Metaphysical Discourse Research Articles

The Sense of Social Imaginaries?

Abstract In this piece I reflect on Christoforos Bouzanis’ book, Social Imaginary and the Metaphysical Discourse, discussing its main contribution to the issue of social science’s relation to philosophy and examining Bouzanis’ concept of social imaginary as an imagery, raising questions of sense.

Critical Symposium on Christoforos Bouzanis, Social Imaginary and the Metaphysical Discourse (Abingdon: Routledge, 2023)

Abstract This is a contribution to a critical symposium on Christoforos Bouzanis, Social Imaginary and the Metaphysical Discourse (Abingdon: Routledge, 2023). It welcomes the author’s discussion of social imag(in)aries, while questioning some aspects of it.

A Play in the Perpetual Game of Metaphysics

Abstract This is a review essay of Christoforos Bouzanis’s Social Imaginary and the Metaphysical Discourse: On the Fundamental Predicament of Contemporary Philosophy and Social Sciences.

An Imaginary Predicament

Abstract This review article discusses key arguments from Social Imaginary and the Metaphysical Discourse by Christoforos Bouzanis, defending critical realism against criticisms made in the book.

Ibnu Sina’s Mental Health

ABSTRACT In this era, human life relies on progress in science and technology, which in turn creates problems that must be faced physically, psychologically, socially and economically. Which ultimately causes a person to experience mental health disorders such as stress and depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, anxiety, bipolar, dimensionality, autism. In this regard, there has been debate among western scholars, medical circles and psychiatrists, psychologists and various other schools in identifying the causes of mental disorders and this has given rise to debate among scientists. Some scientists say that the problem of mental disorders starts from biological, biophysical, psychosocial, genetic and social factors. The method used in this research is descriptive analysis with a qualitative type of research. The results of the researchers show that modern psychology and western philosophers no longer see the issue of mental disorders as a metaphysical discussion, they only look at it from a social perspective and do not explain problems regarding the soul in discussions about health. mentally. They focus on medical problems that are related to physical or sociological causes and do not see them as metaphysical entities. Ibn Sina explains metaphysics and the relationship between body and soul on a philosophical basis for mental health. Ibn Sina proposed a more integrative approach to mental health disorders.

"What Troubles the World Is Discontentment": The Rhetorical Politics of Guo Xiang's 郭象 Zhuangzi 莊子 Commentary

Abstract: Wei-Jin era Xuanxue is often discussed as an ontological or metaphysical discourse with political and ethical entailments. The present essay, however, argues that if "ontology" and "metaphysics" are taken in their usual senses—as concerning the nature of reality prior to and irrespective of human action—then this description does not make good sense of a significant number of passages in Guo Xiang's (252–312) commentary on the Zhuangzi . Though this commentary contains much that appears to present an "ontological" or "metaphysical" vision, Guo frequently presents this vision not as the way things are, but rather as exemplifying the sort of rhetoric that is necessary for stabilizing the state. Rather than taking ontology as a basis for deriving and justifying his politics, therefore, Guo instead offers his ontological vision as premised upon the pragmatics of political life.

인간 행위에서 정념의 위상과 기능: 중세 그리스도교적 맥락

This article is a study to explore the theory of passion in Thomas Aquinas’s Moral Theology from a pedagogical perspective. Aquinas’s discussion on the passions is an advantageous position in examining how the philosophical discussion on the passions that started in ancient times developed in the medieval Christian context. As a matter of fact, on the one hand, his discussion can be seen as representing the tradition of medieval Christianity as it is based on the Bible and the thoughts of the Church Fathers, and on the other hand, it can be seen as reflecting discussion of ancient philosophy as it is based on Aristotle’s discussions of metaphysics and ethics. 
 To this end, first, the view on human nature was confirmed through the doctrine of original sin regarding the origin of sins as the context in which passion was dealt with in medieval Christianity. Next, the study attempted to examine the practical impact of the theoretical discussion on passion through the doctrine of capital sins regarding the aspects of sins on the moral life of medieval people, especially through the ascetic life of the monastic system. According to Aquinas, original sin corresponds to the sin of human nature, and it is not simply due to the disorderly action of a single element called passion. The privation of original justice, whereby the will was made subject to God, is the formal element in original sin; while every other disorder of the soul’s powers, is a kind of material element in respect of original sin. On the other hand, cardinal sins correspond to the sin of an individual personality, and it can be defined as a disorder that appears in relation to the good pursued by certain areas of human nature. These doctrines can be seen not only as an understanding and explanation of human existence, but also as directing educational practice regarding moral life, and rather, they can be seen as being justified by educational practice. Passion can become materials for sin and vice but at the same time, it can also become materials for ethical virtues through its interaction with reason. We are given educational tasks to continuously ethically explore the meaning of goodness and to form habits of virtue.

The Methodologically Flawed Discussion about Deep Disagreement

Abstract Questions surrounding deep disagreement have gained significant attention in recent years. One of the central debates is metaphysical, focusing on the features that make a disagreement deep. Proposals for what makes disagreements deep include theories about hinge propositions and first epistemic principles. In this paper, I criticize this metaphysical discussion by arguing that it is methodologically flawed. Deep disagreement is a technical or semi-technical term, but the metaphysical discussion mistakenly treats it as a common-sense concept to be analyzed and captured by our pre-theoretical intuitions. Since the literature on deep disagreement is subject to this fundamental confusion and deep disagreement is not a helpful umbrella term either, I propose eliminating the notion of deep disagreement from the philosophical discourse. Instead of analyzing the nature of deep disagreement, we should develop theories about different forms of disagreement, including disagreement about hinge propositions and disagreement about epistemic principles, and, in particular, a theory of rationally irresolvable disagreement.

Especulación filosófica en la música tradicional China

Abstract: Chinese civilization has always been known as the civilization of rituals and music, with music playing a significant role throughout the dynasties. The development of Chinese traditional music cannot be separated from the injection of various philosophical ideas and social consciousness. Whether it is the ritual music system of the Zhou Dynasty, the Hundred Schools of Thought during the Warring States period, the metaphysical discussions of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, or the Buddhist philosophy of the Han and Tang Dynasties, each era has played an important catalytic role in the formation of the aesthetic theory of Chinese traditional music. This article summarizes the historical developmental process of Chinese traditional music culture. It also analyzes the construction process of the aesthetic philosophy of Chinese traditional music from the perspectives of the three major philosophical schools: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. These three schools have had the most profound impact on Chinese traditional music.

I. Kant: Aesthetics and metaphysics as a science

The purpose of this article is to reveal how aesthetics is embedded in the way of substantiating metaphysics as a science, how its thinking skills are honed during the "rehearsal of the beginning" carried out on the stage of the "Critique of Pure Reason". The aesthetic voice is expressed in a metaphysical discourse involving a dispute about the foundations of knowledge, these foundations themselves are explicated at a fundamental level by the consciousness of changing proportions – these initial aesthetic categories. In this context, it is necessary to reveal the role of aesthetics as a fundamental philosophical science, to raise its originality to theoretical consciousness by reflection. Here, first of all, the question arises about the meaning of the image of aesthetics, which is on the other side of the canvas, about the relationship of aesthetic attitudes and the world concept of philosophy. The main conclusions of the study are the provisions on aesthetics as the metaphysics of a work that produces infinity, expressing the "musical identity of all things" in the aesthetic facet of the world concept of philosophy. Aesthetics is also the feeling of the ideas of the original reality, the spiritual contemplation of superexperienced, supersensible grounds; this metaphysical a posteriori is precisely the primordial freedom of all creation, the freedom of art in contact with nature. Aesthetics is initially immersed in the fabric of metaphysical reflection, which in some cultural traditions is described as creative. And for aesthetics, the question is important, what is the structure of this principle, what is the way of dressing its mental tissue.

Поэтика прозы Вячеслава Иванова конца XIX-начала XX в.: художественная философия и открытие эстезиса

This paper is the study of the early philosophical prose of the Russian symbolism theorist Vyacheslav Ivanov during the period of the 1880-s–1900-s. This issue has been understudied and requires approach based on interdisciplinary methods. The materials from the writer's archive and publications reflecting the development of his prose, characterized by a synthesis of philosophical, religious and artistic principles characteristic of the poetics of Russian symbolism, are analyzed. The materials analyzed include early prosaic sketches of Ivanov, fragments of his so-called Intellectual Diary, religious, philosophical, literary and critical essays, articles and other works. Emphasis is placed on the principles of forming a metaphysical discourse, as well as the genre dynamics of Ivanov’s early prose, which can be characterized by essay type of writing and the increasing importance of the philosophical parts. These works are compared to his prose of the early 1900-s published in the “Vesy” journal. It is concluded that Ivanov’s prosaic manner is characterized by the poetic and cultural discourse and his thesaurus is based on the metaphysical language of images. The important components of this discourse include principles of ancient aesthetics of thought and the revitalization of text via various metaphors. A vital role is played by esthesis as one of the methods of philosophical perception and aesthetic reflection of the sensual world. The texts of the Old and New Testaments and the Christian tradition prove to have an essential impact. The influence of works by Aristotle, Plato, B. Pascal, J. W. Goethe, V. Solovyov, F. Nietzsche on the development of metaphysical language of Ivanov’s prose is noted. The conclusion is made that the author’s early prose is the result of attaining an individual style, reflecting the phenomenology of the symbolist consciousness.

Exploring the Wei-Jin Period: Aesthetic Transformations, Metaphysical Discourses, and the Influence on Chinese Art and Culture

During the Wei and Jin Dynasties in Chinese history, political turmoil, ideological expansion, and significant societal and cultural transformations occurred. This article investigates this period's impact on art, literature, social structure, aesthetics, and metaphysical discourse. In spite of the political upheaval, the period fostered intellectual and spiritual liberty, resulting in a flourishing of artistic and literary expression. Existence and universe-related philosophical concerns have influenced the creation of literature and art and contributed to a culturally rich environment. During this period, social structures shifted, and new philosophies emphasized personal spirituality and introspection. At that time, aesthetics were influenced by metaphysical ideas and melancholy emotions, resulting in a distinct artistic style. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, wisdom, self-cultivation, and the pursuit of excellence were also regarded as essential aesthetic components. This study sheds light on the transitional Wei-Jin period and its enduring influence on Chinese art and culture.

Lech Majewski, metafizyka i Bosch

The subject of the analysis is the problem of metaphysics in Lech Majewski’s novel Metafizyka [Metaphysics] (2002) and in the author’s film adaptation entitled Ogród rozkoszy ziemskich [The Garden of Earthly Delights] (2004). In the novel, metaphysical sensations are conveyed through discourse: 1) the reflections of the rationalist protagonist who undergoes a crisis of worldview following the death of his partner, and 2) in interpretations of the mysterious triptych by Hieronymus Bosch, showing an irreal world: an earthly paradise which the characters attempt to emulate by repeating scenes from the painting. In the film, Majewski aban metaphysical discourse in favour of exposing The Garden of Earthly Delights and showing elaborate psychological portraits of his characters, especially the heroine who is fascinated by Bosch. Therefore, despite having the same plot, the novel and the film are two separate, autonomous works.

SECRET OF “ALWAYS ALREADY” (OF THE LOST TRACE OF PHENOMENOLOGY) IN DECONSTRUCTION OF DERRIDA

Based on key texts of Derrida as well as his interviews and recently published seminars the article presents a “micrological” analysis of deconstructivist thought in the context of its appeal to phenomenology of Husserl and fundamental ontology of Heidegger. Derrida begins his intellectual path with a reflection on the most important topics of Husserlian phenomenology and discovers in the descriptions of temporalization a paradoxical movement of the immanent self-deconstruction of phenomenology. It from within undermines its own basic principle of the primordial givenness of the living present to itself in its whole presence. From the point of view of Derrida’s deconstruction, the living present of self-presence of the transcendental ego, like itself, is no longer the original source of sense, meaning, knowledge and experience but rather the effect of difference. Derrida discovers the radical constitutive dependence of the present on the trace of the inevitably lost past, thus, his thought resolutely destroys the primordial nature of the present and roots it in the true “origin” as a game of delays and differences. Similarly, Derrida criticizes the project of fundamental ontology. While Heidegger conceives of the ontological difference between being and Being as the last hidden basis of any question in the discourse of metaphysics, Derrida insists that this differentiation is derived from différance as an even more primordial movement of difference. And although Derrida claims to have a more essential comprehension of the core of metaphysics compared to Husserl and Heidegger and even confidently classifies their philosophical work ones to the field of metaphysics, he continues to use the resources of phenomenological and transcendental discourse again and again, leaving them without any criticism. The most telling example here is the use of the phrase “always already” (toujours déjà, immer schon), incredibly common in the works of Heidegger and Husserl (as well as most other most famous modern phenomenologists) and accompanying most of Derrida’s texts. In this article we seek to draw attention to the mystery power of this phrase, which hides the secret of the origins of phenomenological, fundamental-ontological, transcendental, and deconstructivist discourses as such, and also to demonstrate the possibilities of self-deconstruction of deconstruction, which with new urgency returns us to the problem of defining the limits of metaphysics and the “margins of philosophy”.

Introduction

Introduction

A Minimal Metaphysics for Scientific Practice

<i>A Minimal Metaphysics for Scientific Practice</i>

Buddhist Antidotes against Greek Maladies: Ritschl, Harnack, and the Dehellenization of Intercultural Philosophy

abstract: One of the most prolific approaches to the comparative study of Buddhist and Christian philosophy has been the use of Buddhist anti-metaphysicism to overcome the allegedly obsolete metaphysical discourse of Christianity. This approach has been practiced, among others, by Edgar Bruns, Frederik Streng, Joseph O'Leary, and John Keenan. Keenan's 1980–1990s seminal works were determinative in that they appeared to rely on intuitive and evident premises: Christianity became infused with Greek metaphysical concepts early on; consequently, it adopted the forms of essentialism and ontological discourse practiced in metaphysics. That discourse has now become obsolete and must be overcome; Buddhist anti-metaphysicism helps overcome it; hence, Christianity can learn from Buddhism. In this paper, I show that although Keenan presents the first of these claims as self-evident, it is in fact highly polemical. Its origins lie in Albrecht Ritschl's and Adolf von Harnack's Hellenization theory. While the theological and historical background to this theory has been debated, Keenan does not engage in these debates. Even more, he transforms the theory in such a way that it becomes incongruent with its inherent aim. Following the problems implied on these two levels, I suggest that Keenan's project makes itself vulnerable to incoherencies. In the end, I argue for the overcoming of antimetaphysicism as a basis for Buddhist-Christian dialogue.

О понятии actus в «Сумме Теологии» Фомы Аквинского

The article discusses the main directions of application of the term actus in Thomas Aquinas' "Summary of Theology". Firstly, it is presented the prospect of his understanding of theological problem of nature and status of angels in the hierarchy of the Universe. In this context the initial setting of Aquinas' angelology, which has developed in the course of his many years of reflections and in the frames of a fundamental theological discussion, is demonstrated that an angels do not include in themselves a composition of matter and form, but they have a composition of potency and an act. It is stressed that the form has an independent existence in angels, and they are characterized by a "self-existing form", hence, they are "separated substances". As a result, it is concluded that angels, according to the conception of Thomas, are acquired a special disposition in the hierarchy of ens creatum. Secondly, the analyze is developing in the prospect of refuting by Aquinas the heresy of the Manicheans and asserting a kind of "apology" for the existing world. In this sense, Thomas Aquinas' interpretation of being is considered, which is understood as actuality and perfection, that allows the medieval thinker to demonstrate the unique role of the Creator for the existence of created world. Thirdly, it is presented the horizon of explication of human mind meaning within the framework of the procedure of a moral act. In this regard, the article opens the general scheme of a human act formulated by Thomas and reveals the significance and role of reason and will at each stage of the implementation of moral action, which was a fundamental problem for the ethical studies of his time. Thus, the article is demonstrated the refraction of metaphysical discourse and philosophical terminology, in particular, the concept of actus, dating back to the Aristotelian energia, in the theology of Thomas Aquinas, which allowed him to solve the fundamental intellectual problems of his epoch.

Movie Minorities: Transnational Rights Advocacy and South Korean Cinema

Movie Minorities: Transnational Rights Advocacy and South Korean Cinema

MULLA HADI SABZAWARI AS A LEADING LATER SADRIAN PHILOSOPHER: REVISITING HIS LIFE AND WORKS

The purpose of this article is to revisit the life and significant works of the nineteenth-century Persian philosopher Mulla Hadi Sabzawari (d. 1873). He was the foremost exponent of theosophical traditions who studied and elaborated the metaphysical discourse in great detail. He was also renowned for his commentary on Mulla Sadra’s (d. 1640) al-Asfar and al-Shawahid al-Rububiyyah, as well as for reviving Sadra’s teachings. The best example of Sabzawari’s philosophical theory, which he developed and expounded, is recorded in his magnum opus, the commentary of Ghurar al-Fara’id. His ideas and writings influenced many Persian intellectuals who came after him. This article also re-examines some conclusions by previous reseachers regarding the study on Sabzawari. This will be followed by a brief explanation on the characteristics of Sabzawari’s works, including its style and structure of writing, the content of the discussion, and its significance. This study is based on a qualitative method to arrive at conclusions in which content analysis is utilized in describing the life and works of Sabzawari.