Philosophy Commons^™

Incompatibilist Arguments And Compatibilist Rebuttals, Wai Sing Fook

Lingnan Theses (MPhil & PhD)

The issue concerning the compatibility between free will and determinism has long been a hotly debated topic in philosophy. The debate matters because free will is believed to be intimately related to moral responsibility. My research aims at providing a picture of the landscape of one philosophical position on this debate --- incompatibilism. Incompatibilism is the doctrine that claims free will and moral responsibility are incompatible with determinism. A major part of this thesis is a critical survey of three of the most influential (types of) arguments for incompatibilism; they are the Consequence Argument, the Transfer of Nonresponsibility Argument, and …

Ethical Subjectivism: A Lost Cause, Carlo Alvaro

Publications and Research

Individual relativism, also known as ethical subjectivism, is an attractive theory about morality. It argues that morality is a matter relative to the individual in a way akin to personal taste. For example, subjectivists regard the ethical judgment ‘Stealing is wrong’ as comparable with the judgment of taste ‘I dislike Brussels sprouts’. Yet, subjectivism is not nihilism. While nihilism denies the existence of moral value, duties, principles and truths, subjectivism claims that they exist, but they are subjective like taste. In this paper, I argue that ethical subjectivism ought to be rejected as it is an incoherent, undefendable, and a …

Early Response To False Claims In Wikipedia, 15 Years Later, P.D. Magnus

Philosophy Faculty Scholarship

Fifteen years ago, I conducted a small study testing the error-correction tendency of Wikipedia. Not only is Wikipedia different now than it was then, the community that maintains it is different. Despite the crudity of that study’s methods, it is natural to wonder what the result would be now. So I repeated the earlier study and found surprisingly similar results.

Unveiling The Tapestry Of Human Experience And Diversity: A Journey Through The Eight Domains Of Phenomenology And Research Methods, Tito Dimas Atmawijaya

The Qualitative Report

In this comprehensive book review, the author explores Eight Domains of Phenomenology and Research Methods by Henrik Gert Larsen, delving into the intricate world of phenomenology and its applications in research. The review critically examines Larsen's insightful exploration of the eight domains, providing an analysis of each domain's significance and the research methodologies associated with them. The review also highlights Larsen's expertise in phenomenology, as he skillfully guides readers through the complexities of understanding lived experiences and the intricate interplay between researcher and participant. By exploring the strengths and limitations of Larsen's work, the review offers valuable insights into the …

Theorizing Racial Democracy, Teófilo De Souza Carmo Reis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The critical philosophy of race has shown recent growth, but it tends to focus too much on the United States. This leaves many race-related concepts and phenomena from other parts of the world underexplored. I help to fill this gap by exploring the idea of "racial democracy" in Brazil, which is a form of racial ignorance that is prevalent in that country. Specifically, I am interested in the epistemic aspects of this mechanism of creating and propagating racial ignorance.

To achieve this goal, I begin by introducing Charles Mills' concept of white ignorance and other influential works in social epistemology. …

Hypo-Cathexis And Impotence In The Facilitating Environment Of The Anthropocene: Towards Digital Humanities, Brian W. Millen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis is an attempt to understand why there does not seem to be enough will to take proper action in light of the information we have about the destructive effects of the Anthropocene, in particular: climate change and the destruction of biodiversity. It is an attempt to follow the injunctions of French philosopher Bernard Stiegler to re-examine and re-evaluate knowledge in terms of the primary role of technics in human experience, and to preliminarily situate the digital humanities within such a project. In this paper, I investigate Sigmund Freud's concepts of cathexis, decathexis, and hyper-cathexis as psychic mechanisms whereby …

Demarcating Psychopathologies: Nosology, Validity, And The Taxonomic Problem In Psychiatric Medicine, Julia Zentz Kolak

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this dissertation, I argue that the discussion surrounding the role of values in the conceptualization of mental disorders is reproduced in critical debates surrounding the issue of reliability and validity in a psychiatric nosology. In so doing, I oppose the conventional separation of the demarcation problem and the crisis of validity in psychiatric classification, arguing instead that they are inextricably linked. After drawing out the intersection between these literatures in the conceptual history of the DSM and its much-maligned transition to an etiologically neutral taxonomy of mental disorders, I consider Carl Hempel’s proposed conciliation between descriptive and theoretical systematization …

Collect Cosmic Dust, Make It Into Bright Stars: The Use Of Temporal Data In Regeneration Of Life Space And Time Via A Construction Of The Political-Sociological Theory Of Justice, Yi Wang

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis argues for an argument-counterargument approach to the atypical classics of Franz Kafka and Emily Dickinson. This approach to the literature is useful for a construction of the political-sociological theory of justice, which claims that the state of a just world is each individual’s lifetime moving in a dialectic-of-anti-violence-and-non-violence manner.

Perkembangan Musik Dan Budaya Hip-Hop Di Tiongkok: Eksistensi The Rap Of China Di Tengah Ketatnya Sensor, Matsnaa Chumairo, R. Tuty Nur Mutia

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Hip-hop culture and rap music originated from the African-American community that emerged around the 1970s in New York City. Hip-hop started to enter PRC in the 1990s and continues to grow among the younger generation. A hip-hop talent search show titled The Rap of China, released in 2017, became very popular, bringing hip-hop music and culture to the fore. Unfortunately, it must eventually face PRC government’s intervention in its development. This article discusses the influence of Chinese government's censorship policies on the development of hip-hop music and culture in China. This case study was conducted using the historical approach, …

Representasi Jejak Memori Budaya Lokal Dalam Karya Performance Art Seniman Indonesia, Litya Ainunning Puri, Handriyotopo Handriyotopo, Khoirunnisa Qonita

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This article offers an interpretation of performance artworks that serve as representations of local identity and values in the period of Indonesian new media artists. By emphasizing on local identity, this article seeks to reveal how artists respond to global challenges through artworks while capturing the aesthetics and values prevailing throughout Nusantara (the Indonesian archipelago). Additionally, this research offers an analysis of the timeline and geographic distribution of performers from the standpoint of the growth of new media art. Data were collected using a variety of methods, including observation, interview, and literature review involving both historical archives and literary works. …

Rekonstruksi Sejarah Dalam Kumpulan Puisi Dari Batavia Sampai Jakarta Melalui Pembacaan Jauh Berbasis Korpus, Ananda Bintang Purwaramdhona, Mochamad Irfan Hidayatullah, Lina Meilinawati Rahayu

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

By applying the mixed research methods combining new historicism and digital humanities with AntConc-assisted distant reading techniques, this research aims to explore a reconstruction of Jakarta's history offered in From Batavia to Jakarta (1619–1999), a collection of poems by Zeffry J. Alkatiri. Results show that history can be reconstructed through the physical structure of narrative poetry represented by the dominant usage of pronoun "they" and intra-sentence conjunctions and prepositions such as "and", "in", and "the" instead of licentia poetica which can violate language rules. However, in the structural analysis, AntConc was not able to detect several linguistic aspects such …

Praktik Teater Postdramatik Di Indonesia, Afrizal H, Sahrul N, Yusril Yusril

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The article entitled "Practice of Postdramatic Theater in Indonesia", is an examination of the practice of postdramatic theater in Indonesia in the 1990s to 2000s in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and even West Sumatra. This practice spawned generations that continue to grow and develop through aesthetics based on performance texts, outside of the conventional drama texts that we understand so far. Each theater community, regardless of whether it is postdramatic or not, has carried out an in-depth exploration and elaboration of all possible bodies, texts and artistic materials which are used as the main capital of performances. This study uses qualitative …

Perdagangan Perempuan Indonesia Dalam Situs Pengantin Pesanan: Perspektif Feminisme Sosialis, Wabilia Husnah

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Mail-order bride websites can be easily found in cyberspace. These websites sell Indonesian women to Chinese men as wives. This study aims to explore the phenomenon of women cyber-trafficking in mail-order bride websites, especially the background of mail-order bride websites and their impacts on the victims. This qualitative research used the case study approach and the socialist feminism theory to investigate three mail-order bride websites. This study concludes that the oppression of women on mail-order bride websites is caused by long-standing patriarchy in Indonesia and China reflected in daily practices, cultural manifestations, and literary works in both countries. Capitalism has …

Orang Tionghoa, Perkebunan Gambir, Lada Dan Kontestasi Di Tanjungpinang Abad Ke-19, Zulfa Saumia Zs

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The Chinese have settled in Bintan Island since Zheng He’s great expeditions in the 15^th century. However, large-scale arrivals of the Chinese did not occur until in 1740. They worked as laborers in pepper and gambier plantations that belonged to Buginese nobles. Internal and external changes in the political landscape, as well as land and territorial tenures between the Hokkiens in Tanjungpinang and Teochews in Senggarang, added a new nuance to their roles as middlemen, land owners, and coolies in pepper and gambier plantations. This gave rise to contestation between these two ethnic groups. How did the land tenure …

Karakteristik Aksara Pakpak Berdasarkan Sumber Tertulis Di Dairi Dan Pakpak Bharat, Sumatera Utara, Churmatin Nasoichah, Ninny Soesanti Tedjowasono, Tomson Sibarani, Mehammat Br. Karo Sekali, Wahyu Rizky Andhifani, Lolita Refani Lumban Tobing

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

The Pakpak ethnic group occupy two areas in North Sumatra, namely Dairi and Pakpak Bharat, and speak a language with its own set of characters called the Pakpak script. This study discusses the Pakpak script characteristics and writing materials, and provides a compiled description of the Pakpak community in the past based on written sources. The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of the Pakpak script and provide a historical description of the ethnic group based on written sources. This study uses the exploratory inductive reasoning model. Results show that the Pakpak and Batak scripts share similar …

Tradisi Penculikan Pengantin Perempuan Dalam Film Alaa Kachuu: Representasi Ketidaksetaraan Gender Di Kirgizstan, Aprina Luzti Lubis, Mina Elfira

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

This research investigates how two movies, both entitled Ala Kachuu (2018 and 2002), represent ala kachuu, i.e. a tradition of bride kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan. Even though the Kyrgyz government has formally banned this practice since 2016, which is considered as a form of forced marriage, it still exists and is practiced by some Kyrgyz. This research used the qualitative method coupled with the mise-en-scène cinematographic technique. By using Stuart Hall’s representation theory (1997) and Mansour Fakih’s gender inequality theory (2008) as analysis tools, this study concludes that both movies represent ala kachuu as a tradition which promotes gender inequality. …

Permainan Alegori Dalam Novel O Karya Eka Kurniawan, Indah Fadhilla

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

Fables typically attach human attributes to animal characters to convey moral messages and teachings, but a number of modern authors use animal characters in their literary works to criticize current sociocultural phenomena. One famous literary work that contains many forms of allegory about relationships between human and animal characters is O, a novel by Eka Kurniawan. Allegories in O are used to exhibit contradictions between humans and animals. Animal characters are presented as possessing human traits, bringing up the idea that animals can become ideal human beings (the concept of “being human”). Meanwhile, human characters are presented as possessing …

Science, Physicalism, And Supernaturalism, Carlo Filice

Myth and Science, 2023-24

This lesson on science and the supernatural tries to explain that science is committed neither to physicalism, nor to supernaturalism. Mainly, it studies the physical world, and examines the claim that the physical world is all that exists. The lesson then examines reasons why people have claimed that physicalism cannot be true.

Bioethics And Vaccines: Scientific Facts, Values, And Conflict, Amanda Roth

Myth and Science, 2023-24

This lesson plan and slide deck focuses on Bioethics and Vaccinations in relation to the theme of Myths and Science. Topics include: moral questions around vaccine mandates, intergenerational justice and the varicella vaccine, and justice in vaccine distribution.

How Do We Address Misinformation?: Applying Philosophy To The Problem, Jonathan Auyer

Myth and Science, 2023-24

Who do we want to be? What values are most important to us? How can we manifest those values in our daily life, specifically in our online presence? The end goal of this standalone lesson is to have students understand and reflect on why they are susceptible to misinformation and develop personalized practices to combat it. The intention is not to arrive at a perfect plan to avoid falling prey to it (that will never be possible). Rather, this lesson begins from the assumption that recognition (both of one’s own imperfections as well as the markers of false information) will …

Separating Conspiracy Theories, Misinformation, And Pseudoscience From Supported Fact, David Hahn

Myth and Science, 2023-24

An overview of the problem of conspiracism, conspiracy theories, and the culture they exist in. The lesson describes what a conspiracy theory is, and how someone gets pulled into the worldview.

Friendship, Mysticism, And Resistance: Review Of Kindred Spirits: Friendship And Resistance At The Edges Of Modern Catholicism, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

The Life Of An American Catholic Radical: Review Of Christian Anarchist, Ammon Hennacy, A Life On The Catholic Left, William L. Portier

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Just Peace Framework: A Brief Primer, Eli S. Mccarthy

The Journal of Social Encounters

This short primer will describe the basic components of a just peace framework. Then I will describe the recent trajectory of Catholic and Christian discourse on just peace, as well as engage a related discourse at the United Nations on sustaining peace.

The Implications Of Solidarity For Food Ethics, John Sniegocki

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay examines numerous ways in which commitments to solidarity have relevance in the area of food ethics. Among the topics explored are food insecurity and hunger, workers’ rights, ecology, and the treatment of animals. Particular attention is paid to the impacts of the production and consumption of animal products. These issues are examined through the lens of the developing understanding of solidarity present in the tradition of Catholic social teaching (CST). The ethical framework provided by CST, it is suggested, could be further enhanced by insights drawn from the growing tradition of “Black veganism” and its holistic, intersectional understanding …

Dangerous Religious Ideas As Threats To Solidarity: Review Of Dangerous Religious Ideas: The Deep Roots Of Self-Critical Faith In Judaism, Christianity, And Islam, John C. Merkle

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Religion And Global Solidarity: Review Of Toward A Global Civilization? The Contribution Of Religions, James Malarkey

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

A Stewardship Curriculum To Promote Financial Independence: Congregants Of Sbc Depend On The Church For Financial Support, Davon Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project investigates the congregation of Second Baptist Church of Selma, Alabama, and their dependency upon the church for financial support. The thesis presupposes biblical illiteracy on stewardship as the hinderance for congregants of Second Baptist Church in obtaining financial independence. This project will launch a research study of the congregants of Second Baptist Church using a triangulated approach evaluating the knowledge of participants from the congregation in comparison to the stewardship curriculum. The research method includes surveys, one-on-one interviews, and small focus groups as tools to investigate the problem. This design proposes that when the curriculum is implemented …

Flickering The W-Defense, Michael Robinson

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

One way to defend the Principle of Alternative Possibilities (PAP) against Frankfurt-style cases is to challenge the claim that agents in these scenarios are genuinely morally responsible for what they do. Alternatively, one can grant that agents are morally responsible for what they do in these cases but resist the idea that they could not have done otherwise. This latter strategy is known as the flicker defense of PAP. In an argument he calls the W-Defense, David Widerker adopts the former approach. I argue that, while Widerker's argument does a poor job showing that these agents are not morally responsible …

Panem's Parallel's: Authoritarianism In The Real World, Quentin J. Stewart

Honors Capstones

Throughout the twentieth century, there has been an increasing awareness and fear of authoritarian governments in the Western world, the United States in particular. While these methods of governance were steadily becoming more present in Western media throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, portrayals of authoritarianism and dystopia experienced a peak in popularity toward the end of the two-thousands decade, with book and film franchises like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins spearheading this emergence. Many of the themes and aspects of the series setting alert the audience to many of the ways authoritarianism can be seen in real life, …