What are the sources of the pain and suffering depicted?
Jack marries a sick woman, knowing he only has limited time with her before she dies. He stays with her and endures the sadness and suffering that comes with her illness. The son also experiences suffering as he watches his mother get sicker and sicker.
Jacks mother also died when he was young so he grew up without the female figure in his life.
C. S. Lewis: "Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world.'
What are the sources of the joy depicted?
Jack experiences love and happiness when he meets Joy and her determined character. He becomes good friends with her and develops true love for her. When Joy gets sick Jack interacts and forms and father-to-son bond with Joy’s son Douglas.
Jack: "I love you, Joy. I love you so much. You made me so happy. I didn't know I could be so happy."
How are suffering and joy related in the video and in the broader sense for everybody?In Shadowlands the joy that is experienced also comes with suffering. There is this idea that one can't come without the other. When Jack marries Joy, he gets joy from being in love and being happy, however suffering arises when she becomes sick but slowly he realises that there is still joy in his life in her son Douglas, his brother and his friends.
Jack: "Why love, if losing hurts so much? I have no answers anymore: only the life I have lived. Twice in that life I've been given the choice: as a boy and as a man. The boy chose safety, the man chooses suffering. The pain now is part of the happiness then. That's the deal."
How can people ‘grow’ through suffering?
People grown through suffering s the experiences they endure teaches them lessons as they learn to deal with them
Joy Gresham: "We can't have the happiness of yesterday without the pain of today. That's the deal. "
How is the pain of losing a parent “re-lived” for C. S. Lewis in ‘Shadowlands’?
Jack states that losing his mother was hard because he lost the person he loved the most. He relives this time when he discovers that Joy is sick and realizes that he truly loves her as well.
How does Lewis say he copes differently with the death of Joy than the death of his mother?
By knowing that Jo is going to die he is able to prepare hmself and enjoy the time he has left with her.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
PAIN AND SUFFERING
Isabelle Allende Interviewed by Andrew Denton
How has the author suffered in her life?
She Divorced her husband. She left her country because of assignation attempts on her life which forced her to move to Venezuala where she felt isolated and out of place having lost her home. Her daughter also died
How has she coped with the pain and suffering?
She started to write books in her isolation hoping to reunite herself with her Chilean heritage. She looks at it from a different perspective and uses her pain and suffering to overcome her fears.
How has she benefited from her pain and suffering?
It can be a bad thing but as Isabelle shows that through her pain and suffering she has gotten to where she is today. Before her pain she tried unsuccessfully to change things in the world but felt desperately hopeless. After the painful events in her life she has emerged as a world famous author putting out her views and making a difference.
Is pain and suffering always a bad thing?
It is not always a bad thing. During the period of time of pain and suffering it can be bad to people but afterwards it can be a rewarding and learning experience which can make a person stronger and help them appreciate the better things in life. Of course it always depends on the person and the situation and how that person is able to deal with it which will affect the outcome.
How has the author suffered in her life?
She Divorced her husband. She left her country because of assignation attempts on her life which forced her to move to Venezuala where she felt isolated and out of place having lost her home. Her daughter also died
How has she coped with the pain and suffering?
She started to write books in her isolation hoping to reunite herself with her Chilean heritage. She looks at it from a different perspective and uses her pain and suffering to overcome her fears.
How has she benefited from her pain and suffering?
It can be a bad thing but as Isabelle shows that through her pain and suffering she has gotten to where she is today. Before her pain she tried unsuccessfully to change things in the world but felt desperately hopeless. After the painful events in her life she has emerged as a world famous author putting out her views and making a difference.
Is pain and suffering always a bad thing?
It is not always a bad thing. During the period of time of pain and suffering it can be bad to people but afterwards it can be a rewarding and learning experience which can make a person stronger and help them appreciate the better things in life. Of course it always depends on the person and the situation and how that person is able to deal with it which will affect the outcome.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Rules vs Results
Ethics is a really practical subject so maybe the answer to our key question, "How do we figure out what's right and wrong?" lies in looking at each action we perform and deciding accordingly.
Values
People who favour 'values' think our character gives rise to our actions. They think talking about rules and results is less useful because we tend to act in line with our character, not according to ethical theories.
SOW A THOUGHT, REAP AN ACT,
SOW AN ACT, REAP A HABIT,
SOW A HABIT, REAP A CHARACTER,
SOW A CHARACTER, REAP A DESTINY
Chinese Proverb
Values
People who favour 'values' think our character gives rise to our actions. They think talking about rules and results is less useful because we tend to act in line with our character, not according to ethical theories.
SOW A THOUGHT, REAP AN ACT,
SOW AN ACT, REAP A HABIT,
SOW A HABIT, REAP A CHARACTER,
SOW A CHARACTER, REAP A DESTINY
Chinese Proverb
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sophie Scholl
1. List the ethical positions you observed Sophie take and give evidence of each.
Sophie Scholl is an ethical absolutists, someone who can stand up to higher power.She wanted everyone to be free from their own mind and free from the chains of society.Sophie Scholl represents the light to the people blinded by the Nazis. “The sun is still shining,” is the last thing Sophie says. She is hopeful that the members of Nazi Germany will see the light of the truth shining through the lies of the shadows.
She lied at the start which is against what God says however she was doing it for a reason she believed God would be on her side with. She would not tell the truth the interrogator to save the others from punishment.
2. Sophie lied to her interrogator. How would you justify (or condemn) her actions from an ethical perspective? What is your view of the importance of telling the truth?
Trying to protect other members of the White Rose, she declares that she and her brother are apolitical, lying so effectively that Mohr is prepared to let her go. But after evidence of their activities is found in the Scholls' apartment and Sophie is shown her brother's signed confession, she admits that she distributed the leaflets.
Though she knows that it is the wrong thing to do to lie, she is doing it for a greater cause as she believes that the Nazi's are doing the wrong thing. She says that she is "proud of it" when her lies are discovered.
3. What impression do you have of Sophie’s awareness of the potential consequences of her actions during the film? How did this awareness impact on her actions?
When she goes to the bathroom and starts to cry after being caught out in her lies she realises that something bad is going to happen. However once the lying stops her courage emerges and she becomes a strong woman standing up for what se believes is right.
4. Discuss the extent to which Sophie’s ethics guided by her faith. How did her ethics impact on her spiritual journey?
Sophie knew that lying is wrong, however she did it to try and save herself and others, particulary others. She prays to God that all will be well however I dont think she really asks him to 'save' her from her punishment, she sort of just prays that her, her brother, family and friends will be okay through the hard times.
We are also witness to her Protestant faith as she stammers out prayers to God and meets with a chaplain after the trial.
At the end when she knows she is going to be executed she asks for God's blessing. She knows she has done nothing wrong and that God is on her side.
5. What would you do in Sophie’s position?
I think Sophie is one of the bravest most admirable young women in history. We learn of her courage at the start of the movie when she determindly pushes the flyiers over the balcony to spread the message even at the risk of being caught.
It is hard to say exactly what I would do in her position unless it actually happened to me. I however would have a similar position to her, I would stand by my beliefs, and I would try to save others before myself.
If it meant I had to lie in order to save myself and others in such a situation I think I would to an extent. But once I am caught out my determined side would come out and I would stay with my beliefs and truth to the death. It is a pretty big thing to say that yu would de for your beliefs, but on such a thing as this I believe that it would be the right thing to do for me.
6. What other thoughts, questions or comments do you have as a result of watching this film?
It had a huge impact on me. I never really thought what I would do in such a situation but watching her fight against the government for her people put things into perspective for me. I am like her in the way that she puts others first and will fight for her beliefs.
I admired the stregnth of the brother as well, in the courtroom and just before he gets his head cut off he yells out "freedom".
QUOTES
Christoph Probst: It wasn't in vain.
Sophie Scholl: [to the court] You will soon be standing where we stand now.
Hans Scholl: [to the court] If you and Hitler weren't afraid of our opinion, we wouldn't be here.
Sophie Scholl is an ethical absolutists, someone who can stand up to higher power.She wanted everyone to be free from their own mind and free from the chains of society.Sophie Scholl represents the light to the people blinded by the Nazis. “The sun is still shining,” is the last thing Sophie says. She is hopeful that the members of Nazi Germany will see the light of the truth shining through the lies of the shadows.
She lied at the start which is against what God says however she was doing it for a reason she believed God would be on her side with. She would not tell the truth the interrogator to save the others from punishment.
2. Sophie lied to her interrogator. How would you justify (or condemn) her actions from an ethical perspective? What is your view of the importance of telling the truth?
Trying to protect other members of the White Rose, she declares that she and her brother are apolitical, lying so effectively that Mohr is prepared to let her go. But after evidence of their activities is found in the Scholls' apartment and Sophie is shown her brother's signed confession, she admits that she distributed the leaflets.
Though she knows that it is the wrong thing to do to lie, she is doing it for a greater cause as she believes that the Nazi's are doing the wrong thing. She says that she is "proud of it" when her lies are discovered.
3. What impression do you have of Sophie’s awareness of the potential consequences of her actions during the film? How did this awareness impact on her actions?
When she goes to the bathroom and starts to cry after being caught out in her lies she realises that something bad is going to happen. However once the lying stops her courage emerges and she becomes a strong woman standing up for what se believes is right.
4. Discuss the extent to which Sophie’s ethics guided by her faith. How did her ethics impact on her spiritual journey?
Sophie knew that lying is wrong, however she did it to try and save herself and others, particulary others. She prays to God that all will be well however I dont think she really asks him to 'save' her from her punishment, she sort of just prays that her, her brother, family and friends will be okay through the hard times.
We are also witness to her Protestant faith as she stammers out prayers to God and meets with a chaplain after the trial.
At the end when she knows she is going to be executed she asks for God's blessing. She knows she has done nothing wrong and that God is on her side.
5. What would you do in Sophie’s position?
I think Sophie is one of the bravest most admirable young women in history. We learn of her courage at the start of the movie when she determindly pushes the flyiers over the balcony to spread the message even at the risk of being caught.
It is hard to say exactly what I would do in her position unless it actually happened to me. I however would have a similar position to her, I would stand by my beliefs, and I would try to save others before myself.
If it meant I had to lie in order to save myself and others in such a situation I think I would to an extent. But once I am caught out my determined side would come out and I would stay with my beliefs and truth to the death. It is a pretty big thing to say that yu would de for your beliefs, but on such a thing as this I believe that it would be the right thing to do for me.
6. What other thoughts, questions or comments do you have as a result of watching this film?
It had a huge impact on me. I never really thought what I would do in such a situation but watching her fight against the government for her people put things into perspective for me. I am like her in the way that she puts others first and will fight for her beliefs.
I admired the stregnth of the brother as well, in the courtroom and just before he gets his head cut off he yells out "freedom".
QUOTES
Christoph Probst: It wasn't in vain.
Sophie Scholl: [to the court] You will soon be standing where we stand now.
Hans Scholl: [to the court] If you and Hitler weren't afraid of our opinion, we wouldn't be here.
Singer Logic
Meaning of life comes from what Peter Singer refers to as " a prefferred state of being." He writes when the death of the disabled infant will lead to the birth of another infant with better prospects of a happy life, the total amount of happiness will be greater if the disabled infant is killed".
He is saying that if a child is going to be born without a chance of a happy life, then it would be better to stop that life and let a new child be born that would be able to have a happier life.
I believe in some ways that this view can be true but still I find it hard to comprehend that someone could kill another human being. By terminating an unborn we are taking away a life unwillingly. We have no idea what that child wants and to kill them because we believe they will be unhappy as they are not like us is wrong.
He is saying that if a child is going to be born without a chance of a happy life, then it would be better to stop that life and let a new child be born that would be able to have a happier life.
I believe in some ways that this view can be true but still I find it hard to comprehend that someone could kill another human being. By terminating an unborn we are taking away a life unwillingly. We have no idea what that child wants and to kill them because we believe they will be unhappy as they are not like us is wrong.
Torture to save others
I believe that there is always a better way to do things other than violence. By resorting to the harm of a bad person in order to save others is just as bad as the bad person. You have to help that bad person see the wrongs of their ways and to change them. By torturing you achieve nothing but becoming the same as the bad person, a person inflicting pain on others. To hurt someone is to lose their trust and by hurting someone to get information you will most likely recieve the exact opposite of what you want, lies.
It is like Muslim punishments for crimes. They have an inethical system were torture is used to as a punishment to teach them a lesson. This is completely wrong as a person can learn without resorting to such extreme measures.
It is like Muslim punishments for crimes. They have an inethical system were torture is used to as a punishment to teach them a lesson. This is completely wrong as a person can learn without resorting to such extreme measures.
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