In this paper we survey some main arguments for and against epistemological contextualism. We distinguish and discuss various kinds of contextualism, such as attributer contextualism (the most influential version of which is semantic, conversational, or radical contextualism); indexicalism; proto-contextualism; Wittgensteinian contextualism; subject, inferential, or issue contextualism; epistemic contextualism; and virtue contextualism. Starting with a sketch of Dretske's Relevant Alternatives Theory and Nozick's Tracking Account of Knowledge, we reconstruct the history of various forms of contextualism and the ways contextualists try to (...) handle some notorious epistemological quandaries, especially skepticism and the lottery paradox. Then we outline the most important problems that contextualist theories face, and give overviews of their criticisms and defenses as developed in this issue. (shrink)

The study attempts to conduct a fundamental theological discussion with Feminist Theology, a new variety ofLiberation Theology. The basis for this discussion is R. R. Ruether's book Sexism and God- Talk, which can be viewed as the first attempt at a feminist dogmatic theology. The study concludes that the theological foundation of this Christian Feminism is a monistic-pantheistic understanding of God which results in an ethic with distinct totalitarian tendencies.

This article deals with the incompatibility of Christian and Jewish stereotypes in asceticism and tries to establish new models for approaching ascetic tendencies within the latter. In the context of halachic regulations we examine different ascetic aspects within Judaism, with a special focus on medieval Spain. In this area we observe a certain interaction between Jewish and Sufi trends, esp. in the works of Bachja ibn Paquda, Abraham bar Chijja and Abraham Maimonides. In the works of these authors we find (...) tripartite models of asceticism which signify the path to the deity. In a comparison with Sufi texts such as those of Al-Gazali, the three levels of repentance/law, meditation/path and the recognition of the divine truth are shown to be intertwined in a similar way, and all describe the way of the philosopher or mystic to the highest knowledge. In a further section this tripartite schema is compared to kabbalistic texts with their ideas of ascent and union with the divine within ecstatic kabbalah. In the first example we observe how an erotic impulse may lead to an ascetic way of life and how the horizontal move out of society leads to a vertical ascent of the soul and the foundation of a new, mobile society. In the second text we also detect the three intertwined stages of our model and see how ascetic preparations lead to an erotic union of the mystic’s soul with the divine intellect. Asceticism is described in both texts as a mode of transformation and the path between two extremes, which finally leads to intimate knowledge of the deity. (shrink)

Counterfactual thinking has become an established method to evaluate decisions in a range of disciplines, including history, psychology and literature. Elke Reinhuber argues it also has valuable applications in the Fine Arts and popular media. A fascination with the path not taken is a logical consequence of a world saturated with choices. Art which provokes and explores these tendencies can help to recognise and contextualise the impulse to avoid or endlessly revisit individual or collective decisions. Reinhuber describes the term (...) in broad strokes through the disciplines, to show how counterfactualism finds shape in contemporary art forms, especially in photography, film, immersive and interactive media art. (such as 360° content, virtual reality and augmented reality).She analyses the different stages of counterfactuals with examples where artists experience counterfactual thoughts in the process of art production, explore these thoughts in their artwork, or where the artwork itself evokes counterfactual thoughts in the audience. A fascinating exploration for scholars and students of Art, Media and the Humanities, and anybody else with an interest in choices, the art of decision making and - counterfactualism. (shrink)

Our contemporary condition is deeply infused with scientific-technological rationales. These influence and shape our ethical reasoning on war, including the moral status of civilians and the moral choices available to us. In this article, I discuss how technology shapes and directs the moral choices available to us by setting parameters for moral deliberation. I argue that technology has moral significance for just war thinking, yet this is often overlooked in attempts to assess who is liable to harm in war and (...) to what extent. This omission produces an undue deference to technological authority, reducing combatants, civilians and scenarios to data points. If we are to develop a maximally restrictive framework for harming civilians in war, which in my view should be a goal of just war thinking, then it is imperative that the scientific-technological dimension of contemporary war is given due attention. (shrink)

With a focus on how national identity impacts the decision-making of the European Court of Justice, Elke Cloots provides an innovative adjudication scheme that purports to assist the ECJ in its search for a proper balance between respect for national identity and European integration.

It is held that absolute poverty causes approximately one third of all human deaths, some 18 million annually, and blights billions of lives with hunger and disease. This book develops universalizable norms aimed at tackling absolute poverty and the complex and multilayered problems associated with it.

Hebb's theory of cell assemblies is a precursor of the neural network approach used as an implicit hypothesis by most contemporary neuroscientists. Applying this model to language representation leads to demanding predictions about the organization of semantic categories. Other implications of a Hebbian approach to language representation, however, may prove problematic with respect to both neurolinguistic concepts and the results of neuroimaging studies.

Das Werk ist ein neuer systematischer Gesamtentwurf fur eine Ethik postmoderner Gesellschaften aus christlicher Perspektive. Diese ist pluralismusfahig und kompatibel zu Erkenntnissen der politischen Philosophie, der Politikwissenschaft, der Soziologie und der Okonomie. Die Ergebnisse empirischer Gerechtigkeitsforschung stehen hier unverzichtbar am Beginn ethischen Argumentierens ebenso wie die Ergebnisse der Diskursethik. Daruber hinaus stellt sich die Autorin grundsatzlichen Fragen heutiger Ethik: "Haben Menschen einen naturlichen Sinn fur Gerechtigkeit und welchen? Ist Gerechtigkeit universal oder beliebig? Gehort Gleichheit zur Gerechtigkeit hinzu?" Das Neue einer (...) derartigen christlichen Ethik ist ihre Konsensorientierung mit globaler Reichweite. Die christliche Ethik vollzieht damit einen Paradigmenwechsel hin zum demokratietheoretisch fundierten Konsensparadigma moderner Ethik. Es wird klar herausgearbeitet, dass allgemeine Normen nicht mehr auf der Basis metaphysischer Wesensreflexionen uber die Natur der Dinge oder die Normalitat einer Handlung erfolgen durfen. Vielmehr sind alle potentiell Betroffenen in einer neutralen Vertragssituation nach ihrer Zustimmung zu Normen zu befragen. Deren Einigungsprozess stellt die Rekonstruktion einer normativen Ethik dar, ohne diese in die Beliebigkeit einzelner zu legen. Die Form fallt dann auch in der christlichen Ethik nicht mehr hinter den materiellen Anspruch auf Personenrechte zuruck. (shrink)

Alles Bewusstsein ist auch Selbstbewusstsein -- so lautet die Grundthese, der Elke Steckkonig in diesem Buch nachgeht. Doch was ist das fur ein Bewusstsein, wenn das Subjekt sich seiner selbst gewahr wird? Weder Identifikation noch (Selbst-) Reflexion sind geeignete Konzepte, um die gesuchte Form von Selbstbewusstsein als Seiner-selbst-inne-Sein zu analysieren. Die Autorin gelangt zu einer Positivbestimmung des Selbstbewusstseins im subjektiv wertenden Selbsterleben, indem sie sich auf fruhromantische Uberlegungen zum "Selbstgefuhl" sowie auf aktuellere sprachanalytische Uberlegungen beruft und den phanomenalen Aspekt (...) des Bewusstseins vor allem mit Bezug auf Husserl untersucht. Erweitert wird die Analyse um die Aspekte der Selbstwahrnehmung sowie der Selbstvertrautheit. (shrink)

In recent years, a rising interest in scientific imaging has become apparent, in art production and in thematic exhibitions, as well as in popular media and advertising. Images captured by, and supposedly read through, machines open up a new era – not only for an as-yet-undefined aesthetic journey, but also to reveal insight into a normally invisible layer of reality. A wide range of techniques is already well established – not only in science, but also in an artistic context. Based (...) on an overview of different media and their applications, the term phasmagraphy is introduced to be applied to the expanded boundaries of the visible photographic spectrum to the adjacent wavelengths beyond full-spectrum photography. (shrink)

Gemeinschaft ist ein Begriff, der in den Debatten der Moderne immer wieder infrage gestellt wurde. Im Moment ist eine Renaissance dieser Begriffsdebatte zu beobachten, sie steht in Verbindung zu den Diskussionen um ökologische Nachhaltigkeit und um die Grenzen des Wachstums. In dem Buch werden philosophisches Denken, politische Theorien, Theorien des Ästhetischen und die Künste zusammengeführt, um danach zu fragen, wie „Mit-Sein“ überhaupt denkbar und darstellbar ist, ob Gemeinschaft gegeben ist, wie sie sich ereignet und sich zeigt.

Name der Zeitschrift: Das Mittelalter Jahrgang: 20 Heft: 2 Seiten: 344-361.

Musical ensemble performances provide an ideal environment to gain knowledge about complex human interactions. Network structures of synchronization can reflect specific roles of individual performers on the one hand and a higher level of organization of all performers as a superordinate system on the other. This study builds on research on joint singing, using hyperscanning of respiration and heart rate variability from eight professional singers. Singers performed polyphonic music, distributing their breathing within the same voice and singing without and with (...) physical contact: that is touching each other's shoulder or waist. The idea of singing with touch was motivated by historical depictions of ensemble performances that showed singers touching each other. It raises the question of the potential benefit of touch for group performances. From a psycho-physiological point of view, physical contact should increase the synchronization of singing coordination. The results confirm previous findings on synchronization of respiration and HRV during choir singing and extend those findings to a non-homophonic musical repertoire while also revealing an increase in synchronization in respiration during physical contact. These effects were significant across different frequency ranges. The effect of physical contact was stronger when all singers were singing in comparison to the partial ensemble. Importantly, the synchronization could not be fully explained by the singing action or by the standing position or touch. This finding suggests a higher level of organization of all singers, forming a superordinate system. (shrink)

Eine Christliche Theorie der Gerechtigkeit ist eine pluralismusfahige christliche Gerechtigkeitsethik mit globaler Reichweite. Angesichts zahlloser globaler Probleme wie die extreme Armut von fast einer Milliarde Menschen ist fur die christliche Ethik ein Paradigmenwechsel zu einer konsensorientierten Ethik der Gerechtigkeit notwendig.

I. Die Differenz von Gut und (Ge- )recht - Eine ethische Grundunterscheidung -- II. Konsequenzen für die moderne Ethik -- III. Vier philosophische Lösungsversuche zur Klärung der Differenz -- IV. Der Umgang christlicher Ethik mit dem Zusammenhang von Gut und Gerecht -- V. Paradigmatische Impulse für die christliche Ethik -- VI. Politische Gerechtigkeit und eine umfassende christliche Theorie des Guten.

Name der Zeitschrift: Nietzsche-Studien Jahrgang: 46 Heft: 1 Seiten: 358-368.

Emotions shape judgments and decisions, including actions in response to climate change. Despite growing interest in the cognitive, social, and political determinants of climate (in)action, the role of emotions has received limited attention. This review discusses the role of hope in climate action. While many emotional states are oriented to the past or present, hope offers a positive vision of the future. In exploratory analyses of a nationally representative survey of US residents, we identify the most important predictors of hope, (...) climate action, and policy support from a large set of potential variables. We find suggestive evidence that hope, a construct comprised of cognitive, emotional, and contextual factors, is an important motivator of future-oriented action. (shrink)

This study examined individual differences in mathematics learning by combining antecedent (A), opportunity (O), and propensity (P) indicators within the Opportunity-Propensity model. Although there is already some evidence for this model based on secondary datasets, there currently is no primary data available that simultaneously takes into account A,O and P factors in children with and without Mathematical Learning Disabilities (MLD). Therefore the mathematical abilities of 114 school-aged children (grade 3 till 6) with and without MLD were analyzed and combined with (...) information retrieved from standardized tests and questionnaires. Results indicated significant differences in personality, motivation, temperament, subjective well-being, self-esteem, self-perceived competence and parental aspirations when comparing children with and without MLD. In addition, A, O and P factors were found to underlie mathematical abilities and disabilities. For the A factors, parental aspirations explained about half of the variance in fact retrieval speed in children without MLD, and SES was especially involved in the prediction of procedural accuracy in general. Teachers’ experience contributed as O factor and explained about 6% of the variance in mathematical abilities. P indicators explained between 52 and 69% of the variance, with especially intelligence as overall significant predictor. Indirect effects pointed towards the interrelatedness of the predictors and the value of including A, O and P indicators in a comprehensive model. The role parental aspirations played in fact retrieval speed was partially mediated through the self-perceived competence of the children, whereas the effect of SES on procedural accuracy was partially mediated through intelligence in children of both groups and through working memory capacity in children with MLD. Moreover, in line with the componential structure of mathematics, our findings were dependent on the math task used. Different A, O and P indicators seemed to be important for fact retrieval speed compared to procedural accuracy. Also, mathematical development type (MLD or typical development) mattered since some A, O and P factors were predictive for MLD only and the other way around. Practical implications of these findings and recommendations for future research on MLD and on individual differences in mathematical abilities are provided. (shrink)

Definition of the problem: This article starts with a conceptual and factual discussion on the economic background of rationing in health care. The author tries to explain what rationing in health care means and how this problem can be estimated ethically. Rationing is defined as: the allocation and distribution of scarce goods in health care and of medical and nursing services under the condition that demand isgreater than supply. Arguments and conclusion: This definition gives the opportunity, to prove whether rationing (...) meets ethical criteria of justice concerning the allocation and distribution of basic goods. In order to ensure a human supply of necessary medical and nursing services, the author promotes an ethical reflection in terms of a theory of justice. (shrink)

This paper develops an account of disagreement and agreement in logic in terms of rules of acceptance, rejection, and suspension of judgement. Acceptance, rejection, and suspension in logic are thereby taken to be doxastic attitudes resulting from, respectively, assenting, dissenting, or refraining from assenting and dissenting to arguments or propositions in light of their logical validity/invalidity. Disagreement between advocates of different logics is characterized as a form of doxastic noncotenability. A full account of agreement in logic does not only require (...) doxastic cotenability between two logicians. It is also necessary that they share the reasons that ground their respective doxastic attitudes. These notions of disagreement and agreement will be applied to disagreements/agreements between advocates of three different logical systems: classical logic, the paracomplete logic K3 , and the paraconsistent logic LP. In particular, it will be discussed which doxastic attitudes those logicians ought to have with regard to a proposition expressed by the Liar sentence. In the last part of the paper, it will be examined in what sense a disagreement in logic can be understood as a genuine disagreement, even if no single neutral intertheoretic concept of validity is available that is shared by all logicians. (shrink)

Kant’s duties of love include the duties of beneficence, gratitude, and sympathetic participation. But what is it that allows Kant to bring such seemingly quite heterogeneous duties under one concept, especially under the concept of love? I will argue that it is benevolence as an essential element of love that takes on this unifying role. In order to understand this role of benevolence as the unifying element of the three duties of love, the concept of benevolence will first be analyzed (...) (part 1). Against this background, all three duties of love are then reassessed. Beneficence will be shown to be a proactive form of benevolence (part 2), gratitude to be a reactive form of benevolence (part 3), and sympathetic participation is understood as a form of reciprocal benevolence (part 4). (shrink)