Jesuit philosophy of contemplative education

Author(s): Wit Pasierbek SJ / Language(s): English Issue: 33/2016

Research objective: The purpose of this article is to present the Jesuit philosophy of contemplative education as an educational system compatible with the American philosophy of contemplative education and to aim at the emergence out of the latter of the vision of a man integrally formed as “men and women for others” including the transcendent / religious dimension of life. The research problem and methods: The presented research problem concerns the question of whether the system of the proposed philosophy of contemplative education allows to educate and to form a human who is integral and coherent in spiritual and physical unity in the religious optics. There has been applied the method of critical and comparative analysis as well as the analysis of the reference literature. The process of argumentation: After having initially defined the aim of the study and the fundamental concepts (philosophy of contemplative education) there has been presented the history and the main assumptions of the philosophy of contemplative education from the USA (1974). Then, there has been presented the history of Ignatian spirituality (contemplativus in actione) as a source for the Jesuit philosophy of contemplative education. The essential part of the argumentation was to present the philosophy of the process of forming the student (Ratio Studiorum and the contemporary documents) based on the specific five stages. Research results: The result of this argumentation is a concrete and integral vision of a contemplative man in action who is open “for and to others”. Conclusions, innovations and recommendations: This analysis confirmed the compatibility of the American and the Jesuit philosophy of contemplative education as a system that should be included in the educational programs and processes of an integral human being as a being of spiritual and bodily unity based on a contemplative reflection and action.

Psychotherapy and emancipation

Author(s): Paweł Dybel / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

In the article I ask the question about the place of an emancipatory task within various forms of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, where conversations with the patient play an important role. This task arises on discovering that an important source of the patient’s problems are views inherited from cultural traditions, ones which inhibit a proper assessment of various traumatic situations from the past and the forms of dependence on others. Then psychotherapists and psychoanalysts are inevitably faced with the task of making the patient aware of these limitations and forms of dependence, for only then is therapeutic progress possible. I provide three characteristic examples of similar cases from Polish psychiatric tradition, in which we can speak of a similarly binding role of cultural tradition in the process of therapy. I point out that the difficult situation the therapist then finds themselves in lies in the fact that, on the one hand, they have to depart from the postulate of maintaining world-view neutrality in their approach to the patient while, on the other hand, they cannot directly impose their own position on the patient. The therapist has to find a third, middle way between these two attitudes, one which requires great sensitivity in any approaches to the patient.

Małgorzata Przanowska, Listening and acuological education

Author(s): Urszula Zbrzeźniak / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

The review of: Małgorzata Przanowska, Listening and acuological education; Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 2019, 306 pp. ISBN 978–83–235–3735–9, softcover

ETHICS, RELIGION, AND THE PROBLEM OF LIFE: TOLSTOY’S INFLUENCE ON WITTGENSTEIN’S THINKING ABOUT THE MEANING OF LIFE

Author(s): Maksymilian Roszyk / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

In this paper, I try to show to what extent Wittgenstein’s thinking about the problem of the meaning of life was influenced by Tolstoy. I begin with the problem of what Tolstoy’s writings, especially philosophical, Wittgenstein knew. Then I proceed to three areas of impact: (1) treating the question of the meaning of life as the central problem for philosophy, (2) defining Ethics in terms of the meaning of life, and (3) the idea that the solution of the problem of the meaning of life lies in a practical change, not in giving a theoretical answer, which in turn is broken down into three more specific ideas, namely that (3a) the question concerning the meaning of life is a pseudo-question, that (3b) this vanishing of the question is not yet the solution, and that (3c) the solution of the problem of life consists in taking a religious attitude towards the world. I try to show that in point 1 Wittgenstein accepted Tolstoy’s general idea, but gave it his own version, which in turn makes the definition of Ethics in terms of the meaning of life in point 2 understandable; whereas in point 3 Wittgenstein accepts Tolstoy’s ideas and tries to formulate them in his own way.

Някои философско-логически аспекти относно изкуствения интелект

Author(s): Doroteya Angelova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2023

The article examines some philosophical and logical aspects that are present in the definitions of the concept of artificial intelligence (AI) and in the different views about its essence and goals. The main focus will be on the place of logic, including non-classical logics, in the context of the mentioned views. The question of the boundaries of AI will be also discussed and it will be proposed to be considered in several different contexts.

Психолингвистично изследване на „теорията на съзнанието“ при турски деца билингви

Author(s): Hristo Kyuchukov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2023

This article presents the results of a study of bilingual Turkish preschool children living in Berlin, Germany. The study was conducted among two groups of children between 4 and 6 years of age (18 in total) in kindergarten with the aim of examining the extent to which the mother tongue (L1) and the second language (L2) are a factor in understanding the theory of mind. The children were offered the classical tests for the theory of mind, as well as language tests related to the comprehension of interrogative sentences, containing a verb that shows a mental state, and to the comprehension and production of vocabulary in native Turkish and German as a second language for them. The results show that vocabulary is not an important factor, and that the mastery of interrogative sentences is a factor that helps understand the theory of mind. The results obtained were analyzed statistically with the t-test.

„Мащаби в локалното“: Витгенщайн, Лиотар и постмодерното, преоткрити в концептуално изкуство. (Част първа)

Author(s): Rossen Roussev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 3/2023

This text takes up various aspects of a conceptual art project titled “Scales in the Local” in relation to key ideas of postmodern philosophical thought. More particularly, the conceptual focus of the authors of the project on the local, elemental, and uniquely singular is juxtaposed with the shifting focus of postmodern culture from the universalist metanarratives of the Enlightenment to the particularity of the singular. The project, which was implemented by a team of artists with different approaches to it, is seen as addressing and inducing reflections about major issues and concerns of our time. The work of the different artists is analyzed, drawing upon thinkers who left highly significant marks on postmodern philosophical thinking, including Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Nietzsche, Lyotard, and Foucault, among others. While the discussion of the participating works of art is inevitably arbitrary, its main purpose is to be a source of further reflections.

Is There a Memory Crisis in Europe?

Author(s): Daniela Koleva / Language(s): English Issue: 51/2023

Notes on modal semiotics

Author(s): Herman Tamminen / Language(s): English Issue: 24/2023

Tamminen’s prefatory article discusses modal semiotics. Its aim is to describe thinking and behaviour in/of different cultures and their modalities three-dimensionally from an impartial third-person metalevel standpoint. By adopting the structural approach in accordance with Algirdas Greimas’ theory of modalities, the becoming of a base value from its paradigmatic-virtual mode of existence to its consequent syntagmatic-actual existence viz. the axiologization and consequent ideologization of value will be described in the first part of the text. The second part provides a thorough overview of modal methodology as developed by David B. Zilberman, so as to propose their mutual methodological complementarity, and to suggest future pathways as to their reconciliation and further development. The description of modal structures, values, and categories can be used as a “shortcut” in attaining to understand differences in types of thinking and behaviour per (cultural) tradition as a metaphysical frame of reference for (a) the norms, values, and ideas objectified in culture; (b) the temperament, character, and interest observable in phenomenal behaviour; and (c) the significance, signification, and meaning subjectified in consciousness. Academically, Tamminen is devising the construct for modal semiotics, a project of which the paper at hand is also a part of; other texts concerning the same topic include “Body ground ‘red’ – integrating Peirce, Kristeva, and Greimas” and the upcoming “Blood gilded time – reflections on the sublogical bearings between passion, possession, and perish”. His many interests include, but are not restricted to, consciousness, dreaming, the symbol, thinking, culture, the analogous structure and function of the individual and collective intellects, modal semiotics, and the inevitable.

HOLISTIČKI I KONCEPTUALNI KARAKTER MENTALNOG U DELU DONALDA DEJVIDSONA

Author(s): Miloš Bogdanovic / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2020

In this paper we will try to confront Quine’s and Davidson’s holistic position through Davidson’s thesis of mental as a non-ontological category. In this regard, since Davidson came to this position through the thesis of mental as a decidedly conceptual category, we will try to show how this approach does not, nevertheless, rule out the possibility of its interpretation in ontological terms. However, in what follows we will draw attention to the fact that mental can be interpreted so that it proves to be immune to ontologization in Quine’s sense. This would be the evidence of different ways, which are not necessarily compatible, to argue for Davidson’s central thesis – the thesis about holistic character of mental – as well as, which is closely related, a certain difference that exists between Davidson’s view of mental as a conceptual category on the one hand, and a holistic category on the other hand.

SEMANTIČKI MENTALIZAM, INTERSUBJEKTIVNOST I METAFIZIKA NORMATIVNOSTI

Author(s): Miloš Šumonja / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 4/2017

The subject of this paper is Kripkensteinˈs critique of mentalistic explanation of linguistic normativity, as well as his intersubjective conception of normativity. The author argues against dominant intepretation of Kripkensteinˈs view on meaning as social metaphysics of normativity, the theory which reduces language rules to community consensus. It is pointed out that Kripkensteinˈs rejection of mentalistic thesis that meaning is some kind of mental state in the head of a speaker results in anti-reductionistic character of intersubjective conception of normativity, which describes how we speak about difference between correct and incorrect uses of language in everyday life, but does not say what that difference is, or what it consists of. Hence, it is concluded that, according to Kripkenstein, community is the only normative tribunal in matters of language, but itˈs not the supreme judge because, rather than passing irrevocable judgments on correctness of individual speech acts, community actually constitutes a framework that enables the normative disputes between its members.

ŠELING I PERSOVA FILOZOFIJA DUHA

Author(s): Stanko Vlaški / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2017

The crucial thesis of Schelling’s philosophy of nature, according to which the matter could be understood as the „extinct mind“, Peirce understands as the only reasonable theory concerning the solution of the problem of the relation between mind and matter and considers it as the center of his synechism. American philosopher develops his synechistical standpoint within the series of articles which he wrote for the journal The Monist and defines synechism as the tendency to conceive every being as something continuous. The author interprets Peirce’s project as the part of the discussion about the mind-body problem which characterizes the so-called contemporary philosophy of mind, but by investigation of its Schellingian motives he tries to explain the comprehensive meaning of Peirce’s attempt. The last chapter of the paper aims to approach Schelling’s and Peirce’s consideration of the mind-body relation from the perspective which finds in them attempts of philosophical integration of the un-consciousness. Two idealistic strivings are implicitly demarcated with the regard to the mode of defining the place of the concept of self-consciousness.

PROBLEM TUĐIH SVESTI I PSIHOLOŠKI POJMOVI

Author(s): Ljiljana Radenović / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 3/2016

Wittgensteinian solution to the problem of other minds is usually associated with Wittgenstein’s position that psychological concepts do not describe but express mental states. In his book An Essay on Philosophical Psychology An Essay on Philosophical Psychology L. Kojen (2009) develops an interpretation of Wittgenstein according to which Wittgenstein himself was aware that all psychological concepts cannot be analyzed in terms of the expression of inner states. My goal in this paper is to examine whether the admission that psychological concepts have descriptive uses involves a return to mentalism and a reintroduction of skepticism regarding other minds. By relying on developmental psychology, I hope to show: a) that expression is the primary function of psychological concepts as it occurs first in child’s development, and b) that the descriptive uses appear later with language acquisitioion but do not lead to the skeptical problem of other minds.

Към началото на прагматизма в България – възторг и откровение (по повод смъртта на Уилям Джеймс)

Author(s): Stanul Grozev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2024

The text presented here is a part of a broader study on the reception and influence of pragmatism in Bulgaria and emphasizes upon a single, but very important detail – an article by Georgi Minev from 1910, commemorating the death of William James. The article is the first characteristic introduction of the specific philosophical principles of pragmatism presented in our country. As such, it deserves a more detailed examination and analysis in the broader context of pragmatism in Bulgaria.

Identity of a Thinker, or Rereading Böhme and Heidegger on Dwelling (Wohnen) for Environmental Ethics

Author(s): Magdalena Hoły-Łuczaj / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The paper re-examines the work of Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) through the lens of environmental ethics. Specifically, it delves into the concept of dwelling (wohnen) as articulated in Six Theosophic Points (1620), The Six Mystical Points (1620), and On the Early and Heavenly Mystery (1620). To illuminate the significance of this concept for environmental ethics, the paper will juxtapose it with Martin Heidegger’s idea of dwelling. This comparative approach not only sheds light on the environmental-ethical implications, but also allows for a broader exploration of methodological considerations inherent in such a scholarly endeavor. The paper raises questions about the potential constraints in reinterpreting the intellectual legacy of past thinkers, that is, their identity over the course of the history of philosophy.

Boris D. Grozdanoff, Zdravko Popov and Silviya Serafimova (eds.). Rationality and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence

Author(s): Lilia Gurova / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Book Review: Boris D. Grozdanoff, Zdravko Popov and Silviya Serafimova (eds.), Rationality and Ethics in Artificial Intelligence. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2023, 221 p. ISBN: 978-1-5275-9441-8

An Epistemic-Practical Dilemma for Evidentialism

Author(s): Byeong D. Lee / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

There are cases in which epistemic rationality seems to conflict with practical rationality. Evidentialists such as Parfit, Shah, Skorupski and Way deny that there are practical reasons for belief. On their view, the only genuine normative reasons for belief are epistemic reasons, and so the alleged practical reasons for belief are the wrong kind of reasons for belief. But I argue in this paper that the evidentialists can still face a genuine dilemma between epistemic and practical rationality which cannot be resolved on the grounds that the alleged practical reasons for belief are the wrong kind of reasons for belief.

When Life is Art and Philosophy: The Case of Richard Shusterman

Author(s): Lukáš Švihura / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2023

This article is motivated by a reading of J.J. Abrams’ proceedings Shusterman’s Somaesthetics: From Hip Hop Philosophy to Politics and Performance Art. Of the diverse range of essays in the proceedings, I concentrate my attention primarily on those aspects of the texts that highlight Richard Shusterman’s practical somaesthetics, and in which their authors focus on the more personal aspects of Shusterman’s philosophical-artistic experimentation, as captured in The Adventures of the Man in Gold: Paths Between Art and Life, A Philosophical Tale. Through references to Foucault’s notion of care of the self and the aesthetics of existence, the article demonstrates that the individual level of Shusterman’s practical somaesthetics is not separable from the social-ethical level. This is matched by the conclusion of the text, which points out that Shusterman’s practical somaesthetics overcomes the dichotomy of private and public in Richard Rorty’s pragmatism.

Borges, James a Proust mezi Krabicemi Brillo. K místě literatury ve filozofii umění Arthura C. Danta

Author(s): Šárka Lojdová / Language(s): Czech Issue: 44/2024

This paper focuses on Arthur Danto’s approach to literature. One of the leading philosophers of art in the analytical philosophical tradition, Danto published on art ontology, defining art and art historicity as well as serving as an art critic for the magazine The Nation in the late phase of his career. The essence of Danto’s philosophy thus lies in the visual arts, and it seems he was not interested in literature from a philosophical point of view. However, following Garry L. Hagberg, I show that Danto was not only a keen reader but also reflected on literature, its specificity, and its role. In the first part of the paper, I scrutinize what — in Danto’s view — is a literary work of art, and I compare his position to the view of New Criticism. In the second part, I explore the often neglected dimension of Danto’s philosophy of art, i.e., the spectator’s emotional response to an artwork. I argue that Danto draws on works of literature to illustrate the nature of this response for the reason that they provide the basis for a deeper understanding in this context.

Význam naratívneho prístupu v bioetike

Author(s): Jana Tomašovičová / Language(s): Slovak Issue: 2/2024

Methodological pluralism is a characteristic feature of contemporary bioethics. Within interdiscursive research, a narrative approach has gradually emerged as part of a broader ethical reflection. This article aims to explore the relevance of the narrative approach in bioethics, where it is gaining a place alongside traditional normative approaches. After first analyzing two initiatives that have influenced the reflection on the inclusion of the narrative method in bioethical discourse, it focuses on an analysis of selected works by Martha C. Nussbaum, which explores the influence of narrative imagination on moral reasoning against the backdrop of the dialogue between literature and ethics. It also examines the method of reflective equilibrium, through which Nussbaum attempts to incorporate moral beliefs and intuitions gained through narrative-ethical analysis of literary works into the making of moral judgments. The last section of the article presents four of the most prominent forms of narrative representations in bioethics, against which the relevance of the narrative approach in bioethics can be assessed.