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Correct Ethical Traditions: Towards A Defense Of Christian Ethical Relativism, Jason Paul Head
Correct Ethical Traditions: Towards A Defense Of Christian Ethical Relativism, Jason Paul Head
Philosophy Theses
This thesis provides one component of a greater defense of Christian ethical relativism, or the notion that what is a morally allowable action for one Christian may be wrong for another and both could be correct in their assertions. This essay does not develop such a Christian relativism, but merely defends the idea that a relativistic view could be developed in an academically rigorous manner and may be able to explain the diversity of Christian ethical traditions in a simpler manner than that offered by the ethical absolutist. As such, the thesis argues that a relativistic view ought to be …
Kripke, Chalmers And The Immediate Phenomenal Quality Of Pain, Jessica Rae Owensby-Sandifer
Kripke, Chalmers And The Immediate Phenomenal Quality Of Pain, Jessica Rae Owensby-Sandifer
Philosophy Theses
One common element of Kripke’s and Chalmers’ reactions to physicalist theories of mind is their reliance upon the intuition that concepts about conscious experiences are essentially identified by the “immediate phenomenal quality” of the conscious experience, how the experience feels from the subjective point of view. I examine how Kripke’s and Chalmers’ critiques require that concepts about conscious experiences be identified by their subjective feel and then move on to provide some ways in which this intuition about concepts of conscious experience could be wrong. Specifically, the intuition is not consistent with our intuitions about unusual cases reported by pain …
Liberalism And The Worst-Result Principle: Preventing Tyranny, Protecting Civil Liberty, Candice Delmas
Liberalism And The Worst-Result Principle: Preventing Tyranny, Protecting Civil Liberty, Candice Delmas
Philosophy Theses
What I dub the “worst-result” principle is a criterion that identifies civil war and tyranny as the worst evils that could befall a state, and prescribes their prevention. In this thesis, I attempt to define the worst-result principle’s concrete prescriptions and institutional arrangements to meet these. To do so, I explore different understandings of the worst-result principle, that each contributes to the general argument. Montesquieu’s crucial insight concerns the separation of powers to prevent the state from collapsing into despotism. Judith Shklar shows that ‘damage control’ needs to be constantly performed so as to minimize chances of governmental brutality. Roberto …
Wittgenstein And Religion, Daniel Patrick Corrigan
Wittgenstein And Religion, Daniel Patrick Corrigan
Philosophy Theses
This thesis considers the implications of Wittgenstein’s early and later philosophy for the issue of religious belief, as well as the relation of religion to Wittgenstein’s thought. In the first chapter I provide an overview of the Tractatus and discuss the place of religion within the Tractarian framework. I then provide an overview of Philosophical Investigations. In the second chapter I consider interpretations by Norman Malcolm and Peter Winch of Wittgenstein’s later philosophy in relation to religion, as well as Kai Nielsen’s famous critique of ‘Wittgensteinian Fideism.’ The third and final chapter takes up the issue of construing religious belief …
A Defense Of Moral Realism, Jason Lesandrini
A Defense Of Moral Realism, Jason Lesandrini
Philosophy Theses
This thesis will explain in detail two closely related but jointly defensible moral realist positions. I show how each position responds to the initial dilemma of whether moral judgments are propositions. Following this discussion, I defend this combined position against an objection that the position is inherently contradictory. I conclude that one can coherently maintain both positions without a contradiction.
Nietzsche On The Future And Value, John Ranta
Nietzsche On The Future And Value, John Ranta
Philosophy Theses
This thesis addresses two interpretative questions concerning the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. The first is to ascertain the primary objection that Nietzsche has to a morality that he describes as decadent. The conclusion reached is that Nietzsche’s objection to decadent morality is based on the harm it does to a class of “higher” individuals who have valuable work to perform in achieving a desirable future for humanity. The second question is to determine the manner in which Nietzsche’s own values are to be understood based on the skepticism he expresses concerning the objectivity of value. The conclusion reached is that …
On The Stephen Macedo And John Finnis Exchange: Natural Law, Liberalism, And Homosexuality: A Critical Assessment, Brian B. Coleman
On The Stephen Macedo And John Finnis Exchange: Natural Law, Liberalism, And Homosexuality: A Critical Assessment, Brian B. Coleman
Philosophy Theses
This essay is an exploration of the debate between John Finnis and Stephen Macedo on the value of homosexuality. In “Is Natural Law Theory Compatible with Limited Government?” Finnis, a natural law theorist, rejects value-neutralist arguments, stating that the political community can and should make value judgments about its members’ life-choices and that such normative evaluations are compatible with liberalism. Particularly, Finnis argues that homosexuality is in its essence always harmful and degrading, thus unable to participate in the basic human goods it imitates. Furthermore, he argues that the political community in liberal democratic societies is justified in discouraging homosexual …
The Impossibility Of Evil Qua Evil: Kantian Limitations On Human Immorality, Timothy Alan Crews-Anderson
The Impossibility Of Evil Qua Evil: Kantian Limitations On Human Immorality, Timothy Alan Crews-Anderson
Philosophy Theses
Kant denies that evil qua evil can be an incentive to human beings. Is this a fact about what sorts of reasons human beings find interesting? Or, is it rooted entirely in Kant’s notion of human freedom? I focus on key facets of Kant’s system: human freedom, immorality and incentives. With an understanding of these concepts based in Christine Korsgaard’s reading of Kant’s moral theory, I argue that the impossibility of acting solely from evil qua evil is not rooted in human incentives and that if we were able to represent an unconditioned principle of immorality, we would have as …
A Defense Of Soft Positivism: Justice And Principle Processes, Keith William Diener
A Defense Of Soft Positivism: Justice And Principle Processes, Keith William Diener
Philosophy Theses
This thesis addresses the historic debate between natural law theorists and positivists. After providing a foundation for the debate by discussing the thirteenth century natural law theory of St. Thomas Aquinas and the criticisms of it by positivist philosopher John Austin, this thesis turns to the theory of H.L.A. Hart. My primary aim is to outline a defense of the soft positivism of H.L.A. Hart in face of the criticisms of Ronald Dworkin by appealing to two nonexclusive roots of moral principles in the law: justice and criminal law.
Ways To Skin The Zombie Cat: A Look At The Problems Associated With Chalmers's Zombie-Argument, Walter Scott Clifton
Ways To Skin The Zombie Cat: A Look At The Problems Associated With Chalmers's Zombie-Argument, Walter Scott Clifton
Philosophy Theses
In contemporary philosophy of mind, the issue of consciousness has taken center stage. Broadly speaking, those who deal with consciousness fall into two camps: those who prioritize empirical work and those who favor conceptual investigation. One prominent argument has served to deepen the divide: the argument for the possibility of zombies. In this paper I intend to examine closely this argument, as it’s presented by David Chalmers, and some of the attempts to discredit it. In so doing, I present some of my own arguments against it, as well as the claim that if it’s sound, then materialism is false. …
Marriage As Unconstitutional: How Not Allowing Homosexual Marriage Violates The First Amendment, Brian M. Payne
Marriage As Unconstitutional: How Not Allowing Homosexual Marriage Violates The First Amendment, Brian M. Payne
Philosophy Theses
For the past several years the issue of homosexual marriage has been at the forefront of an often intense debate in American political culture. Those who oppose the policy have, by and large, been in the majority. But in America, majority decisions are not automatically legal; such status is obtained only when policies are not in conflict with the Constitution. With that in mind, this paper aims to show how not allowing homosexual marriage can amount to an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. To accomplish this I will first examine the main arguments presented against the policy by the defenders of …
Rossian Moral Pluralism: A (Partial) Defense, Angela J. Desaulniers
Rossian Moral Pluralism: A (Partial) Defense, Angela J. Desaulniers
Philosophy Theses
Rossian moral pluralism’s rejection of a founding moral principle and use of ‘prima facie duties’ as opposed to absolute duties makes it unique from most other major ethical theories. It has been attacked in a myriad of different ways because of this. Brad Hooker has proposed two objections based on these ideas. The first is that moral pluralism is lacking justification because of its rejection of a founding moral principle. The second is that because of this, and its lack of absolute duties, moral pluralism is an indeterminate theory. In this paper I will look at Hooker’s objections as well …