Aydinlanmayi Yeniden Düşünmek: Horkheimer Ve Adorno

Author(s): Mehmet Kocaoğlu / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 03/2018

On one hand the Enlightement provided an opportunity for many scientific discoveries in a critical and free environment, and on the other hand, it led to the demolition of any mythological or metaphysical component in the social and political arena that resulted in the enslavement of people. On one side of the coin, the scientific developments, and social and political institutions that entitled the people to their freedoms were created by the Englightenment. On the other side of the coin, enlightenment led to another scenario that included a new set of relations by producing and sustaining suppression and domination. The main purpose of this study is to examine this latter scenario that reproduced superiority relations by taking into consideration Horkheimer’s and Adorno’s thoughts on Englightenment. First, the study explains the main arguments of the Enlightenment. Second, the role of the Frankfurt School that shaped Horkheimer’s and Adorno’s perspectives is discussed. In the final section, the criticisms of both philosophers are scrutinized through Odysseus’ adventures.

BAROK W MISTYCE – HIPERTROFIA MYŚLI I EMOCJI? (2)

Author(s): Krzysztof Matuszewski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 39/2017

In the stage of illumination, the soul is dying from the longing for the Spouse. It finds the most efficient way of moderating the pain of inevitable temporal separation in contemplative solitude. Since this solitude does not eliminate the distance, the soul craves for death, which promises it a beatifying meeting. It becomes the supreme goal for the soul and is presented by mystics as a fulfilled communication, or unification. The soul tends to it in a desperate trust in God, filled with a desire for self-loss. The soul tries to overcome with love the uncertainty, which shrouds its relation with the hidden God. This love incites in the soul the desire to see here and now, the impossibility of which is overcome by the ecstasy granted by grace. An ineffable inspiration, which allows the soul to communicate with God, is articulated in the mystical communication thanks to the gift of writing (charisma affabilitatis) and successful use of the metaphor.

Barono D’holbacho Pėdsakai XVIII A. Lietuvoje. Libertiniški Ldk Pabaigos Kontekstai

Author(s): Dalius Viliūnas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 74/2013

The article analyzes the religious worldview in Lithuania at the end of 18th century. This worldview en gross could be extrapolated into two major alternatives – catholic traditionalism, that is traditional theism and, second, deism related conjoined with the ideas of the Enlightenment. The problem is raised: Does the more radical alternative to deism, that is, atheism exist at this time? The article attempts to answer in the affirmative. A radical libertine trend in the worldview existed in Lithuania. The works of the best known French atheist D’Holbach were acquired. The article presents a manuscript copy of the text of d’Holbach and considers some ideas related with the fact of its presence.

Béatrice Longuenesse, I, Me, Mine: Back to Kant and Back Again

Author(s): Ekin Erkan / Language(s): English Issue: 60/2020

Review of: EKIN ERKAN - Béatrice Longuenesse, I, Me, Mine: Back to Kant and Back Again, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017, xix + 257 pp.

BEFORE OBJECTIVITY: THE CONCEPT OF DISTRIBUTIVE KNOWLEDGE IN EARLY MODERN METAPHYSICS

Author(s): Lada Shipovalova,Eugeny Malyshkin / Language(s): English Issue: 89/2016

The paper discusses the concept of distribution of ideas and, accordingly, of knowledge, which can be found in the early modern metaphysics. This concept was not completely developed and was overshadowed by the concept of objectivity. An attempt to formalize the distributivity is made. The role played by the idea of distributive knowledge in pre-Kantian metaphysics is demonstrated with a special attention to Leibniz’s doctrine. We argue, that the events of communication between individuals are based on points of distributive knowledge.

Behind the Scenes: Paolo Sarpi, a Natural Philosopher Friar

Author(s): Nicla Riverso / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

My article explores Paolo Sarpi’s achievements in natural philosophy in order to define his contribution to the intellectual milieu of his time. Sarpi’s role as a natural philosopher has been underestimated, due to the fact that his research has been unpublished and has largely perished: his works on natural philosophy and his scientific discoveries were recorded in his private papers and diaries, kept in the Servite monastery in Venice, which was entirely destroyed by fire in 1769. I explain how Sarpi, because of his conflicts and strained relations with the Church of Rome, did not want to publish on natural philosophy, and I demonstrate how he operated in “silence,” cooperating with other natural philosophers behind the scenes in order to make important discoveries. Bringing up what is left of Sarpi’s writings, I examine the Servite’s accomplishments in physics and magnetism, and compare them with those of Gilbert, Garzoni, and Galileo. Through a careful analysis on passages from Sarpi’s correspondence and Pensieri, by focusing on his achievements in magnetism, I show that his research on magnetic fields had a significant bearing on his study of terrestrial motion and I point out how his study helped him to take his place among those scholars who led Galileo to develop his theory on motion and gravity.

Benedikt Spinoza: Renati des Cartes Principia philosophiae more geometrico demonstrata / René Descarta Principy filosofie způsobem užívaným v geometrii vyložené

Author(s): Jan Palkoska / Language(s): Czech Issue: 2/2006

Review of: Benedikt Spinoza: Renati des Cartes Principia philosophiae more geometrico demonstrata / René Descarta Principy filosofie způsobem užívaným v geometrii vyložené, Přeložil Martin Hemelík, Filosofia, Praha 2004, 244 s.

Benžamen Konstan

Author(s): Slobodan Jovanović / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 02/1931

Decembra 1930 navršilo se je sto godina od smrti Benžamena Konstana, ≫oca parlamentarnog liberalizma i psihološkog romana ≪, kako ga nazva jedan njegov skorašnji biograf.

Bergsono “Pozityviosios” Metafizikos Santykiai Su Vakarų Mąstymo Tradicija

Author(s): Antanas Andrijauskas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 56/2008

The article considers how the concept of “positive” metaphysics of Henri Bergson is related to the tradition of classical as well as non-classical philosophy. It also analyzes the leading ideas and doctrints of intuitivistic philosophy. The influence of the main leading philosophers on Bergson’s thinking and teaching is concisely discussed, focussing attention on such non-classical thinkers as Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche. Relaying on the analysis of Bergson's philosophical texts, the peculiarities of his “positive” metaphysics is shown.

BERNARD MANDEVILLE’İN ARILARIN MASALI ADLI ESERİ HAKKINDA BİR İNCELEME

Author(s): Recep Batu Günör / Language(s): Turkish Issue: 22/2016

Bernard Mandeville is a Dutch thinker, known especially for his own works on ethics and economics. His magnum opus is ‘The Fable of the Bees or Private Vices, Publick Benefits”. In this work, Mandeville argues that all people actually are selfish and this selfishness is both natural and virtuous. In accordance with Mandeville, qualities like kindness and honesty, instead of contributing the improvement of the society, it regrets the progress. Vices appeared even in the smallest part of a society, allow almost all to live in the paradise. The most obvious indicator of this is the prosperty and happiness of the societies in which all people are selfish. Because of everyone from lawyers to doctors and from barbers to clerics are thinking themselves in a selfish manner, an unbelievable prosperity is being appeared in the society. Accordingly, behaving that are benevolent to give rise to a society in which life is impossible. The most obvious reason for that is the pursuing of selfish purposes of oneself creates a sponteneous order. With this concept of spontaneous order Mandeville has influenced Adam Smith and given him a ground for his ‘homo economicus’.

Beyond a Genealogy of Human Rights

Introduction to a Discussion Forum

Author(s): Ivo Cerman / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2020

The introductory essay explains the motivation for this discussion forum. After the success of Samuel Moyn’s slim book on Utopian human rights, the American historians of human rights began to turn a blind eye to the whole period before the 1970s, including the Age of Enlightenment. The focus is now more on persons and events of the Utopian decade, and not on the history of human rights. „On the Spirit of Rights“ is a recent monograph by an influential American historian, which may help reverse the tide. There follows a brief summary of the argument of the book and an introduction to the participants in the discussion. In his discussion of enlightenment authors, Edelstein focuses on the question whether they recognized natural rights after the social contract. He calls such an approach the „preservation regime“ and identifies the physiocrats as authors of such a solution.

Błąd naturalistyczny a problem praktyki

Author(s): Piotr Jaskółka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 33/2022

The article contains a critical analysis of D. Hume’s Law from A Treatise of Human Nature and G.E. Moore’s naturalistic fallacy formulated in Principia Ethica. Due to the indicated shortcomings, neither Hume’s nor Moore’s position is capable of constituting a satisfactory theory of naturalistic fallacy. Whilst Hume’s opinion on the subject-matter only appears on the margin of his considerations and is merely an expression of his intuitions, Moore’s position aspires to become a theory of fallacy. The diagnosis of Moore’s failure at formulating a theory is as follows: the so-called naturalistic fallacy may be based on an unjustifiable abolition of the division between theory and practice. Moore’s theoretical efforts constitute an example of the ineffectiveness of attempts at defining good theoretically. Moore’s rejection of the division between theory and practice connected to a psychological interpretation of Kant (then dominant), resulted in an inevitable failure to formulate a theory. If this diagnosis is legitimate, a new theory of naturalistic fallacy, such that takes into account the division between theory and practice, is needed.

Blogis, Gėris Ir Laisvė Geriausiame Iš Galimų Pasaulyje

Author(s): Rūta Marija Vabalaitė / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 64/2010

The article deals with problems of evil, good, necessity and freedom in the philosophy of Leibniz. It also compares Leibniz‘s thinking with that of other philosophers. My considerations are based upon Leibniz‘s “Theodicy. Essays on the Goodness of God the Freedom of Man and the origin of Evil”, “New Essays on Human Understanding” and other shorter texts of Leibniz. My article highlights the justification of metaphysical, physical and moral evil. It analyzes the differences between the absolute and the hypothetical, metaphysical and moral necessity, and the relations between determination, freedom and necessity. The free will and the principle of the best that motivates intelligent beings are analyzed. Finally, it examines the concept of good as pleasure that motivates the will. Here special attention is paid to the original concepts of semi-pleasure and semi-suffering.

Božansko u Petrićevoj Poetici

Author(s): Mladen Živković / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 03/2005

The works of Frane Petrić have been studied intensively in Croatia and abroad in the last decades. Petrić does not stop to amaze us with his great erudition. Ali the themes he wrote about - beginning with his juvenile works and taking its mature shape in Nova de Universis Philosophia - were studied systematically and in opposition to authorities and contemporanities. This also applies to his Poetics. That huge work is not fully presented in this article, but, instead, it’s one aspect have been investigated. This work is considered to be a specific defense of poetry, which has been taken by Petrić’s unbreakable connection and joining together poetic and divine, which has the miracle as their common. In reading this work, we could not help but to be amazed over the quantity of issues it elaborates. Even more amazing is the clarity of Petrić’s language in most complicated themes, as vvell as the impression that in front of us we have a book which can say a lot to contemporary scholars of poetics and aesthetics.

Brojanje onoga što se može regionalno izbrojiti. Prisutnost tiskanih radova Frane Petrića u njemačkim knjižnicama

Author(s): Heinrich C. Kuhn / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 03/2005

Using bibliographical data from the major electronic German libraries’ catalogues for the editions of the works by Frane Petrić and the copies of these works, it is possible to arrive at results which probably cannot be obtained using other means and instruments. There are strong indicators that the pre20th century German reception of Petrić differs considerably from his reception elsewhere (especially in the U.K.). In this phase of reception the impact of the Discussiones peripateticae and the Militia romana is particularly conspicuous. The results for the impact of the 1953sqq editions of Petrić’s works are under many aspeets different from the results obtained for the earlier editions of his works. This is a preliminary case study for Germany, using data from the U.K. and from the AHCI database for comparisons.

Cartesian Privations: Material Causation in Pierre-Sylvain Régis’s Cartesian Account of Sin

Author(s): Joseph Anderson / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2016

Descartes’s very brief explanations of human responsibility for sin and divine innocence of sin include references to the idea that evil is a privation rather than a real thing. It is not obvious, though, that privation fits naturally in Descartes’s reductionistic metaphysics, nor is it clear precisely what role his privation doctrine plays in his theodicy. These issues are made clear by contrasting Descartes’s use of privations with that of Suarez, particularly in light of reoccurring objections to privation theory. These objections have no weight against Suarez’s use of privations, but Descartes’s mentions of privation are so few that it is not clear how his account avoids their consequences. Descartes’s brevity seems to have motivated some of his followers to develop creative accounts of the way in which privation fits in a Cartesian system. Pierre-Sylvain Régis accomplishes this task by reintroducing material causation. Régis holds that moral evil has no efficient cause since an efficient cause can only produce something real. Because he holds that moral evil can have a material cause, he is able to affirm that the soul is morally responsible for sin. In Régis’s case, accommodating this theological issue meant reincorporating Aristotelian resources into his Cartesian system.

Cartesian Social Epistemology? Contemporary Social Epistemology and Early Modern Philosophy

Author(s): Amy M. Schmitter / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2020

Many contemporary social epistemologists take themselves to be combatting an individualist approach to knowledge typified by Descartes. Although I agree that Descartes presents an individualist picture of scientific knowledge, he does allow some practical roles for reliance on the testimony and beliefs of others. More importantly, however, his reasons for committing to individualism raise important issues for social epistemology, particularly about how reliance on mere testimony can propagate prejudices and inhibit genuine understanding. The implications of his views are worked out more fully by some of his immediate successors; I examine how François Poulain de la Barre, and (briefly) Mary Astell analyze the social conditions for epistemic agency in a Cartesian vein.

CAUSATION AND THE EPISTEMIC STATUS OF MEMORY: REFLECTIONS ON HUME’S DENIAL OF NECESSARY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN A CAUSE AND ITS EFFECT

Author(s): Aloba Faniran Benjamin / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2021

This paper examines the metaphysical problem of causation with particular reference to Hume’s denial of necessary connection between a cause and its effect. It argues that Hume’s arguments for his denial of necessary connection between a cause and its effect relies on memory as a reliable medium of knowledge. It concludes that given the metaphysical problem of memory traces and the epistemic status of memory belief, it is doubtful whether Hume’s position can be defended consistently.

Characteristica universalis: Лайбниц и Декарт

Author(s): Kamen Lozev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

The paper discusses Leibniz’s project for a lingua universalis undertaken in his first period, 1666- 1679, when he was enthusiastic about the possibility of creating a universal language based on the “alphabet of human thought”, which he viewed as the “most important instrument for the perfection of the human mind”. The article analyzes the main issue confronted by the young Leibniz, i.e., the creation of a list of “primitive notions”, also discussed by Descartes in his letter to Mersenne from 20th November 1629. Leibniz’s response to the issues raised by Descartes is outlined together with how he resolved them by means of the theory of so-called “blind thought” (cogitatio caeca). The article concludes with a brief account of the influence these ideas in Leibniz’s work had on the 19th century pioneers of modern logic.

Christian Wolff on Common Notions and Duties of Esteem

Author(s): Andreas Blank / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

While contemporary accounts understand esteem and self-esteem as essentially competitive phenomena, early modern natural law theorists developed a conception of justified esteem and self-esteem based on naturally good character traits. This article explores how such a normative conception of esteem and self-esteem is developed in the work of Christian Wolff (1679–1754). Two features make Wolff’s approach distinctive: (1) He uses the analysis of common notions that are expressed in everyday language to provide a foundation for the aspects of natural law on which his conception of natural duties of esteem depends. (2) He develops a non-competitive conception of esteem and self-esteem into a cooperative conception, according to which enhancing the esteem in which others are held is seen as a tool for promoting self-perfection. Wolff’s ideas offer a solution to the well-known problems connected with competitive life-styles, and at the same time assign a central role in moral motivation to the desire of being esteemed and of having high self-esteem. Moreover, due to his emphasis on presenting a philosophical analysis based on common notions, he offers a solution that is meant to be persuasive from the perspective of everyday morality.