Inferentialism as a theory of meaning builds on the idea that what a linguistic expression means depends exclusively on the inferential rules that govern its use. Following different strategies and exploring various case studies, the authors of this collection of essays discuss under what circumstances and to what extent the central tenets of inferentialism are tenable. The essays in this volume present the results of a three-year research project "Representation and Inference" which was conducted from the beginning of 2008 to (...) the end 2010. The aim of the project was to assess the research program of inferentialism as it has been pursued recently by Robert Brandom, Mark Lance, and Jaroslav Peregrin. Earlier versions of these texts were presented at the conference "Inference, Consequence, and Meaning" held in Sofia on the 3rd and 4th of December, 2008. (shrink)

This article examines the fairness of business competition in the field of information and communication technologies. In the era of "postcontemporary society" economy, the dominant factor of development is the use of information. The share of business in the field of information and communication technologies in the economy is constantly growing. For businesses, its integration into the Internet, which has become an important market for the sale and promotion of goods and services, is becoming increasingly important. Various digital innovations, social (...) networks, mobile applications, information and communication technologies have become commonplace in today's society, which affects the need to study their impact on business. Technology transfer is the basis of innovative activities of small businesses and a means of their sustainable development, a guarantee of profit and social impact. It is noted that in order to win in the competition, personal brand and trademarks, strategic management and balanced business plans are of special importance. A characteristic feature of leading high-tech companies is the use of digital platforms through which they provide their services. Digital platforms are used for interaction in social networks, use of search and payment systems, exchange of information materials. The need for high start-up costs leads to the difficulty of entering this market and the concentration of large amounts of data in the hands of a small number of players, which carries the threat of monopolization in the market of digital platforms. (shrink)

The article considers the issue of legal discourse evolution in the context of today’s civilization informatization in the postmodern era and intercultural dialogue which determines the understanding of fundamental judicial notions relative to the consciousness of an individual as a subject of legal and economic operations, as well as an implementer of social-economic and cultural rights. Given that the Internet environment in the 21st century is characterized by hypertextual discourse, this raises the matter of differentiation between objective and axiological scientific (...) knowledge contributing to a deeper understanding of the universe. The principles of further research in different scientific fields in the context of their social and socialization role in the information society are perceived as the coevolutionary basis of the informational civilization. Also noteworthy is the functional structural analysis of terms’ extraction from the symbolization of the language system, the prospective analysis of legal terms’ functioning, the study of their formal and semantic structure, the classification of legal sublanguage terms and the adjustment, unification and standardization of the term-based system. (shrink)

Phenotypic plasticity is a crucial feature of aggressive cancer, providing the means for cancer progression. Stochastic changes in tumor cell transcriptional programs increase the chances of survival under any condition. I hypothesize that unstable chromatin permits stochastic transitions between transcriptional programs in aggressive cancers and supports non‐genetic heterogeneity of tumor cells as a basis for their adaptability. I present a mechanistic model for unstable chromatin which includes destabilized nucleosomes, mobile chromatin fibers and random enhancer‐promoter contacts, resulting in stochastic transcription. I (...) suggest potential markers for “unsettled” chromatin in tumors associated with poor prognosis. Although many of the characteristics of unstable chromatin have been described, they were mostly used to explain changes in the transcription of individual genes. I discuss approaches to evaluate the role of unstable chromatin in non‐genetic tumor cell heterogeneity and suggest using the degree of chromatin instability and transcriptional noise in tumor cells to predict cancer aggressiveness. (shrink)

The resources and resource potential of the innovative component of nanoeconomics are analyzed. The factors of production – classical types of resources such as land, labor, capital and technology – are described. Ways of influencing the security resources of nanoeconomics within the innovation paradigm are evaluated. The purpose of the study is to identify the factor of nanoeconomics in the formation of resource security potential in the innovation paradigm. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set: to characterize the (...) importance of the land resource as a factor in the potential of economic nanosystems; to highlight the importance of capital as a factor of nanoproduction and an indicator of the innovation paradigm; to determine the labor resource in the development of innovative nanosystems; to analyze the intellectual potential of nanoeconomic development of the innovation paradigm; to identify clusters of innovative nanopotential in the regions of countries with transition economies. Each resource is examined separately with the first analysis of a resource security assessment such as land. The other resource under consideration is labor. Demographic factors become decisive in describing the development of labor resources. The capital factor allows the formation of independent economic systems, when the state budget affects the possibility of developing science, education and health care. A number of methods were applied during the study: methods of induction and deduction (to assess the importance of the innovation paradigm for the development of nanoeconomics); system analysis and structural approach (to determine the aggregate state of production factors); method of comparing the quality of production factors in market economies and in developed countries; an observation method (for assessing the state of resources in different countries); method of cluster analysis (to determine the existence of innovation-territorial regions in countries with economies in transition). The analysis is carried out to identify the conditions of the impact of production factors on the innovative paradigm of nanoeconomics. It reveals theoretical approaches to the formation of nanoeconomics and its active development. As a result of the study of intellectual and resource potential of security, a cluster analysis was carried out to assess the conditions for the formation of innovation-territorial regions. This study allows to understand the role of production security factors in the formation of the innovation paradigm and the efficiency of the development of nanoeconomics. The way of providing the basis for the development of nanoeconomics in the form of efficient use of production factors is considered as a perspective. (shrink)

In this essay, I propose that DNA‐binding anti‐cancer drugs work more via chromatin disruption than DNA damage. Success of long‐awaited drugs targeting cancer‐specific drivers is limited by the heterogeneity of tumors. Therefore, chemotherapy acting via universal targets (e.g., DNA) is still the mainstream treatment for cancer. Nevertheless, the problem with targeting DNA is insufficient efficacy due to high toxicity. I propose that this problem stems from the presumption that DNA damage is critical for the anti‐cancer activity of these drugs. DNA (...) in cells exists as chromatin, and many DNA‐targeting drugs alter chromatin structure by destabilizing nucleosomes and inducing histone eviction from chromatin. This effect has been largely ignored because DNA damage is seen as the major reason for anti‐cancer activity. I discuss how DNA‐binding molecules destabilize chromatin, why this effect is more toxic to tumoral than normal cells, and why cells die as a result of chromatin destabilization. (shrink)

Зменшення кількості відходів та їх негативних впливів на довкілля і якість життя людини належить до глобальних екологічних викликів сучасності, які потребують комплексної відповіді. Aналізуються підходи до розв’язання проблеми поводження з відходами на локальному рівні. Поводження з відходами визначається як науково-політична проблема, оскільки успіх рішення залежить як від наукового обґрунтування, експертизи, рекомендацій, так і від розуміння цих рекомендацій політиками та суспільством загалом. Складність розв’язання науково-політичних проблем характеризується зростанням невизначеності, ціннісним навантаженням, високими ставкою (ціною), ризиками та терміновістю рішень (Ravetz). Показана продуктивність залучення (...) місцевих цінностей (теорія локалізації), менеджменту спільного (Остром) та інтерпретації феномена NIMBY для формування підходів до вироблення управлінських і комунікативних стратегій у сфері поводження з відходами на локальному рівні. Масштабні руйнівні наслідки нинішньої російської агресії в Україні додали нових аспектів до проблеми поводження з відходами і значною мірою ускладнили реалізацію попередніх планів, вимагаючи ефективних нестандартних рішень. (shrink)

The theory of rational choice of religion became one of the leading for scientific world, by total changing paradigm of postsecular sociology of religion. But its critics does not give to us any possibility apply it fully to non-american societies, and also analyze the impact of social factors on perception of religion personally and by collective. The problem is taking into account many other factors that also have a place in modern forms of conflict. Consideration of this theory in a (...) context of latest events in Ukraine 2013-2016 gives us possibility to look on perspectives of its implementation. A more detailed analysis shows the lack of a theory to explain the multifaceted conflict that is present in Ukraine, what means that researcher need more theoretical background to explain new phenomena. The presence of religious component in a social and political conflict creates more difficult conditions for in-depth analysis and finding root causes of primary conflict. Still theory of rational choice of religion explains part of the trends that emerged two years ago and continue to develop in the Ukrainian society. Since the first revolution and later open armed conflict led to the transition of society in another dimension, placing new challenges and tasks, but bared old problems and latent conflicts, especially in religious organizations and groups. (shrink)

Source: Author: Tetiana Tverdokhlib The main forms of teaching pedagogical disciplines in orthodox religious educational institutions of Ukraine have been characterised in the article on the basis of analyzed pedagogical literature, archival records, and documents in periodicals. The features of conducting lessons, teaching practice, examinations and organisation of making written home compositions in various types of religious educational institutions of Ukraine in the stated time period have been revealed. The essence of "rehearsals" as a form of controlling students’ learning (...) activity in the Kyiv Theological Academy has been revealed, the basic kinds of academists’ works at practical hours on pedagogy have been given; the content and quality of teachers’ work with graduates on their researches have been characterised. ]]>. (shrink)

Publication date: 2 May 2019 Source: Author: Tetiana Tverdokhlib The article focuses on the pedagogical component in the content of Pastoral Theology in the Ukrainian educational institutions of the Orthodox Church, which were included in the system of religious education of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the nineteenth century – at the end of the 1860's. Basing on the studied works “On Positions of Parish Presbyters” by the bishop of the Smolensk Parfenii and the Archbishop of Mogilev, (...) Georgii, “Letters on Positions of Sacred Rank” by Olexandr Sturdza, “Pastoral Theology” by Archimandrite Anthonii, as well as programs, lecture notes and lecture reviews of lecturers of theological seminaries and the Kiev Theological Academy it has been established that much attention at classes on Pastoral Theology was paid to the preparation of future priests for the religious and moral upbringing of parishioners. The main forms and methods of teaching Pastoral Theology have been presented on the basis of the analysis of archival materials, historical, pedagogical literature. Attention is drawn to the widespread dissemination in the seminaries of rote learning and text dictating, despite the prohibition of such methods by the 1814 Statute. The quality of teaching and staffing of this subject in the secondary and higher Ukrainian educational institutions of the Orthodox Church in the period under research. It has been proved that Pastoral Theology in seminaries was on an equal footing with other branches of theology: teachers understood its great importance for future presbyters and paid much attention to the subject as distinct from the Kiev Theological Academy. (shrink)

The article explores biblical sources of ethics principles of business. It demonstrates that in the contemporary pluralistic world, principles of biblical business ethics can be valuable in the communication and interaction among representatives of different countries and cultures, as they encompass fundamental foundations for building business relationships. Due to the influence of Christian morality on the culture of many nations, biblical values have the potential to significantly impact individuals and their economic behavior, contributing to the dissemination of important economic categories (...) in society. The study reveals that important anthropological foundations for fruitful economic relations have been formed within the framework of biblical theocentrism, including considerations of human dignity, honesty, diligence, responsibility, and charity. The biblical perspective on property as a temporary stewardship has significant implications for awareness and education about responsibility not only towards other people but also towards the environment, holding crucial relevance in the context of corporate social responsibility in the modern world. (shrink)

In the last decade, a number of studies in the behavioural sciences, particularly in psychology and economics, have explored the complexity of individual risk behaviour and its underlying factors. Most previous studies have examined the influences of various socio-economic, cognitive, biological and psychological factors on human decision-making however, the relationship between the decision-makers’ risk preferences and occupational background has not received much empirical attention. Accordingly, in the current study, we investigated how occupational background, together with decision-making framing (e.g., variations in (...) decision domain, context, presentation of risk and utility ratios), influence participants’ risk preferences for decision options with equivalent expected utility. Our novel findings indicate that risk preferences may vary among individuals from different occupational backgrounds. As such, when the task was framed in gain terms, participants who mostly deal with health/safety-related risks on a day-to-day basis (high-risk occupations) were predominantly risk-averse (avoiding risky options), while participants who mostly deal with financial/social risks (white-collar occupations) were prone to risk-seeking behaviour (avoiding certain options). Specifically, in “high-risk” occupations, participants’ pattern of choices changed from risk-averse in gain scenarios to risk-seeking in loss scenarios. However, the opposite pattern of risk preferences was found in participants with “white-collar” occupations. Our findings indicate that decision-makers’ occupational backgrounds influence risk preferences under some circumstances. (shrink)

The article is dedicated to the analysis of modern approaches to the definition, conceptualization, and interpretation of happiness to outline the conditions of a happy life for Ukrainians (Ukrainian happiness). This is important for the development of a vision of a post-war future, the definition of the integral goal of post-war development, and the role of the policy of happiness in it. The article considers subjective and objective, internal and external conditions of happiness, including the dependence of happiness on both (...) economic and environmental conditions in their interconnectedness. The relevance of such an analysis is conditioned by the global situation (the global environmental crisis, growth of the environmental threats and challenges, diminishing of the total natural capital, etc.) and the national reality (environmental damage as a result of Russian aggression and the challenges of post-war restoration). Special attention is paid to the non-linear influence of material well-being and its effect on happiness, as well as the dependence of happiness on the quality of the environment. The analysis of this issue is based on the consideration of: 1) Easterlin paradox; 2) Layard’s “The Big Seven factors affecting happiness” (family relationships, financial situation, work, involvement in the community and friendship, physical and mental health, personal freedom and personal values); 3) the methodology of “conversion” of natural capital into a long, comfortable, and happy life for people (Happy Planet Index); 4) hypothesis of biophilia as the evolutionarily determined psycho-emotional connection of man with nature and as a precondition of well-being and happiness (E. Wilson, S. Kellert). It is concluded that for Ukraine it is important not only to estimate the economic and environmental losses caused by Russian aggression but also the economic and environmental cost of post-war reconstruction. A strategy for harmonizing economic, social, and environmental policies as components of an integral policy of happiness should be worked out. Nature should be considered not only as a source of economic growth but also as a basis for satisfying non-material human needs and feelings of biophilia. (shrink)

У статті досліджується екосеміотика (термін запропонований Вілфрідом Нотом) – міждисциплінарна галузь, що має на меті: 1) поглибити розуміння особливостей взаємодії між людиною і довкіллям, культурою і природою на основі застосування семіотичного підходу; 2) розширення пізнавальних можливостей людини у природнознавчій і культурознавчій сферах за допомогою семіотичного інструментарію. Відзначається, що екосеміотика безпосередньо пов’язана з біосеміотикою, семіотикою культури (культурною семіотикою), а також з екологічною (інвайронментальною) філософією. Вона спирається на принцип неперервності (спадкоємності) у розвитку природи та розуму (свідомості) (Ч. Пірс), уявлення про внутрішній зв'язок (...) між живими (природними) та семіотичними процесами (Дж. Хофмейер), голістичний (системний) погляд на семіосферу (Ю. Лотман). Екосеміотика розглядає взаємодію культури і природи як двосторонній процес, в якому природа визначає культуру так само, як і культура у різний спосіб окреслює природу. Зауважується, що для екосеміотики як порівняно нового дослідницького напряму не вироблено єдиного методологічного базису та бачення досліджуваного ним кола проблем, що цілком релевантно ситуації в семіотиці загалом. Автор доходить висновку, що на тлі постійного зростання досліджень, які позиціонують себе як екосеміотичні, цей напрям потребує відповідних методологічних рефлексій і оцінок. (shrink)

The tendencies of postsecularism in the social life of today's Ukraine are especially significant in their influence on the quasi-religious context of religious worships practiced in the country. These factors erode the modernity basis of the society, and Ukraine appears in the contradictory situation of its intention to complete the modernisation process and oppose the antiglobalistic isolationism. The neo-Protestant teachings and practices are obviouly connected with the principles of liberalism and consumerism. Neo-Oriental and new syncretic religions show that they produce (...) significant influence on spreading globalistic views in the Ukrainian society. The marginality characteristics of new religions prove the idea that their values are a challenge to the essentialistic dichotomies of the Ukrainian traditional churches. The sociocultural and political context of globalisation and postmodernism includes religious transformations axiomatically, and the impact of both on the late capitalism stage is evident in different contexts. The culture of postmodernism makes this process complicated in the countries which are still between modernity and postmodernity. The processes of 'label change' are important with the stress on the substitution of the rationalistic foundation by quasi-scientific teachings. The conclusions demonstrate that the very incompleteness of the modernity has led to the expansion of the quasi-religious techniques in the social and cultural life of Ukraine. The erosion of the modernity values results in spreading new religions, which became vivid at the end of the last century. As globalisation promotes syncretic and neo-Oriental religions, antiglobalistic movements are supported by neo-pagan techniques and practices. (shrink)

This study has proven that the economic system is determined by various components, in particular, it includes the real sector of the economy, which is formed on mega-, macro, meso-, micro-and nano-levels. In addition, it was proved that the nano-level is determined by the activities of individuals whose economic activity begins with the birth and attitude of parents, attending various educational and upbringing institutions, and studying at university. A separate segment of the nano-level of the economic system is the baby (...) industry responsible for the production of goods and services for children and future parents. All these aspects are indicators of the development of the baby economy. Such an economic category as the baby economy was separated and defined. The study uses the following methods: analysis, synthesis, structural analysis, systemic approach, observation, comparison, multifactor regression. These methods made it possible to achieve the results, which involve isolation of the baby economy as a component of nanoeconomy and definition of such components of the baby economic segment of nanoeconomy as a family or household economy, the baby industry, the economy of the educational process and upbringing. For this purpose, the value-institutional approach was applied. In addition, multifactorial analysis of the impact of indicators of the baby economy development on the population of a country with a transitive economy with incomes below the subsistence minimum was performed. This analysis identified a direct but minor relationship between these phenomena, which demonstrates the need to intensify and create a policy for the baby economy in similar states. The theoretical significance of the obtained results is determined by the introduction of a new economic category of "the baby economy" for the formation of a nano economic component within socio-economic systems. (shrink)

The article provides an overview of activity of the department of logic and methodology of science of the H.S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy, National Academy of Science of Ukraine. This activity includes scientific research, translation of philosophical literature, organization of seminars on urgent problems of modern philosophy. Research projects, on the one hand, are based on scientific traditions formed over the years in the Institute, and on the other hand, they focus on the transformations in scientific cognition and science, and (...) build the projections for the future. It presents methodological backgrounds of the project «Semiotic analysis of cultural phenomena» (2018–2020), and outlines research tasks of the projects «Communicative transformations in modern science» (2020–2021) and «Logical, ontological and axiological dimensions of modern scientific knowledge» (2022–2024). Involvement of young scholars in research in logic, methodology and philosophy of science is the major challenge for the department. (shrink)

The article analyzes the main provisions of anthropological views of Francis. It is shown that in his anthropology he attempts to mix theological transcendence and anthropological immanence in the context of creating theological grounds to solve the underlying problems of secular society.

The problem of man is one of the "eternal" problems of philosophy. Repeatedly exercising "Anthropological turn", philosophy raises the question of the essence of man almost throughout its history and, according to a new era, is trying to give it exhaustive answer. Summarizing a number of concepts, let's note that they are related awareness of the incompleteness of any definition. Man is both simple and extraordinary mysterious creature on planet earth. Being one of the natural creatures, an integral part nature, (...) it is due to the mind rising above it and creates a "second nature", which, over time, becomes a priority environment of its existence. (shrink)

Protestant anthropology: between secularity and postsecularity. In this article the analysis of main problems of the Protestant anthropology late XX – early XXІ centuries. It is shown that the theological discourse on the merits of the man and his life unfolded within the paradigm of secular and post-secular.

Preview: Culturology is a relatively new science and discipline, which is known by its name primarily in Eastern Europe (in Western Europe – Cultural studies). The origin of culturology as a science of culture dates back to the middle of the twentieth century. In the Soviet Union, culturology was not declared a bourgeois pseudo-science, but the attitude toward it was wary – because of its inevitable philosophical claims. Therefore, in fact, it was subjected to philosophical emasculation and reduction, which led (...) to its perceptible provincialism, a backwardness that is not easily overcome. It should be noted that Ukrainian culturology could not yet boast of such achievements and such a role in the intellectual life of society as Western cultural studies of the 20th century. However, it existed and had its achievements of both a general theoretical and a practical level. It was uppermost developed by philosophers in the twentieth century. Today, culturology seeks to answer the questions that arise from the obvious crisis of the human world, the loss of meaningful reference points, and the instrumentalization of human development. (shrink)

This article focuses on the famous folklorized text De zghoda v rodyni, tam myr i tyshyna, shchaslyvi tam liudy, blazhenna storona (“When there is harmony in the family, peace and quiet are there, these people are happy and this land is blessed”), mainly on its genesis and connection with Hryhorii Skovoroda. At the first sight, its authorship is clear and easy to identify. It seems obvious that these lines come from the play Natalka Poltavka by Ivan Kotliarevskyi, who was, in (...) his turn, deeply influenced by Hryhorii Skovoroda. However, the folklorization of this verse, which is, subsequently, of great research interest, has caused numerous misattributions of the authorship. The article illustrates the folklorization of these famous lines with concrete examples of epigraphic embroideries listed on the author’s Interactive Online Index of Folklore Formulas (Epigraphic Embroidery). (shrink)

The article focuses on the role of Olena Pchilka1 and Lesia Ukrainka in epigraphic embroidery development. Undoubtedly, Olena Pchilka was an ardent proponent of folk art purity. Following from this, there is a tendency to think that she was against all novelty in Ukrainian embroidery. Many researchers and antiquity enthusiasts refer to her authority when arguing against inscriptions on textile as a phenomenon resulting largely from printed cross-stitch on paper. However, not all embroidered verbal texts have been of print origin. (...) Most of them were folkloric texts. What is more, Olena Pchilka to some extent provided her own comment on epigraphic embroidery in approving Lesia Ukrainka’s rushnyk containing the inscription “Oh, my thoughts, my thoughts, woe is with you! Love one another, brethren, love Ukraine”. In modern embroidery, embroideresses reproduce the citation with new connotations of these words, thereby continuing the epigraphic embroidery tradition. The author illustrates the folklorization of oft-cited lines from Taras Shevchenko’s poetry with examples of epigraphic embroidery from her own Interactive Index of Folklore Formulas. (shrink)

The article analyzes the key issues of the theology of the modern Greek theologian Chrysostomos Stumulis. Emphasizing the need for the development of Orthodox thought and a clear definition of its place and role in the modern world, the theologian raises issues that are a definite taboo not only for Orthodoxy, but for Christianity as a whole. The problem of the correlation of Eros love and Agape love acquires a new interpretation from theologian, which reveals new horizons for the creation (...) of the latest Christian anthropology. In this context, the view of the theologian is revealed on the relationship between the key anthropological categories of Christianity - faith, love and freedom. Violation of their interaction generates a distorted embodiment of these qualities, which necessitates degradation both of society and of man. The theologian emphasizes that the inability of the Church for millennia to boldly raise the question of the nature of Eros and give him a worthy place in the nature of incarnation limits both the Church and the understanding of Christ. Modern theological thought must respond to problems that are too acute in society, despite the fact that they can be a challenging task for Orthodoxy. The ability of theology to respond to them, generates a "high risk" theology, which has the determination to speak and show the morbidity of an idealized past, dare to point out that some aspects of universally accepted truths are obsolete. The formation of a culture of embodiment is the basis upon which the theologian develops the Theology of the Word of the Flesh. Spirituality, which denies incarnation, in the opinion of the author, appears as pastoral idolatry and leads to dehumanization of society. Understanding the culture of theology as a manifestation of the culture of the flesh, as an expression of all aspects of human life in the perspective of their transformations through the Person of the Incarnate, appears as a continuation and expansion of creation. Love requires the adoption of matter and the human body. Only in this sense disclosure of a human as a Person, in the full extent of his creative spirit. Holistic understanding and a fair assessment of love - eros describes it as an opportunity for revelation and knowledge of both human personality and divine. Violating questions of love, sexuality, desire and satisfaction, the theologian indicates that they have not only anthropological nature, but are a holistic manifestation of the essence of the church body. Consequently, the accusation of Eros by Orthodox theologians points to an inhuman society, full of objections and accusations in human existential self-consciousness. The theologian draws attention to the need for theological discourse in the 21st century in the context of the formation of modern anthropology, in the aspect of disclosure of its completeness, which was lost in the abolition of theology. (shrink)

In the article the basic aspects of functioning of bank institutions are reflected with a foreign capital in the countries of Central and East Europe and in Ukraine. Basic pre-conditions and factors of creation of banks are exposed with participation of foreign capital, their roles in becoming and development of the national bankings systems, mainly in countries with a transitional economy, especially taking into account the consequences of financial crisis.

The article is devoted to the symbolics of doves on epigraphic embroidered towels (mainly known as rushnyks with inscriptions), which were massively produced by Ukrainian girls and women from the end of the nineteenth till the middle of the twentieth century. Embroidering lines from folk songs or proverbs on textile was a very popular kind of so-called written (or fixed) folklore. By combining these verbal texts with different images of pigeons, fundamentally new works were created. For some time, this phenomenon (...) was almost forgotten. However, in the course of recent years Ukrainian collectors and artists have been actively using old embroidered samples for souvenir products or stage decorations. Being popularized and updated in our time, the meaning of these embroidered birds has undergone significant changes. On specific examples, the author shows how one and the same image of pigeons acquires different, often even opposite senses depending on the context. (shrink)

One of the most lively debates on scientific understanding is standardly presented as a controversy between the so-called factivists, who argue that understanding implies truth, and the non-factivists whose position is that truth is neither necessary nor sufficient for understanding. A closer look at the debate, however, reveals that the borderline between factivism and non-factivism is not as clear-cut as it looks at first glance. Some of those who claim to be quasi-factivists come suspiciously close to the position of their (...) opponents, the non-factivist, from whom they pretend to differ. The non-factivist, in turn, acknowledges that some sort of ‘answering to the facts’ is indispensable for understanding. This paper discusses an example of convergence of the initially rival positions in the debate on understanding and truth: the use of the same substitute for truth by the quasi-factivist Kareem Khalifa and the non-factivists Henk de Regt and Victor Gijsbers. It is argued that the use of ‘effectiveness’ as a substitute for truth by both parties is not an occasional coincidence of terms, it rather speaks about a deeper similarity which have important implications for understanding the essential features of scientific understanding. (shrink)

The research is aimed at outlining aspects of the influence of the achievements of the culture of the third information revolution on the formation of the young generation in the philosophical discourse of the French philosopher M. Serres, revealing the features of the achievements of the third information revolution of modern culture, in particular in the spatial, temporal and, in fact, human dimensions, their influence on the formation of personality of the “hopthumb”. The theoretical basis of the study is based (...) on culturological and anthropological aspects of the influence of information and computer technology on the formation of personality, human self-awareness in the modern world. The methodology of M. Serres is used in the work. The scientific novelty of the proposed article is the analysis of the philosophical and pedagogical achievements of the French philosopher M. Serres, in particular, argued the presence in the scientific heritage of a famous contemporary doctrine of special characteristics and features of the modern young man, which the author calls " hopthumb" against the background of the formation of a new space of culture. In addition, the study of the theoretical constants of M. Serres made it possible to outline the signs of the third information revolution, to generalize and actualize the philosophical reflection on the self-identification of the individual in the new conditions. Based on the analysis of the work of the modern philosopher, the connection between the rapid achievements of the information revolution and the culture of younger generations was revealed and understood. (shrink)

The article considers the features of ensuring the economic security of enterprises in the conditions of intensive introduction of information technologies in their activities in the process of forming the digital economy. It is determined that digitalization creates important advantages for enterprises in terms of implementing a long-term strategy for their development, strengthening economic security, and achieving significant competitive advantages in doing business. It is studied that the system of economic security of the enterprise is an organized set of elements (...) of the management infrastructure of the enterprise, which are focused on ensuring stable and effective development of the business entity, neutralization, and elimination of internal and external threats. (shrink)

In a series of recent publications Jerry Fodor has attacked what many believe is the core of Darwinian theory of evolution – the theory of natural selection. Not surprisingly, Fodor’s attack has provoked a strong negative reaction. Fodor’s critics have insisted both that his main argument is unsound and that his central claim that the theory of natural selection “can’t explain the distribution of phenotypic traits in biological populations” is untenable. I can generally agree with the first part of the (...) launched criticism: Fodor’s “putative argument” does rely on controversial premises which make it unsound. However, I don’t think that Fodor’s critics have succeeded in their attempts to refute his central claim. The refutation strategy that most of them have undertaken is to show examples of successful evolutionary explanations by natural selection. In what follows, two of these examples are put into scrutiny. The analysis reveals that: (1) The theory of natural selection should be only partially credited with the explanatory success of evolutionary explanations by natural selection because these explanations rely on additional empirical hypotheses which might be true or false. That means that the selectionist explanations are fallible statements the truth value of which depends crucially on the truth value of the empirical assumptions which have been premised. (2) In both cases alternative non-selectionist explanations can be found that fit the same empirical data and no reason has been given (or could be given) why these alternative explanations should be ignored a priori as inferior. The observations (1) and (2) stand against the claim that theory of natural selection is the only legitimate explanance for the distribution of phenotypic traits. This does not mean, of course, that natural selection does not play any explanatory role or that the theory of natural selection is a false theory (as Fodor is inclined to argue for). This only means that there is indeed a problem of understanding the proper explanatory role of natural selection and that this problem is not only Fodor’s problem. The paper ends with a suggestion of what should be admitted in order to get to a better understanding of the proper role that the theory of natural selection plays in evolutionary explanations. (shrink)

The central argument in this paper is the following: if we agree that one of the aims of explanation is to provide or increase understanding, and if we assess understanding on the basis of the inferences one can draw from the knowledge of the phenomenon which is understood, then the value of an explanation, i.e. its capacity to provide or increase understanding of the explained phenomenon, should be assessed on the basis of the extra-inferences which this explanation allows for. The (...) extra-inferences which a given explanation allows for constitute its inferential content. The analysis of the explanation’s inferential content could be applied to all kinds of explanations with the aim of assessing their goodness. I show how such an analysis helps us to better understand a number of difficulties that have puzzled contemporary philosophers of explanation: the flagpole counterexample to the deductive-nomological model of explanation, the conjunction problem, the difference between good and bad circular explanations. (shrink)