Question
Illustration Essay
Write a 750-1000 word essay about a topic in which you argue for the existence of a particular phenomenon by stating a
generalization about the topic. Then you will support that generalization (in the form of a thesis statement) by choosing to
write a single-example illustration essay or a multiple-example illustration essay (see Unit V, Lesson 2). The essay should
be written in the style and form described within Unit V.
Purpose: Throughout Unit V, we have discussed the conventions of the illustration essay. The purpose of this assignment
is to measure your mastery of those conventions by putting your knowledge to practice. In a larger context, the purpose of
EH 1010, English Composition I 4
writing an illustration essay is to convey an idea to the reader by providing illustrations (examples) that will solidify the
existence of a topic.
Process: For the illustration essay, you will complete the following steps:
- Choose a topic: See the methods for developing a topic and the suggested list of topics in Unit V, Lesson 3.
- Decide if you want to write a single-example or multiple-example essay: See Unit V, Lesson 2, for more
instruction on the differences between single-example and multiple-example essays.
- Collect illustrations: See Unit V, Lesson 1, for more information about different kinds of illustrations. See Unit V,
Lesson 4, for more information about how to gather illustrations.
- Craft your thesis statement: See Unit V, Lesson 5, for more information on how to write a thesis. Note that you
want to craft your thesis according to whether you choose to write a single-example or a multiple-example essay.
- Draft the essay: For each section of the essay, see the following: Unit V, Lesson 6, for the introduction; Unit V,
Lesson 7, for the body paragraphs; and Unit V, Lesson 8, for the conclusion.
Sample paper
The Existence of God and Life after Death
In the recent period, the debate about the existence of God and thus life after death has gained momentum. There exists opposing viewpoints about the existence of God. One faction strongly holds the view that a Supreme Being exists, while the other faction holds the view that there is probably no God. Yet, some are caught up in the middle and would rather not believe in any belief. In every second that passes, every human being on this planet moves move closer to death, and perhaps the revelation about the existence of God – for it is only in death that some of the greatest mysteries will come to light. There are various arguments supporting the existence of a Supreme Being. These arguments can be classified into ontological, cosmological, and teleological standpoints. This paper will examine the available proofs on the existence of God with regard to the three arguments.
The universe is indeed elegant, but the question that bothers most people’s minds are three: first, how did it come into being? Second, what, if at all there is, created it? Third, what is man’s ultimate destiny? The Bible answers majority of these questions by basing its argument on the existence of a Supreme Being, or God, who is the creator of all that is in the universe. The ontological arguments on the existence of God focus on the metaphysical studies of being and existence. The ontological argument posits that the existence of God can be proved through reason (Nagasawa, 2011). Through reason, all the supernatural elements come to light and there are no controversies. This argument was put forward by Anselm who disregarded the biblical revelation on existence of God and instead chose reason. The other feature of the ontological argument on the existence of God is its emphasis on a priori argument. A priori argument is that which can be proven true through reason without the need for empirical evidence or experience.
Fig. 1.1. Ontological arguments on existence of God
The ontological view on existence of God is more of a priori argument. Anselm asserts that the very notion that a Supreme Being exists means actually that God does exist. Anselm’s conception of God is that of a perfect God. In his view, God is greater than anything else in the entire universe, and for that reason must be in existence (Nagasawa, 2011). He goes further to say that if God was only an idea in people’s minds, the conception would be less perfect than in actuality. Descartes also supported
the notion of a perfect being, and therefore the existence of a Supreme Being. According to Descartes, imagining a lack of Supreme Being is akin to the conception of a triangle whose inner angles do not add up to 180 degrees.
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The cosmological argument was also put forward to proof the existence of God. The cosmological argument on existence of God is based on the factual aspects of change, motion, contingency, and causation with respect to the universe and the processes that surround the universe (Rowe, 1998). Renowned philosophers who argued along this line of thought include St. Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, and Plato. The cosmological argument is based on the premise that all events in the universe can be attributed to a particular cause, and the cause must also have been the result of another cause, leading to what may be termed as a causation of events. Clearly, there must be an end to the series of causes as it cannot be infinite.
Fig. 1.1. Rotation of the earth
The cosmological argument proposes that there is an end of the causal chain – a cause that is in itself not caused or uncaused by anything (Rowe, 1998). This point to the presence of a Supreme Being who is the first cause of everything in the universe. With regard to the cosmological argument, philosophers give out a number of examples such as the rotation of the earth. They argue that such motions must have had an initial cause that can only be attributed to the existence of a Supreme Being.
The last kind of argument on the existence of God is based on teleological evidence. Proponents of the teleological argument assert that the universe must have had to be designed. The universe exhibits a level of orderliness that is so elaborate to have occurred by chance as some scholars suggest. Everything in the universe is orderly, and exists for a purpose. The teleological argument attributes this amazing order of the cosmos to a divine ordering power. Proponents of this theory such as Hartshorne question that if the universe was the result of an unknown spontaneity such as the Big Bang Theory suggests, then could all things “freely conspire together to make an orderly world?” (Viney, 1985, p. 82).
Fig. 1.2. The orderliness of the solar system
It is highly unlikely that the spontaneity would result in an orderly world. Further, proponents of this theory questions why there are no further conflicts and confusion in the universe, but only orderliness prevails. These arguments points to the existence of God responsible for the universe’s orderliness.
In conclusion, the debate on the existence of a Supreme Being is hard to fathom. However, there is reason to believe in existence of Supreme Being. The world as it is must have been crafted by a supernatural being. The ontological, cosmological, and teleological arguments provide much evidence on the existence of God, and therefore life after death. Perhaps the most convincing argument relates to the orderliness of the world, as it is difficult to believe that the great orderliness was brought about by spontaneity.
References
Nagasawa, Y. (2011). The Existence of God: A Philosophical Introduction. United Kingdom, UK: Taylor & Francis.
Rowe, W. L. (1998). The cosmological argument. New York: Fordham Univ. Press.
Viney, D. W. (1985). Charles Hartshorne and the existence of God. Albany: State University of New York Press.
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