Philosophy Commons^™

The Man Born To Be King: Contextualizing The Kingdom, Monica Godfrey

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

No abstract provided.

Learning To Speak 'The Tongue Of The Holy Ghost': An Introduction To The Poetry Of Charles Williams, Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

So You've Always Wanted to Read Charles Williams: An Introduction to His Prose, Plays, and Poetry

This panel will give readers a few keys to unlock the complex and fascinating writings of Lewis’s friend and fellow Inkling Charles Williams. We will suggest some starting points: War in Heaven as an introduction to his novels; the three plays Thomas Cranmer of Canterbury, The House by the Stable, and Grab and Grace, as well as the novel Descent into Hell, in which the poet/playwright Stanhope is a major character, as a good beginning for his plays; and the poem “Bors …

Truth And Imagination In Poetic Diction: Owen Barfield And C.S. Lewis's Great War, Stephen Margtheim

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

Owen Barfield’s position in his “Great War” with C.S. Lewis holds that the imagination can both perceive and create truth via poetry. Contrarily, Lewis’s position in the “war,” which took place during the 1920s before his conversion to Christianity, holds that the imagination can in no way create truth. This paper explicates Barfield’s position and arguments as well as Lewis’s objections in order to demonstrate how Barfield is victorious in the war. I examine Barfield’s understanding of the natures of imagination and truth as seen in Poetic Diction, and subsequently turn to his arguments for imagination’s passive and active …

The Inklings And The Paradox Of Friendship, Marijean Wegert

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

No abstract provided.

2010 Printed Program, Taylor University

Colloquium Schedules

No abstract provided.

C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces: To Thine Own Self Be True, Elena Casey

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

No abstract provided.

Reader And Writer: Lewis And Tolkien "On Fairy-Stories", Elizabeth Coon

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

Although J.R.R. Tolkien’s reputation in recent years has benefited immensely from Peter Jackson’s film productions of The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis still far outreaches him in terms of public awareness and popularity, specifically within the Christian world. Most are surprised to learn that Tolkien played a major role in Lewis’ conversion, rather than vice versa, and that their famous friendship did not continue indefinitely, but began to fade with the publication of Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. The differences in their philosophies of storytelling unsurprisingly reveals the philosophy of their relationship. In “On Fairy-Stories,” Tolkien demands …

The Shieldmaiden Of Rohan, Hannah Woodard

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

This paper explores the origin and purpose of one of Tolkien’s most highly debated characters: Eowyn. I have examined Eowyn from multiple angles, taking into consideration Christian, feminist, and literary perspectives, as well as considering her medieval origins. Tolkien synthesizes all of these factors into a strong female character who represents a larger theme of his work, the triumph of paradoxical power which comes through humility and gentleness. Eowyn’s inner struggle is illuminated particularly by her relationships with both Aragorn, who represents power and renown, and Faramir, who represents restraint and humility. Her final acceptance of her femininity and strength …

The Concept Of Twilight In The Writings Of C.S. Lewis, Sky Vanderburg

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

No abstract provided.

Full Issue 2010 (Volume Vii)

Inklings Forever: Published Colloquium Proceedings 1997-2016

No abstract provided.

Inductions, Red Herrings, And The Best Explanation For The Mixed Record Of Science, P.D. Magnus

Philosophy Faculty Scholarship

Kyle Stanford has recently claimed to offer a new challenge to scientific realism. Taking his inspiration from the familiar Pessimistic Induction (PI), Stanford proposes a New Induction (NI). Contra Anjan Chakravartty’s suggestion that the NI is a ‘red herring’, I argue that it reveals something deep and important about science. The Problem of Unconceived Alternatives, which lies at the heart of the NI, yields a richer anti-realism than the PI. It explains why science falls short when it falls short, and so it might figure in the most coherent account of scientific practice. However, this best account will be antirealist …

Reading And Responsibility: The Grammar Of The Inexpressible And The Poiesis Of Religious Belief, Philip G. Banning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reading religious literature is generally considered to be either an "outsider's" practice useful for the determination of a culture's or individual reader's beliefs, whether of the past or present, or an "insider's" practice necessary for guidance in morality and "right" action. Both of these practices mean the text is construed as the motivation or cause of other beliefs and actions, and that the purpose or value of such texts is nothing more than identifying and promulgating certain beliefs. Understanding texts and reading in this way does not allow us to conceive of the text as a work of art and …

Orientation In Technological Space, Albert Borgmann

Philosophy Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Diversity, Democracy And Dialogue In A Human Rights Framework, Carol C. Gould

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Papers presented for the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Western Michigan University, November 3, 2009

Interactive Kinds, Muhammad Ali Khalidi

Publications and Research

This paper examines the phenomenon of 'interactive kinds' first identified by Ian Hacking. An interactive kind is one that is created or significantly modified once a concept of it has been formulated and acted upon in certain ways. Interactive kinds may also 'loop back' to influence our concepts and classifications. According to Hacking, interactive kinds are found exclusively in the human domain. After providing a general account of interactive kinds and outlining their philosophical significance, I argue that they are not confined to the human realm, but that they can also occur elsewhere. Hence, I conclude by arguing that interactive …

Toward An Epistemology Of Mysticism: Knowing God As Mystery, Theresa W. Tobin

Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications

While some philosophers suggest that mystical experience may provide evidence for belief in God, skeptics doubt that there is adequate warrant for even accepting the claim of a mystical experience as evidence for anything, except perhaps for some kind of mental instability. Drawing from the work of Gabriel Marcel, I argue that the pervasive philosophical skepticism about the evidential status of mystical experiences is misguided because it rests on too narrow a view about ways of knowing and about what can count as evidence for belief in the divine. I illustrate the advantages of Marcel's approach by applying it to …

Re-Constituting Phenomenology: Continuity In Levinas’ Accounts Of Time And Ethics, Neal Deroo

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

At the heart of Levinas’ work is an account of subjectivity that is premised on his account of temporality. In this regard, Levinas is like many other phenomenologists. However, in order to understand Levinas in this manner, we must first reconceive what Levinas means by ‘ethics’, so we can see the fundamental continuity in his accounts of subjectivity and temporality. By understanding the continuities, not just within but also between, Levinas’ ethical subject and his futural temporality, we are able to reconceive of the scope and method of phenomenology, so as to adequately assess Levinas’ influence in that discipline.

Legitimate Authority, Following Orders, And Wars Of Questionable Justice, David Lefkowitz

Philosophy Faculty Publications

In this article, the author discusses philosophy teacher David Estlund's belief that subjects of a state with a morally justified claim to political authority have a duty to obey its legal commands to wage a particular war, even if they believe that the state has made a mistake in its reasons for waging the war. The author argues that Estlund's theory also allows for individuals to assess the justice of the wars they fight. He also argues that Estlund's view also holds that individual combatants should not be held accountable for any injustice of a war that the state believes …

Forall X: An Introduction To Formal Logic, Version 1.28, P.D. Magnus

Philosophy Faculty Books

This is a textbook covering translation, formal semantics, and proof theory for both sentential logic and quantified logic. Each chapter contains practice exercises; solutions to selected exercises appear in an appendix

Are We All On The M Squad? Murdering Schoolchildren In China, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author discusses the phenomena of violent attacks against schoolchildren in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and its relevance to political psychologists.

Scientific Realism And Anti-Realism In Martin Heidegger's Philosophy Of Science, Archie Fields Iii

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Heidegger The Magic Empiricist, Reeves Jordan

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

You And Me Baby Ain't Nothing But Mammals: Disgust, Evolution, And The Transcendence Of An Immaterial Soul, Sara G. Gottlieb

Psychology Honors Projects

Materialist theories of mind are disturbing for those who endorse the idea that an immortal soul is distinct from the material body. Many argue for a uniqueness of the human spirit that transcends bodily qualities. The present research focuses on the rejection of human evolution from the perspective of disgust, which has both a physical (body) and moral (soul) component and is elicited by objects that remind us of both death and animals. Study 1 asked whether those primed to feel disgusted would show an implicit preference for creationism over evolution on an Implicit Associations Test but failed to find …

An Exploratory Study Of The Career Aspirations And Self-Perceptions Of University Honors Program Students, Pamela Malone Gresham

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the career aspirations and self-perceptions of University Honors Program students at Indiana State University. The current trend in education, especially gifted and talented education, focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). How has this impacted the gifted and talented population when they become young adults ready to pursue college and careers? Are the interests and skills of University Honors Program students aligned with the majors they have chosen? What are their interests and skills? The research was conducted on the campus of Indiana State University. This is a public higher education campus whose University Honors Program …

Das ‚Problem Der Wissenschaft‘ Oder Nietzsches Philosophische Kritik Wissenschaftlicher Vernunft, Babette Babich

Articles and Chapters in Academic Book Collections

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Depression With Intrinsic And Extrinsic Components Of Religiosity In The Older Adult Female, Jacqueline Anne Nuval

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this doctoral research was to determine whether religious activity and general health would predict depression in older adult women living alone in the community who are widowed, divorced, separated, or never married. Variables considered included intrinsic and extrinsic components of religiosity, level of depression, anxiety and panic attacks, general health, and a group of behaviors classified as Religious Attitudes and Behaviors (RAB), which considered importance of religion, religious participation, regularity of religious observance, and religious organization/social support. Components of extrinsic religiosity and intrinsic religiosity were measured by Intrinsic/Extrinsic – Revised (I/E-R). Levels of depression were measured by …

Physiological Responses To Temperature In The Lizard, Sceloporus Undulatus, Joseph C. Ehrenberger

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Temperature affects all organisms differently. Physiological processes, such as metabolism, interact with temperature to determine a minimal rate of energy loss. Physiological limits, such as heat and cold tolerances, likely constrain the activity and survival of organisms. Ultimately, these physiological processes and limits determine a species‘ geographical distribution. Through experiments, I sought to understand specifically how temperature affects the physiology of the lizard Sceloporus undulatus. This species is a model organism to answer such questions, as it is geographically widespread species and well-described phylogenetically. In the first experiment, I compared standard metabolic rates of lizards from three locales and interpreted …

The Postsecret Phenomenon: A Contemporary Application Of Existential Psychotherapy, Dan Martin

Senior Honors Projects

In November 2004, as a whimsical break from his monotonous job, Frank Warren decided he would start a small art project in his community. This idea, which he entitled “PostSecret,” involved leaving blank post cards in various public locations that simply asked to “Share a Secret” and listed a few guidelines. Frank’s goal was to “create this non-judgmental, safe place where people could feel comfortable sharing parts of their lives that they've never told a soul.” What he expected to be a small result became a weekly blog, five published books, a traveling art gallery, and a lecture series given …

Exploring The Space Of Resistance: Art As A Site Of Re-Orientation, Lauren Emily Stansbury

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

How are we oriented toward things outside our bodies? More specifically, how are our bodies tethered by the hooks of ideology, lurched forward in the inertia of consumer capitalism, or led tacitly by state and social apparatuses? This orienting of our bodies toward prescribed action relies on the conscious recognition these (abstract) objects exterior to our selves—we must face them, to complete the orienting process. But what happens when we turn away? And what kind of objects could so capture our attention, as to divert the normative gaze from the ushers of hegemonic power? Art that exists outside of commodity …

An Argument For Moral Nihilism, Tommy Fung

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This project outlines what free will and moral responsibility would require in the truest sense, and will argue that we, as agents, do not truly exercise free will, and are thus not morally responsible for our choices. The project dismisses the Principle of Alternate Possibilities as the judge of moral responsibility, while establishing that being the source of one’s action is required for true moral responsibility. It discusses what causal determinism is, why its existence would threaten moral responsibility. The project then attacks the stance that holds that moral responsibility and determinism are compatible, even though they have a different …