Reflection - Franklin's Virtues vs. Deism

According to religiousrolerance.org, the definition of deism is as follows: Belief in God + Religious = Deism. For me, this really put things in perspective. Benjamin Franklin is one of history's most prominent Deists. His ideas and virtues highly reflect the basics of Deism. During Benjamin Franklin's time, the Enlightenment was influencing everyone around the world (Deist Roots of America). Franklin included, he was big about not necessarily proving religion wrong, but finding logical reasons behind religion itself. Together, Deism and Benjamin Franklin's virtues are interestingly intertwined with one another, as seen on deism.com and in Franklin's Autobiography.

The Enlightenment period in America and Europe is one of the most interesting movements that has swept the world in all of history. People, like Franklin, were beginning to think outside of the box and finding new ways to prove things that before only had religious reasoning. When Franklin applied science and logic to religion, he was demonstrating another popular movement throughout society during the late 1700's, deism. Deism does not revolve around a specific denomination, but rather represents an overall ideology on no specific religion. Franklin converts to Deism as seen in his Autobiography. In one of his virtues, Humility, he states that he follow Jesus and Socrates. This is an example of how Deists thought in the day. They did not see any religion as the "right" religion. They believed that God created the universe, but as I stated previously, they did not believe in any specific denomination (Deist Roots of America). Benjamin Franklin does not follow Jesus alone, but uses a rational approach by stating to follow Socrates. This shows that Franklin was religious but with a very rational approach also.

In Franklin's Autobiography, he states, "Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle's Lectures. It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist." In this quote, Benjamin tells readers how he converted to Deism. It took a book by Boyle, against Deism, to convert the prominent Benjamin Franklin. I find this very interesting because it is a good example how Franklin thought. Instead of agreeing with Boyle, he was ultimately converted and went with the subject that the author was trying to disprove. This is much like Franklin's virtue of order, stating that everything has its place and time. For Franklin, his "everything" was deciding what he believed. He gave it time, seeing that he converted to Deism at a very old age. It fell into its own place at its own time. This closely relates to Benjamin Franklin's virtue of order.
I was very interested to learn of Franklin's Deism life and how he came to be. It turns out, his virtues and the basic ideas behind Deism are closely intertwined. He revolved his political and even personal lifestyle around the basics of Deism. In regard to the references I found to relate his virtues to that of Deism, I found those websites to be very helpful.

"Deism: Its History, Beliefs and Practices." Web. 24 Oct. 2011.

"Deist Roots of America." Welcome To The Deism Site! Web. 24 Oct. 2011.

Journal #14 - Benjamin Franklin

Well if I were Benjamin Franklin's apprentice, I would probably be very smart. I am assuming he would make me help him with all of his odd chores, like doing weird science experiments and whatnot. In my free time when I was not helping him solve some crazy equation, I would probably be doing logical puzzles to make myself even more smart. When the day started, I would wake up, make Franklin breakfast, and then sit there in the morning and listen to him ramble on about politics and science and rational thinking. After breakfast, he would probably go out and go for a walk or something, so I would clean up and go with him outside. As we walk along the street, he will see one of his political buddies and I am assuming they will start talking about the Declaration of Independence or something boring stuff like that. This blog is really hard to write because I am behind so much, but I am going to try really hard to explain my day in the life of Benjamin Franklin's apprentice. Anyway, after we talk to his political buddy, we would go and play with kites and metal rods. It would just happen to start raining and lightening, and whoaaa lo-and-behold, we just discovered electricity. That would probably be the biggest feat of the day. I mean, how important is it that I made Franklin bacon and eggs for breakfast? Not very important I will tell you that. Anyway, at this point in the day, electricity has been discovered, so we call it a day. At night, Franklin goes over all the new stuff he learned that day, pretty boring if you ask me. We will probably do the same thing the next day because that is all this guy does. He invents new things. I fell like he will invent bifocals or something tomorrow, or maybe he will discover the cure for polio. Anyway, I hope I never have to blog about something so far-fetched again because in all honestly, this was very hard to blog about.

Reflection - Thomas Paine - Crisis No. 1

If I had to choose, which I do, whether or not Thomas Pain's The Crisis Number 1 was from the Rationalism period or the Puritanism period, I would definitely choose the Rationalist period. The style of writing was obviously Rational because of its logical and scientific approach on Britain. Paine strongly believes in his story that America should be completely independent from Britain. He supports his ideas with facts and logical explanations. One specific example Paine's writing style is his use of persuasion. I believe it is safe to say that if his novel would have not been as persuasive, individuals back then may have not made such a big deal out of his work. This could have possibly altered the history we know today. Paine's novel demonstrates how in two similar situations, one cannot treat another more fairly simply because of who they are. This is a common Rationalistic theme he tries to suggest in his writing. Thomas Paine's Rationalist approach in The Crisis No. One is an immediate example of how the Rationalism highly influenced society back then, leaving us to feel the effects of it even today.

“We did not make a proper use of last winter… and the fault is all our own” (Paine 135). In this quote, Paine says that the fault they are experiencing is only to blame on themselves. This is very different from the Puritan views of the previous time period. In a rational way, Paine explains that because society failed to prepare themselves, they are at fault for the consequences in which they now suffer. Their laziness was not God's fault, similar to what the Puritans would have believed during the Puritanism period. I find this point that Thomas Paine makes very interesting. I think he showed society what it was like to think logically. In a way, he clearly defines the Rationalism period in The Crisis Number One because of his consistent use of propaganda and persuasion.

Thomas Paine was a very logical kind of thinker, hence the fact that he is one of the leaders of the Rationalism period. Toward the end of his story, he talks about a possible scenario he could be in and what he would do. If someone came in a tried to rob his house, he would not just sit around and do nothing about it, but rather so proactive and try to stop the robber from stealing his things (Paine 136). At first, I thought, well is that not what everyone would do in that kind of situation? Back then, people were still getting over the whole "God did this" and "God did that". They began to analyze things in their life, being robbed for example is one of those in Thomas Paine's mind.

Overall, I thouroughly enjoyed Thomas Paine's novel. He definitely is a Rational thinker. He uses persuasion and logic to back up his ideas. I love reading Thomas Paine's writing because it is a different aspect than the boring Puritan ideas that we have previously read.

Paine, Thomas. "from The Crisis, No.1." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 134-136. Print.

Journal #13 - American Dream

The American Dream is something that people every day attempt to pursue. Today's "American Dream" consists of a wealthy business, well that is the persona of it anyway. People believe that to be successful, one must make a lot of money, have a nice job, a family that consist of a happy wife, a son, and a daughter. Although this may be the popular belief of the American Dream, it does not necessarily mean that it is the only dream within reach for Americans. Many Americans are actually happy being average-class citizens. They may not have the most money, but they are happy where they are. For them, "success" comes from being happy, not stressed, and just living life day by day with as minimal worry as possible. I think that for me, I find the successful route of the American dream is the rich and notorious individual. I do not live with the most money. We live comfortably, I have things I want and I get more than most kids my age, but at the same time, I want to live the life of fame and fortune. I want fancy cars. I want to attend fancy dinners with fancy people. I want to have a huge apartment in the skyscrapers of New York City. Many people feel the same way as I do because that is the typical American Dream of people who live in the United States of America. I know my expectations for life are high, and I might not achieve all that I want, but I can at least hope, right? I think as technology increases and more people connect with others all around the world, our expectations in life are way more higher than they were even twenty years ago. Everyone wants cell phones, they want economic cars, and they want to live a life of luxury. I think that is why a lot of are left with a ton of debt. This journal has really made me think about my life and what the typical "American Dream".

Reflection - Ben Franklin vs. Puritan Writers

Ben Franklin, compared to Puritan authors, is very different in his writing style. Puritan writers heavily reflect on God and the good works He has done for them. Rationalists, like Ben Franklin rely on science and logic to prove his points. Franklin's Autobiography is a very important part of Rationalist writing because his ideas and though process were extremely different from many notorious authors of the time period. The poems and other works by Franklin we have read so far in class really help me compare Puritan writing to Rationalist writing because of his interesting style portrayed in his literature.

A very large part of Puritan writing style is the fact that much thanks is given to God for everything the Puritans received in life. If something bad happened, they looked at it as a gift from God and an experience to learn from, rather than scientifically thinking their situation through, much like Benjamin Franklin does in his writing. A very notorious Puritan writing of the time period was Anne Bradstreet. She followed the ways and writing style that was typical for individuals in the day. In her story, Upon the Burning of Our House, Bradstreet's house burns down from a fire. Even as she witnesses her house go up in flames, she still praises God for what He has done for her (Bradstreet 91). In another example of Puritan writing style, Mary Rowlandson writes about her situation with the harsh Indians. They held her hostage and refuse to let her go, even to see her child. She is in a very traumatic situation, but regardless of the hell she is put through, she still gives thanks to God for keeping her safe and strong through a time of despair (Rowlandson 83). The Puritans were big believers of putting their faith in God no matter what. They could be on the verge of death, yet they still let God know He was their Savior. In Benjamin Franklin's writing on the other hand, he uses a more rational and logical approach to the everyday struggle life throws at him. We see this throughout his Autobiography found on page 108.

Comparing Franklin's writing style to William Bradford's writing, readers can tell how different Rationalists were from Puritans. Puritans tended to get straight to the point in whatever it was they were talking about. There was hardly any symbolism used in their writing. William Bradford, in Of Plymouth Plantation, explains the situation he and his crew are in, but does not lollygag in his writing (Bradford 64). He tells it as it is. Franklin on the other hand, uses very descriptive detail throughout his Autobiography.

After reading both types of writing styles, Rational and Puritan, I am overall pleased with Rational writing more so than Puritan. I enjoy the fact that Rationalists use a bit more detail in their writing, giving readers a chance to analyze what is being read, whereas in Puritan writing, it is basically said straightforward, leaving hardly any room for analysis. Franklin was a very descriptive man, and he displays this in his writing, leaving him to be a very prominent figure of the Rationalism period.

Bradford, William. "Of Plymouth Plantation." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 64-67. Print.

Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 91. Print.

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 106-108. Print.

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration or Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 82-85. Print.

Journal #12 - Rules

If I could make up my own rules, I would completely get rid of PACE. I hate it. I am sorry, but I have to vent about how I hate PACE. I think that it has a good purpose, but teachers are way too strict, especially toward students who actually want to get their work done. I think teachers need to realize that school is not jail. I sincerely apologize for expressing such negative feelings (that one is for you Mr. Langley). It is not fair that smart students are being penalized for actually wanting to learn. The basic idea behind PACE is rather useful, but the fact I am in PACE with a teacher I have never had, nor have currently, and no one in my class is in any of my honors classes, I have a rough time attempting to get work done that I do not understand. In all honestly, since I cannot do my work in PACE, I sit there and use it as a time to relax. Teachers will get mad when they hear me say that, but I am just being truthful. I think administrators should use my negative feed back and work with it, because many other students like me have the same problem. If I could make up my own rules, I would say that you are allowed to actually GO and get help in PACE, not sit there and stare at your homework the whole forty minutes. In my rules, I would not necessarily judge the students on their academic ability, but if I knew the trustworthiness of the student, I would trust them to go and get help on their homework. If teachers do not do something about the PACE situation soon, I will loose my mind up in here. I am a smart kid, I always have been. Please...stop punishing me for other's immature actions. Overall, that is my opinion on PACE and I hope someone important reads this (like Mr. Langley).

Journal #11

I think I have learned more this year than ever before that time is of the essence. School is basically taking up my life, and I have lost more time wasting my life away doing petty homework. Benjamin Franklin's aphorism saying "Lost Time is never Found" has definitely described my life on a very precise level. I wish I could be outside enjoying the Fall weather, or hanging out with friends, but instead, my life is consumed by homework that, most of the time, is merely busy-work. I have learned virtually nothing from the homework I have been assigned in the past month. In Franklin's aphorism, he states that when time is lost, it can never be found again or made up. After evaluating my life, I realize that time is honestly so important. We only get a certain amount of time on this earth and it only makes sense that we make the best of the little time we get. Last night for example, I thought that I had plenty of time to do my homework that I had. I had to write so many papers by hand, that it consumed more time than I actually had. I eventually had to call it a night and put my homework away and just go to sleep. Sometimes I underestimate how long it will take to do my assignment, so it is very important to plan for extra time to do something, just in case you get distracted or pulled away from the homework itself. I find Franklin's quote to be very exhilarating and many people should take from his insightful ideas. It is important we prioritize our lives and have fun while we can. We never know when our lives will be taken from us. I am glad I found this aphorism and I will keep it in mind when I am having trouble focusing on my work. Benjamin was a very insightful person who will always be remembered in history as an important person.

Propaganda in the Declaration of Independence

From the beginning of the formation of the United States, people have been debating and contrasting what type of government would blanket America to represent the millions of individuals seeking religious freedom and prosperity. Thomas Jefferson uses a variety of techniques to draw in the people, some of which result in faulty logic. As I first read through the document, I was faced with somewhat of a blunder because I failed to see the faulty logic, probably because my mind was completely agreeing with what Jefferson was saying. After searching deep into my brain, I was able to conjure up something that relevantly reflected name-calling, a technique that includes attaching a negative label to someone just because you do not like that (Recognizing Propoganda). When someone uses name-calling in their argument, it makes them look like complete fools in my opinion. In a way, they are sort of stereotyping that individual and perceiving them to be bad people, despite who they actually are. Jefferson consistently uses the technique of name-calling in his draft of the Declaration of Independence. "The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpation all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. (122)” Jefferson presumes that the king of Great Britain is a terrible man with injury and corruptness in his history. In paragraphs to follow on page 122-124, Jefferson completely destroys the king. He states everything and anything that the king has done in the past, yet fails to back up these accusations. This is rather unfortunate actually. Here we see the basis of our government being corrupt and nasty. According to the document, all men should and are created equally. Now, if this statement, created by an American ideological, is true, why would Jefferson be bashing the king in such a way? Here we see yet another propaganda technique used. Jefferson uses the bandwagon technique to get his audience to agree with the exaggerated material he is presenting. If he says something, because of his infamous political notoriety, many people will automatically agree with what he says, despite how farfetched and degrading toward someone it may be. I think by using these faulty logic techniques, Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence is not a very forceful document of choice for someone trying to read up on the history of United States government. Unfortunately, we see Jefferson’s emotions taking over logic. He is so opinionated that he fails to recognize his irrelevant attitude toward the situation he was faced with when writing the document. In one example, Jefferson says, “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out our substance, (123)”. This statement persuades people to agree with Jefferson’s opinion toward the king of Great Britain.

Overall, I found the document to be very interesting. I think it is cool that even political figures of the era formed the basis of corrupt thinking that our government uses even today. I am glad that someone sort of fixed the kinks in Jefferson’s rough draft.

Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 120-124. Print.

Dspsweb@cuesta.edu. "Recognizing Propaganda--Guide to Critical Thinking--Academic Support." Print.