Critical Philosophy Research Articles

Sensibility First

In the practical realm just as in the theoretical realm, everything comes down to human sensibility as an equally empirical and non-empirical primitive starting point that constitutively motivates, intentionally pervades, and intentionally structures our innately-specified yet also “human, all-too-human” capacities for theoretical and practical rationality, all the way up. Strong Kantian non-conceptualism says that according to Kant, the faculty of human intuition or Anschauung, that is, human inner and outer sense perception, together with the faculty of imagination or Einbildungskraft, jointly constitute this sensible starting point for objective cognition and theoretical reason; and Kantian non-intellectualism says that according to Kant, human affect, desire, and moral emotion—in a word, the human heart—jointly constitute this sensible starting point for free agency and practical reason. Conjoined, they provide what I call the Sensibility First approach, which, in a nutshell, says that human rationality flows from the groundedness of our discursive, intellectual, and embodiment-neutral powers in our sensible, non-intellectual, and essentially embodied powers, without in any way reducing the former to the latter. If I’m correct about all this, then the result is a sharply non-classical and unorthodox, hence “shocking,” nevertheless fully unified and textually defensible approach to Kant’s proto-Critical philosophy (i.e., from 1768 to 1772), Critical philosophy (i.e., from 1781 to 1787) and post-Critical philosophy (i.e., from the late 1780s to the late 1790s) that encompasses his theoretical philosophy and the practical philosophy alike.

Kant and Schelling on Blumenbach’s formative drive

ABSTRACT Blumenbach’s epigenetic theory, particularly his concept of the formative drive, was appropriated by both Kant and Schelling. Kant’s third Critique endorsement of Blumenbach’s formative drive shows him to be close to Schelling’s conception of nature, since it is evidence of his distance from an artifactual conception of teleology. Schelling also draws on this concept of the formative drive, making the structures operative in the formative drive the explanatory ground of all natural forces and processes, thereby supplying the unity between the organic and inorganic which, according to Kant’s Critical philosophy, is unattainable for our discursive understanding. In this paper, I will argue for two related conclusions. First, Kant is closer to Schelling in his outlook than he has been interpreted to be, particularly in his conception of reflecting teleological judgment, according to which we must judge organisms as if they internally directed at ends, while using design as a heuristic device. Second, Schelling’s philosophy of nature expands upon Kant’s view of the teleological principle, and in doing so develops a systematically unified view of nature. For Schelling, the organizing principle manifested in the formative drive also unifies all of nature into a single system.

FROM BEST INTERESTS TO BETTER INTERESTS? VALUES, UNWISDOM AND OBJECTIVITY IN MENTAL CAPACITY LAW

AbstractThe Mental Capacity Act 2005 governs personal decision-making for adults. It incorporates five overarching principles, including that incapacity may not be inferred merely from a person's unwise decisions and that where a person lacks capacity decisions must be made in her best interests. Through analysis of judicial treatment of unwisdom, best interests, subjectivity and objectivity, considered against parliamentary debates on the Mental Capacity Bill and philosophical critique of ideas of (un)wisdom, we argue that these principles are problematically irreconcilable. The Act's radical under-specificity means, paradoxically, that this comes to be resolved through abstracted values, rather than the centricity of the person herself.

Fritz Mauthners Heimatbegriff: Zwischen Deutschnationalismus, jüdischem Selbsthass und Sprachkritik

This paper investigates the concept of Heimat in the work of philosopher, writer, and journalist Fritz Mauthner (1849–1923). It points out a conflict between Mauthner’s language philosophy and his political views. In his philosophical work, he argues that language is an insufficient tool for the acquisition of knowledge. When he writes about his heritage and uses notions such as Heimat, Volk, or Vaterland, Mauthner makes claims about the formation of social communities based on a shared language and neglects a critical analysis. It appears as if he ignores the philosophical critique of language when it comes to political concepts. Thus, his political position is usually described without regard to his language philosophy, and Mauthner is conceived as a devoted German nationalist and a typical example of Jewish self-hatred. That reading can be contrasted with parts of his work – especially the late book Muttersprache und Vaterland (1920) – in which he criticizes political concepts from a language-philosophical point of view. I argue that Mauthner, read as a philosopher, cannot be typecast as a naïve nationalist as he is too contradictory. I show that his writings offer both a historical example of German nationalism and a deconstruction of nationalism.

Crossing Borders in Initial Teacher Education: Supporting Translations in the Inner-City Practicum

Research examining teacher candidates’ preparation to teach in high-poverty, urban contexts marked by diversities and inequalities, throughout North America and internationally, is predominantly focused on examining and changing problematic attitudes based in white normativity and privilege. While this is extremely important, there has been a noted absence of research that supports translations of critical ideas from coursework into the practicum experience. In this article we share a case-study of eight teacher candidates supported by a practicum team approach designed to support these translations into the inner-city teaching practicum. The study is designed and analyzed through decolonial, settler-colonial, critical, and Indigenous theories and philosophies. The authors found common deficit perspectives in the practicum site, but that a relational focus across university and school contexts supported the translation of critical ideas into practice. This study recommends a more explicit engagement with settler colonialism and white privilege within both the practicum and coursework.

Carl Posy and Ofra Rechter, eds. Kant’s Philosophy of Mathematics. Volume 1: The Critical Philosophy and its Roots

Carl Posy and Ofra Rechter, eds. <i>Kant’s Philosophy of Mathematics. Volume 1: The Critical Philosophy and its Roots</i>

In the Name of God? Religion, Silence and Extortion

This article critically analyses the role religion (I refer here to Islam and Christianity) has played in promoting silence and extortion in Africa with particular reference to Nigeria. In my philosophical analysis, African and Western literatures will guide my reflection on religion, the role it played in advancing the colonial agenda and its use in today’s African societies. This analysis seeks to present a case for the position that the colonial debris of disempowerment, injustices, manipulation, and extortion are still very much part of African society. They have only assumed new outlooks and language, thus plunging many Africans into silence in the face of what is often presented as sacred and unknown. The desired aim of this article is to present a philosophical critique of religion by comparing it with existing use of religion in Africa, especially Nigeria.&#x0D; Keywords: Religion, Christianity, Extortion, Silence, Nigeria, Injustice

عصر التنوير وتأسيس الإتجاهات النقدية في الفكر السياسي الألماني

The concept of criticism and critical philosophy takes up a significant position in Western political thought, particularly after the emergence of the rational trend connected with the Age of Enlightenment and its principles of emancipation and progress. Also, it has become the spirit of civilization, the essential stimulus of creativity, and an effective manifestation of the awakening of individual and social consciousness, aimed at realizing the world, and altering it through the uncovering of human beings potentiality of strength and weakness, and the challenge of all that shackles one’s freedom and impedes one’s development and progress. Given that, enlightenment is a cultural trend that has disseminated in Europe and made the mind the sole source of knowledge. Thus, the German Illuminati strove for the success of reason and defended the legitimacy of scientific criticism by calling for social equality of individuals before reasons. The German Enlightenment went through several stages, beginning with Leibniz, Wolfe Welsung, up to Kant, being the founder of critical philosophy.

The Age of Enlightenment and the establishment of critical trends in German political thought

The concept of criticism and critical philosophy takes up a significant position in Western political thought, particularly after the emergence of the rational trend connected with the Age of Enlightenment and its principles of emancipation and progress. Also, it has become the spirit of civilization, the essential stimulus of creativity, and an effective manifestation of the awakening of individual and social consciousness, aimed at realizing the world, and altering it through the uncovering of human beings potentiality of strength and weakness, and the challenge of all that shackles one’s freedom and impedes one’s development and progress. Given that, enlightenment is a cultural trend that has disseminated in Europe and made the mind the sole source of knowledge. Thus, the German Illuminati strove for the success of reason and defended the legitimacy of scientific criticism by calling for social equality of individuals before reasons. The German Enlightenment went through several stages, beginning with Leibniz, Wolfe Welsung, up to Kant, being the founder of critical philosophy.

Critical Democratic Discourses, Post-Truth and Philosophy of Education

Critical Democratic Discourses, Post-Truth and Philosophy of Education

A philosophical critique of Feminism : From the third wave to the fourth wave

Feminism has been a good movement with the noble aim of freeing the world from the shackles of an evil superiority of men over women. The principal of feminism as a movement was political equality between men and women. In itself, it was a fair and just course such that it was inclusive of men as well, men were also part of the movement with no insults, threats, and hate speech. But in this technological era some impurities have also crept into it. From the third wave of feminism which is also known as GRRRL feminism which turned the offensive names into jokes and somehow normal to be pronounced in public, things became no longer about equality and respect of humanity. As feminism grew, it became less critical and became more sensitive towards emotions and uncritical amassment of followers. To some extent, being critical about feminism is unacceptable because someone becomes quickly accused of being patriarchal and antifeminism. Indeed, patriarchy is a negative and destructive idea perpetrated by those who were suffering from testosteron-epowersyndrome . But, when some thinkers like Valenti, Arndt, and Harrow have identified the syndrome and implemented some medication to it, others inject the other side with similarly fatal ideas. I call those ideas Oestrgoen-powersyndrome because they make their victims think that with collapse of patriarchy, men should be disgraced and be made to feel not existentially necessary. Symptoms of this syndrome start from no more knowing that hating the other sex is wrong and should not be promoted. Writers like Annapuranny and Jansen even perpetrate non progressive talks like “what’s wrong with hating men”, “the world would be better off without men” and many phrases of such destructive nature. But the issue which this paper seeks to address is that there is no philosopher who has critically tackled this matter. In fact, some African philosophers rather reject the whole feminism movement as non-African. Using analytical framework, this research ventures into critical analysis of this issue of feminist extremism coupled with the silence of African philosophers.

MODIFICATION OF JURGEN HABERMAS THOUGHT IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY AT MONDRAGON CORP

This study aims to briefly review the thoughts of Jurgen Habermas, the German philosopher at the Frankfurt School of Religion with his critical philosophy, especially those concerning social thoughts by comparing them to management science so that management science in theory and practice can be critical. Data processing uses descriptive analysis with a deconstruction paradigm, looking more sharply to give new and critical meanings to the interpretation of Habermas' thought. The text is understood and rearranged from a different perspective of thought, after discovering the foundation and philosophical structure of Habermas' thought, the researcher contributes thoughts in management science so that he can include it in the implementation of the Mondragon company. The results of this study prove that the idea of critical management science supports people's views regarding profitability and the strategy of the Mondragon company in a brief conceptualization reflecting the vision, mission, and values that adhere to humanity, equality of emancipatory values , and solidarity. The managerial implications are addressed by methods that are democratic and prioritize the social side to increase profitability Keywords: habermas, strategic management, democratic, mondragon

Moral Judgement as a Method in Historiography: An Analysis of al-Biruni’s al-Athar al-Baqiyah ‘an al-Qurun al-Khaliyah

The practice of moral judgement in historiography is a topic in critical philosophy of history. In general, there are two opinions on the practice of moral judgement in history: firstly, those who are against it, such as Croce, Bloch and Butterfield; secondly, those who are in support of it, such as Lord Acton, Ibn Khaldun and al-Biruni. Understanding the practice is crucial in facilitating “intellectual serenity” among historians in deciding on their research method. This article discusses al-Biruni’s position and epistemic justification on the issue of moral judgement in research in history. The analysis of al-Biruni’s perspective, based on his book, al-Athar al-Baqiyah ‘an al-Qurun al-Khaliyah, shows that his epistemic justification on moral judgement in history was influenced by his religious tradition.

The Phenomenon of Criticism in Authentic Marxism and its Reincarnation in Ukrainian Philosophy of the Second Half of the 1950s–Late 1980s

The article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of criticism in the authentic Marxist work and the revival of the principles of such criticism in philosophy that existed in the USSR in the period from the second half of the 1950s to the late 1980s. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to reconsider the experience of domestic philosophy of the Soviet period, particularly in the field of criticism of Western non-Marxist and neo-Marxist philosophical theories and their impact on the ideological foundations of mass consciousness and philosophy in the USSR.V. Bilodid, A. Bychko, P. Yolon, V. Kebuladze, O. Pohorilyi, M. Popovych, V. Skurativskyi, V. Tabachkovskyi, and others were engaged in research of the specified problems. The authors of this investigation also paid attention to the issue of the so-called “Critique of Bourgeois Theories” in the context of studying the phenomenon of the Ukrainian philosophy / philosophy in the Soviet Ukraine.The purpose of this investigation is to analyze the transformation of Marxist criticism in the USSR and the influence of Western European discourses on this process, especially in the second half of the 1950s and late 1980s, as it was then that the revival of the Ukrainian philosophy occurred. This happened after the “half-decay” of Stalinism; further development of this philosophy took place on its own basis.One of the important directions of analysis is the phenomenon of criticism, in particular, of “bourgeois theories”, due to which the topical ideas of Western philosophy penetrated the humanitarian national discourse. This, in turn, allowed Ukrainian researchers to stay at least partially in the context of pan-European philosophical research, as well as to use the critical potential of the authentic Marxism to latently criticize Soviet ideology and the system as a whole.

DISTINÇÃO ENTRE MÉTODO MATEMÁTICO E FILOSÓFICO EM KANT

This article seeks to understand the distinction between mathematical and philosophical method made by Kant in the pre-critical and critical periods. The central hypothesis is that, in distinguishing mathematics and philosophy, Kant never proposed a philosophical method of mere conceptual analysis. To defend it, we first examine Inquiry concerning the distinctness of the principles of natural theology and morality, trying to highlight that Kant proposes that the appropriate method for philosophy must be based on an inner experience of the object. Then, we examine Discipline of pure reason present in the first Critique, where Kant, after clarifying the difference between philosophy and mathematics, proposes a solution as important as paradoxical: critical philosophy would be responsible for a method of synthesis a priori by concepts. Thus, our reading is opposed to Schelling, who argues that Kant would have proposed a method restricted to the logical analysis of concepts for philosophy.

Postclassicisms

Postclassicisms

Enter the Matrix: What the new brain-computer interfaces teach us about agency, privacy, and human subjectivity

Within the last decade, the global brain-computer interface (BCI) industry has experienced significant economic growth and captured the public’s imagination through enthusiastic coverage in the popular media. Responding dialectically to this growing public discourse, this paper overviews the social, ethical, and philosophical aspects of BCIs that pose the greatest concern for information policymakers. By reading the industry’s techno-economic trends against contemporary critical philosophy, I argue that these technologies enable new “posthuman” forms of surveillance and control that challenge democratic notions of freedom, privacy, and equality.

Kant on limits, boundaries, and the positive function of ideas

AbstractIt is commonly claimed that Kant's critical philosophy aims to limit reason's speculative use and its metaphysical pretensions. This paper argues that such claims should be amended in light of a technical distinction between negative limits and positive boundaries that Kant held throughout his career. Kant's only extended discussion of this distinction appears in §§57–60 of the Prolegomena, a division entitled “On pure reason's boundary‐determination”. I examine these sections in detail in order to elucidate the account of the limits and boundaries of the activity of different cognitive faculties in the Critique of Pure Reason. I argue that once we understand a key ambition of the Critique to be the positive determination of the boundary between objects of experience and things in themselves, we gain insight into the essential contribution that Kant's theory of the positive utility of ideas of reason makes to the critical philosophy.

Aliran-Aliran Filsafat Barat Kontemporer (Postmodernisme)

Philosophy in the contemporary era has different characteristics from the previous era. Some of its characteristics, namely departing from humans who live in this age are very careful in following scientific development methods as well as examining language, meaning, symbols and emotions, human life attitudes. Technology dominates in this era so that many philosophers who are realists and the human soul experience emptiness. It can be said that the distinctive feature of this contemporary philosophy is that it does not have a flow form but continues to conduct studies and propose solutions that are continuously updated, a school of philosophy emerged in the postmodernism era, namely phenomenology and existentialism, analytical philosophy and philosophy of language, critical philosophy, postmodernism, while those which are used as a discussion in the era of Western contemporary philosophy and its surroundings, namely logical positivism, neomarxism, pragmatism, Neo-kantianism, phenomenology and existentialism, philosophy of life, postmodernism, contemporary atheism, hermeneutics.

Foucault’s Concept of Confession

Setting out from the difficulty of translating the Foucauldian notion of aveu, this paper proposes an account of Foucault’s concept of confession in the years 1979-1983 surrounding the writing of Confessions of the Flesh. I focus on Foucault’s relative failure to bring together the complementary dimensions of confession as confession of sins and confession of faith in early Christianity. Foucault’s attempts to tackle this challenge nonetheless reveal a number of crucial aspects of his thought throughout the 1970s, e.g., the critique of the notion of ideology and the role that critique played in the setting of Foucault’s “critical philosophy of veridictions”. A comparison with the lectures given at Louvain and the Collège de France suggests that Foucault took an original and rather solitary path in Confessions of the Flesh, which may explain the surprises awaiting the reader. Finally, I propose an explanation of Foucault’s final shift away from Christian confession towards Greek parrhesia, pointing to the key role of the idea of a “duty of truth”. This idea led Foucault to an original approach to confession and the illocutionary force of statements.