Nadia Jeelani-Socia

"Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau was published in 1849 and remains one of the most influential essays in political philosophy today. In this paper, I argue against philosopher William Paley`s belief that one should submit to the government. I will defend Thoreau's argument against Paley that submission to the government would not allow us to stand up when facing injustice. The central motto of this paper and my philosophical ethic is "an individual, must do justice, cost what it may." (Civil Disobedience, Thoreau) Thoreau went to inspire many with "Civil Disobedience" like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Ghandi.

In this paper, I write with the intention to allow room for all ranges of non-belief or belief to form their own personal relationship with God, if they so choose. Through emphasizing the value in free-will, our universe allows atheists, agnostics, theists, or those who simply just “do not care” (quote from one of my classmates in my philosophy and religion class) to develop a personal relationship with God, if they so choose. It should not be imposed upon them by J.L. Schellenberg`s idea from The Personal Relationship Argument that if God existed, then God would provide what is necessary for all human beings to have enough sufficient evidence to develop a personal relationship with God. This does not mean this guarantees belief or development of a personal relationship with God, it only means it is possible. I explain this possibility with an Islamic Greater Good Defense called The Seeker or The Sought Argument that is argued in a Sufi sermon by Shaikh Mohammad Abdul Qadir Jeelani.