshipped deity, wouldn’t have made his beloved children suffer to prove their faithfulness and devotion to him, or to help them develop some of the positive moral qualities and values. It’s obvious that a loving and caring ‘parent’ would’ve given his children careful guidance to make them better. The Christians and Jewish also prefer to omit the fact that the superior creature, their God presumably is, wouldn’t have behaved himself as a capricious child, demanding Abraham’s son Isaac to be sacrificed to him in order to prove Abraham’s devotion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Christians disagree with the statement that God, who’s a creator of all life in the Earth, is also the one who’s ultimately responsible for the evil that takes place in the world, even though numerous verses from the Bible, their sacred text give the evidence to support this claim, like the ones given below: Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (Amos 3:6)[2] I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live. And I polluted them in their own gifts†¦( Ezekiel 20:25,26)[3] Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you. (Jeremiah 18:11)[4], and, finally: I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things. ( Isaiah 45:7)[5] Thus it’s obvious that it’s the deity the Christians worship who created the evil that exists in the world, and it’s clearly written in their sacred text. Unfortunately, this fact doesn’t fit into the concept of kind and forgiving God the Christian theologians and church leaders have been creating throughout the ages, that’s why the theologians try to interpret this verses as the mistakes done by the numerous translators of the Bible, arguing over the meanings of the initial world that is translated as ‘evil’ in most of the existing copies of Bible worldwide. The Muslim’s have a viewpoint on the purpose of the human’s existence on this earth different from the one the Christians and Jewish hold, which dictates the differences in their understandings of God. For Muslims this world is a kind of a test center, the place where all the actions and thoughts of every man are evaluated by the superior creature, and the humans are rewarded or punished depending of their balance of their things and right doings. For them the God is not a merciful and loving father, but a strict and demanding judge who knows about every their action and thought. Regardless of the differences in interpreting the sense of life by the Muslims, Christians and Jewish, Muslims also prove that their deity isn’t the one responsible for the wrongdoings in the world. They prove that the God had granted his creations with the right to choose between the evil and good, and, moreover, it’s the sole purpose of their life on the earth. He is capable of stopping all the wrongdoings, but he doesn’t do it, as he needs them to later judge the people who committed them. Nadir Aqeel, the author of the Frequently asked questions regarding Determinism and Free Will, the article found on the Understanding Islam Website, draws the analogy with the examination hall, where the God is the supervisor. Passing near the student, the supervisor sees the student writes down an incorrect question. It’s obvious that the supervisor shouldn’t correct the mistake, as this will defeat the very purpose of the examination.[6]   But, in the same time the Quoran says that nothing happens without the Allah’s permission in this world, thus he permits all the evil to exist in the world. In the law system of most countries the non-acting while knowing that a crime takes place is punished, and the person who didn’t do anything to prevent the wrongdoing is considered to be guilty partially for the crime that took place. The adepts of Islam may, of course, say, that we shouldn’t judge the superior creature with our laws, but it’s obvious that the human laws are the only ones we have, it’s our only instrument we can use to evaluate the rightness or wrongness of any deed. The basic difference between the Christianity and Judaism is that Christians believe that the human being is born in a state of sin, while the Jews believe the child is born pure, and it’s a matter of choice for whether to dirty yourself with the wrong actions and doings or to stay pure and in harmony with the surrounding world. Different branches of Judaism, the same as of Christianity or Islam, have different views on God and his role in the existence of evil and sin on our planet. For example, Reconstructionist Jews, as Emanuel S. Goldsmith states in his article Kaplan’s Contemporary Religious Relevance: A Review of Reconstructionist Philosophy and Theology, that: â€Å"God is the Energy enabling us to conquer fear and despair, alienation and loneliness. God is what infuses our lives with confidence, courage and meaningfulness. God is life with a capital â€Å"L† and goodness with a capital â€Å"G.†[7] The other Jews personalize God, but they also believe he is not the one responsible for the wrongdoings and evil that exists in the world. They state God had given his creations free will, and it’s the matter of their choice whether to dirty themselves with the wrongdoings, or to stay clean in the eyes of God, be in harmony with the surrounding world, and make the Messianic Era closer, as the Jews believe Messiah will come to the world when it’ll become perfect. The Holocaust has provoked and still arouses numerous discussions about the origins of sin and evil, and about the reasons of their appearance. Some Jews believe, that Holocaust was provoked by the sins of the Jewish nation, thus admitting that, in their opinion, god had chosen to punish his chosen nation by murdering from six to seven millions of them by the arms of Nazi. Of course, most Jewish do not share this viewpoint, as they do not want to see claim their God is a mass murderer. As we’ve seen, neither of the researched monotheistic religion supports the viewpoint that God is responsible for the evil in the world. The Jewish, Christians and Muslims hold the belief that evil and wrongdoings is the result of the right to choose, the God had granted to his creations. They also prove that God sends people sufferings and hardships to help them become stronger and better. Most of the believers also choose to ignore the fact that if the God created everything, our world, the whole universe, it’s logical that evil is also a product of his creation. Some adepts may contradict to it saying, that this is Lucifer who created evil, but most religious leaders claim that   God is the only one who’s got power to create anything as formidable. But, using elementary logic we can see, that if the God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, he: Knows when and where an evil deed will take or takes place Doesn’t do anything to prevent it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, according to the law system used by the most countries in the world, he’s guilty of non-acting, of allowing the crime to take place, regardless of the fact that it often hearts the innocent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The researched monotheistic religions choose to ignore this fact, or try to invent numerous explanations for it, because it contradicts to their conception of the righteous and kind deity, that holds the humanity as his beloved children. Works Cited Mooman, M. The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach. Oneworld Publications, 1999 The Bible. New International Version. International Bible Society, 1984 Aqeel, N. t Frequently asked questions regarding Determinism and Free Will. Understanding Islam Website, 2004. Retrieved from URL Goldsmith, E. Kaplan’s Contemporary Religious Relevance: A Review of Reconstructionist Philosophy and Theology. Reconstructionism Today, 2001 P.S: If you have any questions or corrections please contact me immediately Luck      [1] Mooman, M. The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach. Oneworld Publications, 1999 [2] The Bible. New International Version. International Bible Society, 1984 [3] Same [4] Same [5] Same [6] Aqeel, N. t Frequently asked questions regarding Determinism and Free Will. Understanding Islam Website, 2004 [7] Goldsmith, E. Kaplan’s Contemporary Religious Relevance: A Review of Reconstructionist Philosophy and Theology. Reconstructionism Today, 2001

Haikouichthys - Facts and Figures

Haikouichthys - Facts and Figures Name: Haikouichthys (Greek for fish from Haikou); pronounced HIGH-koo-ICK-thiss Habitat: Shallow seas of Asia Historical Period: Early Cambrian (530 million years ago) Size and Weight: About one inch long and less than an ounce Diet: Small marine organisms Distinguishing Characteristics: Tiny size; fin along length of back About Haikouichthys The Cambrian period is famous for its explosion of bizarre invertebrate life forms, but this span of time also saw the evolution of the earliest almost-vertebratesmarine organisms like Haikouichthys, Pikaia and Myllokunmingia that bore the faintest outlines of backbones and had a noticeably fish-like shape. As with these other genera, whether or not Haikouichthys was technically a prehistoric fish is still a subject of debate. This was certainly one of the earliest craniates (i.e., organisms with skulls), but lacking any definitive fossil evidence, it may have had a primitive notochord running down its back rather than a true backbone. Haikouichthys and its companions did, however, introduce some features that are so commonplace now as to be completely unremarkable. For example, this creatures head was distinct from its tail, it was bilaterally symmetric (that is, its right side matched up with its left side), and it had two eyes and a mouth on its head end. By Cambrian standards, it may have been the most advanced life form of its day!