Critical Philosophy Research Articles

Deleuze and Foucault's Virtual Ontology of the Event

Deleuze's monograph on Foucault is often construed as a ‘metaphysical fiction’ (Frédéric Gros), which would attribute to Foucault a metaphysics of Deleuze's own issue. Notably, Paul Patton has argued that Deleuze thereby deeply mischaracterises Foucault's concepts of actuality, history, power and philosophy itself. Against this view, I argue that Deleuze's interpretation in Foucault clarifies the virtual force ontology that the two thinkers effectively developed in common. This ontological framework not only resolves Patton's specific objections; it also outlines a philosophy of the event demonstrating the conceptual consistency between Foucault and Deleuze on fundamental questions of philosophical critique and political agency.

Politinio mąstymo metmenys Immanuelio Kanto kritinėje filosofijoje

Immanuel Kant’s critical philosophy revolutionised thinking and left unanswered the question of how politics as philosophy and science is possible. Hannah Arendt was right to associate politics with the reflective power of decision, but she left unanswered the questions of what conception of politics is implied by Kant’s critical system and what are the limits of political philosophy and political science. The paper argues that politics is an aesthetic idea and therefore has no objectively universal definition and remains necessarily open to interpretation by various epistemic and political communities. Aesthetic ideas also substantiate the possibility of political science as symbolic cognition and reformulate the challenge of political philosophy to confine politics solely within the judgment.

A productive pedagogy of liminality: a counterpoint to a limited performativity

ABSTRACT Education as a journey of human becoming involves commitment to one’s ethical life project as well as learning to live well and actively participate with others in an ever-changing socio-cultural, political and material world. This paradoxical journey is at the heart of our philosophical criticism of contemporary policy impulses to formulate risk averse pedagogies which centre on a product model of outcomes. We draw from philosophical perspectives of liminality and the Productive Pedagogy study from Australia to inform our position by indicating how students make sense of pedagogical experiences in unique, deeply personal, corporeal and limitlessness ways. We use Aquatics Education as a useful symbolic representation for the immersive, embodied and relational practices involved in human becoming; practices that we aver need to be acknowledged, while never fully defined. These practices require teachers’ localised autonomous judgements in evaluating risk for dilemmas encountered. Holistic experiences, provided by games with gravity, are consistent with such ‘aesthetic experiences’ for primacy of the subject/subjective. Our affirmative critique reveals how immersive experiences occupy a defensible position for our concept of a Productive Pedagogy of Liminality, which aims to open affordances for each student’s ethical life project by heightening subjective awareness between body and spirit.

“Following according to a rule is FUNDAMENTAL to our language-game”. Rules and Meaning in Wittgenstein

There is widespread agreement that, in his later philosophy, Wittgenstein sees the meaning of a word as a matter of the rules for its use; to grasp its meaning is to grasp the rules for its use; and using the word with that meaning is a matter of following those rules. Kathrin Glüer and Åsa Wikforss have challenged that widely-shared interpretation. They argue that the later Wittgenstein does not think that the meanings of words are determined by rules or that using language involves following rules. And they think that the idea that using a word involves following rules is not just wrong as an interpretation of Wittgenstein; it is philosophically unacceptable in its own right. The paper defends the standard interpretation of Wittgenstein on rules and meaning against Glüer and Wikforss’s arguments. Textual evidence in favour of the standard interpretation is presented. Glüer and Wikforss’s textual case for their interpretation is discussed and found unconvincing. The paper then defends the view that using language involves following rules against Glüer and Wikforss’s philosophical critique. It is argued that Wittgenstein shows us a way to understand language-use as a form of rule-following behaviour that is consistent with his other commitments and maintains the distinction between following a rule and merely acting in accord with a rule. His account is an anti-reductionist one; there is no prospect of giving a non-circular account of what it is to follow a rule. But there is nothing philosophically unsatisfactory about that.

Kant a problematický pojem věci o sobě

The paper discusses Kant’s distinction between appearances and things in themselves, phenomena and noumena, and the problem of affection. The difference between appearances and things in themselves is understood as a methodological difference between two manners in which an object can be viewed: either as an appearance, or as a thing in itself. The author claims that this double-aspect view is a consequence of Kant’s conception of space and time as a priori forms of sensibility. The difference between phenomena and noumena, on the other hand, cannot be explained only by the double-aspect view; Kant understands it also as an ontological difference between two different kinds of objects. The paper concludes with a discussion of the problem of affection. The author claims that this problem is a pseudo-problem if we understand the difference between appearances and things in themselves as double-aspect view. Kant had maintained only an empirical affection. Passages in which Kant seems to advocate a transcendental affection can be brought in line with Kant’s critical philosophy.

Not Quite Yet a Hazy Limbo of Mystery: Intuition in Russell’s An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry

Abstract I argue that in Bertrand Russell’s An Essay on the Foundations of Geometry (1897), his forms of externality serve the same fundamental role in grounding the possibility of geometry that Immanuel Kant’s forms of intuition serve in grounding geometry in his critical philosophy. Specifically, both provide knowledge of bare numerical difference, where we have no concept of this difference. Because geometry deals with such conceptually homogeneous magnitudes and their composition on both accounts, forms of intuition or externality (respectively) are at its foundation.

Кант 300. Размышления о Международном Кантовском конгрессе в Калининграде

From April 22 to April 25, 2024, the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (Kaliningrad) hosted the International Kant Congress (hereafter referred to as the Congress), attended by over five hundred philosophers and scholars (art critics, educators, cultural experts, and others) from twenty-three countries. The theme of the congress was encapsulated by Kant’s well-known expression: “The World Concept of Philosophy”, encompassing diverse orientations that formed the basis for the main discussions. This quote primarily urges us to revisit Kant’s inter­pretation of philosophy as a rational means of harmonizing all spheres of human activity, while also highlighting its interdisciplinary, synthesizing nature. Parti­cipants of the congress were united by a characteristic feature aligning with the theme and spirit of the conference: an ideological focus on cooperation, a drive for compromise, and the search for formulas of equal free interaction among modern people. The congress showcased the complex, branched system of contemporary Kant studies and identified the most significant trends in the ac­tualization of Kant’s philosophy. A central theme in the fundamental works was the effort to identify a crucial aspect of Kant’s critical philosophy and substanti­ate it as a systematizing principle, forming the answer to the question “What is man?” The leitmotif of all applied reports was the application of Kant’s philo­sophy as a tool to determine the prospects of humans and humanity in today’s multi-religious, polyethnic, multicultural world. Together, fundamental and ap­plied research not only create an overall picture of contemporary Kant studies but also indicate the directions of development in modern world philosophy

The Impact of Economic Policy Changes on International Trade and Relations

Economic policies continue to remain central in determining relations among nation states in the global economy that is progressively characterised by integrated globalisation. The newer changes in the course of economics; or due to the geopolitical conflicts, advancement in the field of technology, the impact of COVID-19, commerce worldwide has experience newer changes. A review of these policies is presented in this paper with a view of assessing their direct and indirect effect on international trade. Analyzing the experience of various countries, including both developed ones and the countries in the process of development, this paper aims to reveal how nations responded to these changes, as well as what strategies can work, and what difficulties can be encountered. Besides, the paper contains a prognosis of future developments of the international economy, having several scenarios and guidelines for practical implementation. These disconnects highlight the relevance of the critical philosophy in economic policy formulation since the globe economic policy should balance internal economic stable and international trade cooperation.

Влияние спекулятивной философии И. Канта на становление и концептуализацию онтологической школы Московской духовной академии

The article delves into the analysis of philosophical reception of Kantian ideas by representatives of the onto-logical school of the Moscow Theological Academy F.A. Golubinsky and V.D. Kudryavtsev-Platonov. I. Kant’s critical philosophy aroused genuine interest among professors of theological academies, since Kantian tran-scendentalism was a method rather than a competing system of philosophical metaphysics, nevertheless, at-tempts to combine the achievements of Kantian thought and theistic attitudes revealed obvious contradictions between the constants of the two systems. The influence of Kant’s critical thought on the philosophical tradition of the Moscow Theological Academy is assessed by researchers in a mixed way: they note the doctrinal ap-proach in criticizing Kantian positions, as well as the eclectic nature of academic concepts, in which thinkers tried to strike a balance between the rigor of Kantian discourse and the postulates of Orthodox Christian theism. Meanwhile, the critical assessment of the ideas and concepts of Kantian philosophy, the reinterpretation of its terms did not lead academic thinkers beyond its basic principles. The author notes the systemic nature of the influence, which consists in the branching of the method and structure of I. Kant’s speculative thought in the philosophical constructions of the ontological school.

Robert Bernasconi and the challenges of a Critical Philosophy of Race: (Un)learning to read and teach the history of moral philosophy

This essay is an attempt to determine what Robert Bernasconi’s body of work in Critical Philosophy of Race can teach us about the way in which we, philosophers and professors of philosophy, ought to treat our institutional heritage. What should we make, for instance, of moral claims made by philosophers of the modern era who – tacitly or explicitly – manifested certain levels of endorsement toward the Atlantic Slave Trade? How should we comprehend the conceptual tools that we have inherited from them, knowing that those were formulated alongside justificatory claims for the enslavement of Africans – claims that we now deem undoubtably and universally immoral? I extract from Bernasconi’s writings an implicit methodology that can be broken down into three main moves: (1) a historiographical work, akin to Michel Foucault’s ‘archaeological’ method, aimed at uncovering the material conditions that allowed for the emergence of philosophical ideas of the past, (2) a dialectical work aimed at interpreting this collection of historical data through the critical lens of race, and (3) a pedagogical work aimed at transforming the practice of academic philosophy in light of the critique. I conclude that his methodological contribution culminates in an invitation to revisit and transform the past of the institution by treating the history of academic philosophy as philosophically and conceptually relevant rather than merely incidental. Such a commitment toward critically engaging the past of our institution urges us to revisit the canon in specific ways.

Divine ambiguity: A philosophical inquiry into God’s uncertain decisions

The debate surrounding the nature and attributes of God as presented in the Bible has garnered significant attention and critique from various philosophical perspectives like Friedrich Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell and David Hume. This philosophical critique emphasises the inconsistency in the nature of God and challenges traditional theological beliefs. The expression of regret by the God of the Bible in Genesis 6:6 raises philosophical dilemmas regarding divine attributes and the problem of evil. The contradiction between God’s regret and the affirmation of his creation as good underscores fundamental questions about divine omniscience, omnipotence and benevolence. The presence of evil and suffering in the world poses a significant challenge to the notion of a loving and all-powerful God. Examples of human suffering, such as slavery, colonisation, apartheid and natural disasters, further highlight the complexity of reconciling divine attributes with the existence of evil. Philosophically analysing biblical narratives, such as the story of Job, Noah’s flood and the plagues of Egypt, raises ethical concerns regarding divine justice and the moral agency of humanity. Additionally, the indiscriminate punishment of innocent individuals in these narratives challenges the credibility of a benevolent and compassionate God. The philosophical inquiry into the problem of evil and natural disasters underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of divine attributes and their implications for human existence.Contribution: The study encourages reflection on key questions about the nature of divinity, the morality of divine actions, and the compatibility of traditional theology with rational thought. It highlights how inconsistencies in certain biblical accounts challenge those trying to balance faith with reason and scientific understanding. While some may view these narratives as metaphors or allegories, others find it difficult to align them with their intellectual beliefs, resulting in tensions between religious faith and scientific rationality.

Freire's Praxis, Democracy and Critical Consciousness in Islamic Education

Critical philosophy in education assumes that students are so naive and unable to read social reality critically, and this also happens in Islamic education. Paulo Freire tries to promote the importance of student-centred education, active participation and critical consciousness in education. This study aims to: (1) explore Freire's ideas about praxis; (2) explore Freire's thoughts on democracy; (3) explore Freire's thinking about critical consciousness; (4) integrate the concepts of praxis, democracy and critical consciousness in Islamic education. This is literature research which involves review of literature that is relevant to Freire's concepts and their application in Islamic education. The findings of this study are: (1) Praxis allows students to link Islamic knowledge and values with concrete actions in life; (2) Democracy promotes student participation in decision-making and open dialogue, enabling them to actively contribute to learning; (3) Critical consciousness helps students understand the structure of society and analyze their understanding of Islamic teachings critically; (4) The concepts of praxis, democracy and critical consciousness in Islamic education provides opportunities for students to integrate religious teachings with their life experiences, understand the social context and develop a critical understanding of Islam.

Defusing a Paradox to a Hypodox

One way of resolving a paradox is to defuse it to a hypodox. This way is relatively unknown though. The goal of this paper is to explain this way with varied examples. The hypodoxes are themselves a broad class: both the Truth-teller and the 21st birthday of someone born on 29th February can be construed as hypodoxes. The most familiar kind of relation between paradoxes and hypodoxes is exemplified by the relation between the Liar and the Truth-teller. This article concerns a second kind where a paradox is defused to a hypodox by restricting or rejecting some granted principles. The Liar paradox has this second kind of relation to a Liar hypodox, which will be introduced. In some cases, defusing a paradox to a hypodox is only a partial resolution, as the hypodox itself may then need resolving. Even so, such a partial resolution decomposes a complex problem into more easily understood problems. Moreover, I compare the result of defusing a paradox to a hypodox with the results of resolving paradoxes in other ways. I give four examples. The first is mainly pedagogic, concerning a birthday. The second is a lightweight legal case, presenting a parking voucher paradox. The third is a formal system in which a Liar and Liar-like sentences are hypodoxical. The fourth is a philosophical critique of ways of solving Bertrand’s chord paradox.

Alois Riehls Blick auf Friedrich Nietzsche und sein Verhältnis zu Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche

Abstract Alois Riehl’s View of Friedrich Nietzsche and His Relationship with Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. Alois Riehl and Friedrich Nietzsche were contemporaries – both were born in the same year, 1844. But the philosophical paths they followed could hardly be more different. Nevertheless, Riehl recognized Nietzsche as one of the most important thinkers of his time. He was one of the first academic philosophers to devote a detailed analysis to Nietzsche’s writings. And Riehl saw in Nietzsche’s work a complementary counterpart to the scientific philosophy that he developed in his Philosophical Criticism. At the heart of the present paper is a speech given by Riehl on October 15, 1903, on the occasion of the reopening of the Villa Silberblick and the unveiling of Max Klinger’s bust of Nietzsche. The argument is divided into three parts. First, it reconstructs the background to these events historically in light of the friendly relationship between Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and Riehl, as well as Riehl’s hesitation to give a speech. Second, Riehl’s ambivalent attitude in his reception of Nietzsche is analyzed through a close reading of his text. Third, the paper concludes with a final look at the specific event of October 15, 1903, based on historical material.

A Demand for Critical Philosophy in the Age of Post-Truth - Centering on Kant’s Spirit of Enlightenment and Philosophy of Hope -

A Demand for Critical Philosophy in the Age of Post-Truth - Centering on Kant’s Spirit of Enlightenment and Philosophy of Hope -

Response to Robert Bernasconi's “Slavery's absence from histories of moral and political philosophy”

AbstractI focus in this response on what I take to be Bernasconi's proposal to dissolve and reframe moral and political philosophies around the problematic of slavery. Insofar as, in the wake of Afro‐diasporic and Black radical thought, it offers us one version of an argument that has now touched virtually all aspects of modern European philosophy, how are we to understand the specific orientations of Bernasconi's approach? Reading Bernasconi's article, I comment on the following points: (1) the notion of “absence” or “silence” about slavery, (2) Bernasconi's focus on methodology rather than individual moral or political responsibility, and (3) his shift away from canonical philosophical figures. To conclude, I open further questions regarding the relationships between the “material” approach to the history of philosophy he advocates in this article and the project of a “critical philosophy of race” he has defended elsewhere.

Charles Mills’s “Black Trash”: Reproducing Race, Pig Waste, and Ecological Resistance

ABSTRACT The reception of the work of Charles Mills has mostly been restricted to responses to Rawls, social epistemology, and Black feminist critique. All overlook the sustained analysis of space, race, and waste, which this article argues is its most valuable contribution for critical philosophy of race today. This article claims that that in addition to “cognitive resistance,” an analysis of Black trash suggests intimate ecological resistance as a fundamental aspect of the political self-assertion of racialized “subpersons,” and argues that this challenges any qualified fidelity to the basic tenets of liberal political philosophy. Focusing on waste from the pig industry in North Carolina, the article returns to Mills’s essay “Black Trash” to demonstrate the importance of ecology to the racial contract and its renewed relevance. Building on Shatema Threadcraft’s critical engagement with Mills in Intimate Justice, the article concludes that a Black trash feminist approach that foregrounds intimate matters is necessary for ecological resistance.

Nothing and Infinity: Black Life’s Response to Ontological Terror

ABSTRACT This article explores the conclusion of Calvin Warren’s book Ontological Terror and the nihilistic suggestion for Black life to reject humanism. In the text’s final chapter, Warren unexpectedly references Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s leap of faith and reflects on Black life’s enduring spirit through an anti-Black world. This article’s analysis faithfully traces Warren’s nihilistic arguments against humanism and scaffolds them through his reference to Kierkegaard. Utilizing the methods of critical philosophy of race and Black existential philosophy, the first section contextualizes Ontological Terror’s main arguments, places Warren’s reference to Kierkegaard inside a longer Black existential lineage, and grafts Kierkegaard’s concept of the tragic hero onto Warren’s antihumanism. The second section offers a reconstruction of Warren’s ideas through Kierkegaard’s knight of infinite resignation and the leap of faith. This section stresses the importance of both endurance and spirit for Warren’s divestment from humanism. The third section puts Warren’s nihilism in conversation with the work of Black feminist philosophers to offer an alternative way to interpret divestment from humanism. The article concludes by engaging David Marriott’s and Frantz Fanon’s understanding of invention to help rethink the links between nihilism, future-oriented thinking, and Black endurance against anti-Blackness.

“Without Losing Sight of the Concrete”: Critical and Metacritical Theories of Race

ABSTRACT The shifting dynamics of racial domination across historical contexts present a problem for critical philosophy of race. Much of the literature has focused on answering the question of “What is race?” as the solution to the problem of dynamic variability. In what follows, this article proposes that a better solution should begin with answering the question “What must the world be like for race to shift appearances across contexts?” Answering the latter question recapitulates the classic tension between appearance and reality. A core feature of racial domination is that it abstracts from social relations by presenting them as natural. Drawing on the tradition of critical theory from Karl Marx to Roy Bhaskar, this article argues that the task of critical philosophy of race is primarily explanatory rather than moral. The wrongness of racial domination follows from the critical elucidation of how a given society systemically induces the misrecognition of social conditions and thus blocks the realization of emancipatory agency. By presenting a clearer picture of what the world is like, critical philosophy of race can better aid our capacity for self-emancipation.

Natures, ideas, and essentialism in Kant

Despite recent essentialist approaches to Kant’s laws of nature, it is unclear whether Kant’s critical philosophy is compatible with core tenets of essentialism. In this paper, I first reconstruct Kant’s position by identifying the key metaphysical and epistemological features of his notion of ‘nature’ or ‘essence’. Two theses about natures can be found in the literature, namely that they are noumenal in character (noumenal thesis) and that they guide scientific investigation as regulative ideas of reason (regulative thesis). I argue that Kant’s notion of nature does not entail the noumenal thesis and, based on his model of causal explanation, I propose a novel, phenomenal thesis, that allows for a better understanding of the function of natures as regulative ideas. In the last part of the paper, I show that Kant’s ‘essentialism’ is a genuine form of essentialism committed to de re modality, although it differs in several respects from major contemporary essentialist accounts. I conclude by suggesting that Kant’s essentialism (if appropriately updated) can be relevant to the contemporary debate, which has so far been dominated by Humean and Aristotelian proposals.