Is respect something granted or something earned? What about self-respect, is that something granted or earned? Herein, I address the question of what respect is, what kind of respect is the most valuable, and how to gain it. I come to argue that the problem of respect is the distinction between what I call empathetic respect, and reverent respect. Empathetic respect is respect out of having a shared experience, and reverent respect is respect out of reverence for some accomplishment. The (...) problem resides in confusing empathetic and reverent respect as the same. I also eventually come to argue that empathetic respect is granted for most things, but reverent respect is earned. Lastly, I argue that in terms of reverent respect, self-respect (also described as ‘reverent self-respect’) is the most valuable. (shrink)

I am a multifaceted person, as I am sure you are as well. I love philosophy, obviously, but also computer science, programming and video games. I care about robotics, nature, my family and more. However, why is it that I particularly care about writing philosophy when it will most likely not convince anyone? Why care when my writing will most likely fall into obscurity, only to be forgotten in a deluge of other papers, essays, and works that will themselves fall (...) into obscurity, only to also be forgotten? I propose that philosophy is intrinsically important because they are artistic expressions, and artistic expressions are intrinsically valuable explorations into the self. Therefore, philosophy is an intrinsically valuable exploration into the self. (shrink)

A *very brief* reference guide to philosophy. There are generalizations and much left unsaid, it has grammatical issues I am sure. However, this is meant as a guide from which to reference generally, for the absolute beginner to gain access to information from which to begin. Only uploading to share it with my personal community.

In this paper, I consider the mesh theory of Frankfurt that moral responsibility is assessed by a meshing of first-order desires and second-order volitions. I come to argue that these second-order volitions are our rational decision-making process, and should be praised or blamed on the basis of that volition and whether the agent acted according to it.

The brute force concern suggests that self-employment is favorable because being wage-employed entails following directives from an outside source. Gonzalez-Ricoy suggests that there are other instances where following an outside source is favorable, and thus, the brute force concern is no concern at all. In this article, I suggest there to be a difference between those outside directives that are favorable, and wage-employment directives from an employer.

(2023) Employees are commodities to the employer. The employer purchases commodities to maximize profitability. This brief reflection essay looks at a single passage from the “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts” by Marx, Engels and Werke in discussion of what labor is and what it produces. This paper will interpret the passage and defend that interpretation as the case. Then it will look at a possible implication and suggest that it too is the case. This paper will come to argue that employees (...) can never be happy with their work for an employer because commodities are not purchased with happiness of the commodity in mind or as a primary mission for the employer. (shrink)

This essay seeks to finalize a personal conception of the method of philosophizing. It aims to argue that works of philosophy are to be considered as well-informed expressions of belief. It does this by first introducing the topic, considering the broad views of the analytic, continental, and pragmatic traditions, and then presenting an exposition of passages on the topic. Finally, a novel contribution is presented in consideration of those passages before ending in concluding remarks.

(2022) A meditation in regards to Ernest Becker's "Denial of Death," with immortality projects. What does it mean to "leave our mark on the world?".