Psychedelic research has consistently marginalized Ingan knowledge of Yagé due to a colonial history that has consistently treated indigenous (1) understanding of reality and (2) ways of knowledge...Show morePsychedelic research has consistently marginalized Ingan knowledge of Yagé due to a colonial history that has consistently treated indigenous (1) understanding of reality and (2) ways of knowledge as inferior. Next, I will show how psychedelic researchers, by assuming the superiority of physicalism and the reductionistic scientific method, ignore the importance of qualia, or personal experience, in understanding yagé, an aspect crucial for appreciating the knowledge of the Inga. Lastly, I will assert that psychedelic research is fundamentally a colonial practice and that to decolonize the colonial mindset of psychedelic researchers, psychedelic researchers must adopt the praxis of biophilia: love of all life. I claim that the love of all life allows us to return to an appreciation of the sacred and that through a return of the sacred, we can transform the oppressive relationship between psychedelic researchers and Ingan people.Show less
Is the term ‘hallucination’ as it is used within the context of generative AI merely a metaphor? An investigation how hallucinations arise in the human perceptual system and in modern generative AI
This essay seeks to justify the thesis that illusionism collapses into either realism or eliminativism, depending on the way illusionists interpret the illusory appearances. The first, and most...Show moreThis essay seeks to justify the thesis that illusionism collapses into either realism or eliminativism, depending on the way illusionists interpret the illusory appearances. The first, and most natural interpretation states that the appearances at issue are phenomenal. However, if we take it that phenomenal appearances cannot themselves be objects of illusions (as NARG suggests), we must conclude that the illusionist position 'crumbles' into realism. The alternative is to opt for an epistemic reading. Although it proves to be more difficult, I argue that a strong case can be made for it. The downside, though, is that an epistemic reading would abolish the distinction between illusionism and eliminativism. The result: the former would dissolve into the latter.Show less
In this paper, I discuss the philosophical necessity of Augustine's Privation Theory of Evil as a tool to safeguard the benevolence/goodness of God. I conclude that the Privation Theory is...Show moreIn this paper, I discuss the philosophical necessity of Augustine's Privation Theory of Evil as a tool to safeguard the benevolence/goodness of God. I conclude that the Privation Theory is philosophically necessary in this regard.Show less
As multiculturalism is becoming the norm for countries and cities in the 21st century, it becomes more important every day to create harmonious, peaceful societies in which multiculturalism can...Show moreAs multiculturalism is becoming the norm for countries and cities in the 21st century, it becomes more important every day to create harmonious, peaceful societies in which multiculturalism can thrive. However, multiculturalist societies will face the following problem: will they prioritize the recognition of several identities? Or focus on economic redistribution for all identities, placing them all on an equal level. The problem becomes that of either assimilating all identities in a large one, or rather emphasizing the differences and varieties between the identities. This thesis will make a case study by looking at how Singapore has tackled this Recognition-Redistribution-dilemma and how it has emerged successful. Singapore itself is a large multiculturalist society that in spite of a complicated colonial past, which led to a varying ethnic population that has seen its fair share of conflict, has been able to maintain both a peaceful society and several identities. How has Singapore achieved this, and how might future multiculturalist societies learn from this example?Show less
In this paper I explore the ethical relation of a psychiatrist with a patient. How can a psychiatrist do justice to a patient who, as an individual human being, asks for his help? Referring to...Show moreIn this paper I explore the ethical relation of a psychiatrist with a patient. How can a psychiatrist do justice to a patient who, as an individual human being, asks for his help? Referring to Levinas’ philosophy of ethics I claim that diagnostic-psychiatrists fail to acknowledge the singularity of the patient. Recovery-psychiatrists seem to act in line with Levinas’ philosophy of ethics with his focus on singularity. However, analyzing the relation of the psychiatrist and the patient using Derrida’s philosophy of hospitality, I conclude that the recovery-psychiatrist has to accept that, while aspiring a moral relationship with the patient, is bound to use his medical knowledge as well. Knowledge that has to be evaluated constantly in the light of the appeal to do justice to alterity.Show less
While Cappelen successfully argues in Fixing Language that conceptual engineering partially consists of making changes in the intension and extension of a term and partially on the object level, I...Show moreWhile Cappelen successfully argues in Fixing Language that conceptual engineering partially consists of making changes in the intension and extension of a term and partially on the object level, I will argue that the degree to which conceptual engineering is possible very much depends on the sort of term in question. Conceptual engineering depends on certain semantic and metaphysical factors, these factors are for example the way in which meaning and reference are fixed or to what kind of entity the term refers. The aim of this paper is to firstly point out that mere stipulation will not suffice to achieve semantic change. Secondly, that for a term t, depending on the sort of kind it refers to, natural kind or social kind, conceptual engineering is either metaphysically impossible or we have no real idea how to achieve it. Thirdly, I will argue that it is unclear how philosophical terms are to be understood, whether conceptual engineering is possible for philosophical terms depends on that. Finally, the importance of conceptual engineering as a philosophical methodology depends on how distinct it is from conceptual analysis. I will show that some cases labelled as conceptual engineering are part of analysis.Show less
Getekend door de oorlog zoekt ook Levinas naar antwoorden op vragen over haar natuur; hoe is het mogelijk dat oorlog bestaat en blijft terugkomen? Omdat de ervaring van de ander in zijn ogen het...Show moreGetekend door de oorlog zoekt ook Levinas naar antwoorden op vragen over haar natuur; hoe is het mogelijk dat oorlog bestaat en blijft terugkomen? Omdat de ervaring van de ander in zijn ogen het grondprincipe is volgt al het andere uit deze ervaring - en dus ook oorlog. Echter, volgens dit gedachtengoed zou de ervaring van de ander mij juist uit mijn egocentrische houding moeten halen en tot altruïsme moeten dwingen, tot het bezorgen van vrede. Dit probleem is waar deze scriptie uit ontspringt. Ik ga op zoek naar de relatie tussen oorlog en vrede in Levinas’ denken. Mijn antwoord op deze vraag, en hoofdstelling van deze scriptie luidt: De ontmoeting met de ander is de vreedzame onderbreking van de onophoudelijke oorlog.Show less
