Integration In Greek Philosophy: Hellenistic Thought As A Case Study For Emerging Philosophic Methodology,
2017
University of Chicago
Integration In Greek Philosophy: Hellenistic Thought As A Case Study For Emerging Philosophic Methodology, Rebecca Knapp
Episteme
What is offered here is a comparative study between two Hellenistic schools of philosophy: Epicureanism and Stoicism. The author explores the similarities and differences between them, emphasizing their shared sense of an overriding integrated system of philosophical thought—which they owe to Plato. Despite their divergent appeals to pragmatism and idealism, both philosophies urge followers to strive to imitate their gods, thereby demonstrating a strong logical connection between metaphysical and ethical ideas. To make her case, the author cites from various Greek philosophers and prominent commentators.
Affirming The Absurd: Philosophy And Fiction,
2017
The University of Reading
Affirming The Absurd: Philosophy And Fiction, Leila Clare El-Qawas
Episteme
Contrary to some popular opinion, Camus is a serious philosopher who turns to the medium of the novel because only its format permits him to fully explore what it is to live. This paper examines the general themes of Camus’s work in relation to how the creative artist “lives” doubly, and how the novelist is in the best position of all—able to use negative thought to revolt against her or his situation. Furthermore, the author argues that absurd fiction opens up possibilities for the absurd reader in presenting a perspective that can affect the reader’s general sensibilities, including thoughts on …
Functionalism And Artificial Intelligence,
2017
Denison University
Functionalism And Artificial Intelligence, Kevin Connor
Episteme
The Chinese Room argument shows that the Turing test functions only by syntax, thereby revealing that the notion of meaning is not properly accounted for by the test. Thus, Searle is convincing in his refutation of the Turing test for strong artificial intelligence. Yet, while the mind is not like a program running on certain hardware, the brain is. But thinking, Searle’s real interest, is not simply running the appropriate program! Therefore, rather than providing a solution to the Mind-Body problem, Searle’s conclusion about AI begs the question about what causes semantics. Searle’s logic goes awry somewhere, and, for this …
The Ghost In The Machine: A Defense Of The Possibility Of Artificial Intelligence,
2017
Oberlin College
The Ghost In The Machine: A Defense Of The Possibility Of Artificial Intelligence, Matthew Carlson
Episteme
The Chinese Room argument shows that the Turing test functions only by syntax, thereby revealing that the notion of meaning is not properly accounted for by the test. Thus, Searle is convincing in his refutation of the Turing test for strong artificial intelligence. Yet, while the mind is not like a program running on certain hardware, the brain is. But thinking, Searle’s real interest, is not simply running the appropriate program! Therefore, rather than providing a solution to the Mind-Body problem, Searle’s conclusion about AI begs the question about what causes semantics. Searle’s logic goes awry somewhere, and, for this …
Afraid Of The Dark: Nagel And Rationalizing The Fear Of Death,
2017
Hartwick College
Afraid Of The Dark: Nagel And Rationalizing The Fear Of Death, Jennifer Lunsford
Episteme
What should be said about the Thomas Nagel/O. H. Green interpretation of why people fear death? Since Nagel focuses only on the non-state of death (ignoring the state of dying), he concludes that it is the deprivation of life that people fear. Green, who shares with Nagel similar organizing thoughts, argues that a fear of loss of life is equivalent to the fear of death, since people really fear not living (any) longer. But this paper’s author sees more logic to Nagel’s position. But is Nagel correct? Has Nagel’s article on death wrongly brushed aside the legitimately rational idea that …
Kant's Proof Of A Universal Principle Of Causality: A Transcendental Idealist's Reply To Hume,
2017
Cornell University
Kant's Proof Of A Universal Principle Of Causality: A Transcendental Idealist's Reply To Hume, Reza Mahmoodshahi
Episteme
In the Second Analogy of the Critique of Pure Reason, is Kant directly responding to Hume? The author argues that he must be, otherwise his arguments about succession and irreversibility (the house and the ship) fall victim to P. F. Strawson’s “non sequitur” criticism. Kant believes that our experience of successive objective events presupposes the application of the causal category, obviously a crucial part of Kant’s notion of the understanding. So long as we keep in mind that Kant depends strongly on his underlying doctrine of transcendental idealism, the author grants Lewis White Beck’s defense of Kant, in alluding to …
The Nature Of God & Predestination In John Davenant's Dissertatio De Praedestinatione Et Reprobatione,
2017
University of Missouri, St. Louis
The Nature Of God & Predestination In John Davenant's Dissertatio De Praedestinatione Et Reprobatione, Jonathan Roberts
Theses
This paper is an exposition and defense of John Davenant's critique of the lapsarian understanding of the ordering of God's decrees. I evaluate Davenant's use of theology proper in his critique of said debate and contend that if Davenant is correct about divine simplicity and divine immutability, his critique of lapsarianism is successful.
Animal Rights And Incredulous Stares,
2017
Texas State University
Animal Rights And Incredulous Stares, Bob Fischer
Between the Species
I propose an analogy between the thesis that animals have rights and David Lewis's commitment to modal realism. I argue that just as Lewis received incredulous stares that seem to justify rejecting his metaphysical hypothesis, so the thesis that animals have rights can be reasonably rejected. I consider the prospect challenging the considered beliefs on which that rejection depends, and ultimately offer a pessimistic conclusion.
Behavior And Other Minds: A Response To Functionalists,
2017
University of Regina
Behavior And Other Minds: A Response To Functionalists, Michael Lockhart
Episteme
Functionalism’s metaphysics is wrongly thought to answer the epistemological question of the existence of the other’s mentality. Contra Elliot Reed, the practical utility of being able to solve the problem of other minds does not make functionalism the best theory of mind, nor does it actually solve the problem of other minds. Reed’s circular argument implicitly relies on abstract behaviorism and the need to solve the problem of other minds. What must come first, however, is a correct ontology of the mind. Functionalism struggles with intentionality, disregards qualia, and, according to Searle’s excellent thought experiments, is incompatible with what we …
Religious Experience, Pluralistic Knowledge And William James,
2017
University of Missouri, St. Louis
Religious Experience, Pluralistic Knowledge And William James, Brittany G. Trice
Episteme
This article explores the qualities and nature of the “religious” or mystical experience according to James and pragmatic philosophy in general. The author initially provides an overview of James’ philosophy of religion, which includes his pragmatic commitments, understanding of experience, and emphasis on cognitive relations. Then there arises a question: How can I know that others have mystical experience, too? James’s push to make the mystical experience scientific misjudges the utility of his quasi-chaos idea, which can be shown to support inter-subjective knowledge and position religion within what the author deems “pluralistic knowledge.” In the end, Rorty and Bruce Wilshire …
What Is 'Natural' About Natural Science: Philosophical Naturalism In The Evolution Debate,
2017
Macalester College
What Is 'Natural' About Natural Science: Philosophical Naturalism In The Evolution Debate, Hya P. Winham
Episteme
Creationist Phillip E. Johnson argues that evolution theory is a product of a bias toward naturalistic explanation—a materialist philosophical ideology that encroaches on empirical science. This position even got some support from philosopher Michael Ruse. But the fact is science must include a base level of presupposition; the creationist, while supplying her own, mistakenly thinks that science can operate without such an explanatory guide. This paper defends naturalism in science, thereby rejecting the concerns and arguments of neo-creationists. In this effort, the author argues why naturalism is important to science, uses Dewey to explain why anti-naturalism leads to careless science, …
Desertification And Metaphysics In Nietzsche And Abbey,
2017
Grinnell College
Desertification And Metaphysics In Nietzsche And Abbey, David Allen Chenault
Episteme
The truth is neither simply culture derived from nature, nor nature from culture. Can we (qua humans) merge with nature and still maintain our self-intelligibility? –This is the question that the anti-anti-naturalist concentrates on. The author looks at Nietzsche’s critique of metaphysics, which posits a new metaphysics that requires us to enter the violent, heartless desert that is the paradoxical dual immanence of nature. The paper looks at the desert in the Genealogy’s discussion of the ascetic ideal, and how it relates to Edward Abbey’s isolation and book Desert Solitaire. Importantly, the similarities in-part stem from their similar post-modern sensibility. …
A Defense Of Scientific Phenomenalism From The Perspective Of Contemporary Physics,
2017
Taylor University
A Defense Of Scientific Phenomenalism From The Perspective Of Contemporary Physics, John Lee
Episteme
Contrary to believing in scientific realism, the author provides a defense of scientific phenomenalism, which holds that only things that we can perceive can be counted as things that exist. The author agrees with W. T. Stace, who holds that science does not explain but merely describes and predicts. Such an understanding suggests that scientists go beyond their bounds when they support the existence of certain theoretical (non-observable) entities—things like quarks and warped spacetime. When such “things” are just mathematical constructs, it becomes easier to comprehend the nature of light, the Higgs mechanism, the electro and magnetic fields, and even …
Warrant, Proper Function, And The Great Pumpkin Objection,
2017
Austin Peay State University
Warrant, Proper Function, And The Great Pumpkin Objection, Joseph Curtis Miller
Episteme
Because it eschews classical foundationalism and coherence theory, one must wonder about the reliability of Plantinga’s radical account of knowledge of God’s existence. How does his appeal to proper basicality and epistemic warrant fair against Keith Lehrer’s objections? The answer: not very well. The author gives an analysis of Plantinga’s proper functionality concept, his grounds for warranted belief, and his anticipated response to what he calls the Great Pumpkin Objection. Next, the author presents Lehrer’s two counterexamples, Mr. Truetemp and Ms. Prejudice, and supports Lehrer’s claims that they show that proper functionality is neither a sufficient nor necessary condition for …
Causality, Emergentism, And Mentality,
2017
Williams College
Causality, Emergentism, And Mentality, Robert Hemm Jr.
Episteme
The author here combines the insights of John Dupré and Jaeqwon Kim to supply a new answer to the big conundrum in the philosophy of mind: the mind/body problem. He begins with an overview of Dupré’s take on the classic modern take of causality and determinism, concluding that if Dupré is right and probabilistic catastrophism is true, this theory of probability has important consequences for the mind/body problem. Specifically, probabilistic catastrophism can address the question forced by Kim’s emergentism: how do irreducible mental properties interact with the closed causal nexus of the physical world? The paper concludes by considering what …
Functionalism, Qualia, And Other Minds,
2017
Swarthmore College
Functionalism, Qualia, And Other Minds, Elliot Reed
Episteme
We can solve the problem of other minds by reference to behavior only if we conceive of consciousness in functional terms. Folk psychology, though incomplete, supplies us with mental categories that are useful for prediction and explanation and thus can become functional categories. We need psychology and linguistics to work together to create a substantial body of research. The author spends a great deal of time responding to an objecting interlocutor, out of which comes supplemental details such as a discussion of functional equivalence; a response to the reductio ad absurdum complaint against the liberal intentional stance; an argument about …
Anaphoric Deflationism: Truth And Reference,
2017
Connecticut College
Anaphoric Deflationism: Truth And Reference, Lauren Hartzell
Episteme
As a reaction to Dorothy Grover and Robert Brandom, this paper examines semantic concerns about intralinguistic relationships and functions. The author supports Brandom’s interpretation of Grover and argues that the prosentential theory of truth must accept the pronominal theory of reference in order to maintain an anaphoric account of truth. The author uses Brandom’s logic to brand Grover an anaphoric deflationist—whether she intended to be one or not. But Brandom’s appeal to reference only begins the project of extending Grover. What other anaphoric mechanisms still need to be identified, the author asks? How do we account for notions of substantive …
The Hyperphilosophy Of Extraordinary Communication,
2017
Pacific Lutheran University
The Hyperphilosophy Of Extraordinary Communication, Theresa Thuline
Episteme
By rejecting orthodoxy, systemization, and objectivity, metaphor allows us to express the extraordinary, contradictory, and paradoxical. Kierkegaard’s Postscript provides a good entry into the concept of metaphor, because it demonstrates the dialectical concepts that give rise to the usefulness of figurative language tools like metaphor and its sidekick, irony. Ricœur extends and elaborates on Kierkegaard’s dialectical philosophy. Together, contrary to Marie I. George’s thoughts on the suitability of metaphors in philosophy, these thinkers speak of the necessarily indirect linguistic means to communicate divine passion and to avoid the pitfalls of standard social meaning-expression. The author concludes by appreciating Pastor Robert …
Deep Problems For Bayesianism,
2017
Stanford University
Deep Problems For Bayesianism, David James Anderson
Episteme
The Humean skeptic seeks not that the future necessarily resembles the past, but only that it is more valid to say that something is always true than it is to say it is true before a certain time. Does Bayesianism provide the argument that Hume missed, thereby justifying inductive reasoning? No. The Bayesian argument sets out to justify the connections between our beliefs based on subjective probability. Although Bayesian conditionalization helps us justify the relative certainty of our beliefs, the Bayesian cannot show that P (h100) is more justified than P(ht), but only that the differential outcome is affected by …
Pragmatism, Neo-Pragmatism, Language And 'Truth',
2017
Western Maryland College
Pragmatism, Neo-Pragmatism, Language And 'Truth', Andrew Forney
Episteme
This article takes a look at the place and significance of Rorty’s neo-pragmatism. The author makes an effort to parse out how Rorty fits into the history of pragmatism, philosophies of language, science, and history, and in connection to such explicitly related philosophers as Dewey, James, Davidson, and Kuhn. The author covers a great deal of ground, discussing pragmatist topics such as verification, truth, and culture, as well as Rorty-specific conceptions of semantics, ethnocentrism, post-Kuhn paradigms, and a metaphysics that bears resemblance to Kant’s divided realms.
