Феноменология и мислене без способности

Author(s): Ivaylo Dimitrov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2015

The article sketches an approach to an analysis of the reasons for the contemporary sceptical attitude towards the philosophical relevance of classical thinking in terms of the notions of faculties and forces. This distrust is regarded as one of the subversive points of a newly construed „neo-Kantian consensus“ between the opposite, more or less strict, borders of the contemporary philosophical analytic-continental rift. Husserl’s scepticism towards the critical notion of the transcendental function of the power of imagination is analyzed in the context of the strong influence of the psychological and anthropological misinterpretations of Kant’s transcendental deduction of the categories. In this context, of particular importance is Wolfgang Carl’s elucidation of Kant’s ubiquitous term Erkenntnisvermögen, construed as Quelle, in the sense of a source of epistemic justification of both the semantic contents and the objective validity of the concepts; it is thus clearly opposed to its false psychological reading (in the influential 19th century debate between Fries and Herbart) as a generative source of factual cognition.

Възприятие и крайност: феноменологически измерения на доказателството на Декарт за съществуването на „материални неща“

Author(s): Stefan Popov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2015

The critical appraisals of Descartes’s proof of the existence of „material things“ commenced with the first readings of the Meditations and have continued ever since. From Hobbes to the contemporary Anglo-American realists, the proof has provoked confusion and numerous reconstructions, which look into its essential logical moves. A number of critiques have declared it unsuccessful and even somehow preposterous. Descartes’s interest, however, is not in „material things“ per se or in the fact that they exist. Nor is it in the idea that something like a proof of their existence would guarantee both their own being and the being of what is called the external world. The focus of the proof is not on material things in the sense of an external world. Instead, it has a functional significance in a broader context, where Descartes is interested in the possibility of knowledge under the condition of finitude. Understanding the internal meaning of the proof of the existence of material things requires a phenomenological reading of the Cartesian meditation as a whole. From a phenomenological perspective, it is essential to account for and preserve the condition of perception as finite. In its relation to objects and object schemes, thinking discovers concepts in its own realm, within itself. Both thought and its objects thus carry the features of purity and infinity. Perception, on the other hand, is directly connected to finitude, which in turn is articulated in receptivity. Receptivity needs to have what is perceived as given. Descartes proof provides a procedural and schematic expression of this condition of perception, which requires that something be given outside of it and independently of it.

Онтологията на идеалното като философски праксис

Author(s): Yvanka Raynova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2016

Един от вечните проблеми на философията

Author(s): Elena Panova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2016

Невробиологични основи на човешките ценности

Author(s): Mila Marinova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2016

For centuries, the problem regarding the origin of human morality and human values was considered to be a field reserved for philosophy, anthropology, religion and the other humanities. Three or four decades ago, neuroscience made certain discoveries that challenge normative moral theories. This article aims to present some of the best known examples of research indicating the empirical origin of morality and human values. I propose the idea that the basis of human morality and values can be traced successfully to their neurobiological origins. The evolution of morality and human values has a long history, and their nature is not easy to explain.They originated as primary emotions and developed into higher brain functions, ultimately resulting in our capacity for moral abstractions. The nature of morality and human values can be successfully investigated in the perspective of neuroscience without postulating a new normative ethics or relying on extreme reductionism.

Тялото машина

Author(s): Petya Milanova-Dikova,Boryana Angelova-Igova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2016

The article discusses how the body is regarded as a machine by the Contemporary school of philosophy. The body-machine is depersonalized and converted into a tool. It has has two functions – a symbolic one, whereby it is used as a model and tool by Panoptic power, and the function of servicing real machines. The article specially focuses on athletes’ bodies. They are very often described as machines. The problem with the body-machine, the depersonalized body, is that a faceless body can be used as a tool, a means of control. But at the same time, it is not a person and is without human rights.

ХV международен конгрес по логика, методология и философия на науката

Author(s): Anton Donchev,Mila Marinova,Lilia Gurova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2016

The article offers an overview of the 15th Congress of Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, held on 3-8 August 2015 in Helsinki. It includes a brief outline of the history of these congresses, with special attention to its trends of development and comparisons between the last five of them. These trends are indicative of the changes taking place in the development of philosophy of science over the last 16 years. A special focus is put on the main topics of the congresses as well as on some of the most significant presentations. Finally, the paper provides information about the Bulgarian participation in the latest congress, which reveals a significant increase compared with the previous ones, which inspires hope that the ascending development of philosophy of science in Bulgaria will continue and its presence at international forums will become increasingly visible.

What Was Einstein’s „Biggest Mistake in Life

Author(s): Angel S. Stefanov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 4/2016

The aim of this paper is to provide arguments for three claims. The first one refers to Einstein’s philosophical commitment to constructive realism. The second claim concerns the variety of the assessments of his theoretical results and methodology. And the third states that, if Einstein ever made a mistake with respect to his theoretical expectations, it was not his introducing the cosmological constant – which he is said to have confessed as his mistake, but his ontological belief expressed in his famous saying „God does not play dice“.

Аргументът на Пътнам срещу философския бихевиоризъм

Author(s): Dimitar Elchinov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

This article presents a critique of Hillary Putnam’s influential argument against philosophical behaviourism, as expounded in his article “Brains and Behaviour”, dating from 1963. The author begins with a brief reconstruction of philosophical behaviourism as such, and his critique proceeds in parallel with the reconstruction of Putnam’s argument against it. The main problems the article identifies in this argument are: 1) that it is speculative and hence vague; 2) that it unfoundedly ascribes to philosophical behaviourism an ontological commitment, and attacks its empirical stance in a way suited for a critique of a metaphysical stance.

Aristotle: Thought and Language

Author(s): Marin Aiftincã / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

This paper aims to argue the idea that, by analyzing the relationship between thought and language, Aristotle decisively contributed to the foundation of the philosophy of language. Researching language in its relations with thinking and existence, the Stagirite demonstrated that the language is not just a communication tool, but a method of knowledge or of “deciphering” the world. The word reflects the reality thought and, in this situation, is not a slave of ideas or concepts. On the contrary, it even represents a decisive factor in their elaboration. Despite its authority, Aristotelian thinking about language, along with the whole tradition that it generated, met with a strong critical reaction among contemporary philosophers, especially among those of the analytic school. My conclusion is that even if some Aristotelian theses about language are criticized by modern thinkers, this falls under the normal evolution of science. It seems excessive to hold Aristotle responsible for not providing solutions to contemporary problems. As for the rest, the Stagirite continues to be present among us and teach us extremely difficult and enlightening lessons.

The Historical Evolution of the Concept of the Subject and the Contemporary Humanitarian Crisis

Author(s): Milad Azarm,Mohammadreza Khaki,Sadegh Mirveisinik / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2017

It is necessary to seek out the origins of the modern world’s problems in their theoretical and intellectual infrastructures, which are based on concepts. This paper aims to study the modern crisis of identity from the viewpoint of the evolution of the Subject. The Subject is one of philosophy’s more complex concepts, and its complexity can be analyzed through its historical evolution. It has been connected with meanings such as subjectness, subjectivity, subjugation, and subjection, and each of these meanings contain a part of the Subject’s complicated definition. In addition to calling the concept of the human subject into question, this paper demonstrates that we are witnessing a rise in feelings of insecurity and meaninglessness. The paper will analyze three main concepts of the Subject, and an explanation of each with reference to history’s great philosophers.

An Essay on the Mind-Brain Problem and Legal Proof

Author(s): Drozdstoy St. Stoyanov / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2018

The aim of this paper is to highlight the rationale behind the use of data from neuroscience, particularly neuroimaging, in psychiatric legal expert procedures and their interference with the mind-brain problem. The critical argument is that the employment of mental health evaluation of the defendants and/or witnesses as collected with clinical assessment methods in court proceedings should not be considered irrespective to the data from neuroscience. Essentially, neuroscience methods belong to the domain of nomothetic (natural explanatory) knowledge, whereas clinical evaluation methods in psychiatry belong to the domain of intra- and inter-subjective narratives. There exists an explanatory gap between those two groups of disciplines which concerns the ability to translate and integrate data across diverse methodological and terminological systems. Furthermore, it depends largely on the implicit positions in the mind-brain debate and the brain-to-behavior connections, which reflect on the professional and legal reasoning in terms of prioritizing certain solutions or approaches over another in the expert judgements. There are described those tacit positions adopted in the mind-brain debate by different traditions in psychiatry, with special emphasis on reductive and non-reductive forms of physicalism. In conclusion, a cognitive pluralist stance is adopted which sets priority for the supervenience theory of mind.

Решението на Лайбниц за връзката душа–тяло през философския ракурс на Димитър Михалчев

Author(s): Georgi Belogashev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 5/2018

The article is focused on Dimitar Mihalchev’s analysis of the solution to the mind-body relationship proposed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. After analyzing the fundamental ontological and epistemological ideas of Leibniz’s philosophy, the Bulgarian thinker indicates the reasons for his conclusions and assessments in the perspective of his own theory. The fact that a philosopher like Mihalchev was interested in Leibniz’s scientific views indicates the importance of the latter’s theory.

Лингвистичният обрат и раждането на логическия анализ на езика: Готлоб Фреге (1891–1895)

Author(s): Kamen Lozev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 6/2018

The paper reveals the changes which took place in Frege’s way of thinking in the years 1891-1895 with regard to some fundamental notions defended in his Begriffsschrift, 1879. The “judgeable content” was rethought in terms of its Sinn (meaning) and Bedeutung (sense or denotation). This change of mind helped Frege explain the epistemological and informative aspects of identity statements and prepared the ground for precise formulation of some of his important conclusions presented in the first volume of his Grundgesetze der Arithmetik, 1893. The paper traces the application of the notions of Sinn and Bedeutung to proper names of objects, concept words and sentences. The author emphasizes Frege’s arguments as to why the Bedeutung of the sentence should be its truth-value.

Защита на концептуалния елиминативизъм в теоретичната рамка на елиминативния физикализъм

Author(s): Marta Petrova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2019

The concept of eliminativism is defended in the framework of eliminative physicalism. First, I reconstruct existing theories on the nature and structure of concepts and conclude that none of these has the capacity to give a full and precise description of concepts. Then I adduce arguments in support of the statement that “concept” is a term of folk psychology, a proto-scientific theory which is strongly criticized by eliminative physicalism. I attempt to argue for the latter view over rival views by addressing some frequent criticisms of this stance. The arguments in favor of concept eliminativism are (1) its failure to formulate a theory of the nature and structure of concepts and (2) the conclusion that concepts are part of folk psychology, which provides considerably less effective explanations than neuroscience. On the basis of (1) and (2), it is concluded that the term “concept” should be eliminated from the language of science.

Философски поглед върху психиатрията

Author(s): Roman Harizanov / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 2/2019

In the Sun-Earth system, the second thermodynamic principle is manifested in a specific way. The sun exerts a potent protective effect on the most energy-intensive chemical reaction: the synthesis of proteins through nucleic acids. A buildable-degradable matter is accumulated. This process passes through several phases: growth of the individual, maturation, reproduction, saturation of the ecological niche of the population, formation of the species, increasing complexity of the environment, a progressive course of evolution, a transition from living beings’ adaptation to their environment to the environment’s adaptation to living beings. This happens as follows: a “conditioned stimulus”, designated here as “love of the future” is presented. The latter creates an un-conditioned stimulus. The consumption of the latter is designated as “love of the present”, which comprises satisfaction of instincts and the use of “free play”. “Free play” is fragmented by the rationality of the actions; and it has different forms of manifestation. Schizophrenia is a failure to build the neural connection between love of the future and love of the present. The author supports Bleuler’s view that the essential feature of schizophrenia is deficits in the higher functions. The article also discusses certain features of other psychoses, affective disorders, personality disorders, the role of transmitters, etc. A life strategy for better health is presented.

Учението за първообраза от „Диалектика на художествената форма“

Author(s): Galin Penev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 3/2019

The article considers how prototype is established through a dialectical construction of artistic form. The conception of prototype is presented through a long dialectical examination of the relation between subjective sense and its material counterpart as a topos of symbolic being. The prototype is a regulative ideal pattern of maximum expression in artistic form. The image and its prototype establish each other simultaneously. In artistic experience, we encounter a phenomenon of correspondence. Losev presented a detailed structure of likeness in image, and showed how it involves the disclosure of the prototype.

Митът за Одисей като форма на мита за вечното завръщане

Author(s): Vyara Popova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 3/2019

The article reviews the myth of Odysseus in literature: Homer’s Odyssey, Joyce’s Ulysses, and Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt’s Ulysses from Baghdad. From Mircea Eliade’s cultural interpretation of the myth of Odysseus, the article goes on to K. Jung’s interpretation of Odysseus as a trickster. From the general cultural and psychoanalytic profile of Odysseus as man returning “home”, to “his roots”, to the authentic self, complemented by the option of travel as a transformation, in which one becomes oneself as other, the article goes on to considering the “return to oneself” as an augmented and expanded other, although still oneself, and to the metaphorical perspective on the myth. And hence, “return to oneself” is viewed as repetition enhanced by the inclusion of difference: in this way, the idea is unconsciously advanced that the myth of Odysseus, as a metaphor of “the return to oneself as other” is analogous, on a highly theoretical level, with “the myth of eternal return”. The myth of eternal return is presented through the optics of: Nietzsche; Heidegger’s interpretation of Nietzsche’ “eternal return”; Deleuze’s interpretation of the latter, which demonstrates as justified the hypothesis that the myth of Odysseus is a form of the myth of eternal return, whereby the hypothesis becomes a thesis.

Transhumanizam – filozofska osnova

Author(s): Lovro Furjanić / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 02/158/2020

This paper features an overview of the foundations of transhumanism. The transhumanist movement has existed since the end of the 20th century and espouses the use of technology for enhancing the human condition. Due to a certain level of similarity to posthumanism, this overview of transhumanism begins with an analysis of basic terminology: transhumanism, posthumanism, the transhuman being and the posthuman being. After that, transhumanism is studied from the perspectives of different disciplines. These disciplines are: philosophy of science, metaphysics, ethics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion and political philosophy.

Kultura kod ne-ljudskih životinja i evolucijsko podrijetlo ljudske kulture

Author(s): Marko Škorić,Aleksej J. Kišjuhas / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 02/158/2020

This paper calls into question the ontological privilege of the human species that rests on many misguided ideas. One of these ideas is that Homo sapiens is the only species that possess culture. In this sense, the problem of (defining) culture is emphasised in the context of the so-called minimalist and expansionist definitions. Furthermore, this paper details examples of cultural behaviour in non-human animals. The components commonly considered necessary to speak of true culture are also critically analysed. These components are social learning, language, symbols, the theory of mind, history, tradition, natural pedagogy, and the cumulativeness of culture. Finally, this paper brings attention to the implications of a more adequate, expansionist and naturalistic, definition of culture based on evolutionary (Darwinian) grounds.