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The aim of this thesis is to explore the extent to which formal logic can be applied to the topic of conflict analysis and conflict resolution. It is motivated by the idea that conflicts can be understood as inconsistent sets of goals, beliefs, norms, emotions, or the like. To achieve this aim, two formal frameworks are presented. Conflict Modelling Logic (CML) is a logical system, based on...

In this study, I consider the status of the academic discipline of entrepreneurship as represented in refereed journal articles and citations in the Web of Science database within a broad philosophical framework, developed for this investigative purpose. This dissertation firstly explores an understanding of knowledge as offered by French social theorist, Michael Foucault, identifying two...

International Trade Policy Research CentreSome look to holy books for hints, even gems; some to literature; others to the wiser scientists and statesmen. Philosophers on the hunt have always had the riddle like fragments of the Pre-Socratics, the tantalising remains brought to us care of the destruction of the great library at Alexandria. Strip away the details, the dust of subtle squabbles, and we recover at the core the worlds of... [Working or Discussion Paper]

International Trade Policy Research CentreSome look to holy books for hints, even gems; some to literature; others to the wiser scientists and statesmen. Philosophers on the hunt have always had the riddle like fragments of the Pre-Socratics, the tantalising remains brought to us care of the destruction of the great library at Alexandria. Strip away the details, the dust of subtle squabbles, and we recover at the core the worlds of... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Book Review: This book, officially a contribution to the subject area of Charles Peirce’s semiotics, deserves a wider readership, including philosophers. Its subject matter is what might be termed the great question of how signification is brought about (what Peirce called the ‘riddle of the Sphinx’, who in Emerson’s poem famously asked, ‘Who taught thee me to name?’), and also...This is an author's accepted version of an article published in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy. ©2006 Australasian Association of Philosophy. [Journal Article]

This research operates at both the meeting of wilderness and landscape, and also landscape architecture and design-directed research. It applies a phenomenological understanding of landscape to the New Zealand conservation estate as a means to reconsider wilderness’ prevalent framing as an untouched ‘other’. It does this through enlisting the designerly imperative found within landscape... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Despite its origins in England two hundred years ago, the picturesque continues to influence landscape architectural practice in late twentieth-century New Zealand. The evidence for this is derived from a close reading of the published discourse of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects, particularly the now defunct professional journal, The Landscape. Through conceptualising the... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Time, landscape and memory represent a potent triumvirate. Each is embedded within the other, and the landscape architect has a critical role to play in orchestrating connections. In this paper I explore the hegemony of the visual over the other senses, and contrast this with the potency which the sense of smell has in the context of evoking time and memory. I identify some opportunities for... [Conference Paper]

Paper presented at the conference Globalisation and Landscape Architecture, held at St. Petersburg State Forest Technical Academy, Russia, 3-6 June 2007.One of the most insidious influences of globalisation on landscape architecture is the hegemony of the visual. The dominance of visuality is nothing new, having been spawned during the Enlightenment, yet it has rapidly gained momentum under the auspices of globalisation's colonisation of space and time. Design professions have embraced digital media, and as a concomitant of this, have... [Conference Paper]

This phenomenological study has been conducted to reveal midwives’ experiences working as coordinator/charge midwives in tertiary hospital delivery suite settings. The methodology is informed by Heidegger’s interpretive phenomenological, hermeneutic philosophy (1927/1962). Data analysis is based on van Manen’s (1990) research methodology. Five coordinator/charge midwives who work at three... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Describes an experiment in teaching undergraduate epistemology, guided by Peirce’s pragmatic maxim.This is an author’s accepted version. This article was published as Legg, C. (2008). Letting reality bite. Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 44(2), 208-212. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or distributed, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photographic, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Indiana... [Journal Article]

In this paper we propose the design of a tool that will allow the construction of a formal, textual description of a software system even if it has a graphical user-interface as a component. An important aspect of this design is that it can be used for two purposes-the teaching of first-order logic and the formal specification of graphical user-interfaces. The design has been suggested by...©1996 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE. [Conference Item]

This thesis has investigated the life and publications of Mary Wollstonecraft. The thesis is divided in to three chapters the first chapter explores the political and social context of late Eighteenth century England in which Wollstonecraft lived the majority of her life. It then moves on to discuss the 'Revolution Controversy' and Wollstonecraft's contribution to that debate.... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Most cognitive studies of religion adopt a modular theory of cognition. The 'space'that is studied is often the 'space between the ears'. Culture and religion are viewed as by-products of more entrenched features of our brains. Although this 'Standard Model' explains many intuitive expressions of religious belief, it has trouble explaining (a) the variability of...

This thesis offers an interpretation of how eight male primary school teachers experience touch between themselves and their pupils/students. Despite the positive benefits of touch and evidence suggesting that appropriate forms of touch should be encouraged, the many meanings, interpretations and reactions to touch potentially complicate the ways in which people react. The potential for touch... [Thesis or Dissertation]

The work in progress, Pick Up Styx, investigates re-sensing and extra-sensing of the world. It is an exploration of communications with reference to quantum theory which challenges current sense perceptions, while engaging and exploring the notion of communications as signals. The methodology is a winding, coiling motion between research and creative practice based on the way my grandmother... [Thesis or Dissertation]

This study explores the meaning of occupation, defined as a “conceptual entity… [which] includes all the things that people do in their everyday life” (Sundkvist & Zingmark, 2003, p. 40). Using a phenomenological hermeneutic method informed by the writings of Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) and Hans-Georg Gadamer (1900-2002), this study provides an understanding of the meaning of... [Thesis or Dissertation]

The notion of recovery from mental illness has become a significant force in mental health policy, practice and literature. As a process, recovery can been described as the lived experience of personal growth and search for meaning after the onset of mental illness. The following phenomenological inquiry seeks to understand the meaning of day-to-day activities for 13 people in recovery from... [Thesis or Dissertation]

The Methodist Mission Northern has provided social services to the community since 1851. The underpinning philosophy of Methodist Mission Northern’s service provision is that of being a Good Neighbour. The concept of Good Neighbour derives from the Old and the New Testaments of the Holy Bible, the Hebrew Scriptures and also public policy. A defining moment in the emergence of Christian... [Thesis or Dissertation]

The relationship between teacher and student has always been a central interest of the educational process. While the nature of this relationship can be understood from various theoretical frameworks, research that seeks to understand the “lived experience” of this relationship is less prevalent. This research explores the phenomenological nature of the teacher-student relationship in the... [Thesis or Dissertation]

This research project will explore American philosopher John Dewey’s theory of transaction, and Shannon Sullivan’s interpretation of Dewey’s theory, the ‘Transactional Body’, and their inherent potential for the making and reception of painting. Dewey stated (Dewey, cited in Sullivan: 1-2) that organisms live as much in processes across and 'through' skins as in processes... [Thesis or Dissertation]

The aim of this thesis is to survey the discussions around the position of sound art within the broader arts, and to explore strategies and research areas within fine art and my own practice, so as to identify new areas of enquiry and develop my work within this field. I investigate the phenomenology of vision and hearing and contrast the different ways these two senses operate as primary... [Thesis or Dissertation]

This thesis is about developing a recovery ethos for psychiatric services in New Zealand. The argument of the thesis is that currently a procedural ethos is dominant in psychiatric services in New Zealand, based on eclectic ways of facilitating recovery. Recovery from mental illness, is based on the criteria of symptom reduction and functioning and can be further refined to have a client and... [Thesis or Dissertation]

This thesis is a historical case study tracing the establishment and evolution of Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) in New Zealand. It describes their role, structure and functions and the political processes that have influenced how they have operated and changed from 1980 to 2005. RTOs are examined in the context of government policies, local and national politics and tourism private and... [Thesis or Dissertation]

An introduction to cat metaphysics. [Book Item]