Exploring Human Nature in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Samuel I

Examining the nature of humanity and the reason for being has always been a topic of interest that transcends time, gender, age and culture. All literature in existence examines human nature or human interaction or interpretation with non-human things. The one thing we can know for certain is that life is not eternal: we all die. Despite this, each of us have a predisposition to survive and we go to extreme lengths to do so, such as by acquiring mass amounts of power in which to rule over other humans, ensuring a ruler’s survival. We fear what we know is inevitable, so we use the threats of power, including that of ‘higher powers’, to frighten people into believing that they shall face a terrible consequence if they threaten the survival†¦show more content†¦The epic concludes with Enkidu’s death and Gilgamesh flatly accepting the fact that he has lost immortality, and thus eternal power, demonstrating that the Gods are the ultimate source of power and mortals should not attempt to attain such power. The same message is found across the Christian Bible: humankind cannot rule itself. With particular focus on Samuel 1, this essay addresses the correlation between the two literary workings and their connection with human desire to conquer all. Samuel 1 begins with an infertile woman, Hannah, who prays to God to send her a child. Because she is a follower of God and his rules, he gives her the ability to birth a child. It is believed that the Christian God rewards his followers but punishes and destroys those against him. Hannah gives birth to a boy, Samuel, and promises to raise him in subservience to God. She sends him to live at the temple with Eli, a priest, and his sons. Samuel grows to be a follower of God, but Eli’s sons become corrupt. At the time, being a religious leader brought power, fame and wealth. Eli was aware of the corruption within his sons, yet he refused to acknowledge it much as it may have interfered with his position of power. Not wanting to jeprodize his position of power, Eli did not intervene and God saw this as a lack of fear and respect, creating a

Euthanasia Legalization Free Essays

Euthanasia Legalization By: Renee Rosenkilde Rosenkilde 1 Although the United States, and the rest of the world, have made astounding inventions and breakthroughs in technology, health care is still subject to criticism. Even in the twenty-first century, there are numerous terminal, chronic, and life threating diseases circling the world. Because of these circumstances, when a patient is diagnosed with a painful disease that will kill them in a short amount of time, they should be allowed to decide how they want to end their life: waiting for the disease to kill them, or instantly receiving assisted suicide and ending their pain immediately. We will write a custom essay sample on Euthanasia Legalization or any similar topic only for you Order Now Through the process of active euthanasia, a person diagnosed with a terminal illness can immediately die. Active euthanasia would allow a person with a terminal illness to be administered a lethal medication which will instantly kill them and release them from their suffering. Another form of assisted suicide, passive euthanasia, is eliminating any medical assistance in keeping a patient alive, until their death. Active euthanasia should be legalized because it is legal according to the constitution, it is a less expensive alternative, certain religions partake in the act of active euthanasia, and overall it will allow a terminally ill and suffering patient to end their misery. Active euthanasia should be legalized throughout the United States because it is legal according to the Constitution. Currently, assisted suicide is only legal in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Montana (ND NA wrtl. org). Active euthanasia would allow a citizen of the United States a painless death, and an allotted time to say goodbye to their friends and family members. Once consent is given from either the patient themselves, or the family, active Rosenkilde 2 euthanasia should be a possibility for someone with a terminal chronic illness. Steven Ertlet comments, â€Å"The bereaved family and friends of cancer patients who died by euthanasia coped better with respect to grief symptoms and post-traumatic stress reactions than the bereaved of comparable cancer patients who died a natural death. (ND Ertlet paragraph 1). Whereas passive euthanasia would contribute to an extensive amount of pain and suffering, active euthanasia would allow for an immediate, accessible, and painless death. The Constitution of the United States says, â€Å"†¦certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. †¦whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it. † The United States Constitution grants its citizens the right to pursue happiness, which in some cases may be through active euthanasia. The Constitution restates this idea in a more precise form in the Due Process Clause [first section of the fourteenth amendment]: â€Å"No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of†¦liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. † The Constitution states that if it is a person’s desire to die through active euthanasia, it shall be provided to them through to the Due Process Law [first section of the fourteenth amendment]. In the case that active euthanasia would be the best option for a United States citizen struggling with a terminal illness, active euthanasia should be considered. Euthanasia should be legalized in the United States, because it would allow for a citizen with a terminal illness a quick and painless death as well as abide to the Unites States Constitution. Rosenkilde 3 With the declining economy in the United States, saving money and cutting unnecessary spending is of great importance. With health spending accounting for over 17% GDP [how much a place produces in some amount of time] in the United States, it is the highest in the world (NA ND data. wordlbank. org). Cutting this percentage as much as possible would drastically improve the Untied State’s economy. The money spent in hospitals is used to cure patients with different illnesses. Although this is thoughtful on America’s part, in many cases it is unnecessary. If a patient is diagnosed with an incurable terminal illness, there is not much point in wasting money to keep them suffering for as long as possible. Mpoziemski, an online debater at euthanasia. procon. org comments, â€Å"Is it not more compassionate to end a human’s suffering then to make them hold on only to die later after a long, drawn out pain filled battle? † (Mpoziemski 2012 paragraph 1). Keeping a patient suffering until they die of natural causes is irrational when it is possible through active euthanasia to end their suffering as soon as possible. As an added note, this would also help save money throughout this country in drastic numbers. Once approval is given for active euthanasia to be administered, it is can easily save the patient and the hospital money. Certain cancer treatments can be as costly as $10,000, which is added to the accumulating bill for doctor visits, lab tests, room charges, imaging tests, radiation treatments, drugs and other medicines, nurse care, surgery, and homecare (NA ND cancer. org/treatment). Prolonging the life of a patient with an illness is costly for both the hospital and the patient. Instead of paying money to suffer for a longer amount of time, a person with a terminal illness can receive active euthanasia and avoid both the physical and financial pain. Rosenkilde 4 The United States was originally a British colony which British citizens fled to for religious freedom. America seemed as a place where everybody could freely practice their religion. Therefore, when the United States liberated themself from Great Britain, the basis of this country was based off of the freedom of religion. The first amendment of the United States Constitution says â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (www. archieves. ov amendment 1). According toreligions. pewform. org, Judaism, a religion that over 2% of all American adults practice, accepts the idea of suicide in certain circumstances. A story in the Torah tells of a young man who was told by God to commit suicide in order to end his suffering. The story tells of a young man who was being burned alive by the Romans, and god tells him to end his suffering by breathing in large amount of smoke and flames to kill him more quickly. Also, Jewish people do not associate suicide as murder. Although the Torah explains breaking one of the Ten Commandments â€Å"thou shalt not kill† as a sin, suicide does not abide by this commandment, and therefore is not considered a sin. Another main religion in the United States is Hinduism. Practiced mainly by Americans of Indian decent, this religion has ancient suicidal practices. One example of this is called â€Å"suttee†. This is a ritual practice throughout India in which a wife will commit suicide after her husband’s death so that he would have a partner in the afterlife. †¦[suttee] the Indian custom of a widow burning herself, either on the funeral pyre of her dead husband or in some other fashion, soon after his death. † (http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/575795/suttee). Another example of Hindu suicide is the practice of prayopavesa. Prayopavesa is when a Hindu will fast (not eat food) until their death. This practice is used under certain circumstances only for the religiously adva nced. Rosenkilde 5 Prayopavesa is only used when a person has an incurable terminal illness. Not consuming any food or water will eventually kill the person, most likely faster than the illness would have. The Hindu religion believes in the concept of karma: good or bad luck generated by your actions. Some Hindus believe that â€Å"†¦a person who helps other end a painful life and thereby reduce suffering is doing a good deed and will gain good karma. † (http://www. religionfacts. com/euthanasia/hinduism. htm). In all, the United States was based off of freedom of religion, and this concept has been encoded in the first amendment of the constitution. Therefore, if a religion accepts and enforces the practice of assisted suicide (active euthanasia), then it should be legalized throughout the United States. Although active euthanasia is a politically and religiously controversial topic, research can conclude that euthanasia should be legalized across the United States. Due to the fact that the United States Constitution accepts the use of euthanasia, it cannot be ruled as illegal. As well, the United States Constitution, and the entire country, was based off of the freedom of religion. Therefore, if certain major religions accept, and encourage the use of active euthanasia, than the medical procedure should be legalized across the nation so that these religious practices may take place in a safe medical environment. As well, active euthanasia should be legalized because it can save a great deal of money across the United States. With over 17% of GDP used on hospitals and the medical world, taking a person out of their misery would be more effective and less costly. The costs for doctor visits, lab tests, room charges, imaging tests, radiation treatments, drugs and other medicines, nurse care, surgery, and homecare accumulate to increasingly high bills for both the patient and the hospital. Finally, and most importantly, the practice of active euthanasia can quickly, easily, and effectively take a patient with a terminal Rosenkilde 6 llness out of their pain and misery with an allotted time to say goodbye to their loved ones. With a patient dying due to a disease anyways, wouldn’t it make more sense to end their life quickly and easily instead of keeping them alive to endure a life of pain? Active euthanasia should be legalized throughout the United States, and should be made an option for anyone with a miserable, chronic, long-term, terminal illness. Works Cited http://www. lifenews. com/2003/07/20/bio-21/ http://www. wrtl. org/assistedsuicide/assistedsuicide/whereitislegalus. aspx http://www. law. cornell. edu/constitution/amendmentxiv ttp://www. fed-soc. org/publications/detail/whether-there-is-a-constitutional-right-to-die http://www. ushistory. org/declaration/document/ http://euthanasia. procon. org/view. answers. php? questionID=000207 http://www. cancer. org/treatment/findingandpayingfortreatment/managinginsuranceissues/the-cost-of-cancer-treatment http://data. worldbank. org/indicator/SH. XPD. TOTL. ZS http://www. religionfacts. com/euthanasia/hinduism. htm http://www. archives. gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript. html http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/575795/suttee http://religions. pewforum. org/reports How to cite Euthanasia Legalization, Papers

Alexander the Great was king of the Macedonians an Essay Example For Students

Alexander the Great was king of the Macedonians an Essay d one of the greatest generals in history. As a student of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, Alexander was embedded with lasting interests in philosophy, politics and warfare. As king, he settled problems by immediate action, making quick decisions and taking great risks. His armies overcame these risks by sheer force and by the ingenious tactics instilled in them by Alexander. He and his armies conquered the Persian Empire, which stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to India and formed much of what was then considered the civilized world. Through his conquests, Alexander helped spread Greek ideas, customs and laws throughout Asia and Egypt and adopted a uniform currency system to promote trade and commerce. He thus spread the rich Hellenistic culture enjoyed by the Greeks throughout the world. Alexander had a dream of the brotherhood of mankind where every person shared a common language, currency and loyalty, but he was unable to see his dream through due to an illness that claimed his life at the young age of 33. Alexander was born in 356 B.C. He was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was the son of Philip II, king of Macedonia, and of Olympias, a princess of Epirus. At the age of 13, Aristotle was hired to be Alexanders private tutor. Aristotle inspired interests of politics, other races of people and countries, plants and animals, and a great love for literature in Alexander (Overview of Alexander the Great. 1). He was an outstanding athlete and excelled in every sport of his time (Durant 538). In 338 B. C., at the age of 18, Alexander led the cavalry of his fathers army in the Battle of Chaeronea, which brought Greece under Macedonian control. At the age of 20, Alexanders father was murdered by one of his bodyguards, and Alexander succeeded the throne as king of Macedonia. After Alexanders father died, some Greek cities under Macedonian rule revolted. In 335 B.C. Alexander attacked the city of Thebes, storming its walls and destroying every building, except the temples and the house of the poet Pindar. His army sold the 30,000 inhabitants of Thebes into slavery or killed them. Alexanders actions against Thebes discouraged rebellion by the other Greek cities.(Alexander the Great. 1). With solid footing at home, Alexander prepared to invade Asia in 334 B. C. After crossing the Hellespont with an army of 35,000 men, he met his first Persian battle on the banks of the Granicus River. His cavalry charged across the Granicus and overwhelmed the Persians. From there, Alexander went on to conquer all of Asia Minor with little resistance (Alexander the Great. 2). After recovering from a serious illness in 333 B. C., Alexander marched to Syria, where the king of Persia, Darius III, had fortified a riverbank near Issus with 600,000 men (Durant 544). Again Alexander attacked with his cavalry and defeated the Persians. Darius III managed to escape but left behind his family and a large amount of money. Alexander then turned to Tyre, a small island about a half a mile offshore, where a large group of Phoenicians were assembled to defend Persia. Unable to conquer by sea, Alexanders men built a causeway to the island and attacked on land. Tyre resisted for seven months, so long that when captured, Alexander had his army slay 8,000 men and sell the other 30,000 into slavery (Alexander the Great. 2). Jerusalem surrendered and was spared, but Gaza fought for three months until every man in the city was dead (Durant 544). Alexander and his men now set forth to conquer Egypt. Upon arriving, he was welcomed as a .. .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e , .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .postImageUrl , .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e , .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:hover , .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:visited , .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:active { border:0!important; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:active , .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud3b895ecc20ce3b7fa835990139cb71e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Foalktales1 Essay.divinely sent liberator from Persian rule and was crowned pharaoh (Durant 544). While in Egypt, he founded Alexandria, which would become a world center of commerce and learning, and he visited the temple and oracle of Zues-Ammon. In 331 B.C. Alexander marched back to Asia to attack Persia. He was greeted by Darius III and a large army at Guagamela. Alexander was dismayed by the size of Darius army, but it was no match for the fortification of Alexanders phalanxes and swiftness of his cavalry. Darius was forced to retreat and his own .