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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Climate Geoengineering And Iwu's Ethics Bowl, Jake K. Bates
Climate Geoengineering And Iwu's Ethics Bowl, Jake K. Bates
The Intellectual Standard
In its sophomore season of competition, Illinois Wesleyan's Ethics Bowl team qualified for the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl hosted in San Antonio, Texas on February 28. In spite of technical difficulties and flight delays, the team returned to campus having won the first annual Spirit of the Ethics Bowl award, an honor recognizing sportsmanship which was voted on by opposing teams. Ethics bowl competition centers around a set of cases featuring ethical dilemmas and quandaries published by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. It is structured so that a presenting team has ten minutes to answer a question regarding anyone …
Lessons In Injustice: Privilege Walks, Karen Silverman
Lessons In Injustice: Privilege Walks, Karen Silverman
The Intellectual Standard
If you are a white male take one step forward. If your parents did not grow up in the United States take a step back. If you were born in the United States take a step forward. These are some of the questions one might hear at a Privilege Walk, which is an activity held at many universities in order to "provide participants with an opportunity to understand the intricacies of privilege" (Young, 2006). Questions such as these are asked to participating students who stand shoulder to shoulder in a straight line. Students take steps forward when their answers to …
In Defense Of Technology, Mike Kelly
In Defense Of Technology, Mike Kelly
The Intellectual Standard
During the Middle Ages, i.e. the "Dark" Ages, man's worldview was largely dominated by mysticism, irrationality, and collectivism. The universe was widely perceived as epistemologically unknowable and metaphysically malevolent, dooming man to suffering and tragedy. Given the widespread political and social instability, as well as the ravages of unstoppable plagues and warmongering nations, such conclusions were not totally unreasonable. The Enlightenment and its corollary, the Scientific Revolution, delivered western civilization from the Dark Ages into an age of reason, science, and individualism. What was once perceived as unknowable, uncertain, and malevolent, became knowable, certain, and benevolent. The universe became a …
Volume 2, Issue 2, Jaret Kanarek, Jake Bates, Karen Silverman, Kyle O'Shea, Mike Kelly
Volume 2, Issue 2, Jaret Kanarek, Jake Bates, Karen Silverman, Kyle O'Shea, Mike Kelly
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Critiquing Cultural Relativism, Jaret Kanarek
Critiquing Cultural Relativism, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Climate Geoengineering And Iwu’S Ethics Bowl, Jake Bates
Climate Geoengineering And Iwu’S Ethics Bowl, Jake Bates
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Lessons In Injustice: Privilege Walks, Karen Kanarek
Lessons In Injustice: Privilege Walks, Karen Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Survival Of The Selfish: Natural Selection And The Myth Of Altruism, Kyle O'Shea
Survival Of The Selfish: Natural Selection And The Myth Of Altruism, Kyle O'Shea
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Critiquing Cultural Relativism, Jaret Kanarek
Critiquing Cultural Relativism, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
Cultural relativism is the ever-popular theory claiming that, “any set of customs and institutions, or way of life, is as valid as any other” (Hartung,1954). In its appeal to tolerance—the seemingly incontrovertible “virtue” of the modern era—it has gained wide appeal amongst myriad disciplines, most notably in the social sciences (UNESCO, 1995). However, the theory is destructive in both theory and practice. In theory, cultural relativism emphatically denies reason and objective reality (Zechenter, 1997). In practice, it sanctions the worst manifestations of violence and oppression.
The Scorpion And The Frog: A False Narrative Of Human Nature, Karen Silverman, Jaret Kanarek
The Scorpion And The Frog: A False Narrative Of Human Nature, Karen Silverman, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
The Scorpion and the Frog is an age-old fable, having taken various forms over the past centuries.1 In the story, a scorpion asks a frog to carry him across a river. The frog is hesitant to agree because the scorpion might sting him on the trip. The scorpion assures the frog that he would not do that because it would cause himself to drown. The frog agrees, yet midway through the trip, the scorpion stings the frog anyway. When the frog asks the scorpion why, he replies that it is in his nature.
Survival Of The Selfish:Natural Selection And The Myth Of Altruism, Kyle O'Shea
Survival Of The Selfish:Natural Selection And The Myth Of Altruism, Kyle O'Shea
The Intellectual Standard
Altruism, in its purest sense, can be defined as an unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others. An altruistic act is one in which the person or animal benefiting from the act is the only one benefiting from it, and the person or animal performing the act gains nothing or is even harmed by the act. Truly altruistic acts are completely void of selfishness. One would like to believe that altruism could exist in its purest form; however, this devotion to the welfare of others cannot and does not exist in nature over time.
The Tortoise And The Hare: A New Moral For An Old Fable, Jaret Kanarek
The Tortoise And The Hare: A New Moral For An Old Fable, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Faulty Phrases: “There Are No Absolutes” & “The Truth Is Relative”, Jaret Kanarek
Faulty Phrases: “There Are No Absolutes” & “The Truth Is Relative”, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
The Scorpion And The Frog: A False Narrative Of Human Nature, Karen Silverman, Jaret Kanarek
The Scorpion And The Frog: A False Narrative Of Human Nature, Karen Silverman, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Faulty Phrases: “There Is No Such Thing As Perfection”, Michael Christison
Faulty Phrases: “There Is No Such Thing As Perfection”, Michael Christison
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
The Tortoise And The Hare: A New Moral For An Old Fable, Jaret Kanarek
The Tortoise And The Hare: A New Moral For An Old Fable, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
Aesop's The Tortoise and the Hare is a prominent moral fable in American cultural discourse. Having originated in ancient Greece, the fable has varied over the years, but the basic elements remain the same. The story, as it is generally told, involves a tortoise and a hare as its two main protagonists. The hare is arrogant; he continually boasts about his speed and picks on the tortoise for being slow. The tortoise grows tired of the hare's boasting and questions the hare's claim of being the fastest creature. In retort, the hare decides to challenge the tortoise to a race …
Faulty Phrases: "There Are No Absolutes" & "The Truth Is Relative", Jaret Kanarek
Faulty Phrases: "There Are No Absolutes" & "The Truth Is Relative", Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
"There are no absolutes:' "The truth is relative:' Each phrase implies and necessitates the truth of the other. An absolute is something that is universally true, that is, its truth is independent of all other factors or contexts (New Oxford American Dictionary). To say, "there are no absolutes:' is to say that there are no independent universal truths. All truths are therefore dependent. "The truth is relative" makes exactly this claim. Philosophically speaking, that which is relative "is dependent on something else" (New Oxford American Dictionary). But the concepts of relativity and dependence do not exist in a vacuum. For …
Faulty Phrases: "There Is No Such Thing As Perfection", Michael Christison
Faulty Phrases: "There Is No Such Thing As Perfection", Michael Christison
The Intellectual Standard
In regard to this saying, one of the most notable references can be found in the movie Tron: Legacy. Although not a direct quote, the character Kevin Flynn, played by Jeff Bridges, communicates a very similar message to the public: "The thing about perfection is that it's unknowable. It's impossible, but it's also right in front of us all the time:' This stance from Flynn, or rather the scriptwriters, epitomizes the commonplace idea that I wish to critically examine.
The Issue Of Internet Polling, Nick A. Nichols
The Issue Of Internet Polling, Nick A. Nichols
The Intellectual Standard
Surveys, polls, and focus groups are common phenomena in our daily lives. We live in a world where big data is big business. Large decisions hinge on the accuracy and predicative power of these numbers. Therefore, it should not be surprising that there is a market for the malicious manipu-1ation of data. Extreme care must be taken in the collection, checking, and processing of data to prevent decisions from being made on incorrect assumptions. In order to demonstrate the full potential and possible impact of these attacks, I shall provide the following example: John Doe is a member of the …
Faulty Phrases: "Only Human", Jaret Kanarek
Faulty Phrases: "Only Human", Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
No abstract provided.
Responsibility, Jaret Kanarek
Faulty Phrases: "Only Human", Jaret Kanarek
Faulty Phrases: "Only Human", Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
After a forceful lesson demonstrating his incompetence as a green lantern, Hal Jordan, the hero of 2011's blockbuster Green Lantern, claims, ''I'm done. He's right. I'm only human" (IMDB, 2011). This anti-man attitude pervades the movie, and seems warranted given the portrayal of a reality in which there are non -human species capable of accomplishing feats incomprehensible to mankind. Unfortunately, this anti-man attitude is not limited to the realm of fantasy and science fiction where the facts of reality, i.e. laws of logic and physics, have no bearing. For millennia, this attitude has been just as prevalent in the earthly …
Tunnel Vision: A Problem In Academics, Nick A. Nichols
Tunnel Vision: A Problem In Academics, Nick A. Nichols
The Intellectual Standard
Inspiration is just as important to scientists as it is to artists. Einstein's theories of special relativity were famously drawn from his boyhood question, "What would riding upon a beam of light be like?" Archimedes came to his famous eureka moment, and uncovered the principle of buoyancy, in a bath. Without moments of inspiration like these, humanity would not have made the progress that it has. Taking a broad view of the world has historically been a large part of the academic world; however, there is still a constant struggle with academic tunnel vision. When one becomes obsessed with a …
Responsibility, Michael Christison
Responsibility, Michael Christison
The Intellectual Standard
In our society there is a systematic failure to recognize certain crucial principles about the human condition, especially by those in positions of power. Parents and policy-makers alike focus too greatly on removing personal responsibility and too little on allowing it. The result is a gradual removal of the individual's authority as the arbiter of his or her own life. Part of the reason for this problem is that "responsibility" as a concept has become somewhat ambiguous, and thus, it has become misunderstood. Reaching a solution requires the clarification of what responsibility is and an understanding of why it is …
North Korean Intentions And The American Response, Jake K. Bates
North Korean Intentions And The American Response, Jake K. Bates
The Intellectual Standard
News stations across the world reported on December 17, 2011 about the death of a man referred to as Guiding Sun Ray, Glorious General Who Descended from Heaven, Highest Incarnation of the Revolutionary Comradely Love, and Savior. Better known as Kim Jong-II, he had been recognized as Supreme Leader by North Korea's constitution since July 1994. Headlines internationally speculated that his death may cause a dramatic shift in the policies and nature of the North Korean government (Fox News, 2011). Following the state funeral for Kim Jong-II on December 29, the deceased's youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, became Supreme Leader. The …
Introduction To The Intellectual Standard, Jaret Kanarek
Introduction To The Intellectual Standard, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
It is with great pleasure that I introduce The Intellectual Standard to Illinois Wesleyan University. The Intellectual Standard is an interdisciplinary' student-run academic journal. With philosophy as its fundamental base, it covers a myriad of topics, including the social sciences, the natural sciences, current events, culture, and art. Its goal is to bring intellectual thought into the mainstream environment of Illinois Wesleyan University, and thereby set an intellectual standard for students, professors, and publications alike.
On Man, Jaret Kanarek
On Man, Jaret Kanarek
The Intellectual Standard
There is an all-pervasive assault, especially in schools, on "gendered" language. Increasingly, it is not acceptable to say he or she, him or her, et cetera (Martyna, 1980). These terms are seen as exclusionary to any and every unspecified party. Instead, students are required to say one, person, s/he or some other non-specific,arbitrary, "gender-neutral" term. The epicenter of the assault, posited as the pinnacle of linguistic evil, is the term man. Man, the assailants say, only denotes males. Females are the excluded party, and thus the use of the term is sexist (Kleinman, 2007). The solution, then, …
On Reason, Michael Christison
On Reason, Michael Christison
The Intellectual Standard
It challenges us to face the truth. It tells us when we are wrong. It can sometimes bewilder us with its brutal simplicity. Some call it logic or rational thinking. Others refer to it as "pure reason:' Whatever you want to call it, we have no choice but to utilize this cognitive ability if we want to achieve our goals. Few, however, tend to figure out what it is that they are doing. If you cannot explain reason, it becomes that much harder to justify any given action. If an action is not taken according to reason, a justification will …
Philosophy And Nascar, Jake K. Bates
Philosophy And Nascar, Jake K. Bates
The Intellectual Standard
Philosophy is typically considered a thought-provoking science appropriately reserved for discussion between "intellectuals;' and NASCAR contrarily carries a stigma of uneducated masses of fans supporting a racer of their choice with a frequently drunken passion. Thus, the marriage of these two topics may seem entirely inappropriate. Despite their conflicting stereotypes, philosophy and NASCAR must not necessarily be separated. Philosophy-at least the right philosophy-exalts the use of the mind in furthering man's capabilities and simultaneously seeks to understand the limitations imposed by nature. It is the science presented and, ideally, answering questions such as "Where am I?;' "How can I discover …
The Learning Process: Inspiration For Computer Scientists, Nick A. Nichols
The Learning Process: Inspiration For Computer Scientists, Nick A. Nichols
The Intellectual Standard
The human brain is capable of tasks with which the most complex computers have trouble. Comprehending language, a task that children can begin to develop by their second or third birthday, has only just reached a consistently usable level. Even with years of research, IBM's Watson, which competed against two all-time Jeopardy! contestants, was unable to detect many of the nuances of human communication. Puns, context clues, and more are critical parts of communication, but given several of Watson's "confused" answers, they were clearly misinterpreted.1 From this, an important question becomes apparent, "What makes a human able to understand this …