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A Hegelian Religion
A Hegelian Religion
In the excerpt from his book Hegel’s Philosophy of Religion, Bernard M. G. Reardon allows the reader to become more familiar with religion and its role in the world, according to Hegel. In describing Hegel’s views, Reardon expresses a number of points of interest concerning the general place of religion in Hegel’s philosophy, as well as its importance for human beings. One of the most striking aspects of Hegel’s views of religion involve its contrast with those of his predecessors. Unlike Kant and Descartes, Hegel believes that “to the genuinely religious man talk about proving divine existence is an irrelevance” (p. 28). He does believe that emotion is an integral part of religion, as Schleiermacher does, but unlike Schleiermacher, he insists that religion is more than feeling: “…but when I say ‘I have God in my heart’ the feeling is here expressly represented as the continuous, permanent manner of any existence. The heart is what I am; not merely what I am at this moment, but what I am in general; it is my character.” (p. 32) For Hegel, the Vorstellungen of feeling are limited by the senses, but when coupled with thought that “‘lifts up the sensuous qualities of the content to the realm of universal thought-determinations'” (p. 33), one can truly understand the concept of religion. Hegel uses the term Begriff, to describe the “gripping together” of the different aspects of the perception of religion. His view seems to offer a more complete depiction of religion, as opposed to the partial and one-sided depictions offered by Kant and Schleiermacher. This is wholly in agreement with his overall philosophy, in which only the whole is true. The place of religion in Hegel’s depiction of reality lies between art and philosophy. It becomes clear that, while art presents truth in a sensual manner and philosophy serves as the mental dwelling upon the metaphysical, religion acts as the bridge between the two sides. Granted, neither art nor metaphysics can truly be described in the simplicity above, but it seems that religion offers aspects of both.
In Hegel’s view, “religion and philosophy share, as I [Reardon] have stated, one supreme object: God and the Absolute” (p. 31). Hegel argues that religion cannot possibly be wholly or essentially emotional in its character because “feeling belongs to man’s animal nature and is confined to the individual and subjective” (p. 31). This would eliminate the existence of an Absolute Truth, objectively perceptible by the intellect: an idea completely opposed to Hegel’s beliefs. Another important aspect and goal of religion is its self-reflective nature. Not merely self-reflective on an individual level, but on a universal level, as well. For Hegel, religion is “the knowledge which the Spirit has of itself as spirit” (p. 60). In Hegel’s system of philosophy, mankind’s consciousness is a result of the Spirit’s drive to know itself. Religion is a manifestation of this drive.
The discussion develops further, as Reardon describes Hegel’s interpretation of evil as “the drive of the finite things to be simply what they are as finite” (p. 69). Hegel maintains that there must exist a reconciliation between the infinite and the finite: “Reconciliation is a correction of this, a reorientation of the finite away from its own finitude to the infinite, its source and true home” (p. 69). This reconciliation occurs in art, and now in religion. Like art, religion helps mankind to reorient itself towards the infinite, but on a higher, more intellectual level. A Hegelian Religion In the excerpt from his book Hegel’s Philosophy of Religion, Bernard M. G. Reardon allows the reader to become more familiar with religion and its role in the world, according to Hegel. In describing Hegel’s views, Reardon expresses a number of points of interest concerning the general place of religion in Hegel’s philosophy, as well as its importance for human beings. One of the most striking aspects of Hegel’s views of religion involve its contrast with those of his predecessors. Unlike Kant and Descartes, Hegel believes that “to the genuinely religious man talk about proving divine existence is an irrelevance” (p. 28). He does believe that emotion is an integral part of religion, as Schleiermacher does, but unlike Schleiermacher, he insists that religion is more than feeling: “…but when I say ‘I have God in my heart’ the feeling is here expressly represented as the continuous, permanent manner of any existence.
The heart is what I am; not merely what I am at this moment, but what I am in general; it is my character.” (p. 32) For Hegel, the Vorstellungen of feeling are limited by the senses, but when coupled with thought that “‘lifts up the sensuous qualities of the content to the realm of universal thought-determinations'” (p. 33), one can truly understand the concept of religion. Hegel uses the term Begriff, to describe the “gripping together” of the different aspects of the perception of religion. His view seems to offer a more complete depiction of religion, as opposed to the partial and one-sided depictions offered by Kant and Schleiermacher. This is wholly in agreement with his overall philosophy, in which only the whole is true. The place of religion in Hegel’s depiction of reality lies between art and philosophy. It becomes clear that, while art presents truth in a sensual manner and philosophy serves as the mental dwelling upon the metaphysical, religion acts as the bridge between the two sides. Granted, neither art nor metaphysics can truly be described in the simplicity above, but it seems that religion offers aspects of both.
In Hegel’s view, “religion and philosophy share, as I [Reardon] have stated, one supreme object: God and the Absolute” (p. 31). Hegel argues that religion cannot possibly be wholly or essentially emotional in its character because “feeling belongs to man’s animal nature and is confined to the individual and subjective” (p. 31). This would eliminate the existence of an Absolute Truth, objectively perceptible by the intellect: an idea completely opposed to Hegel’s beliefs. Another important aspect and goal of religion is its self-reflective nature. Not merely self-reflective on an individual level, but on a universal level, as well. For Hegel, religion is “the knowledge which the Spirit has of itself as spirit” (p. 60). In Hegel’s system of philosophy, mankind’s consciousness is a result of the Spirit’s drive to know itself. Religion is a manifestation of this drive. The discussion develops further, as Reardon describes Hegel’s interpretation of evil as “the drive of the finite things to be simply what they are as finite” (p. 69). Hegel maintains that there must exist a reconciliation between the infinite and the finite: “Reconciliation is a correction of this, a reorientation of the finite away from its own finitude to the infinite, its source and true home” (p. 69). This reconciliation occurs in art, and now in religion. Like art, religion helps mankind to reorient itself towards the infinite, but on a higher, more intellectual level.
A Hegelian Religion In the excerpt from his book Hegel’s Philosophy of Religion, Bernard M. G. Reardon allows the reader to become more familiar with religion and its role in the world, according to Hegel. In describing Hegel’s views, Reardon expresses a number of points of interest concerning the general place of religion in Hegel’s philosophy, as well as its importance for human beings. One of the most striking aspects of Hegel’s views of religion involve its contrast with those of his predecessors. Unlike Kant and Descartes, Hegel believes that “to the genuinely religious man talk about proving divine existence is an irrelevance” (p. 28). He does believe that emotion is an integral part of religion, as Schleiermacher does, but unlike Schleiermacher, he insists that religion is more than feeling: “…but when I say ‘I have God in my heart’ the feeling is here expressly represented as the continuous, permanent manner of any existence. The heart is what I am; not merely what I am at this moment, but what I am in general; it is my character.” (p. 32) For Hegel, the Vorstellungen of feeling are limited by the senses, but when coupled with thought that “‘lifts up the sensuous qualities of the content to the realm of universal thought-determinations'” (p. 33), one can truly understand the concept of religion. Hegel uses the term Begriff, to describe the “gripping together” of the different aspects of the perception of religion. His view seems to offer a more complete depiction of religion, as opposed to the partial and one-sided depictions offered by Kant and Schleiermacher.
This is wholly in agreement with his overall philosophy, in which only the whole is true. The place of religion in Hegel’s depiction of reality lies between art and philosophy. It becomes clear that, while art presents truth in a sensual manner and philosophy serves as the mental dwelling upon the metaphysical, religion acts as the bridge between the two sides. Granted, neither art nor metaphysics can truly be described in the simplicity above, but it seems that religion offers aspects of both. In Hegel’s view, “religion and philosophy share, as I [Reardon] have stated, one supreme object: God and the Absolute” (p. 31). Hegel argues that religion cannot possibly be wholly or essentially emotional in its character because “feeling belongs to man’s animal nature and is confined to the individual and subjective” (p. 31). This would eliminate the existence of an Absolute Truth, objectively perceptible by the intellect: an idea completely opposed to Hegel’s beliefs. Another important aspect and goal of religion is its self-reflective nature.
Not merely self-reflective on an individual level, but on a universal level, as well. For Hegel, religion is “the knowledge which the Spirit has of itself as spirit” (p. 60). In Hegel’s system of philosophy, mankind’s consciousness is a result of the Spirit’s drive to know itself. Religion is a manifestation of this drive. The discussion develops further, as Reardon describes Hegel’s interpretation of evil as “the drive of the finite things to be simply what they are as finite” (p. 69). Hegel maintains that there must exist a reconciliation between the infinite and the finite: “Reconciliation is a correction of this, a reorientation of the finite away from its own finitude to the infinite, its source and true home” (p. 69). This reconciliation occurs in art, and now in religion. Like art, religion helps mankind to reorient itself towards the infinite, but on a higher, more intellectual level.
Beauty Standard Effects on Society
Jocelyn Lupercio
Ms. Alma Lopez
English 102-72
12 May 2022
Beauty Standard Effects on Society
With the help of celebrities and social media, society has set a beauty standard that makes a significant number of people question their looks. This standard only defines what society believes makes an attractive, desirable, perfect, and beautiful look. The ideal Western beauty standards include having light skin, being tall and skinny, with long hair, having a small nose, large eyes and big breasts, and having long legs. The Western culture of beauty is ubiquitous and rapidly circulating worldwide, with these beauty standards being promoted by the televisions, fashion industries, the internet, and social media. For instance, when the media advertises beauty is usually advertised as a person with a slim figure and flawless textured skin and not mention beautiful shiny hair. Also, influencers, celebrities, brands, and models use the set beauty standards to sell themselves by creating an image of perfection on social media. Most perfect bodies on social media and Instagram platforms are highly manipulated and edited (Bosco 1). The beauty standards set by society that are promoted by media and certain influencers have proven to affect society physically, emotionally, and in health. Therefore, a more diverse, self-loving, and accepting interpersonal beauty should be encouraged.
Advertisements, social media, and some of the television programs watched today continue pushing the expectations of the ideal Western beauty standards on young women instead of preventing the escalation of these standards. They overwhelm people who are not comfortable with their physical appearances pushing them to want to fit into the standard. This statement is supported by Bosco (1), who states that the expectations of society trigger the feeling of incompleteness. It is estimated that between 20% and 40% of women are not satisfied with their bodies, while about 10% to 30% of men display body dissatisfaction (Quittkat 2). Therefore, to avoid social exclusion, most women will do whatever it takes to adhere to society’s ideal of perfection by whatever means. Some women retort to weight loss methods such as dieting to attain their desired appearance, while the majority of women engage in different forms of body sculpting and cosmetic surgery to attain their desired appearance. Only 5% of women naturally have the ideal body type depicted by Americans in the media (Lincoln n.p). Research also reveals that cosmetic procedure trends have increased a 22% from the year 2000 to the year 2020 (Cosmetic Procedure Trends n.p).
Women’s weight loss practices and cosmetic surgeries to help them fit into the set beauty standards are associated with adverse health effects. Extreme diets result in the development of eating disorders such as Bulimia or Anorexia (Swami 706). At least 9% of the global population is affected by eating disorders, with America having about 28.8 million people suffering from an eating disorder in their lifetime. Eating disorders are reported to be among the deadliest mental sicknesses, with roughly 10,200 people suffering from mental sicknesses every year (ANAD n.p). In 2017, approximately 3.3 million lives across the world were lost to eating disorders (Van 523). Most of these deaths were from Anorexia Nervosa (AN), which is reported to be the eating disorder with the highest mortality rate (Edakubo1). On the other hand, cosmetic surgeries may result in severe health effects such as bruises and hematoma, formation of seroma, infections, excessive blood loss, nerve damage causing motor or sensory loss, scarring, and anesthesia-related problems. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are more severe problems associated with cosmetic surgery that may lead to death (Khunger 190).
Not being the “ideal” beauty standard can also affect one mentally and emotionally. To begin with, women’s self-esteem suffers as a result of media-imposed unrealistic beauty standards, which encourage them to believe that their physical attractiveness falls short of the “perfect look.” Research also reveals that roughly 91% of women are not happy with their physical appearances (Lincoln n.p). Also, poor body image is associated with depressive symptoms and higher anxiety levels (Satghare 1). The 2019 body image report published by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) revealed that 35% of the surveyed individuals were depressed while 34% were feeling anxious due to their body image (MHF n.p). Low self-esteem is the main cause of depression. People with more depressive symptoms experience lesser social interactions facilitated by various reasons. Firstly, these people may experience rejection from others because they create a poor mood for their interaction partners. Also, the social environment is less likely to reinforce them, thus making them feel uncomfortable in social interactions and are less likely to participate in social activities (Elmer 1). Also, the sense of not looking or feeling good enough regardless of what one does may affect a person, making them close off and not want to go out because they are scared about negative comments people will have to say about them.
It is important to note that beauty is not only tailored to one specific body type, color, or height. Beauty can come in all types of shapes and sizes, and it is important that one loves themselves despite their physical appearance. Usually, the core value of people and personality play a big factor in beauty. One may be having trouble with accepting their bodies; however, there are proven practices of self-love that can make an individual more comfortable within their external and internal selves. One of these practices is engaging in physical exercise. Research reveals that physical exercise positively impacts body image and self-esteem by making people feel thinner, stronger, and happier (Gaddad 775).
Also, recognizing inner beauty assists people in accepting their bodies. Usually, people with inner beauty like and accept themselves for who they are (Yolinda 1). Instead of being obsessed with the outer appearance, these individuals understand that there is much more to a person’s beauty than the physical appearance. This helps them avoid harming themselves to fit into the beauty standards set by society. To these people, inner beauty, which is defined by someone’s personality, is what matters to them. Inner beauty is reflected in how people present themselves to the world. It includes virtues such as humility, sincerity, selflessness, positivity, and appreciativeness. People with inner beauty also do not compare themselves with others. This gives them satisfaction with their body images, and they will not want to look like others. Research reveals that an individual’s satisfaction with their physique is a vital component of self-acceptance (Rajagopalan 299). Accepting one’s body helps reduce the pressure from society’s set beauty standards. Furthermore, the formation of support groups can help in increasing people’s self-esteem and improve their body image acceptance. Research reveals that social support groups can have a good effect on improving the way one can perceive oneself. For instance, the Girls’ Circle support group assisted in increasing girls’ social support, self-efficacy, and body image (Steese et al. 55).
In conclusion, society’s beauty standards may not seem ideal and create insecurities. Such insecurities adversely affect individuals’ physical, mental, and emotional health. Most women will do whatever it takes to adhere to society’s ideal of perfection. They may end up engaging in excessive dieting, which results in eating disorders such as Bulimia and Anorexia. Eating disorders are serious sicknesses and may result in death. Also, people may be tempted to undergo cosmetic surgeries to fit into the set beauty standards. These surgeries are also associated with severe effects. Also, not being the “ideal” beauty standard can result in loss of self-esteem and depression. It is vital to note that beauty is not only tailored to one specific body type, color, or height. It can come in all types of shapes and sizes. This can be achieved by acknowledging one’s inner beauty, which creates more self-love and acceptance. Inner beauty is reflected in how people present themselves to the world and is characterized by virtues such as humility, sincerity, selflessness, positivity, and appreciativeness. People with inner beauty are not obsessed with their outer appearance but focus mainly on a person’s personality.
Works Cited
ANAD.” Eating Disorder Statistics .”National Association Of Anorexia Nervosa And Associated Disorders, 2021, https://anad.org/eating-disorders-statistics/.
Bosco, Maria Concetta Lo. “Social media, beauty standards and the discriminatory bias in body transformation practices: a commentary on why posthuman thinking matters.” EbscoHost. Web Interface
Cosmetic Procedure Trends – Plasticsurgery.org. 2021. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2020/cosmetic-procedure-trends-2020.pdf.
Edakubo, Shunsuke, and Kiyohide Fushimi. “Mortality and risk assessment for anorexia nervosa in acute-care hospitals: a nationwide administrative database analysis.” BMC Psychiatry 20.1 (2020): 1-8.
Elmer, Timon, and Christoph Stadtfeld. “Depressive symptoms are associated with social isolation in face-to-face interaction networks.” Scientific Reports 10.1 (2020): 1-12.
Gaddad, Preeti, et al. “Relationship of physical activity with body image, self-esteem sedentary lifestyle, body mass index and eating attitude in adolescents: A cross-sectional observational study.” Journal of family medicine and primary care 7.4 (2018): 775-779.
Khunger, Niti. “Complications in cosmetic surgery: A time to reflect and review and not sweep them under the carpet.” Journal of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery 8.4 (2015): 189–190.
Lincoln, Stephanie. “Promoting Positive Body Image Training With Dr. Caryn Bello .”The Junior League Of Boston, Inc., 2022, https://www.jlboston.org/promoting-positive-body-image-training-with-dr-caryn-bello/.
Mental Health Foundation, 2022. “Body Image Report – Executive Summary .”https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/body-image-report/exec-summary.
Quittkat, Hannah L., et al. “Body dissatisfaction, the importance of appearance, and body appreciation in men and women over the lifespan.” Frontiers in psychiatry 10 (2019): 1-12.
Rajagopalan, Jaya. “Body Appreciation: Through the Lens of Positive Psychology.” Indian Journal of Positive Psychology 12.4 (2021): 299-302.
Satghare, Pratika, et al. “The relative associations of body image dissatisfaction among psychiatric out-patients in Singapore.” International Journal of environmental research and Public health 16.24 (2019): 1-12.
Steese, Stephanie, et al. “Understanding GIRLS’CIRCLE as an intervention ON perceived social support, body image, self-efficacy, locus OF control, and self-esteem.” Adolescence 41.161 (2006): 55.
Swami, Viren, et al. “Associations between women’s body image and happiness: Results of the YouBeauty. com Body Image Survey (YBIS).” Journal of Happiness Studies 16.3 (2015): 705-718.
van Hoeken, Daphne, and Hans W. Hoek. “Review of the burden of eating disorders: mortality, disability, costs, quality of life, and family burden.” Current opinion in psychiatry 33.6 (2020): 521-527.
Yolinda, Regina. “The Concept of Beauty in Elsheskin’s# ImPerfectBeauty Campaign: Semiotic Analysis of Advertisement.” Available at SSRN 4070457 (2021).
Lifestyle Changes In Recycling
Lifestyle Changes In Recycling
Introduction
Recycling has been one of the most popular phrases in the recent times. This has mainly been aided by the fact that the whole or the entire world is realizing and waking up to the reality of global warming and the limited nature of resources. In essence, it has become imperative that people be mindful of their usage of the available resources and even reuse them so as to enhance or guarantee an element of sustainability. In addition, people have had enhanced awareness about the need to cater for their environment, something that has made recycling the most viable and easy option. However, the improvement of the environment through recycling is easy if people make varied lifestyle changes.
First, it is imperative that an individual strives to be a “green consumer” (Wilcox, 2007). This entails weighing the available options to ensure that any product bought has the least impact on the environment. Such an item would be packaged in easily-recyclable material, water-efficient and energy efficient (Wilcox, 2007).
In addition, it is imperative that an individual switches to renewable energy. Recent times have seen the emergence of numerous options of clean, alternative energy. Quite a large number of utility companies have been providing green energy and assisting people to switch to clean energy (Silverman, 2008). The use of renewable energy ensures that there is less waste dumped on the environment (Wilcox, 2007). These include solar energy and wind energy.
Third, it is imperative that an individual ensures proper disposal of waste. This involves sorting out the waste products into renewable and nonrenewable, thereby allowing recyclable materials to be reused while the non-recyclable materials are properly disposed. In fact, some of the components of the non-recyclable materials can be used in the making of new items, thereby reducing landfill and conserving the environment (Silverman, 2008).
References
Silverman, B. (2008). Recycling: Reducing waste. Chicago, Ill: Heinemann Library.
Wilcox, C. (2007). Recycling and waste management. Minneapolis, Minn: Lerner Publication Co.