Noesis: Essays in the History and Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Language, Epistemology and Political Philosophy

In April 2004, the Queen’s University Philosophy Society and Postgraduate Seminar Group hosted a two day conference open to postgraduates in which students could showcase their latest work in an informed and critical environment. In previous years, this same kind of conference had been held in Dublin and so this was a first not just for Queen’s, but for Northern Ireland.Many papers presented over the two days went on to be published in noteworthy journals, an indication of the high quality on display. Given the number of papers presented, not all could be presented in this volume, but what follows is a selection of some of the best received papers, which cover areas as diverse as philosophy of science and mind, epistemology, political philosophy and ethics and a time span stretching from the classical era to modern analytic philosophy. With such a diverse group of philosophical minds gathered together, the chance to hear a new take on a familiar field, or to hear discussion of areas of philosophy one had never come across was not wasted.The diversity of the subject matter under investigation among these papers is the strength of this collection, as it introduces the reader to the vast range of important issues still pressing in philosophy today. The pieces are notable for the accessible way in which they get across effectively their often complex subject matter.