The Validity of Aquinas’ Third Way

This article argues for the formal validity of and the truth of the premises and conclusion of a version of Aquinas' "Third Way" that says: If each of the parts of nature is contingent, the whole of nature is contingent. Each of the parts of nature is contingent. Therefore, the whole of nature is contingent--where "contingent" means having a cause and not existing self-sufficiently

Reasonableness, Murder, and Modern Science

Originally titled “Is It Murder in Tennessee to Kill a Chimpanzee,” this article argues in some detail that typical legal definitions of “murder” as involving the intentional killing of “a reasonable being” would require classifying the intentional killing of chimpanzees as murder

A review of the Nearctic jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the subfamily Euophryinae north of Mexico

The generic and specific composition ofthe Nearctic jumping spiders ofthe subfamily Euophryinae north of Mexico is reviewed, and the biogeographic affinities of the constituent groups are diagnosed. The five North American species of HabrocestUln are removed from that non-euophryine genus; four are placed in the New Genus Naphrys, type species Habrocestum acerbum Peckham & Peckham 1909, creating the following New Combinations: Naphrys acerba (Peckham & Peckham), Naphrys bufoides (Chamberlin & Ivie 1944), Naphrys pulex (Hentz 1846), and Naphrys xerophila (Richman 1981). The fifth species is not an euophryine, and becomes Chinattus parvulus (Banks 1895), New Combination. Four species placed in the genus Tylogonus, another non-euophryine genus, are removed to the New Genus Mexigonus, type species Sidusa minuta F.O.P.-Cambridge 1901, creating the following New Combinations: Mexigonus arizonensis (Banks 1904), Mexigonus dentichelis (F.O.P.-Cambridge 1901),Mexigonus minutus (F.O.P.-Cambridge), and Mexigonus morosus (Peckham & Peckham 1888). One of the two species of Nearctic Euophrys has been misplaced, and becomes Chalcoscirtus diminutus (Banks 1896), New Combination. New state records are reported for Chalcoscirtus diminutus [Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico], Mexigonus minutus [California], Naphrys acerba [New Mexico], and Pseudeuophrys erratica (Walckenaer 1826) [New York]. Of the eight known euophryine genera with Nearctic representatives, Anasaitis (one species) and Cory thalia (two species) are considered Neotropical in origin, whereas Chalcoscirtus (three species), Ezwphrys (one species), and Talavera (one species) are considered Holarctic. The Palaearctic Pseudeuophrys erratica is introduced. The affinities of the apparently endemic Nearctic Naphrys (four species) and Mexigonus (four species) are uncertain at this time. Although not an euophryine, the presence of a species of Chinattus in eastern North America is biogeographically interesting, as the other species in the genus are Asian; it joins a diversity of taxa with this distribution

Is an Existential System Possible?

The article critiques Kierkegaard's understanding of an "existential system" and relates his theology to Classical and Process Theis

J. S. Mill and Robert Veatch’s Critique of Utilitarianism

Modern bioethics is clearly dominated by deontologists who believe that we have some way of identifying morally correct and incorrect acts or rules besides taking account of their consequences. Robert M. Veatch is one of the most outspoken of those numerous modern medical ethicists who agree in rejecting all forms of teleological, utilitarian, or consequentialist ethical theories. This paper examines his critique of utilitarianism and shows that the utilitarianism of John Stuart Mill is either not touched at all by his critique or can be defended against it. This article argues that the dominant deontological majority is mistaken and that a utilitarian theory of moral action very much like Mill’s is precisely what is needed by modern medical ethics and by those medical practitioners who are resolved to practice medicine in a reasonable and morally acceptable manner

Marital Deduction Formulae—A Planner’s Guide

The marital deduction formula bequest exists principally as a means of minimizing federal estate taxes. Considerations apart from the estate tax, however, have had a substantial effect upon the form of such clauses, and a 1964 pronouncement by the Internal Revenue Service has circumscribed their continued utility. The author examines the basic formula clauses, setting out the characteristics of each, the respects in which they differ, the objectives each is designed to secure, and the factors to be weighed by the draftsman who wishes to utilize a formula bequest to achieve a maximum federal estate tax marital deduction