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16Hume’s Moral Philosophy and Contemporary Psychology, edited by Philip A. Reed and Rico VitzJournal of Moral Philosophy 17 (4): 445-448. 2020.
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64David Hume: Moral PhilosophyInternet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2019.David Hume: Moral Philosophy Although David Hume is commonly known for his philosophical skepticism, and empiricist theory of knowledge, he also made many important contributions to moral philosophy. Hume’s ethical thought grapples with questions about the relationship between morality and reason, the role of human emotion in thought and action, the nature of moral … Continue reading David Hume: Moral Philosophy →
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48The Limits of Sympathetic Concern and Moral Consideration in Adam SmithHistory of Philosophy Quarterly 36 (3): 257-277. 2019.Smith thinks it possible to sympathize with certain non-sentient beings, such as the human dead. Consequently, some commentators argue that Smith’s theory supports ecocentrism. I reject that Smith’s theory has this implication. Sympathizers in Smith’s theory can imagine themselves as non-sentient beings, but they will lack the relevant evaluative concerns. The situation of a non-sentient being, as that being confronts the situation, remains inaccessible to the sympathizer. I will also address th…Read more
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6The Orbiting Carbon Observatory mission will make the first global, space-based measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide with the precision, resolution, and coverage needed to characterize CO2 sources and sinks on regional scales. The measurement approach and instrument specifications were determined through an analysis of existing carbon cycle data and a series of observing system simulation experiments. During its 2-year mission, OCO will fly in a 1:15 PM sun-synchronous orbit with a 16-day …Read more
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5Sociability and the Influence of the General Point of View in HumeHistory of Philosophy Quarterly 34 (1): 17-35. 2017.Hume believes that distinctively moral sentiments can only be felt from a disinterested perspective. While much scholarly attention has been paid to the question of how Hume believes we “correct” our moral sentiments to form a coherent moral language, less has been paid to the question of why we first adopt this disinterested vantage point. Answering this question involves determining what, for Hume, enables our disinterested point of view to influence us despite the fact that the sentiments pro…Read more
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2032Evaluating the State of Nature through GameplayTeaching Philosophy 37 (1): 57-72. 2014.In this paper I present an in-class game designed to simulate the dynamics of the state of nature. I first explain the mechanics of the game, and how to administer it in the classroom. Then I address how the game can help introduce students to a number of important topics in political philosophy. In broad terms, the game serves to generate discussion regarding to main questions. (1) How does civil society come about? (2) Is the state of nature and the arrangement which arises from it fair? In so…Read more
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42Anik Waldow, David Hume and the Problem of Other Minds (review)Tradition and Discovery 39 (1): 76-79. 2012.
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35Hume and Peirce on the Ultimate Stability of BeliefPacific Philosophical Quarterly 97 (2): 245-269. 2015.Louis Loeb has argued that Hume is pessimistic while Peirce is optimistic about the attainment of fully stable beliefs. In contrast, we argue that Hume was optimistic about such attainment but only if the scope of philosophical investigation is limited to first-order explanatory questions. Further, we argue that Peirce, after reformulating the pragmatic maxim to accommodate the reality of counterfactuals, was pessimistic about such attainment. Finally, we articulate and respond to Peirce's objec…Read more
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29Hume and the Problem of Paternalism: When is Humanity Sufficient?Southern Journal of Philosophy 54 (1): 107-128. 2016.Hume states that if a group of powerless, rational creatures lived amongst human beings, then humans would be required to treat this species with humanity but not with justice. Michael Ridge has argued that this implies humans would be required to engage in a morally dubious form of paternalism toward this imagined species. I argue that a proper understanding of why this imagined species is excluded from the scope of justice shows Hume has a plausible moral reason for requiring paternalism in th…Read more
Ryan Pollock
Texas A&M San Antonio
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University of ProvidenceAdjunct Faculty
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Texas A&M San AntonioAdjunct Faculty (Part-time)
Allendale, Michigan, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
17th/18th Century Philosophy |
Areas of Interest
Applied Ethics |
Value Theory |
History of Western Philosophy |