Buddhist traditions are heir to some of the most creative thinkers in world history. The Lives of the Masters series offers lively and reliable introductions to the lives, works, and legacies of key Buddhist teachers, philosophers, contemplatives, and writers. Each volume in the Lives series tells the story of an innovator who embodied the ideals of Buddhism, crafted a dynamic living tradition during his or her lifetime, and bequeathed a vibrant legacy of knowledge and practice to future generations.

La présente étude se propose de repérer les traits principaux de la théorie des systèmes autopoïétiques qui a, depuis le début des années 80, fortement marqué les discours des sciences sociales en Allemagne. Notre analyse se réfère aux concepts-clé de ce nouveau paradigme, élaboré par Niklas Luhmann, et montre leur fonctionnement. La genèse du sens telle quelle s'opère dans la société moderne se trouve au centre de l'intérèt. Avec ses trois dimensions constituantes , le sens peut être mieux observé dans (...) l'ensemble des systèmes, qui est englobé par un environnement de plus en plus complexe. Finalement nous observerons, à titre d'essai, le système littéraire pour y relever les possibilités et les limites de cette nouvelle approche.In the past decade, the mainstream-discourses in German Social Sciences have been strongly influenced by the theoretical design proposed by Niklas Luhman, which is generally called Systems Theory. In the present article I will discuss the dominant conceptions of this extremely abstract approach and focalize my reflections on the problem of the sense : How does sense evolve in social systems and how can it be observed ? Is a better observation garanteed by the unfolding three dimensions of sense ? An exemple like the literary system will show the possibilities and limits of this new paradigm in Social Sciences. (shrink)

With an overview of the most important scientific innovations in 17th century Europe as a background, the focus is on the field of astronomy and its distinction from astrology. The essays collected in this volume are situated within this development of the early modern period.

Der Mathematiker Erhard Weigel (1625-1699) gilt bisher als einer der bedeutendsten deutschen Vertreter der sog. "Fruehaufklärung". Dieser Band hinterfragt nun diesen traditionellen und deshalb allzu bequemen philosophiegeschichtlichen Begriff nach seiner Erklärungsfunktion innerhalb der modernen Wissenschaftsgeschichte. In komparatistischer Sicht auf die deutsche Universitätslandschaft nehmen die Beiträger den institutionellen Rahmen und seine konkreten Auswirkungen auf den Lehrbetrieb in den Blick, um die Bedingungen des damaligen Wissenschaftsverständnisses und seiner Entwicklungsrichtungen zu untersuchen. Im Fokus stehen die Verwandlungen der aristotelischen Basis des Wissenschaftsverständnisses und was (...) sich damalige Universitätslehrer als Autoren explizit (z.B. in Form wissenschaftstheoretischer Schriften und Lehrbuecher) oder implizit (z.B. in Form der von ihnen praktizierten Wissenschaft) unter Wissenschaft vorgestellt und ihrem gelehrten Publikum vermittelt haben. (shrink)

Between June 1702 and December 1708 the astronomer, Kirch in Berlin and the philosopher, Leibniz in Hannover exchanged eleven letters. The letters from Leibniz to Kirch were published in 1900. The author will prove in this article, that the letters, which are kept in the Leibniz-Archives in Hannover, are Kirch's original answers to Leibniz. For first time, these letters will be published here in extracts.

Ethik-Komitees gehören zum festen Bestandteil des Ethikmanagements und der Organisationsethik in klinischen Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens. Entsprechende Ethikstrukturen und die damit verbundenen Angebote stoßen hinsichtlich ihrer Wirksamkeit allerdings an ihre Grenzen. Ihre Arbeitsweisen sind häufig reaktiv und eine Verankerung in den entsprechenden Organisationsebenen fehlt. Ausgehend von diesen Limitationen der klinischen Ethikberatung hat sich die multiprofessionelle „Arbeitsgruppe Ethik“ am Universitätsklinikum Tübingen um die Konzeption und Implementierung eines neuen Ansatzes zur nachhaltigen Integration von ethischen Reflexions- und Entscheidungsprozessen auf den Stationen des UKT bemüht. (...) Mit dem Tübinger Modell der Ethikbeauftragten der Station verfolgt sie ein Pilotprojekt, das speziell geschulte Pflegekräfte aus allen Stationen des UKT als AnsprechpartnerInnen für ethische Fragen einsetzt. Damit stellen die Ethikbeauftragten eine Erweiterung zu etablierten Strukturen der Ethikberatung dar und ergänzen vorhandene Top-Down-Strategien. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die Zielsetzungen des Tübinger Modells dar und schildert erste Erfahrungen in der Umsetzung. Neben der Einbettung in organisationale Strukturen der Ethikberatung werden die stationsinternen und stationsübergreifenden Aufgaben der Ethikbeauftragten dargestellt. Zudem wird das Qualifikationsprogramm für Ethikbeauftragte sowie ein Train-the-Trainer-Konzept vorgestellt, welche eine vertiefende Entwicklung von pflege- und medizinethischer Kompetenzen unterstützen und Sicherheit in den stationsbezogenen Reflexions- und Entscheidungsprozessen vermitteln. (shrink)

We introduce a restricted second-order logic $\textrm{SO}^{\textit{plog}}$ for finite structures where second-order quantification ranges over relations of size at most poly-logarithmic in the size of the structure. We demonstrate the relevance of this logic and complexity class by several problems in database theory. We then prove a Fagin’s style theorem showing that the Boolean queries which can be expressed in the existential fragment of $\textrm{SO}^{\textit{plog}}$ correspond exactly to the class of decision problems that can be computed by a non-deterministic Turing (...) machine with random access to the input in time $O^k)$ for some $k \ge 0$, i.e. to the class of problems computable in non-deterministic poly-logarithmic time. It should be noted that unlike Fagin’s theorem which proves that the existential fragment of second-order logic captures NP over arbitrary finite structures, our result only holds over ordered finite structures, since $\textrm{SO}^{\textit{plog}}$ is too weak as to define a total order of the domain. Nevertheless, $\textrm{SO}^{\textit{plog}}$ provides natural levels of expressibility within poly-logarithmic space in a way which is closely related to how second-order logic provides natural levels of expressibility within polynomial space. Indeed, we show an exact correspondence between the quantifier prefix classes of $\textrm{SO}^{\textit{plog}}$ and the levels of the non-deterministic poly-logarithmic time hierarchy, analogous to the correspondence between the quantifier prefix classes of second-order logic and the polynomial-time hierarchy. Our work closely relates to the constant depth quasipolynomial size AND/OR circuits and corresponding restricted second-order logic defined by David A. Mix Barrington in 1992. We explore this relationship in detail. (shrink)

The book (in German) on “Solar Energy – challenge for research, development and international co-operation” is the report of a study group of the Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. It reviews solar thermal, photovoltaic, and bio mimetic solar energy techniques; prospects of de-central techniques in developing countries; transport and storage of solar energy; and chances for cooperation with Arabic countries and countries of the South of the former Soviet Union. The prospect of large scale energy production in arid areas, and (...) the modern potentials of conducting electricity over long distances by high-voltage DC transmission (V, 2.1) are particularly relevant for the concluding section. Political chances as well as risks were considered for reliable long term cooperation with various Arab countries on these issues. The recommendations appear to be still appropriate 25 years after the book was published, particularly the political advice in favour of cooperation between Europe and suitable countries of the Maghreb. The global time scale of implementation (discussed in chapter I, 7.2) is of the same (high) magnitude as that of other major changes in the history of technology, such as the substitution of sailing ships by steamboats which took almost a century. (shrink)

Habermas’s postmetaphysical reading of Kierkegaard is paradigmatic for his understanding of religion. It shows, why Habermas reduces religion to fideism. Therefore the paper reconstructs Habermas’s reception of Kierkegaard and compares it with the accounts of Dieter Henrich and Michael Theunissen. Furthermore it demonstrates how Habermas makes use of Kierkegaard’s dialectics of existence to formulate his postmetaphysical thesis of a cooperative venture.

The aim of my paper is discussing the question, whether Kierkegaard’s concept of a self can be interpreted as a prereflective form of self-conscious-ness. Thereby, I will connect Kierke-gaard to the tradition of both idealism and romanticism, which have been analyzed by the so-called »Hei-delberger Schule« influenced by Dieter Henrich and especially Manfred Frank. By doing so, I will firstly point out, what a prereflective reasoning of self-consciousness means, and I apply these findings in a second step to Kierke-gaard’s (...) definition of the self by making primarily use of the opening passage of Sickness Unto Death. (shrink)

In bisher einzigartiger Weise fasst dieser Band über die Grenzen der Disziplinen hinweg, aber auch Theorie und Praxis übergreifend die aktuelle Debatte zu den Emotionen in den Künsten zusammen. Die Aufsätze ermöglichen Fachleuten und interessierten Laien einen profunden Einblick in die Frage, was unter Affekt und Gefühl verstanden werden kann und wie Emotionen in den Künsten wirksam werden. Mit Beiträgen u. a. von den Architekten Peter Eisenman und Daniel Libeskind, dem Dichter und Büchner-Preisträger Thomas Kling, dem Komponisten Dieter Schnebel, (...) den Philosophinnen Agnes Heller und Brigitte Scheer, dem Psychologen Rainer Krause unddem Kunsthistoriker Werner Hofmann. Verkaufsargumente: - interdisziplinärer Sammelband, der Theorie und Praxis verbindet - bekannte Namen unter den Beiträgern, u.a. die Architekten Peter Eisenmann und Daniel Libeskind - umfassender überblick über die Debatte zu Emotionen in den Künsten, für interessierte Laien sowie für Fachleute. (shrink)

Unterscheidung der Gegebenheiten von ihrem wahren Wesen. Eine Lehrschrift der Yogacara-Schule in tibetischer Überlieferung. Klaus-Dieter Mathes., Indica et Tibetica Verlag, Swisstal-Odendorf 1996. viii, 256 pp. pb DM64. ISBN 3 923 776 26 8.

Klaus Hentschel and Dieter Hoffmann Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: Physics – Philosophy – Peace Research -/- Review by Kay Herrmann.

First I argue that the prohibition of linguistic self-reference as a solution to the antinomy problem contains a pragmatic contradiction and is thus not only too restrictive, but just inconsistent (chap.1). Furthermore, the possibilities of non-restrictive strategies for antinomy avoidance are discussed, whereby the explicit inclusion of the – pragmatically presuposed – consistency requirement proves to be the optimal strategy (chap.2). The central question here is that about the actual reason for antinomic structures. It turns out to be a form (...) of negative self-conditioning (chap.3). This makes it necessary to clarify the status of negative concepts (chap.4). The generalization of these considerations (chap.5) leads to the actual analysis of the antinomic basic structure (chap.6): Decisively for the pragmatics of the concept is that it positively owns a meaning, so that positivity is always constituted by the concept qua concept. Thus a negative concept is characterized by a fundamental ambivalence: From a semantic point of view it has negative character, in its pragmatic status as a concept, however, it has positive character. If the meaning is especially that of a negative self-reference, the ambivalence leads to the antinomic constellation of a negative self-condition – that is the crux of the matter here! The concept thus possesses the property defined by it exactly when it does not possess it and vice versa. A closer analysis shows that the function of reflective structures for the occurrence of antinomies has to be judged much more differentiated than previous opinions suggest. Not only are four forms of reflectivity to be distinguished in this context – ontic, semantic, pragmatic reflectivity, and especially the form of negative self-condition; but it is also apparent that these are intertwined with each other in a way that is difficult to be understood. The astonishing variety of relationships associated with this makes the irritation that has always emanated from the antinomy problem appear more comprehensible. In the developed pragmatic perspective furtheron parallels to the structure of self-consciousness become visible (chap.7). I conclude with considerations about the significance of the antinomic structure for the problem of dialectics, especially for the synthesis formation of mutually exclusive terms (chap.8). ---------- Zunächst wird gezeigt, dass das Verbot sprachlicher Selbstreferenz als Lösung des Antinomienproblems einen pragmatischen Widerspruch enthält und damit nicht nur zu restriktiv, sondern geradezu inkonsistent ist (Kap.1). Ferner werden Möglichkeiten nicht-restriktiver Strategien zur Antinomienvermeidung diskutiert, wobei sich die explizite Einbindung der – pragmatisch präsupponierten – Konsistenzforderung als optimale Strategie erweist (Kap.2). Zentral ist hier die Frage nach dem eigentlichen Grund antinomischer Strukturen. Er erweist sich als eine Form von negativer Selbst-Bedingung (Kap.3). Dies nötigt zu einer Klärung des Status negativer Begriffe (Kap.4). Die Verallgemeinerung dieser Überlegungen (Kap.5) leitet über zur eigentlichen Analyse der antinomischen Grundstruktur (Kap.6): Entscheidend zur Pragmatik des Begriffs gehört, dass ihm eine Bedeutung positiv zukommt, sodass durch den Begriff qua Begriff stets auch Positivität konstituiert ist. Dadurch ist ein negativer Begriff durch eine prinzipielle Ambivalenz gekennzeichnet: In semantischer Hinsicht hat er negativen Charakter, in seinem pragmatischen Status als Begriff hingegen positiven Charakter. Ist die Bedeutung insbesondere die eines negativen Selbstbezugs, führt die Ambivalenz zur antinomischen Konstellation einer negativen Selbst-Bedingung – das ist hier der springende Punkt! Der Begriff besitzt so die durch ihn definierte Eigenschaft genau dann, wenn er sie nicht besitzt und umgekehrt. Die nähere Analyse zeigt, dass hierbei die Funktion reflexiver Strukturen für das Auftreten von Antinomien weitaus differenzierter zu beurteilen ist, als bisherige Auffassungen nahelegen. Nicht nur dass in diesem Kontext vier Formen von Reflexivität – ontische, semantische, pragmatische Reflexivität und insbesondere auch die Form negativer Selbstbedingung – unterschieden werden müssen; es zeigt sich auch, dass diese in schwer durchschaubarer Weise ineinander verschränkt sind. Die damit verbundene erstaunliche Beziehungsvielfalt läßt die Irritation, die seit je vom Antinomienproblem ausging, begreiflicher erscheinen. In der entwickelten pragmatischen Perspektive werden ferner Parallelen zur Struktur von Selbstbewußtsein sichtbar (Kap.7). Ich schließe mit Überlegungen zur Bedeutung der antinomischen Struktur für das Problem der Dialektik, insbesondere zur Synthesebildung einander ausschließender Bestimmungen (Kap.8). (shrink)

[[[ (Here only the chapters 3 – 8, see *** ) First I argue that the prohibition of linguistic self-reference as a solution to the antinomy problem contains a pragmatic contradiction and is thus not only too restrictive, but just inconsistent (chap.1). Furthermore, the possibilities of non-restrictive strategies for antinomy avoidance are discussed, whereby the explicit inclusion of the – pragmatically presuposed – consistency requirement proves to be the optimal strategy (chap.2). ]]] The central question here is that about the (...) actual reason for antinomic structures. It turns out to be a form of negative self-conditioning (chap.3). This makes it necessary to clarify the status of negative concepts (chap.4). The generalization of these considerations (chap.5) leads to the actual analysis of the antinomic basic structure (chap.6): Decisively for the pragmatics of the concept is that it positively owns a meaning, so that positivity is always constituted by the concept qua concept. Thus a negative concept is characterized by a fundamental ambivalence: From a semantic point of view it has negative character, in its pragmatic status as a concept, however, it has positive character. If the meaning is especially that of a negative self-reference, the ambivalence leads to the antinomic constellation of a negative self-condition – that is the crux of the matter here! The concept thus possesses the property defined by it exactly when it does not possess it and vice versa. A closer analysis shows that the function of reflective structures for the occurrence of antinomies has to be judged much more differentiated than previous opinions suggest. Not only are four forms of reflectivity to be distinguished in this context – ontic, semantic, pragmatic reflectivity, and especially the form of negative self-condition; but it is also apparent that these are intertwined with each other in a way that is difficult to be understood. The astonishing variety of relationships associated with this makes the irritation that has always emanated from the antinomy problem appear more comprehensible. In the developed pragmatic perspective furtheron parallels to the structure of self-consciousness become visible (chap.7). I conclude with considerations about the significance of the antinomic structure for the problem of dialectics, especially for the synthesis formation of mutually exclusive terms (chap.8). (shrink)

The present investigation brings into view the philosophy of nature of German Idealism, a philosophical movement which emerged around the beginning of the nineteenth century. German Idealism appro- priated certain motivations of the Kantian philosophy and developed them further in a "speculative" manner (Engelhardt 1972, 1976, 2002). This powerful philosophical movement, associated above all with the names of Fichte, Schelling and Hegel - and moreover having nothing whatsoever to do with the "subjective idealism" of George Berkeley - was replaced by (...) philosophical positions designated roughly as metaphysics of the will, Marxism, life-philosophy, phenomenology and existentialism, as well as positivism, empiricism, philosophy of science, the linguistic turn, and analytic philosophy. These philosophical positions more or less still shape us today. German Idealism amounts to a virtual intellectual-historical antithesis to these movements and thus presents itself in retrospect as a striking alternative. The basis of Idealism - in its various respective forms - is the ideal <Ideelle>, and thus the opposite of that which is real. It continually takes as its task explaining the real in terms of the ideal, and this is especially true of the Idealists' philosophy of nature.' Is this a hopeless undertaking? Does Idealism not lack an empirical basis? Can one secure any solid ground whatsoever in the ether of the ideal? In what follows, I explain how, more than anyone else, Schelling and Hegel sought to handle this problem and to cope with it. By way of anticipation, a clear preference for the Hegelian philosophy of nature will emerge in what follows, a preference which may come as some surprise considering how much controversy has surrounded the significance of that view. The project of renewing a thoroughgoing philosophy of nature can meaningfully begin here. (shrink)

The study ties in with former considerations concerning the problem of phenomenal perception of higher animals. Accordingly the phenomenal character, qualia included, results from the adjustment of perceptions to (typal) behavioral dispositions under the principle of self-preservation: an emergence phenomenon provided by the constitutive system unity of perception and behavior, here characterized as percept-act-system. Thereby the subject of behavior can be explained as an emergent instance of the – system-theoretically highest rank – percept-act-level. In terms of the principle of self-preservation (...) it subjects all sensations to an valuation. Perception thus gaining existential sense for the subject, a psychic sense-dimension is spanned which as such does not own physical but ideal character. Accessing Hegel this is further interpreted: Accordingly the ontological basis of this view is the lawfulness of nature, understood as the ideal essence underlying it. In virtue of this – basically Hegelian-type idealistic – conception the material being of nature always encloses the possibility of the psychic, according to that ideal substratum of nature. (shrink)