My current opinion is that the selective realist is in a strong position vis-à-vis the historical challenges. Certainly the realist needs to invoke some careful criteria for realist commitment, and various nuances concerning the nature of her epistemic commitment, and this may raise the ‘death by a thousand qualifications’ question mark. But the concern is unfounded: the qualifications are all independently motivated, and indeed necessary given the philosophical complexity. Qualifications are to be welcomed here; often the truth is far from (...) simple! (shrink)

An introduction to special collection on “Environmental Ethics: Issues and Perspectives from Romania”.

The purpose of the article is the analysis of the causes of the systemic crisis that hit modern civilization through the description of its main structures, identifying the relationship between its elements, assessments of their heuristic potential. This will open up opportunities for finding ways to resolve this crisis, new directions of civilizational development. Theoretical basis of the research are the systems analysis, socio-philosophical and philosophical-anthropological approaches as well as the analysis of scientific developments in the field of global studies. (...) Originality lies in the fact that this article is the first to show the connection between the main structural elements of human civilization as a system. Change in one of the parameters leads to a change in all the others, together with a change in civilization as a whole. Conclusions. The reason for the deep crisis that hit modern civilization is its imbalance as a system. The most important elements of this system are population size, resources and technology, and the core is consciousness in its individual and collective forms. The perception, processing, and use of information, which is a defining civilizational resource, as well as the stability of the entire system depend on the state of consciousness. Consciousness, based on old, obsolete principles and stereotypes, is unable to cope with the most acute challenges of time. New consciousness, since it is formed, will mark the transition to a new theoretical picture of the world and a model of human behavior, in which people will act, driven by proven knowledge, and not willfulness and prejudice. The idea of forming a productive information environment where the ideas of constructiveness and creative work will dominate rather than consumerism and destruction, as is the case at present, must become the categorical imperative of the new consciousness. (shrink)

This book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of digital sovereignty in China, which are addressed mainly from political, legal and historical point of views. The text leverages a large number of native Chinese experts among the authors at a time when literature on China’s involvement in internet governance is more widespread in the so-called “West”. Numerous Chinese-language documents have been analysed in the making of this title and furthermore, literature conceptualising digital sovereignty is still limited to journal articles, making this one (...) of the earliest collective attempts at defining this concept in the form of a book. Such characteristics position this text as an innovative academic resource for students, researchers and practitioners in international relations (IR), law, history, media studies and philosophy. (shrink)

So quantum mechanics has been an amazing success story. I stress this point at the outset, for two reasons. First, it is, unfortunately, all too easy to get used to success. Nowadays, both physicists, for whom the various quantum theories have ...

Zusammenfassung Die Zeitschrift Sportwissenschaft besteht seit 1971. Als älteste und einzige interdisziplinäre Zeit­schrift für das Fach Sportwissenschaft genießt sie hohe fachliche Reputation. Im letzten Jahr kam es zu einer vorzeitigen Ablösung und Neubesetzung des Herausgeberkollegiums durch die institu­tioneilen Herausgeber Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund, Bundesinstitut für Sportwissen­schaft und Deutsche Vereinigung für Sportwissenschaft. Hintergrund war ein Konflikt über die Bewertung von Publikationsleistungen in der Sportwissenschaft im Zusammenhang mit dem Universitäts-Ranking des Centrums für Hochschulentwicklung. Der Beitrag untersucht die Hintergründe dieses Konflikts, indem zunächst die (...) universitären Rah­menbedingungen dargestellt werden, die die Entwicklung des Faches und der Zeitschrift Sportwis­senschaft begleiteten. Die Geschichte der Zeitschrift bildet einen weiteren Schwerpunkt des Artikels, und schließlich geht es auch um ihre Einordnung in den nationalen und internationalen Markt für sportwissenschaftliche Fachzeitschriften. Am Ende stellt sich die Frage nach der Zukunft eines in­terdisziplinären Konzepts für die Sportwissenschaft. (shrink)

After a brief review of the history of the psychology of religion and its nature, we introduce this special section by presenting various themes of ongoing research and pointing out differentially the desirability of continued efforts in these areas. We then assess the field, its growth, increased interdisciplinary opportunities, lesser marginalization, and improved research methodology but also the challenge of arriving at theoretical coherence, studying all types of religious and spiritual understanding and experience, and researching the richness and complexity of (...) the religious variable itself. The six articles that follow detail possible new developments, as covered in our concluding overview. (shrink)

Amartya Sen’s capability approach creates an evaluative space within which individual well-being is considered in ways that diverge from dominant utilitarian views. Instead of measuring well-being based on the accumulation of wealth and resources by individuals and nations, the capability approach focuses on the opportunities an individual has to choose and pursue a life they have reason to value. The capability space is introduced with an explanation of Sen’s evaluative framework. It is claimed that conceptions of well-being are inextricably linked (...) to our values and views of what constitutes justice, the ‘good life’ and notions of human flourishing. The paper invites philosophical reflection on how the capability approach can inform the development of a research paradigm that furthers our understandings of individual well-being and human flourishing. A specific focus is given to what more can be done to assist children and young people in making the best of their situation in negotiating a valued life for themselves in which they can flourish. (shrink)

In the wake of massive structural changes within the world trade the WTO faces important challenges. Like an invisible world govemment the WTO uses its agreement as a sort of basic law. This basic law demands equal chances for every human being in the world. Therefore it is important to strengthen the WTO in order to pave the way for fair conditions within the world trade. This essay asks which circumstances are necessary to achieve this goal.

This collection of papers builds on the idea that the bioeconomy provides a framework for potentially effective solutions addressing the grand global challenges by a turn towards an increased use of biological resources, towards renewability and circularity. Consequently, it cannot be perceived as an end in itself. Thus, innovative endeavors within this bioeconomy framework require a serious examination of their normative premises and implications. From different perspectives, the five contributions to the collection demonstrate that for a bioeconomy that is to (...) contribute to the transformation towards sustainability, inquiries into norms, values, and paradigms of innovators and other stakeholders are indispensable. Originating in the spirit of an interdisciplinary workshop on the "The Normative Dimension of Transformations towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy", the collection at hand provides an attempt to facilitate an increased commitment of social sciences into bioeconomy discourses. We learn: the bioeconomy is on the rise as it is, but whether it will guide us the way towards an equitable, environmentally sound, and future-proof economy, heavily depends on the normative guardrails imposed by science, society, and business. Recent discussions have shown that the pressing problems and complex challenges humanity is currently facing cannot be adequately tackled by approaches that. (shrink)

Grush's emulation theory comprises both modality-specific and amodal emulators. I suggest that the amodal variety be replaced by multisensory emulators. The key distinction is that multisensory processing retains the characteristics of individual sensory modalities, in contrast to amodal processing. The latter term is better reserved for conceptual and linguistic systems, rather than perception or emulation.

Progress in general systems theory has been slow. Three recent books in the field reflect both the hopes and continuing frustrations of systems advocates. Frustrations include the widespread perception that systems theory is a kind of gnostic redemption, an abstract program to be administered by an elite cadre of experts for the sake of integrating knowledge and reorganizing society. This mechanistic understanding generates a resistance which could be countered by a more open and organic model of human systems. The ambiguity (...) of systems thought lies ironically in its ability to embrace both of these images within its conceptual scheme. (shrink)

After a brief review of the history of the psychology of religion and its nature, we introduce this special section by presenting various themes of ongoing research and pointing out differentially the desirability of continued efforts in these areas. We then assess the field, its growth, increased interdisciplinary opportunities, lesser marginalization, and improved research methodology but also the challenge of arriving at theoretical coherence, studying all types of religious and spiritual understanding and experience, and researching the richness and complexity of (...) the religious variable itself. The six articles that follow detail possible new developments, as covered in our concluding overview. (shrink)

This Introduction has two foci: the first is a discussion of the motivation for and the aims of the 2014 conference on New Thinking about Scientific Realism in Cape Town South Africa, and the second is a brief contextualization of the contributed articles in this special issue of Synthese in the framework of the conference. Each focus is discussed in a separate section.

Je mehr über unser Bildungswesen publiziert und getagt wird, umso heilloser scheint die Verwirrung in der Sache zu werden. Zudem droht im Dickicht jahrzehntelanger Reformen, Gegenreformen und Reform-Reformen das Pädagogische zu Gunsten bürokratischer und ökonomischer Maßstäbe zu verschwinden. In Kritik dieser Tendenz geht es dem Autor darum, die Pädagogik wieder als eine eigentümliche, unverwechselbare und gesellschaftlich notwendige Praxis des Forderns und Förderns zu entdecken und sie gegen unangemessene ideologische und wissenschaftliche Ansprüche von außen zu verteidigen. Dabei wählt der Autor eine (...) Perspektive von unten - aus der Sicht derer, die pädagogisch handeln müssen. Der Band entwirft einen Vorstellungszusammenhang, von dem aus der gegenwärtige Zustand des Bildungswesens besser verstanden und im Hinblick auf künftige Verbesserungen kritisch reflektiert werden kann. (shrink)

This is a review essay about David Corfield and Jon Williamson's anthology Foundations of Bayesianism. Taken together, the fifteen essays assembled in the book assess the state of the art in Bayesianism. Such an assessment is timely, because decision theory and formal epistemology have become disciplines that are no longer taught on a routine basis in good philosophy departments. Thus we need to ask: Quo vadis, Bayesianism? The subjects of the articles include Bayesian group decision theory, approaches to the (...) concept of probability, Bayesian approaches in the philosophy of mathematics, reflections on the relationship between causation and probability, the Independence axiom, and a range of criticisms of Bayesianism, among other subjects. While critical of some of the arguments presented in the articles, this review recommends Corfield and Williamson's volume to anyone who is trying to stay abreast of Bayesian research. (shrink)

The purpose of this contribution is to examine the current state of the de Broglie-Bohm theory (dBB) in light of Bohm’s vision as he explicitly set it out in his book Quantum theory [In Bohm, D., Quantum theory, Courier corporation, (1961b)]. In particular, two programmes that differ in many crucial respects are currently being pursued. On the one hand, the Bohmian mechanics school, founded by Dürr Goldstein and Zanghì, considers the theory to be Galilean invariant, regards particles’ motion as determined (...) by a nomological entity, the universal wave function, upholds the quantum equilibrium hypothesis and explains probabilities in terms of typicality. On the other hand, the Pilot-wave school advocated by Valentini considers the theory to be based on Aristotelian dynamics, regards the wave function as a physical field displaying a contingent nature, and explains quantum equilibrium as the result of a process of relaxation from quantum non-equilibrium. Looking at Bohm’s work [In Bohm, D., Quantum theory, Courier corporation, (1961b)], it is clear that his intention was to construct a theory that was empirically different from standard quantum mechanics, so that it would be testable and falsifiable. Only this way could he defend dBB from the criticism that accused the theory of being 'metaphysical'. These methodological concerns about the falsifiability of the theory constitute, in my opinion, a strong reason for regarding Valentini's programme as methodologically valuable, even if it might turn out to be wrong. Indeed, the programme of the Pilot-wave school aims to be falsifiable with respect to standard quantum mechanics and can in principle defend the empirical status of particle trajectories. (shrink)