Für die Sinnesdatenphilosophie sind zwei Behauptungen zentral: (1) Der sinnliche Gehalt des sinnlich-perzeptiven Bewußtseins ist gegenständlich oder objektual aufzufassen, d.h. es gibt Sinnesdaten oder phänomenale Gegenstände mit phänomenalen Beschaffenheiten; (2) Das sinnlich-perzeptive Bewußtsein ist nach dem Modell: Subjekt — zweistelliges Prädikat — Objekt zu analysieren, d.h. Sinnesdaten sind uns als Objekte unseres sinnlich-perzeptiven Bewußtseins unmittelbar gegeben. Die Annahmen (l)und (2) führen in philosophische Aporien. Es ist jedoch möglich, den sinnlichen Gehalt des sinnlich-perzeptiven Bewußtseins nicht-gegenständlich aufzufassen und nach einem Modell zu (...) analysieren, welches eine solche Vergegenständlichung und die damit verbundenen Probleme vermeidet. Die sich gegen ein solches nicht-objektuales oder adverbiales Analysemodell erhebenden phänomenologischen und semantischen Einwände lassen sich entkräften. (shrink)

Für die Sinnesdatenphilosophie sind zwei Behauptungen zentral: (1) Der sinnliche Gehalt des sinnlich-perzeptiven Bewußtseins ist gegenständlich oder objektual aufzufassen, d.h. es gibt Sinnesdaten oder phänomenale Gegenstände mit phänomenalen Beschaffenheiten; (2) Das sinnlich-perzeptive Bewußtsein ist nach dem Modell: Subjekt — zweistelliges Prädikat — Objekt zu analysieren, d.h. Sinnesdaten sind uns als Objekte unseres sinnlich-perzeptiven Bewußtseins unmittelbar gegeben. Die Annahmen (l)und (2) führen in philosophische Aporien. Es ist jedoch möglich, den sinnlichen Gehalt des sinnlich-perzeptiven Bewußtseins nicht-gegenständlich aufzufassen und nach einem Modell zu (...) analysieren, welches eine solche Vergegenständlichung und die damit verbundenen Probleme vermeidet. Die sich gegen ein solches nicht-objektuales oder adverbiales Analysemodell erhebenden phänomenologischen und semantischen Einwände lassen sich entkräften. (shrink)

This book presents a range of essays on the conceptual foundations of physicalism, mental causation and human agency, written by established and leading authors ...

This article aims to read feminist new materialisms (Barad), together with ‘postulated’ linguistic or cultural primacy of Queer Theory (Butler), to show how both are engaged in similar critical-ethical endeavours. The central argument is that the criticism of Barad and new materialisms misses Butler’s materialistic insights due to a narrow interpretation of Butler's alleged social-constructivist position. There is, therefore, a specific focus on where they both make similar ethical appeals. Moreover, the article relies on Adorno's negative dialectic to highlight an (...) interpretation of Barad and Butler as being part of the same dialectical movement, in which materialism and idealism fluctuate in their mutual criticisms, thus continuing the procession towards 'new knowledge' and emancipation, or freedom, through their motions back and forth. (shrink)

This is the first complete, one-volume English translation of the ancient Chinese text Xunzi, one of the most extensive, sophisticated, and elegant works in the tradition of Confucian thought. Through essays, poetry, dialogues, and anecdotes, the Xunzi articulates a Confucian perspective on ethics, politics, warfare, language, psychology, human nature, ritual, and music, among other topics. Aimed at general readers and students of Chinese thought, Eric Hutton’s translation makes the full text of this important work more accessible in English than ever (...) before. Named for its purported author, the Xunzi has long been neglected compared to works such as the Analects of Confucius and the Mencius. Yet interest in the Xunzi has grown in recent decades, and the text presents a much more systematic vision of the Confucian ideal than the fragmented sayings of Confucius and Mencius. In one famous, explicit contrast to them, the Xunzi argues that human nature is bad. However, it also allows that people can become good through rituals and institutions established by earlier sages. Indeed, the main purpose of the Xunzi is to urge people to become as good as possible, both for their own sakes and for the sake of peace and order in the world. In this edition, key terms are consistently translated to aid understanding and line numbers are provided for easy reference. Other features include a concise introduction, a timeline of early Chinese history, a list of important names and terms, cross-references, brief explanatory notes, a bibliography, and an index. (shrink)

The development of transplantation technology increasingly places before society a multitude of diverse, complex ethical and legal problems. The subject is the more complex because of the various divergent interests involved. There are the interests of the donor of organs, who has a right to protection of his legal position, and those of the patient in need of an often lifesaving organ. There are also the interests of the donor’s relatives, after his death, and those of the transplantation surgeons. The (...) international dimension of transplantation technology makes the picture even more complicated. Though this article is devoted to the European situation, the problems are similar all over the world. (shrink)

The development of transplantation technology increasingly places before society a multitude of diverse, complex ethical and legal problems. The subject is the more complex because of the various divergent interests involved. There are the interests of the donor of organs, who has a right to protection of his legal position, and those of the patient in need of an often lifesaving organ. There are also the interests of the donor’s relatives, after his death, and those of the transplantation surgeons. The (...) international dimension of transplantation technology makes the picture even more complicated. Though this article is devoted to the European situation, the problems are similar all over the world. (shrink)

Epiphenomenalism (with respect to the intentional) may be construed as the claim that intentional events as such are causally inert. If property-dualism is true, that is if intentional properties aren't identical with or reducible to physical properties, then epiphenomenalism is inevitable. Some philosophers (most notably Fodor) have argued that their irreducibility notwithstanding intentional properties are causally responsible properties (or at least supervenient upon causally responsible properties). The arguments supporting these promising allegations aren't convincing. Given the tmth of property-dualism, there is (...) no (Fodorian or any other) escape-route from epiphenomenalism. (shrink)

Epiphenomenalism (with respect to the intentional) may be construed as the claim that intentional events as such are causally inert. If property-dualism is true, that is if intentional properties aren't identical with or reducible to physical properties, then epiphenomenalism is inevitable. Some philosophers (most notably Fodor) have argued that their irreducibility notwithstanding intentional properties are causally responsible properties (or at least supervenient upon causally responsible properties). The arguments supporting these promising allegations aren't convincing. Given the tmth of property-dualism, there is (...) no (Fodorian or any other) escape-route from epiphenomenalism. (shrink)

Die Struktur des unmittelbaren epistemischen Selbstbewußtseins läßt sich am besten unter Zugrundelegung und Entfaltung folgen der Annahmen explizieren: (i) Es gibt mentale Substanzen, (ii) Es gibt Wahrheitswerttransparente Cogitopropositionen oder CogitoSachverhalte, (iii) Jedes Ich kann seine und nur seine es betreffenden Cogitopropositionen fassen, womit es ipso facto ein unmittelbares Wissen um sich selbst hat. Dieses unmittelbare selbstreflexive Wissen kann in assertorischen Sätzen seinen Ausdruck finden, (iv) Die andere Iche betreffenden Cogitopropositionen können diesen Ichen nur mit Hilfe quasiindikatorischer Mittel zugeschrieben werden. Jedes (...) Ich kann wenigstens eine Entität per se individuieren, nämlich sich selbst. Per se Individuation anderer Iche ist nur dann möglich, wenn jedem Ich nicht nur Cogitopropositionen, sondern auch es und nur es betreffende Propositionen zugeordnet werden, die von ihm selbst, aber auch von anderen gefaßt bzw. gewußt werden können. (shrink)

Die Struktur des unmittelbaren epistemischen Selbstbewußtseins läßt sich am besten unter Zugrundelegung und Entfaltung folgen der Annahmen explizieren: (i) Es gibt mentale Substanzen, (ii) Es gibt Wahrheitswerttransparente Cogitopropositionen oder CogitoSachverhalte, (iii) Jedes Ich kann seine und nur seine es betreffenden Cogitopropositionen fassen, womit es ipso facto ein unmittelbares Wissen um sich selbst hat. Dieses unmittelbare selbstreflexive Wissen kann in assertorischen Sätzen seinen Ausdruck finden, (iv) Die andere Iche betreffenden Cogitopropositionen können diesen Ichen nur mit Hilfe quasiindikatorischer Mittel zugeschrieben werden. Jedes (...) Ich kann wenigstens eine Entität per se individuieren, nämlich sich selbst. Per se Individuation anderer Iche ist nur dann möglich, wenn jedem Ich nicht nur Cogitopropositionen, sondern auch es und nur es betreffende Propositionen zugeordnet werden, die von ihm selbst, aber auch von anderen gefaßt bzw. gewußt werden können. (shrink)

Catastrophic risk raises questions that are not only of practical importance, but also of great philosophical interest, such as how to define catastrophe and what distinguishes catastrophic outcomes from non-catastrophic ones. Catastrophic risk also raises questions about how to rationally respond to such risks. How to rationally respond arguably partly depends on the severity of the uncertainty, for instance, whether quantitative probabilistic information is available, or whether only comparative likelihood information is available, or neither type of information. Finally, catastrophic risk (...) raises important ethical questions about what to do when catastrophe avoidance conflicts with equity promotion. (shrink)

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This study described the relationships between academic class and student moral sensitivity and reasoning and between curriculum design components for ethics education and student moral sensitivity and reasoning. The data were collected from freshman (n = 506) and senior students (n = 440) in eight baccalaureate nursing programs in South Korea by survey; the survey consisted of the Korean Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire and the Korean Defining Issues Test. The results showed that moral sensitivity scores in patient-oriented care and conflict were (...) higher in senior students than in freshman students. Furthermore, more hours of ethics content were associated with higher principled thinking scores of senior students. Nursing education in South Korea may have an impact on developing student moral sensitivity. Planned ethics content in nursing curricula is necessary to improve moral sensitivity and moral reasoning of students. (shrink)