An introduction to philosophical issues in archeology.
Author: 1000wordphilosophy
Situationism and Virtue Ethics
Author: Ian Tully Category: Ethics Word Count: 995 Moral philosophers are no longer merely interested in assessing our conduct (e.g., don’t lie!’) or the outcomes we bring about (e.g., more happiness is better!); many now agree that ethics needs to be concerned with our characters, too. What matters isn’t just what we do, but who we are. … Continue reading Situationism and Virtue Ethics
Moral Testimony
Can moral testimony result in moral knowledge? That is, can someone telling me that lying to protect someone's feelings is morally permissible justify my believing that this is so? Some philosophers say 'yes,' some say 'no,' and here we lay out each basic position.
Intentionality
An introduction to intentionality.
The Non-Identity Problem
Author: Duncan Purves Category: Ethics, Metaphysics Word Count: 1000 Consider the following scenario: Wilma is interested in having a baby. Wilma’s doctor tells her that she has a condition such that if she conceives now, any child she conceives will suffer from incurable blindness. However, her doctor also tells her that this result is not unavoidable. If … Continue reading The Non-Identity Problem
Semantic Externalism
Author: Rachel Bourbaki Category: Philosophy of Mind and Language Word Count: 1000 1. Internalism and Externalism Examples of mental phenomena are things like pain, joy, and perceptual states. Internalism about mental phenomena is the view that all mental phenomena are spatially located inside the brain or skin of the creature that possesses them. Externalism about mental phenomena … Continue reading Semantic Externalism
Practical Reasons
Author: Shane Gronholz Category: Ethics Word Count: 1000 We make choices about what to do all the time. When we deliberate about what to do, we consider reasons for various actions. Imagine you are deciding whether to attend your grandmother’s 90th birthday party or stay home and work on a big term paper, which is … Continue reading Practical Reasons
Laws of Nature
Author: Michael Zerella Category: Philosophy of Science Word Count: 1000 This essay will present the main reasons that scientists and philosophers of science have considered laws of nature to be an integral part of scientific knowledge. It will discuss some of the difficulties associated with the practical application of laws of nature, and will conclude … Continue reading Laws of Nature
Aesthetics vs. Art
Author: Brock Rough Category: Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art Word Count: 1000 1. The Distinction While some people take the field of aesthetics, broadly construed, to include the philosophy of art, it is instructive to examine whether and where the two notions diverge. Recognizing the distinction between the appropriate scopes of these concepts is important because there … Continue reading Aesthetics vs. Art
Personal Identity: How We Exist Over Time
An introduction to the topic of personal identity: how do we continue to exist over time as the same being, despite the many changes that occur to us?