We live in a post-truth era. Truth is no longer relevant in matters of political deliberation and objective facts are subordinated to emotive appeals and spurious opinions. This is crippling the...Show moreWe live in a post-truth era. Truth is no longer relevant in matters of political deliberation and objective facts are subordinated to emotive appeals and spurious opinions. This is crippling the political legitimacy of western liberal democracies, as these rely strongly on Enlightenment ideals of rationality, science and truth-based solutionism. At least, that is the common view. This thesis builds on a radically different conception of post-truth politics, one that sees it as an attack on the current knowledge game of established elites. It argues that post-truth politics is epistemically different from lies and bullshit. Fundamentally, it is a strategy that attacks the epistemic authoritarianism pervading our liberal democracies. This strategy wishes to uncover the game-like nature of truth in politics that is intimately linked to power and authority. Consequently, it seeks to level the playing field of the truth game. By doing so, I ultimately argue for the claim that this conception of post-truth politics is in line within the framework of political legitimacy as expounded by Rawls and Habermas.Show less
The underlying claim of the investigation is that images don’t act as just mnemonic or decorating devices for the text but are instead an integral part of the philosophical knowledge disseminated...Show moreThe underlying claim of the investigation is that images don’t act as just mnemonic or decorating devices for the text but are instead an integral part of the philosophical knowledge disseminated through the text. By denying the auxiliary or even decorative role of images and viewing them as an integral part of a philosophical system, the thesis challenges the common-sensical view that image doesn’t have a place within the philosophical text which is seen as closer and more connected to thinking. As it can be noticed, the investigation relies on a historical account, an analysis of seventeenth-century accounts on the conception and role of images in thinking, followed by a contemporary phenomenological and embodied analysis, informed by neuroscientific finds, to give an answer to the main research question. Namely, what is the role that printed images have within an early modern philosophical publication for thinking and understanding?Show less
Since the 2010's Psychology is in a replication crisis. There is an active debate within the discipline to "solve" the crisis. I argue that so far, most of the debate has been ignorant about the...Show moreSince the 2010's Psychology is in a replication crisis. There is an active debate within the discipline to "solve" the crisis. I argue that so far, most of the debate has been ignorant about the real problem causing the crisis. Roughly the crisis literature be grouped into a replication, a normativity and a validity crisis (Lundh, 2019). Most authors focus on the first to issues. While in reality the current crisis is a validity crisis, the method’s of psychology pass by the nature of its problem (chapter 1). I show through the work of Edmund Husserl how the problem arises as a consequence of the Galilean method of natural science (chapter 2). Then, I show how in psychology’s history the naturalism, which arose with the scientific revolution, kept it stuck in a perpetual crisis causing a perpetual cycle of revolutions (Introspectionism, Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Enactvisim) (chapter 3). Lastly, I sketch out Husserl’s proposed solution to break the cycle and arrive at scientific psychology on new terms which capture the essence of the mind as essentially subjective (chapter 4).Show less
Two types of personal knowledge are identified: physical/tacit knowledge and knowledge from personal experience. Both types of knowledge seem to deal with the same problems in natural science: they...Show moreTwo types of personal knowledge are identified: physical/tacit knowledge and knowledge from personal experience. Both types of knowledge seem to deal with the same problems in natural science: they are not accepted as scientifically relevant, and they are not easily translated into words. However, they seem to be of great importance for the decision making and scientific success of scientists (in the field of nanobiology). In this thesis, it is argued that both tacit personal knowledge and personal knowledge from experience should be accepted as scientifically relevant, based on arguments from feminist philosophy of science, and thus incorporated into the scientific practice and communication amongst scientists. Furthermore, empathy is put forward as a possible method for transmission of personal knowledge, based on the account of Edith Stein and other contemporary work on the function and effects of empathy in the practice of natural science.Show less
This thesis broadly reviews the current literature on voice-like thought. I observe two major lines of explaining the phenomenon of inner speech (‘the little voice inside our heads’), which are...Show moreThis thesis broadly reviews the current literature on voice-like thought. I observe two major lines of explaining the phenomenon of inner speech (‘the little voice inside our heads’), which are perception-based and action-based approaches. The former focuses on inner speech as an auditory experience, and the latter focuses on inner speech being an act of speaking. This thesis discusses a currently dominant action-based model on inner speech (the forward model). The model includes a theory of how errors in inner speech generation can lead to clinical symptoms commonly found in people diagnosed with schizophrenia, such as auditory verbal hallucinations (‘hearing voices’). The way I will approach the topic is to find key assumptions on which the forward model is based, and discuss the concepts used in these assumptions. I argue mainly that inner hearing as a concept should be considered in further developing the model, and that the definitions of sense of agency, sense of ownership, intention, and source-monitoring need to be sharpened. This review aims to contribute to mapping our verbal mental experiences and their interrelations, which will ultimately be useful in clinical contexts. Hence, this work is meant to guide future research projects and inspire ongoing discussion about our verbal mental experiences.Show less
An analysis of several passages from Nietzsche's 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' is used to explore possible reasons for the attractiveness of videogame worlds.
The ethical writings of Alexander of Aphrodisias and of Plotinus both contain discussions on the thesis of the mutual implication of the virtues, which states that having one virtue implies having...Show moreThe ethical writings of Alexander of Aphrodisias and of Plotinus both contain discussions on the thesis of the mutual implication of the virtues, which states that having one virtue implies having them all. Their discussions are furthermore marked by the same term, namely antakolouthein (‘to be reciprocally implied’). Combined with the fact that there are other already established connections between Alexander and Plotinus, these facts raise the interesting question of to what degree Plotinus participates in the debate on the mutual implication of the virtues as is visible in Alexander of Aphrodisias’ Ethical Problems and Mantissa? This thesis provides an answer to this question by comparing both philosophers on the topic of mutual implication of the virtues and by pointing out the differences and similarities. The debate on the mutual implication and the different perspectives will be discussed, as well as the Stoics as opponents in the debate, Aristotle as background to Alexander and the origin of the debate and of the term antakolouthein.Show less
Humanity’s excessive consumptive behaviour is the primary cause of ecological destruction. Yet, neither lowering consumption nor production levels seem to be addressed in environmental policies and...Show moreHumanity’s excessive consumptive behaviour is the primary cause of ecological destruction. Yet, neither lowering consumption nor production levels seem to be addressed in environmental policies and thus remain notably high. Therefore, this dissertation investigates the psychological roots of humanity’s ecologically destructive consumptive behaviour. My hypothesis is that ecological alienation and self-alienation are the main, compounding factors of ecologically destructive consumptive behaviour. Ecological alienation leads to devaluation of nature. As environmental values are paramount to sustainability-driven behaviour, devaluation of nature decreases the prevalence of such behaviour. Additionally, I argue that humanity’s excessive consumption is driven by consumptive addiction whereby individuals substitute their authentic physical, mental and emotional needs with consumption; and that this consumptive addiction is rooted in self-alienation. I suggest that ecological alienation and self-alienation are themselves rooted in the modern industrial worldview and its related value systems, and that these factors influence and reinforce each other. Ultimately, what is necessary to counter ecologically destructive addictive consumptive behaviour might be exactly what runs the risk of being indefinitely destroyed because of it: humanity’s reconnection with nature.Show less
The aim of this dissertation is twofolded. Firstly, it defines judicial activism as actions of the judiciary in which they exceed their authority to rule against written legislation or the spirit...Show moreThe aim of this dissertation is twofolded. Firstly, it defines judicial activism as actions of the judiciary in which they exceed their authority to rule against written legislation or the spirit of the law. Secondly, this form of Judicial Activism cannot be allowed, because it would harm legal certainty and diminish the legitimacy of the judiciary and lead to unclarity on fundamental principles. Furthermore, Judicial Activism is not the solution for the problem of unjust laws.Show less
This thesis sets out to delve into literature's capacity for edification, specifically for the phenomenon known as legal alienation. Through a wide array of literary texts by authors such as Kafka,...Show moreThis thesis sets out to delve into literature's capacity for edification, specifically for the phenomenon known as legal alienation. Through a wide array of literary texts by authors such as Kafka, Camus, and Dostoevsky, we illustrate the concept of legal alienation. We then examine the unique connection between law and literature to see the way in which literature is particularly well-equipped for illuminating legal issues such as legal alienation. And finally, through a close look at Nussbaum we see the way in which literature stimulates our moral imagination, thereby allowing us keen insights into fraught moral issues.Show less
