title: Emancipating critical thinking through aesthetics

authors: Yazici, Furkan

abstract: This thesis examines how critical thinking can be enriched by incorporating imagination, emotions, and aesthetic sensibilities alongside logical reasoning. Traditional models of critical thinking have often excluded these dimensions, limiting their ability to address complex and dynamic contexts. Beginning with an analysis of critical thinking textbooks, the thesis identifies two central gaps: (1) the absence of any role for imagination in critical thinking and (2) a reductive and largely negative view of emotions. It then engages with alternative frameworks, such as Michael Gilbert’s multi-modal argumentation framework, which attempt to move beyond traditional approaches. I argue that although these are a step in the right direction, there is still work to be done to fill these gaps. Drawing on the distinction between propositional and non propositional representations, the thesis proposes a hybrid framework that integrates logical analysis with aesthetic experience. Through an investigation of aesthetic experience and its connection to emotions, imagination and critical thinking, the thesis shows how critical thinking can become a more comprehensive intellectual practice. The application of this enriched model to philosophical inquiry, with a particular focus on the concept of beauty as it applies to philosophy, provides an illustration of the application of the model. Finally, the thesis introduces improvisation as a synthesis of reason, emotion, and imagination. This provides a practical example of the integrated critical thinking approach developed throughout the work.

text: Emancipating critical thinking through aesthetics This thesis examines how critical thinking can be enriched by incorporating imagination, emotions, and aesthetic sensibilities alongside logical reasoning. Traditional models of critical thinking have often excluded these dimensions, limiting their ability to address complex and dynamic contexts. Beginning with an analysis of critical thinking textbooks, the thesis identifies two central gaps: (1) the absence of any role for imagination in critical thinking and (2) a reductive and largely negative view of emotions. It then engages with alternative frameworks, such as Michael Gilbert’s multi-modal argumentation framework, which attempt to move beyond traditional approaches. I argue that although these are a step in the right direction, there is still work to be done to fill these gaps. Drawing on the distinction between propositional and non propositional representations, the thesis proposes a hybrid framework that integrates logical analysis with aesthetic experience. Through an investigation of aesthetic experience and its connection to emotions, imagination and critical thinking, the thesis shows how critical thinking can become a more comprehensive intellectual practice. The application of this enriched model to philosophical inquiry, with a particular focus on the concept of beauty as it applies to philosophy, provides an illustration of the application of the model. Finally, the thesis introduces improvisation as a synthesis of reason, emotion, and imagination. This provides a practical example of the integrated critical thinking approach developed throughout the work.

year: 2025

title: The evolution of China’s nuclear weapons program and doctrine and its implications for international security

authors: Abbasi, Khusrow Akkas

subjects: International Relations

abstract: As China’s power in the international system increases, its strategic policies are changing. This includes its nuclear weapons program and nuclear deterrent policy, viewed as a critical guarantor of Beijing’s security and a tool that supports its growing regional and global interests. China’s evolving nuclear program and doctrine have multidimensional implications. This study critically examines the drivers of China’s ongoing nuclear weapons policy and force modernization by employing neoclassical realism. In doing so, it considers the implications of China’s nuclear program for international and regional security, and for strategic stability by exploring relevant case studies and dyads (China- US, China-Japan, China-South Korea, China-India, and China-Taiwan) and speculates on the future trajectory of China’s nuclear weapons modernization. In this context, China’s contemporary nuclear weapons force modernization is an ongoing process that started in late 2015 under President Xi Jinping’s rule.
The hypothesis of this thesis extends from this line of thinking, holding that the emerging nuclear program of China is increasing regional and international strategic insecurity. This involves China, the US and other regional powers, manifested in a “security dilemma”.1 An empirical and analytical approach is used to evaluate the hypothesis and critically deconstruct prevailing discourses. The methodology employs deductive reasoning that uses existing theory as a foundation for formulating and testing the hypothesis.
The findings show that China’s nuclear weapons policy and ongoing force modernization drivers are primarily structural. However, internal factors within China, such as its leadership and economic development, and bureaucratic competition between different services of the PLA also play a significant role in shaping China’s emerging full-spectrum deterrence posture calibrated towards limited nuclear war fighting. This breeds a spiral of insecurity vis-a-vis the US, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and India, is leading to greater strategic and crisis instability and an intensified security dilemma.

text: The evolution of China’s nuclear weapons program and doctrine and its implications for international security As China’s power in the international system increases, its strategic policies are changing. This includes its nuclear weapons program and nuclear deterrent policy, viewed as a critical guarantor of Beijing’s security and a tool that supports its growing regional and global interests. China’s evolving nuclear program and doctrine have multidimensional implications. This study critically examines the drivers of China’s ongoing nuclear weapons policy and force modernization by employing neoclassical realism. In doing so, it considers the implications of China’s nuclear program for international and regional security, and for strategic stability by exploring relevant case studies and dyads (China- US, China-Japan, China-South Korea, China-India, and China-Taiwan) and speculates on the future trajectory of China’s nuclear weapons modernization. In this context, China’s contemporary nuclear weapons force modernization is an ongoing process that started in late 2015 under President Xi Jinping’s rule.
The hypothesis of this thesis extends from this line of thinking, holding that the emerging nuclear program of China is increasing regional and international strategic insecurity. This involves China, the US and other regional powers, manifested in a “security dilemma”.1 An empirical and analytical approach is used to evaluate the hypothesis and critically deconstruct prevailing discourses. The methodology employs deductive reasoning that uses existing theory as a foundation for formulating and testing the hypothesis.
The findings show that China’s nuclear weapons policy and ongoing force modernization drivers are primarily structural. However, internal factors within China, such as its leadership and economic development, and bureaucratic competition between different services of the PLA also play a significant role in shaping China’s emerging full-spectrum deterrence posture calibrated towards limited nuclear war fighting. This breeds a spiral of insecurity vis-a-vis the US, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and India, is leading to greater strategic and crisis instability and an intensified security dilemma.

year: 2022

title: Character-less programming II: the spreadsheet

authors: Barbour, Robert H.

subjects: computer science

abstract: The spreadsheet is a commonly used, yet under-researched, application tool. Hendry and Green (1994) report fewer than ten entries about spreadsheets in the HCI community literature between 1984 and 1991. The 1993 Human Computer Interaction Proceedings of a Conference on Applications and Case Studies does not list the word 'spreadsheet' in the index whereas databases and wordprocessor are both referenced. The current situation in 1996 is not significantly different. For Polytechnic and University communities, many of whom are involved in teaching about application software, this situation means that the widespread teaching of the tool is simply not being reported in the research literature. The unanswered but researchable question raised in the Hendry and Green (1994) indicate the breadth of the field. Following a summary of these questions, the even more neglected issue of providing culturally appropriate spreadsheet software is raised. A set of constructs for thinking about multicultural software is presented. A model of a procedure for generating an elementary spreadsheet is provided, exemplified and demonstrated for the Maori Language in New Zealand.

text: Character-less programming II: the spreadsheet The spreadsheet is a commonly used, yet under-researched, application tool. Hendry and Green (1994) report fewer than ten entries about spreadsheets in the HCI community literature between 1984 and 1991. The 1993 Human Computer Interaction Proceedings of a Conference on Applications and Case Studies does not list the word 'spreadsheet' in the index whereas databases and wordprocessor are both referenced. The current situation in 1996 is not significantly different. For Polytechnic and University communities, many of whom are involved in teaching about application software, this situation means that the widespread teaching of the tool is simply not being reported in the research literature. The unanswered but researchable question raised in the Hendry and Green (1994) indicate the breadth of the field. Following a summary of these questions, the even more neglected issue of providing culturally appropriate spreadsheet software is raised. A set of constructs for thinking about multicultural software is presented. A model of a procedure for generating an elementary spreadsheet is provided, exemplified and demonstrated for the Maori Language in New Zealand.

year: 1995-11