Decisions are central to engineering processes and hold them together. It is argued that better decisions will lead to better engineering. To achieve better decisions requires that they be understood in detail. A typical decision is broken down into its essential requirements and processes, thus displaying the components of its framework. The process leads to the identification of a number of concerns. The components are discussed and a set of issues where more work needs to be done is identified. There (...) are significant implications for both engineering practice and engineering education. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis. (shrink)

The press perform a crucial role in facilitating the social, economic and political spheres which combine to bind society together. This thesis looks at the relationship between the press and ideology. It provides an account of the way ideology works through the press to influence the community and asserts that the role of the press is fundamental to the maintenance of social ideology. The thesis discusses the Marxist view of the role of the press in society, and the arguments which (...) support this perspective - false consciousness, cognitive schema theory, symbolism and ritual, and concentration of ownership. Concentration of ownership creates conditions which define the content of the press by influencing newspaper - structures, the role of sources and the role of public relations. This discussion is supported by a study which assesses qualitatively and quantitatively the values of corporate representation in the press. This reveals a significant correlation between the interests of corporations and the content of the press. (shrink)

This thesis concerns the link between Reason and revolutionary praxis in the theories of Herbert Marcuse and Jurgen Habermas. The theories of Marcuse and Habermas are chosen for comparison regarding the role of Reason in revolution because the two seem to be in fundamental theoretical conflict. On the one hand, Marcuse embraces a transcendent concept of Reason, and on the other, Habermas employs an immanent concept of Reason. It is the argument of this thesis that each figure's concept of Reason (...) ultimately determines his theoretical praxis of change. Chapter Two is concerned with Marcuse's and Habermas's reconstructions of the theory of historical materialism as a theory of revolution. This chapter determines the foundations and fonn of each figure's concept of Reason. Here, the analysis is made of the essential differences between Marcuse's concept of transcendent Reason and Habermas's idea of immanent Reason in terms of their reformulations of historical materialism. Chapter Three will examine the impediments to revolution in capitalist society. Here, the dynamic factors which undermine the emergence of Reason and reproduce 'unreason' for both theories are identified. Chapter Four discusses the potential sources of revolution that can be extrapolated from the theories. This chapter is concerned with the 'birth of rebellious subjectivity', that is, the areas of society where Reason can emerge in a revolutionary subject. In Chapter Five, I conclude that there are limitations and problems for both theories in their accounts of revolutionary praxis which stem from each theorist's concept of Reason. Moreover, it is argued that these limitations result from the fact that both theorists place the concept of Reason so centrally in their formulations of political praxis. The conclusion reached is that the concept of Reason itself fails to provide the basis for genuine emancipatory change. It is suggested that Reason can still have a place in the theory of revolution, but instead of determining the shape of and limits to emancipation, it must assume a more narrowly circumscribed role in a partnership with other concepts equally central to human life. (shrink)

The thesis investigates the political philosophy of justice for Maori in New Zealand. The recent communitarian critique of liberalism undermines a normative approach to the investigation. Therefore, the critique, as it is presented by Michael Sandel and Alasdair MacIntyre and the liberal reply, as represented by John Rawls and Brian Barry, is explicated in Chapter One and a new normative approach to justice is outlined. This new approach is, in the main, the result of Brian Barry's three theorems of justice: (...) justice as mutual advantage, as reciprocity, and as impartiality. The resulting sketch of the conditions of justice is then applied to five major New Zealand writers on justice for Maori. The five writers are examined first for their coherency of political argument, and second for the theories of justice at work in the texts. Then, with the help of the critiques explicated in chapter one, the writer's theories of justice are judged as to their ability to meet the conditions of a just agreement. The conclusions to be drawn from the thesis are twofold. First, a new liberal approach is possible to defend against the communitarian claims. Second, the New Zealand writers use theories of justice which are likely to produce agreements that are unstable, and need, therefore, coercive enforcement agencies to keep them in place. (shrink)

This thesis explores the relevance of philosophy for enviromental policy-making in liberal democratic states. The hypothesis is that the basic tenets of liberal democratic theory determine the worldview of western states, thereby setting the parameters and priorities for environmental policy making. In conjunction with this, an additional hypothesis is that environmentalism, as an ideologically distinct entity, is of little relevance to this policy making. In order to examine these hypotheses, a realist scientific framework for knowledge is established in which an (...) ideology is shown to be similar in structure to one of Kuhn's "paradigms". This in turn establishes that an underlying theory can indeed shape individual and state perceptions of reality. Using this realist framework as a basis, liberal ideology is analysed and basic themes and dispositions of environmentalism are identified. In essence, these suggest that the central priority of a liberal democracy is caring for the physical and material interests of the individual. Furthermore, political action which restricts this liberty can only take place if it is to protect the libe1iy of others who are in some way affected by it. This action can usually only take place if there is some degree of scientific certainty stemming from empirical evidence that a problem affecting the liberty of others does in fact exist. This is particularly significant for enviromental issues as the complexity of environmental problems often means that no such scientific certainty can be established. Environmental theories are also analysed to determine the compatibility of the environmental movement with liberal democratic policy making. Environmentalism is divided into two distinct themes: ecologism, which is its ideological component; and mainstream environmentalism which often involves scientific and instrumental aspects. Ecologism has no compatibility with, or relevance to, liberal democratic policy making. The instrumental and scientific aspects are compatible but essentially run parallel to liberal democratic considerations and are hence indistinguishable. In this sense, as this fits the underlying p1iorities of the state, it too is irrelevant and has little effect on policy making which would not occur independently. A brief overview of New Zealand's environmental policy, in the form of policy statements and a look at the impetus behind, and the strength of, the Resource Management Act loosely illustrates the correctness of these conclusions. (shrink)

The intention of this thesis is to illustrate that there are indirect processes in place within the liberal-democratic state system, in countries like New Zealand and Canada, that serve to maintain and justify its right to make decisions, regarding the allocation of power and resources within society. When the right of the liberal-democratic state to make these decisions is challenged, these processes help to channel these challenges away from its foundations. This ensures that while the shape of the state may (...) well alter as a result, the belief system at the core of the state remains uncompromised. An example of such a challenge is the change in governments in New Zealand since 1972, each with different ideological ideas about how to implement economic reforms. The capacity of the electoral system to limit the impact of such governments by providing the 'people' with the choice of electing a new government every three years, means that the system has what Beetham refers to as a, "in-built self-correction when the movement in one direction tends to get out of hand". While reforms, such as the devolution program of the 1984 Labour Government may alter the role of the liberal-democratic state in relation to the public good, the belief system at the heart of the state remains unaltered; the idea of popular sovereignty for example. Additionally, this thesis argues that these indirect processes ensure that the belief system of liberal-democracy remains the primary belief system in such societies, in terms of its ability to structure the way in which resources and power are allocated. For example by promoting the capitalist economic system with its emphasis upon individualism. (shrink)

Psychology is described as a poor science. Both the methodology, and the philosophy that underlie psychology do not seem appropriate for psychology's subject matter. This is primarily due to a poor philosophy of science which fails to recognise the dynamic, and holistic, nature of psychological phenomena. Psychology is also highly fractured and in need of a unifying metatheory. Nonlinear dynamics is proposed as a possible metatheory for psychology. Nonlinear dynamics is explained in some detail, both as a means of generating (...) apparent disorder within a deterministic system, and as a means of generating order from multiple inputs. Empirical support for nonlinear dynamics in psychology is high, as examples drawn from a broad cross section of psychology indicate. Theoretical considerations on the nature of psychological phenomena suggest that they are suitable for study with the tools of nonlinear dynamics. A number of other benefits are also derived from a nonlinear dynamics metatheory. A consideration of the criticisms which have been leveled at nonlinear dynamics reveals no obstacles that could not be dealt with by improvements in method and technology. An outline is provided of a nonlinear dynamic psychology, and the benefits of such a metatheory are discussed. Various avenues of future empirical research are considered. (shrink)

This thesis proposes that while the overall rate of new internal conflicts is decreasing globally, the persistence of some internal conflicts over several generations necessitates the need for renewed understanding of what makes conflicts prone to intractability with high levels of human destruction and societal violence. International efforts to resolve such conflicts have overwhelmingly met with failure, due to inadequate conflict resolution strategies and because of the nature of intractable conflicts where high stakes and zero-sum issues convince the parties in (...) conflict that settlement is too costly. Thus, there is a need for a comprehensive theoretical framework to provide a clear and informative description of intractable conflicts for the development of conflict resolution strategies. In this study, a theoretical model is developed that suggests intractable conflicts are the result of a unique combination of strnctural and process variables. This approach argues that while the causes of internal conflict are numerous, there are certain variables that deepen the parties' commitment to conflict and increase their perception of the risks and costs of settlement, thus deterring efforts towards peace and encouraging intractable conflict. Structural variables create a climate conducive to intractability and process causes catalyse the development of intractable conflict. This framework, called the Structural-Process model, is tested against four case studies for its descriptive and predictive value and it is concluded that the Strnctural-Process model provides valuable theoretical understanding of intractable conflict, especially those which are active in form, where violence is overt and ongoing. It was also concluded that the model could have future use in predicting the likelihood of intractable conflict development in cases of internal conflict. (shrink)

This thesis is a contextual examination of Charles Taylor's philosophical system applied to politics. It traces the origins of Taylor's project in Isaiah Berlin's revival of political philosophy at Oxford in the late 1950s and the critique of Stalinism. This thesis argues that Taylor's philosophy developed out of the New Left project of reconsidering the foundations of socialism. This developed into a critique of the common faults of Marxism and Liberalism as having fallen prey to a modernity characterised by a (...) scientific and bureaucratic world-view. This thesis argues that Taylor redeveloped Hegel using linguistic and psychoanalytic theory to reconsider the foundations of Marxism and modernity, and to develop a post-modern Sittlichkeit. Finally, this thesis shows how Taylor viewed the crisis of modernity exemplified in the delayed modernisation of Quebec. (shrink)

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between models of human nature and psychology. A central claim is that all psychological theories necessarily presuppose a model of human nature and by virtue of this, a broad metaphysical theory. Following a brief review of some of the multi-disciplinary literature concerned with models of human nature it is concluded that certain implications follow from adopting a particular model. For example implications for social science research and the interpretation of behaviour. (...) A survey of the psychological literature reveals that two models have tended to dominate the debate, an agency model and a deterministic model. The relevance and importance of philosophical debate in psychology is established. A conceptual framework is developed that permits the construal of metaphysical systems as theories in the same sense that scientific theories are. The question of how to evaluate theories is discussed and a criterion outlined. It is argued that different metaphysical theories underlie the psychological theories associated with humanistic, behavioural and system theories. These metaphysical theories generate different notions of causality, epistemology and explanation in psychology. Each is critically evaluated and the metaphysical theory underlying systems therapy is found to be the most powerful. The thesis concludes with a discussion of some of the implications for clinical psychology. It is claimed that a systems ontology enables psychologists to avoid the pitfalls of eclecticism and promotes a unified and pluralistic conception of clinical practice. (shrink)

The following work seeks to demonstrate the ways in which a discipline's philosophical conception of science defines not only its method, but indeed, its entire academic structure. Traditionally, scientific empiricism has been viewed as the only legitimate conception of science within psychology, however, by challenging this view, it is found that empiricism represents a weak philosophical system upon which to base notions of rational inquiry. It is further suggested that the alternative of realist philosophy and implicated method take its place. (...) By way of an example, the latter half of the work acts to demonstrate the ways in which empiricism has defined a number of maladaptive constructions within the realm of sport psychology, and how an adoption of the realist alternative may enable a more complete and rational understanding of the psychology of sport. (shrink)

Reductionism in psychology is traditionally regarded as an exercise in drawing data from a physiological field in order to explain psychological or behavioural phenomena. The data taken from the physiological level are seen in this view as more basic and more real in terms of a hierarchy of sciences, and come closer to providing "hard facts" due to physiology lying lower on a hierarchy of sciences than psychology. However, reductionism is also considered here in a number of different ways, including: (...) 1) the breaking down of wholes into parts in science; 2) reduction to disciplines such as mechanics or computing through modelling; 3) reduction "upwards" to higher levels than psychology; 4) single concepts in psychology; and 5) individualism as a reductive outlook. The hierarchy of sciences is critiqued in terms of indeterminacies that prevent the lower-level sciences from fully constituting the higher-level sciences. A "downwardly determinative" outlook is endorsed which sees the contents of lower-level sciences as being distributed or guided by the systems that the higher-level sciences represent. Non-specific precipitants at higher levels are seen to control the more widely distributed but more specialised phenomena at lower levels, and a twin-aspect theoretical outlook is endorsed which sees a given unit of analysis as being a whole in itself and part of a larger system. The implication of this for reductionism in psychology is that whilst an elimination of psychological terms in favour of physiological terms is rejected, explanations that include physiology in a complementary role may have some value, although such contributions may appear insignificant in the light of the higher-level concepts that flow down to psychology from higher level disciplines. (shrink)

This thesis is a conceptual exploration of a number of issues relevant to the theorisation of suicide. Five research questions are addressed. 1. How should suicide be defined? It is argued that intentionality is central to an understanding of suicide. Suicide is defined as ending one's own life intentionally. 2. Why is there a proliferation of theories of suicide? Three main sources are identified - the complexity of suicide, the existence of different disciplines, and the significance of different basic theoretical (...) perspectives. 3. Should this theoretical pluralism be accepted as normal or should theoretical uni£ication be the goal? Theoretical uni£ication is rejected because it denies the complexity of suicide, treating it as an undifferentiated domain, and imposes one theoretical perspective at the expense of others. 4. How are studies of the various explanatory factors of suicide shaped by different disciplinary concerns and the assumptions made by different theoretical perspectives? Different disciplinary approaches have focussed on the operation of different factors, and theoretical perspectives within each discipline offer different understandings of the meaning of such factors.The theorisation of suicide must resist the fragmentation of disciplines, theoretical perspectives, and various reductionisms in order to understand suicide as a holistic phenomenon existing at a number of ontological levels. 5. Is it possible to develop an integrated overall theory of suicide? Different explanations are required for different types of suicide, human behaviour is not law­ governed, and psychological and social reality consists of open systems. For these reasons, a global theory of suicide is only able to consist of a highly generalised account of the range of distal and proximal factors potentially relevant to the range of types of suicide. Work by Shneidman and Maris, Berman and Maltsberger o££er a basis for such a global theory. (shrink)

The purpose of this study was to critically explore the relationship between psychology and society. Many aspects of the powerful relationship that was found were discussed. In particular the lack of a social structural analysis in psychology was seen as vital in shaping how society affected psychology and how Psychology affected society. Very little discussion of what type of relationship psychology has and should have with society was discovered in the literature. Upon a more detailed examination of major forms of (...) psychology and alternative forms some recommendations for change are made by the author. The main criticism and exhortation is for at least some discussion and recognition of social structural forces influence on psychology and its relationship to society. (shrink)

This article proposes a typology of the epistemology of live blogging through an analysis of two live news blogs: Radio New Zealand News’ live blog of a significant earthquake in Aotearoa New Zealand in November 2016 and BBC News’ live blog of the Brexit referendum result in June 2016. We use these cases to draw out five features of the genre that we suggest may characterise other live news blogs. We demonstrate that these blogs tend to produce a fragmentary narrative (...) that reflects particular moments in time, curate an array of textual objects from a range of information sources to produce ‘networked balance’, gain coherence from an often informal authorial voice or voices and generate claims to knowledge of events which are simultaneously dynamic and fragile. This typology contributes to understanding journalism’s position within networked information spaces. (shrink)

Male abuse of female partners is now recognised as a major social problem that has serious and significant consequences for its victims. This study is based on the argument that this problem must not be reduced to individual acts of violence for this risks obscuring the real nature of MAFP and, thereby, hinders the development of any effective solutions to the problem. The problem that is identified in this study is men's control and domination of their women partners. Etiological research (...) in the field of male abuse of female partners, to date, has tended to be empirical rather than theoretical. This current study contributes to the neglected but critical area of theoretical research into the etiology of male abuse of female partners. It provides an explication and evaluation of fourteen realist theories of male abuse of female partners. It also identifies and briefly discusses a number of other non-realist theories that also commonly appear in the literature. Only realist theories are fully explicated and appraised within this study, as it is argued that they are the only route to gaining knowledge about the world, for many of the world's most important causal mechanisms are hidden from direct view. The task of theory evaluation in this study involves evaluating theories in terms of their practical utility, conceptual coherence, and explanatory breadth, the latter being a major component of a new and important theory of theory evaluation proposed by Thagard. This study provides a new integrated theory to explain male abuse of female partners, based upon the theories which were previously shown in the study to have the greatest value. This new theory, which is referred to as the new feminist integrated theory, is subsequently evaluated and is shown to have considerable practical utility, explanatory breadth and conceptual coherence. (shrink)

Typical approaches to defining regions, districts or neighborhoods within a city often focus on place instances of a similar type that are grouped together. For example, most cities have at least one bar district defined as such by the clustering of bars within a few city blocks. In reality, it is not the presence of spatial locations labeled as bars that contribute to a bar region, but rather the popularity of the bars themselves. Following the principle that places, and by (...) extension, placetype regions exist via the people that have given space meaning, we explore user-contributed content as a way of extracting this meaning. Kernel density estimation models of place-based social check-ins are compared to spatially tagged social posts with the goal of identifying thematic regions within the city of Los Angeles, CA. Dynamic human activity patterns, represented as temporal signatures, are included in this analysis to demonstrate how regions change over time. (shrink)

Shared reference is an essential aspect of meaning. It is also indispensable for the semantic web, since it enables to weave the global graph, i.e., it allows different users to contribute to an identical referent. For example, an essential kind of referent is a geographic place, to which users may contribute observations. We argue for a human-centric, operational approach towards reference, based on respective human competences. These competences encompass perceptual, cognitive as well as technical ones, and together they allow humans (...) to inter-subjectively refer to a phenomenon in their environment. The technology stack of the semantic web should be extended by such operations. This would allow establishing new kinds of observation-based reference systems that help constrain and integrate the semantic web bottom-up. (shrink)

This chapter argues that journalism’s ethical frameworks, particularly at moments when it is making its grandest claims to value, collide with those prevalent within universities and particularly with ethical review structures. Working through these tensions requires some accommodation from all sides, and also provides opportunities for learning. The chapter discusses how universities might recognize the ethics systems particular to practices, like journalism, which set out to serve the public good and which produce knowledge in ways distinctive to that practice. Underneath (...) this problem is the more fundamental question of how to establish the boundaries between research and other activities that take place in the university. The chapter proposes, following Spicker’s argument in relation to policy studies, that distinctive ethical criteria must be recognized in different areas of university activity where claims to be producing research are being made. Yet it must also be noted that exceptionalism risks leaving university-based journalists with a weak ethical system. It concludes that journalists within the university have both the opportunity and obligation to extend their practice by using university processes to engage with a wide range of ethical frameworks. (shrink)

This report looks at the need for structured techniques and more, the need for computer implementations of these techniques. In particular I look at data flow diagrams, one of the most important analysis tools and document my own design and implementation of a computer tool for creating and manipulating data flow diagrams. MacDaffy is aimed at increasing the productiveness of data flow diagrams as an analysis tool.

Participatory design amalgamates the expertise of interdisciplinary specialists with the taskspecific expertise of end-users. Groupware design is widely recognised as benefiting from participative approaches. Recognition of this ideal, however, does not preclude the failure of groupware design due to poor communication and inadequate understanding between participants. We provide a grounding in the problems affecting groupware success, and introduce four design principles that guide all those involved in design around the pitfalls that have been encountered, some repeatedly, by groupware.

Mōteatea are the orally sung literature and one of its most famous composers was Ngāti Tuwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto’s Puhiwahine. This paper will explore the political philosophy and theory contained within Puhiwahine’s waiata pakanga ‘Mā Wai Rā’ written for Ngāti Toa relations particularly their war leader, Te Rangihaeata. The observations from these forms of indigenous oral literature are based in a form of emerging indigenous philosophy called whakaaro based philosophy and method. Additionally, the author introduces a Kaupapa Māori Research method (...) Marae ā-Rorohiko which outlines how social media, in particular Facebook, can be used as a form of group validity or qualitative data gathering. The analysis of the moteatea will focus on building a first person understanding of Māori philosophy and undestandings of mōteatea settler colonialism, colonisation and the centrality of mana and aroha in Māori society. It will reveal the that Puhiwahine had a deep understanding of Māori philosophy and what was to come from her people. It will also provide new understandings around the white possessive doctrine and mana motuhake. (shrink)

Rural Training Centres in the Solomon Islands are community-based initiatives that offer vocational education to men and women. Since the 1960s, RTCs have grown to become an organised movement of 47 centres present almost in every province. Based on learnings from fieldwork in three RTCs, we explore the centres’ training model, and the dialectic between indigenous and Western schooling traditions that converge at some points and deviate at others. We argue that the idiosyncratic features of the RTC learning experience can (...) support the acquisition of skills like independent and critical thinking; important for communities to collectively shape their own development. Our research shows nonetheless that increasing influence from external actors is forcing RTCs into a more Westernised study-for-employment model of vocational education. A shift too far in this direction could significantly hinder the potential of these institutions to foster students capable of addressing Solomon Islands' urgent and unique livelihood and environmental challenges. (shrink)

What enduring knowledge and understanding from tertiary education study will learners remember most that will contribute to their on-going performance and understanding for effective teaching? This paper is based on research undertaken to identify what third-year initial teacher education students in a course including Technology Education curriculum development conclude as important principles for teaching that discipline effectively in their classrooms. Their course-concluding principles should be seen as first steps or thoughts as they transition from university into their first appointments and (...) begin teaching. Literature on personal epistemologies identifies that pre-service teachers’ awareness will also be reflective of prior experiences they have had in the community and from teachers they have been exposed to and that their naïve epistemologies will give way to more sophisticated beliefs and practices as their confidence and understanding develops. The students’ conclusive principles were analysed to identify the nature of their understanding and as a guide to what teaching in this discipline might look like as they begin their teaching career. (shrink)

The notions of well-being and happiness are widely used today in a range of disciplines, areas of research, educational practice and daily life. However, these terms have to be considered critically, and careful reflection on their meaning is needed in each context where they are used. One reflection in the context of education has been conducted in relation to positive psychology as well as philosophical concepts and questions such as how to live a good life, the art of living and (...) especially Schmid’s concept of Lebenskunst or ‘art of living’. Still, the research undertaken to connect these concepts with the area of early childhood education in particular has been rather limited. The current paper is one step to bridge this gap by exploring how the concept of the art of living relates to early childhood education and the notion of well-being as it is used in the New Zealand early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. It is proposed that early childhood educators can support the development of children’s abilities to enable them to engage actively in shaping their own lives and developing their own art of living earlier rather than later in their lives. Further, suggestions are made for teaching practice about ways early childhood educators can support young children to become reflective, autonomous and knowledgeable human beings, who are able to take responsibility for their own lives. (shrink)

The new forms of feminist realism and materialism could have significant political ramifications that should be owned by feminist scholars and activists as a way to create new possibilities for an internationalist political language and action that would be geographically, economically and in terms of nation-state politics as varied and as multi-centered as possible. Such a new universalism must emerge at the economic and academic margins, move concentrically toward the center seeking to provide the grounds for uncompromising comradeship worldwide. The (...) universe it will establish is one in which power will be measured in materialist or realist terms and its chief categories will also be the most robust ones: economy and the power of the nation-state as the main means of women’s subjugation. (shrink)

The question “what does a woman want?” has been asked by psychoanalysts in the past—particularly by Freud and Lacan—and is a question that has been taken up by feminist scholarship and epistemology. This essay addresses this complex question via both feminist research and enquiry and a Lacanian psychoanalytic praxis. The issue of women’s very speech is crucial, which is a cornerstone element of the feminisms of Spender, Steinem, Hanisch, Irigaray, Cixous, Felski, Jane and Ford. Lacan makes the point that feminine (...) jouissance stands outside the phallic order and thus must be incorporated in the psychoanalytic consideration of what is the sexed position, woman. This essay argues that Lacan’s psychoanalytic considerations have great political and practical import for contemporary feminist practices and epistemology, via the positioning of women’s very speech outside of—but apposite to—a provably violent misogynistic patriarchy. (shrink)

This literature review looks at a variety of sources in regards to the topic of the inclusion of indigenous epistemologies within modern pedagogy. The study focusses on Māori epistemologies and is therefore grounded in the New Zealand context. A number of authors are represented in this review and various opinions are supplied.

The debate between Arthur Fine and Alan Musgrave is well known amongst those involved in the scientific realism debate and centres upon two papers that are quite often found together in philosophy of science anthologies. Reading them like this gives the very strong impression the Musgrave is the victor which is the commonly held view. In this thesis, I wish to overturn this view by placing Fine's paper in context, namely as part of a larger work on the history and (...) philosophy of quantum physics. Fine's book, The Shaky Game: Einstein, Realism and Quantum Theory, gives us good reason to believe that quantum physics significantly undermines the whole scientific realism debate, and as such, has strongly influenced Fine's development of the Natural Ontological Attitude, which is as Fine believes a middle ground between realism and anti-realism. The present thesis evaluates the Natural Ontological Attitude from a physicist's perspective and defends Fine against Musgrave's reply to the extent that it demonstrates that Musgrave would do well to read Fine's paper in context. That said, just as Fine in his youth hoped that a quantum realist position will one day be found, so I also possess this aspiration; and so, despite my concluding that Fine is justified in holding to NOA, I argue furthermore that NOA is but a precursor to a potential quantum structural realist position. After showing that structural realism is worthy of consideration by using it to counter Fine's objections to scientific realism, I analyse the results of quantum physics in an attempt to understand what it can tell us about reality in the quantum realm. Eliminativist Ontic Structural Realism holds great promise as a quantum realism contender, and as such, it inspired the questions regarding individuality and reality that are discussed in the final main chapter. I thus resuscitate hope that the cause of the quantum realist is not yet lost. (shrink)

Even a cursory study of Science Fiction texts reveals it to be a field ripe with ideological contest. With its speculative nature, Science Fiction is particularly suited to discussion of different social, political and cultural models, within which particular ideologies are examined, argued for, or contended against. In this paper, I’ll be defining ideology against some trends of subjects and representation in Science Fiction. In particular, texts from three writers are considered: Ayn Rand’s Anthem, Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed and (...) Iain M. Banks’ Player of Games. In these texts, the writers provide useful examples of ideological contest from the middle of the twentieth century to the early twenty-first, producing and, with the latter two, critiquing their own versions of Utopia and Dystopia that reproduce some of the anxieties and desires of their historical moments. Rand’s superficially dystopian text, crudely echoing some of the formalistic properties Huxley’s Brave New World, actually works in reverse of it. Likewise, though seeming to share the social critique of Orwell’s 1984, it again slips the comparison, actually working to validate an uber-capitalist individualist “utopian” vision, influential in subsequent neo-conservative policies. In contrast, Le Guin signals a both a distrust with the simplifications of Cold War faith in capitalist democracy and yet her anarchic-socialist utopia is still an “ambiguous” if hopeful model for healthy social dynamics. Finally, Banks’ apparently superficial “space opera” also presents a problematic utopian vision. As an example of a posthuman society, his depiction of the organic-artificial machine symbiosis of the Culture appears idyllic, certainly in comparison with more common views of the rise of machine intelligence, but there are signs of this being, again, a utopian vision contested both from without and within, perhaps engaging with Foucault’s heterotopias. (shrink)

This thesis examines what are for us two great sources or causes of error. The first arises from the influence of various cognitive biases upon our thinking, while the second emerges as a result of our wide-ranging dependence upon others for a vast amount of our beliefs about the world. Through both we can come to adopt false and harmful beliefs, a fact that naturally has both veridical and moral significance. One response is to suggest that we should increase our (...) reliance upon experts in order to help us better acquire true beliefs and avoid false beliefs. By examining the historical, theoretical, psychological, and linguistic character of epistemic authorities and relationships, this avenue will be argued to be problematic. Scepticism in relation to epistemic authority is avoided in favour of an adoption of a critical attitude with respect to social sources of belief. The epistemology of testimony is next looked at, to see whether any lessons can be drawn from the nature of epistemic dependence to how we should epistemically approach others. Reductive versus non-reductive conceptions of the justification of testimony are explained, with the former conception being seen as naturally lending itself more to a critical treatment of social sources of belief. The question of why we should be rational at all is then examined. The positions of William K. Clifford and Karl Popper on the matter are explained, and my own views set forward. Finally, in light of the preceding groundwork, it is argued that there is a philosophical place and a social need for public education with respect to the broad epistemic situation in which we find ourselves. (shrink)

The problem of reconciling the subjectively known mind with the objectively known brain has puzzled philosophers and scientists for centuries. When attempting to solve this problem in recent times, the focus has been on explaining how the mind is born from the brain, how the two are related, and how we can best understand them. This problem is of particular relevance to clinical psychology because it attempts to both understand and explain pathological presentations by appealing to both subjective personal experience (...) and objective knowledge of the physicality of the brain. In this respect, clinical psychology straddles the gap between mind and brain. This thesis investigates the implications of the mind/brain problem for theory and practice in clinical psychology. Chapter one identifies the tension between knowing the world subjectively and knowing the world objectively and discusses the importance of understanding this tension when investigating the mind/brain problem. Chapter two sets out the foundational concepts of cognitive behavioural approaches in clinical psychology, looking in particular at how cognitive behavioural approaches conceptualise mental events like thoughts and beliefs. It is concluded that while cognitive behavioural approaches to clinical psychology regularly incorporate both mentalistic and physical concepts in its theory and practice, it does not address the inherent problems in their combined use, as revealed by the mind brain/problem. In order to improve the use of mentalistic concepts within the theory and practice of cognitive behaviourally based clinical psychology, chapter three explores the major conceptualisations of mind from the discipline of philosophy of mind. To achieve this improvement, chapter four, suggests that refining of mentalistic concepts in clinical psychology, through the application of philosophical concepts of mind, can be made possible through the use of a framework that captures the different explanatory levels at which the mind/brain operates. The levels-of-explanation framework is put forward for this purpose. Of particular relevance to clinical psychology is the ability to retain the importance of autonomous, subjectively experienced, and causally efficacious mental events, while at the same time, being able to give a realistic account of how these mental events are linked to the physical brain. The levels-of-explanation framework is judged to be a suitable approach with which to achieve this. In chapters five and six, the implications of clinical psychology's use of mentalistic concepts are explored in relation to evidence-based practice and case formulation. It is shown that through a greater understanding of both the nature of mind and the relationship between the mind and the brain, improvements can be made to both the theory and practice of cognitive behaviourally base clinical practice. This is achieved through the application of philosophical concepts of mind, via a levels-of-explanation framework, while both researching and undertaking clinical practice in clinical psychology. (shrink)

Evolutionary psychology has recently developed out of dissatisfaction with the Standard Social Science Model utilised by mainstream psychology. This model focuses on culture and reason as the underlying cause of human behaviour and proposes that the mind is a 'general purpose learning device'. Here the mind is seen as a blank slate at birth, which is subsequently influenced by experience, environment and culture. Biological variables are minimised or ignored. However it seems that all human behaviour cannot fully be explained by (...) the focus on nurture in the Standard Social Science Model; sexual jealousy, parental investment, and mating preferences are examples which are not fully explained by learning or environmental experience. On the other hand, evolutionary psychology, founded on the principles of cognitive science and evolutionary biology, argues that a person's nature is the primary cause of their behaviour, with the influences of nurture being of lesser importance. According to these principles, evolutionary psychology has been very successful in providing explanations, for example in the areas of human mate selection and parental investment. However evolutionary psychology has received criticism on a number of counts, including its supposed reductionism, and, its reliance on 'just so' stories which are untestable, hypothesised scenarios which look to the past in order to explain the evolution of human behavioural features. With the above mentioned matters as background, this thesis investigated whether evolutionary psychology offers a new paradigm for integrating psychology with science, and if so, how it accomplishes this. In investigating this, conceptions of science, psychology, and evolutionary theory, in particular evolutionary psychology, were examined. More specifically, issues addresses included why evolutionary psychology is dissatisfied with the SSSM, the notion of the mind as blank slate, the nature-nurture paradigm, and the mind as a general purpose learning device. Two aspects of evolutionary theory are described, natural and sexual selection, in terms of their importance to evolutionary psychology. The main arguments of evolutionary psychology as a discipline are outlined, looking at its aims, and the ways in which it combines the disciplines of evolutionary biology and cognitive psychology toward a new integrative model for studying human behaviour. A case study demonstrates how evolutionary psychology offers a useful explanation of mate selection. This thesis then turns to the philosophy of science, setting out the differences between Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos' theories, and focusing on the latter's theory as a model of scientific philosophy which could be useful for evolutionary psychology, including discussing how this could be best achieved. This thesis then sets out various criticisms of evolutionary psychology, including the critique of domain-specific modularity, the focus on the Pleistocene period as problematic, the over-reliance on natural selection, just-so stories, the reductionism of evolutionary psychology, and that it is politically conservative. This thesis concludes that the attempt of evolutionary psychology to combine cognitive science and evolutionary theory has been successful in showing how the integration of psychology into the sciences is not only possible but inevitable. (shrink)

The universal human right to health care is a cliché that is frequently invoked by politicians and various activist groups to express the idea that inequalities in the distribution of medical resources are unjust. These disgruntled social reformers are largely uninformed about the true nature of human rights, claiming that any society in which some citizens go without comprehensive medical services is institutionalising immorality by violating Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Such uninformed and exaggerated claims (...) only serve to distort the public conception of human rights, obscure the legitimate demands of social justice, and impose unrealistic expectations on health care systems of limited resources. In this paper, I intend to uncover the true meaning of the universal right to health care, ultimately rejecting the commonly held notion that inequality in the distribution of medical resources necessarily entails a violation of human rights. In Chapters One and Two, I dissect the notion of human rights in order to further define Article 25, discussing any moral and practical implications the acceptance of this right has for both the individual and society. Chapters Three and Four concern the just allocation of health care resources within society, in accordance with the right to health care, and will assess appropriate distributive principles for the health care institution. (shrink)

In this thesis, I claim that the Liberal Multiculturalist arguments for group rights, which would enable group autonomy, are problematic. Such claims are instrumentally justified by the value that groups have for their individual members. I claim that group autonomy and individual autonomy are incompatible. Concern for the freedom of individuals requires that there is a common Liberal legal framework covering all of the cultural groups that may exist within a state. I will argue for such a system, claiming that (...) it must be substantive in scope, while also outlining how decisions on the common rules should be fairly deliberated before being resolved. Furthermore, I will defend my position from both Liberal Multiculturalist and Strong Multiculturalist objections. (shrink)

This thesis considers Kant's departure from moral naturalism. In doing so, it explores the relationship between ethics, naturalism, normativity and freedom. Throughout this exploration, I build the case that Kant's ethics of autonomy allows us to make better sense of ethics than Hume's moral naturalism. Hume believes that morality is ultimately grounded in human nature. Kant finds this understanding of ethics limiting. He insists that we are free - we can critically reflect upon our nature and alter it accordingly. This (...) freedom, I contend, renders the moral naturalist's appeal to nature lacking. Of course, a Kantian conception of freedom - some form of independence from the causal order - is fairly unpopular in contemporary circles. In particular, a commitment to naturalism casts doubt on such a notion of freedom. I argue with Kant that such a conception of freedom is essential to the conception of ourselves as rational agents. The critical turn, unlike naturalism, warrants this conception of freedom, accommodating the point of view of our rational agency. It thus allows Kant's ethics of autonomy to better grasp certain key elements of morality - normativity and our agency - than Hume's moral naturalism. (shrink)

Gives an account of the learning journey taken by a group of teachers at an urban primary school who, wanting more from their appraisal experiences, explored and trialled an approach known as the quality learning circle. The teachers adopted a reflective practice approach to enable them to describe their practice, investigate meanings, consider how these had developed, and explore alternatives. Uses data drawn from the minutes of meetings and interviews with the teachers to provide details of the processes and decisions (...) required to establish a QLC. (shrink)

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 transformed the way in which Americans and their leaders viewed the world. The tragic events of that day helped give rise to a foreign policy strategy commonly referred to as the “Bush Doctrine.” At the heart of this doctrine lay a series of propositions about the need to foster liberal democracy as the antidote to terrorism. President George W. Bush proclaimed in a variety of addresses that democracy now represented the “single surviving model” (...) of political life to which all people aspired. In the course of making this argument, President Bush seemed to relate his policies to an overarching “teleology” of progress. This discourse implied that the United States might use force to hasten the emergence of liberal norms and institutions in selected states. With a sense of irony, some commentators soon referred to the Bush administration’s position as “Leninist” because of its determination to bring about the so-called “end of history” today. Yet, surprisingly, these critics had little more to add. This thesis is an attempt to assess in greater depth the Bush administration’s claim to comprehend historical eschatology. Developing a concept termed “democratic vanguardism,” this study investigates the idea of liberal modernity, the role of the United States as a force for democracy, and the implications of using military intervention in the service of idealistic ends. It examines disputes among political theorists, public intellectuals and elected statesmen which help to enrich our understanding of the United States’ efforts under President Bush at bending history to its will. (shrink)

Reproduced with permission from the Canadian Journal of Education.

The work of the French thinker Simone Weil has exerted an important influence on scholars in a wide range of fields. To date, however, her writings have attracted comparatively little interest from educationists. This article discusses some of the key concepts in Weil’s philosophy — gravity, grace, decreation, and attention — and assesses their significance for the arts and humanities in higher education.

The enlightenment period is often considered a dark age within the history of medicine. Contrary to this sentiment, I argue that the enlightenment spirit of inquiry regarding venereal disease was vibrant, dynamic, and profoundly influenced how syphilis was understood in the subsequent century. Historiography frequently minimises advances of medical knowledge made in the eighteenth century by focusing on the inefficacy of treatments, rather than on developments in medical theories and concepts. This thesis attends to this gap by examining a case (...) study within venereology to demonstrate that physicians engaging in public debate significantly advanced knowledge of syphilis. In doing so, this counters a historiographical trend that claims that French physician Philippe Ricord was the first to distinguish syphilis from gonorrhoea in the nineteenth century. It uses historical evidence to show that the nature of syphilis was debated throughout the preceding centuries and that this distinction was clearly established in 1793 by Scottish surgeon, Benjamin Bell. This thesis uses the epistemic concepts devised by Ludwik Fleck in his Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact to illustrate how enlightenment ways of thinking substantially contributed to the development of modern medicine. This thesis therefore invites a reconsideration of the era, not as a dark age, but as a rich period of scientific endeavour. (shrink)

The central argument of this thesis is that, contrary to what is generally believed, Critical Theory – as understood by the Frankfurt School – did exist and was developed in Spain influenced by and parallel to the FS’s own research during the second half of the twentieth century. Thus, the aim of this research is to provide evidence of and explore the CT developed by three leading Spanish thinkers: José Luis López Aranguren, Jesús Aguirre, and María Zambrano. This will be (...) done from the perspective of two pivotal currents of thought emerging from Germany: neo-Marxism and Heideggerian thought. To this end, I will carry out an interdisciplinary comparative study analysing what aspects of the thought of these Spanish thinkers converge with the thought of the FS, and which differ from them. Attention will also be paid to the socio-political atmosphere they were immersed in, so as to find out how it may have contributed to shape their thought. This research is firmly rooted in the context and methodology of the history of ideas. Consequently, biography and intentionality play key role in the reconstruction and analysis of these three authors’s thought. As a result of this methodological choice, the thesis has been divided into two parts which are quite distinct in focus and style. The first part, more theoretical and historical in nature, comprises two chapters. Chapter One provides a brief introduction to the main argument of the thesis as well as to the authors that it focuses on. It also introduces the reader to what CT is and in the context of the FS. In addition, this chapter provides some background into the history of ideas and discusses in depth the methodology adopted throughout the thesis as well as the theory which supports it. Chapter Two constitutes a short introduction to twentieth-century Spain. It provides some initial background on Aranguren, Zambrano, and Aguirre and their political positions. It also provides a contextualization of the socio-historical period that they lived in. The second part of the thesis comprises a total of four chapters: a chapter for each individual author and the conclusion. This second part is more critical and focuses more closely on each one of the three authors which are the object of this thesis, so that their work and development can be studied acknowledging the singularity of their approach. It is for this reason that, the conclusion will underline the cohesiveness of their work and their achievements in relation to each other, as well as highlighting the key concepts explored throughout the thesis. Chapter Three explores Aranguren’s relationship to neo-Marxism and, more specifically, to Marcuse. Moreover, the fact that Aranguren explicitly takes up and develops some of the key topics first identified by the FS, which are central to the critique of instrumental reason, is brought to light, specifically, Aranguren’s criticism of consumerism and his denunciation of the manipulation citizens are subjected to from the mass media and the State. The implications of this critique and Aranguren’s defence of the role of faith and of democratic values are discussed at length. Chapter Four discusses the political nature of Zambrano’s thought. Because of the idiosyncrasies of her expression, the highly symbolic nature of her language, as well as its abstraction and dispersion, the analysis of her work requires a process of reconstruction. This is carried out in the light of Heideggerian thought, which proves to be an influential factor in her development. Finally, the value of poetic reason as a practical alternative to instrumental reason is considered, so that the significance and implications of poetic reason and of her political project can be re-evaluated. Chapter Five focuses on Aguirre, who, despite being a very well-known public figure, has not been the object of any previous scholarly work. This chapter evaluates the role and influence of the different positions that this charismatic intellectual held throughout his life, paying particular attention to his role as the introducer of the FS in Spain. Even more importantly, this chapter specifically aims to clarify his controversial relationship to CT. The sixth and final chapter focuses on pivotal aspects of CT, as argued throughout the these two volumes and it argues that all these elements are present in some form in the work of these three authors. Thus, it examines, by way of conclusion, the aspects of the approaches adopted by Aranguren, Zambrano, and Aguirre which account for their work to be considered CT. Furthermore, I argue that by introducing the elements of spirituality, faith, and the role of choice, transcendentality becomes a key aspect of their alternative to instrumental reason. As a result, not only do they establish the singularity of their approach, but they also by-pass the limitations associated with the FS. (shrink)

Whether philosophy can contribute decisively towards alleviating humanity’s pressing environmental predicament I here argue in the affirmative. There are many considerations that challenge my case. Specifically, I show that environmental ethics, the subdiscipline of moral philosophy which was founded on the presumption of this possibility, has faltered. The field threatens to divide between “impractical theoretical” discourses within the academy, and “pragmatic” and largely atheoretical “practical” engagements with environmental science, policy and management. To help environmental ethics advance beyond this dysfunctional division, (...) I explore methodological comparisons with bioethics, the “most successful field of applied ethics”. My deliberations apply in novel ways Bartha’s model for evaluating the plausibility of scientific hypotheses that incorporate analogies. In an initial test application of Bartha’s model, I evaluate the relevance to environmental ethics of the failure of the “top-down” applied ethics approach in bioethics. I present good reasons to conclude that environmental ethics can indeed learn from this failure. I also conclude that my trial application of Bartha’s model is promising. I then evaluate two proposals for reforms towards the greater practical effectiveness of environmental ethics. First I evaluate the plausibility of the proposal of Minteer and Collins for a new field of “ecological ethics”. They argue for the adoption of the broadly pragmatic methodological commitments now prevailing in bioethics. Because they focus primarily on supporting individual rather than collaborative processes of ethical judgment, I argue they risk facilitating an ethically pernicious “ecological paternalism” on analogy with the widely condemned practice of medical paternalism. Second I evaluate Norton’s proposal to incorporate environmental ethics within the adaptive ecosystem management paradigm. By arguing that the tasks of seeking cultural and biophysical sustainability within spatiotemporally defined communities must be integrated, Norton offers a potentially vital interface for intelligent and just interaction between culture and wider nature. I also argue this interface may be of more general relevance to bioethics and moral and political philosophy. However, a significant theoretical challenge for Norton’s sustainability model is identified. I argue that his model provides a thought experiment which illustrates the conceptual and practical incoherence of the primary liberal mechanisms for managing ethical conflict once these are applied to the sustainability challenge. Those mechanisms are the separation of public and private spheres and the simultaneous pursuit within private spaces of mutually exclusive conceptions of the good life. I argue that rectifying this failure defines a vital, albeit daunting, theoretical and practical challenge for environmental ethics. That is to reconceptualise ethical conflict and to help design and facilitate practical processes to achieve sufficient common ethical agreement. Addressing this challenge is beyond the scope of this dissertation. However, some promising work and possibilities for further research are outlined. I conclude that I have successfully defended the value of analogical comparison with bioethics for enhancing the unity and effectiveness of theory and practice in environmental ethics. I therefore further conclude that I am correct to affirm that philosophy can, and I believe indeed should, contribute more effectively toward alleviating humanity’s pressing environmental predicament. (shrink)

This thesis is an interrogation into the epistemological structures which underpin modernity, the project and claim which has come to significantly shape the contemporary world. Following a line of inquiry which analyses the intersections between knowledge, power, and history, this paper examines how signifiers such as religion and culture have come to designate ‘otherness’ in the context of modernity. The assignment of such terms to beliefs, values, worldviews, and ideologies that are not readily assimilated by the epistemological framework of modernity (...) is problematised as a central obstacle to mediating social and political difficulties in modern contexts. The argument is that the issue of ‘what counts for knowledge’ has been progressively ‘closed’ through particular historical processes in which the shift from a societal model based upon Judeo-Christian tenets, to secular modernity, has been rendered invisible. The ‘other’ has, through these processes, become twice-removed from epistemological validity: in the first instance, as the ‘pagan’ other in early Christian contexts; in the second instance, as the ‘religious’ or ‘cultural’ other within a secular that is falsely claimed to have been liberated from its theological roots. These epistemological marginalisations impact significantly on social life, especially in the areas of education and medicine. The invisibility of the shift from Christianity to secular modernity is also perpetuated by the separation of social life and knowledge production into distinct ‘spheres’, as mirrored by the arrangement of disciplinary spheres established within the modern universities. The conclusion is that a transdisciplinary space is therefore required to engage philosophically and critically with the now internalised Christian bias of modernity. (shrink)

A plethora of cross-cultural research studies has been conducted and published on the conflict or collision between western models of education and indigenous knowledge and learning. Following on the visions of these studies, the research reported in this thesis explores how these tensions between differing bodies of knowledge impact youth identity in non-western societies. More specifically, the study examines the case of how western models of education impacts the Palauan traditional educational models and whether or not the privileging of western (...) systems of learning over Palauan systems does in fact have a negative impact on the development of identity, well-being, and empowerment of Palauan youth today. Theoretical approaches in this study derived from the knowledge of Palauan elders and scholars as well as literature works of Freire, who argues for transformative education as a means of empowering people, and Lave and Wenger‟s theory of legitimate peripheral learning. Methodological approaches include narratives and a Palauan dialogic approach using questionnaires, unstructured and semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from June to September 2009 in Palau. Selected participants were the youth of Ulimang village in Ngaraard and a particular group of Palauan elders and scholars that are involved in Palauan education, knowledge, and research. Data were analyzed in two stages: a questionnaire for Ulimang youth and interviews for the Palauan elders. A range of concepts addressed in the analysis, such as cheldecheduch and relationships, strengthened the belief that Palauan knowledge was important in the lives of the Ulimang youth. The need to maintain Palauan knowledge to empower Palauan identities and to support the quality of life for Palauans was articulated by the Palauan elders. The importance of Palauan knowledge and values was stressed from the participants and emphasized how it informs identity development in Palau. (shrink)

New Zealand has scarcely taken the first step towards genuinely bicultural dialogue, because no-one has indicated clearly what that first step must be. Four general questions for NZ are introduced which broaden out into a search for definition of the needed first step. (1) Does philosophy’s ‘Enlightenment ideal’ demarcate fairly, accurately and exhaustively what is genuine intellectual accomplishment by humans? (2) Was NZ’s most famous philosopher, Karl Popper, correct to compare ‘tribal’ consciousness so invidiously with his vaunted ‘open society’? (3) (...) How might NZers best conceptualise the relationship between Matauranga Maori and science? (4) How might philosophy best conceptualise its own cultural specificity, or thereby the cultural conditions that are necessary for the very existence of philosophy and theoretical science? Because of its defining biculturalism, NZ possesses a particularly deep-lying institutional need to answer such questions both reflectively and well. Suppose for the sake of argument that philosophy and science (a) were brought to NZ only within the heritage of those who arrived long after its indigenous people did, and yet, (b) themselves define, by the ideal to which they are beholden, what it is to reflect or dialogue truly well or ill. Then there is no coherence (in terms of any possible truly inclusive ideal dialogue within NZ) to NZ’s legally mandated biculturalism. Such a dire realisation would be important if true, and it is equally important to diagnose and intellectually redress the error in it if it is false. New insights would result were NZers collectively to investigate this, which they largely have not done before now. NZ needs these insights as starting-point for true bicultural dialogue, if there is to be one. (shrink)

Isaiah Berlin maintains that there are two distinct forms of freedom or liberty: negative and positive. Berlin’s principal claim is that negative liberty does not require that the self be somehow separate from the empirical world. My principal claim is that to be an agent is to be committed to a separation of self in this sense, thus that the self for its very being requires to possess a species of positive liberty. This conception proceeds in part from Immanuel Kant’s (...) claim that there is a separation between spontaneity and receptivity. Commitment to this assertion allows there to be an understood distinction between the self as a spontaneous self-active agent that makes choices, and the self as a mere reactionary brute that does what it does by biological imperatives. In this thesis, I defend the view that negative liberty is subsumed under positive liberty: you cannot have the former without the latter. I am therefore taking a rationalist stance towards Berlin’s thinking. My methodology is to bring into consideration two perspectives upon the underlying normative principles within the space of reason. The first is of Kant’s understanding of the principle of responsibility and the activity of spontaneity; the second is John McDowell’s understanding of that principle and activity. The key claim of this thesis is that Berlin misunderstands what it is to be a chooser. To be a chooser is to be raised under the idea that one is an efficient cause; human children are brought up being held responsible for their reasons for acting. This principle allows mere animal being to be raised into the space of reason, where we live out a second nature in terms of reason. Using their conclusions I further investigate Berlin’s understanding of conceptual frameworks, taking particular interest in historic ‘universal’ conceptions that shape human lives. He too finds that that we are choosers is necessary for what it is to be human. I take his conclusion, and suggest that if he had had a clear understanding of the space of reason, the historic claim that we have choice would find a more solid footing in the principle of that space, in that we are responsible for our actions. I conclude that the upshot of understanding the ‘I’ as an originating efficient cause is that we treat ourselves as free from a universal determinism that Berlin himself disparages; and that the cost to Berlin is that all choice is necessarily the activity of a higher choosing self. It is part of a Liberal society’s valuing, by their societal commitment to, the ideology of raising our children to understand themselves as choosers, that we have choice at all. This is irrespective of whether that which fetters choice is internal or external to the agent, or of whether having self-conscious itself requires such a cultural emergence of second nature. (shrink)

Recent philosophers assess differently the extent to which affinity is to be found between the idealist metaphysics of G. W. Leibniz and George Berkeley. I argue that these figures’ idealisms are indeed strongly aligned. They espouse related accounts of the nature of mental substance and state. They similarly restrict the domain of causality. They each reject the Lockean primary/secondary quality dichotomy. Over against the criticism that idealisms cannot allow for a distinction to be made out between real and illusory perceptual (...) experience, the two philosophers offer comparable solutions. Nevertheless, their ontologies are not identical, and are primarily to be distinguished in terms of their disparate characterisations of ultimate reality as being either immanent or transcendent to percipient subjects like us. This continuum of transcendentism and immanentism has further application as a conceptual tool both for tracing the rise of modern philosophy and for developing new metaphysical and epistemological accounts of the nature of the world and our relation to it. (shrink)

This thesis addresses an issue in the philosophy of Mathematics which is little discussed, and indeed little recognised. This issue is the phenomenon of a ‘change of setting’. Changes of setting are events which involve a change in a scientific framework which is fruitful for answering questions which were, under an old framework, intractable. The formulation of the new setting usually involves a conceptual re-orientation to the subject matter. In the natural sciences, such re-orientations are arguably unremarkable, inasmuch as it (...) is possible that within the former setting for one’s thinking one was merely in error, and under the new orientation one is merely getting closer to the truth of the matter. However, when the subject matter is pure mathematics, a problem arises in that mathematical truth is timelessly immutable. The conceptions that had been settled upon previously seem not the sort of thing that could be vitiated. Yet within a change of setting that is just what seems to happen. Changes of setting, in particular in their effects on the truth of individual propositions, pose a problem for how to understand mathematical truth. Thus this thesis aims to give a philosophical analysis of the phenomenon of changes of setting, in the spirit of the investigations performed in Wilson and Manders and. It does so in three stages, each of which occupies a chapter of the thesis: 1. An analysis of the relationship between mathematical truth and settingchanges, in terms of how the former must be viewed to allow for the latter. This results in a conception of truth in the mathematical sciences which gives a large role to the notion that a mathematical setting must ‘explain itself’ in terms of the problems it is intended to address. 2. In light of, I begin an analysis of the change of setting engendered in mathematical logic by Gottlob Frege. In particular, this chapter will address the question of whether Frege’s innovation constitutes a change of setting, by asking the question of whether he is seeking to answer questions which were present in the frameworks which preceded his innovations. I argue that the answer is yes, in that he is addressing the Kantian question of whether alternative systems of arithmetic are possible. This question arises because it had been shown earlier in the 19th century that Kant’s conclusion, that Euclid’s is the only possible description of space, was incorrect. 3. I conclude with an in-depth look at a specific aspect of the logical system constructed in Frege’s Grundgesetze der Arithmetik. The purpose of this chapter is to find evidence for the conclusions of chapter two in Frege’s technical work. This is necessitated by chapter one’s conclusions regarding the epistemic interdependence of formal systems and informal views of those frameworks. The overall goal is to give a contemporary account of the possibility of setting-changes; it will turn out that an epistemic grasp of a mathematical system requires that one understand it within a broader, somewhat historical context. (shrink)

This qualitative case study combined teacher and student interviews with observations of one physical education class to facilitate understandings of physical education learning communities. Watkins’ definition of a learning community was used as a framework to conceptualise the study. I found that physical education teachers in this study do actively develop their classes as learning communities. Five key findings are discussed. Physical education learning communities exist in a number of different forms that can be related to a learning community continuum. (...) The learning community’s positioning on the continuum is directly related to student agency in learning. It was found that student agency is promoted through a discourse of inquiry. In this study inquiry is a central tenet of a learning community as learning is viewed as a cognitive and socio-cultural constructivist function resulting in knowledge generation. As inquiry learning is a social process in a learning community, it is concurrently supported by a discourse of community, promoting students’ ability to work altruistically and collaboratively, learning together. It was found that the explicit teaching of socio-moral outcomes through socio-cultural pedagogies enhance positive peer relationships and is essential to the promotion of an altruistic discourse of community. The discourses of community and inquiry are dialectically related and communicate clear messages to students about the expectations of behaviour and learning within an altruistic community. The early stages of a physical education learning community are based on the genuine and altruistic student-teacher relationships which provide a springboard to allow opportunities for teachers to have further conversations about learning. Finally, evidence in the study suggests that philosophy plays a significant role in both the growth and oppression of the evolution of a learning community. This study suggests that the relationship between the philosophy of the New Zealand Curriculum, the physical education teachers and the economic neoliberal context influences the development of learning communities in physical education. (shrink)