Among philosophically relevant logical results Zermelo’s semi-categoricity theorem has received little to no attention. This is notwithstanding the fact that the present-day canonical foundation of...Show moreAmong philosophically relevant logical results Zermelo’s semi-categoricity theorem has received little to no attention. This is notwithstanding the fact that the present-day canonical foundation of mathematics, that is first-order Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory, fails horribly at unambiguous denotation. The aim of the present study is to offer a reasonably self-contained and modern presentation of Zermelo’s theorem that is accessible also to a philosopher with some knowledge of elementary set- and model theory. In a modern framework semi-categoricity cannot be interpreted as a result on first order models. Using full second-order models one salvages external, or ‘true’, semi-categoricity, although one then loses a sound and complete deductive calculus. With Henkin semantics one does have completeness, but retains only internal semi-categoricity.Show less
In this thesis I will analyze the representation of modernity in the commercials of Garuda Indonesia and Malaysia Airlines between 2013 and the first half of 2015. Their commercials give an exalted...Show moreIn this thesis I will analyze the representation of modernity in the commercials of Garuda Indonesia and Malaysia Airlines between 2013 and the first half of 2015. Their commercials give an exalted perspective on the nations they represent. I will focus on what Malaysian- and Indonesian modernity looks like, how these two national ‘modernities’ overlap or differ, and hopefully this can tell us something about Southeast Asian modernity in general.Show less
Since the establishment of the UN, 80 former colonies have gained independence. However, in recent years, there have been a lot of different views on the current role of the UN in the...Show moreSince the establishment of the UN, 80 former colonies have gained independence. However, in recent years, there have been a lot of different views on the current role of the UN in the decolonization process. The criticism mainly addresses the Special Committee on Decolonization, but there is also criticism on the working of the UN in general. There are three types of criticism. The first is the fact that the decolonization process is out-dated, because the Special Committee has to stick to a mandate created in 1960, when there was still a lot of colonialism. The notion is that the colonies that are left can not be treated the same. The second is the fact that the there is a one-size-fits all approach to decolonization. This means that there are only three options in which the remaining non self-governing territories can be removed from the list. The third criticism on the decolonization process at the UN holds that Western interests are still seen as the most important and the non self-governing territories are decolonized according to a Western model. This criticism comes mainly from scholars, but also from member states and UN officials. Because of the fact that the criticism is so widespread and comes also from member states, the UN should do something with it. The criticism has risen in recent years because of the stagnation of the decolonization process. The stagnation occurred although there were special Decades for the Eradication of Colonialism, and these were thus seen as failed. This research examines to what extent the UN, and the Special Committee on Decolonization in particular, has handled the criticism on role of the UN in the decolonization process in the past ten years. It links the criticism with one of the remaining non selfgoverning territories. The case study is Tokelau, which is a small island territory of which New Zealand is the administering country. Tokelau is a non self-governing territory that did not face any internal problems. It is therefore very useful for this research, because then the main focus can on the working of the UN.Show less
I outlined two varieties of Italian-American Englishes used in the eastern part of the US. One is the Super Mario English, which belongs to speakers who have just arrived in the US. The second one...Show moreI outlined two varieties of Italian-American Englishes used in the eastern part of the US. One is the Super Mario English, which belongs to speakers who have just arrived in the US. The second one is the Wiseguy English, which belongs to speakers who have lived in the US for a longer period of time and belong to the Italian-American culture. Three films were selected from a plethora of other films concerning the Italian-American culture. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these varieties of English exists from a linguistically stereotypical basis or whether these varieties are true-to-life representations of the features of the Italian-American English speaking culture. One monologue of every main character in the 3 films has been phonetically analysed. The phonetic analyses were then compared to the theoretical framework analysis of the aforementioned varieties of Italian-American Englishes. The hypothesis is that these three films perpetuate linguistic features in Italian-American Englishes that border among the stereotypical imagery of the Italian-American culture. The results outline the most salient features of Italian-American linguistic stereotypes.Show less
Research master thesis | Literary Studies (research) (MA)
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This thesis researches a Sanskrit law code called the Manusmrti or Manava Dharmasastra, translated in English as "The Laws of Manu". Through a critical analysis of the translations and...Show moreThis thesis researches a Sanskrit law code called the Manusmrti or Manava Dharmasastra, translated in English as "The Laws of Manu". Through a critical analysis of the translations and interpretations of Indologists Wendy Doniger and Patrick Olivelle, it will be argued that the current interpretations of the Manusmrti are starkly Western and prove a continuation of a discourse initiated in British colonial India. This discourse entails a framework of Western law and law code. The Manusmrti, however, is concerned with the Sanskrit concept of "dharma". With the help of the translation theories of Walter Benjamin and Jacques Derrida it will be argued that "dharma" is a concept very distinct from the Western "law" and proves untranslatable. Furthermore, this thesis proposes a reading for the Manusmrti different from the current Western framework of law. The proposed new interpretation is based upon the concept of "aphorism" as described by Friedrich Nietzsche. To elucidate the differences in philosophy between the current interpretations and the interpretation proposed in this thesis, the theories of Gilles Deleuze and Benedictus Spinoza will be deployed. Their ideas will help to show that the proposed interpretation will ultimately entail another, more productive world-view for the Manusmrti and the conceptualisation of its key term "dharma".Show less
