Normativity and the will to power: challenges for a Nietzsche constitutivism

In this paper, I critically consider the Nietzschean version of constitutitivism that Paul Katsafanas has recently developed. My focus, following Katsafanas’s, is not on the exegetical issue of whether this constitutivism was indeed Nietzsche’s own view. It is rather on the philosophical question of whether the view itself is tenable. Do actions have a constitutive aim, in the way that Katsafanas supposes? If so, what is that aim? From the putative fact that actions have a constitutive aim, what would follow about the grounding of normativity in general? Will this approach yield up a tenable meta-ethical theory? While Nietzschean constitutivism is an ingenious and original position, it faces some serious challenges that it will have difficulty answering in a satisfactory way

Hegel on comedy: theodicy, social criticism, and the ‘supreme task’ of Art

According to Hegel, art in its ‘supreme task’ is engaged in ‘bringing to our minds and expressing the Divine, the deepest interests of mankind, and the most comprehensive truths of the spirit’. Raymond Geuss, in a highly illuminating paper, has connected Hegel’s conception of art’s supreme task with the project of theodicy. In this paper I explore Hegel’s aesthetics of comedy through this theodicy-based framework Geuss has proposed, and I consider what light this framework can shed on comedy and, reciprocally, what light comedy can shed on it. In particular, invocation of a theodicy can give the impression of art as a kind of defense of the status quo. Yet Hegel’s brief, but pivotal remarks on comedy complicate this picture in an interesting way. The best comedy does reassure us about the basic rationality and goodness of the world. Yet Aristophanic comedy—the sort Hegel lauds as the best and the most truly comic—has a strongly social-critical streak that Hegel notes with great admiration. Hegel’s theory of comedy says as much about him as it does about the genre. But if we are attentive to Hegel’s remarks on comedy, they will offer us a point of resistance against overly Panglossian interpretations of the Hegelian supreme task of art and will help us better understand in what way active social criticism through art is compatible with that higher calling

Nietzsche on Nihilism: a unifying thread

Nihilism is one of Nietzsche’s foremost philosophical concerns. But characterizing it proves elusive. His nihilists include those in despair in the wake of the “death of God.” Yet they also include believing Christians. We have, among these nihilists, those fervently committed to frameworks of cosmic meaning. But we also have those who lack any such commitment, epitomized in the “last man.” We have those who want to escape this life. And we have those who wouldn’t dream of such a prospect. Extant accounts have shed helpful light on the particularities of these various manifestations of nihilism. Yet they have not explained what ties these together. In this paper, I propose a unifying thread. Nihilists, on my reading of Nietzsche, are those who have come unmoored from (what he sees as) the most important values. That is not to say that there is nothing more to nihilism than being wrong (by Nietzsche’s lights). But it is to say that we don’t understand Nietzschean nihilism fully if we just focus on the descriptive psychology of valuers. The unifying thread of Nietzschean nihilism, on my reading, in fact turns out to be structurally similar to the familiar idea of it we get in a number of other 19th century thinkers and authors—and ironically with those moralists who brand Nietzsche himself a nihilist. Where he differs from them is not in his account of what nihilism fundamentally is (i.e., coming unmoored from values), but in the values he sees nihilists as having come unmoored from

"Consecration to Culture": Nietzsche on slavery and human dignity

In the Infamous Opening Sections from Part IX of Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche celebrates a strident kind of elitism and countenances, in however attenuated a form, the institution of slavery. “Every enhancement of the type ‘man,’” he writes, “has so far been the work of an aristocratic society—and it will be so again and again—a society that believes in the long ladder of an order of rank and difference in worth [Werthverschiedenheit] between man and man, and that needs slavery [Sklaverei] in some sense or other” (257). In the section that follows, Nietzsche describes a “good and healthy aristocracy” as “accept[ing] with a good conscience the sacrifice of untold human beings who, for its sake [um ihretwillen], must be reduced and lowered to incomplete human beings, to slaves [Sklaven], to instruments [Werkzeugen]” (258). From these passages taken in isolation, an unsavory picture can emerge of Nietzsche as a defender, indeed a champion, of exploitation of the worst sort: Nietzsche appears to praise a world in which a small elite enhances itself through the subjugation of the rest of mankind, who bear this yoke of servitude and get nothing in return. The assumption undergirding this reading is a natural one: namely, that whatever benefits it may bring to an elite, whatever cultural achievements it may make possible, slavery is not in the interest of the slaves themselves. But it is not, as I shall argue here, Nietzsche’s own way of looking at things. Far from thinking it is contrary to the interests of “the masses” that they be subjugated, Nietzsche argues that ironically it is in being “reduced and lowered to incomplete human beings, [End Page 135] to slaves, to instruments” (BGE 258) that most people—those not part of the tiny aristocracy of Nietzschean great individuals—can come to live what Nietzsche regards as the most flourishing life for them. As I hope to make clear in what follows, the idea of “slavery in some sense or other” (BGE 257) that Nietzsche envisages is far more subtle than one might at first suppose from the connotations of this deliberately shocking word he chooses. In this paper I will spell out what conception of a person’s flourishing Nietzsche is working with, what sense of “slavery” he has in mind, and why he thinks this form of “slavery” is the best sort of life for all but a few exceptional great individuals. My aim here is primarily to explicate Nietzsche’s views, not to evaluate them. But I do hope to suggest that Nietzsche’s remarks about slavery are less odious than they can sometimes seem, even if they ultimately leave us unsettled

“Tomando Decisões Complexas”: Compreender a Política Para Repetir um ano Baseandose no Teste de Leitura na Geórgia

The author uses Bourdieu’s concepts of field, capital, and habitus to analyze how students, parents, teachers, and administrators are responding to Georgia’s test-based grade retention policy in reading at one Georgia elementary school. In this multiple case study, the author interviewed, observed, and collected documents regarding ten fifth graders, their parents, teachers, and administrators. Within the field of test-based retention, the students and parents brought cultural, social, and economic capital that received little value, and they readily accepted that the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) was trustworthy and retention was fair. However, believing that retaining students would ultimately reproduce the inequities the policy claimed to address, the teachers and administrators used an appeals procedure to ensure that retention was not based solely on test scores.      El autor utiliza los conceptos de Bourdieu de campo, el capital y habitus para analizar cómo los estudiantes, padres, maestros y administradores están respondiendo a la política de repetir el grado basado en la prueba de la lectura en una escuela primaria de Georgia. En este estudio de casos múltiples, el autor entrevistó, observó, y recogió documentos relativos a diez alumnos de quinto grado, sus padres, maestros y administradores. Dentro del campo de retener a los estudiantes según los resultados de la prueba, los estudiantes y sus padres trajeron capital cultural, social y económico que recibió poco valor, y ellos aceptan fácilmente que las pruebas de competencia con criterio de referencia (CRCT) eran confiables y la retención era justa. Sin embargo, en la creencia de que la retención en última instancia produce mas desigualdades  la dirección, los profesores y los administradores utilizaron procedimientos para apelar las políticas y para garantizar que la retención no se basas únicamente en las calificaciones obtenidas.O autor utiliza os conceitos de Bourdieu de campo, o capital e habitus para analisar como os alunos, pais, professores e administradores estão respondendo a política de repetir o curso com base no teste de leitura em um curso da série do ensino fundamental na Georgia. Neste estudo de casos múltiples, o autor entrevistou, observou e coletou documentos relacionados com dez alunos do quinto ano, os seus pais, professores e administradores. Dentro do campo de reter os alunos de acordo com os resultados do teste, os alunos e seus pais trouxeram capital cultural, social e econômico que receberam pouco valor, e eles aceitaram facilmente que os testes de proficiência com referência (CRCT) são fiáveis e a retenção era justa. No entanto, na crença de que a retenção finalmente produzir mais desigualdades, professores e gestores apelaram as políticas para assegurar que as bases de retenção não foram feitas só sobre os resultados dos testes

Resultados À custa de quem? A revisão da literatura sobre políticas de retenção de grau com base em testes nos EUA

The author uses Maxwell’s method of literature reviews for educational research to focus on literature relevant to test-based grade retention policies to make the following argument: although some studies have documented average gains in academic achievement through test-based grade retention, there is increasing evidence that these gains have occurred by limiting the educational opportunities for the most vulnerable of students. The author begins by briefly synthesizing research on high-stakes testing policies and teacher-based retention in general and then examines studies that have evaluated specific test-based retention policies in Chicago, Florida, New York City, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, and Louisiana. Drawing on Bourdieu and Passeron’s concept of reproduction in education, the author shows how testing policies have contributed to class selection and exclusion in U.S. schools. Short-term gains produced by test-based retention policies fade over time with students again falling behind but with a larger likelihood of dropping out of school. These unintended consequences are most prevalent among ethnic minority and impoverished students. The author concludes by providing alternatives for ending social promotion that do not include grade retention as well as suggestions for further researching the role such policies play in perpetuating class inequities.El autor utiliza el método de revisión de la literatura de Maxwell para la investigación educativa para centrarse en la literatura relevante sobre políticas de retención de grado basado en exámenes de alto riesgo para argumentar que: si bien algunos estudios han documentado aumentos promedio en el rendimiento académico a través de la repetición de curso, hay cada vez más pruebas de que estas ganancias se han producido mediante la limitación de las oportunidades educativas para los estudiantes más vulnerables. El autor comienza por sintetizar brevemente la investigación sobre exámenes de alto riesgo y retención basada en docentes en general y luego examina los estudios que han evaluado las políticas de retención en base a exámenes de alto riesgo específicos en Chicago, Florida, Nueva York, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin y Louisiana. Sobre la base del concepto de reproducción en la educación de Bourdieu y Passeron, el autor muestra cómo las políticas de exámenes de alto riesgo han contribuido a la selección de clases y la exclusión en las escuelas estadounidenses. Los beneficios a corto plazo producidos por las políticas de retención a base de pruebas se desvanecen con el tiempo con los estudiantes siendo retrasados sistemáticamente, pero con una mayor probabilidad de abandonar la escuela. Estas consecuencias no intencionales son más frecuentes entre estudiantes de minorías étnicas y pobres. El autor llega a la conclusión, que proporcionando alternativas para poner fin a la promoción social que no incluyen la repetición de curso, así como sugerencias para investigar aún más el papel que tales políticas desempeñan en la perpetuación de las desigualdades de clase.O autor usa o método de revisão de literatura de Maxwell para a pesquisa educacional para se concentrar na literatura relevante sobre as políticas de retenção de grau com base em testes de alto risco para argumentar que: embora alguns estudos têm documentado aumentos médios em desempenho acadêmico através da repetição, há cada vez mais evidências de que esses ganhos têm ocorrido, limitando as oportunidades educacionais para os alunos mais vulneráveis. O autor começa por resumir brevemente investigação sobre testes de alto risco e retenção com base nos exames de professores em geral e , em seguida, examina os estudos que avaliam as políticas de retenção baseadas em testes específicos de alto risco em Chicago, Flórida, Nova York, Georgia, Texas , Wisconsin e Louisiana. Baseado no conceito de reprodução na educação de Bourdieu e Passeron, o autor mostra como as políticas de testes de alto risco têm contribuído para a seleção de classes e exclusão nas escolas americanas. Os benefícios de curto prazo produzidos por políticas de retenção com base em testes desaparecer ao longo do tempo com os alunos sendo adiada sistematicamente , mas com uma maior probabilidade de abandonar a escola. Essas conseqüências não intencionais são mais comuns entre os estudantes de minorias pobres e étnicas. O autor conclui que o fornecimento de alternativas para acabar com a promoção social não incluem repetição e sugestões para investigar o papel dessas políticas jogar na perpetuação das desigualdades de classe

What is a Christian Teacher to Do with Louise Rosenblatt’s Transactional Theory of Reading?

In this theoretical analysis, the authors explore the question, What is a Christian teacher educator to do with Louise Rosenblatt’s transactional theory of reading? They begin by outlining the primary components of Rosenblatt’s transactional theory, focusing on reading as a transaction and the efferent and aesthetic stances. Next, they discuss who they are as teacher educators and former students, how their faith backgrounds intersect with Rosenblatt’s work, and the approach they took to address areas of tension that they and other Christian educators have experienced with Rosenblatt’s theory. Finally, they conclude by discussing implications of Rosenblatt’s work for reading scripture, identifying both the strengths and limitations of her theory, along with strategies for inviting students to discuss this issue at faith-based institutions