Foundational Ideas Research Articles

Work Program of the Discipline (Module) “Specialty ‘Russian as a Foreign Language’ at the Philological Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University (linguistic aspect)”

The paper deals with the analysis of discipline curriculum “ ‘Russian as a Foreign Language’ at the Faculty of Philology of Lomonosov Moscow State University (Linguistic Aspect)”, which was developed by teachers of the Department of Didactic Linguistics and Theory of Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language for the 270th jubilee of Lomonosov Moscow State University and includes three main linguistic parts: phonetic, lexicological and grammatical. Тhe course is designed to introduce students to the history of the development of the specialty “Russian as a Foreign Language” and give them an idea of the linguistic foundations of teaching the Russian language in a foreign language audience. The history and methodology of studying Russian as a foreign language are presented in the course in inextricable unity, which is extremely important for the training of specialists in this field – linguists and methodologists.

Existentialism in the age of climate crisis: Freedom, responsibility and authentic living amid global challenges

This research investigates the philosophical contributions of existentialism to understanding and addressing the global climate crisis. Drawing on the foundational ideas of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, and de Beauvoir, the study explores how existential themes - freedom, responsibility, and authenticity - offer tools for grappling with the ethical and existential dilemmas posed by ecological destruction. Existentialism’s emphasis on human agency is juxtaposed against the collective nature of environmental responsibility, revealing tensions between individual actions and systemic change. Central existential concepts, including the absurd and alienation, are analyzed to uncover their relevance in fostering ethical resilience and guiding action amidst the uncertainties of the Anthropocene. The study argues that existentialism challenges humanity to confront the climate crisis authentically, rejecting nihilism and embracing responsibility for the self and future generations. Through the lens of existential thought, the research underscores the imperative of aligning personal values with environmental ethics while advocating for systemic transformations that address the climate emergency. Existentialism’s focus on the individual’s ability to create meaning through deliberate choices provides a philosophical foundation for engaging with the moral complexities of climate justice and sustainability. The research concludes that existentialist philosophy not only critiques humanity’s historical failures but also offers a hopeful framework for constructing a meaningful response to the climate crisis. It calls for embracing the freedom to act in ways that promote sustainability and intergenerational justice, transforming despair into purposeful action amid an indifferent universe.

Social realism, knowledge and curriculum: furthering the conversation

ABSTRACT Building on the ‘Didaktik Meets Curriculum’ dialogue, this symposium (special issue) seeks to further the ongoing discussion on knowledge and curriculum—recently revitalized by the concept of powerful knowledge—by engaging with social realism in conjunction with Didaktik and curriculum theory. The symposium features two key articles concerning social realism: Johan Muller revisits the early work of Basil Bernstein, while Michael Young examines the foundational ideas of Émile Durkheim. It also presents six response articles authored by scholars from England, the United States, and Finland, each engaging with Muller’s article, Young’s article, or both. Central to this discussion are the following questions: How should social realism be understood on its own terms? Why has it exerted very little influence in the United States, Germany, and other German-speaking countries? In what ways do curriculum theory and Didaktik differ from social realism? And what might constitute a beneficial and productive relationship between social realism, Didaktik, and curriculum theory?

An Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Through Neuroscience and CERN Data

(1) Background: One of the greatest challenges students face when studying quantum mechanics is the lack of daily experience and intuition about its concepts. This article introduces a holistic activity designed to present some foundational ideas of quantum mechanics in a new pedagogical approach to enhance students’ motivation. Using real open data from CERN, the activity connects classical concepts of dynamics and electromagnetism to their quantum counterparts, emphasizing both their similarities and differences. Teaching physics must consider the way the brain learns. That is why the activity is based on observed neuroscientific principles of physics learning. The approach maintains the rigor and precision required for these abstract concepts. (2) Methods: To evaluate the activity’s impact by gender, intrinsic motivation was assessed using a Likert-type scale with 81 undergraduate students from fields including artificial intelligence systems engineering, computer engineering, mathematical engineering, and architecture. (3) Results: a Mann–Whitney U test analysis indicates the activity significantly enhances students’ intrinsic motivation to study quantum mechanics, with improvements observed in both male and female students. (4) Conclusions: This result highlights the potential of the activity to promote greater interest in physics, both in men and women, since no significant differences have been observed between both samples.

Культурно-историческая теория как методологическая рамка типологизации цифровой идентичности

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective. </strong>The purpose of the article is to develop a theoretical and methodological framework for typologization a person’s digital identity based on the following criteria: 1) the role of the digital environment and digital device; 2) the position of the person’s event center; 3) the position of the center of human self-determination. <br><strong>Background. </strong>The digital environment is becoming such a significant sphere of modern man’s existence, that it determines the peculiarity of the social situation of the development of a modern man at different age stages, and determining the cultural and historical specifics of the development of higher mental functions and processes. In accordance with these transformations, a trend in academic research related to the building of a new conceptual framework for understanding a changing person is emerging. The author focuses on the foundations of ideas about the digital identity of the individual, which are formed in socio-psychological and anthropological studies. It is shown that research optics in identifying the content parameters of this identity is often narrowed, which leads to the reduction of a complex, multi–component education – the identity of a person in the digital world – to a separate part, which is not enough to build a complex image of a modern man. <br><strong>Methodology. </strong>The methodological basis of the study was made up of general scientific methods of analysis, comparison and typologization. The understanding of the types of digital identity is based on the foundations of the modern interpretation of the Cultural and Historical Approach applied to the peculiarities of the digital environment as a significant sphere of human existence. <br><strong>Conclusions. </strong>The theoretical and methodological framework for typologizing the digital identity of a person based on criteria of the role of the digital environment and digital device; the position of the event center of a person; the position of the center of human self-determination is presented A number of types of digital identity are described through set of appropriate scenarios of human behavior in the digital environment: 1) a person with a completed mind; 2) a person with digital physicality; 3) an algorithmic person; 4) a returning person and 5) an information tramp.</p>

A Thematic Literature Review of Decolonization and Abolitionist Approaches in Computing Education

This scoping review explores the role of critical and culturally responsive pedagogy in addressing the significant gap in computer science (CS) education. Despite ongoing efforts to increase diversity, many groups, including women, remain underrepresented in CS. The research draws on Paulo Freire's foundational ideas on critical pedagogy, advocating for a dynamic and ethical approach to teaching that fosters critical thinking and community involvement. The review also examines various interventions in literature which incorporate critical, decolonial, and abolitionist pedagogies in CS education. Addressing both the technical and social dimensions of computing, educators can equip students with the tools needed to challenge and transform existing power structures, contributing to a more just and equitable society.

Fremtidens socialpædagogik

The article advocates for a more socially transformative and non-individual-oriented approach to social pedagogy, emphasizing the potential of the empowerment concept in efforts to contribute to individuals' emancipation and the transformation of their life conditions. The significance of this pedagogical aim is examined based on an exploration of the historical development of social pedagogy as a normative and political foundational idea, inspired by two central pedagogical and learning theorists: Paulo Freire and Oskar Negt. Drawing on these critical social analyses and transformative possibilities, illustrative examples from previous studies of social pedagogical practice are included to uncover the presence or absence of educators' reflections on critical social and transformative perspectives and transgressive orientations. The prevailing societal tendency towards an individualized and organizationally internal perspective is revealed to dominate, with the reduced social pedagogical potential inherent in such a compensatory view of citizens. However, another study indicates that the need for pedagogical encounters across the organizational frameworks of the workplace can highlight the importance of a broader societal perspective, with solidaristic identification and a focus on the empowerment of the citizens involved. This might be a useful way to contribute to a renewed generation of meaning and a transformative dimension of social pedagogical work, as well as its practitioners in this field.

Supply Chain Conceptual Model to Optimize a Local Food Agroindustry from the Coconut Milk Processing

This study uses a soft system methodology to examine the coconut milk supply chain, which supports the local food agro-industry, particularly for rendang products. It aims to develop a fundamental concept to optimize this supply chain. The proposed method is effective for addressing complex, multi-stakeholder problems. Using systems thinking, real-world system behaviour is converted into a conceptual model, facilitating decision-making through customer, actor, transformation, worldview, owner, and environment components. The findings include a conceptual model translated into a causal loop diagram, part of a dynamic systems approach, which shows the interconnections and feedbacks among variables in the supply chain, such as raw material supply, logistics costs, production volume, and distribution costs. This stage identifies stakeholders and systematically illustrates the relationships in managing the flow of goods. It provides a basis for designing a supply chain network aligned with local government policies for developing the coconut milk agro-industry. It aims to optimize the local food industry, particularly rendang, in West Sumatra province. After creating the conceptual model, gap analysis and validation were conducted, comparing the model with real-world insights from stakeholders, including coconut farmers, producers, rendang manufacturers, academic institutions, and local governments. Validation focused on efficiency, efficacy, and effectiveness. The results demonstrate the foundational idea for designing the coconut milk agro-industry supply chain network to support local food products, as depicted in the causal loop diagram.

Tradisi Perayaan Khatam Al-Qurʾan Pada Masyarakat Muslim Bugis-Makassar, Indonesia: dari Resepsi ke Sikap Moderat

Abstract The goal of this essay is to explain the moderate views of Mappanre Temme, an Indonesian Qurʾanic celebration custom common in Bugis-Makassar, South Sulawesi. Here, Mappanre Temme is viewed as a phenomenon of the Bugis-Makassar Muslim community’s reception or acceptance of the Qurʾan, and it is examined via a phenomenological-philosophical lens. Interviews, observations, documentation, and the examination of relevant documents were used to gather data and information. The article’s findings indicate that, like the Mappanre Temme custom, local Islamic traditions that have developed and endured to this day demonstrate their presence and serve as a symbol of moderate religious beliefs within local Muslim communities. Six elements of religious moderation can be found in this tradition: (1) Acknowledgment of Islam and the local culture; (2) Professionalism and awareness; (3) Alignment with the agreement; (4) Values and meanings in the preparations and components of the tradition; (5) Cohesion; and (6) Tradition flexibility in adjusting space and time. The conclusions of this paper had a major impact on the regional Islamic tradition, serving as a foundational idea for the development of a moderate religious outlook ingrained in Indonesian ethnic culture.

Decoding conscience: drawing inspiration from the ethical journey of Thomas More

This article is dedicated to meticulously exploring the intricate facets of Thomas More's conscience, seeking insightful comparisons with the perspectives of his contemporaries. In the pursuit of a comprehensive understanding, the narrative carefully considers the profound teachings concerning synderesis and conscience, with a particular focus on highlighting the interplay between prudence and conscience as perceived by More. Furthermore, the analysis contrasts these foundational ideas with modern interpretations of the concept of conscience. Currently, concerns arise over the suppression of conscience, which can result in the dehumanization of society and present moral hazards. Equating conscience with superficial conviction is seen as a form of bondage, fostering reliance on prevailing opinions. Examining More's ethical journey proves valuable in comprehending the genuine significance of conscience. By delving into More's ethical dilemmas, we understand that objections raised by individuals stem not from whims but from deeply held convictions intricately linked to truth.

Reconsidering Martin Heidegger on the modern university

AbstractMartin Heidegger's 1933 Freiburg University Rector's Address is normally considered in terms of the horrors of its association with National Socialism. This study re‐frames the debate about the Address by situating it in the context of the tradition of philosophical reflection upon the political and historical significance of the modern research university. I highlight aspects of the Address that signified continuity with distinctively liberal presuppositions embedded in foundational ideas of the Humboldtian university. I conclude with reflections on how Heidegger's Address sheds light on the issues of university governance and academic freedom as the contemporary neoliberal university confronts its own challenges.

The Environmental Approach to Security: A Historical-Theoretical Literature Review on Space and Crime

This article offers a historical-theoretical review of the environmental approach to security. It critically traces its development from the early origins to the latest progress with a multidisciplinary approach by highlighting the importance of the environment in preventing crime. In particular, this review tidies up the subject by emphasizing the founders’ foundational ideas – and their importance, which are sometimes misinterpreted; it develops the matter by updating it up to the latest advances, as in the case of crime theories; and it allows further evolution of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), increasingly overlapping with the environmental approach, also pointing out the importance of the fear of crime concept.

Linguistic discrimination and diversity: the pivotal role of linguistics in the University of Pennsylvania’s writing program

Abstract This paper outlines a unit on linguistics in the curriculum of the writing seminar taken by all undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania. The linguistic unit introduces undergraduates to key concepts from linguistic scholarship, and compels students to engage with these language issues in order to advance their consciousness of linguistic inequity and their appreciation of linguistic diversity. Taking our cue from linguists, the unit focuses on the descriptive and contrasts it with the prescriptive approach with which they are typically accustomed. It introduces foundational ideas about language, languaging, and linguistic discrimination through readings and videos. Students write guided reflections in response to the readings and screenings, culminating in a personal narrative and questions they share with their peers on an online discussion board, exploring their own and others’ language use or language attitudes. Upon completion of this unit, many students confirm one of the unit’s learning outcomes by expressing a new awareness of a linguistic climate that they had previously assumed was neutral. Our goal, in part, is to render the campus’s linguistic climate more equitable by advancing students’ consciousness of linguistic inequity and appreciation of the rich diversity of their voices.

El Yo de la persona humana como elección radical de ser individuo singular en el pensamiento de Søren Kierkegaard

The aim of this study is to present that the category of singular individual in Kierkegaard's thought in the pseudonymous works The Concept of Anxiety and The Sickness Unto Death, mainly, is configured structurally and dynamically as a personal self, not reduced to the character of individuation and always in a critical position to any attempt at homologation of social, organic, ideological or political forms, contradicting the interpretations of Kierkegaard as individualist, solipsist or, on the contrary, as devoid of an idea of ​​community or ontological foundation. The singular individual as a personal I in Kierkegaard is structurally configured in a tripartite relationship of soul, body and spirit, which are integrated as that singular person in a free dynamic not reduced to the conception of the Hegelian or Aristotelian movement, but of a radical choice to be oneself as freedom, which is, at the same time, the relationship with the foundation of existence that for Kierkegaard is the love of a personal God, configuring its reality in forms of life in a non-chronological time. In such a way that the I as a singular individual in Kierkegaard is the concrete person, in relation to an existential foundation and an essential freedom, which constitute the basis of a personalist anthropology.

Against Infinite Nothingness: Ultimate Ground vs Metaphysical Nihilism in Indian Philosophy

Abstract The Idea of a unified foundation of all reality has long been core to many attempts at a fundamental ontology, as well as many arguments for the divine. In medieval India a cluster of arguments for metaphysical inheritance, causal entanglement, the impossibility of fundamental relations and more, were advanced together to show there must be an ultimate and unified ground. But foundationalism has been under attack in both recent metaphysics, and Buddhist philosophy. This article unpacks Vedānta’s defense of divine foundationalism against Madhyamaka Buddhism’s metaphysical nihilism. Firstly, we look at how inheritance arguments for ultimate ground aimed to circumvent the possibility of infinite regress. Secondly, we assess three arguments that this ground is a unified modal anchor, with entangled causal power, providing a connective medium for all phenomena. We address some caveats and limitations, but go on to argue that if they are right, they circumvent the Buddhists’ ‘dualistic’ assumption that if the empirical world is mere imagined convention, it needs no explanation. Monists and nihilists are allies against excessively realist ontologies, but these arguments make a compelling case for some unified fundamental nature from which, as the Upaniṣads put it, all things emerge like sparks from a fire.

Diverse ideas about the value of Official Statistics systems

This paper offers an initial overview of different ideas about the value of Official Statistics systems. For the purposes of this paper, an Official Statistics ‘system’ is taken to cover the set of organisations (within a country) that are involved in the production, communication, use and governance of Official Statistics. The paper seeks to analyse the stated ambitions for, or the claims about, these systems that are contained within a sample of formal corporate documents mainly produced by different national statistical organisations. These sources offer a range of diverse ideas about different types of value that societies may secure from having well-functioning Official Statistics systems. There are some foundational ideas of value that are often referenced – including the ambition that good Official Statistics will enable good (or better) decision-making by governments and others, which in turn will generate positive outcomes for society. The analysis also flags a range of ambitions for wider outcomes that might be secured by well-functioning Official Statistics systems – for example, outcomes for citizens (enabling them to be better informed, represented and empowered), outcomes for governments (contributing to a better more effective governmental process) or outcomes in terms of having better informed public debate. Collectively these concepts could inform any wider framework developed to communicate the potential value of Official Statistics systems, complementing the more specific expressions of value that might emerge directly from the views and judgements of users.

Ontopolitically-oriented Research on Coca Growing: Integrating Decolonial Knowledges and Latina Feminisms

Ontopolitically-oriented research is a concept recently developed in critical drug scholarship that draws from science and technology studies to consider the ontological politics of research practices (Fraser, 2020). It has been instructive for challenging foundational ideas about alcohol and other drugs and thinking through both the political implications and ethical obligations of research practices. This article discusses potential synergies between ontopolitically-oriented research, Latin American feminist theory, and decolonial theory. Specifically, I explore the experience of conducting research in the Global North while remaining sensitive to Latin American ontological commitments. My argument is illustrated through reflections from a research project I have conducted on coca cultivation, human rights, and gender in Colombia. The aim of this article is not to report project findings in depth but to offer a set of reflections on research methods and future practice, incorporating insights from Latina feminist theory and decolonial theory. Drawing inspiration from Gloria Anzaldúa's (1987) concept of “mestiza consciousness,” I explore the overlaps between the ontological turn and the decolonial turn and propose the need to trouble “universal” and normative concepts in research practices.

A tutorial: Analyzing eye and head movements in virtual reality.

This tutorial provides instruction on how to use the eye tracking technology built into virtual reality (VR) headsets, emphasizing the analysis of head and eye movement data when an observer is situated in the center of an omnidirectional environment. We begin with a brief description of how VR eye movement research differs from previous forms of eye movement research, as well as identifying some outstanding gaps in the current literature. We then introduce the basic methodology used to collect VR eye movement data both in general and with regard to the specific data that we collected to illustrate different analytical approaches. We continue with an introduction of the foundational ideas regarding data analysis in VR, including frames of reference, how to map eye and head position, and event detection. In the next part, we introduce core head and eye data analyses focusing on determining where the head and eyes are directed. We then expand on what has been presented, introducing several novel spatial, spatio-temporal, and temporal head-eye data analysis techniques. We conclude with a reflection on what has been presented, and how the techniques introduced in this tutorial provide the scaffolding for extensions to more complex and dynamic VR environments.

A review on green synthesis, biological applications of carbon dots in the field of drug delivery, biosensors, and bioimaging.

Since the beginning of nanoscience and nanotechnology, carbon dots (CDs) have been the foundational idea and have dominated the growth of the nano-field. CDs are an intriguing platform for utilization in biology, technology, catalysis, and other fields thanks to their numerous distinctive structural, physicochemical, and photochemical characteristics. Since several carbon dots have already been created, they have been assessed based on their synthesis process, and luminescence characteristics. Due to their biocompatibility, less toxic effects, and most significantly their fluorescent features in contrast to other carbon nanostructures, CDs have several benefits. This review focuses on the most recent advancements in the characterization, applications, and synthesis techniques used for CDs made from natural sources. It will also direct scientists in the creation of a synthesis technique for adjustable carbon dots that is more practical, effective, and environmentally benign. With low toxicity and low cost, CDs are meeting the new era's requirements for more selectivity and sensitivity in the detection and sensing of various things, such as biomaterial sensing, enzymes, chemical contamination, and temperature sensing. Its variety of properties, such as optical properties, chemiluminescence, and morphological analysis, make it a good option to use in bioimaging, drug delivery, biosensors, and cancer diagnosis.

Decentering Food Pedagogies

In this collaborative essay, five gastrofeminists from various disciplines, mainly literature, anthropology, sociology, ethnic studies, and diverse locations of Global South and Global North, share four collaborative experiments built around two axioms: to integrate experiences of students as gendered and racialized subjects in their experiential learning irrespective of disciplinary boundaries, and to integrate critical feminist scholarship that destabilizes ethnocentric notions around consumption, production, and distribution of food. Through the four collaborative experiments: students’ food voice, autobiographies, collective kusina, and food walks, the pedagogues bring embodied lived experience in conversation with critical pedagogy, expanding some of the foundational ideas of feminist pedagogy, especially of not treating theory, research, and experience as independent silos. Each of these collaborative experiments calls for a need to create dialogic space through a collaborative co-learning process and offers a decolonial reading of texts through recognizing the difference and diversity of our classrooms.