My dissertation examines three, interrelated themes in Friedrich Nietzsche's early writings. The first theme is the moral imperatives that appear in these writings. These imperatives, which are scattered throughout The Birth of Tragedy and the Untimely Meditations in seemingly haphazard fashion, articulate a rigorous, post-Kantian concept of morality designed to respond to the problems of modern nationalism and modern nihilism. In the first chapter of my dissertation, I outline the character, importance, and origin of Nietzsche's imperatives. The second theme I examine is the relationship between Nietzsche's imperatives and his political thought. I show, through close readings of Nietzsche's early texts, that they deploy a series of moral imperatives to reformulate the tasks and meaning of modern political life. These imperatives tell the political community what ought to be done to avoid the twin dangers of nihilism and nationalism by articulating a broad principle of justice with universally valid foundations. Politics, Nietzsche argues, unlike Machiavelli or Hobbes, but like Kant, must bend its knee to necessary moral commands. The third theme examined in my dissertation is the emergence, in Nietzsche's early writings, of a political position that he will eventual call “great politics.” Great politics is Nietzsche's solution to the petty, or small, politics of modern nationalism and modern nihilism. This concept of politics shifts the realm of political struggle away from the state and towards those values that support the state and legitimate its existence in its modern form. It achieves this end by revaluing values in response to the devaluation of values in modernity. These values are expressed in Nietzsche's imperatives.

Reflecting on the history of paleontology, historian Martin Rudwick claimed, "The `meaning' of fossils has been seen in many different ways in different periods." This insight rings true today as the search for ancient DNA has provided a deeper meaning of the term fossil and offered paleontology a more expansive role in the molecular age. In this work, I provide a historical account of ancient DNA research from 1984 to1999 and discuss the implications of ancient DNA research as a new approach to fossil studies for the science of paleontology. The emergence of ancient DNA research over the past several decades has introduced a fresh and quantitative methodology for studying fossils and a new means through which to discover and decipher our evolutionary past. Ancient DNA research has revolutionized how scientists view and study ancient and fossil specimens. In doing so, the search for ancient DNA has transformed what was once a purely historical approach to fossil studies into a more experimental one. In this thesis, I argue that the early history of ancient DNA research, when appropriately situated in the overall history of paleontology, is best understood as an extension and realization of the modern evolutionary synthesis and a step toward bridging the gap between historical and experimental science. / A Thesis submitted to the Program in History and Philosophy of Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Summer Semester, 2012. / March 26, 2012. / ANCIENT DNA, FOSSILS, HISTORICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE, MODERN EVOLUTIONARY SYNTHESIS, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY / Includes bibliographical references. / Frederick Davis, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael Ruse, Committee Member; Gregory Erickson, Committee Member; Scott Steppan, Committee Member.

This dissertation details the synthesis and characterization of a new multiferroic family, (NH4)xK(1-x)CuCl3, where (0 <= x <= 1.00). The incentive for investigation of this family arose from the need for a set of unique multiferroic materials, and this avenue had not yet been explored. The novelty of this compound comes from two angles. First was the potential for ferroelectricity, which often comes from the ammonium ion. Second is the unique magnetic behavior of both NH4CuCl3 (ACC) and KCuCl3 (KCC), both of which are different despite the fact that they are isomorphous at room temperature. Given the subtleties that crystallographic structure hold in both the dielectric and magnetic properties, it seemed well worth investigating this family not only for the dielectric studies, but also to answer some longstanding structural questions as well. Answers provided by this dissertation can be closely related to the study of multiferroic materials. Thus, the focus of chapter one is on the need for new multiferroic materials and various approaches used to overcome physical limitations that have been set by nature. But, a careful and systematic study of this new family of potential multiferroics required the use of many techniques, which includes X-ray crystallography, mass spectroscopy, heat capacity, dielectric relaxation, pyroelectric current measurements, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), magnetic susceptibility and pulsed-field magnetization at millikelvin temperatures. The principles and operations for some of instruments will be shown in chapters two and three. Again, the project was initially undertaken with the goal of finding a ferroelectric transition in ACC. This was suspected because hydrogen bonding is often a mechanism for the formation of the net dipole moment necessary for a ferroelectric transition. As shown in chapter four, a lambda-type anomaly was indeed observed at 67 K, with subsequent pyroelectric measurements confirming our original conjecture. Heat capacity measurements also verified the presence of the transition with an anomaly at the same temperature. Afterwards, deuteration of the ammonium ion showed an increase in the transition temperature, suggesting that hydrogen bonding may play a role in the underlying mechanism. Finally, promising millikelvin capacitance measurements revealed the possibility of magnetoelectric coupling near the well known antiferromagnetic ordering temperature. All of these observations related to the phase transition of ACC are delineated in chapter four. Although not readily related to the dielectric phase transition, chapter five describes some EPR measurements taken at variable temperatures and orientations. Now that it was shown the ammonium ion plays a role in the ferroelectric transition, it seemed desirable to tune the transition temperature. In chapter six, it will be shown that this was achieved not only by deuteration, but through substitution of the ammonium ion with ce{K^+}, which in terms of ionic radius and charge was expected to freely substitute itself into the ammonium position. With a 10% doping level, the transition greatly broadened with a FWHM of 25 K and shifted down to 42 K. In addition, a dispersion peak developed at 28 K. All of these observations suggest that the transition is extremely sensitive to the doping concentration. The impetus of the final chapter arose from my secondary interest in the magnetic properties of the trichlorocuprate family, especially with regards to K+ and NH4+. Several literature studies had already been made by doping with thallium, i.e. KxTl(1-x)CuCl3, but none with Kx(NH4)(1-x)CuCl3. Study of the magnetic susceptibility and magnetization with variation of the ammonium concentration led to the finding of definite trends with the energy gaps. Random dimers and Bose Glasses may serve as a good models for the behavior of the mixed compounds. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / February 24, 2015. / characterization, ferroelectrics, gapless, heat capacity, multiferroics, trichlorocuprate / Includes bibliographical references. / Naresh Dalal, Professor Directing Dissertation; Irinel Chiorescu, University Representative; Sir Harold Kroto, Committee Member; Geoffery Strouse, Committee Member.

Alfred Russel Wallace, whose independent discovery of natural selection prompted Charles Darwin to publish his magnum opus, On the Origin of Species, is perhaps better remembered for his contributions to biogeography than evolutionary theory. His namesake, the Wallace Line, delineates an abrupt and curious intangible boundary that separates Australian fauna from Asian Fauna. While one continent's fauna are often highly distinct from the other continent's fauna, their distinctiveness is relative to the vast oceanic or latitudinal separation. In contrast, Asia and Australia are connected by a string of contiguous islands that could presumably allow for a gradient of species dispersal. Counterintuitive to the understanding of naturalists in the 19th century and beyond, the patterns of flora and fauna on the adjacent islands in the Australasian Archipelago are so remarkably different that the area cannot be treated as one single biogeographic region, nor can it be seen as a transition state. Wallace observed this, and attempted to sketch the line that marked the distinct separation. This line created a controversial outflow of opinions, well into the twentieth century, based on the exact delineation of the faunal barrier. Research concerning the biogeographic region's internal and external boundaries continues in a diversity of fields and subfields. Wallace's namesake and publications on the Malay Archipelago, its natural productions, biogeography, and conceptions of the natural world drew envy, ire, admiration and respect. His synthesis and integration of fields created an empire of science based on one region, due to that region's tropical diversity, that propelled science forward immensely, for better or worse, and deserves recognition for his immense contributions to the pursuit of scientific knowledge- an intellectual Wallace Line. / A Thesis submitted to the Program of History and Philosophy of Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 31, 2014. / Biogeography, Evolution, Wallace, Wallacea, Wallace Line / Includes bibliographical references. / Frederick R. Davis, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael Ruse, Committee Member; Meegan Kennedy Hanson, Committee Member.

The contemporary turn to traditions in social and political theory, exemplified in the works of Alasdair MacIntyre and Michael Walzer, can be distinguished from other forms of traditionalism by the emphasis placed on a critical engagement with traditions. In critical traditionalism traditions are understood to embody debates and disagreements over their meaning, their scope, and their validity. It is argued that a turn to traditions offers the possibility of a politics in which the history and experience of past generations mattered. I also show that a politics with remembrance enhances the rationality of political action. I argue that neither Walzer nor MacIntyre adequately concern themselves with the issue of how we are related to traditions and to the past. How is it that we ought to find ourselves "in" a web of traditions? In Edmund Burke's concept of inheritance we find an articulate view of how one might understand oneself as part of a tradition. I examine to what extent Burkean living in tradition is compatible with a critical appropriation of tradition. My interpretation stresses the strong emotional resonance of the term "inheritance" and the way in which it is a reflection of family life. I conclude that criticism "within the family" may be subject to various difficulties, including the fear of offending the "fathers"; but I also argue that Burke's understanding of practical politics and the need to keep the language of justice from becoming platitudinous goes some distance toward mitigating these difficulties. I pursue the question of our relationship to traditions a bit further when I discuss Milan Kundera's Unbearable Lightness of Being and Alfred Doeblin's Karl and Rosa. Kundera challenges the turn to traditions with his notion of kitsch. Doeblin challenges the view developed in the dissertation that our recollection of deceased relations (our dead ancestors for instance) may mediate a relationship to the past that is also critical.

Humans, octopuses, bees, scrub jays, and dogs have all been shown to have rich cognitive capacities, but their minds work very differently. What are the most important factors contributing to the kind of mind an animal has? I show that the ways in which an animal relates to time—its ways of representing the temporal and the nature of its memory—are crucial to the rest of its capacities. I develop empirically-informed philosophical accounts of the natures of episodic memory, and of the representation of temporal properties, temporal frameworks, and narratives. And I use these accounts to interpret the relevant empirical literature, and to show how these capacities can transform the extent to which animals can understand the complexity of the world.

A viable theory of well-being has useful applications for individuals and groups alike. Psychologists frequently refer to notions of well-being for the sake of enhancing patients' well-being when it is lacking, and public policy makers may appeal to the idea of well-being when crafting policies for the sake of the well-being of cities, counties, states, and nations. One of the problems with such endeavors is that there is no standard, agreed upon definition of well-being. After investigating the most common theories of well-being, I argue that Michael Bishop's Network Theory is the most reasonable starting point for a viable theory of well-being; however, I also argue that Network Theory must be revamped. Network Theory requires an essential component that is missing from its current rendition. In 2015, Bishop published The Good Life: Unifying the Philosophy and Psychology of Well-Being. Bishop's Network Theory is unique among philosophical theories of well-being. Traditionally, theories of well-being, including Aristotle's eudaimonic view of human flourishing; Roger Crisp's hedonism; James Griffin's life satisfaction theory; and L.W. Sumner's authentic happiness view, have all employed a similar method in crafting their theories: the method from the armchair. Indeed, armchair methods of philosophical analysis can yield truths, and many philosophers certainly reflect on actual, real world experiences while at their armchairs, but Bishop argues that a strong theory of well-being requires that philosophers investigate and appeal directly to scientific findings. As such, Bishop's theory of well-being is specifically inclusive in its approach to finding the truth about well-being. Bishop's theory is inclusive insofar as he includes both philosophy and science in order to craft his theory. The science to which Bishop appeals is psychology; more specifically, Bishop researches scientific studies in the field of positive psychology. Bishop explains that, in the field of positive psychology, even though there are many references to well-being, there is a wide range of definitions, with no standard theory or model of well-being to which psychologists appeal when making claims about how to address or enhance well-being in people's lives. Bishop's solution is to thoroughly investigate the scientific studies and then step back, taking a meta-view of the information and insights from positive psychology. Indeed, a pattern emerges, and Bishop articulates this pattern through his Network Theory. The central point of Network Theory is that, when positive psychologists are studying people whose lives are going well, they are studying aspects of individuals' positive causal networks (PCNs). The particular parts of PCNs are called PCN fragments, and they include specific emotions, attitudes, and successful interactions in the world. For instance, the phenomena of feeling joyous, of approaching one's day with an attitude of optimism, and then performing wonderfully during a challenge at work, each count as a fragment in an individual's PCN. My argument is that, because of the way Bishop organizes the science of well-being while also including philosophical methods and insights, Network Theory is the best starting point for a theory of well-being; however, Network Theory needs to be revised because it is missing an essential feature of well-being. In making this claim, I provide a set of counter-examples that illustrate PCNs in cases where well-being cannot reasonably be said to exist. For example, there are serial killers whose only sense of positive affect or positive attitude come about when they are planning and executing torture and murders, which are often sexually charged, thus adding more "positivity" in terms of positive affect. For such individuals, positive successes include the actual luring, torturing, and murdering of their victims. Because of the PCN that develops, the killers want to murder again; in doing so successfully, they create more positive emotions more themselves, thus supporting the homeostatic nature of PCNs. To add support for my argument, I also appeal to studies in positive psychology that indicate additional features beyond positive emotions and positive attitudes that support successes within the PCN model. In particular, I pinpoint the role of authenticity, but I also revamp the notion of authenticity so that something other than subjective authenticity is emphasized as essential for well-being. In the end, I argue that my revamped version of the Network Theory of Well-Being provides a more viable model of well-being than Bishop's original theory, although he provides the dynamic, inclusive foundation. The emergent theory has practical value and myriad applications for problem-solving in individual counseling, coaching, and/or consulting, including applications in Logic-Based Therapy. Group well-being can be explained through the revamped notion of Network Theory, too, but that is a topic for a future project. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2017. / April 17, 2017. / Authenticity, Ethics, Network Theory, Philosophy of Psychology, Positive Psychology, Well-Being / Includes bibliographical references. / Michael A. Bishop, Professor Directing Dissertation; John Kelsay, University Representative; James Justus, Committee Member; Michael Ruse, Committee Member.

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