ArgumentThis paper aims at contributing to the ongoing efforts to get a firmer grasp of the systematic significance of the entanglement of idealism and empiricism in Helmholtz's work. Contrary to existing analyses, however, the focal point of the present exposition is Helmholtz's attempt to articulate a psychological account of objectification. Helmholtz's motive, as well as his solution to the problem of the object are outlined, and interpreted against the background of his scientific practice on the one hand, and that of (...) empiricist and (transcendental) idealist analyses of experience on the other. The specifically psychological angle taken, not only prompts us to consider figures who have hitherto been treated as having only minor import for Helmholtz interpretation (most importantly J.S. Mill and J.G. Fichte), it furthermore sheds new light on some central tenets of the latter's psychological stance that have hitherto remained underappreciated. For one thing, this analysis reveals an explicit voluntarist tendency in Helmholtz's psychological theory. In conclusion, it is argued that the systematic significance of Helmholtz's empirico-transcendentalism with respect to questions of the mind is best understood as an attempt to found his empirical theory of perception in a second order, normative account of epistemic subjectivity. (shrink)

Nineteenth-century scientist Hermann von Helmholtz’s peculiar wavering between empiricism and transcendentalism in his philosophy of science in general, and in his theory of perception in particular, is a much debated and well-documented topic in the history and philosophy of science. This contribution aims at providing a fresh angle on this classical issue, by considering Helmholtz’s account of differential consciousness against the background of a centuries-old philosophical debate between the empiricist tradition and the tradition of transcendental idealism. By placing Helmholtz’s psychology (...) against the background of a historical narrative stretching from Hume to Fichte, one can gain insight into the possible merits of his empirico-transcendentalism with regard to the problem of differentiation. More particularly, it is argued that Helmholtz’s psychology tilted towards transcendentalism when met with the classical theoretical problems of strict empiricism in dealing with the foundation of consciousness, most notably circularity and infinite regress. Without claiming that Helmholtz’s theorizing presented a self-conscious attempt to overcome the latter issues, his well-known wavering between perspectives in general, and his appropriation of the a priori in particular, might have served him well in avoiding the deadlocks of empiricism. As noted at the end, however, Helmholtz’s account produced complex philosophical problems of its own. (shrink)

The aim of this paper is to present an in-depth inquiry into one of the most disregarded dimensions of Fichte’s philosophy, i.e., the systematic place of embodiment in his transcendental epistemology. Highlighting the necessarily embodied nature of the constitution of the notion of thinghood or being in Fichte’s philosophy could not only help pave the way for a more elegant understanding of the relation between idealism’s and phenomenology’s subject views, it likewise enables a more comprehensive insight into Fichte’s much debated (...) theory of subjectivity. Furthermore, Fichte’s transcendental account of the body provides one with a new vantage point from which to consider some classical interpretive issues, most notably those pertaining to Fichte’s peculiar methodology, his Ideal-Realism, and his take on the problem of explanatory circularity in trying to tackle the problem of the genesis of (bodily) self-consciousness. (shrink)

bespreking van: Marc Slors, Dat had je gedacht! Brein, bewustzijn en vrije wil in filosofisch perspectief, Amsterdam, Boom, 2012, 201 blz, ISBN 978 94 6105 7785.

In this article an attempt is made to develop a concept: the teenwoordige-So, which has a two-fold nature. On the one hand it grows from the philosophical dimensions of the work of Breyten Breytenbach, and on the other, once it is identified it can be used as a method for reading his work. But in order to determine the “environment” of the concept three main elements are investigated in this article. The first is the notion of the rhizome, the second (...) element is identified in/as the Zen Buddhist concept of Tathata or suchness, and the third revolves around an investigation of Jean-Luc Nancy's treatment of the notion of presence in his work The birth to presence. It is argued that both these concepts portray something of a condition of continuous birth or becoming and that this “sense” of the world finds specific expression in the literary work of Breyten Breytenbach. It is also proposed that the expression Breytenbach gives to the condition of presence and suchness opens a nomadic territory, or nomadic understanding of the world which has a political meaning. (shrink)

This review article situates the work Black Flame within a capita selecta of earlier publications on anarchism-syndicalism and radical thought. Schmidt and Van der Walt's contribution (2009) is a recent addition to political thought, theory and socio-economic practice within the broad stream of anarcho-syndicalism. Its treatment of anarchism and anarchist syndicalist groups in the workplace within an international context since the middle 1800s and the attempt to situate the debate in contemporary society are some notable features. The authors engage with (...) the past relevance of anarcho-syndicalism and implications for the future given current discontent with (global) politics. As an ongoing discourse on social philosophy, references are made to areas of agreement and differences between Anarchist and Marxist discourse. The latter versus one ‘grand narrative’ conjectures that liberal-capitalism on a global scale is bringing about an ‘End of History’ and that we have entered a post-industrial or even post-modern condition on the globe. However, theories-put-into-practice around the implosion of history and a ‘clash of civilisations’ result in deep inequality and the rise of absolute poverty. The work invites reflection and critical engagement. (shrink)

In a qualitative empirical research project on youth worship, we discovered that 'being together' is primary quality of youth worship. This primary quality consists of at least four aspects. Firstly, community is celebrated through physical presence. More specifically, the physical presence of siblings plays an important part in the participation of youth in worship. Secondly, an empathetic and emotional aspect is essential for adolescents. 'Being together' in youth worship means being together in unity and trust and in equality, as kindred (...) spirits. Thirdly, 'being together' in youth worship yields possibilities to cross social and ecclesiological boundaries. Fourthly, there is a theological aspect in 'being together' that could be described as 'sharing faith and being in God's presence'. (shrink)

Effectively addressing ethical issues in precision medicine research in Africa requires a holistic social contract that integrates biomedical knowledge with local cultural values and Indigenous knowledge systems. Drawing on African epistemologies such as ubuntu and ujamaa and on our collective experiences in genomics and big data research for sickle cell disease, hearing impairment, and fragile X syndrome and the project Public Understanding of Big Data in Genomics Medicine in Africa, we envision a transformative shift in health research data governance in (...) Africa that could help create a sense of shared responsibility between all stakeholders in genomics and data‐driven health research in Africa. This shift includes proposing a social contract for genomics and data science in health research that is grounded in African communitarianism such as solidarity, shared decision‐making, and reciprocity. We make several recommendations for a social contract for genomics and data science in health, including the coproduction of genomics knowledge with study communities, power sharing between stakeholders, public education on the ethical and social implications of genetics and data science, benefit sharing, giving voice to data subjects through dynamic consent, and democratizing data access to allow wide access by all research stakeholders. Achieving this would require adopting participatory approaches to genomics and data governance. (shrink)

"Que sais-je? Que dois-je faire? Que m'est-il permis d'espérer? " Ainsi s'interrogeait Kant. Preuve s'il en est que les philosophes ne sont pas des êtres désincarnés. Ce sont des hommes comme nous, ayant une famille, un métier, des engagements citoyens. Dans leurs écrits, ils nous parlent de nous, de ce que nous sommes et vivons. Leurs questions sont les interrogations existentielles auxquelles nous confronte le monde postmoderne consumériste, individualiste, relativiste et nihiliste. En revisitant la philosophie moderne, cet ouvrage nous invite (...) à reprendre les trois grandes questions kantiennes. Il est urgent de penser notre existence afin de vivre avec lucidité, responsabilité et plénitude. Ce que les Grecs appelaient une vie "bonne". (shrink)

Prave Nordano asertas ke planlingvo povas sukcesi nur, se ekzistas sociologia bazo por tia lingvo. Li opinias ke por tutmonda planlingvo tiu bazo mankas. Ekzistas tamen sociologia komunumo en Eŭropo, sed al tiu Eŭropo apartenas nek Britujo nek Ruslando. Oni do povas krei planlingvon sukcesan nur surbase de tiu limigita Eŭropo. Nordano skizas tian tuteŭropan lingvon klarigante la gvidajn principojn. La teoria fundamento de Nordano estas falsa, čar ankaŭ la angloj kaj amerikanoj apartenas al lo okcidenteŭropa komunumo. Krome li projektas (...) lingvon kiu estas pli latina ol eŭropa. Nordano atakas la principojn de Esperanto, sed tamen parte mem aplikas ilin. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Zeitschrift für kritische Sozialtheorie und Philosophie Jahrgang: 5 Heft: 1 Seiten: 4-13.

Der Mensch ist fähig zu erkennen. Diese Fähigkeit setzt allerdings seine bio logische Integrität (Ganzheit, Unversehrtheit) voraus. Der Mensch kann außerdem erkennen, daß er erkennt. Erkennen (Kognition) als basale psychologische und somit biologische Funktion steuert seine Handhabung der Welt, und Wissen gibt seinen Handlungen Sicherheit. Objektives Wissen scheint möglich, und die Welt erscheint dadurch planvoll und vorhersagbar. Und doch ist Wissen als Erfahrung etwas Persönliches und Privates, das nicht übertragen werden kann. Das, was man für übertragbar hält, nämlich objektives Wissen, (...) muß immer durch den Hörer geschaffen werden: Der Hörer versteht nur dann, und objektives Wissen erscheint nur dann übertragbar, wenn der Hörer zu verstehen (vor)bereit(et) ist. Kognition als biologische Funktion besteht darin, daß sich die Antwort auf die Frage Was ist Kognition? aus dem Verständnis des Erkennens bzw. des Erkennenden aufgrund der Fähigkeit des letzteren zu erkennen ergeben muß. Eben darin besteht meme Arbeit. Epistemologie Der zentrale Anspruch der Wissenschaft ist Objektivität: sie [die Wissenschaft] ist bestrebt, mit Hilfe einer wohldefinierten Methodologie Aussagen über die Welt zu machen. Gerade in der Basis dieses Anspruches liegt jedoch ihre Schwäche: die apriorische Annahme, daß objektives Wissen eine Beschreibung dessen darstellt, was man weiß. Eine solche Annahme erfordert die Klärung der Fragen Worin be steht Erkennen bzw. Wissen? und Wie erkennen und wissen wir? Biologie a) Das größte Hindernis für das Verständnis der Organisation des Lebendigen liegt darin, daß es nicht möglich ist, sie durch eine Aufzählung ihrer Eigen schaften zu erklären. Sie muß vielmehr als Einheit verstanden werden. (shrink)

Muchos problemas deliberativos son multidimensionales: los argumentos a favor y en contra de las soluciones propuestas apelan a valores que pertenecen a distintas dimensiones. Así, por ejemplo, los argumentos a favor de la propuesta de negociar para resolver el problema de un conflicto armado interno pueden apelar a la paz mientras que los argumentos en contra pueden apelar a la justicia. Esto hace posible que los interlocutores acepten las premisas de un argumento sin comprometerse con su conclusión y que lo (...) justifiquen haciendo énfasis en las premisas del argumento contrario – “sí, una negociación reduciría el número de los muertos por violencia política, pero generaría impunidad, así que no debemos negociar”-. Si esta situación fuera insuperable, los argumentos en la deliberación nunca podrían ser válidos, nunca podrían ser tales que la aceptación de las premisas comprometiera a quien las acepta con las conclusiones. En este artículo considero algunas respuestas a este problema: las respuestas de C. Kock, T. Govier, P. Olmos y la respuesta de F. Macagno y D. Walton; señalo algunos problemas que encuentro en estas respuestas e intento resolverlos distinguiendo los casos en que es posible de los casos en los que no es posible superar el problema de la multidimensionalidad en la deliberación. (shrink)

This paper offers an overview of various alternative formulations for Analysis, the theory of Integral and Differential Calculus, and its diverging conceptions of the topological structure of the continuum. We pay particularly attention to Smooth Analysis, a proposal created by William Lawvere and Anders Kock based on Grothendieck’s work on a categorical algebraic geometry. The role of Heyting’s logic, common to all these alternatives is emphasized.

En la protección de los bienes comunes en Estados Unidos desde el siglo xix hasta la actualidad, la doctrinal del public trust ha jugado un papel determinante. Esta doctrina, heredera de la tradición jurídica romana, basa su estructura conceptual en una relación fideicomisaria entre agente y principal y fue inicialmente invocada para la salvaguarda de los bienes comunes de su cercamiento y privatización. Con el paso de los años, se ha transformado en un instrumento jurídico clave para la protección ambiental. (...) En este artículo doy cuenta de su evolución y aplicación actual. (shrink)

Mit dem vorliegenden Band wird Manfred Riedel, ein Schuler von Ernst Bloch, Karl Lowith und Hans-Georg Gadamer geehrt. Er anerkennt zugleich ein philosophisches Lebenswerk, das sich nicht an ferne utopische Ziele verlor, sondern mit dem historischen Leidensweg des geteilten und seit 1990 geeinten Deutschland untrennbar verbunden ist. Widergespiegelt wird das breite Spektrum seines philosophischen Denkens, das von der Lehre einer zweiten, praktischen Philosophie uber die Geschichtsvisionen einer Burgergesellschaft in Antike und Neuzeit zu der Gewichtung einer akroamatischen - das Horen auf (...) die Sprache erorternden - Hermeneutik und dem Zusammenhang von Denken und Dichten bei Nietzsche und den grossen Lyrikern der klassischen Moderne reicht. Die Beitrage, u. a. von Dieter Borchmeyer, Felix Duque, Jean Grondin, Werner Hecht, Agnes Heller, Hans Kock, Peter Horst Neumann, Fulvio Tessitore und Giuseppe Cacciatore, sind Zeugnisse dieses Weges und der internationalen Verbindungen des Geehrten. (shrink)

Resumo: Arthur Schopenhauer ficou conhecido como o pensador do “pessimismo filosófico”. Tratase de uma doutrina que, em linhas gerais, apresenta uma determinada interpretação acerca do valor do mundo, mas que, em seu sentido ainda mais básico, questiona a possibilidade de atribuição de valor ao todo da existência: há “justificação” para a existência? A partir da resposta a essa pergunta, o filósofo alemão desenvolve sua “metafísica da vontade” e, como seu desdobramento, sua teoria da “redenção”, ou soteriologia. Entretanto, o “filósofo do (...) pessimismo” também afirma, em sua obra, que há uma “ordenação moral de mundo” e um “significado moral da existência”, o que parece ir na direção oposta ao “pessimismo”. O presente artigo analisa o significado das noções de ordenação moral de mundo e justificação da existência no pensamento de Schopenhauer, a fim de demonstrar em que medida significado moral da existência e pessimismo filosófico se relacionam no pensamento do autor.: Arthur Schopenhauer is known as the thinker of “philosophical pessimism”. It means, in general lines, the doctrine that presents a certain worldview, but in its more basic sense, it questions the possibility of giving a meaning to the whole of existence: is there “justification” for the existence? By answering this question the German philosopher develops his “metaphysics of the will” and, as its unfolding, his theory of “redemption”, or soteriology. However, the “philosopher of pessimism” also asserts in his work that there is a “moral ordinance of world” and a “moral meaning of existence”, which seems to go on the opposite direction of what is claimed by the “pessimism”. The present paper analyses the sense of the notions of moral ordinance of world and justification of existence in Schopenhauer’s thought, in order to demonstrate how far moral meaning of life and philosophical pessimismo interact in his thought. (shrink)

O relato de experiência a que este texto se refere provém do módulo intitulado Violência no Espaço Escolar, do Curso de Extensão em Gênero, Raça e Diversidade Sexual/ODEERE. A partir de temas que envolvem raça/etnia, gênero, e sexualidades, foram promovidos debates relacionados a preconceitos e discriminações que se manifestam no espaço escolar voltados para o racismo, sexismo e à homo-lesbo-bi-transfobia. O desenvolvimento da proposta didática pautou-se na abordagem qualitativa à luz da dialética, com o intuito de problematizar incômodos prescritos pelo (...) poder hegemônico e de pensar alternativas de mudanças para a promoção de uma convivência respeitosa primando pela valorização das diferenças. Palavras-chave: Violência. Escola. Diferenças. (shrink)