School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses
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ItemSchopenhauer's will and the nature of human agency( 2001)Much of the criticism of Schopenhauer's philosophy stems from his apparent inability to reconcile his metaphysical theory of the `World as Will' with his epistemological views. Schopenhauer's theory of representation involves the claim that knowledge is conditioned by the a priori forms which the knowing subject imposes on experience, implying that proper knowledge can be only of representations. In his metaphysical writings, Schopenhauer asserts that a direct awareness of ourselves experienced in self-consciousness enables us to discern the nature of the thing-in-itself, and identify it with will. The claim that `the thing-in-itself is will' breaches the unknowability thesis concerning things as they are in themselves. In this paper I suggest that the noumenal designation that Schopenhauer envisages for his concept of the will is inappropriate, and that an alternative characterisation of Schopenhauer's concept of the will better expresses his philosophical purpose. The crucial contention is that Schopenhauer misappropriates the Kantian notion of the thing-in-itself and that he employs it in a manner distinctly different from Kant. Schopenhauer does not consider the thing-in-itself to be the causal ground of phenomena, and there are good grounds to suggest that, instead, he considers it to be 'the essence of all that is'. I' maintain that the main advantage of the view that Schopenhauer's concept of the will entails an 'essentialist' rather than noumenal designation, is its capacity to reconcile some aspects: of Schopenhauer's metaphysics with the demands of his theory of representation - and I utilise Young's characterisation of the Schopenhauerian 'will' as a metaphysical, yet non-noumenal essence of the phenomenal world, to demonstrate this claim. Thereafter I examine the significance of this interpretation of Schopenhauer's concept of the will to other parts of his philosophy: specifically, its influence on Schopenhauer's account of the self, his determinism and his conception of human agency. Finally, I present a standard criticism which can be raised against Schopenhauer's account of human agency, and submit a revised version of his account, which, I contend is capable of withstanding the standard criticism, whilst preserving most of Schopenhauer's important insights in this area.
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ItemIndigenous representation in Australia's frontier and foreign wars( 2005)This thesis investigates the evolving perception of Australian identity and its impact on the commemoration of Indigenous soldiers. Structured around three case studies, this thesis follows a chronological timeline of commemorative practices characteristically colonial in its presentation of Indigenous Australian communities. The first chapter focuses on colonial constructions of national identity and its influences on the legacy of Captain Reginald Saunders, the first Aboriginal Australian to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian Army. Referencing his 1960s biography and textual memorial, The Embarrassing Australian by Harry Gordon, this thesis argues that it is only through the language of assimilation that Saunders was accepted as an "Australian" and appropriately commemorated for his military achievement. The second chapter highlights evolving perceptions of Australian history and national identity and the impact of Indigenous soldier commemoration within the Australian War Memorial. While the Memorial initially disregarded the Indigenous Australian contribution to the war effort, it has since evolved to acknowledge their role within its galleries. The final chapter looks at museums and their representation of Indigenous soldiers during the Frontier Wars. The portrayal of Indigenous soldiers, either as savages or warriors, among the museum displays and storyboards reflect how the nation chooses to publicly commemorate them. The methods adopted by museums reveal their rejection or acceptance of the Indigenous story of European colonization. By showing how forms of representation are tied to historical moments in regards to Indigenous soldiers and linking these commemorative trends with Australian national identity this research both adds to the body of literature on Australian commemoration and foreshadows an evolving trend where perceptions of "nation" are increasingly willing to embrace an Indigenous past into its definition.
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ItemSatisfying their egos: Eugene von Guérard's homestead 'portraits', 1855-1875( 1998)Eugene von Guerard (1811-1901), a German artist, lived for twenty-eight years inAustralia (1853-1881) and achieved considerable success as a painter. He was a popular and the most controversial Australian artist of the middle of the nineteenth century. His contribution to Australian art was largely forgotten until the 1960s. Von Guerard has mainly been presented as a landscape artist and poorly regarded as a country property painter. My research examines von Guerard as a homestead painter(1855-1875), who was commissioned by wealthy squatters to immortalise their success and prosperity in paintings of their estates. I have analysed five of von Guerard's paintings, of three homesteads "'Purrumbete' from across the Lake" and "From the verandah of 'Purrumbete'" (1858), two canvases of "Bushy Park" (1861)and "Glenara". He skilfully linked the diverse elements of the landscape, the history of human occupation and the achievements of the proprietors. Von Guerard's style of painting incorporated Romantic traditions and the English traditions of country house painting, which the squatters, who were of British background, wanted to see in their paintings. By combining these traditions, the artist represented the commissioners' homesteads according to their personal request and aspirations. Von Guerard depicted in detail the wishes, ambitions, desires and achievements of the squatters - to satisfy their egos. He recorded the possessions of the estate owners' in art and presented a view and perception what was wanted by commissioners. He created a portraiture of the history of the squatters and symbolised the objects significant to them and particular events in their lives. Von Guerard's homestead 'portraits' are valuable as historical documents. They arevisual records of the development of the colony, the squatters' establishment of the Old Word traditions and their status in Australia.