Why » Philosophical

Why Do Hindus Believe in Reincarnation?

Hari — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:24:12 +0000

Why Do Hindus Believe in Reincarnation?

Hinduism says that the inner soul is separate from the outer body. When you are holding an object in your hand, you say that it is held by YOU. When the brain helps YOU in thinking and the heart helps YOU to survive and all the other body parts help YOU to lead YOUR life smoothly, then YOU are separate and different from all these body parts. Hinduism says that this ‘YOU’ is nothing but the inner soul or ‘ATHMA’ which is different from the body. Everything outside the inner soul along with the body is not permanent. Hinduism says that the inner souls of every human being which are part of the Eternal Soul (Almighty), are imperishable and they remain forever irrespective of place, state and time. All the other objects including the human body in the world will perish.

As the body ages and perishes after sometime, the soul in order to reach the abode of the LORD or Eternal Soul will have to complete its journey. When the journey of the soul is interrupted by the death of the body, in order to carry out its journey it has to take the help of another body. This process is termed as reincarnation.

Coming to the purpose of reincarnation, as per the explanation given by Hinduism, if the soul reaches the state of higher spiritual consciousness, it will get liberated from the cycles of reincarnations and reach the abode of the LORD. If the soul is still in the lower consciousness, it gets the body in its next birth pertaining to its state of consciousness like lower level bodies of animals, insects, etc. The LORD says in ‘Bhagavad Gita’ that those who think of Him (Highest state of spirituality) at the time of their death will reach His abode without any rebirths. This process is similar to the evolution. The people who are devoid of ego, hatred, desires, attractions, materialistic attitudes are said to be evolved. Those who are less evolved will have to take rebirths to elevate their consciousness so that at the end of the journey they can reach the Eternal Soul. This is the brief description on the reincarnation concept of Hinduism.

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Why do Wolves Howl at the Moon?

Hari — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:34:03 +0000

Why do Wolves Howl at the Moon?

There are myths which say that wolves howl at the moon. Some people believe that the howling of wolves at the moon is only given in stories and it does not happen in real. The ancient stories say that wolves can understand the language of the spirits. When they hear the voices of spirits they howl at them by raising their heads straight high. This is because on the full moon day the voices of the spirits are clearer and hence the wolves try to listen to them. That is the reason why there is hatred in humans for wolves as depicted in the old stories. The raising of their heads indicates that they can make clear sounds by doing that act.

It is also believed that the power of talking to the spirits by wolves has made the humans to aspire for getting that power. It is said that when humans ask the wolf to give him the power they refuse to do it. The wolves were very proud about this gift which they possessed and the humans were unable to snatch that away from the wolves. This is because the spirits had control over these powers of wolves. As the time passed, the number of spirits increased and the wolves were fighting constantly with humans for retaining these powers.

But, later the spirits have taken away the gift from the wolves as they were fighting with humans out of pride. Spirits felt that the wolves were not eligible for this gift. They took away the power from the wolves and gave them the ability to get back the memories of their ancestors. Then the night was silent as the spirits were not visible to the wolves. During the full moon when there is a strong bond developed between the wolves and spirits, the wolves start to howl longing for their powers to be given back to them. That was the reason for the wolves to howl on full moon day.

But, the scientists say that howling of wolves is just a way communicating with each other. As their voices have to be clear they raise their heads straight to make loud noise. They say that howling has nothing to do with the moon. They are nocturnal creatures and hence they are active during the nights and also howl during the night.

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Why is rhetoric important

khristine — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:58:28 +0000

Why is rhetoric important

Merriam-Webster defines rhetoric as the art of speaking or writing effectivelyâ€ as being used in communication or persuasion. However in contemporary language, the word rhetoricâ€ has a negative connotation and is often regarded as arguments that only intend to conceal the truth. It is frequently coined as the language used by sales persons and dishonorable politicians. This should not be the case. In actuality, rhetoric helps an individual to properly communicate one’s thoughts into something easily understood by the audience, and in turn be influenced by the message that was sent.

The fact is that language is powerful. It has the ability to transform our thoughts and ideas into words which can be transferred to other people in a form of communication. Rhetoric is an important tool that makes use of the power of language in order to efficiently inform others of what we think, or feel, and persuade them to agree with the concept that we have. And as any kind of tool, it can be used with either good or bad intentions.

The importance of rhetoric lies in the way that it is used as a tool in communication. Most conflict and misunderstandings arise because people are not able to properly express themselves through language which sometimes results to frustration or physical violence. Having knowledge in rhetoric is advantageous as it encourages an individual to think of the means on how to effectively express one’s thought, in addition to the content of the message, thus prevent having emptyâ€ or senseless communication.

Rhetoric is not just important in order to convince other people to accept our own opinion and take our ideas as something applicable. Having knowledge in rhetoric will also enable an individual to defend oneself from people who use it to their own advantage, and the disadvantage of others.

Rhetoric is important as it encourages an individual to improve further in the use and knowledge of language. And, it also provides an alternative way to resolve conflicts without being violent.

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Why do egyptians believe in afterlife?

plaza — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:03:51 +0000

Why do egyptians believe in afterlife?

Egyptians are strong believers in afterlife. This belief can be traced back to the myth of the existence of gods and goddesses, who were believed to control the life of humans on Earth. Because Egyptians believed in the rule of divine kingship, the concept a king’s death is attributed to the god of the underworld, Osiris and the concept of proclaiming a new king is attributed to Osiris’ offspring, Horus. Their belief system of a soul was that each individual possessed two. One soul, known as ka, accompanied the body throughout life. After death, ka departed from the body and entered into the realm of the dead. The ka could not exist without the body and every effort was made to preserve the corpse through mummification.

However, life after death is not guaranteed, considering the beliefs and myths that Egyptians strongly believe in. Gaining immortality after one’s death does not simply go by being judged whether one belongs to heaven or hell. In ancient Egypt, immortality entails proving oneself to be worthy of the life immortal in the land of Osiris. If proven otherwise, one is placed in non existence. Afterlife is one belief that Egyptians strongly and divinely believed in because they were given facts of its ancient history how critical it is to live on Earth in order to live a life after death. Since this belief has been handed down from Egypt’s ancient beginnings, it still firmly exists until today.

Because of this concept, Egyptians live their life with the ultimate goal of having an excellent afterlife more than how one’s life has been lived on Earth. During their life on Earth until the time of their death, Egyptians engage into practices and behaviors that only praise the god of life.

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Why is Ideology important?

plaza — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:20:39 +0000

Why is Ideology important?

Ideology is the philosophy of having specific goals, ideas and thoughts. It is a comprehensive vision that facilitates one’s perception regarding things that occur in one’s surroundings and in the world that exists. Of its many purposes, the main purpose of the concept of ideology is to offer and provide an avenue for societal change, conformity to existing ideations and perceptions and expansion and broadening of one’s horizon across one’s life span. Ideology is an abstraction that facilitates openness to a variety of circumstances at any time. In the olden times, ideology is highly associated with politics and philosophy that were entailed with issues and controversies, which were tantamount to building up conflicts and arguments, especially during the French Revolution era. As history is revealed, the term was first coined in 1796 by Destutt de Tracy. He used to refer to the term to the science of ideas, which is broad in nature and encompasses the study of expression and deduction.
In today’s society, ideology is one study that man should unceasingly practice. There are no boundaries to the study of ideology as well as no one person can achieve its perfection. But makes ideology an important field of study is that it encompasses the entire thought of ideation. It provides man with the opportunity to think, discern and rationalize as well as it permits reflection and correction of thoughts, ideas and action. Ideology is one important philosophy that is greatly useful in all aspects of life. As a cognitive functional system, it stimulates one’s mind to think, perceive and envision goals, missions and aspiration that can lead one to be ultimately satisfied and fulfilled even in the absence of wealth, power and luxury.
Ideology is one perfect tool that facilitates man to appreciate one’s imperfections.

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Why do Dwarfs laugh when they run?

plaza — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:26:35 +0000

Why do Dwarfs laugh when they run?

Dwarfs are historically deemed to be part of the mythical creatures, originally in German and Norse myths. Commonly seen in fairy tales, fictional fantasies and role-playing games, dwarfs are highly acquainted with the possession of magical powers. It was once believed that dwarfs can either be bad or good depending on how one treats. If one treats them kind, their presence is said to bring good luck and good fortune. However, if one treats them with cruelty, one will experience cruelty and mishap in return. Its name was derived from the Common German language dwergaz which has a literal meaning of being a midget or a little person. Often categorized under the family of elves, dwarfs are likely of having human characteristics and features. Its most common picture is that of a person, having a height of three to four feet with a big head and beard on the face. Just like a child with a face of a grown man. But today, regardless of its mythological relations, dwarf is used to connote to a person who is short.
As dwarfs were observed, it was noticed that they laugh when they run. And a lot of people query about this. Many have already spread the foolishness with the topmost humorous answer of the reason why dwarfs laugh when they run. They said, the dwarfs laugh when as they run, the grass tickles there private organ. Although a seemingly witty answer, the dwarfs don’t just laugh because the grass tickles their private part. The primary reason why dwarfs laugh when they run is that they enjoy what they are doing despite their physical deficiency. They can still do what normalâ€ humans do and they are able to seize and live the thing called life.

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Why should my Conscience bother me?

plaza — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:00:20 +0000

Why should my Conscience bother me?

Conscience comes from the Latin word conscientia which literally means with knowledge. Conscience stands for the innate awareness of whether one’s actions are in accord with the moral and social standards, of which, if violated, consequences should be faced. In relation to the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud’s division of the mind, he claimed that a man’s mind is divided into three parts. The three innate strife tendencies are well to be the id, ego and superego. The interplay of these three parts shows how the different levels of consciousness function. The id demands immediate gratification. The ego becomes more concerned with reality and is able control one’s desires and urges. The superego is the one which is equated with conscience. It is the superego that teaches the ego to control the id so that no moral or social standards are violated.

Many people question why the conscience should bother a person. Since the conscience is a natural part of man, the primary reason for its existence to teach the right for one to deviate from doing the wrong. People who are good and have clear perception of what right and wrong are, need not to be bothered by their conscience. The conscience only bothers those who have violated the law of nature, the law of God and the established law of men. Once the conscience knows that one person has done wrong, the sense of guilt sets in and the need to be relieved of such is sought.

Conscience is the last thing that develops along with the growth of every individual. Moral and ethical education plays an important role in building a strong conscience. And it is with a strong and firm conscience that one can make of oneself a true steward of God.

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Why is Night dark?

Hari — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:00:18 +0000

Why is Night dark?

In 1826, a German astronomer called Heinrich Olbers has published a paper on why sky is dark in the night. Physicists have been studying about this matter since a long time. They found that this infinite universe which has even distribution of stars would have heated up the entire universe gradually. If the stars all over the universe are constantly generating energy then all other objects in the universe will increase in their temperatures. As there is no other option of distributing the energy, the other objects must absorb that heat and get heated up. However, it has not happened because the temperature of the stars was not achieved by all other objects. Many scientists thought extensively and worked on the behavior of energy before they started to think about the Olber’s problem.

Olber’s paradox is the famous discussion presented by Olber regarding the darkness of night sky. According to Olber, the dark night sky contradicts the assumption that Universe is infinite and static. Big-bang theory is an evidence to say that Universe is not static. When we look at the star in the night sky, the line of sight will reach the surface of the star, and hence the sky also should be bright as the light ray should exist as we see the light. However, sky is dark at night time.

The paradox explains that static, infinite Universe would distribute infinite light that could have kept the space brighter. The Universe is homogenous in emitting light from the stars. If the Universe is divided into concentric shells, the shell which is nearer to the earth emits certain light. The outer shell should have emitted lesser light than the other one as it is far away from the earth. However, light emission seems to be same in both the cases which mean that distance is not the factor that governs the light reaching the earth. All stars are equally bright to us.

If the number of shells is more, much light must have been emitted and hence sky should have been brighter. So, it was thought that Universe is finite and is not static but expanding. The other explanation for dark night sky was the red shift of light wavelengths, to very low wavelengths due to cosmic expansion. There is also an opinion that there might be other objects in the space which can absorb some part of radiation before reaching the earth. Due to all these reasons night sky is dark.

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Why should One be humble?

plaza — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:17:20 +0000

Why should One be humble?

Humility or humbleness is deemed to be the mother of all virtues. It is the exuberance of being courteously respectful to other people. This virtue entails characteristics of egolessness, reverence and modesty. Humility is one virtue that most people of today cannot fully fathom. In humility, one must know how to lower one’s self down without degrading one’s worth and esteem. One perfect illustration of humility is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Her life was grounded on being humble that her values and beliefs in life always focus on other people and towards the Almighty. As quoted by Mother Teresa herself, Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.â€

Up until this time, the mystery of humility remains to be unraveled. Many people still don’t understand the reason why one should be humble. One major reason for man to be humble is that it serves as an offering to the Creator. Being humble to others is a way to be humble to the merciful Creator. Aside from that, humility is one important trait one must have because it tags other good virtues with it. More so, humility allows one to put God and other people first and be selfless. Along with these, one should be humble because only with humility that one can forgive, seek and open the doors for other virtues and it is one tool to making one’s weaknesses strengths.

There are indeed numerous reasons why one should be humble but the core of it all is for man to exude stewardship for the Almighty through the fellowship of men.

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Why is Whaling bad?

Hari — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:00:58 +0000

Why is Whaling bad?

Several international debates on the issue of whaling happened regarding the sustenance and conservation of this species. The debates were also dealing with the cetacean intelligence and the suffering with which the animals were undergoing while harvesting these animals from the sea. The dead samples of whales taken from the sea which were used for scientific research purpose were included in the quota used for commercial purpose. This issue was discussed after the international whaling commission was held n 1986. The whaling in fisheries was considered as controlling whales which might show negative influence on the fish stocks. This matter was also debated very much in the international meetings.

Whaling is bad as whales are on the verge of extinction. When there are so many other food sources available, it is really not fair to go after the animals that are at the end of extinction. The demand for meat of whale in Japan led to the stacking of whale meat in cold storage. The government aided marketing agency persuaded the public that whaling is both culturally and economically important to Japan. The whaling business is considered as bad for a normal business man as it makes him to produce something that is unsustainable.

There was a recent scandal on whale meat that the activists belonging to Greenpeace Japan proved that the whale meat was stolen by the crew of the Japanese whaling factory ship called Nisshin Maru. The whale meat was found to have been sold illegally by the crew members for the sake of their personal profit with the money spent by Japanese taxpayer. The corruption in the whaling industry resulted in the Japanese people to develop bad impression on the whaling industry. Whale meat being very costly was having 23.5kg of meat which costs around $3000 in each of the boxes. Each of the crew members received 20 boxes.

The number one digital camera called Canon used to sponsor programmes related to advertisement for wildlife. But, Canon was supporting whaling despite people asking to stand against whaling. Proper awareness and loyalty towards wild life protection will make people to understand the importance of whales and consider the whaling business as bad.

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