Reflections on differences between the works of literature and writings that offer spiritual guidance.

The paper presents the emergence of the concept of xenotransplantation which is a relatively new issue in the literature on the subject. It is due to the fact that transplants of animal organs are currently in the experimental phase. The main current problem of transplantology is the shortage of organs; hence, the search for new solutions has become an everyday challenge. If a way for the human body to tolerate animal organs could be found, transplant medicine and humanity would be (...) in a completely different place. The authors introduce the concepts of transplantation and xenotransplantation and their origins, then they raise ethical issues related to this type of organ transplantation. Finally, the authors conclude that xenotransplantations have a chance to be “incorporated” in the “transplants” category when the experimental phase of xenotransplantation shifts to the implementation stage. Time will tell whether it will be possible. (shrink)

A groundbreaking study of how concepts of virtue and vice are used to deny American women full political rights.

Virtue and vice remain at the margins of feminist conceptual analysis although both establish a dualism that denies women full citizenship. To make this argument, this analysis explores the historical case of the Lowell mill girls – the first nearly all-female labour force in the United States between 1826 and 1850. Their public debate illustrates how virtue aligns some women with the economic and political status quo while society affiliates those who challenge its dominant beliefs with vice. This moral location (...) reveals the ‘virtues of vice’ or the political benefits that women may derive from vice which places them outside traditional moral and political discourse, enabling them to question existing moral paradigms, consider alternatives, and politically organize against the status quo. As such, the Lowell mill girl debate can inform contemporary feminist theory by raising serious questions about virtue and suggesting how vice opens up a critical space for ideological innovation, referred to here as a moral middle ground, that may result in a more democratic, feminist ethics. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted data collection for longitudinal studies in developmental sciences to an immeasurable extent. Restrictions on conducting in-person standardized assessments have led to disruptive innovation, in which novel methods are applied to increase participant engagement. Here, we focus on remote administration of behavioral assessment. We argue that these innovations in remote assessment should become part of the new standard protocol in developmental sciences to facilitate data collection in populations that may be hard to reach or engage due (...) to burdensome requirements. We present a series of adaptations to developmental assessments and a detailed discussion of data analytic approaches to be applied in the less-than-ideal circumstances encountered during the pandemic-related shutdown. Ultimately, these remote approaches actually strengthen the ability to gain insight into developmental populations and foster pragmatic innovation that should result in enduring change. (shrink)

A survey of some classes of Post algebras is given including the class of plain semi-Post algebras, Post algebras of order m, m>1, as its particular instance, Post algebras of order ω+, and Post algebras of order ω + ω∗. Representation theorems for each of the classes are given. Some examples of the algebras in the classes are constructed.

Tekst podejmuje temat kondycji i tożsamości etyki środowiskowej XXI wieku w oparciu o analizę wybranych narracji występujących w debacie na temat antropocenu. Czy zwrot w stronę antropocenu odmienia nasze dotychczasowe myślenie dotyczące troski o przyrodę? Artykuł pokazuje, że nauka o systemie Ziemi i ograniczeniach planetarnych umożliwia nam identyfikację zupełnie nowych problemów etycznych. Są to m.in. problem nieodwracalnych strat, utraty kontroli i sterowalności a także kluczowa kwestia irracjonalnej krótkowzroczności wpisanej w ludzkie horyzonty moralne. Tekst szuka odpowiedzi na dwa dodatkowe pytania: 1) (...) Czy troska o postprzyrodę okaże się wyłącznie zarządzaniem stratą? 2) Czy etyka postprzyrody jest antropocentryczna? (shrink)

Myślą Ludwika Gumplowicza polscy uczeni zainteresowali się stosunkowo późno. Jej pierwsze opracowania autorstwa Jana Karola Kochanowskiego, Stanisława Posnera, Mieczysława Szerera, Jana Stanisława Bystronia, Aleksandra Kraushara przypadają na lata 1910–1917, a więc na okres zwany Młodą Polską, który wpisuje się w ogólnoeuropejski modernizm. Nowa generacja uczonych, pisarzy i artystów, działająca w okresie młodopolskim znacząco różniła się w przyjmowanych założeniach filozoficzno-ideowych od pokolenia pozytywistów i realistów krytycznych. Niemniej ukształtowane w pozytywizmie nawyki myślenia nie zanikły po roku 1890 całkowicie – pozostały one indywidualnym (...) a zarazem wspólnym dorobkiem intelektualnym generacji szkół i uczonych wykształconych w dobie pozytywizmu. Postawy światopoglądowe pozytywizmu i modernizmu przenikały się, zaś zasadniczym łączącym je elementem, pomimo programowego buntu modernizmu wobec haseł pozytywistycznych, było zadłużenie wobec naturalizmu. Jednak że schyłkowe lata XIX wieku przynoszą antyscjentystyczne niepokoje, w tym krytykę pozytywistycznego modelu nauki, teorii ewolucjonizmu i jemu właściwego rozumienia postępu, protest przeciwko utylitaryzmowi i odrodzenie metafizyki. […] W polskich pracach z lat 1910–30 poświeconych socjologii L. Gumplowicza interesujące są trzy wątki, wskazujące na kierunek i postać, jaki przybrała recepcja dzieła socjologa z Grazu: zespół wspólne podzielanych przekonań odnośnie genezy systemu Gumplowicza oraz dwie warstwy wartościowania jego dorobku: pozytywna i negatywna. Zatem nasze ujęcie opinii, sądów i ocen sformułowanych przez St. Posnera, M. Szerera, J. St. Bystronia, A. Kraushara oraz F. Mirka pod adresem teorii Gumplowicza będzie miało charakter syntetyzującego przeglądu, uwzględniającego specyfikę stanowisk w kwestiach, które znacząco się od siebie różnią. Ta uwaga odnosi się przede wszystkim do bardzo zindywidualizowanej krytyki spuścizny Gumplowicza. Jako odrębne w tym przeglądzie wyróżnione zostanie stanowisko J. K. Kochanowskiego z uwagi na jego odmienność: oryginalne i twórcze nawiązanie polskiego historyka i socjologa do myśliciela z Grazu. (shrink)

Moralne programy rezygnacji ze stosowania przemocy są zjawiskiem zasługującym na wnikliwą uwagę. W swym artykule przyjmuję, że jest moralnie pożądane, aby zakres stosowania tych programów w rozwiązywaniu konfliktów indywidualnych i grupowych ulegał rozszerzaniu. Ponadto zakładam, że najbardziej efektywne, spośród różnych systemów normatywnych regulujących zachowania jednostek w społeczeństwie, są normy moralności potocznej. Jej cechą charakterystyczną jest unikanie skrajności. W artykule staram się wykazać, że postulaty "nonviolence" mogą być traktowane jako program moralności potocznej po odrzuceniu tych programów, które z jednej strony traktują (...) postulat niestosowania przemocy jako kategoryczny nakaz moralny (absolutyzm moralny L. Tołstoja), a z drugiej zaś - w sposób wyłącznie instrumentalny (propozycje M. Lernera). (shrink)

Recenzja książek: M. Heller, Wierzę, żeby rozumieć: w osobistej rozmowie o życiowych wyborach; rozmawiają Wojciech Bonowicz, Bartosz Brożek, Zbigniew Liana, Znak, Kraków 2016 oraz Heller M. Brotti G., Bóg i nauka: moje dwie drogi do jednego celu; Michał Heller w rozmowie z Giulio Brottim, tłum. Ewa Nicewicz-Staszowska, Copernicus Center Press, Kraków 2013.

Recenzja książek: M. Heller, Wierzę, żeby rozumieć: w osobistej rozmowie o życiowych wyborach; rozmawiają Wojciech Bonowicz, Bartosz Brożek, Zbigniew Liana, Znak, Kraków 2016 oraz Heller M. Brotti G., Bóg i nauka: moje dwie drogi do jednego celu; Michał Heller w rozmowie z Giulio Brottim, tłum. Ewa Nicewicz-Staszowska, Copernicus Center Press, Kraków 2013.

In this short text, a distinguished philosopher turns his attention to one of the oldest and most fundamental philosophical problems of all: How it is that we are able to sort and classify different things as being of the same natural class? Professor Armstrong carefully sets out six major theories—ancient, modern, and contemporary—and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of each. Recognizing that there are no final victories or defeats in metaphysics, Armstrong nonetheless defends a traditional account of universals as the (...) most satisfactory theory we have.This study is written for advanced students, but as Armstrong goes considerably beyond his earlier work on this topic, it will interest professional scholars as well. Carefully plotted and clearly written, Universals is both a paradigm of exposition and a case study on the value of careful analysis of fundamental issues in philosophy. (shrink)

In this paper we propose to argue for two claims. The first is that a sizeable group of epistemological projects – a group which includes much of what has been done in epistemology in the analytic tradition – would be seriously undermined if one or more of a cluster of empirical hypotheses about epistemic intuitions turns out to be true. The basis for this claim will be set out in Section 2. The second claim is that, while the jury is (...) still out, there is now a substantial body of evidence suggesting that some of those empirical hypotheses are true. Much of this evidence derives from an ongoing series of experimental studies of epistemic intuitions that we have been conducting. A preliminary report on these studies will be presented in Section 3. In light of these studies, we think it is incumbent on those who pursue the epistemological projects in question to either explain why the truth of the hypotheses does not undermine their projects, or to say why, in light of the evidence we will present, they nonetheless assume that the hypotheses are false. In Section 4, which is devoted to Objections and Replies, we’ll consider some of the ways in which defenders of the projects we are criticizing might reply to our challenge. Our goal, in all of this, is not to offer a conclusive argument demonstrating that the epistemological projects we will be criticizing are untenable. Rather, our aim is to shift the burden of argument. (shrink)

One of the greatest merits of Dr. Sherover's excellent book is that it enables us to see Heidegger's thought- in one direction, at least- as an organic outgrowth from his reading of Kant. It thus helps to remove on common misapprehension that Heidegger's thought is odd, idiosyncratic, and not rooted- as in fact it is- in the mainstream of philosophy. Dr. Sherover is able to remove this misunderstanding in great part through the admirable clarity of his exposition; he has succeeded (...) in conveying Heidegger's most abstruse points into plain and understandable English, and so has overcome the formidable barrier of terminology that has blocked so many Heideggerian interpreters. This book is in fact the clearest exposition that I have read of Heidegger's thought at one states of its development. But beyond this valuable job of clarification, by bringing the light of Heidegger to bear upon Kant, this book is also a significant contribution to Kantian scholarship. And that means, of course, a contribution to philosophy itself. (shrink)

Inhalt: Rainer ADOLPHI: Weltbild und Ich-Verständnis. Die Transformation des >Primats der praktischen Vernunft< beim späteren Fichte. Jacinto RIVERA DE ROSALES: Das Absolute und die Sittenlehre von 1812. Sein und Freiheit. Marek J. SIEMEK: Fichtes und Hegels Konzept der Intersubjektivität. Ewa NOWAK-JUCHACZ: Das Anerkennungsprinzip bei Kant, Fichte und Hegel. Ronald MATHER: On the Concepts of Recognition. Makoto TAKADA: Verwandlung der Individuumslehre bei Fichte. Hans Georg von MANZ: Deduktion und Aufgabe des individuellen Ich in Fichtes Darstellungen der Wissenschaftslehre von 1810/11. Jürgen STAHL: (...) Zur Kultur in der Vermittlungsrolle zwischen empirischem und absolutem Ich. Christoph ASMUTH: Metaphysik und Historie bei J.G. Fichte. Stephan GNÄDINGER: Vorsehung. Ein religionsphilosophisches Grundproblem bei J.G. Fichte. Johannes HEINRICHS: Die Mitte der Zeit als Tiefpunkt einer Parabel. Fichtes Geschichtskonstruktion und Grundzüge der gegenwärtigen Zeitenwende. Marco M. OLIVETTI: Zum Religions- und Offenbarungsverständnis beim jungen Fichte und bei Kant. (shrink)

Is it possible to establish a line of research that brings Gabriel Marcel and Jean-Paul Sartre closer together? With this article, we will positively support this idea, by distancing ourselves from the overly rigid interpretations that exclusively focus on antinomic elements sliding into a reductionist and nowadays “canonical” presentation of the relationship between these philosophers. Beyond the undeniable and, fortunately, unmediated differences between the two philosophers, this article aims to investigate their positions regarding the concept of “relationship”. In doing so, (...) we will highlight how Gabriel Marcel’s “coesse” and Jean-Paul Sartre’s “being-for-others” have numerous points of contact that place both philosophers, beyond their personal positions in the religious sphere, within the common ground of “existentialism”. (shrink)

Falsafat wa-ḥayāt Abī Hāshim al-Jubbāʼī wa-madrasatuh -- al-Tawallud ʻinda al-Muʻtazilah.

The faith in progress that propelled the West for over four centuries is in decline due to its own success. The emergence of capitalism with its novel market imperatives has created both the poverty that causes political crises and the material growth that has destabilized the Earth’s climate. There is a growing sense that we are dominated by the technologies and social organizations that we hoped would liberate us. Individualism and secularity have left people feeling isolated and without a sense (...) of higher purpose, leading some to reject Enlightenment values in favor of traditionalisms and even neofascism. In universities, faculty struggle to prove their utility and relevance, because they cannot guarantee their graduates a decent living in a world of automation and globalized production. As a result of these trends, the West’s ability to produce responsible citizens is in question. Our students are largely inured to appeals to transcendent values because they are urged to be “practical.” Faculty are no longer encouraged to care about the character-building nature of a liberal education. United States universities are in danger of not having an independent voice, as those departments that can consistently get major external funding seek commercial applications for the products of their research. In the United States, ideologically based harassment and censorship of unpopular ideas takes place regularly and is a major deterrent to pursuing a career in higher education. Given these challenges, can intellectuals still make a difference in universities? Many have taken to social media and other ways of getting their ideas around the increasingly steep paywalls of academic publications and the de facto censorship in their institutions. Some of the most vibrant exchanges of ideas are now happening in other places, largely online. These venues draw in people who are trying their best to learn something they are unlikely to learn at universities. But are such alternatives truly sustainable or good enough? Higher education is at a crossroads in which even this “retreat and regroup” strategy is highly problematic. (shrink)

Der junge Heidegger hat die Welt begeistert und das Denken revolutioniert, indem er die lebendige Existenz des Menschen in den Mittelpunkt gestellt und dem Denken eine ungeheure Macht zugeschrieben hat: Das Denken stiftet die wahre Existenz der Menschheit und kann ihre Entfremdung aufheben. Sich selber hat er als Herold der Zeitenwende gesehen, der die abendländische Seinsvergessenheit durchbricht. Um sein Leben ranken sich ein Gewirr von Legenden, Schutzbehauptungen, Halbwahrheiten und Ganzlügen. Seine enthusiastische Parteinahme für den Nationalsozialismus und sein grotesk gescheiterter Versuch, (...) die deutsche Universität ins Neue Reich zu führen, lösen noch heute erregte Debatten aus. Wie ist aus dem konventionellen autoritätshörigen Priesterkandidaten über Nacht ein radikaler Philosoph geworden? Und wie aus diesem Kritiker philosophischer Elfenbeintürme der Guru einer Seinsreligion, der die Gegenwart grundsätzlich in Frage stellt? Warum verliebt sich der Vertreter eines unhinterfragten Antisemitismus ausgerechnet in eine jüdische Studentin? Fischers Charakterstudie fragt nach dem Zusammenhang von Leben und Werk. Sie ist die bisher umfassendste Biographie Heideggers, die auch der Politik die nötige Aufmerksamkeit schenkt. (shrink)

The publication of DSM-5 has been accompanied by a fair amount of controversy. Amongst DSM’s most vocal ‘insider’ critics has been Thomas Insel, Director of the US National Institute of Mental Health. Insel has publicly criticised DSM’s adherence to a symptom-based classification of mental disorder, and used the weight of the NIMH to back a rival research strategy aimed at a more biology-based diagnostic classification. This strategy is part of Insel’s vision of a future, more preventative psychiatry in which mental (...) disorders are not only understood as biological disorders of the brain, but also as neurodevelopmental disorders. This paper examines the interest and merit of Insel’s views of mental and neurodevelopmental disorder for the philosophy of psychopathology, with a special focus of his neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Pitman’s ‘moderate materialism’ will be used both as a philosophical lens through which to examine Insel’s position, as well as an example of a philosophical framework that may require updating and revision in the light of moves towards a neurodevelopmental conception of mental disorder. (shrink)

Most Plato scholarship characterizes Socrates's dialectic as cooperative, reciprocal, and open ended. This orthodoxy echoes Socrates's characterizations of it, but the dialectic's dramatizations rarely confirm it. Commentators recognizing this seek to protect the dialectic's image by maligning Socrates's interlocutors. Francisco Gonzalez's description of the Protagoras's “central crisis” exemplifies this approach. When a dispute over how to conduct the discussion threatens its dissolution, Gonzalez blames Protagoras, claiming that relativism forecloses conversation and community. I argue that Gonzalez elides alternative forms of community (...) supported by other discursive practices and that Socrates's refusal to answer legitimate concerns about his methodological demands turns the dialectic into the “external, nondialogical, absolute standard” Gonzalez says it lacks. (shrink)

Positive changes or transformations have been the subject of study within spiritual traditions as well as humanistic and transpersonal psychology. The aim of the current study is to understand the process of transformation among Moslems in Indonesia, who follow spiritual practices, to achieve the nafs al-muṭma ínnah [tranquil self]. Ten participants in Yogyakarta province were involved in this study. They were recruited using nafs al-muṭmaʾinnah scale developed by the authors. In-depth interviews of both the participants and their significant others were (...) conducted. To analyse the data, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed. Five themes emerged from the data, including deviation from the basis of religious environment, spiritual discipline, transformative experiences, new characters and a continuous process. We conclude that participants experience spiritual-religious transformation and achieve the state of nafs al-muṭma ínnah [tranquil self]. The process of transformation occurs gradually after a sudden experience, and it continuously happens throughout the course of life. Three factors contribute to the transformation, including the role of predisposition, the role of a spiritual guide and the role of spiritual experiences.Contribution: As the study of spiritual-religious transformation is mainly conducted within a Judea-Christian tradition, this study significantly contributes to the literature by providing spiritual-religious transformation from an Islamic-Sufi perspective. (shrink)

This research explores the contextual approach within Christian-Jewish religious education, addressing a notable gap in existing literature and offering fresh insights into the application of the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) model within Christian contexts. Through a qualitative literature study employing a three-step methodology, including an in-depth analysis of Deuteronomy 11:19–20, this study reveals that this biblical text provides both educational guidance and theological significance, serving as a foundational support for the CTL model in Christian-Jewish religious education. The integration of (...) digital media into biblical sources holds promise for future research, while the central challenge lies in harmonising life experiences and empirical phenomena with biblical reflections to seamlessly integrate inquiry processes and pedagogical phases, with potential avenues for further exploration in scripture models endorsing CTL. This research provides valuable insights for educators, parents and policymakers in Indonesia and beyond, advancing educational research in contextualised teaching models within religious education.Contribution: This article demonstrates that the CTL model in the digital era has the potential to revolutionise religious education and profoundly impact learners, making it a significant scientific contribution in the context of Christian-Jewish religious education. (shrink)