Papers by Gabriel Winter Clark
The Transgender Student Survey was designed to assess the well-being of, and resources available ... more The Transgender Student Survey was designed to assess the well-being of, and resources available to, transgender students at Binghamton University. This study aims to directly compare the experiences of transgender students with those of cisgender students. By simultaneously breaking student experiences down by gender identity, sexual identity, and race, the survey embodies a relatively intersectional approach. The survey was conducted as a senior capstone project for the Binghamton University Individualized Major Program by Winter Clark, under the supervision of Dara Silberstein (professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies).
In this paper, I argue that the distinction between valuing something intrinsically and valuing s... more In this paper, I argue that the distinction between valuing something intrinsically and valuing something instrumentally (that is, valuing as an end and valuing as a means) is useful because it can further our understanding of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The relationship between value and motivation has strong implications for human well-being, particularly in regards to pedagogy. In response to Shelly Kagan’s claim that the traditional distinction between intrinsic and instrumental value is mistaken, I hold that it is possible and useful to draw such distinction when it comes to assigning value to the activities we engage in. Drawing from Harry Frankfurt’s description of free will and personhood, I then offer an account of motivation as a threshold of internal drive. I further summarize Ryan and Deci’s description of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, including their idea that different kinds of motivation exist along a spectrum according to the levels of self-determination that they entail. I demonstrate how our understanding of what it means to intrinsically or instrumentally value an activity can help us clarify our understanding of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Finally, I explain how these findings can be applied to the practice of education.
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Papers by Gabriel Winter Clark