Materialism Research Articles

Performance of chatbots in queries concerning fundamental concepts in photochemistry.

The advent of chatbots raises the possibility of a paradigm shift across society including the most technical of fields with regard to access to information, generation of knowledge, and dissemination of education and training. Photochemistry is a scientific endeavor with roots in chemistry and physics and branches that encompass diverse disciplines ranging from astronomy to zoology. Here, five chatbots have each been challenged with 13 photochemically relevant queries. The chatbots included ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4.0, Copilot, Gemini Advanced, and Meta AI. The queries encompassed fundamental concepts (e.g., "Why is the fluorescence spectrum typically the mirror image of the absorption spectrum?"), practical matters (e.g., "What is the inner filter effect and how to avoid it?"), philosophical matters ("Please create the most important photochemistry questions."), and specific molecular features (e.g., "Why are azo dyes non-fluorescent?"). The chatbots were moderately effective in answering queries concerning fundamental concepts in photochemistry but were glaringly deficient in specialized queries for dyes and fluorophores. In some instances, a correct response was embedded in verbose scientific nonsense whereas in others the entire response, while grammatically correct, was utterly meaningless. The unreliable accuracy makes present chatbots poorly suited for unaided educational purposes and highlights the importance of domain experts.

Hybrid: Reading Godzilla Through Posthumanism

This essay proposes to read the classic cycle of Godzilla films (roughly, 1954–1995) using a posthuman perspective that makes its emphasis on animal, vegetal and mineral life. We will use posthuman and materialist philosophy to analyze hybrid monsters as part of new interdisciplinary studies about non-human agencies and their creepy potential. As such, we want to offer the first posthumanist readings of the Godzilla franchise, in time to celebrate its 70 years of existence and, in consequence, highlight how posthumanist the series has always been.

A crítica de Hegel à certeza sensível e a sua reabilitação por Feuerbach sob a perspectiva da teoria da fotografia

Feuerbach proposes a break with modern philosophy through his critique of Hegelian speculation. Aiming for a new materialist philosophy, he conceptualizes sense and immediate intuition as the primary organ of reality. The article examines Feuerbach’s re-evaluation of Hegel’s critique of sense-certainty and his rehabilitation of this figure of consciousness. His rehabilitation is contextualized within the cultural-media revolution of photography, suggesting that this approach responds to the impact of the new media techniques of the time. According to the author, sense-certainty should be understood as a “theoretical reflection of a figure of the spirit of the people based on a media technique.” Therefore, it shows that photography, as a new technical medium, plays a central role in Feuerbach’s rehabilitation of sense and immediate certainty. The analysis reveals that the discussion on this figure of consciousness goes beyond the philosophical debate, as it reflects a significant change in the way experience and reality are organized and understood.

Using iPad Making Comics for Teaching the “Fire and the Cave Men” for K-10 Students

This work explores the potential of iPads in creating educational comics to teach K–10 students the philosophical topics of “The Fire and the Cave Men”. The visual and interactive features of the iPad can assist educators in crafting captivating stories from intricate philosophical materials, thereby enhancing student understanding and engagement. The study highlights the iPad’s ability to demystify abstract ideas, foster innovation, and promote student collaboration through instructional comics. Incorporating visual arts and narrative also aids in establishing a deeper connection to environmental and historical topics, fostering an ecological attitude and viewpoint. The article concludes that iPads offer a versatile platform for enhancing educational outcomes through creative expression, with practical implications for educators and students alike.

La persona como innovación radical de la realidad en Julián Marías

This research paper analyses how, by developing the metaphysics of human life of the Spanish philosopher Ortega y Gasset, his disciple Julián Marías has discovered the subject of the person as a philosophical matter and how, especially in his work Antropología metafísica (1970), he has developed the appropriate philosophical concepts to understand it: empirical structure, installation, vector, corporality, temporality, sexual condition, etc. In his work Persona, the philosopher has defined it as “radical innovation of reality”, which has deep metaphysical implications, coming from the philosophy of vital reason of Ortega y Gasset, who, in contrast to idealism and realism, considers that life is the radical reality, in which all other realities find their root. This means that the person, a “corporeal someone”, is fully a who, he who lives, and must be thought of with personal categories that give reason for his character irreducible to any other reality.

Hans-Georg Gadamer's “On the idea of a system in philosophy” (1924)

ABSTRACT This article is the first English translation of Gadamer's early essay “On the Idea of a System in Philosophy” (“Zur Systemidee in der Philosophie”) from 1924. Influenced by Marburg Neo-Kantianism and Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenology, Gadamer is concerned with the problems that arise with the idea of systematicity in philosophy. In particular, he focuses on conceiving of an idea of a system that does justice to the historical variability of philosophical thoughts. He shows that systematicity and history are, in fact, not in tension but deeply intertwined because of the foundation philosophy has in factical and historical human life. Gadamer, therefore, already anticipates some of the most characteristic ideas of his later magnum opus Truth and Method. The translator's Introduction contextualises this essay in both its relation to Marburg Neo-Kantians and Heidegger's thought, highlights the most significant continuities to Gadamer's mature philosophy, and provides an overview of the essay's main arguments.

The Evolution of Materialism from Democritus to Karl Marx

This paper delves into the evolution of materialism from its origins with Democritus to its development by Karl Marx. It begins with Democritus' atomism, which proposed that everything is made up of indivisible atoms, laying the groundwork for a materialist worldview. The study then explores how Epicurus expanded on these ideas, focusing on sensory experience and the pursuit of a tranquil life. Moving into the Enlightenment, the paper examines the mechanistic materialism of thinkers like Hobbes and La Mettrie, who viewed humans as complex machines governed by physical laws. Finally, it addresses Marx's dialectical and historical materialism, which combined materialist philosophy with Hegelian dialectics to explain the influence of material conditions and economic structures on society and history. This analysis highlights the enduring significance of materialist thought in understanding social and historical processes.

Quantum Mechanics and Inclusive Materialism

Since its inception, the intricate mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics has empowered physicists to describe and predict specific physical events known as quantum processes. However, this success in probabilistic predictions has been accompanied by a profound challenge in the ontological interpretation of the theory. This interpretative complexity stems from two key aspects. Firstly, quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory that, so far, is not derivable from any more basic scientific theory. Secondly, it delves into a realm of invisible phenomena that often contradicts our intuitive and commonsensical notions of matter and causality. Despite its notorious difficulties of interpretation, the most widely accepted set of views of quantum phenomena has been known as the Copenhagen interpretation since the beginning of quantum mechanics. According to these views, the correct ontological interpretation of quantum mechanics is incompatible with ontological realism in general and with philosophical materialism in particular. Anti-realist and anti-materialist interpretations of quantum matter have survived until today. This paper discusses these perspectives, arguing that materialistic interpretations of quantum mechanics are compatible with its mathematical formalism, while anti-realist and anti-materialist views are based on wrong philosophical assumptions. However, although physicalism provides a better explanation for quantum phenomena than idealism, its downward reductionism prevents it from accounting for more complex forms of matter, such as biological or sociocultural systems. Thus, the paper argues that neither physicalism nor idealism can explain the universe. I propose then a non-reductionistic form of materialism called inclusive materialism. The conclusion is that the acknowledgment of the qualitative irreducibility of ontological emergent levels above the purely physical one does not deny philosophical materialism but enriches it.

Computer English Teaching in Summer Learning Programs As Foreign Language

Language is the mode of identity and recognition. Summer learning programs are essential in helping children and young people interact and develop solid ethical bonds in different communities. Current issues related to the linguistic and philosophical nature of socio-ethical vocabulary in terms of diachronic are discussed in the article. Based on the analysis of a large amount of historical and philosophical material, the authors present their interpretation of the formation stages of the vocabulary of ethics as an integral part of the general philosophical vocabulary. However, each time and in each country, the interpretation of ethical concepts and norms, and therefore terms, was of a concrete historical and purely national character. In view of the objectives of this article, we consider it necessary to give a brief overview of the ethics of antiquity and the Middle Ages in order to understand and consider the specific role of ethics in science and practice of later historical eras. The authors hope that adopting pre-communicative activities as a part of the teaching method will be more effective in learning English as a foreign language.

Don Cupitt and the State of Radical Theology

Don Cupitt’s non-realist thought is an important part of the ongoing story of radical theology. This article surveys some of the most important recent figures and trends in that story to assess the current state of the field. It sets out ways in which Cupitt’s attack on dualistic and dogmatic thought is strongly echoed by thinkers such as John Caputo, Richard Kearney, Catherine Keller and Grace Jantzen, and how major materialist philosophers like Slavoj Žižek still show a fascination with the emancipatory potential of Christianity. The article argues that some of Cupitt’s positions need to be challenged in the light of the contemporary ecological and metaphysical concerns of radical theology today.

Factors in the formation of information culture(socio-philosophical aspect of the problem)

In this article, the author offers a socio-philosophical analysis of the factors contributing to the formation of information culture. This research perspective seems extremely relevant and requires serious scientific under-standing. It is obvious that the main characteristic of modern society is its information content, which creates new horizons in the space of identification, the formation of a new cultural field, and the definition of new contours of communication. In this regard, it seems very important to identify and designate the main factors that determine the nature and value of the new information culture. In this article, the author, relying on exist-ing scientific research in this problem space, offers his own view on this problem and outlines his own system of these determining factors. The author in this article uses extensive historical and philosophical material, indicating the difference in approaches to this problem in different philosophical schools and concepts. The article also proposes to trace the logic of the influence of active digitalization processes on the formation of the information field and, accordingly, on the formation of a new information culture. The author quite clear-ly outlines his opinion regarding the influence of information and digital culture on the formation of a per-son’s identification code in modern conditions, and speaks about the positive and negative aspects of this phenomenon. The article also proposes to comprehend the state of information literacy, the status of an in-formation-literate person. To solve his research problem, the author uses a rather original methodological and methodological complex, which made it possible to fully outline the author’s scientific position on this issue.

Do we really need financial literacy to access the behavioral dynamics of generation Z? A case of Oman

The ability to manage money has been identified as a vital talent. In this context, financial literacy has a role to play. There are significant gaps, though, such as the financial connection to human behavior. The purpose of this study is to look at the overall effects of financial literacy (FL) on the behavioural aspects of materialism (ML), compulsive buying (CB), and tendency to debt (TD). It attempts to develop and evaluate a model that is based on these variables and to examine the relationships between these research constructs. The study looked at 233 respondents mainly students studying in Omani universities.A comprehensive literature review, confirmatory factorial analysis, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), and comprehensive analysis were used to develop research hypotheses. The primary findings suggested that financial literacy had the most significant impact on compulsive purchasing behaviour in comparison to materialism and the propensity to accumulate debt, among the direct relationships that were suggested. The study's findings have important implications for the formulation of public policy and other interested parties, as financial literacy is advantageous for individuals with poor financial health and facilitates the participation in other psychological behaviours.

Исторические подходы к исследованию лжи и их трансформация в культуре

The article analyzes the process of understanding the concept of lies in the history of culture. The relevance of the problem is due to the obvious transformation of the content of the concept over time, changes in the semantic volume and status of lies in different fields of knowledge. Based on the analysis of historical and philosophical material and modern domestic literature, historically formed approaches to the interpretation of the concept of lie are identified. Such approaches include religious, ontological, epistemological, ethical, axiological, instrumental, cultural and psychological approaches to the interpretation of lies. In the religious approach, God is the absolute truth; lies come from the devil and are a phenomenon of the lower world. In the ontological approach, lies are presented as a phenomenon in the world of things. In the epistemological approach, lying is not associated with a person; denotes the discrepancy between knowledge and reality and is a hypostasis of truth. The ethical approach connects truth with duty, and lies with violation of people’s rights and internal moral imperative (Kant). In cultural, axiological and instrumental approaches, lies are interpreted as a utilitarian value that ensures the realization of communicative needs and the achievement of cultural goals. The psychological approach associates lies with interpersonal communication between people and the volitional action of a person. The historical conditionality and interrelation of the selected approaches is shown. By tracing the evolution of approaches to studying lying, from religious condemnation to psychological inquiry, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of human behavior and societal norms.

Mohammad Nakhshab’s concept of dialectical Tawhid: Vitalism and the question of monotheism

This article examines the philosophical thoughts of Mohammad Nakhshab (1923-1970), the co-founder of the Movement of God-Worshipping Socialists ( Nazhat Khoda Parastan-e Sosialist) in Iran. It argues that Nakhshab articulates an innovative reconceptualization of Islam through the critical appropriation of socialism and its political and technoscientific implications for world progress. Divided into two sections, the paper first contextualizes Nakhshab’s writings and offers a close analysis of the philosophical aspects of his essays. I argue that Nakhshab’s preoccupation with the tawhidi (monotheistic) worldview, though in part a critical response to the growing popularity of materialist philosophy, is based on an inventive reconstruction of the Marxist-Leninist conception of nature and society as a conflict-ridden historical process oriented toward moral salvation. Against the ontology of dialectical materialism, Nakhshab advances a vitalistic idealism based on the notion of “vitality of will” ( nirou-ye eradi), realized through a collective force of movement as praxis in the world. In his conception of dialectical tawhid, Nakhshab envisages an Iranian society as a thoroughgoing socialist project grounded in the monotheistic worldview and ultimately aimed at an alternative modernity of spiritual force.

The Manifestation, Causes, Countermeasures of “Double-Sided Person” in Current China’s University Teachers from the Perspective of Materialist Philosophy and Psychology

In current China, there is “double-sided person” in university teachers. This phenomenon is seriously threatening the development of universities and national undertakings. Therefore, this phenomenon must be effectively addressed. Recently, this phenomenon has received some attention from the academic community and become a hot theoretical theme. Meanwhile, many achievements has been achieved regarding this theme. However, further research are needed on it. Thus, the article conducts research on it from the perspective of materialist philosophy and psychology. From the perspective of materialist philosophy and psychology, this article mainly focuses on the main manifestations, causes, and countermeasures of “double-sided person” in current China’s university teachers. It summarizes the specific manifestations of “double-sided person” above-mentioned, analyzes why it formed and exists, and proposes some practical and effective countermeasures for it. Firstly, the main manifestation of “double-sided person” in current China’s university teachers is that a minority of them are verbally consistent with the theories, lines, guidelines, and strategies of China’s top administrative department, but their actual behavior is inconsistent with those above-mentioned. Then, from the perspective of materialist philosophy, the causes of “double-sided person” above-mentioned are as follows. The internal reason is that the thought qualities of a minority of university teachers are not strong enough. The external reason is that the relevant appointment, assessment, and supervision mechanisms of university teachers are not sound. From the perspective of psychology, the causes are personality distortion caused by cognitive dissonance, personality fission in motivational conflict dilemma, impression manipulation and negative effects of character labels, the accumulation of “mode personality” and the psychological disorder of “marginal individuals”. Last, the main countermeasures are as follows: First, improving the appointment and assessment mechanism of university teachers. Second, strengthening the daily supervision mechanism for university teachers. Third, strengthening the management of university teachers through the legal measures. Fourth, strengthening thought education for university teachers. Fifth, strengthening the governance of cyberspace related to university teachers. Sixth, establishing a unit alliance to address “double-sided person”.

The young Leibniz's tentative acceptance of physical occasionalism

AbstractIn this article, I revisit Leibniz's early views on physical causation, more specifically, his relation to physical occasionalism focusing on the period from 1668 to 1676. An in‐depth analysis of the Confession of Nature against the Atheists taken together with the Catholic Demonstrations, Leibniz's correspondence with Jakob Thomasius from 1668/69, and the Pacidius Philalethi (1676) serve as evidence that his position leads to physical occasionalism. This receives further confirmation by taking into account Leibniz's familiarity with Weigel's occasionalism in contrast to Leibniz's later encounter of French occasionalism à la Cordemoy, La Forge, or Malebranche. Leibniz's exposure to Weigel's occasionalism, in turn, helps us better understand Leibniz's later critical reaction to occasionalism and how occasionalism helped him develop his own distinct views on causation as expressed in his mature philosophy.

Reassembling the ruins: revisiting Latour’s concept of translation in Modernity’s growing aftermath

ABSTRACT Bruno Latour’s concept of translation provides ways to both extend the ‘material turn’ in translation studies and conceptualise translation as process. This concept cannot be understood apart from Latour’s critique of Modern epistemology which requires an alternative conception of temporality and, in the context of the Anthropocene, provides a means to imagine futures and pasts beyond the tropes of growth vs contraction or progress vs regression. In this article, Latour’s concept of translation is read through Anna Tsing’s anthropological account of the matsutake mushroom trade, engaging this thick descriptive case-study to further develop translation as times of indeterminate encounters. This approach provides a means to conceptualise translation in terms of material agency, from which notions of translation-as-meaning, and linguistic translation can be more credibly theorised, contributing both within and beyond translation studies to discussions on new materialist philosophy and its implications, arguing for the importance of translational thinking.

Idealism and biologism in social reproduction theory: A materialist critique

The article gives a materialist interpretation of the first, second and third Marxist-feminist Theses through a critical analysis of the Unitary Theory of Social Reproduction. It argues that Social Reproduction Theory resorts to idealism and biologism when explaining male domination. A meta-critical incision will be carried out by studying the use Social Reproduction Theory makes of categories such as ‘production’, ‘reproduction’, ‘exploitation’ and ‘oppression’, in that these categories are addressed as historical while the categories of ‘women’ and ‘men’ are de-historicized and naturalized. According to Unitary Theories, ‘women’ are not material, historical products of patriarchy but biological beings (biologism) that have been culturally devalued (idealism). This leads to an essentialist ontology where ‘women’ and ‘men’ precede the relations of production that create them. This idea obstructs the formation of a materialist philosophy of praxis.

Materialism and consumption

De acuerdo con los estudios existentes, al analizar y comprender el com- portamiento del consumidor, el materialismo ha adquirido una enorme estatura intelectual y académica cuando se trata de interpretar la comple- jidad de las culturas contemporáneas en las que la humanidad se debate actualmente (Páramo, 2010).Las diferentes acepciones que existen respecto al concepto de materialismo confluyen casi todas en la relación entre las personas y las posesiones. Así, Belk (1984) define el materialismo como la importancia que un consumidor le da a las posesiones, y enfatiza en cómo, en los más altos niveles, estas asumen un lugar central en la vida de los individuos, de manera que se cree que ellas proveen las más grandes fuentes de satisfacción o insatisfacción.Para Belk, el materialismo implica tres dimensiones de segundo orden que le dan razón a su existencia: a) la posesión, b) la no generosidad, y c) la envidia. Por su parte, Richins y Dawson (1992) conciben el materialismo como una programación mental y un sistema cultural que contribuye a la estructuración de una cultura de consumo, mientras que el Diccionario Inglés de Oxford (1990) lo describe como “una tendencia a preferir posesiones materiales y confort físico respecto a los valores espirituales”.viiiA la luz de las diferentes aproximaciones hechas desde distintas disciplinas sociales en las cuales se ha pretendido ver al materialismo como un “rasgo”, una “actitud” o un “valor”, puede afirmarse que, dada la esencia de su concepción, el materialismo puede concebirse como un sistema de valores incrustados en cada sociedad de manera diferente (Mannion y Brannick, 1995). Verlo como una actitud, y entender por ella una predisposición aprendida para responder a un objeto o una clase de objetos, o como un rasgo personal referido a una característica individual, sería reducir demasiado la complejidad que el materialismo comporta en sí mismo.Ha de entenderse, en este sentido, que el materialismo también comprende la forma en la que las personas se conducen y distribuyen sus recursos en ciertas situaciones, así como que no es un asunto individual, sino que este se halla inmerso en una cultura dada y, en tanto tal, su influencia obedece a patrones culturalmente aceptados. Se sugiere que los valores materiales están asociados con una baja autoestima, una clara insatisfacción con la vida y con un insaciable deseo por obtener un ingreso mayor. Así, las posesiones materiales a menudo sirven como sustitutos de las inadecuadas o insatisfac- torias relaciones interpersonales (Rindfleisch et al., 1997).A partir de dimensionar con mayor precisión el concepto de materialismo y sus principales características, es importante entender que, a pesar de las ácidas críticas recibidas por religiosos y algunos científicos sociales, las posesiones tienen una positiva influencia en la vida de las personas. Al respecto se ha hecho una perfecta diferenciación entre dos formas de materialismo basados en los propósitos del consumo. Cuando los objetos actúan como medios esenciales para descubrir y alcanzar más adelante valores personales y metas de vida, el materialismo es potencialmente menos peligroso y se denomina “instrumental”, mientras que cuando el consumo posterior no logra una meta más allá de la posesión misma, el materialismo es visto como algo más peligroso y se conoce como “terminal” (Richins y Dawson, 1992).Con el materialismo terminal las personas utilizan las posesiones para ge- nerar envidia y admiración de otros o alcanzar estatus, lo cual lo hace más peligroso por cuanto lo importante no es la adquisición misma, sino lo que ella produce; esto se utiliza con bastante frecuencia desde el marketing y el fenómeno de consumo que debe comprender y atender.ixAsí, en el materialismo la adquisición puede percibirse como lo central, como búsqueda de la felicidad o una expresión de éxito (Belk, 1987).

ОБЫДЕННО-ПРАКТИЧЕСКОЕ И НАУЧНОЕ ПОЗНАНИЕ: МЕТАМОРФОЗЫ ВЗАИМООТНОШЕНИЙ

On the characteristic features of everyday and scientific types of knowledge, their interaction (interrelation and difference) in the historical aspect is studied. The problem is analyzed 
 on the basis of historical and philosophical material. The difference and relationship between everyday practical and scientific types of knowledge is illustrated by examples of acquired knowledge from various fields of science. Particular attention is paid to the comparative characteristics of the language of science and the language of everyday knowledge. The analysis carried out allows us to avoid extremes – both 
 the absolute opposition of these types of cognition and their fusion. The attributes of scientific knowledge – rationalistic elements (argumentation and proof, methodological approach, universality, etc.) – 
 are complemented by irrationalistic elements (faith, intuition, etc.), without which no scientific research is possible. The use of the dialectical method of analysis can be a sufficient basis for criticizing anti-scientism and reduce the currently increasing intensity of criticism of science.