Wolfgang Spohn's theory of ranking functions is an elegant and powerful theory of the structure and dynamics of doxastic states. In two recent papers, Spohn has applied it to the analysis of conditionals, claiming to have presented a unified account of indicative and subjunctive (counterfactual) conditionals. I argue that his analysis fails to account for counterfactuals that refer to indirect causes. The strategy of taking the transitive closure that Spohn employs in the theory of causation is not available for (...) counterfactuals. I have a close look at Spohn's treatment of the famous Oswald-Kennedy case in order to illustrate my points. I sketch an alternative view that seems to avoid the problems. (shrink)

In the context of the present debate on brain-death, the author explains how no criterion of death, which is valid once and for all, can be deduced from the Christian understanding of death and resurrection. Nevertheless, a number of anthropological criteria can be identified which could serve as a social-ethical orientation: The interaction of body and soul should not be understood monistically in the sense of a vitalistic or mechanistic concept of life. Institutions and individuals should allow for social comittment (...) and solidarity during the process of dying in order to work against cultural fragmentation and isolation. (shrink)

This paper is an introduction into the theory of cellular spaces. From the more general model of nets of abstract cells which are interpreted by finite automata, it is shown how the model of cellular spaces is achieved by specialization. Cellular spaces are extremely homogeneous in function and in geometry. The relation between local and global behavior is regarded as the main topic of the theory. After a formal definition of cellular spaces, it is shown that not all functions of (...) the configuration space are induced by cellular spaces. In addition, the Garden-of-Eden problem is discussed, and a simple self-reproduction property is explained. (shrink)

Laws are true lawlike sentences. But what is lawlikeness? Much effort went into investigating the issue, but the richer the concert of opinions became, the more apparent their deficiencies became too, and with it the profound importance of the issue for epistemology and philosophy of science.

Die Welt ist alles, was wir in unseren naturwissenschaftlichen Theorien beschreiben können – so eine weit verbreitete Überzeugung, die seit den Tagen des Positivismus unser Weltbild bestimmt. Aber reicht das tatsächlich schon aus? Wer sich am Ideal der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnis orientiert, neigt dazu, viele nicht-begriffliche Erfahrungsformen zu unterschlagen, die uns aus dem Alltag vertraut sind: Symbolsysteme wie Musik, Literatur oder Bilder, Instanzen der unmittelbaren Erfahrung wie Anschauung, Wahrnehmung oder Gefühl und den Bereich des praktischen Könnens. In der Regel sind wir (...) nicht in der Lage, den Gehalt dieser Phänomene vollständig begrifflich wiederzugeben. Dennoch ist das weite Feld des Nichtbegrifflichen eine unverzichtbare Voraussetzung unserer Sätze und Gedanken: Ohne Kunst, Wahrnehmung und Handeln gibt es kein Denken, keine Wissenschaft, keine Philosophie. Der Band geht der Vielfalt des Nicht-Begrifflichen in ästhetischen, symboltheoretischen und semantischen Untersuchungen nach. Aus ihnen ergibt sich ein umfassender systematischer Überblick über eines der spannendsten und offensten Problemfelder der aktuellen philosophischen Debatte. Mit Beiträgen von: Andreas Bartels, Uwe Baumann, Volker Beeh, Gottfried Boehm, Olaf Breidbach, Joachim Bromand, Gottfried Gabriel, Markus Gabriel, Ernest Wolf Gazo, Annemarie Gethmann-Siefert, Jürgen Goldstein, Jens Halfwassen, Thomas Sören Hoffmann, Wolfgang Harms, Jochen Hörisch, Peter Janich, Guilherme F. R. Kisteumacher, Jakub Kloc-Konkolowicz, Imi Knoebel, Theo Kobusch, Klaus-M. Kodalle, Sibylle Krämer, Guido Kreis, Wolfgang Kubin, Sönke Lorenz, Antonio Cota Marçal, Aliasghar Mosleh, Theodoros Penolidis, Dominik Perler, Hans-Joachim Pieper, Andrzej Przylebski, Birgit Sandkaulen, Matthias Schmoeckel, Oswald Schwemmer, Josef Simon, Pirmin Stekeler-Weithofer, Dieter Teichert, Kai Vogeley, Gottfried Willems und Gereon Wolters. (shrink)

Zodiacal and Planetary ‘decani’. The 36 ecliptical ‘decani’ (sectors of 10°) were distributed either to the twelve zodiacal signs or to the seven planets. The first system has been transmitted only by the Roman didactic poet Manilius, who commits an error at the end of his catalogue that can be explained by comparing it with the more frequent planetary one. Both systems follow the Roman calendar beginning with the Ram respectively Mars. Although the zodiacal system (36 : 12) runs without (...) remainder whereas the planetary one (36 : 7) repeats Mars once more (six times), so that it both begins and ends with this planet, this planetary system prevails. Four possible astrological reasons of this contradiction are discussed including other texts, mostly taken from the ‘Babylonian’ Teucrus (at the latest first century BC), who represents the first witness, if not the inventor of this particular lore. (shrink)

Die Welt ist alles, was wir in unseren naturwissenschaftlichen Theorien beschreiben konnen so eine weit verbreitete Uberzeugung, die seit den Tagen des Positivismus unser Weltbild bestimmt. Aber reicht das tatsachlich schon aus? Wer sich am Ideal der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnis orientiert, neigt dazu, viele nicht-begriffliche Erfahrungsformen zu unterschlagen, die uns aus dem Alltag vertraut sind: Symbolsysteme wie Musik, Literatur oder Bilder, Instanzen der unmittelbaren Erfahrung wie Anschauung, Wahrnehmung oder Gefuhl und den Bereich des praktischen Konnens. In der Regel sind wir nicht (...) in der Lage, den Gehalt dieser Phanomene vollstandig begrifflich wiederzugeben. Dennoch ist das weite Feld des Nichtbegrifflichen eine unverzichtbare Voraussetzung unserer Satze und Gedanken: Ohne Kunst, Wahrnehmung und Handeln gibt es kein Denken, keine Wissenschaft, keine Philosophie. Der Band geht der Vielfalt des Nicht-Begrifflichen in asthetischen, symboltheoretischen und semantischen Untersuchungen nach. Aus ihnen ergibt sich ein umfassender systematischer Uberblick uber eines der spannendsten und offensten Problemfelder der aktuellen philosophischen Debatte. Mit Beitragen von: Andreas Bartels, Uwe Baumann, Volker Beeh, Gottfried Boehm, Olaf Breidbach, Joachim Bromand, Gottfried Gabriel, Markus Gabriel, Ernest Wolf Gazo, Annemarie Gethmann-Siefert, Jurgen Goldstein, Jens Halfwassen, Thomas Soren Hoffmann, Wolfgang Harms, Jochen Horisch, Peter Janich, Guilherme F. R. Kisteumacher, Jakub Kloc-Konkolowicz, Imi Knoebel, Theo Kobusch, Klaus-M. Kodalle, Sibylle Kramer, Guido Kreis, Wolfgang Kubin, Sonke Lorenz, Antonio Cota Marcal, Aliasghar Mosleh, Theodoros Penolidis, Dominik Perler, Hans-Joachim Pieper, Andrzej Przylebski, Birgit Sandkaulen, Matthias Schmoeckel, Oswald Schwemmer, Josef Simon, Pirmin Stekeler-Weithofer, Dieter Teichert, Kai Vogeley, Gottfried Willems und Gereon Wolters". (shrink)

A complete recursive description of noetherian linear _KL_-algebras is given. _L_-algebras form a quantum structure that occurs in algebraic logic, combinatorial group theory, measure theory, geometry, and in connection with solutions to the Yang-Baxter equation. It is proved that the self-similar closure of a noetherian linear _KL_-algebra is determined by its partially ordered set of primes, and that its elements admit a unique factorization by a decreasing sequence of prime elements.

In Protestant theology, values are widely neglected because new sociological and philosophical theories of values arenot taken into consideration. In this paper, the author argues that the theory of values as it is developed by the sociologist Hans Joas is a helpful instrument to understand the connection between freedom, justification, and habit. 1t becomes clear that Christi an belief results in a certain way of everyday ethics and spirituality that needs empirical observation and theological reflection.

This is the first complete edition of Schleiermacher's 1820/21 lectures on education, which have hitherto only been available in a drastically abridged version concentrating on the topic of "Punishment and discipline". Notes taken by an unknown student, and published here in modern spelling, clearly show that this concentration does not do justice to Schleiermacher's theory of education. The text is accompanied by a detailed introduction, numerous explanatory notes and a comprehensive subject index.