„Dacă acest gânditor și-ar fi putut forma o cultură filosofică sistematică...”

Filosoful autodidact Vasile Conta interpretat de profesorul Nicolae Bagdasar

Author(s): Ionuţ Isac / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: 16/2020

This essay analyses aspects of Professor Nicolae Bagdasar’s perspective and interpretation of Vasile Conta’s personality and philosophical work. Our point of view is based on the fact that, despite the common practice, the interpreter goes beyond the intellectual framework of the actual presentation by entering the affective-emotional sphere, and presenting, towards the end of his essay, a counterfactual hypothesis of the kind “What if…?” It is this very process that makes the debate very interesting, because it gives us the opportunity to recall the paramount sequences of Conta’s intellectual biography, in opposing contrast with that of the illustrious philosopher J. G. Fichte. Based on the results of this excursus we subsequently propose considerations about the relationship between will, vocation and cultural values in V. Conta’s philosophical work. Therefore, we conclude that although Conta was criticized by Bagdasar for his materialistic views, which were limiting his approach to the philosophical truth, he remains, first and foremost, a cultural role model (praised by the same author) by taking full responsibility for his vocation during a short but very productive life.

„Est Deus omnino simplex?” Prostota Boga w ujęciu św. Tomasza z Akwinu

Author(s): Bartłomiej Kołodziejczyk / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2020

Throughout the centuries, the doctrine of divine simplicity laid at the heart of Christian theology. In Thomas Aquinas’ mature thought, simplicity occupies a privileged place among other attributes of God. A simple (or completely) simple being is a being that does not consist of any parts or constituents. God’s being simple means that he does not exhibit any of the seven (and according to Aquinas the only possible) types of composition. The arguments that serve as the justification for this thesis can be divided into four groups which I labeled: the argument from the lack of potentiality, the argument from the priority of parts to the whole, the argument from the anterior maker and the argument from perfection. All of them begin with identifying God with the first cause of all things and add other premises that are specific to them. The first argument — that the first cause does not have potentiality and every composite being does have it. The second — that everything that is composite depends on it’s parts while the first cause is not dependent upon anything. The third — that every composite being needs a cause or explanation and the first cause has neither. The fourth — that the first cause is a perfectly good being and such a being cannot be composite. The analyses that were conducted show that the first two reasonings seem to be unsound. The third of the arguments provides a fine justification for the thesis in question. The fourth may serve as an additional, but weaker justification for it.

„Kryzys” we współczesnej historii i historiografii

Author(s): Rüdiger Graf,Konrad H. Jarausch / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 22/2018

While crises are omnipresent in history and historiography, the meaning of the concept of ‘crisis’ is becoming more elusive than ever. The authors scrutinise how historians use this concept with respect to contemporary history, the twentieth century and modernity in general. After briefly sketching the conceptual history of ‘crisis,’ the article addresses the questions of how the concept structures historiographical narratives, what types of crises historians distinguish, and whether we should retain the concept or refrain from using it, considering its vagueness, suggestive power and political instrumentalisation.

„Minden egész eltörött…”

Author(s): Gábor Budai / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 02/2017

„Nerwy panskie tu niewinne' - о problematyce choroby u Friedricha Nietzschego

Author(s): Przemysław Tacik / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 21/2013

The article propounds an interpretation of Nietzsche’s philosophy, in which the issue of illness would be instrumental. However, in contrast to any kind of reductionary biographism, the illness should be conceived as inextricably intertwined with the thinking itself. Nietzsche’s own illness was initially nothing more than a personal problem, yet it soon influenced his whole life, forcing to forgo the academic career. Thus afflicted, the philosopher used his experience to develop a new view on corporeality, diametrically opposed to Cartesianism. In the post-Cartesian model, objective thinking and illness have nothing in common; either corporal suffering exerts no influence upon thoughts, or the mind sinks into pure insanity. Whoever lost their faculties is still capable to stick to rationality, if only they accept the diagnosis, however subjectively unconvincing it would seem. Suspicious of the notion of truth, Nietzsche reverses the post-Cartesian model. Objective thinking, neatly separated from illness, as well as rational diagnoses appear to him as a fetish supporting those who cannot deal with their own corporeality. They repress their weaknesses, assuming the unfounded belief in objective thinking, which can be practised irrespective of personal malaise. However, Nietzsche’s suffering, which recurred irregularly and had no detectable grounds, couldn’t be separated not only from thinking, but from life as such. The philosopher was thus lead to advance a concept of “diet”, construed as broadly as possible, including the selection of food, lectures and embraced thoughts. The diet is the uttermost refutation of diagnosis, as it treats the mind and the body as a unity changing in time. The illness, which accompanies life inevitably, serves as a permanent yardstick of quality of our thoughts. Moreover, it gives us the opportunity to experience pure becoming.

„Nowy Wittgenstein” i jego zwolennicy

Author(s): Maciej Soin / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 60/2015

The article contains a critical analysis of the main threads of so-called resolute reading of Wittgenstein’s philosophy as presented by – among others – Cora Diamond and James Conant. Two elements of their claims are particularly discussed, namely (1) the thesis presenting Tractatus as the set of plain nonsenses, and (2) the belief, that the reflection on a relation between language and reality necessarily ends up with plain nonsense. An argument against first conviction is (1) an alternative account of Wittgenstein’s thesis about Unsinnigkeit of the sentences of Tractatus (6.54). Moreover, one can show, that (2)Wittgenstein rejects the thesis about impossibility to present the Form der Abbildung with the model of language interpreted as a calculus.

„O teorie a dreptății“ și reconectarea filosofiei politice românești la sursele contemporane ale modernității

Author(s): Laurenţiu Gheorghe / Language(s): Romanian / Publication Year: 0

After 1990, the Romanian political philosophy freed from the compulsory official Marxist dogma had to choose between a range of inadequate options from the viewpoint of current reality: reconnecting with the interwar tradition but in a different historical context; replaying the cold war ideological clash this time from the anti-Marxist perspective, that seemed redundant given the political and economic failure of Marxism or embracing the western post modern discourse, that didn’t reflect in any way the current Romanian political and social realities. Faced with these alternatives it was necessary to regain a philosophical experience of the transition from modernity to post-modernity that will enable the adequate approach to the realities of the transition from communism to post-modern capitalism. Given this context, from a certain philosophical perspective, the study of Rawls from A theory of Justice to Political Liberalism provided a unique opportunity to escape tradition without canceling it, to overcome the socialist-capitalist dichotomy and to connect to contemporary philosophical debates without losing the local perspective.

„Pabėgimas į tėvynę“: egzegetinės strategijos istorija

Author(s): Tatjana Aleknienė / Language(s): Lithuanian / Issue: 57/2016

Šis straipsnis apibendrintai perteikia kelių mano prancūzų kalba parašytų tyrimų, skirtų Filono Aleksandriečio egzegetinių veikalų vaidmeniui filosofinės egzegezės istorijoje, rezultatus. Siekiu įrodyti du tradicinėms filosofijos istorikų nuostatoms prieštaraujančius teiginius: 1) žydų Raštų egzegetas Filonas Aleksandrietis (apie 25 m. pr. Kr. – 45 m. po Kr.) laikytinas vienu iš filosofinės nefilosofinių tekstų egzegezės pradininkų; 2) Aleksandrijoje ilgai mokslus ėjęs filosofas Plotinas (apie 205–270 m.) veikiausiai buvo susipažinęs su egzegetiniais Filono Aleksandriečio veikalais.Už galimybę atsidėti nuodugnesniam „Teaiteto“ egzegetinės „formulės“ plėtotės platonizmo tradicijoje tyri¬mui esu dėkinga Lietuvos mokslo tarybai, finansavusiai mano vykdytą mokslo projektą „Filonas Aleksandrietis ir filosofinė graikų kultūra“ (MIP-064/2014). The article provides a survey of the results of several of my studies published in French and dedicated to the role of Philo of Alexandria’s exegetical works in the history of philosophical exegesis. My aim is to prove two statements which contradict traditional views among the historians of philosophy, namely: a) that the exegete of the Jewish Scriptures Philo of Alexandria (ca 25 BC – 45 AD) should be considered as one of those who initiated philosophical interpretation of non-philosophical texts; b) that the philosopher Plotinus (ca 205–270), who has studied in Alexandria for a long period of time, probably knew Philo of Alexandria’s exegetical works. For the possibility to consecrate myself to a thorough analysis of the exegetical development of the formula of Theaetetus in the Platonic tradition, I am grateful to the Research Council of Lithuania which financed my research project „Philo of Alexandria and Greek philosophical culture“ (MIP-064/2014).

„Pusty” brat Johannesa z "Dziennika uwodziciela", czyli uwodziciel bez ciała i duszy – Casanova Federico Felliniego w perspektywie psychoanalizy oraz psychoanalitycznej interpretacji baśni

Author(s): Mateusz Żebrowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 9/2012

This paper is focused on the crucial topoi and symbols in Federico Fellini’s Casanova (1976), mainly on the topos of Don Juan, and undertakes the issues of a series of dichotomies: Nature/God, emotionality/rationality, conscious/unconscious in the philosophical and cultural discourses that are rooted within anthropology of seduction (from Søren Kierkegaard’s Diary of a Seducer to the reflections of Jean Baudrillard) and within psychoanalysis (Freud, Bettelheim, Lacan). Construction of Fellini’s film helps also in inferring the conclusions on the relations between postmodern ethics and aesthetics. W artykule, skupionym wokół kluczowych toposów i symboli Casanovy (1976) Federica Felliniego (głównie toposu Don Juana), podjęta jest problematyka dychotomii Natura/Bóg, emocjonalność/racjonalność, świadome/nieświadome w dyskursach filozoficznych i kulturoznawczych,zakorzenionych zwłaszcza w antropologii uwodzenia (począwszy od Dziennika uwodziciela Sørena Kierkegaarda po refleksje Jeana Baudrillarda) oraz psychoanalizie (Freud, Bettelheim, Lacan). Konstrukcja filmu Felliniego służy także autorowi do formułowania wniosków na temat związków ponowoczesnej etyki i estetyki.

„RĂUL” ÎN OPERA LUI PROCLUS, DE MALORUM SUBSISTENTIA, ŞI ÎN CORPUSUL AREOPAGITIC. DEPENDENŢA DISCUŢIEI DESPRE RĂU ÎN NUMELE DIVINE DE LUCRAREA LUI PROCLUS: O REEVALUARE A PROBLEMEI

Author(s): Petru Molodeț-Jitea / Language(s): Romanian,Moldavian / Issue: 1/2017

The paper restates the problem ofPseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite’s dependency regarding the treatment of evil inThe Divine Names on Proclus’s De malorum subsistentia. While acknowledging thewell documented influence received by the author of the Corpus Areopagiticum fromProclus Diadochus, the paper endeavors to highlight the fundamental differencesbetween the two. Furthermore, the case of Dionysius’ plagiarism will be treated as onlyone – although significant – case of accommodation of the Platonic and Neo-platonicphilosophy to the Christian doctrine. Thus, we will try to show that in this, as in othercases, the strategy of Pseudo-Dionysius is to alter significantly, but tacitly, the philosophicalelements that he evidently borrows from Proclus’ De malorum subsistentia.

„Transcendentul care coboară”

O încercare de descifrare a unei metafore de referință în istoria metafizicii

Author(s): Alexandru Boboc / Language(s): Romanian / Issue: 12/2016

After conceptually integrating the theme of the article, from a theoretical and historical perspective, the author makes a significantly deep foray into Lucian Blaga’s stylistic metaphor as well as metaphysical concept of the “descending transcendence” or “sophianic transcendence”. It appears in The Trilogy of Culture, more precisely in The Mioritic Space and refers to the “psychology of the unconscious”, in which the stylistic phenomenon has its own categories, created as “abyssal noology”. The metaphysical significance of the descending transcendent corresponds to a meaning, stylistically and culturally interpreted – that of the Divine Logos –, specific to Byzantine architecture, with direct reference to Hagia Sophia, the cosmopolitan cathedral. Here, the Logos materializes as light descending in the concrete world, “an unearthly light, which appears invading the sanctuary coming from top to bottom, a light of a more pronounced materiality than the ubiquitous day light”, in Blaga’s own words. The sophianic concept integrates stylistic determinants of Byzantine basilical architecture, as opposite to the Gothic one, for example, to which an ascending meaning of Logos will correspond. It will become a key concept of the Orthodoxy, a profound characterization of Christian spirituality, integrated in a stylistic analysis.

„Wszystko, co powiesz, może być użyte przeciwko Tobie”, czyli o odpowiedzialności etycznej filozofów za słowo pisane

Author(s): Joanna Janicka / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2016

Providing the problems with the exegesis of the philosophers thought, the author tries to recognize the reasons of this situation. She contemplates both the purposeful beclouding as well as the impossi-bility of giving the precise expression of the object of cognition. The author indicates, that when the reader meets the article, the latter stops being the author`s own belonging, which gives rise to the matter of responsibility for the author`s words. It is of the utmost importance when the possible interpretations considers the authority and the historical context of re-reading of the philosophy text.

„Z mitologii w mit” – wczesna myśl Waltera Benjamina w eseju o Friedrichu Hölderlinie. Od tłumacza

Author(s): Jakub Górski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 1/2017

„Бесове“: психиатрия, антропология, метафизика

Author(s): Nina Ivanova Dimitrova / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2018

The proposed text discusses the adequacy of the psychiatric interpretation of Dostoevsky’s works, and especially of his novel “The Devils”. The author analyses the views of the most popular literary critics insisting on the psychopathological characters as an expression of the inner life of Dostoevsky himself, as well as some Russian psychiatric texts on the same topic. The main idea of the article is that the pathology of Dostoevsky’s fictional characters is rooted in the spiritual – and not in the psychological – sphere and despite the close resemblance between some clinical cases and the behavior of these characters, the latter is due to the conception of the demonic mangodhood and its different incarnations.

„Богомилски легенди” на Николай Райнов – неразчетената мистификация

Author(s): Violeta Ruseva / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2019

Bogomilski legendi (Legends of the Bogomils) by Nikolai Rainov is a unique book that can be said to have Protean qualities insofar as each of its four editions, published in 1912, 1918, 1938 and 1989, presents a different version of the text. Because of this peculiarity readers’ responses to the book have tended to vary, and even commentaries by professional literary critics have often given the impression of being about totally different books rather than about different editions of the same text. Rainov edited Bogomilski legendi extensively. The book’s four editions differ in a number of significant ways but are best approached as a composite text. This article links the book’s Protean textuality to medieval manuscript culture in which a text existed in several different versions because it was copied by different scribes. The first edition of Bogomilski legendi contains intertextual references to the Bible and The Secret Book of the Bogomils. It also invokes a number of medieval apocrypha which were subsequently brought to the attention of the Bulgarian reading public by the literary historian Yordan Ivanov, who published his Bogomilski knigi i legendi (Books and Legends of the Bogomils) in 1925. The correspondences between the first edition of Rainov’s book and the apocrypha suggest that Bogomilski legendi may be read as a literary mystification. The article presents such a reading.

„За“ обяснителната фундаменталност на диспозиционните обяснения

Author(s): Dimitar Elchinov / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 2/2019

I argue that dispositional explanations which explain researchers’ behaviour are explanatory fundamental. In summary, my argument states the following: 1)an explanation which explains another explanation is fundamental; 2)non-dispositional explanations are actions; 3)dispositional explanations explain actions; 4)thus dispositional explanations are fundamental

„Опити” на Мишел дьо Монтен (1571-1592): Скептичен консерватизъм и парадоксална антропология

Author(s): Paul Geyer / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 1/2019

At first, Montaigne followed the process, which began with Petrarch, of adopting the “Roman-Greek philosophy of life”. Unusual, however, was the extent to which Montaigne attached the ancient life teachings to his own self. It replaced the instance of transcendence that had become void or insignificant by acquiring its qualities. The self for Montaigne became a substitute for metaphysics and an addition to God. Montaigne, however, avoided the trap of the metaphysics of the subject by sharpening figures of thought from ancient skepticism and transferring them into his own self. The Essays is the first place to testify that the solutions, which ancient authors offered, were no longer satisfactory for the problems of subjectivity in modernity. Montaigne appears quite a modern thinker when he refers the notion of barbarism – a notion, with which the Europeans readily treat other civilizations – to the horrors of the religious wars in Europe or when criticizing the European colonialism in South America, at the same time highly appreciating the old American cultures. He realized that all values and customs are relative and that they do not have any transcendent origin. In his later years, Montaigne allowed for the possibility of self-consciousness and conscience being neutralized as instances of (self-)knowledge and morality. But pushing the understanding of the multilayeredness and elusiveness of one's own self, Montaigne became one of the first representatives of the nostalgia for the essential, which even up to today, through Romanticism and existentialism, accompanies the work on the notion of modern subjectivity.

„Основността” на философията като наука (из теория на българската основнонаучна школа

Author(s): Georgi Belogashev / Language(s): Bulgarian / Issue: 1/2015

The philosophical tradition of the world famous Bulgarian philosopher Prof. Dimiter Mihalchev is considered in the paper. The author’s approach is theoretical – he would like to analyze the basic character of philosophy as regards sciences.

… τῇ μὲν ἡλικίᾳ πρότερος … τοῖς δ' ἔργοις ὕστερος…: relacja między Anaksagorasem i Empedoklesem według Arystotelesa, kilku zapomnianych komentatorów antycznych i niektórych słynnych uczonych współczesnych

Author(s): Wojciech Wrotkowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 63/2018

A famous passage in Aristotle’s Metaphysics (984 a8-16) clearly implies that although the Clazomenian sage was born earlier than the philosopher from Acragas, it was Empedocles who was faster in publishing his own works. Surprisingly, it is almost unanimously assumed that this fact is decisive in establishing the hierarchy between Anaxagoras and Empedocles: almost all scholars presume that the older thinker depended heavily upon the younger. In my article I try to show that in order to maintain such image of the history of ancient philosophy some famous modern scholars misuse the testimonia and abuse not only Aristotle and Anaxagoras, but also that decent minority of researchers who feel unable to overlook the fact that – according to Alcidamas – it was Empedocles who had heard Anaxagoras and was jealous of him, not vice versa.

قراءة تحضيرية جزئية لفكر الفيلسوف المغربي طه عبد الرحمن

Author(s): M’utaz Hassan Mohamm Abûqasem / Language(s): Arabic / Issue: 1/2017

This paper is expected to explore some parts of Taha Abdurrahman's philosophy, the Moroccan philosopher, which encloses accumulated aspects in the field of his pedagogical foundation and epistemological approach in logic and language. In addition, it presents his creativity by resorting to various languages, such as English, German, French, Greek. Moreover, I shoud light on the technical, objective and conceptual approaches of Taha. I also elaborate on examining the semantics of Taha's terminology and the possibilities of applying his approaches in order to attain creativity hand in hand with tradition. By the paper's conclusion, I mention some examples of terms which the philosopher recreates, such as the term of creativity linked to instinct and how the creative thinker establishes his/her terminology. As well, I provide examples of the term "reason" in which Taha states essential notions, sets clear distinction between types of reasons, draws limits to them, and finally calls to reconstruct the "guided reason".