Father Mother Son Daughter

Father & Son
The relationship between fathers and sons is unique. I have never experienced this relationship because I am neither a father or son. I have been told that this bond plays a very important role in the upbringing of men. One example of this relationship is in Cormac McCarthy's The Road. The man takes care of his son and they are eachother's world. Without this relationship, they both feel like their lives would be without meaning.

Mother & Daughter
The mother's role is to teach their daughters about the future but other than that, I do not know the main role of this relationship. I think that this role has changed throughout history. With the changing role of women in society, mother's role also change.

Father & Daughter
The father daughter relationship is imporant in girl's lives. This is the base to how women value their relationship with other men. If the father is abusive, the girl usually not have stable relationships in the future.

Mother & Son
Actually, I do not know the true value of this relationship. Boys who grow up without mothers do not seem to experience the same things as those who grow up without fathers.

How We Know What We Know

How do I know what I know? This age old philosophical question has been debated for hundreds and thousands of years. Philosophers are divided on this issue. Some believe that knowledge comes from things outside of us, while others believe that some ideas and characteristics are within. For the first way of thinking, there are many different sources of information by which we learn, form opinions, and live our lives. Some of these are parents, teachers, and personal experience.

As children, most people believed that what ever their parents said was true. Knowing our mindset, our parents told us about right and wrong. They also, intentional or not, shared their beliefs and life habits with us. This influenced us to behave similarly to our parents and, in many cases, to have very similar values and beliefs.

And for the philosophers who believe that some knowledge comes from within, the source of information is oneself or God or something else entirely.

Our Meaning

I think that there is no way to express the purpose or reason of existence of the human race. This is because, how I believe it to be, no human actually knows why we are or exactly how we came to into being, or even when the human race started.

We, the human race, exist for the purpose of _____________________.

There is no way to finish that sentence. There are an infinite number of words that could be placed in that blank space. There is no concrete way for anyone to know which word or grouping of words fits perfectly in that unfinished sentence.

So, with that, I say that it is impossible to answer the eternal question of: What is our meaning?

God in 2010

In the United States, God’s “relevance” has slowly decreases over time. When this country was founded, God and religion-specifically Christianity- were very important in everyday life and in the forming or our laws and traditions. With the views of society and trends changing from year to year, God’s role in our culture somehow has diminished.

After September 11, 2001, God was very relevant in America’s society. That day brought the United States together. People seemed to unify around God, not necessarily a specific religion, but in religion in general. As time passed, so did the American sense of unity.

In 2010, Americans’ belief in God is almost non-existent. Everything around us is about self-promotion. With this individualistic ideal floating around, people forget about God and the religious views that built this country.

Candide's Punishments, Do they fit the crime?

I do not believe that Candide deserved to be literally kicked out of the house. A smaill innocent kiss is not a big deal. If anyone should have been kicked out, it should have been Pangloss. Unlike Candide and Cunegonde's innocent kiss, Pongloss and the maid were seen in the garden. Also, is Candide was kicked out, Lady Cunegonde also should have been kicked out.

Another thing that Candide was punished for is walking out of his Bulgar training camp. He had the choice of flogging to death or being shot. I believe that there should have been a punishmant but not a servere as death. Although Candide was not aware of the Bulgar's 'attendence policy' it is common sense not to leave.

Even though Candide did not deserve all of the things that happened to him throughout the book, they all happened for the best. If he would have stayed at the house, he would have been killed by the Bulgar invasion.