The aim of this paper is to present a proof to the conclusion that is impossible to traverse an infinite series (in particular, an infinite series of past moments). This may also show (given additional assumptions) that the series of past moments cannot be infinite. In the first section I formulate five theses concerning traversing, successive addition and successive subtraction and I present the idea of the argument: if it were possible to traverse an infinite past, it should be in (...) principle possible to go back, which is, however, impossible. The main body of the paper is concerned with working out a simple mathematical representation of some structural features of processes like traversing and successive addition. I also make a crucial distinction between completion of a process at a particular time and its timeless "completion" in infinite time. In section V, I present the formal proof and defend it against a possible objection of question-begging. Finally, I suggest that my argume. (shrink)

In current research on the work of Franz Kafka, war issues occur rather incidentally. In the presented article, the Author points out the omission of kafkology and tries to indicate possible directions of belumic interpretation. The sketch for Kafka’s war portrait is inspired by the short story Fratricide. The text, which shows the inspiration of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, is a beginning of Kafka’s thinking about a world determined by violence, controlled by a bloody conflict. The first (...) assassination is a prototype of mass destruction, war and genocide. Kafka seems to have subordinated his future feature projects on the subject of war. The author of the article postulates the reading of Kafka’s books as texts about war, not only about the metaphorical one but also the real one. (shrink)

Niektóre fragmenty książki mogą przywodzić na myśl filozofię Gianniego Vattimo, który dokonuje bardzo ciekawej reinterpretacji tradycji katolickiej, ale w wersji zsekularyzowanej i całkowicie immanentnej. Głębsze rozważenie tego wątku mogłoby wzbogacić i tak niezwykle erudycyjną oraz bardzo fachowo napisaną książkę. --------------- Zgłoszono: 06/09/2020. Zrecenzowano: 31/10/2020. Zaakceptowano do publikacji: 24/11/2021.

Catholics in the liberal pluralism state. Facing secularisation in the monthly Znak : The aim of this paper is to analyse the philosophical, sociological, politological, theological and press articles on the issue of secularisation that were published in the monthly Znak during 1989–2000. A definition of secularisation is employed that was coined by Charles Taylor in A secular age. It is understood as the endurance of religion in a plural society. The paper delineates three stands that the Znak Catholics have (...) taken when facing secularisation: an open catholicity; a liberal faith; and an ambiguous one. The first approach involves confronting one’s liberal, secular partners in public debates, with a focus on finding some of their points acceptable according to the Church doctrine. Nevertheless, it is burdened with the anxiety of losing one’s own identity. The second approach emphasises some of the connections between liberal and Christian ideas. A particular meaning of liberty and authenticity in human existence is stressed. In the third approach, although it does not admit to its malevolence, the liberal ideas are treated with sharp criticism. Liberalism is accused of limiting the role of religion in a plural society. In the conclusion to the paper, an attempt is made to present the current relations between liberalism and Christianity in Po‑ land. A deep recent transformation is revealed. It is believed that Znak will lose its function as a continuity sustainer in the next few years. (shrink)

W artykule O wątpliwej moralności pewnych rozpowszechnionych form modlitwy Saul Smi- lansky rekonstruuje założenia moralnie niedopuszczalnej modlitwy. Założenia te dotyczą sposobu, w jaki Bóg wysłuchuje próśb modlących się ludzi, moralnego poziomu bóstwa i tych, którzy się modlą, a także natury relacji między modlitwą a wysłuchaniem jej przez Boga. W niniejszym artykule, podaję powody, dla których uważam, iż dokonana przez niego rekonstrukcja nie jest poprawna. Argumentuję, że niedopuszczalna moralnie modlitwa, o jakiej pisze Smilansky, w ogóle nie jest możliwa. Wskazanych przez niego (...) założeń nie da się odnaleźć wśród założeń faktycznie modlących się ludzi. Nawet gdyby dało się je odnaleźć, niemożliwe jest ich łączne występowanie. Każdy, kto się modli, robi tym samym coś dobrego. Krytyka Smilansky’ego skierowana jest przeciwko czemuś, co faktycznie nie istnieje i nie może istnieć, dlatego nie dostarcza powodów, dla których należałoby uznać za niedopuszczalną jakąkolwiek modlitwę. (shrink)

What would it look like for researchers to take non-human animal rights seriously? Recent discussions foster the impression that scientific practice needs to be reformed to make animal research ethical: just as there is ethically rigorous human research, so there can be ethically rigorous animal research. We argue that practically little existing animal research would be ethical and that ethical animal research is not scalable. Since animal research is integral to the existing scientific paradigm, taking animal rights seriously requires a (...) radical, wholesale reimagining of science.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05340426. (shrink)

In this article I propose a new concept: The Embodied Mind of God. I also point out the benefits that can flow from using it. This concept is combination of two concepts broadly discussed in contemporary philosophy: „The Mind of God” and „The Embodied Mind”. In my opinion this new concept can be very useful in the area of Philosophical Christology, because one of the most important questions there concerns the mind of Jesus Christ - Incarnate Son of God. I (...) present my own model of Christ’s mind that is able to avoid at least part of the problems faced by christology and sheds the new light on some of epistemological issues. (shrink)

That which connects ethics and epistemology is the concept of truth. The threads concerned with the ethical and epistemological understanding of truth are interwoven throughout the history of philosophy. They are also interwoven in Józef Tischner’s philosophy. In Tischner’s thought, the description of this interweave and its consequences, as well as ways of dealing with it, are very inspiring. In the present paper, I address Tischner’s highly interesting analysis of the development of the “political reason.” Then I juxtapose this analysis (...) with Tischner’s demand concerning the “ethics of truth.” I also show how Tischner, by referring to the Gospel and proposing a peculiar ‘Christological imperative,’ resolves dilemmas emerging at the interface of epistemology and ethics. Thanks to the reference to Christ, who not only realizes the ideal of the “ethics of truth,” but also becomes the privileged “vantage point of the world,” and thus a peculiar epistemological centre, the connection between the epistemological and ethical dimensions of truth is established. Also, a sufficiently solid justification for the demand that the “ethics of truth” be realized becomes possible, and the way of defending oneself against the charm spread by the “political reason” and its works is identified. (shrink)

Boża ukrytość jest problemem, który domaga się potraktowania z należytą powagą. Nie należy od tego problemu uciekać. Nie należy również ułatwiać sobie sprawy z Bożym ukryciem przez wprowadzanie rozwiązań, które sprawiają, że napięcie związane z problemem ukrytości znika lub zostaje złagodzone. Zaproponowane przeze mnie w książce Źródło i noc. Wprowadzenie do współczesnego absconditeizmu rozwiązanie, które nazwałem absconditeizmem, jest próbą zmierzenia się z problemem ukrytości w jego najmocniejszej możliwej postaci. Rozważam ten problem, biorąc pod uwagę również najmocniejszą wersję teizmu, którą określa (...) się jako klasyczny teizm. Artykuł stanowi łączną odpowiedź na teksty, których autorami są Maciej Bała, Ryszard Mordarski oraz Marek Słomka. Odnoszę się do pojawiających się w wyżej wymienionych tekstach krytyk, doprecyzowuję moje stanowisko oraz przedstawiam racje, dla których uważam, iż proponowany przeze mnie absconditeizm, stanowiący poważne i unikające ułatwień ujęcie problemu ukrytości, jest właściwym sposobem podejmowania tego zagadnienia. (shrink)

In the contemporary version of the discussion around the problem of God’s hiddenness, which was initiated by the argument presented by John Schellenberg, the problem is posed in a way that differs significantly from its traditional presentation. However, there is no shortage of references to thinkers of the past who have grappled with the problem of divine hiddenness. Among these, there are occasional references to authors belonging to the medieval period: Anselm of Canterbury and Thomas Aquinas. However, none of the (...) authors involved in the contemporary dispute refers to the thought of Bonaventure. In my paper, I intend to present and discuss the themes related to divine hiddenness that can be found in the theological works of Bonaventure. I will show their place and importance in the theological system of the Master of Bagnoregio. I will also indicate possible ways in which these themes can be used in contemporary philosophical discussion. (shrink)

W książce Między ukryciem a jawnością. Esej z filozofii religii i teologii filozoficznej Jacek Wojtysiak podejmuje między innymi zagadnienie Bożej dobroci. Poszukuje najbardziej przekonującej odpowiedzi na pytanie o to, jak pogodzić z istnieniem Boga wielki fakt zła. Proponuje także reinterpretację tradycyjnego ujęcia Bożej dobroci poprzez rozwinięcie koncepcji Briana Daviesa. Uważam, że podjęta przez J. Wojtysiaka próba może zostać uzupełniona o kilka istotnych kwestii. W niniejszym tekście wskazuję możliwe uzupełnienia i dopowiedzenia. Zwracam uwagę na możliwe niepożądane konsekwencje płynące z niektórych proponowanych (...) przez J. Wojtysiaka rozwiązań. Pokazuję także, w jaki sposób można by uzupełnić propozycję Autora, by możliwe było uniknięcie tych konsekwencji. Zwracam uwagę na wskazywane w dyskusjach wokół problemów zła i Bożej ukrytości niebezpieczeństwa związane z modyfikacją przypisywanego Bogu atrybutu dobroci. Dyskutuję zagadnienie „łaski kreacyjnej”, umieszczając je w nieco innym, niż to czyni Autor, kontekście. Na koniec, podejmując wyzwanie rzucone przez J. Wojtysiaka, polegające na próbie pogodzenia wielkiego faktu zła z Bożą dobrocią, przedstawiam propozycję nowego ujęcia tego zagadnienia. (shrink)

In the paper I propose a modification of the position called “Skeptical Theism.” It was created as a response to two most serious arguments against the existence of God: “the argument from evil” and “the argument from hiddenness.” The paper attempts to answer the questions: how sceptical theism differs from other forms of theism? Is “Skeptical Theism” a step forward in dealing with the problem of evil and the problem of hiddenness? Is it possible to modify “skeptical theism” in such (...) a way that it is able to cover individual cases of experiencing evil and the feeling that God is absent. “Individualized Skeptical Theism” that I propose not only contains all the new elements that “Skeptical Theism” has brought to the discussion of the problem of evil and the problem of hiddenness, but also secures the element of individuality that is present in every person’s struggle with these problems. It also allows us to outline strategies that may prove useful for supporters of theism, the most important of which is the testimony of one’s own struggle with the problem of evil and the problem of hiddenness. (shrink)

The aim of this article was to prepare a basis for further quantitative research concerning the nutritional knowledge of medical professionals (doctors) and dieticians in view of the accuracy of dietary recommendations given to patients. For this purpose, a review of literature data in this area was performed and logical fallacies were proposed as the ‘tool’ that doctors rely on in cases when they lack the proper knowledge required to be able give an informed and beneficial recommendation. In the course (...) of the study, it was found that nutritional education is neglected in medical curricula, while dieticians are underused as professionals in clinical settings. Furthermore, numerous characteristics of the medical profession and the doctor–patient relationship are conducive to committing several types of logical fallacies, prompted mainly by the need for providing advice without delay and the infallibility traditionally expected from doctors. Hence, the gaps in nutritional knowledge and the fallacious character of recommendations, in addition to the re-valuation of the role of the nutritionist, need to be further investigated in order to improve the quality of patient advice in the area of dietary requirements as well as to propose the necessary changes in curricula. (shrink)

Provability logics are, roughly speaking, modal logics meant to capture the formal principles of various provability operators or predicates.

The main goal of this paper is to provide an abstract framework for constructing proof systems for various many-valued logics. Using the framework it is possible to generate strongly complete proof systems with respect to any finitely valued deterministic and non-deterministic logic. I provide a couple of examples of proof systems for well-known many-valued logics and prove the completeness of proof systems generated by the framework.

This paper critically examines and evaluates Yacin Hamami’s reconstruction of the standard view of mathematical rigor. We will argue that the reconstruction offered by Hamami is premised on a strong and controversial epistemological thesis and a strong and controversial thesis in the philosophy of mind. Secondly, we will argue that Hamami’s reconstruction of the standard view robs it of its original philosophical rationale, i.e. making sense of the notion of rigor in mathematical practice.

The aim of this paper is to study a particular family of non-deterministic semantics for modal logics that has eight truth-values. These eight-valued semantics can be traced back to Omori and Skurt (2016), where a particular member of this family was used to characterize the normal modal logic K. The truth-values in these semantics convey information about a proposition’s truth/falsity, whether the proposition is necessary/not necessary, and whether it is possible/not possible. Each of these triples is represented by a unique (...) value. In this paper we will study which modal logics can be obtained by changing the interpretation of the $$\Box $$ modality, assuming that the interpretation of other connectives stays constant. We will show what axioms are responsible for a particular interpretations of $$\Box $$. Furthermore, we will study subsets of these axioms. We show that some of the combinations of the axioms are equivalent to well-known modal axioms. We apply the level-valuation technique to all of the systems to regain the closure under the rule of necessitation. We also point out that some of the resulting logics are not sublogics of S5 and comment briefly on the corresponding frame conditions that are forced by these axioms. Ultimately, we sketch a proof of meta-completeness for all of these systems. (shrink)

A Higgsless model for strong, electroweak and gravitational interactions is proposed. This model is based on the local symmetry group SU(3)×SU(2)L×U(1)×C,where C is the local conformal symmetry group. The natural minimal conformally invariant form of total Lagrangian is postulated. It contains all standard model fields and gravitational interaction. Using the unitary gauge and the conformal scale fixing conditions, we can eliminate all four real components of the Higgs doublet in this model. However, the masses of vector mesons, leptons, and quarks (...) are automatically generated and are given by the same formulas as in the conventional standard model. In this manner one gets the mass generation without the mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking and without the remaining real dynamical Higgs field. The gravitational sector is analyzed, and it is shown that the model admits in the classical limit the Einsteinian form of gravitational interactions. (shrink)

According to the dialetheist argument from the inconsistency of informal mathematics, the informal version of the Gödelian argument leads us to a true contradiction. On one hand, the dialetheist argues, we can prove that there is a mathematical claim that is neither provable nor refutable in informal mathematics. On the other, the proof of its unprovability is given in informal mathematics and proves that very sentence. We argue that the argument fails, because it relies on the unjustified and unlikely assumption (...) that the informal Gödel sentence is informally provable. (shrink)

Classical logic of formal provability includes Löb’s theorem, but not reflection. In contrast, intuitions about the inferential behavior of informal provability (in informal mathematics) seem to invalidate Löb’s theorem and validate reflection (after all, the intuition is, whatever mathematicians prove holds!). We employ a non-deterministic many-valued semantics and develop a modal logic T-BAT of an informal provability operator, which indeed does validate reflection and invalidates Löb’s theorem. We study its properties and its relation to known provability-related paradoxical arguments. We also (...) argue that T-BAT is a fairly sensible candidate for a formal logic of informal provability. (shrink)

Inhalt: Vorwort von H.-M. Pawlowski / S. Smid / R. Specht - H.-M. Pawlowski: Probleme der Rechtsbegrundung im Staat der Glaubensfreiheit - V. Gerhardt: Selbstandigkeit und Selbstbestimmung. Freiheit bei Kant und Schelling - H. Folkers: Die durch Freiheit gebaute Stadt Gottes - W. E. Ehrhardt: Mythologie und Offenbarung der Freiheit - W. Bartuschat: Uber Spinozismus und menschliche Freiheit beim fruhen Schelling - C. Cesa: Schellings Kritik des Naturrechts - H. J. Sandkuhler: F. W. J. Schelling - Philosophie als Seinsgeschichte und (...) Anti-Politik - D. Losurdo: Von Louis Philippe bis Louis Bonaparte - R. Pettoello: Die Dialektik der menschlichen Freiheit als Emanzipation und als Abfall von Gott - H. Klenner: Schelling und die Rechtsphilosophie - S. Smid: Freiheit als Keim des Rechts - W. Schmied-Kowarzik: Freiheit - Recht - Geschichte - J. Simon: Die Wirklichkeit der Freiheit (Kant, Schelling, Hegel) - W. Schild: Die verstandlichen Schwierigkeiten des Rechtsdenkens mit dem Freiheitsbegriff - Personenregister. (shrink)

BAT is a logic built to capture the inferential behavior of informal provability. Ultimately, the logic is meant to be used in an arithmetical setting. To reach this stage it has to be extended to a first-order version. In this paper we provide such an extension. We do so by constructing non-deterministic three-valued models that interpret quantifiers as some sorts of infinite disjunctions and conjunctions. We also elaborate on the semantical properties of the first-order system and consider a couple of (...) its strengthenings. It turns out that obtaining a sensible strengthening is not straightforward. We prove that most strategies commonly used for strengthening non-deterministic logics fail in our case. Nevertheless, we identify one method of extending the system which does not. (shrink)

The paper deals with the issue of some Aristotelian motives and categories in the Didaskalikos of Alcinous, one of the most important works of Middle Platonism. They are particularly evident in the chapters in which Alcinous discusses issues related to Platonic theology and theory of Ideas. A special place here is the motif of God as Intellect who thinks of Ideas (of absolute Forms, in the Platonic sense) and at the same time thinks of Himself (in the Aristotelian sense). In (...) connection with these Aristotelian motives, the question arises: do these motives have a substantive significance here, that is, do they really express Aristotle’s metaphysical views, or are they only a literary framework, in which the Platonic content is clothed? (shrink)

The image of a ball rolling along a series of hills and valleys is an effective heuristic by which to communicate stability concepts in ecology. However, the dynamics of this landscape model have little to do with ecological systems. Other landscape representations, however, are possible. These include the particle on an energy landscape, the potential landscape, and the Lyapunov function landscape. I discuss the dynamics that these representations admit, and the application of each to ecological modeling and the analysis and (...) representation of stability. (shrink)

Recently, Gao et al. and Chappie et al. elucidated the crystal structures of the polytetrameric stalk domain of the dynamin‐like virus resistance protein, MxA, and of the G‐domain dimer of the large, membrane‐deforming GTPase, dynamin, respectively. Combined, they provide a hypothetical oligomeric structure for the complete dynamin protein. Here, it is discussed how the oligomers are expected to form and how they participate in dynamin mediated vesicle fission during the process of endocytosis. The proposed oligomeric structure is compared with the (...) novel mechanochemical model of dynamin function recently proposed by Bashkirov et al. and Pucadyil and Schmid. In conclusion, the new model of the dynamin oligomer has the potential to explain how short self‐limiting fissogenic dynamin assemblies are formed and how concerted GTP hydrolysis is achieved. The oligomerisation of two other dynamin superfamily proteins, the guanylate binding proteins (GBPs) and the immunity‐related GTPases (IRGs), is addressed briefly. (shrink)

This essay treats the problems, which appear at the present years in the relations of our common society and the communities of Christs, Mohammedians, Buddhists and groups of philosophical believers. This problem has rised when our state - in consequence of an decision of the Bundesverfassungsgericht - had given up his christian character and tries living in social connex with all groups of believers. We have no to discuss the requirements which are connected with tis relations.

The most‐critical point of reproductive development in all sexually reproducing species is the transition from mitotic to meiotic cell cycle. Studies in unicellular fungi have indicated that the decision to enter meiosis must be made before the beginning of the premeiotic S phase. Recent data from the mouse1 suggest that this timing of meiosis initiation is a universal feature shared also by multicellular eukaryotes. In contrast, the signaling cascade that leads to meiosis initiation shows great diversity among species. BioEssays 29:511–514, (...) 2007. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (shrink)

Recently, in an ongoing debate about informal provability, non-deterministic logics of informal provability BAT and CABAT were developed to model the notion. CABAT logic is defined as an extension of BAT logics and itself does not have independent and decent semantics. The aim of the paper is to show that, semantically speaking, both logics are rather complex and they can be characterized by neither finitely many valued deterministic semantics nor possible word semantics including neighbourhood semantics.

To answer the question about the Christian foundation of the law, we first have to look for the foundation of the law in general. The reason why we follow the law voluntarily is not the law and its legal sanctions, but our religion or philosophy of life. »Grundwerte« or human rights offer no alternative foundation. Either they are part of the law - and not its foundation, or they are a particular philosophy of life beside others. The law of a (...) pluralistic state that guarantees freedom of religion and belief, and, consequently, is religiously and ideologically neutral, cannot be based on a particular philosophy of life, religion, or denomination. Thus, this law has to be »right« in the eyes of every religious community living in this state. It is, therefore, not a Christian law with respect to its foundation, but the Christians have been leaving their mark on its contents. (shrink)