Philosophy Commons^™

Nietzschean Expressivism, Cameron Jackson

Theses

What is Nietzsche’s metaethical stance? Does he even have one? We can, I argue, reconstruct an interesting metaethical view from his writings. Rather than focusing narrowly on his claims about moral judgement, I explore Nietzsche’s philosophical psychology broadly in order to argue that he is best interpreted as holding an emotivist type of expressivism. The function of moral judgement lies within its affective and action-guiding nature, and its communal role of coordinating our evaluative attitudes with one another.

Motivating Remote Working Employees, Sandesh Bilgi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how remote employees who have previously worked in-person describe their lived and perceived experience with motivation in remote working environments. Participants completed the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS), which measures degrees of work-related motivation among employees focusing on traits that signify each worker’s intrinsically or extrinsically motivated nature. Through in-depth interviews with 30 participants, this research examined how remote workers are motivated in remote work settings, which factors increase or decrease motivation, and how leaders can influence the motivation levels of their employees. The interviews were conducted online, …

Human Dignity And Prostitution, Clara Kernodle

Harding Undergraduate Research Conference

In the twenty-first century, it is common to see feminists and pro-sex work voices lauding prostitution and other forms of the sex industry as viable expressions of women’s sexual and financial agency. As long as every participating party consents, they argue, sex work is not only tolerable, but admirable and positive – a form of transaction or service deserving license, protection, and respect in the name of individual freedom and female agency. Such voices argue that prostitution can even be dignified, as the sex industry supposedly allows participants full freedom to express their sexuality. In this paper, I offer an …

The Psychological And Social Effects Of Asset Building Among Low-Income Consumers, Al Maurice Fleming

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low-income consumers face social and psychological barriers to economic self-sufficiency. This qualitative inquiry aimed to bridge the knowledge gap by examining how social and psychological factors that impede single mothers from achieving economic self-sufficiency. Grounded in Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examined factors influencing single parents’ financial behaviors. The findings supported TPB, showing that financial literacy shapes intentions, perceived control increases with stability, and social norms influence financial behavior. Demographic questionnaires were administered, and structured interviews were conducted with 15 single African American mothers. The data was analyzed using themes, code annotations, and categorical classification. …

Domestic Violence Punishments In The Nfl, Jesse Lichti

Student Scholar Showcase

The way that professional athletes are punished for violent crimes is something that the leagues need to put an emphasis on. As media coverage has risen in regards to athletes being violent, specifically against women, the fans understanding of its severity has risen along with it. As currently constructed, the NFL allows for too much bias, lacks deterrence, and does not focus on helping the athletes. These are the main points that my presentation focus on. In the next CBA, something like my idea needs to be put into place. This can then be extended to all violent crimes in …

The Middle-(Un)Man Of Desire: A Girardian Reading Of Perelandra, Clinton Manley

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

The French polymath René Girard presents a compelling argument that all desire is mimetic. According to Girard, we don’t actually know what we want; instead, we imitate the desires of others. These models of desire act as mediators, indicating what objects or ways of being are worth pursuing. For Girard, desire exists in this middle place between a subject, a model, and an object. He famously argues that all great literature leverages an awareness of mimetic dynamics; the greater the work, the more mimetically perspicacious the author.

Given Girard’s theory, we would expect the greatest fantasy authors to erect their …

An Empire In A City: Foundations Of Washington, D.C., 1776 To 1861, Ronni Desjardins

Madison Historical Review

This research project will examine the foundations of Washington, D.C., and how the city’s map and construction identify imperial inspirations that influenced its design and use. It will also examine how these imperial frameworks were intentionally created to sustain historical narratives about the American people and their government. Using correspondence from James Madison and other Founding Fathers, the intention behind the construction of the national capital city becomes significant to our understanding of the political and national philosophy that exists in the current national atmosphere. By placing the capital at the geographic and economic center of the empire, the government …

Masculinity As Capitalism: Abuse, Control, And Domination Of The Earth In The Construction Of Gender Identity, J Guadalupe Dimayuga

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2025

This presentation explores the intersection of masculinity, capitalism, and ecological domination, arguing that hegemonic masculinity cannot be dismantled without addressing the capitalist system perpetuating it. Western feminist literature critiques masculinity and its manifestations but often overlooks capitalism as the root cause, thus failing to dismantle it and provide meaningful alternatives. Through an analysis of ecological and Marxist feminist texts, this presentation argues for a feminist philosophy that integrates the two for a more nuanced understanding of masculinity. This philosophy is supported by highlighting the ways in which capitalism enforces exploitation, control, and domination within gender identity. By integrating Indigenous perspectives …

The Ideology Of Isolation, Chase Robbins

SPARK Symposium Presentations

No abstract provided.

Believing In Simulation Theory, Aeve Boucher

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This paper utilizes the frameworks, terms, and methodology used by David Chalmers in his recent book “Reality+”, along with ancient Chinese philosophers Zhuangzi and Mozi in order to make an argument for why we ought to believe that we are currently living in a simulation while at the same time withholding judgment on the metaphysical reality of whether or not we are currently living in a simulation. The argument uses Chalmers’ five different concepts of reality along with his own views of how being in a simulation would not negatively impact our currently held beliefs, especially in regards to language …

Charles Daniel Schluckebier: Sculptor, Educator, And Lifelong Learner, Emma Pfannenstiel

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

Breaking Boundaries: The Artistic Value Of Graffiti, Hannah Fox

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

King Arthur: Warlords, Chivalry, And Christendom Arthur In The Middle Ages And Renaissance, Jett Rankin

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

The Narrative Of Cathedral Restoration, Claire Brown

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

Returning The Muse: Art And Issues In Repatriation In The British Museum, Addison Speier

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

How Did Feminist Art Begin? A Brief History Of Women Rejecting The Patriarchy In The Art World, Lauren Sargent

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

Threads Of Truth: Megan Roy’S Art And Rural Queer Identity, Sophia Garrison

Epochs Art History Journal

No abstract provided.

Themes Of Moral Injury In The Field Of Asl Interpreting, Samantha Michaelson

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This research project explores connections between a moral injury framework and the recognition and mitigation of ethical stress and trauma experienced by ASL-English interpreters. I have employed strategies such as thick description, textual analysis, and a narrative synthesis of existing literature on moral injury and ethical stress in interpreting to arrive at my findings. The study explains Demand Control Schema (DCS) and the Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) as valuable tools for interpreters to discuss and address ethical stresses that arise in their work. Additionally, I examine the concept of role space and its relevance to the experience of ethical/moral …

The Role Of Intuition In Knowledge, Kenzi Mcspadden

Global Tides

In this paper, McSpadden challenges Climenhaga's use of intuitions as evidence by arguing that one does not have to cite memories, sensory experiences, and testimony in order to subconsciously use them to form her beliefs. McSpadden argues that there is a psychological definition of what intuitions could be, that intuitions do not always make philosophers more confident in their beliefs, and that intuitions can instead be explained by a cognitive reaction using past experiences.

From Explanationism To Pragmatic Explanationism: A New Framework For Knowledge And Stakes, Jacob Guise

Global Tides

In "From Explanationism to Pragmatic Explanationism: A New Framework for Knowledge and Stakes", Guise defends the thesis that Pragmatic Explanationism helps overcome Explanationism's limitations in addressing pragmatic encroachment, specifically in high stakes scenarios and situations involving hidden practical factors. Guise argues that Pragmatic Explanationism should be adopted over Explanationism.

A Counterfactual Model Of Plagiarism, Garrett Pendergraft Ph.D., Arik Chu

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Abstract: How are we to understand plagiarism? In early 2024, controversy broke out over plagiarism accusations against Harvard’s former president, Claudine Gay. The plagiarism accusations against Gay were the beginning of the politicization of plagiarism claims. During this crisis, plagiarism seemed to entail terrible wrongdoing, no matter the form or extent. Garrett Pendergraft, with research assistance from Arik Chu, provides a counterfactual model of understanding the relationship between plagiarism and ethical wrongdoing: a particular instance of plagiarism is wrong to the extent that removing it from history would make a big difference. The counter-factual model of plagiarism gives an intuitive …

How To Industry Plant Yourself, Ted Childish

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

Ted Childish is an artist, creative mind, and cultural organizer working at the intersection of digital culture and contemporary creative economies. His practice spans from conceptual ideation to visual production and designed objects, all approached with a distinct material sensibility. How to Industry Plant Yourself is an analysis of the contemporary creative landscape, delivered in the format of a 'how-to' presentation — a familiar trope of the social media era. This work employs graphic design strategies akin to a pitch deck, symbolizing the increasingly transactional and performative environments in which creatives navigate their careers today.

The Grand Narratives: The Rise And Fall Of Universal Philosophical Systems, Gavin S. Litchford

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis reviews the development of narrative and systematic methods of argumentative legitimation in the Western tradition of philosophy from its conception until the present day. Utilizing both primary sources from central figures in key movements within this development process and supplementary secondary sources, this analysis notes which systems were used as appeals to higher authority and the trends in the adoption and transformation of new models. It is demonstrated that the Enlightenment era punctuated a progression begun in the premodern era from simple, cultural narratives to individualized, subjective, and self-perpetuating Grand Narrative systems, and that it generated the preconditions …

How It Will End: Physical And Philosophical Implications Of The Fate Of Our Universe, Alex Bittle '26

Honor Scholar Theses

What does physics have to say about the end of our universe? And what does it mean for us, if anything? Answering these questions requires an understanding of the so-called "lambda-cold dark matter" (ΛCDM) model of cosmology, which models the universe as containing an expanding pressure, Λ or dark energy, in a battle with the gravitational attraction provided by dark and regular matter. First, the physics (including observations and theory) of the ΛCDM, including the Big Bang and CMB, the inflationary period, and equations that govern the way the size of the universe changes with respect to time for different …

Closing Remarks, Jay Yang

Value and Responsibility in AI Technologies

Closing remarks from director of Gonzaga's Institute for Informatics and Applied Technology, Dr. Jay Yang, with a reception to follow.

Historical Criticism According To Abu Ali Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Yaqoub Miskawayh 320-421 Ah / 932-1030 Ad: His Book The Experiences Of Nations And The Succession Of Desires Is An Example, Mamdouh Gh. Barry, Adnan Melhem

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Objectives: There are many references that specialize in Miskawayh's moral philosophy, especially books, as well as precise and specialized research, while we did not find this interest among researchers in the subject of historical criticism at Miskawayh, except for a few published and peer-reviewed scientific researches, which covered limited aspects about his approach to writing history, and his style in recording the narratives of the first sedition was absent from them, especially during the reign of Othman bin Affan, and what happened during the reign of Ali bin Abi Talib, as well as Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan, and did not …

The Challenge Of Legitimacy And Governance In Fragile States: A Case Study Of Afghanistan, Ahmad Murid Partaw

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation tackles a central puzzle regarding the recurring legitimacy crises of the Afghan state: why, despite decades of investment and efforts by state and non-state actors, has Afghanistan struggled to build enduring legitimacy? It argues that the concept of performance legitimacy is crucial in fragile states such as Afghanistan, as it focuses on citizen’s expectations and the state's ability to deliver public services and secure support from its population. By contrasting performance legitimacy with traditional theories, such as social contract and Weberian approaches, this work deepens the understanding of how legitimacy through the needs and expectations of ordinary citizens …

Veganism (And Method) In Political Philosophy: A Response To B.V.E. Hyde, Josh Milburn

Between the Species

No abstract provided.

Günther Anders’S “Promethean Shame”: Technological Ressentiment And Surveillance, Babette Babich

Articles and Chapters in Academic Book Collections

Günther Anders’s philosophy of technology, particularly his complex notion of ‘Promethean shame,’ or technological ressentiment, may illuminate questions of surveillance and AI ethics. As a critical philosopher of technology, radically so, his emphasis on the negative or downside of technology distinguishes Anders’s thinking on technology from future-focused and mainstream technological messianism. Key to Anders’s notion of ‘Promethean shame’ was his observation that we adapt ourselves to our technology, not the other way around. Provocatively, Anders argued that while the populace in the past—referring to Nazi Germany—required the techniques of mass psychology and mass gatherings for the purposes of manipulation and …

The Ethics Of Gene Editing Hereditary Deafness, Jasmine Borie

Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics

Gene editing has been a hot topic of interest in the field of science, and many gene editing solutions for heritable diseases are in the works. In most cases, gene editing is done with good intentions, but there are some instances where it would not be favorable for reasons that may not be inherently obvious to everyone. Several forms of deafness and hearing loss can be inherited, meaning that it can be passed down from parent to offspring. Curing hereditary deafness using gene editing may seem like a good idea, but it can lead to unintentional discrimination and further stigmatization …