<p>This thesis comprises an investigation into a very well known and perennial philosophical debate over the interpretive status of our most well confirmed scientific theories, known as "scientific realism." I do not defend scientific realism; rather, I set out to determine what scientific realism is in the first place. My contention is that the thesis is not a single, unified view, but rather a conglomeration of loosely associated propositions that are highly conceptually interwoven, but rarely distinguished. These consist of several different metaphysical, epistemological, and semantic doctrines, which I examine in great detail. I then argue that the indeterminate nature of scientific realism muddles the issue (if there is any) and renders debates fruitless. I attempt to define a thesis with relatively more precise content, which I call the "Core Realist Commitment," CRC. I argue that the CRC prioritizes epistemology - with the thesis that we can and do have (some) theoretical knowledge. I then demonstrate the relatively minimal commitments of the CRC, namely, a minimalist and very undemanding metaphysics, and almost none of the semantic theses that have been traditionally associated with realism. I conclude that the CRC is a step forward in thinking about the debate, not just for its relative precision but also because it is consistent with, and even tolerant of, a wide array of disagreement over concerns that are, I argue, external to the debate and need to be decided on independent grounds.</p> / Dissertation

The thesis concerns the treatment of actuality in film and television, particularly the narrativization of actuality images, and the context of their placement within audio/visual texts. Several instances of the convergence of media form and genre are analyzed, and the conventions of classificatory systems and boundaries that pertain to film and television representations are reconsidered in light of changes in the conventions of genre. The distinction between, and convergence of fictional and non-fictional conventions of narrative are therefore central to the thesis, as are the related issues of viewer response, the nature of subjectivity in the viewer, the connectivity of text and culture, and the relations of actuality to the text. The thesis traces the narrativization of actuality through textual, formal and genre boundaries, adopting a ‘line of flight or deterritorialization’ that enables the thesis to ‘change in nature and connect with other multiplicities.’This line of flight passes through the conventional separation of genre groupings and texts, and, similarly, has been applied in the thesis as a rationale for the diminution of theoretical boundaries. A multiperpectival approach is applied to the permeability of, or transcendent relations of the analysis to the boundaries between genres, between texts and culture, and between actuality and virtual representation. In the thesis there is also a theoretical deterritorialization that consents to a pluralism of theory, which is an approach demonstrated by Deleuze and Guattari in A Thousand Plateaus. The model of multi-perspectivalism adopted in the thesis engages in establishing connections and similarities between theories, rather than emphasizing contradictory and exclusive practices. The Foucauldian notion of the rules of formation in discourse, Nichols’ theories of documentary representation of reality, Bordwell’s schematic interpretation, and several other positions are critiqued, as the line of flight embarked upon in the thesis intersects with, and passes through both textual and theoretical boundaries. The thesis consists of two parts: firstly, a location of theoretical perspective, in which the issues of theory pertaining to actuality and narrative are explicated, and the methodological approach of the thesis is defined. The second part commences with an analysis of the most familiar instances of actuality in film and television, with particular attention to documentary forms. It then engages in the analysis of films that represent actuality but which, in the process of narrativization, display a convergence of genre conventions. The films selected for analysis include Steven Speilberg's Schindler's List, (1993) Oliver Stone's JFK, (1991) and Robert Zemeckis' Forrest Gump, (1994) and Contact, (1996). Hence the thesis is concerned with the application of a pluralist theoretical approach, with, however, an emphasis on the Deleuzo-Guattarian notions of rhizome and assemblage. Within this theoretical frame, the connections between actuality and the audio/visual text are explicated, and the formation of text as ‘a rhizome with the world’, is analyzed across a range of examples.

The work of Nelson Goodman has significantly impacted the philosophical landscape of the latter half of the twentieth century. In this thesis I critically assess Goodman’s later metaphysics, particularly his ontological relativism and multiple worlds hypothesis. I argue that, while Goodman’s view is interesting and important to philosophic thought, it critically fails as a tenable metaphysical position. This failure is twofold: first, Goodman’s argument for ontological relativism rests on the representational fallacy and is therefore unsound; and second his position, when considered as a self-standing metaphysical doctrine, is incoherent. My conclusion is that Goodman must admit some mind-independent structure of reality, otherwise his view should be rejected. However, while I do not argue for any specific form of realism, once some mind-independent structure is admitted, a general realist position becomes preferable to Goodman’s anti-realist, relativist, and constructivist view. / Thesis (Master, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2013-09-11 13:59:52.292

The five short fiction stories in this collection vary in styles from Realism, Fairy Tale, to Magical Realism, and all relate in some degrees, to the world of food. "The Food Ghost," told between two parallel perspectives, is the story of a young girl whose apartment is haunted by the ghost of a woman cooking through her last days on earth. "Fig," is a fairytale about a little girl who won't eat, and how her slightly over-bearing parents deal with her refusal. "Drive," tells what happens when a woman tries to hitchhike away from a sour relationship. "How Not To Cook An Emu Egg," tells the story of a small town woman who brings an emu egg with her to a big city. "A Certain Kind Of Hunger," follows a young woman with a disease that causes her to transform into a pink monster when she becomes hungry. After each story is a recipe relevant to the narrative, told from one character's perspective in each piece.

The collapse of the USSR has caused the vacuum of power and ideology in the Middle Asian region; therefore, such situation has resulted in the coveat from the world power and terrorism.The discovery of natural resource (petroleum in particular) assures the strategic value of this region, which is a crucial factor of causing pivotal change if this region.The region of sovereignty is always interrelated to the geological location.In other words, the shift of sovereignty also restructures the relationship between the power and geological location.The establishment of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was jointly organized by China and Russia on the basis of such political and geological background.However, after the tragedy of 911, globalwide anti-terrorism has reached to its peak, which provides an opportunity to the US taking a position in this region. Due to this dramatic change, Middle Asian area has become a region of competition for the USA, Russia and China. This paper starts with the discussion of the development of Realism, followed by the comparison of Realism and the correction of Neo-Realism. The basis of analysis on the historical background of Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO)is from the Neo-Realism perspective.SCO is not a military alliance but an organization to maintain regional safety and economic development, which also exclude the possibility of sole power in one region and result to certain type of power balance in one region.Since its establishment, SCO has played an influential role; however, China and Russia are the two leading countries that may change the current balanced situation. Many countries in Middle Asian area would like to use SCO as a diplomatic leverage and both Russia and China also try to make SCO as a tool to expand its power, which change the features of international order in 21th century. This kind of change is vital to Taiwan. If the relationship among China and Russia or other countries in this area is stable, China will not have to worry about the threats from the north and be able to concentrate on the problems in Taiwan Strait and South Sea.For this reason,it is worthy for us to pay close attention to this issue.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--West Virginia University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains iv, 57 p. : col. ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 37).

In this essay the author argues against what is defined as radical social constructionism and its place in the relatively new sociology of philosophy in Sweden. A realistic approach is presented as a more plausible and desirable alternative.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1954. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (6 leaves at end of vol. 2).

The specific aim of this study is to survey the two main types of ideas -- realism and idealism -- and their history.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1932 D63