Ancient Concept Research Articles

Renal Health Through Medicine-Food Homology: A Comprehensive Review of Botanical Micronutrients and Their Mechanisms.

As an ancient concept and practice, "food as medicine" or "medicine-food homology" is receiving more and more attention these days. It is a tradition in many regions to intake medicinal herbal food for potential health benefits to various organs and systems including the kidney. Kidney diseases usually lack targeted therapy and face irreversible loss of function, leading to dialysis dependence. As the most important organ for endogenous metabolite and exogenous nutrient excretion, the status of the kidney could be closely related to daily diet. Therefore, medicinal herbal food rich in antioxidative, anti-inflammation micronutrients are ideal supplements for kidney protection. Recent studies have also discovered its impact on the "gut-kidney" axis. Here, we review and highlight the kidney-protective effects of botanicals with medicine-food homology including the most frequently used Astragalus membranaceus and Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, concerning their micronutrients and mechanism, offering a basis and perspective for utilizing and exploring the key substances in medicinal herbal food to protect the kidney. The index for medicine-food homology in China contains mostly botanicals while many of them are also consumed by people in other regions. Micronutrients including flavonoids, polysaccharides and others present powerful activities towards renal diseases. Botanicals with medicine-food homology are widely speeded over multiple regions and incorporating these natural compounds into dietary habits or as supplements shows promising future for renal health.

A Brief Inquiry into the History of Everyday Aesthetic Ideas. Care of the Home in the Thought of Socrates and Xenophon

Emerged as a new philosophical trend, Everyday Aesthetics shifts focus from Arts to daily practices and objects. However, its historical dimension remains relatively unexplored. Adopting a historical approach inspired by Tatarkiewicz, this paper addresses this gap by examining the notions of home care in the thoughts of Greek philosophers Socrates and Xenophon. Analyzing Xenophon’s works reveals how ancient concepts of order and beauty apply to daily life, enriching contemporary Everyday Aesthetics discussions on cleanliness and domestic care.

Religious pluralism and historical-critical scholarship: a contemplative connection?

A notion that has arisen from historical-critical analysis – that the Gospels are primarily ‘theological’ rather than straightforwardly ‘historical’ documents – is explored in terms of the aspect of patristic thinking that has been described as ‘mystical theology’. Here, the ancient concept of the mental faculty called the nous becomes relevant because it was often seen in the patristic writings as essentially intuitive in its operation. It was therefore related primarily to a noetic, contemplative apprehension of reality, rather than to discursive rationality. This concept is relevant not only to understanding the Gospels but also to a pluralistic understanding of the world’s faith traditions, so that there is a potential link between our way of reading the Gospels and our way of assessing religious pluralism. Both may therefore be seen, in a new way, as aspects of a post-critical spirituality.

Latin legal terminology in national jurisprudence: modern trends in the application of ancient concepts

The article is devoted to the study of the application of Latin legal terminology in Ukrainian jurisprudence. At the outset of the article, the author emphasizes on the correlation of Latin terminology with Roman law, as well as the significance of the reception of Roman law for the further preservation of Latinisms. Particular focus is given to the retrospective analysis of the incorporation of Latinisms into the Ukrainian language. The first trend highlighted by the author is the etymology of Latinisms in court decisions; the second is the Latinisation of legal terms in court decisions. The application of Latinisms in national and foreign scientific research is considered from the angles of (1) being conditioned by practical needs, (2) the element of citing normative provisions, (3) a way of preserving tradition, and (4) a stylistic tool. The article lists a large number of Roman legal terms that are actively applied by Ukrainian judges. At the same time, the author claims that not all Latin terms applied in jurisprudence are related to the sources of Roman law: firstly, some Latinisms date back to the Middle Ages, as well as the New and even Modern times; secondly, individual Latinisms express legal phenomena (principles, doctrines) that originally belonged to the Anglo-American legal tradition. At the same time, the Latin legal terminology applied in court decisions is very diverse and covers a number of legal phenomena. Particular attention is paid to the application in judicial practice of legal doctrines of different origins – Roman law (favor contractus, fraus creditorum) and common law (obiter dictum, per incuriam, ratio decidendi). In addition, the author calls the application of Latin language clichés in court decisions one of the distinct trends in Ukrainian jurisprudence, which can contribute to the accuracy of the presentation, brevity and comprehensibility of the text, as well as the standardisation of the language of law. The author summarises that the application of Latin legal terms by national courts is an absolutely logical process, which indicates the further integration of national jurisprudence into global processes and trends occurring in world jurisprudence.

The Analog Ends of Science: Investigating the Analogy of the Laws of Nature Through Object-Oriented Ontology and Ontogenetic Naturalism

Abstract This article investigates the analogy of the “laws of nature” through Graham Harman’s Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) and Gilbert Simondon’s ontogenetic naturalism (ON). Both thinkers challenge the literalist interpretation of scientific knowledge by emphasizing the indirect nature of relation and the primacy of the autonomy of discrete beings over pre-established physical laws. Harman’s OOO defends this autonomy as the irreducible independence of objects from their relations, while Simondon focuses on the modulation of information in shaping the laws of nature through individuation. The article argues that while science remains the best recursive triangulation between logic and empirical evidence, its grasp of an ultimate, literal Truth is constricted by an epistemological relation to autonomous realities, grounded in analogy. Consequently, the laws of nature are considered as legislated by discrete autonomies, with space and time emerging from the things themselves. The article concludes by discussing the consequences of this reframing in light of the ancient conception of díkēkosmos (cosmic justice).

CONCEPT OF VIRUDDHA AAHARA IN ACCORDANCE WITH TODAY’S SCENARIO – A REVIEW

Viruddha Ahara, an ancient concept in Ayurveda, elucidates the adverse effects of incompatible food combina-tions on health. While rooted in traditional wisdom, its relevance persists in contemporary dietary practices. This abstract explores the concept of Viruddha Ahara in today's scenario, shedding light on its significance amidst evolving dietary trends and lifestyles. In the modern era, the accessibility to diverse cuisines and the fusion of culinary traditions have led to the adoption of novel nutritional habits. However, amidst this culinary diversity, the principles of food compatibility outlined in Viruddha Ahara remain pertinent. The ingestion of incompatible food combinations can disrupt the digestive process, leading to various health complications such as indigestion, bloating, and nutrient malabsorption. Furthermore, the prevalence of processed foods and fast-paced lifestyles has accentuated the consumption of con-venience foods, often comprising ingredients that may clash in terms of their properties and effects on the body. Moreover, the rise of dietary fats and restrictive eating patterns has spurred the popularity of unconventional food combinations in pursuit of purported health benefits. However, the indiscriminate amalgamation of foods without considering their compatibility can undermine nutritional balance and compromise overall well-being. Integrating the principles of food compatibility into contemporary nutrition education and dietary guidelines can empower individuals to make informed choices that support optimal digestion and health. Embracing a holistic approach to nutrition that honours traditional wisdom and scientific insights can foster a balanced relationship with food, promoting vitality and resilience in today's fast-paced world.

Blood purification practices: Some ethnopharmacological insight from a rural community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Ethnopharmacological relevanceBlood purification practices, also referred to as blood cleansing or detoxification, is an ancient concept which is widespread within African traditional medicine. There is, however, limited consolidated information about the selection of plant species, the purpose of use and how the preparation is made. An in-depth examination of how regional communities use medicinal plants for blood purification is needed to better understand this ethnopharmacological practice. Aim of the studyTo gather knowledge on the traditional use of medicinal plants used for the purpose of blood purification by laypersons in northern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. MethodsAn ethnobotanical survey was conducted on medicinal plants used in the rural areas of northern Maputaland for blood purification. Interviews were conducted in 55 homesteads, where the most knowledgeable participant per household was interviewed using structured questionnaires. Information collected included knowledge of the concept of blood purification, purpose for medicating, plant selection, and mode of preparation. The most important species and families were identified through indices. ResultsSixty-four plant species from 35 families were recorded as blood purifiers for the treatment of ailments linked to the need for blood purification. Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. was the most used plant species (mentioned by 39% of the people interviewed). The conditions that were mostly associated with blood purification were skin complaints, gastro-intestinal disorders, and overall improvement of general health. Blood purification is also commonly used for non-medical purposes such as granting good luck or as a love charm. Six new plant species and five new Zulu vernacular names had not previously been documented for blood purification. ConclusionThe frequently mentioned use of medicinal plants for blood purification by the rural community of northern Maputaland clearly emphasises the importance of this cultural practice. There is no doubt that when examining African traditional medicine, holistic terms such as “blood cleansing” cannot be ignored. Future studies may provide a better understanding of this often misunderstood and undocumented practice.

The problems of memory in the philosophical tradition of Antiquity

The article is devoted to the problem of actualization of the phenomenon of memory in the tradition of Ancient thought. Despite the genuine interest in the politics and techniques of memory, recollection and oblivion at the end of the twentieth century, the ancient tradition of interpreting the concept of "memory" rarely becomes an independent subject of detailed consideration by researchers. Modern authors from various fields of knowledge often mention Aristotle as the originator of the concept of memory, but such references are rather a "common place", a tribute to tradition, rather than a serious analysis. The study of the achievements of ancient authors opens the way for readers to study the problems of the work of consciousness, the general concept of time, and also creates the ground for the analysis of a wide range of epistemological problems. In this regard, the reconstruction undertaken in this article of the author's most important concepts of memory in antiquity aims not only to explain the meaning of phraseological units, such as "to fall to the source", but also to demonstrate the importance of ancient concepts for the modern understanding of the phenomenon, in particular, the understanding of memory as a specific characteristic of personality. The authors of this article proceed from the thesis that ancient Greek thinkers saw in memory the main property that distinguishes a person from other beings.

Patrizi, panpsychism, and the Presocratics

ABSTRACT The main aim of the article is to show how panpsychism, that is, the idea the everything in the world is endowed with a soul, was varied even during the periods in the history of philosophy when it flourished. In the Renaissance, I focus on Francesco Patrizi: he coined the term, which originally meant that everything is ensouled. The article starts by an investigation of Patrizi’s attempt to trace panpsychism back to the most ancient thinkers. His conclusions are, in general, in agreement with current scholarly assessment of early Greek philosophers, whose views I attempt to reconstruct in a kind of survey. A closer comparison, however, shows significant differences between Patrizi’s and today’s account of the most ancient conception of panpsychism. While Patrizi uses the concept to state that the world as a whole is ensouled, early Greek philosophers understood it to mean that every thing in the world possesses a particular soul. From a broader perspective, it is clear that, while Patrizi builds on the notion of all-embracing ancient philosophy, modern scholarship assumes a more historical account of ancient thought characterised by a gradual progress from simple, more empirically based concepts, to more complex and metaphysical ones.

The Issue of Man and Animal Conflict: A Case of Jhargram District, West Bengal

Man-animal conflict is an ancient concept in which humans and wild animals share the same landscapes and resources for their survival. The study investigates the increasing frequency of conflict incidents between humans and animals in various locations within Jhargram District, a region known for its close proximity to both human settlements and wildlife, particularly elephants. Currently, human-animal conflict plays a significant role in altering the landscapes of the southern region of West Bengal in India, and it also has an impact on the rural economy in Jhargram District. Human population growth and expansion, deforestation, habitat degradation, land use change, and livestock grazing in forest and forest fringe areas are all considered major causes of human-animal conflicts. The study aims to pinpoint the underlying causes and repercussions of human-animal conflicts, as well as suggest management strategies to address the issue. The study reveals that people living in forest fringe areas and close to forest protected areas are often prone to attacks, particularly by elephants and other wild animals like hyenas, wild dogs, wild boars, etc.

Study on the Practical Effect of Modernization of Ancient Chinese Educational Concepts Empowered by Intelligent Algorithms

Abstract It takes ten years to grow trees and a hundred years to nurture people. Education, as the most indispensable link in establishing morality and cultivating people, has a very important role in modern society. The study explores the application of ancient Chinese educational concepts to modern educational models, proposes a modernized teaching model based on ancient educational concepts, and uses the YOLO model to construct a classroom teaching expression and action recognition model under ancient educational concepts. The model is used in the actual classroom to analyze the expressions and behaviors of students in the classroom to explore their classroom concentration, which is used to analyze the quality of classroom teaching. By comparing the differences and changes in the performance of the experimental group and the control group, the effect of the modernized teaching model based on the ancient education concept on actual teaching is explored. Through the model test, the classroom students’ concentration score is 72.71. The pre-test P-value of the experimental group and the control group is 0.846, and the post-test P-value is 0.000, which indicates that there is a significant difference in the performance of the two groups after the experiment. The increase in the performance of the students in the experimental group was 31.390 points, while in the control group, it was 5.175 points. The P-values of the students in the experimental group on the five dimensions of math level are less than 0.05, and the control group is greater than 0.05, which indicates that the modernized teaching model based on the ancient concept of education has a significant positive effect on improving the performance of the students.

HERMENEUTICS OF THE WORD POLITEIA

Politeia (Πολιτεία in Hellenic) as a fundamental concept of legal philosophy and political philosophy can be interpreted in various meanings such as state, constitution, republic, citizenship etc. Though the fact that this term has a broad scale of meaning might, prima facie, seem confusing, such nature of the concept can, in light of its hermeneutics, hold light to ancient conception of law, ethics and politics. To this end, this study aims a thorough analysis of the concept by handling every meaning attached to the term Politeia in ancient texts that survive today, and suggesting possible hermeneutic connections between those meanings. It is expected that this method would not only clarify the entire possible meanings of the term Politeia, but would help understanding ancient legal and political conceptions of the ancient times.

MYTHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE LINGUISTIC WORLDVIEW (THE MOON AND THE SUN IN PHRASEOLOGY)

In the focus of the article there is the problem of hidden mythological seman- tics of lexical (more broadly — phraseological) units in the Slavic and Germanic (English) languages. Often the lack of proper attention to this problem leads to inaccurate, inappropriate, superficial translation or to incorrect assessment of certain fragments of folklore texts of various genres in their ethnolinguistic study. Being «erased» on the surface of linguistic consciousness, which in the course of evolution has developed new stereotypes, the structures of mythological think- ing are often preserved at the level of lexical semantics and in the semantics of phraseological units. The mythological plane of the semantics of linguistic units is an important level of such a complex object of linguistics as the linguistic picture of the world, since it largely determines the specificity and originality of linguistic thinking, while remaining implicit, hidden behind the everyday, habitual meaning. On the example of microtexts (established figurative phrases) with two oppo- site ancient concepts «the moon» and «the sun», the commonality and difference in the mythological semantics of the units of the Slavic and English languages are shown. The relevant differential features of the Slavic and Germanic worldviews are emphasized.

Timolaos oder Freundschaft. Philia und eironeia in Lukians Navigium

Abstract Traditionally, Lucian’s Navigium is regarded as a moralizing dialogue, which criticizes unrealistic aspirations. Lycinus incorporates this criticism by attacking his friends ironically. This essay elaborates that the dialogue also offers a more ethical interpretation that problematizes Lycinus’ moralizing attitude towards his friends. It argues that Timolaus, one of Lycinus’ interlocutors and friends, introduces a discourse about the reciprocal connection between the act of storytelling on the one hand, and friendship on the other. By doing so, aesthetics (stories) and ethics (friendship) appear as complementary. To emphasize this perspective on the dialogue, the modern concept of narrative communities is connected with ancient concepts of friendship. Lycinus’ ironizing voice and behavior can then be seen as antagonistic rather than dominant. Timolaus, however, appears as subtle narrator, who by his own wish tries to make Lycinus aware of the importance of storytelling for friendship.

ANCIENT INDIAN CONCEPTS AS PORTRAYED IN CONTEMPORARY WESTERN FILMS

Historically, in the European imagination, India was a place that existed outside of history. The German philosopher G.W.F.Hegel wrote that India-with its psychology, religion, caste-system, and holy men - existed in a dream-like state. However, India, like every other place in the world, has never existed outside of history as an exotic dreamland. It has had itsown complex economic, social and political things going on regardless of whether the West was aware of it. India is a dream of the West. Being a maelstrom of human, social, and spiritual contradictions, India has always attracted many western filmmakers. In order to give a glimpse of its ancient concepts, complex reality and dynamism the contemporary global view of filmmakers on the lifestyle and the diversity of this country has been proposed. Many westernfilmmakers, including those from France, have had a desire to express themselves often with talent.The aim of this research paper is to bring forth their insight into life and culture of India. An analysis of how Westerners have stereotyped Indian concepts or accounted for the profound changes inIndian societyin their films has been done.

Simulation-based study of noise, vibration, and harness of BLDC motor for energy level variation with frequency

The energy spectrum measurements in noise, vibration, and harness analysis with power spectrum response is a very ancient concept. The work and energy approaches for analyzing Noise, Vibration, and Harmonics (NVH) features are increasing rapidly in recent years. The primary focus is on evaluating imparted energy due to the NVH using an FFT spectrum against the input energy in motors. The simulation depicts the input energy spectra of the kinetic energy, absorbed energy, and dissipated energy very clearly. Earlier the smoothed Fourier amplitude spectrum approach was used for plotting the energy dissipation due to the NVH effect. However, most of the part of accountable energy goes to waste with noise, vibration, and harmonics generated due to harness in motor design. This experiment is conducted in support of Sir Nikola Tesla’s statement “If you wish to understand the universe think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration”. The ripples an induced in phase current because of the step change of the speed. The predominant frequency in phase current waveform creates the collapsing vibratory waves that create the sound. Sound frequencies above 20 dB are considered unwanted sound known as noise. The energy level variation with NVH influence in BLDCM is measurable for its performance analysis. This research can be further enhanced by designing NVH-free BLDC motors.

Ancient Conceptions of the Human Uterus: Italic Votives and Animal Wombs.

The numerous votive uteri found across the central Italian peninsula from the fourth to first centuries BCE are puzzlingly evocative of the human simplex uterus, which is visually distinct from the bicornuate uteri characteristic of most other mammals. However, human dissection is not attested for this time and place, while animal butchery was common. This article uses modern veterinary anatomical imagery to argue that animal uteri - specifically as they appear when pregnant - were indeed models underlying the votive depictions. Some of the variant forms of the votives are highly evocative of various features of the pregnant bicornuate uterus. Further, medical views on the human uterus throughout classical antiquity were informed by animal uteri. Taken together, the visual and textual evidence indicate that animal models were inextricably integrated into ancient conceptions of the human uterus across the classical world, including in the production of the Italic votives in question.

Revelations from the Underground: Trinitarian Metaphysics and the Underground Church

The ancient concept of the underground is mainly associated with the outdated triadic cosmology. In modernity, some authors such as Dostoevsky and Nietzsche have dialectically referred to the underground as an alternative to the principle of reason or ground. Others—such as Hegel or Heidegger—have more radically linked this dialectic to the abyssal unground, recalling Boehme and Hölderlin. However, all these modern dialectical constellations of ground, underground, or unground have failed to provide a philosophical vision that would overcome the aporetic relationship between metaphysical grounding and phenomenal appearance. They have left aside the reality of the Marian underground, overshadowed by the Spirit and Cross and marked by Christ’s descent into the underground, by which the powers of the ancient underground were apocalyptically drawn into the liturgical celebration of a persecuted Church. In this article, I will link Jan Patočka’s phenomenology of the underground experience and Zdeněk Neubauer’s Marian metaphysics to prove that, in the apocalyptic horizon of suffering and persecution, the Sophianic and Marian revelations spell out the created form of Trinitarian being, that becomes a miraculous rescue of all relations and phenomena as the ground shining from within the underground, and the underground within the ground.

Brugen af Mosesfortællingerne hos Paulus og Josefus

The article demonstrates how the ancient concept of o9mo/noia (concord) was crucial for Paul’s and Josephus’ use of the Moses narratives. In continuation of Margaret M. Mitchell’s dissertation Paul and the Rhetoric of Reconciliation, I argue that Paul in 1 Cor 10:1-11 uses the Moses narratives to exhort the Corinthians to become re-unified. Paul’s use of these narratives and his use of himself as an example to imitate in his struggle for o9mo/noia are compared to the way Josephus rewrites Moses in his Jewish Antiquities as a founding figure that both establishes and re-establishes a Jewish o9mo/noia. In so doing, Josephus presents Moses in a way very similar to how he has depicted himself in the Jewish War and similarly to the way he later portrays himself in his Vita. Josephus demonstrates thus in his own portrait that the story of Moses has to be re-narrated and even repeated if the Jewish community shall continue to exist.

Fractional Gradient Optimizers for PyTorch: Enhancing GAN and BERT

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that dates back more than 50 years. It is currently experiencing a boom in research and technological development. With the rise of machine learning, the need to propose improved optimizers has become more acute, leading to the search for new gradient-based optimizers. In this paper, the ancient concept of fractional derivatives has been applied to some optimizers available in PyTorch. A comparative study is presented to show how the fractional versions of gradient optimizers could improve their performance on generative adversarial networks (GAN) and natural language applications with Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT). The results are encouraging for both state-of-the art algorithms, GAN and BERT, and open up the possibility of exploring further applications of fractional calculus in machine learning.