Du sollst dir kein Bildnis noch irgendein Gleichnis machen, fordert das zweite der zehn mosaischen Gebote. Aber wir müssen uns Bilder machen, indem wir denken. Das menschliche Denken lebt aus Bildern, es bewegt sich in Bildern, und diese entwickeln dabei ihr eigenes Leben. Wie lassen sich jenes Gebot und diese Notwendigkeit verbinden? Wie lässt sich eine jeweils zeitgemässe Ordnung in diese Bilderflut bringen, ohne sie dauerhaft zu fixieren und damit das lebendige Denken zu töten? In diese Fragen lässt sich die (...) denkerische Lebensaufgabe des Autors Nikolaus von Kues (1401-1464) zusammenfassen. Philosophen und Theologen, Historiker und Bildwissenschaftler versammelten sich im November 2017 im Geburtshaus von Nikolaus am Ufer der Mosel in Kues, um diese Fragen auf den neuesten Stand der Forschung zu bringen. Die Themen reichen von detaillierten Bild-Lektüren einschlägiger Kunstwerke aus West und Ost über Logik, Reichweite und Grenzen des konjekturalen Denkens. Grundzüge einer Mythologie der Vernunft, die elliptische Dis-zentralisierung des ego-zentrischen Denkens sowie die Rolle der Imagination für das Erkennen, bis zu einer Würdigung der einprägsamen Bilder aus der Lebenswelt im Werk des Cusanus und zu seinem neuen Entwurf eines Menschenbildes im Geist der Renaissance im Spiegel des Verborgen bleibenden Gottesbildes. Anlass dieser Sammlung von innovativen Cusanus-Studien war der 70. Geburtstage des japanischen Kollegen und verdienten Cusanusforschers Kazuhiko Yamaki. Yamaki ist Professor em. für Philosophie an der Waseda-Universität Tokyo. Sein Forschungsschwerpunkt liegt in der europäischen Philosophie des MIttelalters, doch seine besondere Liebe und Aufmerksamkeit gehören dem Philosophen Nikolaus von Kues und dessen Bildersprache, die Yamaki stets auch auf ihre Aktualität für unsere Gegenwart hin befragt. (shrink)

Feinberg and Mallatt, in their presentation of neurobiological naturalism, have suggested that visual consciousness was acquired by early vertebrates and inherited by a wide range of descendants, and that its neural basis has shifted to nonhomologous nervous structures during evolution. However, their evolutionary scenario of visual consciousness relies on the assumption that visual consciousness is closely linked with survival, which is not commonly accepted in current consciousness research. We suggest an alternative idea that visual consciousness is linked to a specific (...) class of agency, consequently justifying their phylogenetic claim. We also examine the implication of their phylogenetic claim: visual consciousness is homologous across vertebrates, but its neural basis is not. This apparent incongruence illustrates a general phenomenon of homology, and that the resulting hierarchical view of visual consciousness and its neural basis can be straightforwardly accommodated by neurobiological naturalism. Throughout these discussions, we aim to address the potential theoretical issues in neurobiological naturalism and refine the picture illustrated by Feinberg and Mallatt regarding phylogenetic distribution and trajectories of visual consciousness. (shrink)

We investigated cultural differences between U.S. and Japanese color preferences and the ecological factors that might influence them. Japanese and U.S. color preferences have both similarities and differences. Complex gender differences were also evident that did not conform to previously reported effects. Palmer and Schloss's weighted affective valence estimate procedure was used to test the Ecological Valence Theory's prediction that within-culture WAVE-preference correlations should be higher than between-culture WAVE-preference correlations. The results supported several, but not all, predictions. In the second (...) experiment, we tested color preferences of Japanese–U.S. multicultural participants who could read and speak both Japanese and English. Multicultural color preferences were intermediate between U.S. and Japanese preferences, consistent with the hypothesis that culturally specific personal experiences during one's lifetime influence color preferences. (shrink)

Thirteen up-and-coming researchers in the philosophy of mathematics have been invited to write on what they take to be the right philosophical account of mathematics, examining along the way where they think the philosophy of mathematics is and ought to be going. A rich and diverse picture emerges. Some broader tendencies can nevertheless be detected: there is increasing attention to the practice, language and psychology of mathematics, a move to reassess the orthodoxy, as well as inspiration from philosophical logic.

The author distinguishes two concepts of practical reason: (a) practical reason as a source of practical principles, and (b) practical reason as the theory of thought operations connected with action. He proves that there is no practical recognition in the sense (a). We can deal with actions only on the basis of dichotomic semantics. Critical analyses of some theories of practical reason are presented (Kant, Lorenzen, Apel, Alexy). The critical part of the paper mainly concerns the discourse theory and its (...) implications for practical philosophy and jurisprudence. (shrink)

Übereinstimmend mit Körner versteht der Autor unter 'praktischer Philosophie' die Gesamtheit der handlungsbezogenen Disziplinen. 'Handlung' ist informationsgelenktes Verhalten eines Subjektes. Der Handlungsbegriff wird durch den handlungsbestimmenden Informationsverarbeitungsprozeß charakterisiert. Handlungstheoretische Analysen erfordern eine erkenntnismäßig differenzierte Semantik. Der Begriff der Handlung setzt die Existenz von Handlungsspielräumen voraus. Der Autor kritisiert die Unterscheidung von kognitivem und präskriptivem Sollen und zeigt, daß Normsätze einer gegebenen Bedeutung in verschiedenen pragmatischen Funktionen verwendet werden können. Es werden die Begriffe 'Normenlogik' und 'deontische Logik' einander gegenübergestellt. Die Standardsysteme (...) der deontischen Logik sind keine geeignete Basis für die normativen Disziplinen. Der Autor fordert die Ausarbeitung einer genuinen Normenlogik, in der Sollsätzen eine primäre und Darfsätzen nur eine sekundäre Rolle zukommt. (shrink)

dicates implying a surplus in the background from previous negation) and the other three combinations . The second part of the study in relation to the issue of intersubjectivity summarizes Hegel's unhappy consciousness analysis of figures from the Phenomenology of Spirit and shows that it takes insufficient account of Hegel older authors, which is just Dionysios. In writings on mystical theology can find is the formal structure of intersubjectivity, and Hegel's analysis so they can not be correct.

The essay first succinctly points out shortcomings in previous interpretations of Plotinus’ notion of beauty. Beauty is to be connected primarily with Intellect, which is to be understood as a special unity in diversity. The section of the essay devoted to aesthetics is therefore preceded by a short analysis of Intellect’s unity and diversity. The hypothesis about the primary relation of beauty to the Intellect is then corroborated by a reading of Ennead V.8 and further developed. The emphasis is on (...) three basic aspects of beauty: its being a unity of a mixture whose character is shared by all ontological levels; its function of referring to what is above it; and its fundamental accessibility. Though Plotinus opposes the Stoic notion of beauty as symmetry and stresses beauty’s simplicity, it follows for him that beauty has the character of unitas multiplex, albeit a special one. (shrink)

武士道は思弁的な教条主義を排し、現実重視と結果尊重の立場を貫く。徳川日本の力量示す、その戦略的思考と行動の論理。.

Rescher charakterisiert die Gesetzesaussage durch a) nomische Notwendigkeit, b) hypothetische Kraft; Gesetzeshaftigkeit sei Bereitschaft zur faktentranszendenten Anwendungeines Allsatzes. Dem wird die These gegenübergestellt, daß die Struktur des nomischen Allsatzes so zu bestimmen ist, daß die faktentranszendente Anwendung durch den Satz begründet erscheint. Dies wird durch einen Allsatz erreicht, der nicht nur über die reale Welt, sondern auch über ein System von Alternativwelten über der realen Welt spricht. Durch den nomischen Allsatz wird gleichzeitig die nomische Notwendigkeit expliziert. Die Begründung der faktentranszendenten (...) Geltung ist gleich stark wie jene der erfahrungszendenten Gehung in der realen Weh. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Das Mittelalter Jahrgang: 19 Heft: 1 Seiten: 146-166.

Determinants of synesthetic color choice for the Japanese logographic script, Kanji, were studied. The study investigated how synesthetic colors for Kanji characters, which are usually acquired later in life than other types of graphemes in Japanese language , are influenced by linguistic properties such as phonology, orthography, and meaning. Of central interest was a hypothesized generalization process from synesthetic colors for graphemes, learned prior to acquisition of Kanji, to Kanji characters learned later. Results revealed that color choices for Kanji characters (...) depend on meaning and phonological information. Some results suggested that colors are generalized from Hiragana characters and Arabic digits to Kanji characters via phonology and meaning, respectively. Little influence of orthographic information was observed. The findings and approach of this study contributes to a clarification of the mechanism underlying grapheme-color synesthesia, especially in terms of its relationship to normal language processing. (shrink)

The two competing camps of theorists in moral psychology share one common view on the disagreement between their theories: moral foundations theory presupposes basic emotion theory, while dyadic morality theory presupposes constructionist theory of emotion. The paper challenges this common view. First, it reviews the four theories. Second, it clarifies the issue about the relation between the moral contents and emotions on which the two camps of moral-psychological theorists dispute. Third, it identifies the explananda for the moral-psychological theories, and examines (...) the two distinctive types of explanations that each of the two theories offers to them. Finally, it concludes that the deepest disagreement between the two morality theories consists in the role that the theories give to emotions in explaining moral judgments. (shrink)

Determinants of synesthetic color choice for Japanese phonetic characters were studied in six Japanese synesthetes. The study used Hiragana and Katakana characters, which represent the same set of syllables although their visual forms are dissimilar. From a palette of 138 colors, synesthetes selected a color corresponding to each character. Results revealed that synesthetic color choices for Hiragana characters and those for their Katakana counterparts were remarkably consistent, indicating that color selection depended on character-related sounds and not visual form. This Hiragana–Katakana (...) invariance cannot be regarded as the same phenomenon as letter case invariance, usually reported for English grapheme-color synesthesia, because Hiragana and Katakana characters have different identities whereas upper and lower case letters have the same identity. This involvement of phonology suggests that cross-activation between an inducer brain region and that of the concurrent area in grapheme-color synesthesia is mediated by higher order cortical processing areas. (shrink)

Frankfurt-Style Cases (FSCs) seem to elicit the intuitive judgment that an agent is morally responsible despite being unable to act otherwise, which is supposed to falsify the Principle of Alternative Possibility (PAP). Recent empirical studies have shown that the inclination toward this intuitive judgment is shared among people, which seems to reinforce the argument against the PAP. However, some scholars have argued for Descriptive Anti-Intuitionism (DAI) — intuitive judgments have never played an evidential role in philosophy — and thus denied (...) the philosophical significance of such empirical findings. I point out that although DAI fails in its literal claim for FSCs, an associated insight remains potent: an intuitive judgment is so fragile that it can be easily defeated by further arguments. Nevertheless, I argue, empirical studies are significant in uncovering the general principles to which we are committed in our practice concerning moral responsibility. I clarify how such findings can play a robust evidential role in philosophical debates concerning moral responsibility by tracing the literature written by Frankfurt and philosophers. (shrink)

Abstract.The author gives a short survey of the different methods which have been proposed to deal with the logic of norm sentences on the basis of logical systems of descriptive language: deontic logic, logic of norms as an isomorphism of propositional logic, restriction of logical relations to the propositional content of norm sentences, transformation of norms into sanction sentences, preference interpretation of norm sentences, double interpretation of ought‐sentences and the use of the descriptive interpretation as a tool for establishing the (...) logic of norms, proposition about norms in the place of normative logic, the logic of admissible worlds, postulates addressed to the rational lawgiver and technical ought as a substitute for nor‐mological considerations. A critical analysis of these attempts may prove them inappropriate, but it is not sufficient to prove the impossibility of any method of founding normative logic on systems of a descriptive language. Therefore the author adds a general consideration on the chances of such approaches. (shrink)

The derivative is a basic concept of differential calculus. However, if we calculate the derivative as change in distance over change in time, the result at any instant is 0/0, which seems meaningless. Hence, Newton and Leibniz used the limit to determine the derivative. Their method is valid in practice, but it is not easy to intuitively accept. Thus, this article describes the novel method of differential calculus based on the double contradiction, which is easier to accept intuitively. Next, the (...) geometrical meaning of the double contradiction is considered as follows. A tangent at a point on a convex curve is iterated. Then, the slope of the tangent at the point is sandwiched by two kinds of lines. The first kind of line crosses the curve at the original point and a point to the right of it. The second kind of line crosses the curve at the original point and a point to the left of it. Then, the double contradiction can be applied, and the slope of the tangent is determined as a single value. Finally, the meaning of this method for the foundation of mathematics is considered. We reflect on Dehaene’s notion that the foundation of mathematics is based on the intuitions, which evolve independently. Hence, there may be gaps between intuitions. In fact, the Ancient Greeks identified inconsistency between arithmetic and geometry. However, Eudoxus developed the theory of proportion, which is equivalent to the Dedekind Cut. This allows the iteration of an irrational number by rational numbers as precisely as desired. Simultaneously, we can define the irrational number by the double contradiction, although its existence is not guaranteed. Further, an area of a curved figure is iterated and defined by rectilinear figures using the double contradiction. (shrink)

_A Companion to Jan Hus_ offers in eleven substantial essays authored by specialized researchers from four countries an account of the life, work, thought and commemoration of Jan Hus († 1415), an important Czech theologian, reformer and martyr.

Étienne de Páleč († c. 1422) fut l’un des premiers à soutenir le réalisme de Wyclif à la Faculté des arts de Prague. Cet article donne un aperçu de ses ouvrages sur les universaux, dont l’origine est à situer vers 1394-1396. Dans certains cas, le but d’Étienne était probablement de défendre le réalisme en général, et non pas seulement celui de Wyclif. L’article comprend l’édition d’une question d’Étienne sur les universaux. Sont également analysées la transmission textuelle de la quaestio et (...) l’influence possible d’un auteur réaliste anonyme attaqué par Buridan dans les années 1330. (shrink)

Rescher charakterisiert die Gesetzesaussage durch a) nomische Notwendigkeit, b) hypothetische Kraft; Gesetzeshaftigkeit sei Bereitschaft zur faktentranszendenten Anwendungeines Allsatzes. Dem wird die These gegenübergestellt, daß die Struktur des nomischen Allsatzes so zu bestimmen ist, daß die faktentranszendente Anwendung durch den Satz begründet erscheint. Dies wird durch einen Allsatz erreicht, der nicht nur über die reale Welt, sondern auch über ein System von Alternativwelten über der realen Welt spricht. Durch den nomischen Allsatz wird gleichzeitig die nomische Notwendigkeit expliziert. Die Begründung der faktentranszendenten (...) Geltung ist gleich stark wie jene der erfahrungszendenten Gehung in der realen Weh. (shrink)

Der Autor unterscheidet nicht nur Schichten der Semiotik, sondern auch syntaktische, semantische und pragmatische Sprachen. Bei diesen kann durch Interpretation eine Modifikation der Bedeutung von Ausdrücken eintreten. Interpretation ist die Bestimmung der Bedeutung von Ausdrücken einer pragmatischen Sprache. Die hermeneutische Methodik wird der hermeneutischen Philosophie gegenübergestellt. Als bedeutungsbestimmende Momente werden diskutiert: sprachliche Operationen, Wissen und Vorwissen, die gnoseologische Analyse der Problemsituation, die Funktion von Deutungsschemen, die Ich-Perspektive der Deutung, volitive Momente und Zielsetzung der Deutung. Die juristische Interpretation wird als Interpretation (...) unter Zwecken dargestellt. (shrink)

Knowledge is expressed in sentences about states of affairs of the type 'p' not in knowledge-sentences of the type 'W(p)'. Knowledge-sentences are results of a reflexion about a subject of knowledge and a knowledge-system. Objectivization of a knowledgesentence 'W(p)' is defined as the entailment of 'p' from the premis 'W(p)' based on the generally accepted sentence 'W(p)->p'. The author distinguishes three kinds of knowledge-sentences: a) self-reflective knowledge-sentences which are a result of the subject's S reflexion about his own knowledge 'WS*(p)';b) (...) comparative knowledge-sentences which are result of a reflexion of the subject S2 about the knowledge of another subject S1 using the knowledge of S2 as a criterion for judging S1's knowledge; c) the sentence of S2 about the believing of S1, that S1 knows p. In neither of these cases an objectivization is logically justified. (shrink)