Abstract: In this article, two philosophical positions that structure distinct approaches in the history of metaphysics and epistemology are briefly characterized and contrasted. While one view, “naturalism,” rejects an a priori commitment to necessity, the other view, “transcendentalism,” insists on that commitment. It is shown that at the level of the fundamentals of thought, judgment, and reason, the dispute dissolves, and the naturalists' employment of “necessity for all practical purposes” is at best only nominally distinct from the transcendentalists' use of (...) the same concept. (shrink)

Although the Internet is often used to talk with those with whom one agrees, this paper presents an "agonistic" strategy designed to help students find discussion partners with whom they disagree. This "agonistic" strategy has a number of advantages, specifically helping students' skills in writing, reading, logic, and rhetoric, as well as helping them recognizes the values of these skills and the importance of being well-informed when one enters a debate. As a further benefit, this approach has improved classroom discussion (...) and improved the substance and form of those discussions. In contrast with those who fear that the Internet hasushered in an age where citizens may choose only to look at that information confirming views they already hold, this exercise helps show that the distance among intellectual sparring partners is more of a gap than a chasm, and that our debates are not fruitless, but in fact are essential to democracy and a conception of our lives as active, engaged citizens. (shrink)

Arendt's book is an analysis of the vita activa, which comprises the three human activities of labor, work, and action. Her presentation involves a critique of modern and current conceptions of them and of many other social phenomena, and an emphasis on distinctions customarily neglected. The interpretation of her book, disregarding the many factual statements it contains, proceeds in a theoretical vein, analyzing her major conceptions, and then turns practical, asking what we as social scientists who listen to her must (...) do (focusing on ?behavior? and ?action?, ?values?, the means?end scheme, and man's historicity and dualism). The paper concludes with a brief explication of areas of research seen to emerge out of Arendt's work. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be (...) preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

Pt. A. The impasse. The problem of motion -- Classical physics -- Quantum physics -- Event -- pt. B. The other way. Concreteness -- Substance -- Motion -- Time -- The one and the many -- Nature and man.

Revised habilitation - Universitèat, Wien.

Historians of science have proposed many theories to explain why Copernicus rejected the Ptolemaic system and advanced his own heliocentric system. In support of his new cosmological system Copernicus always employed theoretical considerations and never the existence of discrepancies between the positions given in the Tables and those observed. It is shown that the general acceptance of the heliocentric system through the work of the astronomers resulted not so much from empirical considerations but rather from the fact that this system (...) was suited to a comprehensive, general dynamics. (shrink)

La forme dans laqualle Leibniz a présenté sa Monadologie dans son petit essay du même nom et dans différentes lettres peut facilement donner l'impression que cette doctrine ne consiste qu'en une certaine collection des aperçus. Mais, en vérité, il s'agit d'un système construit de façon strictement logique, qui est basé sur dix axiomes. Cette construction procède en deux étapes : D'abord Leibniz commence avec des phénomènes donnés pour déduire d'eux les Monades ; ensuite il commence avec les Monades pour déduire (...) d'elles les phénomènes. Seulement en suivant Leibniz sur les deux chemins chaque élément de la Monadologie devient complètement comprehensible. Dans la première étape, il prouve que les Monades doivent exister et qu'elles sont l'origine des phénomènes physiques ; dans la deuxième étape il montre qu'elles produisent ces phénomènes par des perceptions et de l'appétit, qu'il y a une harmonie préétablie entre les perceptions des différentes Monades et que la continuité de l'espace et du temps est une condition necessaire de cene harmonie. (shrink)

To celebrate the 270th anniversary of the De Gruyter publishing house, the company is providing permanent open access to 270 selected treasures from the De Gruyter Book Archive. Titles will be made available to anyone, anywhere at any time that might be interested. The DGBA project seeks to digitize the entire backlist of titles published since 1749 to ensure that future generations have digital access to the high-quality primary sources that De Gruyter has published over the centuries.