Political Philosophy Essay Examples
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The Deductive-Nomological Model of Explanation
In this essay I will propose the view that Hemple's Deductive-Nomological model of explanation correctly captures and explicates the role of scientific explanation. In order to do this I will begin by introducing the role of explanation in science. In my second section I will present the Deductive-Nomological model. My third section will link explanation with prediction as a consequence of the model. In my final section I will propose several potential problems with Hemple's model before proposing a slightly altered thesis that better deals with the problems encountered.
1. Science and Explanation
Science is expected to fulfil several roles. One of the most important of these is an expectation in its ability to explain phenomena. This ability to explain is closely linked to its capacity to make predictions about the future. If the U.S.A. were suddenly ravaged by a succession of unseasonable and especially destructive hurricanes its citizens may expect certain scientists (e.g. meteorologists) to tell them how long this succession of hurricanes would continue for, and how far across America the destruction would be wreaked. Certain people might also expect that science will be able to provide us with an explanation of why this unexpected and unprecedented weather occurred - perhaps certain environmental groups would ask if global warming and the […]
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Identity Theory and Anomalous Monism
In this essay I will be presenting the view that whilst Identity Theory provides a suitable way to view mental events, it does not lead to the thesis that mental events are describable through physical laws. In order to demonstrate this I will begin, in Section 1, by introducing identity theory as a philosophical doctrine. In Section 2 I will present a popular argument for Identity Theories validity given our current psychological and scientific understanding. In the third section I will discuss how Identity Theory may be viewed as leading to a deterministic, law bound theory of mental phenomena before rejecting this conclusion in Section 5 and presenting, in my final section, an alternative version of Identity Theory that avoids this problem.
1. Identity Theory
Identity theory is a thesis concerning the relation between mental and physical events. We may have an intuitive grasp of what is meant by 'physical events' and 'mental events' but I will attempt to define the terms more clearly. Mental events are describable through mental terms. Such terms involve the use of 'mental verbs'. Such verbs "express propositional attitudes like believing, intending, desiring, hoping... and so on" .Conversely, physical events are those which are describable in purely physical terms. The obvious exceptions for this rule are those sentences which are tautologically true. For example, the sentence 'x did […]
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Laws of Nature
In this essay I will present the view that the regularity theory of laws is incorrect in its model of the laws of nature. In order to do this I will begin, in section 1, by presenting the theory. In my second section I will present several problems with the theory. My third section will deal with the ripostes presented by regularity theorists to this initial objection. Section 4 presents further difficulties for the theory based on the possible spatio-temporal relativity of laws. My final section presents several criticisms aimed uniquely at regularity theory made in the context of the existence of probabilistic laws.
1. Regularity Theory
The question of what constitutes a law of nature has been much discussed by philosophers of science. We will begin by examining what is known as the "Regularity Theory" of laws. From our intuitive grasp of what must constitute a law of nature - if, indeed, there are any - it seems clear that such laws manifest themselves in regularities. For example, Boyle's law of gases manifests itself in the regular and predictable behaviour of gases as (for example) their volume is decreased in a confined space. It seems natural for us to begin by questioning whether laws of nature are anything distinct from these regularities. […]
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Can someone in the minority coherently believe that the majority will ought to be enacted?
In this essay I will present the view that a member of a minority can coherently believe that the majority will ought to be enacted. In order to demonstrate this I will begin with a brief exposition of the system under which we will attempt to answer the question of our title - namely the system of democracy. In Section 2 I will present reasons for believing that my conclusion may be problematic by introducing the "paradox of democracy". My third and fourth sections and dedicated to an exposition and refutation of some initial proposal of how the resolve the paradox and thus derive my conclusion. In my final section I shall introduce a new analysis of voting that allows us to coherently show how a member of a minority can believe the majority will should be enacted.
1. Democracy
Most of the western world functions under some sort of democratic system. Democracy is system of government in which the power is vested in the people. As democracy has evolved as a system from one capable of governing the Athenian city state to a practical system of government for a modern nation certain features of it have changed. In the United Kingdom we are largely governed by a number of representatives who are themselves democratically voted into this position of power by the country's population. In this sense we are governed by a system of democracy by proxy. This system […]
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Can Punishment be Justified by its Communicative Function?
In this essay we will analyse the concept of punishment. We will examine the nature of justice and its use in our society before going on to apply this notion of justice to punishment specifically. I will introduce some of the problems associated with attempting to justify the level of punishment we employ through our criminal law system. In Section Two we will examine several theories of justified punishment before examining, in our third section, the problems associated with these theories. Section Four is devoted to an analysis of punishment's communicative function and the view that it is possible to justify punishment of wrongdoers through this function alone. In the fifth section of this essay I will point out some problems with this justification and with the issue of justification in general before going on, in our final section, to propose some qualification of our predisposition to punish wrongdoers based on functions of punishment largely ignored in the literature.
1. What is punishment?
"Punishment" is a term used to describe our treatment of wrongdoers. Precise definitions of the term vary, but a common feature of such definitions is a notion of punishment involving the subject being put in unpleasant or undesirable circumstances. More specifically, if punishment is to be employed correctly - perhaps even justly - it should be in response to a wrongdoing. In its official role, […]
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