Philosophical Notions-Drew Califano

      In modern discussions of reparations, a “corrective justice” argument is often amongst the most common to arise. Under this reasoning, philosophers point to the fact that, since slavery, African Americans have experienced unequal treatment that has resulted in a significant gap in nearly every major indicator of wealth, education and safety. Philosopher Darby notes in his piece “Reparations and Racial Equality” that, in the education field alone, Black children receive much harsher sanctions than White children in terms of suspension (20% of Black students compared to 9% of White students), being left back (17% Black to 8% White) and even expulsion (5% Black to 1% White) (Darby 61). In terms of crime statistics, Black individuals have been found to be more likely to be held in custody prior to sentencing, with this occurring for 68% of Black individuals while to only 44% of White individuals (Barby 61). The Black population of the United States has also be...

Introduction and Supplemental Material   In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the fomentation of justice for individuals who, to no fault of their own, suffer the negative consequences of environmental degradation or inequity. Some have argued that when harm is done to a person or population, one of the steps necessary to equity is achieved through a form of compensation to these groups or individuals. While many tend to associate reparations with monetary payments, there are other manners in which they may come to fruition. For instance, reparations can include restitution, or returning the harmed population to its initial standing. Other examples may include rehabilitation, satisfaction or even guarantees of non-repetition. While many may not consider these actions to be included in the broad category of reparations, the modern philosopher should not seek to exclude them from his or her analysis of the morality of reparations. It is under this set of circumstance...

  Background Information and Supplemental Material      Among the most complex topics which philosophers and researchers discuss is that of how time is measured and the standards associated with such quantifications. Before addressing the Tal article that was assigned for this week’s blog, it is first beneficial to discuss some of the frequent challenges that arise in quantifying an entity that cannot be visualized nor accurately measured without significant difficulty. The supplemental material provided for this week does an excellent job in bringing some of these issues to light.       One of the sources that is very thorough pertaining to this matter of time’s complexities is entitled “Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge” by WiPhi. In this video, Professor Nagel introduces the concept of knowledge and how something can truly be “known” as opposed to “thought.” She gives the example of a girl who is outside in the rain. A...

  Background and Supplemental Connections        The concept of time’s reality has long been studied by an array of scientists and philosophers. However, the modern distinction between these two groups of individuals has not always been present. Long ago, philosophy and science were generally viewed as one concrete area of research, in which aspects of both major fields functioned as one to foster a profound understanding of the world in which he or she lives. Such a sector of research led to an array of interesting prospects and questions, including how one’s comprehension and perceptions of time may not be equal to reality. The plausibility of such a situation was studied thoroughly by Albert Einstein in his “Relativity of Simultaneity.” Before addressing the ideas surrounding this concept and their implications, however, it is first important to consider the multiple manners in which time may be characterized.      One of the vid...