The Erasmus Student Journal of Philosophy (ESJP) is a double-blind peer-reviewed student journal that publishes the best philosophical papers written by students from the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The ESJP aims to further enrich the philosophical environment in which Rotterdam’s philosophy students develop their thinking and to bring their best work to the attention of a wider intellectual audience.
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Papers by Erasmus Student Journal of Philosophy ESJP
Across space and time, various socioeconomic systems have existed and still exist, each with its ... more Across space and time, various socioeconomic systems have existed and still exist, each with its own features and characteristics that distinguishes it from other socioeconomic systems. For example, the form of capitalism in the modern Western world is a socioeconomic system distinct from, and presumably much more complex than, the socioeconomic system that shaped tribal life. One could also claim that the socioeconomic system in place in the Scandinavian countries nowadays is a different system than, or at least differs in some significant respects from, the socioeconomic system in current-day United States. Acknowledging this fact raises the following question: is it possible to analyse, explain, and predict phenomena in those different socioeconomic systems by using the same theories and models, or is it necessary to develop different theories and models that each apply to different socioeconomic systems? This is the problem of historical specificity. As Hodgson puts it in How Ec...
The interest in economic inequality and inequality related policies has surged in later years due... more The interest in economic inequality and inequality related policies has surged in later years due to growing concerns of rising inequalities in our contemporary society. There is a problematic tendency for the discourse to result in a generic proposal of “taxing the well-off more heavily”. This is unfortunate as there is a large spectrum of tax instruments available to reduce inequality that have very different implications in terms of what specific aspects we see as problematic and what particular values we seek to promote. This essay takes a narrow focus on the practice of inheritance from the firm normative stance of Haslett’s (1986, 1997) rule utilitarian framework, which focuses on productivity due to its conduciveness to general welfare. With clear answers to what we value and why, the inheritance policies of Haslett (1997) and McCaffery (1994) are examined and appraised. It is argued that Haslett’s lifetime inheritance quota and McCaffery’s consumption-without-estate tax are best seen as complementary and that a unification of the two policies can better account for the productive incentives of both current and future generations.
This paper is a reaction to recent debates in medicine that sex reassignment therapy should be vi... more This paper is a reaction to recent debates in medicine that sex reassignment therapy should be viewed as either a form of therapy or as a type of biomedical enhancement. With the use of Plessner’s Philosophical Anthropology it is argued that sex reassignment therapy should be viewed as encompassing both therapy and enhancement.
In this article I describe how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality... more In this article I describe how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality that puts the economy at the centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action. I argue that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. I approach this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
This article engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea ... more This article engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea that different socioeconomic systems may require different theories, each tailored to a particular socioeconomic system or systems. I argue that historical specificity should be incorporated by economic theories, something that at the time of writing is certainly not the case. I do so by appealing to the notion of invariance, a notion developed by Woodward (2005) as part of his theory of causation. Adopting the notion of invariance as a requirement for causal generalizations implies that any causal generalization is historically sensitive, which in turn implies that economic theories should be historically sensitive.
In ‘Reinventing Liberalism: Towards a Paradigm Beyond the Homo Economicus’, Mathieu van Kooten de... more In ‘Reinventing Liberalism: Towards a Paradigm Beyond the Homo Economicus’, Mathieu van Kooten describes how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality that puts the economy at the
centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action.
Van Kooten argues that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. Van Kooten approaches this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
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In ‘Invariance: An Argument for Historical Specificity’, Anne Albert
van der Galiën engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea that different socioeconomic systems may require different theories, each tailored to a particular socioeconomic system or systems. Van der Galiën argues that historical specificity should be incorporated by economic theories, something that at the time of writing is certainly not the case. He does so by appealing to the notion of invariance, a notion developed by Woodward (2005) as part of his theory of causation. Adopting the notion of invariance as a requirement for causal generalizations implies that any causal generalization is historically sensitive, which in turn implies that economic theories should be historically sensitive.
In 'the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an e... more In 'the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an exceptionally vibrant public sphere in a country that otherwise lacks anything resembling one. Prooi analyzes Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement using Hannah Arendt's and Jürgen Habermas’ conceptions of the public sphere and argues that a Confucian conception of the public sphere is a theoretical possibility. He thinks that the shared tradition of Confucianism may provide Hong Kong and mainland China with the kind of vocabulary needed to overcome their current political differences.
‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosop... more ‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosophy Wim Klever’s controversial claim that Spinoza’s Latin teacher was the ‘hidden agent’ behind Spinoza’s philosophy. Lokker gives a short biography of the teacher, Franciscus van den Enden, and counters Klever’s claim by arguing that Van den Enden could not have influenced Spinoza to this extent before his political awakening by Pieter Corneliszoon Plockhoy, which only occurred six years after Van den Enden met Spinoza.
In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, ... more In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, who argued in Swimming with Sharks (2015) that we should not hold bankers personally responsible for the financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath. Instead, Luyendijk thinks we should look at the immoral structure of the banking system. In contrast, Ottolander argues that bankers are inclined towards exhibiting low moral self-awareness and that we should therefore not only look at the nature of the banking system but also at the individual level.
In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, ... more In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, who argued in Swimming with Sharks (2015) that we should not hold bankers personally responsible for the financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath. Instead, Luyendijk thinks we should look at the immoral structure of the banking system. In contrast, Ottolander argues that bankers are inclined towards exhibiting low moral self-awareness and that we should therefore not only look at the nature of the banking system but also at the individual level. ‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosophy Wim Klever’s controversial claim that Spinoza’s Latin teacher was the ‘hidden agent’ behind Spinoza’s philosophy. Lokker gives a short biography of the teacher, Franciscus van den Enden, and counters Klever’s claim by arguing that Van den Enden could not have influenced Spinoza to this extent before his political awakening by Pieter Corneliszoon Plockhoy, which only occurred six years after Van den Enden met Spinoza. 'In the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an exceptionally vibrant public sphere in a country that otherwise lacks anything resembling one. Prooi analyzes Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement using Hannah Arendt's and Jürgen Habermas’ conceptions of the public sphere and argues that a Confucian conception of the public sphere is a theoretical possibility. He thinks that the shared tradition of Confucianism may provide Hong Kong and mainland China with the kind of vocabulary needed to overcome their current political differences.
Across space and time, various socioeconomic systems have existed and still exist, each with its ... more Across space and time, various socioeconomic systems have existed and still exist, each with its own features and characteristics that distinguishes it from other socioeconomic systems. For example, the form of capitalism in the modern Western world is a socioeconomic system distinct from, and presumably much more complex than, the socioeconomic system that shaped tribal life. One could also claim that the socioeconomic system in place in the Scandinavian countries nowadays is a different system than, or at least differs in some significant respects from, the socioeconomic system in current-day United States. Acknowledging this fact raises the following question: is it possible to analyse, explain, and predict phenomena in those different socioeconomic systems by using the same theories and models, or is it necessary to develop different theories and models that each apply to different socioeconomic systems? This is the problem of historical specificity. As Hodgson puts it in How Ec...
The interest in economic inequality and inequality related policies has surged in later years due... more The interest in economic inequality and inequality related policies has surged in later years due to growing concerns of rising inequalities in our contemporary society. There is a problematic tendency for the discourse to result in a generic proposal of “taxing the well-off more heavily”. This is unfortunate as there is a large spectrum of tax instruments available to reduce inequality that have very different implications in terms of what specific aspects we see as problematic and what particular values we seek to promote. This essay takes a narrow focus on the practice of inheritance from the firm normative stance of Haslett’s (1986, 1997) rule utilitarian framework, which focuses on productivity due to its conduciveness to general welfare. With clear answers to what we value and why, the inheritance policies of Haslett (1997) and McCaffery (1994) are examined and appraised. It is argued that Haslett’s lifetime inheritance quota and McCaffery’s consumption-without-estate tax are best seen as complementary and that a unification of the two policies can better account for the productive incentives of both current and future generations.
This paper is a reaction to recent debates in medicine that sex reassignment therapy should be vi... more This paper is a reaction to recent debates in medicine that sex reassignment therapy should be viewed as either a form of therapy or as a type of biomedical enhancement. With the use of Plessner’s Philosophical Anthropology it is argued that sex reassignment therapy should be viewed as encompassing both therapy and enhancement.
In this article I describe how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality... more In this article I describe how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality that puts the economy at the centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action. I argue that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. I approach this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
This article engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea ... more This article engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea that different socioeconomic systems may require different theories, each tailored to a particular socioeconomic system or systems. I argue that historical specificity should be incorporated by economic theories, something that at the time of writing is certainly not the case. I do so by appealing to the notion of invariance, a notion developed by Woodward (2005) as part of his theory of causation. Adopting the notion of invariance as a requirement for causal generalizations implies that any causal generalization is historically sensitive, which in turn implies that economic theories should be historically sensitive.
In ‘Reinventing Liberalism: Towards a Paradigm Beyond the Homo Economicus’, Mathieu van Kooten de... more In ‘Reinventing Liberalism: Towards a Paradigm Beyond the Homo Economicus’, Mathieu van Kooten describes how neoliberal hegemony is a deeply disseminated governing rationality that puts the economy at the
centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action.
Van Kooten argues that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. Van Kooten approaches this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
--
In ‘Invariance: An Argument for Historical Specificity’, Anne Albert
van der Galiën engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea that different socioeconomic systems may require different theories, each tailored to a particular socioeconomic system or systems. Van der Galiën argues that historical specificity should be incorporated by economic theories, something that at the time of writing is certainly not the case. He does so by appealing to the notion of invariance, a notion developed by Woodward (2005) as part of his theory of causation. Adopting the notion of invariance as a requirement for causal generalizations implies that any causal generalization is historically sensitive, which in turn implies that economic theories should be historically sensitive.
In 'the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an e... more In 'the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an exceptionally vibrant public sphere in a country that otherwise lacks anything resembling one. Prooi analyzes Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement using Hannah Arendt's and Jürgen Habermas’ conceptions of the public sphere and argues that a Confucian conception of the public sphere is a theoretical possibility. He thinks that the shared tradition of Confucianism may provide Hong Kong and mainland China with the kind of vocabulary needed to overcome their current political differences.
‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosop... more ‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosophy Wim Klever’s controversial claim that Spinoza’s Latin teacher was the ‘hidden agent’ behind Spinoza’s philosophy. Lokker gives a short biography of the teacher, Franciscus van den Enden, and counters Klever’s claim by arguing that Van den Enden could not have influenced Spinoza to this extent before his political awakening by Pieter Corneliszoon Plockhoy, which only occurred six years after Van den Enden met Spinoza.
In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, ... more In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, who argued in Swimming with Sharks (2015) that we should not hold bankers personally responsible for the financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath. Instead, Luyendijk thinks we should look at the immoral structure of the banking system. In contrast, Ottolander argues that bankers are inclined towards exhibiting low moral self-awareness and that we should therefore not only look at the nature of the banking system but also at the individual level.
In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, ... more In ‘Amorality and Banking’, Felix den Ottolander reacts to Dutch anthropologist Joris Luyendijk, who argued in Swimming with Sharks (2015) that we should not hold bankers personally responsible for the financial crisis of 2008 and its aftermath. Instead, Luyendijk thinks we should look at the immoral structure of the banking system. In contrast, Ottolander argues that bankers are inclined towards exhibiting low moral self-awareness and that we should therefore not only look at the nature of the banking system but also at the individual level. ‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosophy Wim Klever’s controversial claim that Spinoza’s Latin teacher was the ‘hidden agent’ behind Spinoza’s philosophy. Lokker gives a short biography of the teacher, Franciscus van den Enden, and counters Klever’s claim by arguing that Van den Enden could not have influenced Spinoza to this extent before his political awakening by Pieter Corneliszoon Plockhoy, which only occurred six years after Van den Enden met Spinoza. 'In the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an exceptionally vibrant public sphere in a country that otherwise lacks anything resembling one. Prooi analyzes Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement using Hannah Arendt's and Jürgen Habermas’ conceptions of the public sphere and argues that a Confucian conception of the public sphere is a theoretical possibility. He thinks that the shared tradition of Confucianism may provide Hong Kong and mainland China with the kind of vocabulary needed to overcome their current political differences.
Uploads
Papers by Erasmus Student Journal of Philosophy ESJP
centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action.
I argue that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. I approach this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action.
Van Kooten argues that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. Van Kooten approaches this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
--
In ‘Invariance: An Argument for Historical Specificity’, Anne Albert
van der Galiën engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea that different socioeconomic systems may require different theories, each tailored to a particular socioeconomic system or systems. Van der Galiën argues that historical specificity should be incorporated by economic theories, something that at the time of writing is certainly not the case. He does so by appealing to the notion of invariance, a notion developed by Woodward (2005) as part of his theory of causation. Adopting the notion of invariance as a requirement for causal generalizations implies that any causal generalization is historically sensitive, which in turn implies that economic theories should be historically sensitive.
‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosophy Wim Klever’s controversial claim that Spinoza’s Latin teacher was the ‘hidden agent’ behind Spinoza’s philosophy. Lokker gives a short biography of the teacher, Franciscus van den Enden, and counters Klever’s claim by arguing that Van den Enden could not have influenced Spinoza to this extent before his political awakening by Pieter Corneliszoon Plockhoy, which only occurred six years after Van den Enden met Spinoza.
'In the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an exceptionally vibrant public sphere in a country that otherwise lacks anything resembling one. Prooi analyzes Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement using Hannah Arendt's and Jürgen Habermas’ conceptions of the public sphere and argues that a Confucian conception of the public sphere is a theoretical possibility. He thinks that the shared tradition of Confucianism may provide Hong Kong and mainland China with the kind of vocabulary needed to overcome their current political differences.
centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action.
I argue that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. I approach this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
centre of society, its institutions, and human understanding and action.
Van Kooten argues that if neoliberal rationality and the homo economicus remain at the centre of human understanding and action, the erosion of the institutions, values, and morality organised by non-market rationalities will persevere. Van Kooten approaches this problem by exploring the essentially Christian roots through which the modern Western individual was invented. The acknowledgement and understanding of these religious and moral roots can open up a new perspective of reinventing liberalism and formulating a comprehensive morality for the future.
--
In ‘Invariance: An Argument for Historical Specificity’, Anne Albert
van der Galiën engages with the problem of historical specificity. This problem refers to the idea that different socioeconomic systems may require different theories, each tailored to a particular socioeconomic system or systems. Van der Galiën argues that historical specificity should be incorporated by economic theories, something that at the time of writing is certainly not the case. He does so by appealing to the notion of invariance, a notion developed by Woodward (2005) as part of his theory of causation. Adopting the notion of invariance as a requirement for causal generalizations implies that any causal generalization is historically sensitive, which in turn implies that economic theories should be historically sensitive.
‘Too Little, Too Late’ is Edwin Lokker’s reaction to Dutch expert on seventeenth-century philosophy Wim Klever’s controversial claim that Spinoza’s Latin teacher was the ‘hidden agent’ behind Spinoza’s philosophy. Lokker gives a short biography of the teacher, Franciscus van den Enden, and counters Klever’s claim by arguing that Van den Enden could not have influenced Spinoza to this extent before his political awakening by Pieter Corneliszoon Plockhoy, which only occurred six years after Van den Enden met Spinoza.
'In the Public Sphere in China', Dennis Prooi starts from the observation that Hong Kong has an exceptionally vibrant public sphere in a country that otherwise lacks anything resembling one. Prooi analyzes Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement using Hannah Arendt's and Jürgen Habermas’ conceptions of the public sphere and argues that a Confucian conception of the public sphere is a theoretical possibility. He thinks that the shared tradition of Confucianism may provide Hong Kong and mainland China with the kind of vocabulary needed to overcome their current political differences.