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Ana Smith Iltis şi Mark J. Cherry (editori), La temeliile bioeticii creştine. Eseuri critice asupra gândirii lui H. Tristram Engelhardt jr., Edit. Renaşterea, Cluj-Napoca, 2001, 402 pp.
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Ana Smith Iltis şi Mark J. Cherry (editori), La temeliile bioeticii creştine. Eseuri critice asupra gândirii lui H. Tristram Engelhardt jr., Edit. Renaşterea, Cluj-Napoca, 2001, 402 pp.
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Keywords: precautionary principle; risk analysis; risk aversion; causality; pharmaceutical regulation.
Pharmaceutical decisions are affected by several forms of uncertainty which are sharpened both by the high stakes at play, and by the complexity of the epistemological procedures needed to provide the necessary information. The precautionary principle as applied to pharmaceutical decisions through the notion of “well-founded suspicion” takes into account one special sort of these uncertainties: the uncertainty concerning the causal connection between observed adverse reactions and suspected drug. The introduction of the precautionary principle has meant the shift from a legal system based on danger avoidance – where causality must be certain before any countermeasure is allowed/enforced – to a risk prevention system, where the hypothesis of causal connection may be as weakly supported by evidence as the expected harm is high. In this sense, the notion of well founded suspicion is equivalent to that of “hypothesis of causal connection” and it is measured probabilistically. Thus we have in principle two probabilities: one attached to the hypothesis that there is indeed a causal connection between expected harm and drug; the other measuring the expectation that the harm indeed occurs (possibly as a function of its incidence in the “population”). The higher the former, the more confident are we about the harm-drug connection, the higher the latter, the higher is the expected harm. The precautionary principle has been criticized for its inhibitory action against innovation and research, for its unjustified unbalance towards the risk produced by human agency vs. natural risks; and, from a formal point of view, for its vagueness and unsystematic application. Most criticisms are generally grounded on the supposed risk aversive nature of the precautionary principle. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the precautionary principle really is a risk aversive norm, thus I will consider the notion of well-founded suspicion as the pharmaceutical version of the precautionary principle and compare it to the technical notion of risk aversion.
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Keywords: Care; Human person; Subjectivity; Soul; Counciousness.
Victim of technologies, medical action was deformed, giving care become the simple supply of benefits in the presence of a disease, with the burden of the same concepts of treatment and health protection. In the medical and socio-medical fields, in fact, often, the other is assigned to the potential diagnoses, to the instrument that includes an emotional distance, of the body affected by disease. In this paper, the author presents a vast and complex reality of the situations that the human person meets during its experience with the illness and disability.
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Keywords: Quality of life; Sanctity of life; Disability; Human dignity.
The central concepts of quality of life were constructed at the beginning not by bioethicists but by economists, sociologists or psychologists. Only recently have this concept received attention in the bioethical literature. This paper will argue that an important discussion in bioethical debate between the concept of quality of life and the concept of sanctity of life. Quality of life is conceived that directly conflicts with illness and disability, in particular with the reduction of health care for people with disabilities because of their low quality of life. Quality of life began the basis of evaluation of our future life and it could arrive at the conclusion in which a disabled person’s life would be worth not living.
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Multe dintre imaginile scenariilor apocaliptice cu care ne-au asaltat cinematografiile acestui veac aveau ca numitor comun forma ultimă a dezintegrării creaţiei prin foc: cenuşa. Vântul o suflă de ici, acolo, ea se aşează şi pătrunde adânc în pământ şi face, uneori, să ardă rădăcinile şi să întindă pustiul. Acest fenomen înspăimântă, nu lasă loc nici măcar luminii să pătrundă, duce cu sine şi în sine o mare încărcătură de disperare. E greu să întrevezi în aceasta vreo fărâmă de nădejde. Ori, sfârşitul creştinesc este un sfârşit în nădejde, adică cu nădejdea învierii. Acele înfricoşătoare morţi ale Endlosung-ului erau şi mai încărcate de teamă tocmai pentru că pierduseră această dimensiune a nădejdii anastasice. Cum, dar, să poţi vedea în cremaţie o soluţie creştină ? Ea vine dintr-un străfund de religiozitate păgână şi rămâne în ochii credincioşilor în înviere, o marcă a acestora.
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The following themes emerged: 1.1 The need for caution In opening this international consultation Father Vasileios Kalliakmanis, in opening this consultation remarked: ‘The discovery of the potency of stem-cells opened new horizons in research and raised great expectations for the curing of serious illnesses. At the same time, it created new moral dilemmas which need to be dealt with cautiously’ It was this note of caution that dominated the discussions around stem cells in the days that followed. Such caution was reflected not only in the scientific knowledge available, but also in approaching the topic globally through the eyes of those who did not stand to gain from such techniques.
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Keywords: Personality; Cohabitation; Responsibilities; Fertility; Fertilization “in vitro”; Homosexuality; Reproduction.
The family, the basic cell of all times society, in late 50's it started to be attacked periodically by different social, economic, moral and spiritual problems.This situation was possible because young parents wanted to ensure a better life, a decent life, a better education and training of young characters and personalities. This way, the education so called „seven years from home” is damaged and the new generation with it, the entire society.The foundation of the family itself is damaged because it is recorded a phenomenon called „cohabitation”. This is an immoral and illogical way of life, without worries and responsibilities. But in reality, these worries and responsibilities are more numerous and more disturbing in terms of social and psychological. The relationship between man and woman pleasing to God is that relationship witch was made with the blessing of the Church through the Holy Mystery of the Holly Wedding, witch helps the young couple to exceed all the obstacles and the weights of life. Another problem of contemporary society is assisted reproduction. This is a way to reproduce for those couples who have fertility problems, but this method draws ethical and legal issues, medical and religious aspects. In this context is well known the Louis Brown case, the first child created through „in vitro” fertilization, on 25ve of July, 1978. Although the method comes like a consolation for the young couples witch have fertility problems, the decision of practicing this method of reproduction must be taken in an ecclesial environment by consulting their confessor, his advice and through continuous prayer. Modern times have known another problem witch seriously affecting the society and the family: the homosexuality.The man was created male and female after the image and likeness of God. Everyone who broke this principle commits a big sin and immorality because damages and perverts the human nature. The homosexuality is the result of rejection and disobedience of God and those witch are adopting this way of life will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Since 1970 the phenomenon has grown and in our time we assist to the so called „gay march”. In Romania the homosexuality was legalized since 2001, without taking into account the disease problem, sometimes incurable (HIV/AIDS), witch is pronounced in these environments.
More...Keywords: Russian literature in the 19th century; Russia and the classical tradition; Plato; uncertain sex
Platonic myth of Androgynos, – the creature of uncertain sex (Symposium, 189d–193d), – being re-interpreted as a myth related to artistic creativity, started to play its role in modern literary works from the times of Goethe. The paper deals with an episode in the history of establishing of the connection between androgyny and geniality, as we find it in the works by famous Russian writer Alexander Pushkin, mostly dated to the second decade of the 19th century. In an earlier article the author had an opportunity to look at the way Pushkin connects the idea of geniality with Socratic daimonion. On this occasion we try to prove that the concept of geniality is closely linked in his thought with the myth of androgynos, at that time hardly a commonplace of literary aesthetics, and that the idea of this connection occurred to Pushkin on the basis of Platonic text or its relatively adequate rendering into Russian.
More...Keywords: Gnosticism; Neoplatonism; matter; evil; Greek philosophy
An article of the famous historian of Ancient philosophy is translated into Russian for the participants of educational project “ΤΕΧΝΗ. Theoretical foundations of Arts, sciences and technology in the Greco-Roman World" (Novosibirsk, Russia). Original publication: “Plotinus and the Gnostics on the Generation of Matter”, Neoplatonism and Early Christian Thought, Essays in honour of A. H. Armstrong, éds. H. J. Blumenthal, R. A. Markus. London: Variorum publications, 1981, pp. 108–123.
More...Keywords: Presocratics; Plato; Aristotle; daimon; soul; appetitive part; homo economicus; economy; paideia; politics
In this paper I examine the healthy ancient Greek way of life by contrast to the unhealthy way of life of contemporary man, who at the greatest percentage is homo economicus. First, I examine the ancient Greek philosophical perceptions of the soul, with emphasis on the great psychological theory of Plato, aiming to show the healthy way that the ancient Greeks perceived the soul and the homologous ethical way that they lived their life in accordance with its nature in order to live as much eudaimonically as possible. Next, in comparison, I examine the new contemporary man, homo economicus, in whom the appetitive part of the soul dominates, and investigate those catastrophic consequences that this dominance of the inferior part of the human soul have brought in our global era, in sectors such as the economy, education and politics, resulting to the decadence of life.
More...Keywords: Gnosticism; Irenaeus; Clement of Alexandria; Early Christian polemics
In the second century A.D. the Mediterranean world underwent a profound change in ethical attitude towards the сosmos and human society, and the change is especially well reflected in one of the most controversial intellectual movement of the Late Antiquity, the so-called Gnostic tradition. Although attempts to draw a coherent picture of Gnosis which have been undertaken so far have yielded no satisfactory result, the basic patterns of thought, commonly labeled as ‘Gnostic’, are reasonably well known. Taken in the broadest sense of the word, Gnosticism is a specific world attitude. In the framework of Judeo-Christian world-view the Gnostics contemplated the world affairs from a global prospective, put them in the context of world history and developed a specific form of eschatology. In this paper (which is a revised Russian translation of the English original, published in ΣΧΟΛΗ 2.1 (2008) 125–132) the author undertakes to interpret select historical evidence, which can throw the light upon the development of this quite diverse and controversial tradition, including a passage from the Stromateis of Clement of Alexandria (Strom. III 29, 1–2 St), which, surprisingly enough, was not previously treated in this context.
More...Keywords: Heraclitus; philosophical inquiry; discovery; aporia; self-cognition; common sense; Xenophanes; Parmenides; Aristotle
The article explains Heraclitus’ motives for introducing a philosophical method of “inquiry”, didzesis, known later on as zetesis. The method can be traced back to Xenophanes, while the term seems to be introduced by Parmenides. The philosophical inquiry is opposed to spontaneous discovery (heuresis). In its essence it can be compared with a route sketched on a map: the things sought are first met as obstacles (aporia) on the road, then their nature is recognized on the basis of certain signs and familiar features, a sort of preliminary knowledge. This kind of inquiry is very difficult, and Heraclitus compares it with gold-mining. So let us call the method a "philosophical gold-digging" and observe that, if successful, it yields rare but very valuable results. The method is universal: it can be applied to the sense-perceptible world, human souls, as well as universal properties of things, i.e., the realm of intelligible.
More...Keywords: Paradox; formal logic; zero order logical system
Crocodile Paradox" is the famous paradox in ancient sophistic logical system. In this paper it is shown that it is possible to construct the solution for this paradox in modern classical formal zero order logical system.
More...Keywords: moral beauty; virtue; duty; cognition; justice; benevolence; magnitude of the soul; temperance
Cicero relied on the Stoic conception of virtues when he interpreted the terms honestum, virtus, and officium. At the same time he also took into account the scope of the Roman virtues. As a result he offered his own conception that comprised both the Greek and Roman terms. It was an eclectic combination of the Stoic theory and the Roman tradition. The term honestum meant for him social and political activities of a Roman citizen. A virtue was a tool that helped man feel moral beauty inside oneself. The concept virtus, being derived from vir, was related with fortitude, bravery, firmness of soul, or any positive physical or spiritual ability. In the moral meaning virtus designated moral beauty as well as some or all features of character that gave man an opportunity to lead a decent way of life. Following the Stoic and Peripatetic traditions Cicero marked out four virtues (cognition, justice and benevolence as a whole, magnitude of soul and temperance). He however considered the second virtue to be the most important, while the Stoics attached importance to the first virtue, i. e. cognition. Having sided with Aristotle, Cicero attached more importance to active social and political life rather than contemplation. Each virtue for Cicero was associated with special duties (officia), applied only to Roman citizens as opposed to the Stoic virtues of universal nature.
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Keywords: United Nations; International Criminal Court; Security Council; aggression; jurisdiction; Rome Statute; United Nations Charter; Review Conference; sovereignty
In 2009 a Review Conference will give the countries that brought the International Criminal Court into existence an opportunity to decide upon an issue critical for the future functioning of the Court, namely the relationship between the court itself and the United Nations Security Council. Discussions about the relationship between the two institutions will focus on Article 5 of the Rome Statute which grants the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over the most serious crimes – genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. In particular, the Assembly of States Parties will have to decide whether there is sufficient international consensus to finally achieve agreement on a definition of aggression that can be incorporated into the Rome Statute and, if so, whether a determination of aggression by the Security Council should be a precondition to the Court’s exercise of jurisdiction over this crime. This article examines arguments for and against a prior determination of aggression by the Security Council and other organs of the United Nations as a precondition to the International Criminal Court’s exercise of jurisdiction over this crime.
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The recent events in the Middle East have been watched by sensitive people around the world for approximately the past two weeks. Yet the decision makers, who could not understand it is impossible to reach a solution by only condemning, are only watching the ‘state terrorism’. Israel is still going its own way by ignoring the others, carrying out its own specific executions by using its and the US’s ‘legitimate’ special methods as usual. Not only are the UN, the EU, and the US silent, but also most of the Arab leaders. The reasons behind the attacks and the possible outcomes have been discussed by the experts all around the world as well as in Turkey. In this essay, rather than trying to analyze the recent events, I would like to call your attention to a different topic. I would like to say something about Hamas and Israel by going back to late 1980s.
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The Netherlands faces boycott calls from some Muslim countries and reports from Afghanistan do not give good news about the Dutch soldiers in the country after the release of the controversial film Fitna. Still, common sense appears to overcome strife and discord (literally fitna in Arabic) in Dutch society. Most of the Muslim organizations in the Netherlands gave a condemning but restrained reaction to the film which totally equates Islam with violence. In fact, the reasonable attitudes of the Dutch, particularly Muslim societies, media, and politicians, have contributed a lot to maintain the harmony not only within the country but also abroad.
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Keywords: South Ossetia; Georgia; Caucasus; State Building; Secessionist Conflicts
Generally dubbed as “frozen conflicts”, the separatist conflicts in the Caucasus are seen by many authors as political and military stalemates. This approach, however, tends to brush aside sociological dynamics at work inside what would be more accurately described as “zones of conflict”. With a specific focus on South Ossetia, this contribution highlights the different logics at play in the state building processes of the region. The main argument is to demonstrate how the oppositional logic of the autocratic de facto government in power and outside interference in the region, from Russia and Georgia mainly, are affecting the state building process of South Ossetia by marginalizing the local population and its needs. In fact, no real state building will take place in South Ossetia, either as a component of a Georgian Federation or as an entity in the Russian Federation, without addressing more carefully the needs of the local population.
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It would not be wrong to define International Relations, in a limited sense, as a discipline that tries to systematically depict the formation of new systems and the elimination of the old ones. Moreover, it draws a framework for the art of diplomacy in an interdependent fashion, with regional conflicts representing one of the most interesting areas. In fact, conflict resolution is an interdisciplinary issue and each conflict requires a sui generis approach. The formation and dissolution of unions cause instability in terms of politics, economics, and security. In this context, the last decade of 20th century has witnessed dramatic developments with the collapse of the Iron Curtain, the fall of Berlin Wall, and revolutions in 1989 which were followed by inevitable dissolution of the Eastern Bloc.
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The European Union had two options afterwards the rejection of the EU Constitution, which had been prepared as an ambitious project and with big hopes, in referenda conducted in France and Holland in 2005. The first option was to proceed on its way with the present Nice Treaty. That would actually not be a bad option, contrary to opposite claims, if taking account the functional improvements it had achieved after the enlargement. The second option was to proceed by arranging a settlement among the 18 ratifying, 2 rejecting member states and the rest which hadn’t signed the Treaty yet. The European Summit which was convened on June 23rd, 2007 chose this option to move on after a two year reasoning period.
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