This is a dictionary of Descartes and Cartesian philosophy, primarily covering philosophy in the 17th century, with a chronology and biography of Descartes's life and times and a bibliography of primary and secondary works related to Descartes and to Cartesians.

A generation of students at the Faculty of Theology of the K.U.Leuven have been introduced by Roger Burggraeve to the thoughts of Emmanuel Levinas. Levinas has been for him a true "master in thinking". For Levinas responsibility is heteronymous because it does not start from the "I" but from the epiphany of the other as the face, appealing to me not "to kill" but to promote him/her. In and through the appeal of the face, the difference between the other (...) and me - expressed in the irreducible alterity of the other - is, ethically speaking, the appeal to the highest "non-indifference": proximity without absorption. As Levinas' thinking carries on obvious Jewish-Talmudic imprint, Burggraeve was interested as to how the concept of responsibility can be connected to a biblically inspired ethic. In which way can the Levinasian view on responsibility enhance a Christian anthropology, and in particular that one articulated by Louvain personalism, and in its turn inspired by a Christian anthropology, so that it benefits from uniquely Christian accents? In this Festschrift for Roger Burggraeve, authors explore the theme of "Responsibility, God and Society" in order to answer two questions. What does Levinas' ethic of responsibility have to offer Christian theology? And vice-versa, what can Christian theology offer to contemporary ethical thought on personal, relational and societal responsibility. (shrink)

In this chapter, Grace Andrus de Laguna and Theodore de Laguna critically examine the pragmatist theory of knowledge and offer their own alternative to it.

In this chapter, Grace Andrus de Laguna presents and argues for perspectivism about perception.

Human communication is often thought about in terms of transmitted messages in a conventional code like a language. But communication requires a specialized interactive intelligence. Senders have to be able to perform recipient design, while receivers need to be able to do intention recognition, knowing that recipient design has taken place. To study this interactive intelligence in the lab, we developed a new task that taps directly into the underlying abilities to communicate in the absence of a conventional code. We (...) show that subjects are remarkably successful communicators under these conditions, especially when senders get feedback from receivers. Signaling is accomplished by the manner in which an instrumental action is performed, such that instrumentally dysfunctional components of an action are used to convey communicative intentions. The findings have important implications for the nature of the human communicative infrastructure, and the task opens up a line of experimentation on human communication. (shrink)

The old arguments concerning aristotle's empirical or factual approach to history in the "politics" and the fragments of the 158 aristotelian 'politeiai' should be supplemented or revised through fresh analyses of his treatment of limited, Specific themes. The present paper offers an analysis of aristotle's conception of the spartan constitution in the "politics" and the "lakedaimonion politeia." from this examination it is concluded that books ii, Vii, And viii of the "politics" represent a later, More empirical stage in aristotle's thinking (...) concerning the spartan system, And books iv and v an earlier, More theoretical one. Book v and the "lakedaimonion politeia" reflect an intermediate fact-Gathering stage in his research. These several stages are particularly clear in aristotle's change from an approbative to a disapproving view of spartan institutions, Wherein the earlier view of an admirable lycurgan constitution contrasts with a later critical attitude toward the mistakes of the spartan 'nomothetes'. (shrink)

In this article, Grace Andrus de Laguna develops a view of human freedom, one according to which it is made possible by the uniqueness of human individuals and the cultural worlds in which they live.

The nm23 gene, a putative metastasis suppressor gene, was originally identified by its reduced expression in highly metastatic K‐1735 murine melanoma cell lines, as compared to related, low metastatic melanoma cell lines. Transfection of nm23 cDNA has been reported to suppress malignant progression in Drosophila and mammalian cells. Highly conserved homologues of nm23 have been found in organisms ranging from the prokaryote Myxococcus xanthus to Drosophila, where the gene is involved in normal development and differentiation. The product of the nm23 (...) gene exhibits a nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity, yet the nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity of Nm23 does not correlate with its apparent biological functions. We review recent cellular, genetic, biochemical and X‐ray crystallographic data to formulate and evaluate hypotheses concerning the molecular mechanism of nm23 action. (shrink)

Human communication is often thought about in terms of transmitted messages in a conventional code like a language. But communication requires a specialized interactive intelligence. Senders have to be able to perform recipient design, while receivers need to be able to do intention recognition, knowing that recipient design has taken place. To study this interactive intelligence in the lab, we developed a new task that taps directly into the underlying abilities to communicate in the absence of a conventional code. We (...) show that subjects are remarkably successful communicators under these conditions, especially when senders get feedback from receivers. Signaling is accomplished by the manner in which an instrumental action is performed, such that instrumentally dysfunctional components of an action are used to convey communicative intentions. The findings have important implications for the nature of the human communicative infrastructure, and the task opens up a line of experimentation on human communication. (shrink)

Pentecostalism meant a break with Protestant anthropology hostage to the epistemology of Modernity. As Havey Cox explains, these American movements in the early years of the 20th century filled the ecstatic deficit left by evangelicals, pointing towards the affective system of knowledge of reality, an affective epistemology. If, on the one hand, the Pentecostal experience encouraged the shift from the margin to the center of corporeality, on the other, the violated and subjugated bodies became visible and empowered, because marginalized groups, (...) excluded by the American and Brazilian Protestant establishment, were and are protagonists. Pentecostal movements are presented as a presence in the world and religious practice that reveals the defense of fundamental rights, especially in the militancy experience of racial justice, which does not mean a theoretical defense, but community experiences of excluded bodies that gain pneumatic status. The essay discusses the relationship between religion, human rights and racial issues, pointing out how Pentecostalism represents intuitions for a more fraternal and egalitarian society. (shrink)

The A to Z of Descartes and Cartesian Philosophy includes a chronology, an introduction, a bibliography, and cross-reference dictionary entries Descartes's writings, concepts, and findings, as well as entries on those who supported him, those who criticized him, those who corrected him, and those who together formed one of the major movements in philosophy, Cartesianism.

Humans are experts in cooperating with each other when trying to accomplish tasks they cannot achieve alone. Recent studies of joint action have shown that when performing tasks together people strongly rely on the neurocognitive mechanisms that they also use when performing actions individually, that is, they predict the consequences of their co‐actor’s behavior through internal action simulation. Context‐sensitive action monitoring and action selection processes, however, are relatively underrated but crucial ingredients of joint action. In the present paper, we try (...) to correct the somewhat simplified view on joint action by reviewing recent studies of joint action simulation, monitoring, and selection while emphasizing the intricate interrelationships between these processes. We complement our review by defining the contours of a neurologically plausible computational framework of joint action. (shrink)

In 1893, The World’s Parliament of Religions met in Chicago from the 15th of May until the 28th of October. 2013 marked the 120th anniversary of this gathering where the leading representatives of the religions of the world engaged in dialogue. To commemorate this event, Special Collections Research Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in conjunction with the Hegeler Carus Foundation hosted a symposium on the relationship between science, religion, and philosophy. One of the themes of the Parliament was “…the (...) actual harmony of science and religion; and the origin and nature of the alleged conflict between them.” Featured speakers addressed these issues igniting fascinating conversations. These are the papers that were presented. (shrink)

Avez-vous déjà rencontré des philosophes? Etes-vous demeuré assez longtemps en leur compagnie? Avez-vous constaté qu'ils ne sont pas tous tristes? Ce livre vous permettra d'en fréquenter beaucoup, illustres ou méconnus, antiques ou modernes, orientaux ou occidentaux, de manière familière et personnelle. Vous découvrirez pourquoi les grands philosophes bénéficient d'une éternelle jeunesse. Et vous comprendrez que l'exercice de la philosophie n'a que deux cibles : la bêtise et la tristesse.

Question: Where, when and under what circumstances did the two of you get to know each other?Fischer: It was in the early seventies, in Frankfurt, after the dissolution of the gauche proletarienne and while there were still leftist groups in Germany. It must have been 1972. Question: Was that a private visit?Glucksmann: We had private discussions. We also participated in rallies and demonstrations.Question: That was in the late phase of the student movement.Fischer: We kept in contact through my old room-mate, (...) Daniel Cohn-Bendit. He was our link to France, so to speak.Question: And was this the link between the French and the German Left that existed then? (shrink)

Embellir le regard et, par lui, la nature, c'est la fonction de l'art. L'histoire du nu est celle du regard que les hommes ont porté sur la nudité, la chronique somptueuse de leur délectation. Mais l'art ne se borne pas à fonder la beauté naturelle. Il modèle les moeurs. Il donne forme et norme aux comportements. La sexualité est soumise à ses modes. Une enquête sur le nu dans les paysages.

Résumé Dans quelle mesure la Logique de Port-Royal peut-elle être considérée comme une logique cartésienne? Et dans quelle mesure l’ Art de penser diffère-t-il des logiques antérieures? Telles sont les deux questions, étroitement liées l’une à l’autre, auxquelles je souhaite répondre dans cette étude en procédant à une série de comparaisons, d’une part avec ce que Descartes appelait sa logique, d’autre part avec ce que les cartésiens de la première génération entendaient par logique cartésienne, et pour finir avec l'évolution de (...) la logique scolastique au cours du XVII e siècle. Je conclus que la logique élaborée par les cartésiens est simplement venue confirmer certains des développements de la logique scolastique au XVII e siècle. La Logique de Port-Royal qui, pour les cartésiens de la fin du XVII e siècle, représente par excellence la logique cartésienne, a également bien des traits en commun avec une logique néo-scolastique. (shrink)

Wendy Rogers ist Professorin für klinische Ethik und Catriona Mackenzie ist Professorin für Philosophie. Beide lehren an der Macquarie University in Sydney, Australien. Susan Dodds ist Professorin für Philosophie an der La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australien. Alle drei befassen sich seit Jahren intensiv mit feministischer Theorie, angewandter und biomedizinischer Ethik sowie mit Moralphilosophie.

The essence of a policy evaluation of the personnel situation in the amalgamated municipalities is to investigate the degree to which the amalgamation as instrument achieved the present objectives and thedegree to which the instruments used have contributed to it. Such an evaluation is complicated by the fact that insufficient attention was given to the objectives in the amalgamation policy and to the time period within which they had to be achieved. From the analysis, it appears, in any case, that (...) the number of personnel grew after the amalgamation in the local administrations more than in others. This applies in particular to the public welfare agencies. This growth is probably to be ascribed more to the social evolution than to the amalgamation operation. The demonstration of scale effects is not easy because of the lack of diachronic studies. The fact that large municipalities have relatively more personnel than small municipalities may not be deduced from an increase of the population. The diachronic study of the percentage of the total expenditures for personnel shows that this part has decreased, which could indicate a scale effect. However, one has, at this time, insufficient information of the factors that explain the amount of personnel so that a change in that amount cannot simply be ascribed to the amalgamation. At the same time, the hypothesis is formulated that the amalgamation of the municipalities as a policy measure bas not brought about many changes on the level of policy implementation. This can be explained by the lack of an accompanying strategy for change. It does not suffice to vote for a law to bring about a fundamental change. (shrink)

O presente artigo tangencia o conceito de tensor esgueirando-se pelos platôs linguísticos de Mil platôs, agenciando o que Deleuze e Guattari potencializam em o que passou?, e que buscamos atualizar em o que passa? Nesse sentido, buscamos a articulação entre o que ambos os conceitos movimentam: isso, que acontece na relação entre dois ou mais estratos. Percebemos que o tensor transversa a obra de Deleuze e Guattari e, mesmo que não exerça um relevo, está lá, estrategicamente em funcionamento. Destarte, desejamos (...) articular com esses conceitos de partida, uma possibilidade para poder inventariar os deslocamentos imanentes de escrileitura, como forma de aproximar procedimentos didático-tradutórios, que possam vir a ser envolvidos em uma pesquisa, que deseja experimentarse em momentos de invenção. Para tanto, problematizamos uma tríade conceitual – tensor, o que passa?, e escrileitura, de modo a possibilitar perspectivas de composição e de funcionamentode uma máquina abstrata escrileitora de invenções. Com o Método Maquinatório de Pesquisa, afirmamos a busca por dar vez e voz a um processo de maquinações, que possam vir tensionar uma crítica sintomatológica, duplamente articulada a uma clínica maquinatória; um Plano de Organização tensionado por um Plano de Invenção; e, no intermezzo desses encontros, algo passa, algo pode passar; e, assim, persistem os rastros de uma escrileitura, envolta e revolta em um contínuo recursivo: escrever-ler-escrever. Nesse percurso, jogamos os dados em um tabuleiro desejante; procuramos abrir um caminho para a passagem de procedimentos escrileitores de invenção, e ensaiamos uma aposta: poder tensionar a transitividade atual-potencial do fazer linguístico, literário e escritureiro. Palavras-chave: Educação. Filosofia da diferença. Método Maquinatório de Pesquisa. Escrileitura. Tensor. (shrink)

Composed more than 2,000 years ago during a turbulent period of Chinese history, the Dao de jing set forth an alternative vision of reality in a world torn apart by violence and betrayal. Daoism, as this subtle but enduring philosophy came to be known, offers a comprehensive view of experience grounded in a full understanding of the wonders hidden in the ordinary. Now in this luminous new translation, based on the recently discovered ancient bamboo scrolls, China scholars Roger T. (...) Ames and David L. Hall bring the timeless wisdom of the Dao de jing into our contemporary world. Though attributed to Laozi, “the Old Master,” the Dao de jing is, in fact, of unknown authorship and may well have originated in an oral tradition four hundred years before the time of Christ. Eschewing philosophical dogma, the Dao de jing set forth a series of maxims that outlined a new perspective on reality and invited readers to embark on a regimen of self-cultivation. In the Daoist world view, each particular element in our experience sends out an endless series of ripples throughout the cosmos. The unstated goal of the Dao de jing is self-transformation–the attainment of personal excellence that flows from the world and back into it. Responding to the teachings of Confucius, the Dao de jing revitalizes moral behavior by recommending a spontaneity made possible by the cultivated “habits” of the individual. In this elegant volume, Ames and Hall feature the original Chinese texts of the Dao de jing and translate them into crisp, chiseled English that reads like poetry. Each of the eighty-one brief chapters is followed by clear, thought-provoking commentary exploring the layers of meaning in the text. The book’s extensive introduction is a model of accessible scholarship in which Ames and Hall consider the origin of the text, place the emergence of Daoist philosophy in its historical and political context, and outline its central tenets. The Dao de jing is a work of timeless wisdom and beauty, as vital today as it was in ancient China. This new version will stand as both a compelling introduction to the complexities of Daoist thought and as the classic modern English translation. (shrink)

Ramon Llull hat das größte mittelalterliche Korpus von literarischen Dialogen in der Romania hinterlassen. Es steht im lateinischen, romanischen und arabischen Kontext der theologisch-philosophischen Diskussion. Die Arbeit untersucht sechs der 26 Dialoge Llulls eingehender im Hinblick auf ihre ideologische Ausrichtung und die literarischen Verfahren, die diese im Dialog transportieren. Llull entwickelt dabei bestimmte mittelalterliche Dialogtraditionen zu einem eigenen Modell weiter, das eine iberoromanische Linie lullistischer Dialoge begründet. Die Arbeit enthält die Erstedition der »Consolatio Venetorum«.