Philosophical Discourse Research Articles

Евразийство до евразийцев

The article examines the genesis of the Eurasian ideology of the 1920–1930s from the point of view of discourse analysis. Discourse is defi ned as a set of statements refl ecting different points of view on the same issue. In accordance with this defi nition, the author isolates the Eurasian discourse from two adjacent ones - the pre-revolutionary imperial and religious-philosophical. The problematics of pre-revolutionary imperial discourse were focused on justifying the right of Russian tsars to own lands and peoples within the existing borders of the empire, as well as the right to expand these borders. The religious and philosophical discourse about Russia was built around the question of its divine purpose in the history of mankind. In contrast, Eurasian discourse focuses on ethnocultural synthesis within the boundaries of a special geographical area, most of which is located within the Russian state. But before the revolution of 1917, this problem was not considered at all in this formulation. The predecessors of Eurasianism include only a few authors who recognized and positively assessed the Turkic-Mongol infl uence on the Russian mentality and statehood. However, by the beginning of the twentieth century, the prevailing tendency was to downplay or deny this infl uence altogether. The turn to the Eurasian issues is associated with the work of symbolist poets A. Blok and A. Bely. Being infl uenced by the religious and mystical prophecy of the philosopher V. Solovyov, they accepted the revolutionary upheavals of the early twentieth century, as the awakening of the “inner East” in the Russian people. Together with other representatives of the Russian intelligentsia, they were the creators of the Eurasian myth, born in the elements of revolution and civil war. The founders of the Eurasian movement rationalized this myth, reducing it to political ideology. This was a version of the new imperial ideology, which explained and justifi ed the preservation of a united and indivisible Russia within its former borders.

Изобретение концепта реализма в схоластике

The ancient separation of the world into the domains of ideas and things created the ground for questioning about true existence. Thus, reality could be attributed to ideas, or it could be attributed to things. Given the tension between Platonic and Aristotelian ontologies, the problem of the status of general notions was embodied in medieval philosophical discussion, often clothed in theological form. The article reconstructs the controversy around the ontological status of universals within several scholastic doctrines. The essence of this dispute, from a perspective that is of ontological and gnoseological interest, comes down to clarifying the categorical grid, within which it is possible to make statements concerning reality. There are at least three main positions that refl ect the views of scholastic thinkers on the ontological nature of universals: realism, nominalism and conceptualism. The basic difference between them is determined by confl icting opinions regarding the issues of autonomy of the existence of universals, their dependence on the mind and things, and also about their materiality. This study reproduces the crucial moves of the scholastic thought of realists (A. Canterbury), nominalists (W. Occam), conceptualists (P. Abelard) and moderate realists (F. Aquinas), around which the conceptual background of the conversation about reality is formed. At the same time, it became obvious that the concept of realism (which was not yet in the philosophical vocabulary during the period of scholasticism) acquires its features in the intersections and contradictions between positions in the range from strong realism to extreme nominalism. Besides, it has been demonstrated in actual analysis that a set of alternative solutions to the problem of universals was refl ected in the broad philosophical problems of Modern (along the epistemological teachings of rationalism and empiricism) and contemporary thought (in projects of speculative realism, fl at ontologies, as well as in the fi eld of philosophy of mind). At the same time, it must be recognized, as a result, that the later development of the concept of realism and the problems of cognition associated with it had a retrospective impact on the correlation of scholastic positions with each other.

Is A Star A Document? Catalogued Students and Learning Analytics

AbstractThe media theorist Suzanne Briet proposed that through the recording of information about entities in the world, these entities are not only documented, but they themselves are rendered into documents. She asks us to consider the case of an antelope which is captured, brought to Europe, put in a zoo, and examined by experts and members of the public. She argues that the zoo is effectively a laboratory in which the antelope is analysed, displayed, and therefore itself becomes a document due to these material analytical assemblages around it. In this paper, I propose that Briet’s notion of the document can be applied to data visualisation used in learning analytics, and its effect on students. With reference to a philosophical discussion of the status of data visualisation in terms of Kant’s theory of the sublime versus Deleuze’s notion of the diagram, I argue that a learning analytics dashboard designed for individual student use not only renders the student into a document but also imbricates the student in a co-constitutive form of relationality with that document, which explicitly encourages and rewards a very particular form of action in the world in relation to the learning management system. I conclude that this has real-world effects not only in this inculcation, but in the reification of a particular neoliberal ideology of student engagement as a performance of observable, traceable, self-optimisation in a highly individualised educational worldview.

Эзотерический подход к экспликации понятий страдания, объективированной воли (эго) и имманентной целенаправленности с позиции концептуальной идеи об эволюционной каузальной финалистичности

This study endeavors to explicate and elucidate, from an esoteric perspective, the potential, prospective, and functional content of such phenomena as suffering, objectified will (with the ego representing the referent of the psychic structure of the subject), and immanent teleology. Drawing upon the philosophical perspectives on suffering and objectified will by German philosopher A. Schopenhauer, as well as referencing the esoteric teachings of American philosopher-mystic F. Merrell-Wolff, the philosophical views on human existence by J.-P. Sartre, the spiritual concepts of Canadian psychologist E. Tolle, and the arguments posited by Aristotle in favor of the existence of a final cause, the study aims to analyze these phenomena. An attempt is made to demonstrate the interconnectedness between the claims of the objectified will, as discussed in philosophical discourse, and the ideas of theoretical physicist S. Hawking in the field of physical sciences, particularly in the evolutionary development of the universe. Through the discourse, immanent teleology, manifested in life itself as an inclination towards eternal peace, is asserted as an a priori form of understanding the world of phenomenal spatiotemporal multiplicity. In contrast, the objectified will strives for the identity of infinite energy density through possession, sole proprietary ownership, and governance over the objects of the universe. These dual directions culminate in liberation through the overcoming or destruction of enslavement, ultimately leading to the annulment of time and space.

К вопросу понимания коллективизма как ценности отечественной традиционной культуры

Understanding collectivism as a traditional Russian spiritual and moral value is not just relevant, but vital. This is directly related to the issue of preserving national identity against the background of globalization processes and the global geopolitical situation. The constant need to respond effectively to new challenges and threats forces us to turn to our cultural origins and traditional values, which consolidate the essence and strength of the people. The concept of collectivism as a value category has evolved and been enriched with new meanings in Russian philosophical thought. However, it should be acknowledged that collectivism has been, is, and will remain one of the fundamental traditional Russian values, the correct understanding, awareness, and acceptance of which contribute to the preservation of Russian national and cultural identity. The aim of this study is to examine the understanding of collectivism in modern philosophical discourse to reassess its influence on modern Russian society, its self-awareness, and development prospects. The research utilized the method of analysis of literary sources and the method of comparative analysis, juxtaposing various perspectives on this issue.

Категория социального пространства в истории социально-философской мысли

This article is an analysis of the development of philosophical thought regarding the category of “social space”, including the relevant historical and philosophical understanding of the category of “space”, which is relevant in this issue. The problem of social space was first formulated in the XIX century, which was an important stage in the study of the category “space”. This ontological inquiry, intrinsic to philosophical discourse, has captivated the intellects of scholars across epochs. In the XIX–XX centuries, the problem of space acquired a broader meaning and began to include the concept of social space. The aim of the study is to scrutinize the category of “social space” through the lens of historical socio-philosophical ruminations and the diverse perspectives offered by philosophers. This analytical endeavor aims to contemporize the discourse surrounding social space, fostering its resonance within anthropological, social, and sociological discourses, alongside its implications for urban studies and urban philosophy

К вопросу о линиях интерпретации феномена гражданской войны в античной философии: stasis и bellum civile

The concept of civil war remains relatively underdeveloped given a steadily increasing interest of political philosophers in the study of civil conflicts in general. The multi-layered genealogy of this notion includes elements of significantly different approaches to its definition. The two divergent lines of interpretation of the phenomenon of civil wars can be traced back to the ancient philosophy: the Greek stasis and the Roman bellum civile. In recent years, the concept of stasis is making a comeback to the academic circles due to its use in the works of Nicole Loraux, Giorgio Agamben and a number of other authors. At the same time, the dominant approach to analyzing civil wars is based primarily on their perception in line with the Roman concept, which presupposes a monistic social ontology model and has significant limitations when applied to modern conditions. In the article, the author analyzes the main features of the perception of the phenomenon of civil wars in the ancient Greek and Roman philosophy. Based on the texts of Plato and Aristotle, who elaborated the theory of stasis in the most systematic way, the author demonstrates that admitting the possibility to overcome just the extreme external manifestations of stasis (but not to eradicate it altogether) inevitably impacts the evaluation of the importance of pluralism in the life of a political community, the interpretation of the actions of the defeated party and memory politics. Hence, the author analyzes how the perception of a civil conflict as a phenomenon inherent in the life of the polis and, in one form or another, an “inevitable evil”, can again be relevant in the context of the philosophical and political discussions of the 21st century.

On the formation of ideological grounds for the prevention of suicidal behavior. Historical and philosophical discourse

On the formation of ideological grounds for the prevention of suicidal behavior. Historical and philosophical discourse

Rethinking the Death of God through Kenotic Thought (with Hegel’s Help)

This paper explores the death of God narrative through the lens of kenosis, drawing insights from thinkers such as Marcel, Heidegger, Vattimo, and Girard. It investigates the implications of kenotic thought for contemporary religious and philosophical discourse, exploring various interpretations of kenosis, ranging from Altizer and Žižek’s apocalyptic views to Vattimo’s more hopeful perspective. Through critical engagement with these viewpoints, this paper advocates for a nuanced understanding of kenosis inspired by Hegel, one that bypasses both radical theology and excessive optimism. Methodologically, this study adopts a hermeneutic approach, analyzing key texts and engaging in philosophical dialogue. This paper concludes that rethinking kenotic thought could provide a robust framework for grappling with the death of God in the contemporary context, offering avenues for ethical reflection, social critique, and speculative renewal.

Depression in Ibn Miskawaih's Perspective A Review of Islamic Psychology

The purpose of this study was to study the importance of a sick and healthy mental condition and its healing methods, through the thoughts of Ibn Miskawaih by referring to one of his works, namely, Tahddzib Al-Akhlaq. This research found that Ibn Miskawaih's Islamic psychology was studied through the discourse of al-quwwah al-ghadabiyyah, which influenced the suffering of sadness or even depression, which had an impact on the human mind, using the discourse of philosophy of the soul, through philosophical studies, Ibn Miskawaih observes that the human soul's nervousness in processing and stimulating all aspects of reality has its roots in Suffering, depression, and sadness, mental illnesses often experienced by modern man.

W. SHAKESPEARE’S “HAMLET” IN CONTEXT OF E. LEVINAS’S PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPT OF MAN: DISCOVERING ‘THE OTHER’ AS A MEANINGFUL SUBTEXT OF THE TRAGEDY

The article concentrates on the study of the relationship between literary-artistic and philosophical discourses in the process of verbalizing universal cultural meanings of existence and building a holistic concept of man as an uppermost task of creation and re-creation (interpretation) of a literary work through the example of W. Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet”. The article aims to interpret W. Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet” in the context of ideas of the French thinker E. Levinas, one of the founders of the philosophy of dialogue. The tasks of the study are to characterize the significance of the dialogical vision of personality for the contemporary interpretation of the classics of world literature, to reveal the importance of dialogue between artistic and philosophical discourses while cognizing the human being in his interaction with the world and to consider the system of images in W. Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet” with regard to the philosophy of the Other, developed in E. Levinas’s works “Time and the Other” and “Humanism of the Other”. The main research methods include culture-historical and hermeneutic methods applied in addition to the fundamental ideas of the philosophy of dialogue. The article deals with the tragedy “Hamlet” by W. Shakespeare as a prototext for E. Levinas’s philosophical work “Time and the Other”. Shakespearean reminiscences are characterized as important in terms of the development of the Levinasian concept of man. According to Levinas, the essence of the person is revealed in the dialogical interaction with the Other, which allows one to go beyond the present as captivity, discover the connections with the future in which the subject no longer exists, and achieve the eventful fullness of being, which leads to harmony and opens the way to the transcendental subject and eternity. The system of images in W. Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet” allows one to associate the title character with different variants of the Other, which become significant for him as he fulfils the Ghost’s will. The unfolding of the action can be interpreted as such that it features the establishment of dialogical interaction between the father and the son in its meaningful subtext. At the level of events, the achieved interaction is seen as the fullness of the characters’ personal existence (above all, that of Hamlet and the Ghost), which manifests itself in overcoming the boundary between life and death, restoring the normal course of history and asserting the necessity for the superiority of good over evil. Horatio, the actor (i.e. the First Player), and jester Yorick (an offstage character in the prince’s memories), each of whom represents the conditions necessary for genuine dialogical interaction (belonging to a tradition, empathy, carnival freedom and, therefore, the familiarity of contact with another person), become significant variants of the Other to Hamlet, metonymically equivalent to his father the king.

Organization philosophy: a study of organizational goodness in the age of human and artificial intelligence collaboration

AbstractThis study challenges the conventional boundaries of philosophy by asserting that organizations can function as legitimate subjects within philosophical discourse. Western philosophy, epitomized by Descartes, has long assumed that individual human beings are the fundamental units of thought and moral agency. However, in a significant oversight, this belief overlooks the idea that organizations can think independently, leading to both virtuous and malevolent results. Epistemology lacks a clear prioritization of morally sound knowledge over potentially harmful knowledge. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has also transformed the landscape of cognition from a primarily individual human endeavor into a joint undertaking where humans collaborate with AI entities in collective thinking and decision-making. Nevertheless, AI lacks the innate ability to discern between ethical and unethical actions. This symbiosis creates organizations as fundamental philosophical subjects, marking a significant shift in philosophical emphasis where the organization takes the center stage. Accordingly, within this emerging field, we advance four propositions as the core subjects of organization philosophy: organizations can think, organizations can create knowledge, AI can be part of an organization, and humans in the organization control moral discipline. These propositions guide the ethical coexistence of AI and human agents in organizations, emphasizing the importance of ethical deliberation in knowledge use. Moreover, the malicious use of profound knowledge hinders human progress, as illustrated in this study by an ethical examination of military institutions within organization philosophy.

Theosis of homoiōsis Theōi? Bijbelse voorstellingen van deïficatie door Grieks-Romeinse ogen

This essay argues that the contemporary philosophical discourse of ‘becoming like god’ (homoiōsis theōi) offers a relevant cultural frame to analyse both the convergences and divergences between Platonic, Stoic, Epicurean, and diverse biblical takes on deification. In particular, participation in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) is interpreted in light of the close connection between ontological and ethical transformation found in Graeco-Roman sources. Additionally, it is observed that Paul limits his expressions of‘becoming like’ to Christ as the ultimate ‘image of God’, this in line with mediating figures in Middle Platonic traditions - traditions which were also concerned with upholding divine transcendence. The biblical material on this theme is found to be distinctive in at least three aspects: in the critical function and democratizing effect of the ‘image of God’ motive, in the kenosis and suffering of the mediating Image, and in the collective nature of the transformation, encompassing whole communities and, in somecases, the whole of creation.

Philosophical crossroads: exploring the convergences and tensions between scientific materialism and Monistic thought of Eastern philosophies

Scientific materialism and Eastern monistic ideologies have a complicated relationship, as this study shows. While typically seen as incompatible, these worldviews share surprising similarities and moments of convergence. Both views are used to examine consciousness, reality, and mind-matter connections. Based on seminal works in scientific materialism, quantum physics, and Eastern philosophical traditions like Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism, this study examines how recent advances in quantum mechanics and neuroscience have led some researchers to reconsider materialist paradigms, potentially bridging gaps with non-dualistic Eastern concepts. Our research shows that while ontological gaps remain, both theories seek to grasp ultimate reality and human experience. We believe that a sophisticated interaction between these traditions can deepen scientific and philosophical discourse and lead to more complete conceptions of consciousness and reality. The paper finishes by proposing a paradigm for future interdisciplinary research that could combine Western scientific materialism and Eastern monistic thinking to better comprehend existence and consciousness.

Artificial Intelligence and Musicking

Artificial intelligence (AI) deployed for customer relationship management (CRM), digital rights management (DRM), content recommendation, and content generation challenge longstanding truths about listening to and making music. CRM uses music to surveil audiences, removes decision-making responsibilities from consumers, and alters relationships among listeners, artists, and music. DRM overprotects copyrighted content by subverting Fair Use Doctrine and privatizing the Public Domain thereby restricting human creativity. Generative AI, often trained on music misappropriated by developers, renders novel music that seemingly represents neither the artistry present in the training data nor the handiwork of the AI’s user. AI music, as such, appears to be produced through AI cognition, resulting in what some have called “machine folk” and contributing to a “culture in code.” A philosophical analysis of these relationships is required to fully understand how AI impacts music, artists, and audiences. Using metasynthesis and grounded theory, this study considers physical reductionism, metaphysical nihilism, existentialism, and modernity to describe the quiddity of AI’s role in the music ecosystem. Concluding thoughts call researchers and educators to act on philosophical and ethical discussions of AI and promote continued research, public education, and democratic/laymen intervention to ensure ethical outcomes in the AI music space.

The Pathos of Finitude

Abstract Although it is sometimes construed as a mere negation of philosophical discourse, François Laruelle maintains that there is a positive side to his project of “nonphilosophy.” Often this takes the form of a defense of the “ordinary man,” a faceless individual, without qualities, defined by absolute finitude. Laruelle claims to articulate a rigorous science of man, capable of thinking human individuals in their essence, outside the philosophical interpellation to which they are usually submitted. This science intends to finally break apart the post-Kantian empirico-transcendental doublet, which is, for Laruelle, emblematic of the divided, fragmented, and alienated figure with which philosophy has always (mis)represented man. It does this by relinquishing all empirical and figural content in the name of an uncompromising formalism—a purely transcendental method. Yet, despite this intention, a preoccupation with subjective finitude, and the pathos derived from it, is both retained and amplified, describing an invariably fraught relationship between the ordinary man and the extraordinary world furnished by philosophy. Ultimately, nonphilosophy offers less a science of ordinary individuals and more an ethos for academic philosophers, guiding its readers toward a specific subject position, achieved through an ongoing labor of abstraction.

Homo villicus in the cinema environment.

The relevance of the topic of Homo villicus lies in its capacity to disrupt conventional paradigms of human representation and cultural understanding within the sphere of symbolism. The aim of this study is to investigate Homo villicus within the realm of symbolic representation, examining its unique characteristics and its role in contemporary philosophical discourse. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach, encompassing literature review, conceptual analysis, discourse analysis, case studies, content analysis, comparative analysis, psychological assessments, ethical considerations, and critical discourse analysis. The results of this study highlight the importance of an acratic approach to governance that uses Homo villicus, generating a counter-hegemonic discourse and intensifying the interaction between culture, cinema, and self-management. This study highlights the dynamic cultural influence of Homo villicus, which actively seeks to balance its inner forces and “build itself” through self-revolution. Furthermore, it explores the cinematic nature of self-construction, emphasizing the participation of viewers in the creation of screen products and the role of film in directly representing behavior. It also highlights the potential of Homo villicus in transforming dissatisfied models into personal models. Homo villicus’ distinctive self-demonstration technology, drawing from contemporary expositions and eschewing reliance on prior presentations, underscores its role as an innovative lens through which to explore cultural history on its terms.

Ethical Issues in the Use of Technologies in Education Settings

The increasing technology usage in educational settings has not always regarded the ethical implications that may involve its use. Despite its impact, educational practice has shown limited interest in caring about ethics, and research has only sparked slight attention to explore these issues. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the evidence available in educational research and practice concerning ethical issues of educational technology and the knowledge gaps in the topic. A sample of 99 studies was included in the review and coded according to the basic characteristics of the study, research scope and methods, strategies, and recommendations. Data collected provides evidence of important research growth in two concrete time periods: 2006-2010, with the emergence of social media, and 2015-2020, which includes the pandemic educational emergency time. The findings also show two prominent research topics: Data privacy/confidentiality and Academic honesty and intellectual property. Many topics were present from the early years of the Educational Technology field, while others appeared recently in the 21st century. An important presence of theoretical studies shows that philosophical discussion is still predominant, and timid movements concerning educational practice are observed. Conclusions reflect the need to work on further recommendations towards practices that actively consider these ethical issues in educational technology.

The Grammar of the Disabled-Able Agency Construing ‘Hindu Studies’: Perusing the Ashtavakra Gita

The Ashtavakra Gita is a metaphysical treatise by Rishiraj Janaka and the able-disable Sage Ashtavakra in Indian mythology. It spans 20 chapters and 285 shlokas, focusing on the post-human and the disabled-able agency. The text is influenced by Hindu Studies and Indian knowledge systems, and its interconnection of ideas, cohesion, consistency, and logic are key research questions. The study explores themes such as the impact of Hindu Studies on Western literature, tangible and intangible identities, and the concept of province and region. The text also explores themes of femininity, iconography, nationalism, time, and regional poetics. The study also explores cultural paraphernalia, mythology, knowledge, detachment, liberation, and the Adwaita philosophy. The paper will examine how the text constructs and conveys concepts of ability and disability through its narrative and philosophical discourse. Additionally, the paper will analyze the linguistic and grammatical frameworks employed to understand the interactions between disabled and able-bodied characters in the context of Hindu religious and philosophical traditions.

God's pronouns

Abstract The Church of England is currently debating what pronouns to use of God in liturgy. Opinions are strongly established on various sides. This article aims to slow the pace at which strong judgements are arrived at, through four sets of arguments. First, the distinctiveness of English compared with some other European languages and the danger of allowing the contingencies of English pronoun use to dominate the possible meanings of scripture. Second (drawing on the work of Janet Martin Soskice), the complexity of the figure of the fatherhood of God. Third, the significance of German philosophy of language in relation to negative theology and the particular ways in which the inadequacy of language about God has theological consequences. Fourth, a more philosophical discussion of the ways in which what is necessary or possible in one language cannot adequately be conveyed, as necessary or merely possible, in translation.