Rational Criticism Of All Knowledge Claims Philosophy Essay

Rational Criticism Of All Knowledge Claims Philosophy Essay Whether a knowledge claim should be open to rational criticism relies on the area of knowledge being considered. In areas of knowledge, such as natural sciences, if a claim is not justified rationally then it can not be regarded as truth. Therefore these knowledge claims should be open to rational criticism. In other areas of knowledge such as aesthetics, a knowledge claim does not depend on reason or logic, so for it to be open to rational criticism may be unsuitable. In this essay, I will explore the effect rational criticism has on areas of knowledge and to see whether this should be the basis for knowledge claims to be accepted as truth. Rational criticism plays a huge role in the advancement of scientific knowledge. This is because the scientific method of accumulating knowledge is by producing a theory for which to use reason and induction can not disprove. However if it is disproved by rational criticism or experimental data then the theory must be adapted or rejected. Therefore, any knowledge claims should not contradict any established facts. An example of this would be Democritus who was one of the first to propose the theory of the indivisible atom1 using rational ideas. However at the time, this statement did not have any observational implications and so could not be proved using empirical evidence. His theory that the atom is indivisible should be open to rational criticism if it is to be used to explain rational events in the world. However due to advances in technology, empirical evidence found by Rutherford in 1911 showed that the atom was made of protons, neutrons and electrons2. Therefore to confirm th e validity of scientific knowledge claims, the claim itself must survive rational criticism and fit the empirical evidence. However, most of the time, scientific knowledge claims rely on assumptions and so the validity of Rutherfords claim relies on assumptions that his method and instruments were reliable. So for scientific knowledge claims to be accepted as truth not only must they be open for rational criticism but any evidence or justification should be valid. Rational criticism relies on the way of knowing of reason to produce a point of conflict with a knowledge claim. However if the knowledge claim does not concern reason then rationally criticising it would not be suitable. This is the case in aesthetics where a knowledge claim relies on emotion rather than reason to prove it. For example, the claim that Leonardo Da Vinci is a better artist than Damien Hirst is difficult to prove using rational criticism. Of course if the criteria for being better were the number of pieces of art they produced or the amount of skill required to produce the pieces of art then one may be able to come to a conclusion as to which artist is better using rational criticism. However, if the criteria for being better was which set of art affects the audience greater, often reason is not included in the decision and emotion is used to judge which set of art creates a bigger emotional effect on the audience. To reach a conclusion, evidence can be collected in th e form of a survey but because this is such an unreliable and invalid method, someone can not disprove this knowledge claim at a later date using rational criticism as it is unreasonable for it to be open to rational criticism. Aesthetic knowledge claims therefore rely more on emotion than on reason and so it does not need rational criticism for it to be rationally justified. So, just as the evidence for scientific knowledge claims must be proved valid we must check to see if the emotions used to justify the aesthetic knowledge claim are valid. Moreover, aesthetics and science are different in respect to how they progress. Whereas science uses past data, present theories and reason to prove and improve scientific claims, aesthetics make use of emotions not to improve art but to evoke different emotions in the audience. Therefore, if one assumes that the price of a piece of art is directly proportional, to how good it is (i.e. the amount of satisfaction received from it), this would mean, Leonardo Da Vincis Mona Lisa should evoke more satisfaction than Damien Hirsts For the Love of God. However, in my opinion I find that Damien Hirsts For the Love of God is more aesthetically pleasing than a dull and tacky painting and so I will claim that it is better. However, the lack of justification and reasoning would mean my conclusion is irrational but it can not be proven incorrect. In this way, aesthetic knowledge claims can be irrational but true as it is inappropriate to use rational criticism. Contrastingly, with regard to scientific knowledge claims, the opposite may be true. Knowledge claims in the area of knowledge of science rely almost entirely on reason and rationality. Therefore it is possible for a knowledge claim to be rational yet untrue. For example, J.J. Thomson in 1987 rationally proved at the time that the atom consisted of electrons suspended in a soup of positive charge3. In fact, the idea was so rational that up and until 1910 student studying chemistry would learn the plum pudding model as truth. So even though the claim was rational yet wrong leading to the idea that in order for scientific claims to be accepted as truth rational criticism is required as without it incorrect theories would be accepted as fact. Moreover, Albert Einsteins theory of relativity has yet to be disproved after decades of rational criticism which has concluded his findings as scientific truth. However, the recent anomaly experienced by two German physicists suggest that Einstein and his many followers may not be correct after all in an experiment where a particle exceeded the speed of light4. This experiment was dismissed as its findings were against Einsteins theory of relativity and do not fit the existing data. Of course even if I were to be rational I would say that it is just an error with the empirical data from the German scientists as the paradigm shift that Einstein is may be wrong is unlikely and irrational as he has not ever been proven wrong. This highlights another problem with human reason which tends to look to satisfy preconceived ideas by manipulating evidence and so is not completely objective. Scientific knowledge prides itself for being accurate due to not relying on subjective data but this example shows how humans can be susceptible to subjective ideas and therefore may distort scientific claims of truth. Therefore, for any scientific knowledge claim to be accepted as truth the evidence or justification given must not be erroneous or subjective. In conclusion, science as an area of knowledge is heavily reliant on rational criticism as method of improving the body of knowledge as well as confirming it and so should be open to rational criticism even if the knowledge is considered factual. Moreover, any justification or evidence used to enforce a knowledge claim should be clear of errors and subjective methods The area of aesthetics is slightly different as most knowledge claims within this field are made emotionally in the absence of reason which rules out rational criticism as a method of achieving the advancement of it because in aesthetics, unlike science, the aim is not to improve knowledge but to celebrate and appreciate creativity. However, the use of reason and rational criticism where it can be applied in aesthetics should be encouraged to achieve a well justified conclusion even if the validity of the claim does not depend on reason.

Restoration of Rauza Sharif, Sirhind, Punjab

RESTORATION OF RAUZA SHARIF, SIRHIND, PUNJAB Abstraction:Sacred memorials such as Mausoleums, Shrines, and Dargahs of Sufis represent the traditional grave architecture. Among the major such Mausoleumsâ€Å"The Rauza Sharif of Mujaddid Alfisani†at Sirhind, Punjab is like one of these memorials holding great historical, spiritual and cultural significance. Hence our purpose is to document the present conditions of the impact zone, in footings of Architecture, planning, stuffs and engineering and place the lack on assorted foreparts, based on this analysis of the impact zone, place the potency of architectural intercessions and consequently propose appropriate design solution to turn to the concerns of today and tomorrow. Keywords:Sacred memorials, Dargahs, congestion, climatic impact, climatic control, invasions, atmosphere, holiness, repose. Introduction: Brief history: The sacred â€Å"RAUZA SHARIF† at Sirhind, Punjab is the topographic point of historical significance and besides spiritual and cultural significance.RauzaSharifor Dargah ofShaikh Ahmad FaruqiSirhindi( popularly known as Mujaddid, Alf-Isfani )is situated on theSirhind–Bassi PathanaRoad at a little distance to the North ofGurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib. Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi lived at this topographic point during the times ofAkbarandJahangirfrom 1563 to 1624. TheUrsjubilation ( decease day of remembrance ) of the Mujadid are held here for more than 300 old ages and are mostly attended byMoslemsfromIndia,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Dutch east indies,Bangladeshand other Muslim states. There are a figure of other graves in the compound largely of the members of Shaikh Ahmad ‘s house. The mausoleum is a all right edifice made of bricks partially overlaid with rock and marble. Near to it there is the mausoleum of Rati-ud-Din, an ascendant of the Mujadid. Not far here are the rauzas of Mujaddid’s boies Khawaja Muhammad Sadiq and Khwaja Muhammad Masum. The rauza of latter is sometimes called rauzachini on history of its first-class mosaic work. In its premises are many other Gravess of the members of the house of the said reformist and some members of the governing household ofKabul. There is a expansive mosque with a cellar and a little armored combat vehicle for executing ablution before the supplications. The shrine has since been taken over by Government of India as a historic memorial and regular employees have been kept here for its care, up maintain and care. The point of position of every person with regard to the sacredness of a holy topographic point varies. most of the trusters follow the lone imprints of their ascendants and give no importance to the atmosphere and holiness of the topographic point which if non given consideration will eventually ensue in a topographic point holding merely crowd of trusters sitting in a topographic point of heavy via medias in footings of infinite quality and kernel of the sacred feel. For illustration. KALIYAR SHARIF. One gets a cheerless feeling if he/she visits the topographic point for the first clip. Though the program is really much celebrated and one becomes eager to see it when he hears its name. In the same manner â€Å"The Rauza Sharif† at Sirhind, should be given the attending so that in the class of clip the increase in the figure of multitudes sing this topographic point do non present any sort of menace to its atmosphere. PRESENT AREA OF STUDY The present country of site of Rauza Sharif covers an country of approximately 12 Estates, embracing 7 shrines with the chief shrine of AL MUJADID as per our first visit we found following factors which should be thought of and their solutions should be incorporated in the design proposal for the development and preservation of this heritage site.The ancient constructions of the site such as the guestrooms, ablution pool etc. should be maintained and given due importance the guestrooms doors open towards the chief entryway ambulatory plaza disturb the privateness of its invitees, apart from this there is excessively much congestion in these suites. The solution of this will be that the burden of these suites must be reduced and some more guest suites should be made away i.e. out of the direct sight of the visitants come ining the chief entryway gate.There is invasion in the composite by the staff houses which spoil the atmosphere of the Rauza Sharif, and should be screened off wholly from the chief shrine by relocating them someplace else on the site and by making landscape gardening.In summers noon clip one thinks of rapidly running off after sing the topographic point due to heat and tiredness, hence the countries bring forthing the plentifulness of heat such as cardinal plaza without any verdure or any shading shelter should be thought off.The shrine composite has got a plentifulness of agricultural land which can be utilized for seting fly-by-night trees apart from using them for the intent of agribusiness besides. Another thing is that there is no proper connectivity between the chief shrine and the shrines of the predecessors of Al Mujaddid as a consequence of which one leaves them unvisited, by and large during their first visit, therefore there should be a proper ocular and prosaic connectivity. Their care will besides so be given importance.The paths in the composite should be planned such that the Sub shrines should besides be visited by the visitants . These complecting tracts shall hold street furniture and besides the rock pieces holding engraved on them the history of the topographic point, thereby doing the visit more enlightening and synergistic.The pool which is unmaintained soon should besides be maintained and reopened as it will assist in cut downing the heat of the premises and will besides function the intent for which it was ab initio built i.e. ablution.Cosmic Coherence: The cosmic coherency of the premises should besides be analyzed and a layout program which coincides and lucifers with the coherent forces should be implemented in the new proposal of the shrine composite so that an environment of holiness and repose is maintained, which should decidedly be the property of the sacred infinite, as the sacred edifice is a topographic point that contains certain qualities similar to those arising from nature in harmoniousness with its milieus. Methodology:Limit of all the shrines within the country of survey of the site, placing other heritage constructions which fulfill the supportive maps for illustration the invitee house, pools etc, which are to be retained and restored.Identify the constructions presenting hinderance to the position of the heritage construction, deteriorating its atmosphere and magnificence and pulverizing them for illustration houses and quarters of the workers.The constructions which can’t be demolished should be subdued by taking one upper narrative and adding the elements which compliment the original heritage construction.Taking clime into consideration implement/provide some shading devices for illustration canopies, arbors along the paseos which will assist in cut downing heat for the visitants every bit good as staff.The prominence of the sellers selling tea, java, bites and juice should be reduced by cut downing or curtailing the size of the stall. It could be done by doing a standard faculty of the peddling stables.Planing the proper path for the prosaic traffic coming to the shrine composite such that no visitant accidentally leaves the other shrines unvisited. All the shrines within the composite should be decently maintained by carefully analyzing these constructions and taking the multiple beds of white wash applied over their surface one over the other in due class of clip thereby uncovering the original masonry construction and eventually cleansing and using the transparent varnish over its surface to protect it against the gnawing conditions.Peoples populating in the premises besides rear cowss. They should be besides given due consideration and should be planned carefully.Decision: The heritage site under survey should be restored in such a manner that it is free from ugly invasions or instead free from the invasions of peripheral importance to supply positions and views in the site, taking to and from the heritage edifices to the public topographic points ( remainder houses, Parkss, sitting countries etc. ) . the street flower stalks should be provided such as street furniture and canopies etc. to cut down the heat generated during the hot conditions and all the heritage edifice within the composite should be readily seeable with regard to each other and the peripheral or the supportive services such as, guest house, ablution country, staff quarters and lavatories etc. should be visually segregated and physically accessible with easiness to its users. Mentions:Heritage site visit of RAUZA SHARIF, Sirhind.Internet, Wikipedia.Creative infinite diary ( January 2014 publication ) .Meeting with Prof. Kiran Joshi, Prof. S.S. Bais on 4ThursdayJune 2014

Patrick Henry Vs Martin Luther King Jr. Essay

Patrick Henry and Martin Luther King Jr. were two of the most influential revolutionary’s known to mankind. Even though their views on how to become liberated were completely opposite, their passion and unrelenting determination eventually proved to be rewarding. Patrick Henry and Martin Luther King Jr. are as the sun and water fighting for the same withering blossom but with different methods to success. Patrick Henry had an intense, win big or lose big approach to freedom. In his speech he is pleading to the president to open his eyes and notice that everything is not apt. Henry was telling the president there was no peaceful means of settling this dispute with Great Britain. They tried to solve their differences by talking for ten years, Henry said, but to no avail. According to Henry, there was nothing left to do but fight for their freedoms. He said,† If we wish to be free-if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending-if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!†. He yearned for freedom so desperately he was willing to die for it. â€Å"Give me liberty, or give me death†. Martin Luther King Jr. was just as ardent for freedom as Patrick Henry was, but his approach was different. He devised a more passive plan to lift his oppression. He was very unwavering in his non-violent beliefs. His philosophy was that violence only brings momentary results. Violence only starts a circle of endless chaos. He believed you must offset hatred with love. In order to progress something has to be gained. When violence is present nothing is gained, therefore, in order to progress you will need to use non-violent tactics. Patrick and Martin had many differences. They have different policies in which they followed to overcome cruelty. They also had different types of oppression. Martin was dealing with racial issue and Patrick was dealing  with governmental issues. Martin was a peaceful, non-violent problem solver and Patrick wasn’t getting any results being nonviolent so he became violent. These two men also have some things in common. They both had a strong belief in God. They both had been under heavy subjugation. They both fought the oppressor, although with different means of force, both were successful. These two great men help shape our country in to what it is today. Whether by violence or non-violent acts both overcame the harsh realities of life. Without their sacrifices where would we as a people be today?

Essay on Eth125 R8 Disability Diversity - 1763 Words

Associate Program Material Aging and Disability Worksheet Part I Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population. 1. Lack of security for the future (social security dwindling) 2. Unable to afford being able to retire 3. Being alone Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism is prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group, especially the elderly. Ageism influences the presence of diversity because those who are affected by ageism within their career may lose their job due to newer, younger, cheaper people coming into the workplace†¦show more content†¦Legislation regarding items such as criminals is unlikely to have any effect on the aging population. While there are some laws in certain states requiring older people to retake their drivers test each year or every two years a country wide law could also affect the aging population as well. †¢ How does poverty affect the aging population? Poverty affects the aging population in many different ways. Since people are living longer and with that resources are decreasing as time goes on and the elderly have fewer and fewer choices for finding help with finances and health related issues, which results in substandard medical care. Having substandard medical care can result in subpar health and either suffering due to a medical condition or death from a medical condition that could have been treating if better medical care was available to them. Another affect poverty has is subpar housing and the ability to provide food for themselves due to a lack of income and the fact that many programs meant to help have strict guidelines or are disappearing all together. Part II Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢ What does the ADA provide for people with disabilities? The ADA’s goal is to provide equalityShow MoreRelatedAging and Disability Worksheet1910 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Associate Program Material Aging and Disability Worksheet Part I Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population. 1. Health Issues 2. Income and Economic Welfare 3. Neglect and Abuse Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society? Ageism is a form of discrimination and prejudice, particularly experienced by seniors. Most seniors