Papers by Aurora Yu
DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science, Dec 7, 2017
Hume argues for the finite divisibility of space by starting with proving against the infinite di... more Hume argues for the finite divisibility of space by starting with proving against the infinite divisibility of space. First and foremost, according to Hume, the mind's capacity is finite so that it is impossible to contain an infinite number of ideas. However, in terms of his concept of general ideas, Hume admits that the mind has the ability to call up an infinite number of ideas, if provoked. Next, through observations of the imagination and the impression, Hume demonstrates that there must be simple and minimal ideas which constitute the general ideas of space and time and are themselves indivisible. The fact that one might be able to perceive a smaller thing with the help of telescopes does not show that our mind is incapable of the smallest ideas, but that the mind could be mistaken to take what is not the smallest as the smallest. One question which is discussed most is whether Hume is legitimate to make the reference from impressions and ideas to things themselves. However, Hume is less concerned with the so-called nature of things and focuses on how things appear to human beings. On the other way, Hume builds his argument upon the existence of minima. For Hume, all ideas are imagistic and extended and if added up ad infinitum, they would result in infinitude. Therefore, no finite extension could be said to be constituted by infinite ideas. Since only what is resolved into units really exists, an infinite extension does not exist at all. This statement maps onto the discussion of the special composition question. Like what general ideas are to Hume, composition is nothing but the arrangement of basic elements for the mereological nihilists.
International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, 2017
In the Republic, the city-soul analogy made by Plato paves the way for the entire dialogue. The m... more In the Republic, the city-soul analogy made by Plato paves the way for the entire dialogue. The main interlocutors use the analogy to show the nature of justice and aim to prove that just people live better and are happier than unjust people, by establishing a city to which justice, as defined by them, is applied. Scholars have recently been debating the validity of this analogy. Some critics assert that there are several significant structural inconsistencies and logical misconceptions, thus making the analogy fallacious; at the same time, there are proponents who write extensively in favor of this analogy and defend it against the objections raised. In this paper, I will reexamine passages in the Republic where the analogy first occurs, evaluate the critique made by Bernard Williams, and present arguments defending Plato' strategy. Ultimately, I will show that Plato' city-soul analogy is not as far-fetched as Williams argues and this analogy-as a crucial strategy of Plato'sis efficient and powerful enough in showing the similarities between the city and the soul, for the interlocutors to justifiably and reasonably reach the conclusion that the justice of the individual is the same as that of the city. 7 Plato 370a-b, 374a-c, 394e, 423c-d, 433a, 443b, 453b. 8 Plato 414c-417b. 9 Plato 354a. 10 Plato 428b-429a. 11 Plato 429a-430c. 12 Plato 430e-432b. 13 Plato 434d-435a.
DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science, 2017
Hume argues for the finite divisibility of space by starting with proving against the infinite di... more Hume argues for the finite divisibility of space by starting with proving against the infinite divisibility of space. First and foremost, according to Hume, the mind's capacity is finite so that it is impossible to contain an infinite number of ideas. However, in terms of his concept of general ideas, Hume admits that the mind has the ability to call up an infinite number of ideas, if provoked. Next, through observations of the imagination and the impression, Hume demonstrates that there must be simple and minimal ideas which constitute the general ideas of space and time and are themselves indivisible. The fact that one might be able to perceive a smaller thing with the help of telescopes does not show that our mind is incapable of the smallest ideas, but that the mind could be mistaken to take what is not the smallest as the smallest. One question which is discussed most is whether Hume is legitimate to make the reference from impressions and ideas to things themselves. However, Hume is less concerned with the so-called nature of things and focuses on how things appear to human beings. On the other way, Hume builds his argument upon the existence of minima. For Hume, all ideas are imagistic and extended and if added up ad infinitum, they would result in infinitude. Therefore, no finite extension could be said to be constituted by infinite ideas. Since only what is resolved into units really exists, an infinite extension does not exist at all. This statement maps onto the discussion of the special composition question. Like what general ideas are to Hume, composition is nothing but the arrangement of basic elements for the mereological nihilists.
In the Republic, the city-soul analogy made by Plato paves the way for the entire dialogue. The m... more In the Republic, the city-soul analogy made by Plato paves the way for the entire dialogue. The main interlocutors use the analogy to show the nature of justice and aim to prove that just people live better and are happier than unjust people, by establishing a city to which justice, as defined by them, is applied. Scholars have recently been debating the validity of this analogy. Some critics assert that there are several significant structural inconsistencies and logical misconceptions, thus making the analogy fallacious; at the same time, there are proponents who write extensively in favor of this analogy and defend it against the objections raised. In this paper, I will re-examine passages in the Republic where the analogy first occurs, evaluate the critique made by Bernard Williams, and present arguments defending Plato’ strategy. Ultimately, I will show that Plato’ city-soul analogy is not as far-fetched as Williams argues and this analogy – as a crucial strategy of Plato’s – is efficient and powerful enough in showing the similarities between the city and the soul, for the interlocutors to justifiably and reasonably reach the conclusion that the justice of the individual is the same as that of the city.
Conference Presentations by Aurora Yu
Hayden White and Michel Foucault, two twentieth century philosophers, both write extensively on h... more Hayden White and Michel Foucault, two twentieth century philosophers, both write extensively on history, especially historical writings. White, a structuralist and existentialist at the same time, calls into question the factuality of history. He, on the one hand, sees the deep structure in historical writings, such as historians' use of tropes in writings and the idea of emplotment. On the other hand, he is dedicated to the belief that individuals have the power to choose their own past, which demonstrates his existentialism. In this paper, I will compare Hayden White's theory of historical writing with Foucault's use of history, and specifically the method of genealogy. Ultimately, I will claim that the approaches of both White and Foucault reveal an anti-scientistic bent as well as an ethical sensibility.
Drafts by Aurora Yu
In this paper, I examine Spinoza's notion of human freedom in the Ethics, and especially his exem... more In this paper, I examine Spinoza's notion of human freedom in the Ethics, and especially his exemplar of the free man. I argue that sociality is not an inevitability that human beings are bound to face with, but an essential constituent of our 'true freedom.' Under the two-step theory that I propose, people with 'minimal freedom' necessarily live under the dictates of reason and pursue their true advantage, i.e. 'true freedom' through education in society.
Uploads
Papers by Aurora Yu
Conference Presentations by Aurora Yu
Drafts by Aurora Yu