Literary Analysis and argumentation

Bed and Sofa’s Ponderance of Free Will
Critical Theory and Russian Literature, Spring 2020

Viktor Shklovsky’s 1927 Soviet film Bed and Sofa examines the effects of rising post-revolution culture in the Soviet Union, exploring the idea of an individual's ability to defy fate against that which seems inevitable.The film suggests free will only exists to the extent that one can choose which predetermined path to be on. Fate still plays a role in personal outcome and even though there is perception of choice, the idea of truly breaking with a destiny tied to the constraints of larger society, if not impossible, is improbable.

Positively Partially Polyphonic
Critical Theory and Russian Literature, Fall 2019

Literary scholar Mikhail Bakhtin credits Fyodor Dostoevsky as being the first to employ polyphony as a literary tool, highlighting its use as a chief component of his novels.  Bakhtin examines several of Dostoevsky’s works, deconstructing the structure and in particular his unique form of character engagement. Yet the not fully polyphonic nature of Notes from Underground, as seen by the separation of a single physical character into two distinct voices where one is noticeably more authoritative, allows deeper insight leaving room for both conjecture and moral.

And In The End, --
Modes of Writing & Argumentation, Spring 2019

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, the 1967 play by Tom Stoppard, focuses on the bond of two friends summoned to help Prince Hamlet in mourning his dead father. Taking place within the classic Shakespearean tragedy of Hamlet, and even sharing select scenes, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead’s genre is not as easily discernible as that of its parent play. As the play progresses, Stoppard incorporates comedic elements that add to the tragedy unfolding as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern become less polarized and disassociate from both their given roles and each other, becoming the flaw that leads to their own tragic end.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
Textual Analysis and Argumentation, Spring 2018

During the early 1800’s, in the United States of America, there were two major movements that uniquely aimed to challenge the notion of society in terms of humanity’s destructive relationship to nature. The American Romantic Hudson School Painter’s focus centered around the divine experience unique to the American landscape and the threat of its destruction through societal progress. Through examining the quintessential works of each, Thoreau’s book “Walden” (1846) and Cole’s series “The Course of Empire.” (1833–1836), it becomes apparent Cole’s paintings offer a more easily accessible message generating a greater impact than Thoreau’s writing.

Philosophy

Representing Ideas on Representation
Democracy, Freedom, and The Rule of Law (Political Philosophy Core Class), Fall 2019

In this paper I will argue Madison’s federalist reasoning that a large republic is beneficial due to the ability to control faction is unsuccessful because the dilution caused by a larger state does not regulate the effect of faction.

3 Amish Parents Fight 4.5 Million Wisconsin Residents – and Win or
Wisconsin v. Yoder through the Lens of de Tocqueville’s Equality of Conditions
Democracy, Freedom, and The Rule of Law (Political Philosophy Core Class), Fall 2019

In this paper I will argue that upon examination of de Tocqueville’s views on equality of conditions and the inextricable link to democracy and democratic process; it is more important to foster the freedoms argued by Yoder than to preserve the quality of a vote through education by making Wisconsin accredited school attendance through age 16 mandatory. I will do this by outlining de Tocqueville’s position on the unique tie between democracy and equality of conditions as well as the importance and problems of a fully equal society. Next, I will detail the conflict of ideals that lead to Wisconsin v. Yoder in terms of rights and freedom. Finally, I will call on de Tocqueville’s overriding view of the democratic process, where the quality of the vote and specific legislation are less important than individual rights and the freedom born from equality. Yoder presents a case that more closely adheres to these ideals, and therefore, using de Tocqueville’s reasoning, should be ruled in favor of.

Roast SENsion or
A Critique of Sen’s Economic Theory and Substantive Freedom Through Roosevelt’s 1910 New Nationalism Campaign
Democracy, Freedom, and The Rule of Law (Political Philosophy Core Class), Spring 2020

In this paper I will first outline Sen’s argument for freedom as development and the use of freedom. Next, I will explain Roosevelt’s New Nationalism and use it as a platform to critique Sen’s assertions. Finally, I will argue on behalf of Roosevelt’s definition of freedom by contending that without a system like the New Nationalism, Sen’s argument holds little to no merit.

Induction’s Architect
History of Science and Philosophy (Core Class) Research Paper, Fall 2018

I will argue for the validity of the inductive method by examining the relationship between induction and a Watchmaker God through the critical philosophical lens of Descartes’ Meditations, Paley’s biology, and Hawking’s physics, employing Hume’s rebuttal of intelligent design as the counter argument. I will conclude that if the nature of God is that of a designer then induction must be a valid scientific process.

May I Mambo Dog Face in the Banana Patch
History of Science and Philosophy (Core Class) Research Paper, Spring 2019

In this paper I will argue that, since comedy is a human invention subjectively viewed through an individual’s experience, when analyzing humor, that which is considered comedic relies solely on both cultural and personal context. I will do this by calling on Henri Bergson’s view of comedy as a uniquely human construct and drawing a link to Roland Barthes’ coined notions of studium and punctum. I will first lay the groundwork of the existing theories, making special note of Bergson’s essay Laughter. Next, I will reference Barthes’ Camera Lucida to correlate his terminology for the visual to the performative. Last, I will associate the cultural phenomenon of studium and the personal experience of punctum to demonstrate how humor relies solely on context.

history

Kingship in Ancient Israel, Egypt, and Mesopotamia
History of Ancient Civilizations, Fall 2016

Israel, Egypt, and Mesopotamia were three ancient civilizations ruled by kings. Each culture had distinct expectations for the role of a king. Examining each civilization in terms of the king’s relationship to divinity, his role in protection from invasion, and peoples’ hope of him providing quality of life is key to understanding their similarities and differences. All shared the desire for military leadership and to have a king that exemplified their individual culture. These three civilizations differed in terms of their king’s relationship with divinity.