Czy człowiek ma prawo do samobójstwa?

Author(s): Jarosław Tekliński / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2018

Death has accompanied man since time immemorial, as well as the problem of suicide, which is, in fact, the essence of death. From a formal point of view, every person has the right to self-annihilation, after all the answer to the question: "who will forbid me?" is, in each case "no one". In addition to the dispute, the fact remains that the individual has the actual freedom to decide on the time and place of departure. So, is a man entitled to suicide? The article is an attempt to present an interdisciplinary view on human right to self-destruction and is divided into two parts, although the author does not separate them with subtitles. The first is devoted to the presentation of views that may speak for the exist¬ence of the right of the individual to self-annihilation. The second focuses on presenting the reasons which, according to the author, may lead to the opposite conclusions. The article ends with a presentation of a short synthesis of the author’s own views on human right to terminate his life, however, being aware of the complexity of the issue analyzed, the issue of answering the question asked in the title has been leaft open.

Uczniowie Platona

Author(s): Michał Heller,Janusz Mączka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 65/2018

Recenzja książki: Bogdan Dembiński, Stara Akademia Platona. W początkach epoki hellenistycznej (ostatni okres), Wydawnictwo Marek Derewiecki, Kęty 2018, ss. 183.

Ukrainian Philosophical Thought at the Brink between East and West

Author(s): Pavlo Sodomora / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2018

Ukrainian philosophical thought has been developing under the influence of several philosophical streams. Being influences by Orthodox tradition mainly, Church has always been at the forefront of any political campaign conducted on Ukrainian terrain. The level of education plays a key role in the process of cultural development of any country. Western part of Ukraine, comparing to its Eastern counterpart, had better access to education and information due to Catholic Church predominance in the region. Scholastic teaching was accepted by Ukrainian culture partially only, as well as it appeared to be interspersed with Patristics in an Orthodox vestition. The article intends to investigate the scholastic and patristic thought and its reproduction by Ukrainian cultural environment via various European teaching systems. Ukraine has been developing in a broad European context and this is why it could not have been deprived of influential teachings. However, Russian imperialistic and later communist ideology was hindering constantly the deployment and development of many ideas that were important for European philosophy. Together with Eastern theology, which was based mainly on works of Damascenus,Aristotelian traditions were introduced in Ukrainian schools gradually, and based on Aristotle’s works,theology of Saint Thomas was taught. Prominent Ukrainian thinkers, such as Petro Mohyla, KasianSakovych, Stanislav Orichovsky were influenced by many scholastic philosophers, including Saint Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas’ influence is apparent in later thinkers, such as Gabriel Kostelnyk and other prominent philosophers. In conclusion, it is apparent that despite the fact that so-called “philosophy of heart” was more intimate to the majority of Ukrainian thinkers; still Western approach was represented in various aspects and periods of development of Ukrainian philosophical thought.

Virgjëresha shqiptare, "Tjetri ekzotik" në rrëfimin e Alice Munro-së

Author(s): Edlira Macaj Tonuzi / Language(s): Albanian Issue: 35/2017

The concept of "the other" initially studied in philosophy as a self-reliance (Hegel), as an inter-subjectivity foundation (Husserl), as an inevitable manifestation (J. P. Sartre), as a mythical, historical, sociological approach, where "the other" is the female (S. De Beauvoir); as an opposite part of the self (Lacan), as the other after the other (Derrida) etc., but also studied in the literature, psychology, sociology and culture, has marked its development in several directions. "The other" is considered as the different, the unacceptable, the differentiator, the stranger, etc. depended from the study's point of view, thus generating the meaning that it takes in every case. This paper will examine how the "other", known since at the beginning as an Albanian typical social part (The sworn virgin), becomes a motif of inspiration, cultural lending and transformation in the Alice Munro’s story, gaining so new functions literary motivated. This "other" borrowed from far away, appears as the exotic "other". Taken from a distant reality for her (Munro’s) readers, especially vitalized with its exotically function, this "other" will be discussed in our point of view from a philosophical, moral, sociological and cultural perspective referred to the relevant theories (Derrida, Todorov, Baumann, Jenkins, etc.)The concrete subject of study is: an introduction to the typical sworn virgin as an Albanian social phenomenon. Defining it as "the other" and displaying its integration in the Munro’s text while facing the other culture. The Albanian sworn virgin as the Munro's "Exotic Other".The cultural refraction of this social "other" made by its unique code and recognized in its psychology of the place where it works, comes throughout the fantasy and narrative structures from an author without real contact with the culture from she borrowed the model. Reactivation in the exotically context, of the seduction from the unknown, vocative, etc., becomes a version of connection of time and mankind. It serves to the modern human being to accept and respect the other and it comes to us as a free choice where the literary fantasy disengages the connection from the genesis, and the whole scheme is understood by enriching the meanings that ‘the other’ takes as: the only one-other in relationships with others through differences or similarities.

Why don’t we understand Socrates?

Author(s): Ruja Popova / Language(s): English Issue: 15/2005

The Műnchausen Effect and the post-truth era advertising messages. Critical analysis on fallacious and enthymematic advertising slogan argumentation

Author(s): Vasile Aurelia-Ana / Language(s): English Issue: 22 (2)/2018

Humans have always been prone to adorning the truth and to producing twisted fallacious arguments in order to sketch a truth (i.e., their own truth) that best suited their interest at a certain time, within certain circumstances. Even more, the communication climate of nowadays has moved from face-to-face communication ̶ that offered a limited kit of means to mold the truth ̶ towards the emerging technology mediated virtual communication that enhances the dressing up and the re-shaping of truth to make the message more appealing to its target public to such an extent that truth loses its substance and may turn into its opposite. Advertising messaging exhibits some contradictory characteristics that are involved in producing what we call and aim at coining here as the Műnchausen Effect. Our research findings have shown that all of the 100 taglines on bestslogans.com relied on enthymematic argumentation and where erroneous in terms of content, all as non sequitur fallacies. However, due to the ambiguity brought about by their elliptical structure (as all of them lacked the conclusion and at least one of the premises), these implicit arguments have proved hard to analyze with regard to the specific kind of fallacies that could hide beyond the missing premise(s), as one could imagine any kind of missing premise(s), where there is an elliptical structure of argumentation. This difficulty that is encountered leaves room to another kind of approach to research in communication, the quantum approach that in critical thinking may have to do with informal logic, and that takes into account creativity and the Umberto Eco idea of opera aperta. We may dwell on such an approach in a further study.

How critical thinking should be at the heart of digital interactions?

Author(s): HULIN Thibaud / Language(s): English Issue: 22 (2)/2018

In this paper, we study how to teach critical thinking at the digital era, in order to promote practitioners autonomy. A theory of interactions is proposed to identify constraints that structure digital creativity. This model helps to design a critical pedagogy, by connecting without opposing a procedural approach to a reflexive one. The paper presents an implementation of this model into a course about writing on a social network. The study of activity diaries of students shows presence of objectivity forms and reflexivity forms, which reflects the development of a critical thinking. This approach offers a way to develop critical thinking not from outside, in a course of argumentation or media analysis, but within the practice itself, in order to become aware of how interfaces structure our expression and thought.

Educating for critical thinking in university: The criticality of critical thinking in education and everyday life

Author(s): Franco Amanda,Marques Vieira Rui,Tenreiro-Vieira Celina / Language(s): English Issue: 22 (2)/2018

Nowadays, both on-line and "off-line" lives seem to be bound to the terms of democratization of information. While this brings clear advantages, does free and fast access to plenty of information entail that individuals are better informed and well-equipped to think reasonably, make decisions, and solve problems? In a time apparently governed by fraudulent decision-makers, floppy media, fake news, and frantic information, it is essential to know how to think critically. Critical thinking is crucial along schooling, in the world of work, in personal everyday life, and in life as members of a society. Nonetheless, critical thinking is not innate and effortless; it must be developed and mobilized with deliberation in a systematic way. Researchers and international agencies agree that it is critical to have critical thinking to face present-futurist challenges such as the United Nation's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. But before individuals learn to become critical thinkers, teachers themselves need teacher education opportunities to learn how to use their critical thinking abilities, and how to spark students' critical thinking potential and promote it. Here, the role played by education in developing critical thinking is stressed, and specific teaching-learning strategies that have shown to be effective are identified.

Kształtowanie tożsamości awatara w grach komputerowych. Studium komputerowych adaptacji „Waldena” Henry’ego Davida Thoreau

Author(s): Izabela Tomczak,Paweł Stachura / Language(s): Polish Issue: 37/2018

The article discusses possibilities of character building in computer games, which for many gamers is a way of expressing and modifying their own identity. Games differ in the degree of freedom given to a gamer in shaping the identity of the in-game character, or avatar, and in many games avatar-formation is an important part of game structure, providing a lot of game satisfaction, and requiring as much time and involvement as the game-play itself. The games under discussion are adaptations of H.D. Thoreau’s „Walden”. The choice of games stems from the observation that identity, freedom, and limitation are important themes of Thoreau’s work, which is reflected in the games under discussion. The three games discussed in the article are, thus, treated as modernist and postmodernist readings of a literary text, giving the reader/gamer more or less limited possibilities of shaping the character/avatar.

Николай Бердяев – еврейството като конструкт на историчното

Author(s): Rosen Rachev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2016

This article explores one of the important aspects of Nikolai Berdyaev’s historiosophical concept – his attitude towards the fate of the Jewish people. Some of the major reasons for the crucial role of Jewishness in the development of historical consciousness and for the introduction of dramatic and tense elements in it are reviewed here.

Хегел и Фройд. За еволюцията на съзнанието

Author(s): Ivo Minkov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2016

The paper aims to follow the growth of two fundamental positions – pure being in Hegel’s philosophy and unconscious in Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. The intention is their heuristic catch that leads us to clearly understand and distinguish the evolution and happiness. This is the reason why, the planetary consciousness is not a utopia. It is realized as an obligation and a responsibility of modern humanity, towards future generations.

Хелене Дойч – психоаналитичен поглед към женската душевност

Author(s): Stoil Mavrodiev,Desislava Ivanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2016

Helene Deutsch was one of the first female psychoanalysts. Freud treated her with admiration and supported her development, because in his eyes she harmonizes certain professional competition along with beauty, charm and kindness inherent to femininity. In 1944, Helene Deutsch published her two-volume book “The Psychology of Women. A psychoanalytic interpretation”. The book has many editions and was translated into several languages. Therefore Helene Deutsch often is labelled as a specialist in “female psychology”. Although she does not agree with this definition, her name is mainly related to this work and with its in-depth study of the female spirit.

Тематизациите на другостта в биографичния проект – от срещите в ежедневието до сблъсъка със смъртта

Author(s): Gergana Popova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2016

Review of the book "The Others in the Biography of Personality" by Gradev, Marinov and Karabelyova

Онтологията – патосът на българския философски разум

Author(s): Dimitar Tsatsov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2016

Review of the book "Process Philosophical Adventures of Applied Ontology" by V. Petrov

Изборът като философски и психоаналитичен проблем

Author(s): Vyara Nikolova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2015

The article analyzes the choice from several perspectives. The choice as a moral problem is a choice between good and evil. The choice as a social problem is a choice between individualism and collectivism, between aspiration for career inert and passive adaptation. The choice as an ideological problem is a choice between democracy and totalitarianism. The choice as a religious issue is a choice between faith and doubt, religion and atheism. The choice as a psychoanalytic problem is the acceptance or denial of guilt. The choice as a philosophical problem is a choice between demand of an essence or give satisfaction to the elementary and the trivial.

Човекът в търсене на смисъл: изборът между страдание и удоволствие

Author(s): Kameliya Slavcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2015

This study examines the problem of the meaning of life and the choice between suffering and pleasure, according to the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes, written by the wisest king that ever lived on Earth, and according to the greatest psychiatrist, founder of the doctrine of Logotherapy, the author of one of the greatest books of our time: Man in Search of Meaning and The Doctor and the Soul – Viktor Frankl. Can we find some similarities in their statements, research, and philosophy? Where is the meaning of human existence: in pleasure or in pain? Why is it important for everyone to find meaning in his/her life? Is this the driving force of humankind forward? Can you live with dignity; what it means, and how to help people that lost the meaning? These are the questions we try to find answers for in this study. The aim is to follow the similarities between the two authors, and to find where modern psychology, logotherapy meet the faith in God.

Философската антропология във възгледите на Лудвиг Фойербах

Author(s): Sasho Vasilev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2015

In the wider sense, the concept of philosophical anthropology covers all views on the nature and essence of man since the remotest antiquity, whereas in its narrower associations it points to a philosophical discipline and a conceptually diverse movement that differentiated itself in the first half of the 20th century, joint together by the intention to define the foundations and spheres of man’s own being. It is considered to have formed upon the philosophical reflections of M. Scheler, H. Plessner, E. Rothacker, etc. Many scholars, however, have failed to recognize the fact that a number of the basic principles developed later on in the different views on man, were, for the first time, already to be found in a complex form and in the highest degree in the philosophy of L. Feuerbach.

Симулация и огледални неврони. Анализ на понятието за намерение в експеримента на Якобони

Author(s): Nikola Nedelchev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2015

The goal of the present article is to analyse some of the main premises for justifying the simulation theory (ST) via the mirror neuron theory. The first task will be to formulate a criterion which will set the analysis’s limits. Here I will refer to this criterion as “Goldman’s criterion” (GC). According to GC, the attribution of mental states requires that they be simulationally represented as mental rather than behavioural states. The second task is to introduce the analysis’s object. The object of the analysis enters the picture as part of the theoretical explanations of Iacoboni’s experiment. According to the experiment’s results, mirror neurons represent intentions, which is taken as evidence in support of ST. However, here I will show that the experiment’s description can be a source of alternative uses for the concept of intention – ones that refer not to states, but rather to behavioural dispositions. If this is the case, then GC can not be fulfilled, because of a conceptual problem.

Философия на филма

Author(s): Thomas Е. Wartenberg / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2015

Philosophy of film is a new sub-field of contemporary philosophy or art. Different aspects of the film are analyzed in relation to artistic media.

Dying and Death in 18th – 21st Century Europe

Author(s): Olga Gradinaru / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2015

Since 2008, the Romanian academic world has been enriched by a consistent event focused on thanatology, as Alba Iulia, a Transylvanian city with a medieval citadel, has been the setting of a great international conference, inspired by the great biennial Death, Dying and Disposal Conference that needs no presentation.