Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Circling The Truth: Model Selection Criteria As A Metric Of Verisimilitude In Theory Selection, K. Raleigh Hansen

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

The purpose of this research is to investigate the possibility of using aspects of model selection theory to overcome both a logical problem and an epistemic problem that prevents progress towards the truth to be measured while maintaining a realist approach to science. Karl Popper began such an investigation into the problem of progress in 1963 with an idea of verisimilitude, but his attempts failed to meet his own criteria, the logical and epistemic problems, for a metric of progress. Although philosophers have attempted to fix Popper’s verisimilitude, none have seemed to overcome both criteria yet. My research analyzes the …

Empirical And Epistemological Implications Of An Enactive Sensorimotor Contingency Theory, Celine Geday

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

By virtue of Kevin O’Regan and Alva Noë’s enactive sensorimotor contingency theory, and its central tenets- perception is constituted by mastery of occurrent sensorimotor contingencies used for thought and action-guidance- the theory suggests the resolution of the explanatory gap problem and provides arguments to dismantle representationalist research programs. Central objections to O’Regan and Noë’s sensorimotor contingency theory are addressed: (1) synaesthetic visual color-perception and the problem of non-identical ratios of qualitative experience from peripheral inputs (2) sensorimotor contingency theory implies propositional knowledge- consequently perceptual consciousness is state-based. Temporal coupling shows synaesthesia does not have to be constituted by isomorphic input-output …

Comments On Empirical And Epistemological Implications Of An Enactive Sensorimotor Contingency Theory, Kristoffer Moody

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

Comments on "Empirical and Epistemological Implications of an Enactive Sensorimotor Contingency Theory" by Celine Geday.

Why Would Berlin Mischaracterize Rousseau?, Sean Mcguire

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

Isaiah Berlin’s “Two Concepts of Liberty” introduced the terminology of negative and positive liberty in 1958. Berlin asserts that Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political philosophy (particularly “On the Social Contract’) exemplifies the dangerous notion of positive liberty. I argue that Berlin’s presentation distorts Rousseau’s work and overlooks resources that exculpate Rousseau with regard to despotic regimes. Berlin’s interpretation and portrayal of Rousseau are examined.

Berlin’s claims are examined mainly in light of Rousseau’s “Third Discourse” (The Discourse on Political Economy), as opposed to Berlin’s emphasis on “The Social Contract”. This work contains Rousseau’s normative commentary on the principles of good government. The …

Revisiting Russell's Theory Of Descriptions, Patrick Henning

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

Bertrand Russell’s theory of definite descriptions played a significant role in the development of philosophy of language. However, the shift from semantics to pragmatics in the narrative of language philosophy seemed to leave Russell’s theory in the past as an important but obsolete stepping stone. There is a chance that Russell may have been dismissed too casually, and if so, the grounds on which his theory is rejected must be carefully re-evaluated. In this paper I examine two problems with Russell’s theory that extend beyond the most well-known direct criticisms. In particular, I investigate problems with Russell’s approach to egocentricity …

Pictures Of Rule-Following, Elek Lane

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

My thesis is this: in Kripke's Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language, there are two strands of rule-following skepticism. They are intertwined but can be disentangled. My aim is to clarify how these strands differ and then answer one of the strands.

A few remarks by way of orientation: first, the strands of rule-following skepticism that I will be discussing also exist in Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. However, Kripke's book is useful as a way of focusing our discussion on rule-following since its structure is more manageable than that of Philosophical Investigations. Second, I'm going to call my …

Philosophy, Poetry, And The Self, Siobhain Mcguinness

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

In this paper, I use Sylvia Plath’s corpus as a case study to demonstrate how the functional application of philosophy, psychology, and language detect and explain the flourishing and diminishing of the self due to the tension between authentic and inauthentic written expression. I demonstrate the interdisciplinary methodology by way of using philosopher Albert Camus’s philosophy of the absurd to explain why Plath’s self flourishes and diminishes to the point of non-existence (i.e. her suicide). I also show that Plath suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder, and thus had a maladaptive self that caused her to utilize inauthentic written expression in …

Comments On On Art, Morality, And The Subject: Revisiting The Relation Between Ethics And Aesthetics, Kayla Grueneich

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

Comments on "On Art, Morality, and the Subject: Revisiting the relation between ethics and aesthetics" by Kévin-Orly Irakóze.

On Art, Morality, And The Subject: Revisiting The Relation Between Ethics And Aesthetics, Kévin-Orly Irakóze

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

Based on a Kantian conception of aesthetic judgments, this paper explores the conflict between ethics and aesthetics in valuations of art. In it, I argue for the insufficiency of the three existing camps in the philosophical literature on the question of whether ethics do and/or should influence aesthetic judgments of art. While Autonomism says never, Moralism always, and Moderate Moralism sometimes, I aim to show that they are all deficient because they lack due consideration for subjective interest, a key link between ethics and aesthetics. The argument proceeds with a critical look at two articles: Posner’s Against …

Literacy's Influence On Our Souls, Corey Horn

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

The aim of this paper is to analyze how the change from an oral community to a literate society influenced Plato’s perspective on the human soul. This paper speaks to the theories Plato puts forth in several of his dialogues that the human soul is immortal and that the use of literacy allows not only philosophers but anyone who can read to contemplate their own lives.

Comments On Literacy's Influence On Our Souls, Nick Navarro

Puget Sound Undergraduate Philosophy Conference

Comments on Corey Horn's paper "Literacy's Influence on Our Souls."