"Sophia" Discourse from Antiquity to Christianity

Author(s): Yevhen Kharkovshchenko / Language(s): English / Issue: 56/2019

Sophia doctrine was evolved in European philosophical and religious creativity and was developed in the pre-Christian period (Socrates, Parmenides, Plato), was represented in Gnosticism (Valentinus) and Neoplatonism (Plotinus), in the writings of prominent theorists of Christianity – the Fathers of the Church (Athanasius the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Macarius the Great, Gregory the Theologian), the ancient teachers of Christianity (Hilarion, Klim Smoliatich). The doctrine of Sophia, The Wisdom of God is shown in the Proverbs of Solomon Biblical Book, and also in the non-canonical books of the Old Testamentum – Solomon’s Wisdom and the Jesus’ the son of Syrah Wisdom. The Sophia doctrine as mysterious wisdom is described in Kabbalah. It was also reflected in the temple architecture and iconography of the Orthodox East, in the wider use of it at the spiritual and moral level. This doctrine has got a systematic form represented by the doctrine of sophiology in medieval mysticism (M. Eckhart, J. Böhme, E. Swedenborg), and “philosophy of unitotality” (V. Solovyov, S. Bulgakov, P. Florensky). These periods of the Sophia doctrine’s development are inherent in such ideas as a natural philosophy’s theme of understanding the world as the integration, anthropological doctrine of the relationship between nature and the absolute, the existence of God in its close association with the world.

"Wiara i poszukiwanie Boga". Lumen fidei w perspektywie teologii religii

Author(s): Bogdan Ferdek / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2014

Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith) is intended as the guiding magisterial document for the Year of Faith. Faith is the gateway to salvation. To reach eternal , it is necessary to have been baptized sacramentally and to die sincerely professing the Catholic faith.

(Christian) Bioethical Dilemmas in Using Synthetic Biology and Nanotechnologies

Author(s): Antonio Sandu,Ana Caras (Frunză) / Language(s): English / Issue: 35/2013

Ethical dilemmas raised by the use of nanotechnology in medical practice can be viewed from several perspectives: religious spiritualist perspective, the perspective of human dignity (nanotechnologies can be thought of as an affront to human dignity), the issue of controversial choice. The article aims to expose some bioethical dilemmas in using synthetic biology and nanotechnologies. Nowadays is often brought into discussion the fact it is possible to appear in the future new human species resulted not via natural selection and evolution, but through the demiurgic effect of technology development in areas such as: synthetic biology, genetics, neurobiology and neurosciences, prosthesis technology and not least of artificial intelligence research. We will also refer into this paper at the possible raised challenges to ethicists who are oriented towards an ethics of species. Those challenges are raised right from the dawn of a consciousness of species, a social construction generated by changes of the meaning of belonging to humanity. During our article we argue that medical technology, especially genetics, medical assisted human reproduction and not least synthetic biology, require a rethinking ethical meanings of applying those technologies in everyday practices.

(rec.) Richard Swinburne, Czy Jezus był Bogiem?, tłum. Małgorzata Wiertlewska, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Kazimierza Wielkiego, Bydgoszcz 2014

Author(s): Jacek Grzybowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2018

(rec.) Teresa Obolevitch, Filozofia rosyjskiego renesansu patrystycznego, Copernicus Center, Kraków 2014

Author(s): Justyna Kroczak / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2015

A Comparative Study of "Godmanhood" (bogochelovechestvo) in Russian Philosophy. The Eighth Day in V. Solovëv, S. Bulgakov, N. Berdiaev, and S. Frank

Author(s): Katharina A. Breckner / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2013

A Comparative Study of the Foundations of Medical Ethics in Secular and Islamic Thought

Author(s): Mohsen Rezaei Aderyani,Mehrzad Kiani / Language(s): English / Issue: 40/2015

The principles of medical ethics, common as they are in the world at the present time, have been formed in the context of Western secular communities; consequently, secular principles and values are inevitably manifested in all corners of medical ethics. Medical ethics is at its infancy in Iran. In order to incorporate medical ethics into the country’s health system, either the same thoughts, principles, rules, and codes of Western communities should be translated and taught across the country, or else, if the principles and values and consequently the prominent moral rules and codes of Western medical ethics are not consistent with the culture, customs, and religion of our country, then new principles and values should be formulated that are more in harmony with our society. According to the available literature in Iran, the four principles proposed by Beauchamp and Childress do not contradict the Islamic-Iranian culture and can thus be generally applied in the mentioned context. However, the application of these four principles and their derivatives (e.g. regulations and codes) requires careful examination and adaptation to Islamic ethics. A comparison of the ontological, anthropological and epistemological foundations of secular and Islamic attitudes shows the differences between these two attitudes to be deep-rooted. “Rationalism,” “scientism,” and “humanism” are the main foundations of secularism, whereas “Godcentrism,” “pure human servitude to God,” the belief in “returning of humans to God,” “resurrection day,” and also human’s accountability to God are all fundamental beliefs and principles of religion for Muslims of all cults and sects. It can thus be concluded that the principles of secularist thought are different from and to some extent inconsistent with the principles of Islam. Instructions derived from secular thought can therefore not be implemented in an Islamic community; rather, these communities should adopt Islamic foundations as the source for the norms and standards of their medical ethics. The capacities of religious thought (in particular, Islam) make possible the formation of an ethical system consistent with Islamic Ummah.

A Contextual and Philosophical Analysis of Aquinas’ Fourth Way

Author(s): Matthew W. Knotts / Language(s): English / Issue: 59/2014

The task of this essay is a reconsideration and rehabilitation of the fourth way of Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae. The argument ex gradibus is first presented with attention to the philosophical-theological context of the five ways, in addition to matters of historical context. It will become clear that the arguments are enthymematic and should thus be read charitably in connection with other aspects of Aquinas’ philosophy (cf. Copleston 1976; Fogelin 1990; Kerr 2001). Moreover, in contrast to the prevailing sentiment that the fourth way should be read primarily in a Platonic light (cf., e.g., Van Steenberghen 1980), I argue that the fourth way should rather be read in connection with other crucial aspects of Aquinas’ metaphysics of being (cf. Urban 1984). Finally, I reconsider some of the fundamental aspects of the argument, e.g., the ‘principle of the maximum’ (cf. Flew 1966, Kenny 1969, Van Steenberghen 1980, Doolan 2008). The upshot is a clearer understanding of what Aquinas actually means in the fourth way, which in turn enables a more informed evaluation of the argument itself.

A MAN IS FREE AS HE IS THE IMAGE OF GODLY FREEDOM. FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY’S FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT FREEDOM

Author(s): Iwona Magdalena Perkowska / Language(s): English / Issue: 21/2013

The article presents Fyodor Dostoevsky’s considerations of freedom based on both The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot. The writer shows, that dealing with own freedom is one of the greatest tasks in human life and man's future fate depends wholly on how he copes with this task. Freedom is a fundamental concept in a philosophical anthropology of the Russian novelist. According to his grasp of the problem of evil this is a man, who appears the source of all misery, which he brings upon himself, among which not atheism but false understanding of God is the greatest one.

A Note on Theological Fatalism

Author(s): Alex Blum / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2007

We contend that a very seductive argument for theological fatalism fails. In the course of our discussion we point out that theological fatalism is incompatible with the existence of a being who is omnipotent, omniscient and infallible. We suggest that ‘possible’ formalized as ‘‘ is to be understood as ‘can or could have been’ and not simply as ‘can’. The argument we discuss conflates the two. We end by rounding out, hopefully, some left over corners of serious concern to the theist.

A posztmodern: átok vagy áldás? (1)

Author(s): Attila Daly / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 05/2016

A propos de la décision chez A. Badiou ou peut-on être atheiste

Author(s): Jelica Riha / Language(s): French,Macedonian / Issue: 1/2006

Je ne me propose pas d’éclairer la pensée d’A. Badiou. Le sujet est trop vaste pour être abordé de manière exhaustive. Il est nécessaire donc de trouver une approche, un angle d’attaque, si je puis dire, plus restreint. Le propos qui suit vise un point et un seul: le point où se dessine la ligne de partage entre la philosophie et l’antiphilosophie: la décision.

A Short Note on the Scientific Attitude, the Religious Attitude and the Surrational

Author(s): Bruno Marchal / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

We explain that the scientific attitude, with a “good understanding” of what is science, might be the most genuinely religious attitude, and that in fact, religion and science are much closer than what we are usually told. Nevertheless they cannot be identified effectively in any terrestrial applications without leading to inconsistency, but are truly, and thus non effectively, identical in the ever guessed true realm.

A Spiritual Philosophy of Recovery: Aquinas and Alcoholics Anonymous

Author(s): A. William McVey / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

The article is an attempt to formulate a Thomistic spiritual philosophy of recovery. The author faces two issues. One, what do recovering alcoholics mean when they say: “I am spiritual, but not religious?” He comes to the conclusion that it means recovering alcoholics are experiencing spiritual healing in their willingness to trust a loving God who has performed a miracle of recovery from alcoholism in their life. As a result of this experience, they are prepared to live a life of virtuous habit. Two, recovering alcoholics have discovered a spiritual second nature of moral character. The author explains why there are many in A.A. who discover that as God comes into their life and they turn to the path of virtue they rediscover religious worship and devotion is essential to the one day at a time journey.

A Study of Aging Topic Focusing on the Catholic Social Doctrine and Sen’s Capability Approach

Author(s): Hsiang-Yi Lin,Daisy Tai-Hsing Day / Language(s): English / Issue: 37/2014

The purpose of this study is to examine the topic of older people in the world from the perspective of the Social Teaching of the Church. As explained in Christifideles Laici, the Catholic Church believes that the laity is summoned to pave the way for the arrival of God's Kingdom, and people who are at an advanced age should still respond to God's calling through their own unique way of contribution. In Familiaris Consortia it is emphasized that the Church should help older people manifest their roles both in families and religious groups. Although it is mentioned in these two apostolic exhortations that older people are blessed with wisdom, it is not explained as they actually acquire such a blessing. In order to address this issue and elaborate on the meaning of older people's wisdom, Grün's theory on the nature of older people's wisdom and where such a blessing comes from is insade reference to in this study. Moreover, it is emphasized in the apostolic exhortation of Familiaris Consortio that older people are often marginalized in today's industrialized and urbanized society and neglected in their families, while also enduring psychological and/or physical pain. Addressing this issue, the value of older people's work and their unshirkable missions and duties are explained in the present study by examining the nature and value of man's work as mentioned in Laboretn Exercens. Sen's "capability approach" is also utilized in the present study as a way to examine older people's values and the deprivation of their capability, allowing an in-depth analysis of this topic. The findings of this study reveal that Grun's theory of older people's wisdom being shaped by their life-experiences is significantly complementary to the messages on older people in Christifideles Laici and Familiaris Consortio. While Sen's capability approach does not offer a complete set of values or cultural system that solves this problem, the approach of "civilization of love" proposed in the Social Teaching of the church is very useful in helping one contemplate on the problems faced by older people around the world.

A Study of the Philosophy of Science and Spirituality

Author(s): Richard A. Honeycutt / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2021

Are religion and spirituality in conflict? The prevailing opinion in today’s world seems to be that they are. But a careful examination of ontological, epistemological, and teleological factors may lead to a surprising answer: there need not be a conflict if we clearly define our terms and understand the pivotal importance of metaphor in human thought. If science and spirituality (or religion) are carelessly defined with claims of absolute truth, and if the unsupportable assumption is made that reality consists only of matter-energy, a dramatic conflict will result between science and spirituality. But these logical flaws invalidate much of what we think we know in the fields of science and spirituality themselves. If we examine Kuhn’s work on paradigms, the revelations of Quantum Mechanics, and consider the topic in the light of Process Philosophy and Transpersonal Process Philosophy, we will be prepared to evaluate the philosophical ideas that underpin the work of Goswami’s “Science within Consciousness” and also the groundbreaking thought of Ken Wilber, Rupert Sheldrake, Owen Barfield, and Eric Weiss. We will discover that essentially all human thought depends upon metaphor, though usually not recognized as such. While necessary, metaphors must not be confused with absolute truth. Comprehension of the nature and proper role of metaphor will clarify our thinking about religion, spirituality, and many other essential matters. The egregious error that is fundamentalism in religion or science will be revealed and can then be avoided. The resulting dawn of understanding can lead us into a new meta paradigm that can eradicate almost all the supposed war between science and spirituality.

A transformation in islamic thought: the house of wisdom (bayt al-hikmah) in the context of occidentalism versus orientalism

Author(s): Ismail Tas / Language(s): English / Issue: XXIII/2011

The House of Wisdom (Bayt al-Hikmah) was built first as a library where the books on the sciences of the Ancients were kept. Under the sponsorship of the Caliph Al-Ma’m¯un (813–833), it developed into a scientific institute where the books on Ancient Greek philosophy were translated into Arabic. The Caliph acquired many Greek manuscripts and generously supported the translation activities in the House. By the end of the century, Arabic translation of the major works of the Greek philosophy and science had been completed. Thus, the Caliph and his House paved the way for the rise and flourish of Islamic philosophy and science.

A Trial of Interpretation of Meister Eckhart’s Thought on God and Man through the Analysis of Its Paradoxes

Author(s): Zbigniew Kaźmierczak / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2017

This article interprets Eckhart’s contradictions by presenting them as a result of an existential search for salvific power. It is shown that power is ambivalent in nature: it is the power of what is and the power of (self)overcoming (of what is). Just because power is in itself ambivalent and the process of searching for it existentialist (so not completely conscious), Eckhart’s mystical texts are full of contradictions and the German mystic is apparently not aware of it. The sample of them is shown in this article with regard to his ideas on God and man. Three other interpretations of Eckhart’s (“apophatic,” “educational,” “methodological”) are presented and argued against.

A Variety of Moral Sources in a Secular Age

Author(s): Damian Barnat / Language(s): English / Issue: 54/2017

The aim of my paper is to assess in a critical way the views presented by Graeme Smith in his book A Short History of Secularism (2008) as well as in his paper Talking to Ourselves: An Investigation into the Christian Ethics Inherent in Secularism (2017). According to Smith, secular Western societies are underpinned by Christian ethics. An example of a moral norm that – in Smith’s opinion – derives from medieval Christianity and shapes the moral condition of the members of contemporary societies, is the concern about the poor. My criticism of Smith’s thesis is based on the distinction between moral norms and the ways of justifying them. Referring to this distinction, my objective is to show that certain norms which appear to be the same cannot be treated as identical due to the significant differences in their justification.

Abbagnanowska krytyka tradycyjnej filozofii: Augustyn, Descartes, Kant

Author(s): Jakub Bartoszewski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2016

The article discusses the issue of possibilities in the context of Abbagnano’s perspective on traditional philosophy. Following the founder of the philosophy of possibilities, certain philosophers were selected who in the opinion of the Italian existentialist had a significant impact on culture and philosophical tradition. Therefore, only three figures are discussed: Augustine, Descartes and Kant.