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中文Critically evaluate the view that equality is achievable in contemporary society
This essay will make the case that equality is achievable within contemporary society, opting for a ‘thick’ definition of the term that goes beyond the argument for equal opportunities. It will be argued that egalitarian aims are implicit in the philosophies of many seemingly anti-equality thinkers, and that equality may well be a logical requirement […]
How damaging, if at all, is Searle’s Chinese Room argument against Artificial Intelligence?
John R. Searle’s Chinese Room thought-experiment is a perennial problem for the student of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). Searle thought we were taking A.I. too far; that the sense in which the study should be used, must not claim that a “…appropriately programmed computer literally has cognitive states” (Searle, 1992, p. 67). He does not see […]
What for Derrida is the role of philosophy in responding to traumatic political events?
The political theory informing the policies of governments articulates the relations of morality and ethicality, private and public autonomy, substantive and procedural justice, liberalism and democracy. These notions have developed from the construction of various conceptual schemes and the interpretations of private deliberation and public discourse within a long tradition of western analytical philosophy. As […]
Examining each account, which, if any, of the following accounts of the mind/body relationship is the most convincing? Dualism, Identity Theory, Functionalism, Eliminative Materialism, Philosophical Behaviourism
Although it seems clear enough what we mean when we think of ourselves as possessing a body, what is the thing that we refer to as the mind? Whereas the body is tangible, visible and externally verifiable, the mind is highly personal, internal and unseen. That we do have a mind is almost certain, where […]
Critically evaluate the view that justice is available in society
Justice is best understood as the satisfaction and maintenance of rights, “Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought” (Rawls 1993). Justice can be viewed as comprising of two main broad divisions, distributive justice and retributive justice, these will be outlined and analysed in the following. The former […]
Examining each account, which, if any, of the following accounts of the mind/body relationship is the most convincing? Dualism, Identity Theory, Functionalism, Eliminative Materialism, Philosophical Behaviourism
Although it seems clear enough what we mean when we think of ourselves as possessing a body, what is the thing that we refer to as the mind? Whereas the body is tangible, visible and externally verifiable, the mind is highly personal, internal and unseen. That we do have a mind is almost certain, where […]
Critically evaluate the contribution of feminist thinking to the study area of political philosophy, placing particular focus on the works of Iris Young, Carol Pateman, and Hobbes
Social contract theorists such as Hobbes have been very influential on political philosophy. He wrote in a time when society was dominated by men, the societal hierarchy revolved around the masculine, and women largely accepted their relegation to the role of caregiver and wife. Western political philosophy has been dominated by conceptions of unity and […]
Critically analyse multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the belief that no culture is perfect or represents the best life and that cultures can benefit from a critical dialogue with other cultures. Multiculturalism supercedes the often believed to be outdated view of monoculturalism which was the norm in countries which operated under the nation-state paradigm. The assimilation model of multiculturalism is […]
Do we have a right to free speech, and are there any circumstances when that right can be legitimately infringed?
This essay will examine the limits of our right to free speech in the light of one of the most famous defences of personal sovereignty, John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. In On Liberty Mill argues that ‘the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his […]
Ethics in Science: A Case Study
Through this case study I shall argue that Marc’s course of action should be to include the anomalous results in his presentation. I shall argue this by evaluating the situation with the ethical principles of Consequentialism (most notably Utilitarianism), Kantian ethics and the categorical imperative as well as looking at Karl Popper’s principle of falsification. […]
