An Aristotelian Account of Evolution and the Contemporary Philosophy of Biology

Author(s): Mariusz Tabaczek / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2014

The anti-reductionist character of the recent philosophy of biology and the dynamic development of the science of emergent properties prove that the time is ripe to reintroduce the thought of Aristotle, the first advocate of a “top-down” approach in life-sciences, back into the science/philosophy debate. His philosophy of nature provides profound insights particularly in the context of the contemporary science of evolution, which is still struggling with the questions of form (species), teleology, and the role of chance in evolutionary processes. However, although Aristotle is referenced in the evolutionary debate, a thorough analysis of his theory of hylomorphism and the classical principle of causality which he proposes is still needed in this exchange. Such is the main concern of the first part of the present article which shows Aristotle’s metaphysics of substance as an open system, ready to incorporate new hypothesis of modern and contemporary science. The second part begins with the historical exploration of the trajectory from Darwin to Darwinism regarded as a metaphysical position. This exploration leads to an inquiry into the central topics of the present debate in the philosophy of evolutionary biology. It shows that Aristotle’s understanding of species, teleology, and chance – in the context of his fourfold notion of causality – has a considerable explanatory power which may enhance our understanding of the nature of evolutionary processes. This fact may inspire, in turn, a retrieval of the classical theology of divine action, based on Aristotelian metaphysics, in the science/theology dialogue. The aim of the present article is to prepare a philosophical ground for such project.

Възможно ли е дуалистично християнство?

Author(s): Galin Penev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 4/2016

The article claims that there is a large gap separating dualistic religion from Christianity, and a „dualistic Christianity“ is not possible. The main cause of this is a misunderstanding in the historical reconstruction of Bogomilism. The paper clarifies this and explains the theological origin of this confusion.

По повод един „принос“

Author(s): Anani Stoynev / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 4/2016

The article may be regarded as a continuation and a concretization of the general principles expounded in my previous article „On the Possible Approaches to Studying Bogomilism“, published in Philosophical Alternatives, issue 5, 2015, and occasioned by Erika Lazarova’s book The Bogomil-Cathar Philosophy as a Lived Ethics, Avangard Print, 2013. The author analyzes concepts such as „Bogomil-Cathar philosophy“ and reveals their groundlessness, as well as that of the phrase „lived ethics“, which is a metaphor, not a scientific concept. The article proves the need to work with sources, not metaphors used as sources. The groundlessness of the concept/term „dualist Christianity“ is revealed: Christianity is monistic, and monism cannot possibly be a dualism.

Wiara źródłem radosnego świadectwa o Chrystusie

Author(s): Henryk Szmulewicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2016

Wiara i radość są ze sobą ściśle powiązane. Pełnia radości zależy od stopnia wiary. Obserwacja współczesnego świata przynosi jednak niepokojące dane, według których wielu wierzących w Chrystusa zatrzymuje się na radości „chwilowej”, „płytkiej”, „niegodnej”, „grzesznej”. W konsekwencji traci związek z prowadzonym przez Kościół dziełem ewangelizacji. Będąc Bożym darem, wiara domaga się konkretnej odpowiedzi ze strony człowieka. Niniejsze studium jest przypomnieniem argumentacji teologicznej (szczególnie biblijnej i eklezjologicznej), według której głęboka wiara jest nieodzowna do dawania radosnego świadectwa o Chrystusie. Faith and joy are closely linked. The fullness of joy depends on the level of faith. However, today’s world observation brings alarming data, which show that many believers in Christ remain on a joy that is “temporary”, “shallow”, “unworthy” and “sinful”. As a consequence they lose connection with the evangelization promoted by the Church. Faith as God’s gift requires a specific answer from a man. This study is a recollection of a theological argumentation (especially biblical and ecclesiological), according to which deep faith is indispensable to give joyful testimony to Christ.

Dzieje parafii unickiej pw. Kuźmy i Damiana w Klątwach do 1875 roku

Author(s): Janusz Adam Frykowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2016

The history of the village of Klatwy, the seat of the Saints Cosmas and Damian Uniate parish, dates back to at least fifteenth century. In 1462, due to the incorporation of the Duchy of Belz into the Kingdom of Poland, the village of Klatwy became part of the Starosty of Tyszowce and as a royal village functioned until 1768 the first partition of Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth, Klatwy was annexed by the Habsburg Empire, then it became part of the Duchy of Warsaw and following the joint resolutions of the Congress of Vienna it was given to Russia. Originally, the village of Klatwy belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church and after the incorporation of Red Ruthenia into the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland come under the influence of the Latin Church, therefore, the inhabitants of that region were of dual rites, both Eastern Orthodox (then Uniate) as well as Latin Church.

Analogia ad legendum. Funkcja znaczeniowa, użytkowa i kompozycyjna dwóch ambon w kościele oo. Dominikanów w Lublinie

Author(s): Paulina Kluz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2016

The Dominican church in Lublin contains an unusual example of two pulpits in a sacred interior, which are situated vis-à-vis at the rood arch. They were sculpted by Sebastian Zeisl, who, with the aid of his workshop, made the rococo furnishing of the church in the years 1756–1761. The sculptural decoration of the pulpits makes references to their preaching function, as well as to Dominican spirituality. The solution formally seems to have been inspired by the com-positional model of two pulpits on either side of the altar, an elaboration of the symmetrical (stage-like) organization of the sacred interior. The fact that the contractor was familiar with such layout could stem from the impact exerted by local inspiration (e.g. St. Anne’s church in Lubartów) or the artist’s earlier Central European experience, probably including his education among Viennese artists. However, the construction of two Dominican pulpits, both of which were used (none of them is apparent) may indicate that their roles could go beyond merely com-positional ones. It seems that their emergence was influenced by individual needs of the Lublin Dominican monastery, especially their preaching practices. The knowledge gained so far allows us to suspect that the construction of the two pulpits is related to their role in the liturgy, namely the polemical sermons practiced by the Order of Preachers in Lublin.

Otuđenje i pobožanstvenjenje: o bivanju cjelovitim čovjekom

Author(s): Sister Teresa Forcades / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 04/152/2018

In this paper are briefly presented some key aspects of how human alienation and human freedom were conceived and experienced in the context of Reformation and October Revolution. An attempt is made to answer the following question: Is it true that the negative anthropology of the Reformers was paradoxically associated with an expansion of individual and social freedom, while the positive anthropology of the Soviet revolutionaries was associated with a reduction thereof? It is accepted today that the Reform helped to foster and to consolidate the notion of political and personal freedom in Europe, but not without contradictions and at the expense of forming a close alliance with the emerging political and economic powers that were beginning to establish the new world order known as “capitalism”. Moreover, the October Revolution, that understood itself as bringing into practice Marx’s ideas and opening the door of history to a new Era of freedom and prosperity, helped to form a regime ruled by a professional bureaucracy concentrating in its hands all economic and political power and setting into motion a blind mechanism of oppression of the individual and the community. Nevertheless, the October Revolution had one unexpected aftermath: The Western expansion of the Christian belief on theosis (divinization).

ORGELFORSCHUNG IN EUROPÄISCHEM GEIST. DIE ORGELLANDSCHAFTEN RUMÄNIENS IN GESCHICHTE UND GEGENWART AM BEISPIEL DER TEMESWARER ORGELBAUFIRMA WEGENSTEIN

Author(s): Franz Metz / Language(s): German Issue: 2/2019

In Romania there are two of Europe’s major organ landscapes: Transylvania and Banat, which have developed within several centuries. They show own characteristics but have also attributes in common with the Bohemian, Austrian and Southern German organbuilding. The organ builders of those two cultural areas came mainly from other parts of Europe and settled down here. Because of the several demarcation changes resulting from both World Wars of the 20th century the organs of Banat and Transylvania can be documented only by international research and investigation. For the time being the last major organbuilding company of Romania was the one of Wegenstein family in Timisoara. The instruments of this factory are located today in churches and synagogues in Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia, Ukraine and Bulgaria. Special historical value is apportioned to the Wegenstein organ of the Catherine church in Timisoara and the one of the basilica Maria Radna. In the publications of Dr. István David we can find also important information about many Wegenstein organs of Transylvania. The Wegenstein company had to stop business after the second World War due to the political circumstances in then Romania and has been disappropriated by the state in 1972. Thereby almost 300 years history of Banat organbuilding came to an end.

ÁROKHÁTY BÉLA – AZ ORGONATERVEZŐ

Author(s): Károly Fekete / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 2/2019

This study present Béla Árokháty’s biography, who was not only a musician but also a minister leading and inspiriting his flock. It also highlights that the people rebelled against him because of the novelties he adopted. Béla Árokháty was convinced that the Protestant musical treasure must become accessible to all. In several of his writings, he accepted the rules regarding religious church music and instrumentation, but from the beginning of his religious musicological activity and, until the last, his aim was to favour the widespread adoption of church music in the Reformed Protestant service. Very few of his contemporaries recognized his personality and mission, however he was the one who launched the reform of the musical culture in the Protestant communities of the 20th century. Béla Árokháty’s exceptional initiatives and his achievements have largely contributed to raising Hungarian Reformed religious music to European standards.

HAJDÚBÖSZÖRMÉNY REFORMÁTUS ORGONÁI

Author(s): Balázs Szabó / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 2/2019

The main churches in Hajdúböszörmény, both of remarkable size inherit two Angster-organs with 3 manuals. The older and bigger organ in the church of Bocskai Square was built 1902 with three manuals and 46 stops. All divisions are constructed with different windchests by using tubular pneumatic action: the great and pedal with cone chest, the second manual with Witzig-type pneumatic windchest and the third manual using the Angster-type pneumatic windchest. This is indeed a unique solution by Angster, later one he never used the Witzig-systhem again, for pneumatic windchests he used the Angster-type pneumatic construction. The organ in the Kálvin Square church was originally built 1899, with slider chests, tracker action and barker lever, pneumatic action for the stops. Angster rebuilt it in 1914, the organ received new Angster-type pneumatic windchests and a new console with roll-player mechanism with three manuals and 38 stops. After several modifications, the organ was reconstructed to its original state in 2014–2016 as the first pneumatic-reconstruction project in Hungary. The Bocskai Square organ is after improper reparations still unplayable, the congregation launched benefit concerts by professionals in November 2018 to gain bigger public attention to this organ-treasure.

LISZT FERENC PRÓFÉTA-FANTÁZIÁJA MINT ORGONAMŰ. AZ ELSŐ KIADÁS TANULSÁGAI

Author(s): Balázs Méhes / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 2/2019

The piece in the title, dated back in 1850, was a milestone. It is not only the first and most significant organ piece of Liszt, but also one of those pieces which every organist has to deal with sooner or later, and for the interpretation, they have to ask and answer many questions. For this study, the first edition, published in 1852 and available online, provides many references, while the manuscript is difficult to access. It is no coincidence that, at the hundredth anniversary of Bach’s death, Liszt began to write a large-scale organ piece to worship the art of the great composer. It may also be intentional to date the completion of the piece on the Remembrance Day of the Reformation. Both the inevitability of the composition, and the Protestant aspects, and not lastly, the personal commitment of Professor István Dávid to the piece, prompt me to try to find answers to some of the basic questions of this grandiose piece, and publish them – without the need of completeness – in the book to be published in honour of him.

Społeczne wymiary ekumenizmu w kontekście kryzysu ekologicznego

Author(s): Franciszek Kampka / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 19/2019

Kryzys ekologiczny jest przedmiotem troski wszystkich Kościołów chrześcijańskich. Autor omawia wspólne wątki dotyczące klimatu, jakie obecne są w wypowiedziach przywódców religijnych: odpowiedzialność człowieka za degradację środowiska, wezwanie do przeciwstawienia się kulturze chciwości, budowanie sprawiedliwości ekologicznej. Autor przedstawia społeczne skutki kryzysu klimatycznego – nierówności społeczne i ubóstwo oraz omawia nowe formy ekumenizmu praktykowane w społeczeństwie ryzyka. Nowy ekumenizm to nie ruch intelektualny czy dyskusje teologiczne, ale przede wszystkim wspólna praca Kościołów na rzecz ubogich.

Wybrane teologiczne wątki dokumentu dialogu katolicko-anglikańskiego “Walking Together on the Way” w kontekście aktualnych wyzwań posoborowego ekumenizmu

Author(s): Paweł Beyga / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 19/2019

Ekumenizm stanowi niezwykle ważną działalność Kościoła katolickiego. Główną realizacją tej aktywności są prace specjalnych grup i komisji pomiędzy Kościołem katolickim a innymi chrześcijańskimi Kościołami i Wspólnotami. Międzynarodowa Anglikańsko-Rzymskokatolicka Komisja (ARCIC) jest grupą utworzoną w 1969 r., która dąży do ekumenicznego postępu pomiędzy Kościołem rzymskokatolickim a Kościołem anglikańskim. W trzeciej fazie prac Międzynarodowej Anglikańsko-Rzymskokatolickiej Komisji wydano pierwszy wspólny dokument zatytułowany Walking Together on the Way: Learning to be the Church – Local, Regional, Universal. Ten eklezjologiczny dokument ukazał relacje pomiędzy Kościołami lokalnymi i powszechnym, rolę arcybiskupa Canterbury oraz biskupa Rzymu, a także kondycję wspólnoty anglikańskiej w całym świecie. Autor artykułu spojrzał na ten nowy dokument ekumeniczny z perspektywy sytuacji dialogu ekumenicznego i nauczania II Soboru Watykańskiego oraz papieża emeryta Benedykta XVI.

Myślenie dialogiczne

Author(s): Joachim Piecuch / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 19/2019

Przedmiotem analiz artykułu jest pojęcie myślenia dialogicznego. Jest ono różne od pojęcia dialogu – literackiej figury, która służy do przekazywania poglądów filozoficznych. Myślenie dialogiczne, jako merytorycznie nowy sposób uprawiania filozofii, pojawia się dopiero w początkach XX w. Zrodziło się ono jako sprzeciw wobec redukcyjnych metod nauk przyrodniczych i przeniesienia ich w obszar myśli humanistycznej i antropologicznej. W ten sposób powstał nowy nurt filozoficzny – filozofia dialogu. Rozwijał się w duchu uwag krytycznych kierowanych pod adresem dotychczasowej tradycji filozofii zachodniej. W artykule przedstawione zostały konstytutywne cechy myślenia dialogicznego. Najpierw przeprowadzono analizę fenomenologiczną jego kluczowych doświadczeń. Wyrażają się one w takich terminach, jak: „wydarzenie”, „spotkanie”, „drugi”, „czas”, „roszczenie”, „wzajemność”. Następnie wykazano, iż w myśleniu dialogicznym element epistemiczny i element etyczny warunkują się nawzajem. Końcowy wniosek analiz brzmi: aby uniknąć zagrożeń idących ze strony rozum monologicznego, za rzecz konieczną należy uznać wprowadzenie go w przestrzeń rozumu dialogicznego.

Phénoménologie du pathos de la vie comme visée de maturité

Author(s): César Mawanzi / Language(s): English,French,Polish Issue: 19/2019

The issue of Negro-African life and culture is hereby captured in the perspective of a radical phenomenology. By subscribing his radical philosophy of the pathos of life to a tradition rupture between Husserl and Heidegger, the French philosopher Michel Henry intended to lead a breakthrough. Rooted in the experience of the “pathos of life” that borders on reason sapiential in the Negro-African symbolic universe, the cosmos-vital existence of each individual, as Kahang apprehends, finds the base, “the matrix common to all cultures of Black Africa”. Our contribution proposes to highlight the link between classical phenomenology (transcendental) and radical (material) phenomenology. Considering the work of Michel Henry, we would like to argue that sapiential phenomenology draws the task of reconstruction of African identity in its cultural manifestations, in this case in the world of Negro-African life. Seized in its aim of maturity, our reflection places the truth of the man at the heart of the experience of life, where the relation to others makes one discover the other, as well as one’s self, a “pathos-with”. Moreover, it claims precisely the place of emergence and of accomplishment of an experiment of self-affection, where the symbolic animal (animal symbolicum) is confronted with the existential questions of finitude and death, banality of evil and guilt, justice and law, domination and violence, power and struggle for recognition.

Dialog w czasach personalizacji

Author(s): Krzysztof Bakalarski / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 19/2019

Podziały kulturowe współczesnego świata, współistnienie postaw kolektywistycznych i indywidualizmu, kształtują bogactwo różnorodności, które samo w sobie może być źródłem rozwoju i postępu. Warunkiem wykorzystania potencjału różnorodności jest możliwość prowadzenia wymiany myśli, idei, poglądów i pomysłów. Niezbędne jest istnienie nieskrępowanego dialogu. Niestety, uwarunkowania kreujące kulturowe zróżnicowanie zamiast potencjału dialogu zrodziły zjawisko pogłębionej izolacji ludzi i ich wspólnot, nazwane personalizacją. W znaczący sposób kształtuje ono kondycję procesów rozwojowych, jakość współżycia i możliwość kooperacji niezbędnej dla osiągania zmiany. Sposób percepcji świata przede wszystkim kształtowany jest przez kulturę, w jakiej funkcjonujemy, w tym, w ogromnej mierze przez język dominujący w przestrzeni publicznej. Skupianie się na konflikcie, na wrogiej personalizacji postaw politycznych, zasklepianie się w jednorodnych środowiskach tworzonych przez tzw. „bańki informacyjne”, niszczy niezbędne dla rozwoju współdziałanie zróżnicowanych środowisk społecznych. Tymczasem człowiek nie został powołany, by walczyć z drugim, ale by z nim współdziałać. Początkiem takiego współdziałania jest rozpoczęcie dialogu opierającego się na wspólnocie doświadczeń. W warunkach personalizacji wszystkiego, odszukanie obszarów wspólnoty doświadczeń nie jest łatwe. Mimo tego w konkluzjach artykułu czyniona jest próba takich właśnie poszukiwań.

PREZENTĂRI BIBLIOGRAFICE

Author(s): Marius Florescu,Constantin Cilibia / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 10-12/2019

PREZENTĂRI BIBLIOGRAFICE

Author(s): Sorin Cosma,Vasile Muntean,Vasile Rojneac,Cristian Băleanu / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 01-03/2020

Ewangelicko - prawosławna komunikacja społeczna na ziemiach ruskich w I Rzeczpospolitej (przełom XVI i XVII w.)

Author(s): Marek Melnyk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2019

The article presents the main directions of the ‘strategies’ of Orthodox and Protestant social communication in the Ruthenian Territories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Relations between Protestants and the Orthodox Church followed a natural and traditional course of actions aimed at protecting the confessional freedom of non-Catholics. This cooperation was taken up too late. It took place at the time of predominance of the counter-reformation camp in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

L’ideologia universalista: la sottomissione della Chiesa locale alla Chiesa universale?

Author(s): Adam Pastorczyk / Language(s): Italian Issue: 2/2020

Although more than half a century has passed since the adoption of the dogmatic constitution on the Church at the Second Vatican Council, a discussion continues in the Catholic Church and in ecumenical discussions about the correct interpretation of the conciliar expression „Ecclesia in et ex Ecclesiis”. The subject of this article, therefore, is an analysis of the conciliar and post-conciliar teaching of the Catholic Church and the ongoing theological discussion on the mutual relationship of the universal Church and the local Church.