Plato’S Theory Of Forms: Analogy And Metaphor In Plato’S Republic,
2010
Bridgewater State University
Plato’S Theory Of Forms: Analogy And Metaphor In Plato’S Republic, Anthony Jannotta
Undergraduate Review
It would be impossible to understand Plato’s writings on the nature of justice, beauty, or the good without first understanding Plato’s theory of Forms. Plato gives us a variety of different arguments in favor of his theory; most, if not all, of these arguments are analogical. I will explicate two such arguments, the sun analogy and the argument for the Forms found in book X, evaluating each as they are discussed. The evaluation will be geared toward cogency and consistency. First, though, I briefly explain Plato’s theory of Forms in general before examining these arguments. Ultimately, I will conclude that …
Domination, Individuality, And Moral Chaos: Nietzsche’S Will To Power,
2010
Bridgewater State University
Domination, Individuality, And Moral Chaos: Nietzsche’S Will To Power, Angel Cooper
Undergraduate Review
One of the most well known, but deeply debated, ideas presented by the philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, is the will to power. Scholars have provided a variety of interpretations for what Nietzsche means by this concept. In this paper, I argue that, under each interpretation, Nietzsche may still face what I call, the problem of moral chaos, or the problem of endorsing the claim that immoral acts, such as murder and torture, are justifiable as they exemplify the human will towards power over others. I ultimately argue that Nietzsche’s philosophy avoids this problem: though Nietzsche proposes it is possible to harm …
A Moral Investigation Of Torture In The Post 9.11 World,
2010
Bridgewater State University
A Moral Investigation Of Torture In The Post 9.11 World, Joe Moloney
Undergraduate Review
The field of philosophy is unique, as it allows one to logically examine issues in all disciplines, from science to politics to art. One further important discipline that philosophy examines is criminal justice. In this respect, one approach philosophy can take when examining criminal justice is to assess each issue by questioning its morality—that is, whether an action within the issue is right or wrong based upon a system of ethics. This approach concerns the subfield of philosophy known as ethics, a subfield that includes questions concerning what is morally good and morally bad. When one is faced with an …
Kierkegaard On Indirect Communication, The Crowd, And A Monstrous Illusion,
2010
Northern Michigan University
Kierkegaard On Indirect Communication, The Crowd, And A Monstrous Illusion, Antony Aumann
Faculty Works
Following the pattern set by the early German Romantics, Kierkegaard conveys many of his insights through literature rather than academic prose. What makes him a valuable member of this tradition is the theory he develops to support it, his so-called “theory of indirect communication.” The most exciting aspect of this theory concerns the alleged importance of indirect communication: Kierkegaard claims that there are some projects only it can accomplish. This paper provides a critical account of two arguments Kierkegaard offers in defense of this claim. The first argument is that he needs to use indirect communication in order to discourage …
Byron And 'The Barbarous . . . Middle Age Of Man': Youth, Aging, And Midlife In Don Juan,
2010
University of Denver
Byron And 'The Barbarous . . . Middle Age Of Man': Youth, Aging, And Midlife In Don Juan, Melanie J. Parker
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
For Byron, the knowledge that he would one day have to become old was always on his mind. By the time Byron had relocated to the Continent, the idea had become something of an obsession. Thirty had always been Byron's turning point, the age at which youth would have to end and he would have to become an old man. Upon finally reaching that age, Byron found himself in a place much like Dante's selva oscura--dark, confusing, fearful, but with no other way left to go. There are allusions to this opening scene throughout Don Juan. It is …
Plateau,
2010
Swarthmore College
Lines Of Flight,
2010
Swarthmore College
Phenomenology,
2010
Swarthmore College
Morally Justifying Oncofertility Science,
2010
Western University
Morally Justifying Oncofertility Science, Carolyn Mcleod
Philosophy Publications
Is research aimed at preserving the fertility of cancer patients morally justified? A satisfying answer to this question is missing from the literature on oncofertility. Rather than provide an answer, which is impossible to do in a short space, this paper explains what it would take to provide such justification.
Identity Through Change And Substitutivity Salva Veritate,
2010
University of Western Ontario
Identity Through Change And Substitutivity Salva Veritate, Ray Elugardo, Robert Stainton
Philosophy Publications
This paper has three modest aims: to present a puzzle, to show why some obvious solutions aren’t really “easy outs”, and to introduce our own solution. The puzzle is this. When it was small and had waterlogged streets, Toronto carried the moniker ‘Muddy York’. Later, the streets were drained, it grew, and Muddy York officially changed its name to ‘Toronto’. Given this, each premise in the following argument seems true. Yet the conclusion is a contraction. P1: Muddy York = Toronto P2: Muddy York evolved into Toronto P3: The context “__ evolved into Toronto” is transparent, i.e., it allows substitution …
Philosophy Of Language,
2010
University of Western Ontario
The Contribution Of Domain Specificity In The Highly Modular Mind,
2010
University of Western Ontario
The Contribution Of Domain Specificity In The Highly Modular Mind, Axel Barcelo Aspeitia, Angeles Erana, Robert Stainton
Philosophy Publications
Is there a notion of domain specificity which affords genuine insight in the context of the highly modular mind, i.e. a mind which has not only input modules, but also central ‘conceptual’ modules? Our answer to this question is no. The main argument is simple enough: we lay out some constraints that a theoretically useful notion of domain specificity, in the context of the highly modular mind, would need to meet. We then survey a host of accounts of what domain specificity is, based on the intuitive idea that a domain specific mechanism is restricted in the kind of information …
Harm Or Mere Inconvenience? Denying Women Emergency Contraception,
2010
The University of Western Ontario
Harm Or Mere Inconvenience? Denying Women Emergency Contraception, Carolyn Mcleod
Philosophy Publications
This paper addresses the likely impact on women of being denied emergency contraception (EC) by pharmacists who conscientiously refuse to provide it. A common view—defended by Elizabeth Fenton and Loren Lomasky, among others—is that these refusals inconvenience rather than harm women so long as the women can easily get EC somewhere else nearby. I argue from a feminist perspective that the refusals harm women even when they can easily get EC somewhere else nearby.
Morally Justifying Oncofertility Research,
2010
The University of Western Ontario
Morally Justifying Oncofertility Research, Carolyn Mcleod
Philosophy Publications
Is research aimed at preserving the fertility of cancer patients morally justified? A satisfying answer to this question is missing from the literature on oncofertility. Rather than providing an answer, which is impossible to do in a short space, this chapter explains what it would take to provide such justification.
Differential Pragmatic Abilities And Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Case Of Pragmatic Determinants Of Literal Content,
2010
University of Western Ontario
Differential Pragmatic Abilities And Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Case Of Pragmatic Determinants Of Literal Content, Jessica De Villiers, Brooke Myers, Robert Stainton
Philosophy Publications
No abstract provided.
Contextualism In Epistemology And The Context Sensitivity Of 'Knows',
2010
University of Western Ontario
Contextualism In Epistemology And The Context Sensitivity Of 'Knows', Robert Stainton
Philosophy Publications
The central issue of this paper is whether contextualism in epistemology is genuinely in conflict with recent claims that ‘know’ is not in fact a context sensitive word. To address this question, I’ll first rehearse three key aims of contextualists and the broad strategy they adopt for achieving them. I then introduce two linguistic arguments to the effect that the lexical item ‘know’ is not context sensitive: one from Herman Cappelen & Ernie Lepore, one from Jason Stanley. I find these and related arguments quite compelling. In particular, I think Cappelen & Lepore (2003, 2005a) show pretty definitively that ‘know’ …
Clinical Pragmatics, By Louise Cummings,
2010
University of Western Ontario
Clinical Pragmatics, By Louise Cummings, Robert Stainton
Philosophy Publications
No abstract provided.
Simulation-Based Definitions Of Emergence,
2010
Swarthmore College
Simulation-Based Definitions Of Emergence, Alan Richard Baker
Philosophy Faculty Works
One approach to characterizing the elusive notion of emergence is to define that a property is emergent if and only if its presence can be derived but only by simulation. In this paper I investigate the pros and cons of this approach, focusing in particular on whether an appropriately distinct boundary can be drawn between simulation-based and non-simulation-based methods. I also examine the implications of this definition for the epistemological role of emergent properties in prediction and in explanation.
Complexity,
2010
Swarthmore College
Ockham,
2010
Swarthmore College
