Contemporary Philosophy Research Articles

“The Shifting Light of History”: Addressing Philosophy of Memory in Julian Barnes’s <i>Elizabeth Finch</i>

This article discusses the narrative construction of various philosophical reflections on cultural memory in Julian Barnes’s novel <i>Elisabeth Finch</i>. It addresses the dichotomy between recollection and oblivion, presenting a memory process as a the “problem of forgotten evidence”, thoroughly discussed in today’s Cultural and Memory Studies. While contemporary scholars and philosophers aim at reflecting on the role of memory in metaphysics and epistemology, mainly relating the process of recollection either to personal identity, or the experience of time, space and epistemic rationale, the dimension of collective memory, and its foregrounding role in everyone’s self-perceptiveness, receives a considerably reduced critical attention. The literary analysis of <i>Elizabeth Finch</i> seeks to problematize this divisive understanding of functions of memory, proposing instead to consider the semantic complementarity of various processes of recollection/forgetting, connecting the narrative representation of events that one has personally experienced and the officially stated collective renderings of factual memory. It resists considering personal remembering and collective forgetting as ostensibly competing rationales, proposing to delve deeper into a tightly crafted relationship between the perception of one’s identity in time and epistemological framework of collective experience mostly focused on the officially stated dimension of memory. Revisiting discourses on religion associated with the narrative construction of borderlands in Julian Barnes’s <i>Elizabeth Finch</i>, this article contributes to reconsider collective memory and counter-memory not as mutually exclusive, but as synthetized and put into productive motion narrative dimensions. The intertextual articulation of discourses on religion fosters new theoretical perspectives for rethinking counter-memory not only as a mode of recovering silenced and contested versions of the European history, but also as a means of providing multidimensional and transcultural interpretation of the collective past. Perceived as a form of discursive resistance to any kind of political and social dominance, the narrative construction of “forgotten evidence” elucidates the complex post-dialectical relationship between official collective memory and marginalized counter-memory.

El sujeto humano y su interioridad. Karol Wojtya y la crisis de la antropología filosófica

This article discusses the concept of the human subject and its interiority as developed in modern and contemporary philosophy, focusing especially on criticisms directed at this. Hence, some far reaching modifications of the theory of the subject are presented, including the thesis that interiority is constituted by exteriority. Karol Wojtya's approach to the subject is then set out. The author of the paper tries to establish what the relationship is that obtains between these two construals of the subject, and whether Wojty?a's conception can also be subjected to such criticism. Having concluded that two quite different understandings of the human subject are in play, a possible field of dialogue between them is sketched.

The Role of H. L. A. Hart’s «Rule of Recognition» in Contemporary Anglo-American Legal Positivism

The article explores the role of the theory of «rules of recognition» by Oxford professor H.L.A. Hart in the contemporary theory of Anglo-American legal positivism, introduced by him in his central work «The Concept of Law» (1961), which has a significant influence on contemporary legal theory and philosophy. The authors reveal the content and meaning of the concept of «rules of recognition» as part of the secondary rules – «rules about rules» or «procedural rules» which determine the criteria for the validity of law along with the «rules of change» and the «rules of adjudication» in H.L.A. Hart’s terminology. The authors demonstrate the correlation with the «Grundnorm» of German legal philosophter H. Kelsen, which is more common in the Ukrainian legal theory, and which justifies the existence of constitutional norms as fundamental ones which determine the recognition of law by society and its individuals. The authors analyze the main positions of H.L.A. Hart’s followers – J. Raz, M. Kramer, B. Bix, S. Shapiro and others – regarding this theory and highlights the criticism of its individual provisions. The authors highlight how H.L.A. Hart tried to explain by the «rules of recognition» how law at the fundamental level is a matter of social convention (agreement between people inside the inhabited society), defending one of the components of legal positivism – the thesis of social fact (social sources of law thesis). The authors examine the interdependence between law and coercion by the State, the role of social practice in society’s subordination to law, the role of moral norms in the formation of law, in particular, the «rule of recognition», the correlation between the concepts of «rule of recognition» and «legal validity», and the problem of law enforcement by judges and governmental officials of the «rule of recognition». The authors summarize how H.L.A. Hart eliminates morality from the content of law in motivating judges and governmental officials to apply the rules of law, clarifies the position of legal positivism on the issue of the grounds for society’s submission to law, and demonstrates how the «empirical» theory of recognition prevails over the «analytical» theory, using R. Alexy terminology.

Una propuesta filosófica desde el personalismo analítico strawsoniano

The version of analytical personalism that can be discerned in the descriptive metaphysics of the contemporary British philosopher Peter F. Strawson recognizes the primitive status of the concept of “persons,” as opposed to Cartesian dualism and the subjectless theory of the self advanced by some in the 1930s. On the other hand, the attention that this philosopher devotes to reactive attitudes or moral feelings in a work from 1962 (Freedom and Resentment), helps not to overlook the fact that people are not only agents, but also patients. Based on these considerations, this work underlines the decisive character of love in the construction of people's identity. The logic of donation implied in loving interpersonal relationships allows for an adequate understanding of love, according to which the loving experience is not reduced to an emotion. This step forward, which involves recourse to love in the elucidation of persons from analytical personalism, presupposes the recognition of the other as a person. The article concludes by reinforcing the moral scope of this movement, through a version of the argument of consequence.

Making of Contemporary Indian Philosophy and Dilemmas of Demanded Change: A Critical Study of Swaraj in Light of Neo-Vedanta

One of the legacies of Western philosophical thought has been its evolution through movements and slogans such as modernism, postmodernism, existentialism and analyticism. These popular intellectual standpoints have contributed to making Western culture more dialogical and progressive. However, in contrast, exploration of socio-philosophical movements within the Indian philosophical tradition, except for ancient times, remains relatively uncharted territory. Acknowledging this variance, the present article investigates the evolution of contemporary Indian philosophy during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It examines the core unifying principle that bound together eminent figures such as Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, K. C. Bhattacharyya and numerous others of their category, all classified as Neo-Vedantists. Precisely, the philosophy or movement under scrutiny is Swaraj, illuminated through the lens of Neo-Vedanta, presenting a distinctive perspective on human values and change.

X-Phi and Theory Acceptance in Political Philosophy

AbstractWhat is the relevance of experimental philosophy (X-Phi) to theory acceptance in political philosophy? To answer this question, the paper distinguishes between four views, to wit: (i) X-Phi as a systematic method to avoid or reduce biases in our moral intuitions—The De-Biasing View; (ii) X-Phi as a tool for assessing the fruitfulness or consequences of various concepts—The Fruitfulness View; (iii) X-Phi as the best way to unearth the kind of moral principles we are interested in as political philosophers—The Unearthing Principles View; and (iv) X-Phi as a way of testing the coherence of principles with folk intuitions—The Defeasible Reason (or Squatters’ Rights) View. The paper argues that the first two views and the last—subject to some clarifications—describe important X-Phi contributions to theory acceptance as this is traditionally understood within contemporary political philosophy. In contrast, the third view goes too far in suggesting that X-Phi can supplant more traditional, in part non-empirical, methods.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE SEPARABILITY THESIS

Abstract One commendable aspect of the ruminations by H.L.A Hart on legal positivism, which quite a few contemporary philosophers of law have not fully absorbed, is that he recognised the diversity of the points of contention that have pitted the devotees of positivism against the devotees of natural-law theories. Whereas some present-day philosophers of law are inclined to refer to “the separability thesis” of legal positivism – with the definite article “the” as a signal that there is one defining point of dispute between legal positivists and their opponents – Hart knew that there is no single such thesis. Natural-law theorists have in fact postulated numerous connections between law and morality which putatively clinch the character of law as an inherently moral phenomenon, and legal positivists have posed challenges to each of those connections or to the claim that any unchallenged connection serves to establish the inherently moral character of law.

Contradictions and emptiness all the way down?

Markus Gabriel’s pluralism and Graham Priest’s monism can be considered new forms of skepticism in contemporary philosophy. Gabriel considers ‘emptiness’ and Priest ‘nothingness’ as safe havens for logic and philosophy. In the same way, traditional skeptics also considered nothing secure. Furthermore, we observe in this book that whilst both Priest and Gabriel present rather eloquent theories, they nevertheless lack more substantial proofs, much like many important theories in philosophy, such as Leibniz’s monadology.

Virtuous leadership: Ambiguities, challenges, and precedents

AbstractVirtuous leadership is the focus of a growing body of academic literature but is little discussed by contemporary philosophers. Current treatments tend to over‐generalisation: assimilating diverse features to a few broad categories and applying simplified ethical theories. This essay argues that virtue and character education need to be keyed to specific activities, that “virtuous leadership” is in danger of being confused with extrinsic activism, and that the history of ethics in health care provides an instructive example of thinking ethically about practice. Questions commonly posed in the literature—What specific virtues are required for leadership? How may these be formed?—are unduly simple and often rest on faulty assumptions about the nature of leadership and of the structure of virtuous action. Philosophers engaged in advising professionals about the virtues of leadership would do well to consider how the relevant points apply to their own practice.

Paul B. Preciado’s queer hospital: healthcare architectures for pleasure, transformation and subversion

ABSTRACT This article brings the contemporary philosopher Paul B. Preciado’s work on queer sexuality and embodiment into close contact with his work on architecture, asking how Preciado’s work can help us to reconceptualize the design of clinical spaces and environments to care more effectively for queer and non-normative bodies. In Testo Junkie (2013), Preciado explores how the body is constructed in advanced capitalism as a work of both social construction and bio-technological engineering. The focus of Pornotopia (2014), meanwhile, is the specific role played by architecture in the construction of modernity’s bodies, genders and sexualities. Across both works, Preciado dialogs closely with Michel Foucault, showing how normative genders and sexualities are actively produced and policed through the complex interplays between social, biomedical, technological and architectural forces and structures. Preciado, however, goes one step further, exploring how we might “hack” these same structures and use biomedical technologies and architectural concepts to emancipate the bodies and desire from normative constraints, thus liberating the body’s true capacities for pleasure and transformation. Reading Preciado alongside interdisciplinary scholarship on queer healthcare design, this article questions investigates how “hacking” clinical architecture through queer interventions can transform the sensory landscapes of healthcare.

Knowledge transfer, not just true beliefs: virtue epistemology as a philosophical basis for education

Introduction. Modern pedagogical practice is being reformed due to systemic changes in the ways of social interaction. Knowledge transfer is being significantly modified under the influence of technical innovations, although it remains traditionally one of the main tasks of the educational process. The development of artificial intelligence, neural networks and other analytical computer systems shows that propositional knowledge is not the privilege of the human mind. This state of affairs changes the idea of knowledge as such. In this regard, the participants of the educational process face the task of revising the philosophical basis of modern learning in terms of finding a new definition of knowledge. It is also necessary to develop new methodological recommendations that would correspond to modern epistemological theories of knowledge, belief and understanding. Materials and research methods. The article uses the methods of conceptual analysis and comparative study characteristic of philosophy. The research materials are sources on theory of knowledge, education and also on applied epistemology. Results. Virtue epistemology is one of the most actively developing theories of knowledge in contemporary philosophy and humanities. It is based on the idea that knowledge cannot be an accidental belief, but must be the merit of a cognitive agent. This approach solves many problems of the philosophical theory of knowledge and creates a subjectoriented view of the nature of the cognitive process. This attitude allows us to use virtue epistemology in debates about applied issues, including those related to the explanation of the tasks and content of education. Discussion. A feature of the analysis within virtue epistemology is attention to cognitive skills (reliabilism) and sustained intellectual dispositions (responsibilism) in their relationship to the process of formation of true beliefs. Virtue epistemology defines knowledge through the notion of merit in the manifestation of subjective qualities, so the student's motivation and the context of belief formation should be taken into account when developing specific methodological recommendations. Such an approach explains why standardized testing cannot serve as the sole and primary means of assessing learners. At the same time, the general semantic peculiarity of the notions of virtue allows us to appeal to examples of individuals as ideal types of certain qualities (this is called exemplarism). At the same time, it is necessary to explain why these traits are the excellences that make their bearer better in epistemic terms. Conclusion. In explaining the knowledge transfer, pedagogy can be based on the philosophical principles of virtue epistemology. Such integration enriches both disciplines: pedagogy gets a conceptual scheme adequate to the modern social and technological situation, and epistemology gets a practical application.

Political Ontology and Emancipation in Castoriadis and Laclau–Mouffe

Abstract Cornelius Castoriadis’ The Imaginary Institution of Society and Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe's Hegemony and Socialist Strategy are two cornerstones of contemporary political philosophy. Insufficient consideration has been given to the fact that both works show important theoretical coincidences in terms of structure and content. The first part of this article explores the possibility of reading Castoriadis’ work in post-foundational terms, following Oliver Marchart's approach. In addition, the respective political ontologies of Castoriadis and Laclau and Mouffe are presented as ‘ontologies of signification’ in which the imaginary/discursive component is central. Finally, the contributions of the three authors to the emancipatory project through the notions of ‘autonomy’ (Castoriadis) and ‘radical democracy’ (Laclau and Mouffe) are considered, highlighting both their common features and their divergences. The latter had to do mainly with their antagonistic conceptions of political representation and its relation to democracy.

The Non-Duality of the “Conditioned” and “Unconditioned”: Hongzhou Chan Buddhism on Reconciling the Morality/Prudence Distinction

This paper illustrates how Hongzhou Chan Buddhism provides valuable resources for dealing with issues in contemporary moral philosophy. In particular, when philosophers adopt the Hongzhou Chan Buddhist’s non-dualistic account of reality, we can see how their teachings provide us with important resources needed for resolving philosophical problems that were originally undertaken by philosophers like the American Pragmatists John Dewey and Richard Rorty. When the pragmatists hoped to extirpate traditional metaphysics from moral philosophy, one of their focuses was on providing an alternative to the morality/prudence distinction. As this study illustrates, by overcoming the metaphysical dualism between the “unconditioned” and the “conditioned”, the Hongzhou Chan Buddhist can provide an account of compassion that is unconditionally grounded. Their account of compassion can then be understood as bridging the divide between “morality” and “prudence”.

A Millian Case against Epistemic Arguments for Federalism

AbstractJohn Stuart Mill is central to parallel debates in mainstream contemporary political epistemology and philosophy of federalism concerning the epistemic dimension(s) of legitimate authority. Many scholars invoke Mill to support epistemic arguments for democratic decision-making and decentralized federalism as a means of conferring democratic legitimacy. This article argues that Millian considerations instead provide reason to reject common epistemic arguments for decentralized federalism. Combining Mill's own insights about the epistemic costs of decentralization and recent work in philosophy, politics, and economics undermines purportedly Millian arguments for federalism focused on political experimentation, diversity and participation. Contrary to many interpretations, Millian considerations weaken, rather than strengthen, arguments for federalism. Any valid justification for federalism must instead rest on non-epistemic considerations. This conclusion is notable regardless of how one interprets Mill. But it also supports Mill's stated preference for local decisions subject to central oversight.

Unity in Diversity of Religions in Bumi Flobamora, Indonesia: From Traditional to Modern Pluralism

The religiously diverse society of NTT (Bumi Flobamora) has received national title as the most tolerant province in Indonesia. However, reality shows that there are religious conflicts, such as the rejection of the establishment of Islamic places of worship and the emergence of various forms of violence with religious nuances. This study attempts to provide a new contemporary social philosophy explanation for the development of religious social conditions. With the help of philosophical methods, the results show that the ideology of pluralism has long lived in Bumi Flobamora. However, this model of "traditional pluralism,” which is based on local wisdom and supported by the government's policy of harmony, is currently no longer in line with demands for universal human rights, because "traditional pluralism" shows the unequal treatment of people of different religions. Therefore, contemporary social philosophy develops a "modern pluralism,” which is built on the principle of equality. To strengthen this new model of pluralism, efforts are needed to overcome the weaknesses of communitarianism. The main weakness of communitarianism is that it opens up a space for religious appreciation that only emphasizes the togetherness and unity of a spiritual community and views those outside the community as other people who may or should even be excluded. The study concludes that the unity of religions in Bumi Flobamora will only survive if traditional pluralism is replaced with modern pluralism, which is in line with the Political Ethics of the Indonesian nation, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, and the basic philosophy of Pancasila.

Personhood in Biblical and Patristic Thought A Journey from Natural to Spiritual Man

This research challenges the materialistic view of humanity by offering a biblical and orthodox anthropological counter-narrative. It posits that human existence transcends mere matter, encompassing the body, soul, and spirit created in God's image and destined for divine communion (theosis). By examining key New Testament terms, such as natural, carnal, and spiritual man, through the lens of Patristic thought, particularly Gregory Palamas and Philokalia, this study reveals a dynamic transformation process from the natural to the spiritual man. This contrasts with the reductionist approach to materialism, demonstrating the richness and depth of the biblical and Orthodox understanding of human nature. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of human identity and purpose by bridging the gap between biblical theology and contemporary philosophy, offering a fresh perspective on the complex interplay between the physical, spiritual, and divine aspects of humanity.

Secondary School Teachers’ Educational Philosophies: Differences Regarding Work Experience, Type of School, and Education Programs

Teachers’ educational philosophies have a great influence on teachers’ actions in the classroom. They are partly influenced by the dominant pedagogical paradigm expressed in the strategic educational documents, but there are also some other factors that influence teachers’ educational philosophies. This research aimed to determine secondary school teachers’ educational philosophies and whether they differ in relation to a teacher’s work experience, type of school, and educational program. A total of 355 secondary school teachers in Split–Dalmatia County in the Republic of Croatia participated in the research. The philosophy preference assessment scale consisting of two subscales (traditional and contemporary educational philosophies), was applied. The results showed that: secondary school teachers generally agreed more with contemporary than traditional educational philosophies; grammar school teachers agreed more with contemporary and vocational school teachers with traditional educational philosophies; the education program was a significant factor only for the subscale of traditional educational philosophies; and years of work experience was not a significant factor for either subscale. The results are discussed in the context of the relationship between teachers’ educational philosophies, values, beliefs, and teaching experiences and the need for teachers to raise awareness of their educational philosophies and continuously compare and harmonise them with their educational practice.

An improved method for statistics estimation of out-of-plane load resistance of masonry walls using design-code models and mechanics-based finite element models

The susceptibility of masonry walls to out-of-plane failure under seismic loading presents a significant engineering concern. In adherence to contemporary limit state design philosophy and as mandated by performance-based design guidelines, it is crucial to accurately estimate statistics parameters such as the mean and variance of out-of-plane resistance. To achieve this, two deterministic models are often considered within the Monte Carlo simulation framework: design-code models, known for their computational efficiency but potential for significant model error, and mechanics-based finite element models, noted for their accuracy but computational intensity. Relying solely on either model for statistics estimation presents challenges due to their respective inherent limitations. This study introduces an improved strategy that synergizes the strengths of both models, resulting in enhanced statistics estimators for the out-of-plane resistance of masonry walls. The proposed methodology involves the use of the control variate method by integrating numerous design-code model evaluations to boost computational efficiency while incorporating a limited number of finite element model evaluations to ensure accuracy. The constructions of the proposed estimators follow rigorous optimization procedures to minimize associated errors and variances. Theoretical derivations are provided for essential elements in the estimator constructions, such as model evaluation numbers for finite element and design-code models and control variate coefficients. Moreover, the accuracy of the proposed estimators is compared with that of the crude Monte Carlo estimator. A key benefit of the proposed estimators is their unbiased nature, and their accuracy is not compromised by the discrepancies between the finite element model and the design-code model. To demonstrate the practicality of these estimators, two case studies are illustrated: one focusing on unreinforced masonry walls and the other on reinforced masonry walls. The results indicate that design-code model-based estimators exhibit large bias, and compared to the estimators that solely rely on the finite element model, the proposed estimators achieve higher accuracy given the same computational budget.

A resolute reading of Iris Murdoch’s Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals

ABSTRACT It is often remarked that Iris Murdoch’s thought deeply influenced the landscape of twentieth-century moral philosophy. It is certainly true that she inspired a generation of Anglo-American philosophers who sought to critique the moral philosophy of their day. However, these philosophers drew almost exclusively from her early philosophical thought, most notably The Sovereignty of Good. When it came to Murdoch’s second book, Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals (MGM), moral philosophers and scholars alike found it hard to place within contemporary moral philosophy. Our aim in this paper is to offer a reading of MGM that is resolute in its commitment to do justice to the book’s resistance against domestication within standard moral philosophy, while taking Murdoch at her word when she writes that her “whole argument can be read as moral philosophy” (MGM, 740). This commitment allows us to read MGM as an integrated unity. More importantly, it allows us to reassess Murdoch’s place in twentieth-century philosophy and to propose MGM as one of the works seeking to transform it. Our hope is that our reading will interest any philosopher who feels that something essential is missing in current typical practices in the discipline.

Use of silver diamine fluoride: past to present

Bacteria in the oral cavity have a great impact on caries formation by demineralizing tooth enamel. Bacterial infection should be prevented before restorative treatments. Rather than invasive treatment of an existing caries, arresting the bacterial activity in the carious lesion and remineralizing the dental tissue has become the goal of contemporary caries management philosophy. Silver compounds with antimicrobial effects have been developed over time and have taken their place in dentistry. 'Silver Diamine Fluoride' was created by combining the remineralizing effect of fluoride with the cariostatic effect of silver. Its popularity has increased because it appeals to the general population. It’s application is painless, simple, and affordable. Our aim in this review is to provide a general perspective on the usage areas of Silver Diamine Fluoride from past to present and to create a guide for its use in pediatric patients.