Philosophy and Religious Studies
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Open Access A Neo-Searlean Theory of Intentionality(2021) Georgalis, NicholasItem Open Access A Bioethical Consideration of End of Life Care(2015) Williams, Ellen; Smith, James; PhilosophyThis project is a thesis on the bioethical considerations involved in moving a terminally ill patient to End of Life Care, commonly known as comfort care. Literature reviews have been carefully integrated, as well as a thorough investigation on the foundational structure involved in making morally sound bioethical judgments. Particular consideration is given to distinguishing the point at which it is time to transition the focus from fighting a patient’s illness to providing the patient with as much comfort as possible as they move towards death, making sure to lend support while exemplifying the foundational moral principles involved.Item Open Access THE GLOBALIZATION OF MEDICINE: A LOOK AT AYURVEDA’S INCREASING PRESCENCE IN BIOMEDICINE(2015) Trivedi, Mansi; Maher, Derek F.; PhilosophyThis thesis examines the rich history, principles, and methodology of the traditional Indian medical system called Ayurvedic medicine, how it is being adapted through its contact with biomedicine, and how it is presently being practiced in India. The earliest evidence of healthcare in India can be traced to the Dravidian civilization of the Indus River Valley more than 4,500 years ago. However, the written origins of Indian medical practices emerge out of the earliest primary texts of Hinduism compiled about 3,500 years ago. It is in these texts that the central concepts of Ayurveda are first mentioned, including the three doṣas or humors, dimensions of the body that must be in balance in order for a person to experience good health. Subsequent Hindu scriptures consider how health and spirituality are related to each other and reveal the historical development of Ayurvedic medical principles. It is from this religious context that Ayurveda emerges as a systematic medical tradition in approximately 450 BCE. Ayurveda has proven to be a dynamic tradition, responding to ever-changing cultural influences and historical movements. However, as new practices have been assimilated into the tradition, old ones are preserved or adapted. As a consequence, Ayurveda has remained current and meaningful to people throughout the centuries, and it has endured as a medical practice in India for over 2,500 years. More recently, the mutual influence and convergence of ideas between cultures and religions has led to the globalization of medicine. The increasing interaction between Ayurvedic medicine and biomedicine provides a fascinating case study of such intercultural exchanges. In this study, I will explore these interactions through the examination of Ayurvedic practices and principles relating to reproductive medicine, both through textual analysis and field research in India.Item Open Access Challenges, Negotiations, and Feminism in the Tijaniyya Order in Senegal and Nigeria(2014) Potter, Hannah, M.; Wangila, Mary, N; PhilosophySufism, which is a mystical form of Islam, serves as the main form of religion followed by people living in West Africa. The prominence of Sufism throughout West Africa has provided leadership roles for women not usually granted through their societies or other more orthodox forms of Islam. More specifically, the Tijaniyya order, primarily located in Senegal and Nigeria, played a key role in expanding the access for women to the practices of the movement. A main part of Sufi teachings is a teacher student relationship, otherwise known as a muqaddam (a), or spiritual guide. For most of history, the position was reserved for men, but with the teachings of Sheik Niasse, many women were appointed to serve the role of muqadamma within the Tijaniyya order. / In taking these leadership roles, however, women must embrace characteristics that inherently keep them subordinate to their male counterparts. Through this paper, I hope to understand motivations for including women in these movements, the goals, the benefits, and the challenges these women face for participating in such an institution. The voices of the women indicate that any person with a true connection with the higher deities does not see any separation between male and female. There is conscious resistance to the Western liberal feminist view on gender relations, and the Sufi women of the Tijani order express their will to create gender relations in their own way, which is often reflective of indigenous cultural values. The actions and words of these women reveal a type of feminism, which ultimately liberates and strengthens the women who are participating in leadership roles within the Tijani order in Senegal and Nigeria. /