02.07.10
Applying Rawls Philosophy to Universal Health Care
In the third article in a series on the American health care debate, Richard Pimentel surveys key aspects of the political philosophy of John Rawls and applies his philosophy to the question of whether health care is a right. This article is a follow up to his previous article on this issue.
The ideas of John Rawls in the field of political philosophy are significant when looking at the justification for the right to health care. Although utilizing Rawlsian philosophy does not explicitly decide the issue, understanding Rawls’s conception of justice is vital to forming an informed view on the right to health care.
Link to article
12.14.09
The Positives and Negatives of Universal Health Care
Returning to the debate on universal health care–a debate current in American politics–Richard Pimentel considers the distinction between positive and negative rights. He asks whether the government has a responsibility to provide health care or merely protect citizens so they can freely access health care options.
If there is a fundamental right to health care, then the government would appear to have an obligation provide access to everyone. A positive right such as this seems to place an obligation upon the government to provide the proper goods and services in order that this right be fulfilled.
See the full article here.
10.16.09
The Right To Health Care?
In this latest article for WHiP, columnist Richard Pimentel questions how rights are defined and justified philosophically and then applies the definitions he describes to the current debate on health care. Is access to health care a right? Many think so. But is this correct?
Justification for the fundamental right to health care for all must be established by those who advance the argument that this is indeed a right. Too often, the cart is put before the horse when this right is assumed as if this right must be accepted with no questions asked.
http://news.philosophynews.com/whip/rights-and-the-health-care-debate/
08.22.09
Beauty and the Beholder
Is Monty Python and the Holy Grail funny? Is U2’s The Joshua Treeenduring art or a mere pop cultural phenomenon fueled by hormonal teenagers looking for a rush? What is the value of art and how does one make aesthetic judgements? Richard Pimentel in his article for WHiP considers these and other questions. Regardless of how we answer them, Rick thinks the objects of those questions are essential facets of what make us human.
There must be something about the comedy of Monty Python and the music of The Rollins Band or Burlap to Cashmere that makes it worthy to be deemed art by some but not by others. The field of aesthetics, one of the branches of modern philosophy, explores this issue among others. Art forms like films, music, books, paintings, sculptures, fashion, culinary arts, dance impact our lives daily and this is partly why questions like the ones I raise above are worth exploring.
08.10.09
Iraq: Political Philosophy in Relief
Richard Pimentel, in his latest article for WHiP, considers whether Iraq could ever be truly free and secure. While much progress has been made in recent days, the future of Iraq is set of open questions. In “A Free and Secure Iraq?” Richard considers some of these questions and their philsophical implications.
Iraq has reached a crossroads, one which will determine the success of the US invasion and occupation and the growth of Iraq after complete withdrawal of foreign forces. The crucial questions are whether Iraq can achieve freedom and security and make them hallmarks of their country. Or will Iraq struggle to flourish if both concepts are not fully functional in their country?
Read the full article here: http://news.philosophynews.com/free-and-secure-iraq/
05.28.09
Seven Pounds and Five Questions
In his latest article for WHiP, Richard Pimentel reviews the movie Seven Pounds from the perspective of modern ethics. This thoughful movie raises a number of interesting ethical questions relying on intuition to answer some and leaving others unanswered entirely. Rick seeks to call out these questions and leaves you, the reader, to take up the ethics books and find answers.
Despite the movie’s aesthetic qualities, numerous ethical issues kept running through my mind as I watched. Seven Pounds is a great example of how the theoretical discipline of ethics leads to practical implications. As a way of getting to the ethical subtext of Seven Pounds, I will pose five questions that deserve answers. The purpose is not to wholly provide the answers to the questions but rather to provoke thought about significant ethical issues that affect everyday living.
Article: http://news.philosophynews.com/whip/the-ethics-of-seven-pounds-this-article-contains-spoilers/
05.02.09
Annoucement: Editorial Postion Open
EDITOR
JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
Applications and nominations are invited for the position of Editor of the Journal of the History of Philosophy. The Editor will serve a five-year renewable term beginning July 1, 2010. The Journal, an international quarterly, publishes articles, notes, discussions, and reviews devoted to the history of Western philosophy, broadly conceived. The Editor must be a leading scholar in an area of the history of Western philosophy. It is also expected that the Editor’s home institution will provide operating support that supplements that from the publisher, Johns Hopkins University Press, and the Board of Directors. The Editor is responsible to the Board of Directors for the editorial process of the Journal, which includes supervision of the refereeing process for submitted manuscripts, issue composition, and relations with the publisher.
Initial expressions of interest should be made by September 30, 2009. Complete applications, including a copy of the applicant’s C.V., must be received by December 31, 2009, to be considered. Send all correspondence preferably by e-mail to:
or by post to
Prof. Al Martinich, Search Committee Chair
Department of Philosophy
1 University Station
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712
USA
The Journal of the History of Philosophy is committed to equal opportunity and affirmative action in all appointment decisions.
The View from London and Chicago: The Effect of Perception on Economics
In his latest article for WHiP, Richard Pimentel considers the impact of two major economic schools of thought on the public’s acceptance of President Obama’s 2009 economic stimulus package. The “rightness” or “wrongness” of a particular economic theory may have less to do with the actual merits or demerits of a given system and more to do with how the public percieves the outcomes of that system.
Perception must be taken into account when discussing the ARRA package and the economy in general. For this reason, the current administration in the White House has carefully and intentionally presented the state of the economy in a way that will affect the perception of the people. This is not an accusation that the administration misrepresents the state of affairs. Rather it is an argument that this administration, just like every other administration, realizes that perception is important in shaping the economy.
See the full article here.
03.16.09
The Ethics of Obama’s New Embryo Policy
The president rejected the "false choice between sound science and moral values" that supposedly characterized the Bush policy. He declared that his administration would "make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology." Promoting science, Obama said, means "letting scientists . . . do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion" and "listening to what they tell us, even when it’s inconvenient."
But science is not an unqualified good, and scientific ends do not justify any and all means. It is not "manipulation" or "coercion" or "ideology" to insist that scientific research – especially when funded by taxpayers – be restrained by moral and ethical guardrails.
French Physicist Wins Templeton Prize
French physicist and philosopher Bernard d’Espagnat has won the 2009 Templeton Prize, billed as the world’s largest annual award to an individual, for his work affirming the spiritual dimension of life.
The Templeton Foundation announced the $1.42 million prize at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris on Monday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE52F2GC20090316
