Philosophy Commons^™

Depression And Moral Health: A Response To The Commentary, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

S. Nassir Ghaemi tells us that whereas "neurologists are sometimes accused of admiring disease rather than treating it," psychiatrists seek to cure disease even when they do not understand it. At the same time, he notes that Freud had both theoretical and practical interests that occasionally point in different directions, and psychiatrists have learned that theoretical understanding of the sources of suffering does not always translate directly into useful clinical practice. For their part, philosophers are often criticized for indulging in armchair speculation that yields neither empirical understanding nor practical efficacy. Writing as a philosopher in "Depression: Illness, Insight, and …

A Review Of Erich H. Loewy, "Moral Strangers, Moral Acquaintance, And Moral Friends, Ethics, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

This book elaborates an ethic in which beneficence on a personal and communal level has moral force; proposes the idea of an interplay between compassion and reason to help address moral problems; and sketches the conditions necessary for a democratic approach to such problems.

A Review Of Phil Washburn, "Philosophical Dilemmas: Building A Worldview", Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

Lucidly written, this extensive and very original introduction to philosophy features over fifty brief, jargon-free essays arranged in pairs. Each pair answers one of the principal philosophical questions, such as "Does God exist?" or "Are we free?", with two opposing points of view. On the topic of relativism, for example, one essay argues that morality is created by society and relative to it, while the other claims that moral standards are absolute and universal. Each essay takes a definite stand and promotes it vigorously, creating a sharp contrast between the two positions. While the essays often employ standard arguments of …

Aids: Crisis In Professional Ethics, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

Mike Martin reviews Elliot D. Cohen and Michael Davis' AIDS: Crisis in Professional Ethics.

A Review Of David H. Smith, "Entrusted: The Moral Responsibilities Of Trusteeship", Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

Entrusted provides a much needed contribution to the literature on ethics in the healthcare arena.

A Review Of Eleanor L. Brilliant, "The United Way: Dilemmas Of Organized Charity", Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

"The United Way: Dilemmas of Organised Charity" explains the inner workings of the organization whose shine was so recently dulled by scandal. According to a recent "New York Times" article, "Revelations of high expense-account living and questionable management practices by William Aramony, president of the United Way of America - forced him out of his position as leader of the nation's largest network of charities". (Jan. 28, 1992).. The United Way has always embodied the spirit of voluntarism that George Bush encourages with his vision of "a thousand points of light". Since its inception more than one hundred years ago, …

Virtuous Giving: Philanthropy, Voluntary Service, And Caring, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Writing for the general reader, Mike Martin explores the philosophic basis of philanthropy—"virtuous giving." This book will be welcome reading for anyone who has pondered what caring and giving mean for a good society.

Love's Constancy, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

This article focuses on commitments between married couples.

Rethinking Reverence For Life, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

Albert Schweitzer’s ethics of reverence for life is more complex and interesting than first appears. It contains themes relevant to contemporary environmental ethics, including a virtue-ethics approach that emphasizes personal responsibility and tolerance, empathy for living organisms, and the fundamental unity of life. Not surprising, then, Schweitzer has recently been acknowledged for pioneering a biocentric (life-centered) ethical theory.

At the same time, Schweitzer’s ethic has four unpalatable features: pantheism, anthropomorphism, excessive subjectivity, and guilt mongering. I trace these features to the metaphysical framework in which Schweitzer develops his ideal of reverence for life. I also show how the framework can …

Critical Pedagogy And The Postmodern Challenge: Toward A Critical Postmodernist Pedagogy Of Liberation, Peter Mclaren, Rhonda Hammer

Education Faculty Articles and Research

"Work within the field of critical pedagogy is currently being undertaken in the United States and Canada during what we consider a precipitous and precarious time. The present historical juncture may be singled out as a moment of particular urgency and importance for the future of democracy as we bear witness to two conflicting potentialities which manifest themselves in the struggle on an increasing worldwide basis between democratic forms of social life and those which can be labelled totalitarian and autocratic. A significant dimension of this crisis involves the politics of meaning and representation. We call attention to the present …

Geometries And Words - Linguistics And Philosophy - A Model Of The Composing Process, Dorothy Augustine

English Faculty Articles and Research

Dorothy Augustine writes about composing a piece for philosophy.

Professional And Ordinary Morality: A Reply To Freedman, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

Mike Martin responds to the article "Professional and Ordinary Morality."

Rights And The Meta-Ethics Of Professional Morality, Mike W. Martin

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

This article looks into the Meta-Ethics of medical professionals.

John Locke In The German Enlightenment: An Interpretation, Klaus P. Fischer

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

This article explores the era of the Enlightenment and looks into the philosophical arguments of John Locke.