Moral Perfection Research Articles

Social sensitivity and the ethics of attention

AbstractSocial sensitivity is a crucial aspect of interpersonal relationships, as it is intrinsic to the understanding of other selves as subjects situated in a social world. In revitalizing such a concept in the philosophical literature, this article examines the relation between habit, attention, and critical self‐awareness that lies at the core of social sensitivity. On the one hand, I reconsider the so‐called “passivity” of habit and tackle the role of attention as the power of varying point of view. On the other hand, I contrast Husserl's view of attentiveness with Murdoch's account of loving attention, arguing that social sensitivity centers on a type of striving that is closer to Husserl's methodology than Murdoch's approach to moral perfectionism.

Liberal education, beautiful knowledge and René V. Arcilla's Wim Wenders's Road Movie Philosophy

In this short article, in response to the urgent invitation of Arcilla's book, I would like to address the question of how to resuscitate liberal education today and how this might be possible with education through film. First, I shall highlight the perfectionist dimension of Arcilla's idea of liberal education from the perspective of Emersonian moral perfectionism—especially in relation to his thematisation of education as a journey, as being on the way. Second, and questioning anew what it means to gather knowledge throughout one's life, I shall offer some critical remarks regarding Arcilla's characterisation of knowledge as associated with know-how—in his dichotomisation of useful and useless knowledge. To go beyond such a dichotomy, I shall advert to the concept of beautiful knowledge—an idea originally expressed by Henry David Thoreau that does not divide the functional and the aesthetic. Finally, as a concrete way of resuscitating liberal education in higher education, I shall recommend a way of using film in the classroom.

Marital Realism: Beauty and Pettiness inMiddlemarch

Marital Realism: Beauty and Pettiness in<i>Middlemarch</i>

Experience and Its Discontents

Experience and Its Discontents

Religious Perfectionism Scale: Assessment of Validity and Reliability Among Undergraduate Students in Iran.

Religious perfectionism is a construct that may help to either improve mental health or cause mental health difficulties. The Religious Perfectionism Scale (RPS; Wang in J Relig Health 59: 318-333, 2020) is a useful tool for assessing religious perfectionism around the world, but its psychometric properties have yet to be tested in Iran. The sample in the present study consisted of 300 Iranian undergraduate students (180 females) from Azad University who completed the RPS, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-2, and the Moral Perfectionism Scale. The impact score was used to determine face validity, and the values of the impact score for all translated items were greater than 1.5, meaning that the items had satisfactory face validity. The Content Validity Index (CVI) values were above the acceptable cutoff score of 0.7, indicating the acceptable content validity of items. The Content Validity Ratio (CVR) scores were greater than the cutoff score of the Lawshe table (.78), indicating the satisfactory essentiality of the items. To measure construct validity, the results of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS software confirmed the scale with two subscales (zealous religious dedication and religious self-criticism). No item was removed from the scale as all factor loading values were greater than 0.49. The findings support the psychometric properties of the scale for measuring religious perfectionism among undergraduate students in Iran.

Biases for Evil and Moral Perfection

I argue that deeply ingrained dispositions to do evil do not render moral perfection impossible. I discuss various accounts of moral perfection and the evidence from cognitive (neuro)science that points towards a strong disposition for evil. Afterwards, I discuss three strategies that can allow humans to overcome their evil dispositions. These are: cognitive enhancement, avoiding triggering situations and structural solutions.

Kant and the enhancement debate: Imperfect duties and perfecting ourselves.

This essay develops a Kantian approach to the permissibility of biomedical physical, cognitive, and moral enhancement. Kant holds that human beings have an imperfect duty to promote their physical, cognitive, and moral perfection. While an agent's individual circumstances may limit the means she may permissibly use to enhance herself, whether biomedically or otherwise, I argue (1) that biomedical means of enhancing oneself are, generally speaking, both permissible and meritorious from a Kantian perspective. Despite often being equally permissible, I also argue (2) that enhancing oneself by more traditional means is, generally speaking, more meritorious (and involves the display of more virtue) than enhancing oneself by biomedical means. Nevertheless, since Kant does not fault agents for acting less meritoriously (or for displaying less virtue) than they otherwise could, I also argue (3) that those who opt for permissible biomedical enhancement over more traditional forms are not blameworthy for doing so. I also consider and reject several objections to these claims, including that biomedical enhancements (1) are too passive to count as actions by the agent who enhances herself, (2) involve a failure of the agent to treat her humanity as an end in itself or to show proper respect for her dignity, (3) might be undertaken on the basis of motives that undermine their permissibility, (4) are likely to exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities in ways that do the same, and (5) in their moral form are incompatible with Kant's conception of duty and human freedom.

ETIKA KEUTAMAAN DALAM AKHLAK TASAWUF ABDUL QODIR AL-JAILANI: RELEVANSINYA DENGAN PENGEMBANGAN KARAKTER MANUSIA

This study examines the concept of Abdul Qadir al-Jailani's Sufism which is oriented towards moral Sufism. His teachings are centered on improving human morals. Moral perfection in humans can be realized by purification of the soul through the stages of self-purification. This research is a library research, using the formal object of virtue ethics and the material object is the moral thought of Sufism Abdul Qadir al-Jailani. This research is library research. the method used is qualitative with content analysis techniques Interpretation, coherence and holistic. The results of this study indicate that the thought of Abdul Qadir al-Jailani's Sufism emphasizes the aspects of improving individual human behavior through several stages of purification of the soul: repentance, zuhud, tawakal, patience, honesty, gratitude, and pleasure. The ethics of virtue in the Sufism of Abdul Qodir al-Jailani directs the focus of his attention on human being which is oriented to self-improvement as a good or bad person.

Philosophy of Religion and Religious Pluralism from Biblical Perspective and Their Implications for Christian Education

Purpose: Students of Christian Religious Studies should be encouraged to learn about other religions in order to enhance their personal conviction and be tolerant and competent in engaging in meaningful negotiation when mediating in crises. It is an exploratory research that has deployed resources from documents, media and personal interaction and inquiries. Religion is a cause of disunity, tribal disparity, ethnic cleansing and wars in most parts of the world. Religion has empowered some individuals to kill, maim, rape, enslave and self-impose on others. It has been mingled with politics in some countries like Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Middle East, most African countries and many others. The practice of religion has been used to discriminate against job seekers and in matters of welfare. It brings tremendous gains to some people while others are impoverished. Methodology: Real life occurrences as published by the media of people who have been victims of religious intolerance, violence, psychological and sexual slavery. For instance, in the Middle East entire communities are eliminated by murder and rape of children and youths who are abducted to be subjected to indoctrination or kept as hostages until some money is paid on them. These destructive tendencies forestall development. Findings: The findings are: A God-centered religion should emphasize divine qualities in the lives of believers. Compliance with the National Constitution of one’s country is more beneficial than man-made tenets and laws that are of the least benefits to the general public or human progress and which cause dissension and do not necessarily reflect the nature of God, the Creator but that of an invisible personality that only forms a part of human imagination. Faith in God should be a reason to love fellow humans 1John 4:20. Learning philosophy of religion is training in peaceful coexistence. Religion arouses intense emotions; therefore, it may not deploy rationality in fostering good human relations and respect of the rights of opponents. Unique Contribution To Theory, Practice And Policy: This article contributes to contemporary realities by proposing that democratic governments should institute peace and order by enabling equal rights of worship, freedom of religion, of choice and of self-expression. The research leans heavily on the Bible and the claims of Jesus Christ, a fact of history, whose moral perfection, peaceful lifestyle, teaching and philosophy express values that are worthy of emulation for human development, progress and peace. Key words: pluralism, philosophy of religion, Bible tenets, Islam, Ba’hai, Buddhism

Pluralism,Corruptionor Moral Perfection (A Study of Two ContrastiveApproaches in Iranian and Indian Literary Tazkirahs)

Pluralism,Corruptionor Moral Perfection (A Study of Two ContrastiveApproaches in Iranian and Indian Literary Tazkirahs)

Emerson’s abolitionist perfectionism

This article aims to rewrite Emerson’s moral perfectionism – his anti-foundationalist pursuit of an always more perfect state of self and society – onto his moral and intellectual participation in the abolitionist movement. I argue that Cavell artificially separated Emerson’s moral perfectionism from his extensive, decades-long abolitionism. The source of Cavell’s oversight is his participation in the long-standing norm of dichotomizing Emerson’s work into the theoretical ‘essays’ and the ‘anti-slavery writings’ or the philosophical and the polemical. Recent scholars of Emerson have questioned and even dismissed this dichotomy, however, while recentring Emerson’s politics in his oeuvre as a whole. They find much to praise, and also plenty to criticize, in Emerson’s abolitionist writings. I follow and extend that scholarly trend here and introduce what I call Emerson’s abolitionist perfectionism as an expansion of Cavell’s influential work on moral perfectionism.

Pengentasan Kemiskinan Perspektif Hadis Nabi (Studi Hadis Tematis-Kontekstualis )

Poverty is a problem that always haunts every human life in the world. Several negative impacts continue to appear in all parts of the world due to the problem of poverty. One of the aims of the Islamic Religion was to bring humanity to a life which is full of prosperity and out of poverty. Muhammad as a Prophet not only responded to matters relating to human relations with the Lord, but also horizontally dealt with human relations with each other. With his example and wise attitude, the Prophet Muhammad responded to the problem of poverty with several solutions. The moral perfection of the Prophet Muhammad is reflected in his hadiths, so it is interesting to be studied comprehensively. Discussing thematically and systematically the terms of poverty in hadith became a concrete step to uncover the Prophet's method of alleviating poverty. In the next step was the contextualization of the hadith as an effort to keep the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad to remain shalih likulli zaman wal makan. &nbsp; &nbsp;Key words: poverty, Prophet’s hadith, thematic, contextualization

A Comparative Study of Attachment Style, Psychological Toughness and Moral Perfectionism in two groups of Girls with and Without Self-Injury Behaviors

A Comparative Study of Attachment Style, Psychological Toughness and Moral Perfectionism in two groups of Girls with and Without Self-Injury Behaviors

An Analysis of Al-Kindi's View of Human Perfection

Perfection is an anthropological issue that is inherently human in nature, but in theory, Greek philosophers played a prominent role. They pursued this more as a virtue. The main question of this research is what analysis can be provided for Al-Kindi’s view of human perfection? This research was done using a descriptive-analytic method and its most important findings are: In analyzing the Al-Kindi’s view of perfection, we can divide it into two types – philosophical perfection and moral perfection. Philosophical perfection in this research means perfection in the field of theoretical reason. In his treatise on reason, he used it in four meanings, the second meaning of which refers to the reason considered in this research. Although he uses a degree of theoretical reason, we see a kind of ambiguity and weaknesses in his philosophical perfection. What we mean by moral perfection in this research is the perfection of the practical intellect, which is called virtue. He is more morally influenced by Plato than Aristotle. And according to the powers of the human soul, it divides virtues into four parts – wisdom, prudence or courage, chastity, and justice. To explain further, a human being has many virtues, and human virtues refer to the same desirable human creation which is divided into two types, one of which is in the soul and the other surrounds the human body and is one of the effects in the soul. The kind that exists in the soul is divided into three types: wisdom, chastity and the one that surrounds the human body and one of the effects of this thing in the soul is justice. When a necessity arises, one does not fear death and repels something that is against his will; chastity is eating things to train the body and maintaining it after all. Virtues have two extremes and each of these two is a departure from moderation and vice. The soul is a slowly transcending light and after separating from the body, it becomes aware of everything in the world and no secret is hidden from it. In this article, an attempt has been made to solve the problem of perfection from Al-Kindi’s point of view using a rational-descriptive method. The important point about Al-Kindi is that he was in the early stages of the translation movement and was not familiar enough with Greek works. Also, according to the available reports, not all of his works have reached us so it is difficult to judge definitively about his views on various issues, including perfection. However, from Al-Kindi’s point of view, perfection can be divided into philosophical and moral perfection but for the aforementioned reasons, both types of perfection are ambiguous and there seems to be more of an ambiguity regarding philosophical perfection in his works.

NİZAMİ GƏNCƏVİNİN ƏSƏRLƏRİNDƏ ƏDALƏT MƏSƏLƏSİ

The article discusses the creation of the image of a cust ruler in the “Khamsa” of Nizami Gancavi in the 12th century, who made an invaluable contribution to the revival of Azerbaican, including world culture. It also discusses the development of the ideas of statehood from the perspective of humanism and the important achievements of Azerbaican’s socio-philosophical thought. At the same time, in all his works, the great thinker focused his attention on the problem of moral perfection, hard work and philanthropy. In addition to other high moral qualities, he drew attention to the problem of a cust ruler and an ideal political structure. For him, the main features of a cust ruler are decency and humanism. According to Nizami, virtue is the one who serves his people and on this basis, he called the rulers of his time to custice. He believed that, in a conscious human society, the main task of the state and its leader is to ensure public confidence in the authorities and restore custice. According to the poet, oppression should not be included in the sphere of the state, otherwise the prosperity of such a state will not last long. Key words: state, renaissance, humanism, spiritual perfection, humanity, sovereignty, kindness, custice

The Value of Cities of Words. Cavell on Perfectionism, Films, and TV Series

This essay is inspired by Stanley Cavell’s attempt to renew, and to a certain extent redefine, the tradition of moral perfectionism lies his conviction that perfectionist attitudes are both constitutive of one aspect of philosophy, the one (that is) turned toward the knowledge of the self, and necessary for the survival of democratic societies. His work on Hollywood comedies and melodramas speaks directly to how intertwined personal change and democratic aspirations are in his view and to the philosophical and pedagogical value he credits popular films with. The claim of the essay is that contemporary TV series deserve the same philosophical attention that films have received and, subsequently, that Cavell’s ideas about what binds perfectionist quests for personal change and democracy are crucial in the present cultural and political landscape. The West Wing series is taken as an example.

A Vindication of Desire: St Anselm, with C. S. Lewis

Despite different starting points, in the cloister and the world respectively, Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) and C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) enjoyed a mutual interest in the concept and experience of spiritual desire. Inspired by Lewis’ famous sermon, ‘The Weight of Glory’ (1941), but principally guided by Anselm’s reflections, this essay argues that desire exists in a dynamic relationship with love and that, as a journey of desire, the Christian life is extremely challenging, since it is a journey into mystery and towards moral perfection, but also contains and ultimately fulfils God’s promise of eternal joy. It is hoped that one by-product of this exploration may be to accord greater recognition to Anselm as a spiritual, even mystical, theologian, recognising him in Jean Leclercq’s description of an earlier monastic leader, Gregory the Great (d. 604), as a ‘doctor of desire’.

“Through the Intimacies of This Dance”: Moral Perfectionism in William Carlos Williams’s Kora in Hell and Other Improvisations

“Through the Intimacies of This Dance”: Moral Perfectionism in William Carlos Williams’s Kora in Hell and Other Improvisations

How Buddhist beliefs relate to blood donation intention: The role of moral attentiveness and self‐monitoring

AbstractBuddhism is prevalent in Asia and has been growing in Western countries. Its perspectives have subtle influences on people’s ways of thinking and behaving. This study focuses on the association between Buddhist beliefs and blood donation intention. We draw on a social‐cognitive perspective to delineate how this link is mediated by moral attentiveness and moderated by self‐monitoring. Data were collected via online surveys, and 508 respondents were included in the final sample. We used Hayes’ PROCESS macro and simple slope analysis to assess all relationships in our moderated mediation model. Results indicated that Buddhist beliefs were positively related to blood donation intention, and moral attentiveness mediated this relationship. Moreover, self‐monitoring was found to moderate the direct relationship between Buddhist beliefs and moral attentiveness, as well as the indirect relationship between Buddhist beliefs and blood donation intention through moral attentiveness. The associations were strengthened with increased self‐monitoring. This research provides a nuanced explanation of the manner in which Buddhist beliefs are associated with blood donation intention. Blood donation recruitment campaigns can incorporate instrumental elements of Buddhist teachings, such as the pursuit of moral perfection, the cultivation of the virtues of unselfishness, benevolence and understanding, and the laws of Karma. Meanwhile, mindfulness as a core practice in Buddhism can be utilized to improve moral attentiveness and self‐monitoring, thereby promoting blood donation intention.

Techniques of mastering the emotional component of the content of foreign-language education

The problem for the research. Due to the focus of foreign-language education on the moral perfection of a younger personality and the development of a student’s creative abilities, many researchers consider that the structure of its content should include not only the “intellectual”, but also the emotional component. In this regard, the problem of developing an appropriate activity component that would contribute to the realization of reserves of such content and the appropriation of the cultural heritage of humanity by schoolchildren is becoming more and more urgent. Methods of investigation. The study involved students at the primary (grades 1–4), secondary (grades 5–7), high (grades 8–9) and subject-oriented (grades 10–11) levels of school foreign-language education. These are 138 students of schools in Kirov, Kirov Region, Izhevsk and the urban district “Lesnoy” (Russian Federation). In the experimental work foreign-language text material of emotional content was used, as well as the techniques of mastering the emotional component of the content of foreign-language education as a unit of emotional activity component of foreign-language education. The results were processed using methods of mathematical statistics (dispersion, standard deviation, Fisher’s criterion). The findings of the study. Identify statistically significant differences in the initial and final indicators of students with a vertical form of control at the significance level of p = 0.05. Thus, the indices of the Fisher criterion in assessing the results of mastering the “intellectual” unit and the emotional component of the content of foreign-language education by students of the junior stage were 1.89/1 and 1.3/1, respectively. At the middle stage, they were as follows: 2.47/1 (for the “intellectual” unit) and 1.5/1 (for the emotional component); at the high stage – 1.7/1 and 1.0022/1; at the profile-oriented one – 2.36/1 and 1.08/1. Conclusions. The results of the control experiment confirmed the feasibility of introducing techniques of mastering the emotional component of the content of foreign-language education in the mass practice of secondary schools. These data are of a fundamental nature on the way to the of a student as an intercultural language personality.