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Philosophy

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

2005

Articles 1 - 9 of 9

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Bell's Spaceships: A Useful Relativistic Paradox, Francisco J. Flores Nov 2005

Bell's Spaceships: A Useful Relativistic Paradox, Francisco J. Flores

Philosophy

Bell’s spaceship ‘paradox’ [1] in special relativity is a particularly good one to examine with students, because although it deals with accelerated motions, it can be dissolved with elementary space–time diagrams. Furthermore, it forces us to be very clear about the relativity of simultaneity, proper length, and the ‘reality’ of the Lorentz contraction.


Plato's Vegetarian Utopia, Timothy Eves Aug 2005

Plato's Vegetarian Utopia, Timothy Eves

Between the Species

No abstract provided.


Lost Dog, H. Peter Steeves Aug 2005

Lost Dog, H. Peter Steeves

Between the Species

No abstract provided.


Beyonde Viande: The Ethics Of Faux Flesh, Fake Fur And Thriftshop Leather, Susan M. Turner Aug 2005

Beyonde Viande: The Ethics Of Faux Flesh, Fake Fur And Thriftshop Leather, Susan M. Turner

Between the Species

Moral debate over vegetarianism forms the backdrop to a preliminary consideration of the questions: Is it ethical to produce, sell and eat faux meat? Is it ethical to produce, sell and wear fake animal skin? Is it ethical to sell or wear secondhand or thriftshop genuine animal skin? If vegetarianism is morally required, the question of just what uses of nonhuman animals are ethical or unethical and on what grounds is always on tap. In this piece, I examine the above questions in light of deontological then utilitarian reasons for vegetarianism. I conclude deontological or animal rights grounds entail the …


At The Seashore, Josephine Donovan Aug 2005

At The Seashore, Josephine Donovan

Between the Species

No abstract provided.


The Predation Argument, Charles K. Fink Aug 2005

The Predation Argument, Charles K. Fink

Between the Species

No abstract provided.


Innocent Threats, Lisa Kemmerer Aug 2005

Innocent Threats, Lisa Kemmerer

Between the Species

No abstract provided.


The Species-Norm Account Of Moral Status, Scott D. Wilson Aug 2005

The Species-Norm Account Of Moral Status, Scott D. Wilson

Between the Species

Many philosophers have argued against Singer’s claim that all animals are equal. However, none of these responses have demonstrated an appreciation of the complexity of his position. The result is that all of these responses focus on one of his arguments in a way that falls victim to another. This paper is a critical examination of a possible response to the full complexity of Singer’s position that derives from the work of Carl Cohen, Kathleen Wilkes, and F. Ramsey. On this response, a being’s moral status depends not on the capacities and abilities she does in fact have, but instead …


Interpretations Of Einstein's Equation E = Mc2, Francisco Flores Jan 2005

Interpretations Of Einstein's Equation E = Mc2, Francisco Flores

Philosophy

Interpretations of Einstein’s equation differ primarily concerning whether E = mc2 entails that mass and energy are the same property of physical systems, and hence whether there is any sense in which mass is ever “converted” into energy (or vice versa). In this paper, I examine six interpretations of Einstein’s equation and argue that all but one fail to satisfy a minimal set of conditions that all interpretations of physical theories ought to satisfy. I argue that we should prefer the interpretation of Einstein’s equation that holds that mass and energy are distinct properties of physical systems. This interpretation …