In "Locke, Hume and Moral Theory", Philippa Foot argues that John Locke and David Hume have made ... more In "Locke, Hume and Moral Theory", Philippa Foot argues that John Locke and David Hume have made the same mistake concerning moral motivation: they believed that there is a dichotomy between knowing what is good and willing what is good. This paper sets out to analyze Foot's argument and provide an explanation to Foot's solution to the akratic problem.
This paper analyzes the work "Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives", where Philippa F... more This paper analyzes the work "Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives", where Philippa Foot considers a distinction between uses of "ought" or "should" that guide action based on the specific interests or desires or goals that individual agents have, and uses that purport to apply regardless of the specific interests, desires, or ends of the addressee. She argues that simply identifying this second sort of use of "ought" or "should" is not enough to show us what is distinctive about moral judgment—there remains a "gap that has to be filled" in the account of the special force of the moral "ought" or "should." The paper attempts to demonstrate her views on this "gap", why it is disturbing to many philosophers, and what sort of reassurances can be provided.
This paper studies the view of religion in the political philosophies of Alexis de Toqueville, Jo... more This paper studies the view of religion in the political philosophies of Alexis de Toqueville, John Stuart Mill and W.E.B. Du Bois.
John Stuart Mill argues that the moral coercion of public opinion may not be employed to influenc... more John Stuart Mill argues that the moral coercion of public opinion may not be employed to influence that part of a person’s conduct which merely concerns himself. Yet, he also says that self-regarding action is rightly subject to some other forms of social influence such as persuasion and disapproval. This paper outlines two problems: the definition of ‘harm’ and the seemingly contradictory treatments of offence. I argue that although the first problem can be answered in terms of his concept of utility, the second problem remains open to answers depending on to what extent Mill is willing to incorporate social morality into the realm of public offensive behaviors.
St. Thomas Aquinas seems to license a radical form of disobedience when he says that unjust laws ... more St. Thomas Aquinas seems to license a radical form of disobedience when he says that unjust laws are acts of violence rather than laws and therefore do not oblige us in the court of conscience. On the other hand, he seems to argue for unquestioning obedience to existing rulers and suggests that it is better to accept death rather than resist tyranny. This paper evaluates Aquinas’s view of when subjects should obey secular authority, paying particular attention to its coherence and plausibility.
A study on the use and abuse of the term 'propaganda' with regards to specific works of art. By c... more A study on the use and abuse of the term 'propaganda' with regards to specific works of art. By comparing "Triumph of the Will" by Leni Riefenstahl, "Candide" by Voltaire and "Juliette" by Marquis de Sade, this paper attempts to provide further insight by seeking out different criteria for evaluating the aesthetic defects and merits of artwork referred to as propaganda.
A comparative study of the two different Catholic religious orders in reference to the Rules of t... more A comparative study of the two different Catholic religious orders in reference to the Rules of their founders.
French Revolutionary liberals like Benjamin Constant were deeply troubled, perhaps traumatized, b... more French Revolutionary liberals like Benjamin Constant were deeply troubled, perhaps traumatized, by the derailment of the French Revolution and the Terror. What went wrong with the Revolution? Were the goals of the Revolution excessively utopian from the beginning? Or was the period which historians have called “the Righteous Revolution” a phenomenon in itself, which commenced with the war and shift in power to radicals in 1792? Texts such as the Constitution of 1791 and Robespierre's Revolutionary Calendar are referenced.
A musicological study on the compatibility between Plato's doctrine of the Melos in "The Republic... more A musicological study on the compatibility between Plato's doctrine of the Melos in "The Republic", St. Augustine and the polyphony of Josquin des Prez.
In "Locke, Hume and Moral Theory", Philippa Foot argues that John Locke and David Hume have made ... more In "Locke, Hume and Moral Theory", Philippa Foot argues that John Locke and David Hume have made the same mistake concerning moral motivation: they believed that there is a dichotomy between knowing what is good and willing what is good. This paper sets out to analyze Foot's argument and provide an explanation to Foot's solution to the akratic problem.
This paper analyzes the work "Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives", where Philippa F... more This paper analyzes the work "Morality as a System of Hypothetical Imperatives", where Philippa Foot considers a distinction between uses of "ought" or "should" that guide action based on the specific interests or desires or goals that individual agents have, and uses that purport to apply regardless of the specific interests, desires, or ends of the addressee. She argues that simply identifying this second sort of use of "ought" or "should" is not enough to show us what is distinctive about moral judgment—there remains a "gap that has to be filled" in the account of the special force of the moral "ought" or "should." The paper attempts to demonstrate her views on this "gap", why it is disturbing to many philosophers, and what sort of reassurances can be provided.
This paper studies the view of religion in the political philosophies of Alexis de Toqueville, Jo... more This paper studies the view of religion in the political philosophies of Alexis de Toqueville, John Stuart Mill and W.E.B. Du Bois.
John Stuart Mill argues that the moral coercion of public opinion may not be employed to influenc... more John Stuart Mill argues that the moral coercion of public opinion may not be employed to influence that part of a person’s conduct which merely concerns himself. Yet, he also says that self-regarding action is rightly subject to some other forms of social influence such as persuasion and disapproval. This paper outlines two problems: the definition of ‘harm’ and the seemingly contradictory treatments of offence. I argue that although the first problem can be answered in terms of his concept of utility, the second problem remains open to answers depending on to what extent Mill is willing to incorporate social morality into the realm of public offensive behaviors.
St. Thomas Aquinas seems to license a radical form of disobedience when he says that unjust laws ... more St. Thomas Aquinas seems to license a radical form of disobedience when he says that unjust laws are acts of violence rather than laws and therefore do not oblige us in the court of conscience. On the other hand, he seems to argue for unquestioning obedience to existing rulers and suggests that it is better to accept death rather than resist tyranny. This paper evaluates Aquinas’s view of when subjects should obey secular authority, paying particular attention to its coherence and plausibility.
A study on the use and abuse of the term 'propaganda' with regards to specific works of art. By c... more A study on the use and abuse of the term 'propaganda' with regards to specific works of art. By comparing "Triumph of the Will" by Leni Riefenstahl, "Candide" by Voltaire and "Juliette" by Marquis de Sade, this paper attempts to provide further insight by seeking out different criteria for evaluating the aesthetic defects and merits of artwork referred to as propaganda.
A comparative study of the two different Catholic religious orders in reference to the Rules of t... more A comparative study of the two different Catholic religious orders in reference to the Rules of their founders.
French Revolutionary liberals like Benjamin Constant were deeply troubled, perhaps traumatized, b... more French Revolutionary liberals like Benjamin Constant were deeply troubled, perhaps traumatized, by the derailment of the French Revolution and the Terror. What went wrong with the Revolution? Were the goals of the Revolution excessively utopian from the beginning? Or was the period which historians have called “the Righteous Revolution” a phenomenon in itself, which commenced with the war and shift in power to radicals in 1792? Texts such as the Constitution of 1791 and Robespierre's Revolutionary Calendar are referenced.
A musicological study on the compatibility between Plato's doctrine of the Melos in "The Republic... more A musicological study on the compatibility between Plato's doctrine of the Melos in "The Republic", St. Augustine and the polyphony of Josquin des Prez.
Uploads
Papers by Dominic Chiu