Ontological Foundations Research Articles

СОЦІОЛОГІЗАЦІЯ ПРИРОДНОГО ПРАВА: ДО ПИТАННЯ ПРО СУМІСНІСТЬ ТИПІВ ПРАВОРОЗУМІННЯ

The article presents research of the widespread tendency to justify the concept of natural law within empirical sociocultural and anthropological factors in order to deprive it of its metaphysical character, which corresponds to sociological methodology. Emphasis is laid on the assumption of fundamental compatibility of the concepts of natural and sociological law, which, according to the author, is false. This outlines the related goal of the thesis that lies in proving formal logical and methodological incompatibility of the aforementioned concepts as well as inability of the sociological interpretation of natural law to solve the problem of lack of trust therein. Emphasis is also laid on inability of sociological methodology to solve the problem of ethical justification of the correctness of legal standards and behavior, which is clearly manifested in the projections of legitimacy and values. It is emphasized that the ethical foundations of law are not derived from the actual condition and require absolute values of transcendent (metaphysical) nature. The conclusion is made that natural law and sociological law are comparable but logically incompatible concepts, since they are formed according to opposite essential features determining the oppositeness of the elements that constitute their scope. In addition, the notions and concepts under research are opposite according to the ontological principles of origin and essence as well as according to the cognitive ideals forming the principles of their methodology. Together, this makes it possible to insist on the oppositeness of their nature. However, their oppositeness does not exclude complementarity in performance of the methodological work they do, albeit in their own way. Therefore, the gaps in knowledge of the ontological foundations of the theory of natural law are not a reason to abandon its instrumental capabilities as a value-oriented measure for the norms established by people. To restore trust in natural law, sociologization thereof is not enough, since the empirical methodology of sociologism creates only the illusion of solution to the problem of justifying the ethical foundations of the legal order solved by the concept of natural law in a different cognitive way. Key words: natural law, sociological law, sociologization of natural law, sociological methodology, metaphysics, legitimacy, values.

"Dasein" или "поток переживаний": онтологические основания человека через призму феноменологического и психоаналитического подходов

The article addresses the problem of human existence from the standpoint of phenomenological and psychoanalytic approaches. Human existence from the standpoint of phenomenology is revealed by the concept of Dasein – “here is being” – derived from the consciousness of a person whose being is the being of his consciousness. Psychoanalysis considers human existence as a stream of experiences, often of an unconscious nature, as a result of “games of the unconscious”; however, consciousness and living by the consciousness of the irrational unconscious drives have a therapeutic significance in the treatment of mental disorders, and therefore consciousness is of crucial importance in the ontological foundations of psychoanalysis. This confirms the desubjectifying and rationalizing role of the analyst in a psychoanalytic situation. The aim of the article is to consider the ontological foundations of man through the prism of phenomenological and psychoanalytic approaches. As a result, their common and special features were identified, the concept of Dasien analysis was considered, represented by the use of a phenomenological approach to psychoanalysis. The methodology of the study is related to its problem field. The main method of research is phenomenological analysis. The research also relies on a number of general scientific methods: analysis, synthesis, modeling, ascent from the abstract to the concrete, abstraction. When considering human existence, a dialectical approach was used in the context of the study of the relations of the dichotomous pair “consciousness – the unconscious” as the subject-object foundations of existence. Exploring human existence through the prism of phenomenology and psychoanalysis, similarities were revealed in the understanding of the role of rational or conscious processes in human existence in the works of Martin Heidegger and Sigmund Freud. In phenomenology, the intentionality of consciousness was considered as the most essential being, Dasein residing in active actual thinking. In psychoanalysis, consciousness is the possibility of healing from mental disorders, where the awareness and rationalization of the problem become the central tools of psychoanalytic therapy. For Dasein analysis, consciousness is actually equated with human existence; namely, Dasein is a true reality, while not split by the dichotomy of subject-object relations.

Understanding and Defining Hindu and Integrative Spiritual Care

Spiritual care holds significant promise for the future of work in organizations. However, it lacks a workable ontological foundation in the management context due to its heterogeneity. This article investigates the nature of spiritual care in contemporary contexts and identifies its key elements from an integrative perspective using the holistic framework of Hinduism. The definition of spiritual care was derived by applying design science research and a novel integrative approach adapted from the Tarka method of the Hindu philosophical system. The proposed definition was validated by spiritual-care providers in the field. The proposed integrative definition will allow scholars to develop their own comprehensive definitions for practice and for contributions to the field. The expansion of the scope of spiritual care into domains like business will support the recognition of the positive outcomes of spiritually based interventions in the workplaces of the future.

ОНТОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ОСНОВАНИЯ РЕАЛЬНОГО ГУМАНИЗМА И ПРОБЛЕМА АБОРТОВ

Marxist philosophy in its practical application (real humanism) can become a reliable support for the progressive part of the anti-abortion movement, opposing the bourgeois-liberal, neo-Malthusian pro-abortion ideology. Marxist ontological criticism of demographic politics under capitalism can contribute to this. From Marx’s point of view, capitalism inevitably creates «surplus» working population. This «surplus» generates either poverty or artificial abortion. Gender equality under capitalism receives a characteristic market-focused and social-Darwinist interpretation. Neo-Malthusian sociocultural «projections» of the market economy onto the worldview are expressed in the absolutization of individual autonomy, in the underestimation of the potential side of social reality, and in the desire to receive more from society than to give to it. Neo-Malthusianism seeks to dehumanize, to deny the fetus, and sometimes even the newborn, the right to human dignity, while the ontological foundation of real humanism is the affirmation of the essential identity of people with each other, which is ensured by the presence of a material social substratum in all people, including fetuses. Marxist social ontology regards the birth of a sufficient number of children as a necessary condition for the development of productive forces and the humanization of production relations. This also presupposes the creation of a large number of highly skilled jobs. As a conclusion, it is argued that the practice of real humanism with regard to the abortion problem must consist in the struggle for the creation of such jobs, for real social protection of motherhood and childhood, and for other measures aimed at the general development of the productive forces. In addition, having many children should become a common occurrence in families of real humanists.

«Правда» в исследовательских работах А.П. Скафтымова о Достоевском

The article explores the works of classical literary critic Skaftymov concerning Dostoevsky. Its aim is to provide an initial definition of the concept of “pravda,” as used in Skaftymov’s scholarly works. The meaning of this concept evolves from a student essay to the completion of the final work about the writer. “Pravda” is understood as the ethical and ontological foundation of an individual rooted in Christ’s love. It is closely tied to the ideas present in Dostoevsky’s works, where the ultimate expression of “pravda” is found in forgiveness and love. Forgiveness and love serve as the functional essence of characters such as Prince Myshkin from the novel The Idiot and Liza (the heroine of the story Notes from Underground). Prince Myshkin epitomizes Dostoevsky’s truth, living with a lovingly open acceptance of existence, a comprehension of human pride and forgiveness, compassion, and a keen sense of moral well-being. Similarly, Lise embodies “true” characteristics, including selfless heartfelt sympathy, the capacity for self-sacrifice, and moral sensitivity. These qualities are also found in Dostoevsky’s “proud” characters, who yearn for brotherly love but struggle to attain it. Skaftymov portrays the state of these “true” heroes in Dostoevsky’s artistic world as akin to Orthodox righteousness. The concept of “pravda” in Skaftymov’s interpretation is considered as a free law of life, emphasizing love and forgiveness as fundamental principles in Dostoevsky’s work.

Application of Taoist Principles and Feng Shui in Urban Spaces (Landscaping and Garden Design)

The Taoist school emphasizes concepts such as "Yin and Yang" and "Tehya." Taoism has had a profound influence on architecture, painting, landscaping, home decoration, and lifestyle, extending beyond the borders of China to impact the entire modern world. The application of Far Eastern worldviews based on Taoist thought and its arrangement techniques, such as Feng Shui and its unique interior decoration in homes, urban spaces, garden design, and landscaping, deeply enhances and elevates the quality of life. Relying on ancient knowledge and experience, it can be stated that Tao is a spiritual way of life that enables humans to channel the positive energies of nature into themselves. The present study poses the question of how Taoist philosophical concepts influence urban space design. Taoism, one of the oldest philosophical schools in China, has significantly impacted the art of that region, with its ultimate goal being the harmony and consonance of humans with the natural order in life. Given that the practical art of Feng Shui is a derivative of this philosophy, the aim of this research is to identify and apply the fundamental elements of this mystical philosophy in urban planning and landscaping, and to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the philosophy and art of interior and exterior design. In this study, which presents its findings in an analytical-descriptive manner, we first analyze and examine Feng Shui's influence on the mystical and ontological foundations of Taoism and the manifestation of this approach in design and landscaping principles. It is then demonstrated that the application of these elements in urban spaces can bring not only visual beauty but also peace, balance, and harmony to the modern urban dweller.

Heteronormativity

Unity has been touted as the cornerstone of Indonesian nationalism since its declaration in 1945. With the national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, Indonesian unity holds a sacred and absolute status. However, in reality, unity sometimes becomes a national problem. This article revisits Indonesian unity by shedding light on its darker aspects, namely heteronormativity, and introduces how Indonesian unity can be supported by a new ontological alternative: pluriverse. The study provides a brief historical overview of the New Order era and the family ideology that shaped an adherence to heteronormative norms, and followed by exploration of the pluriverse as an ethical ontological foundation that can deepen the struggle for unity.

Aestheticization of media communication in the context of social reality aestheticization.

Aestheticization of social reality is a multifaceted process that affects various areas of social space and manifests itself as a reconstruction of social relations, social practices and the knowledge. Despite the active use of the term «aestheticization» in the scientific space and in creative activity, the categorical essence of this term remains uncertain, and there is no comprehensive understanding of the essence of the process of aestheticization. In the focus of existing scientific researches in this area are particular manifestations of aestheticization: the aestheticization of politics, science, history, war, violence, death, the aestheticization of everyday life, etc. In our research, we resorted to the historical, epistemological and ontological foundations of aesthetics, which allowed us to suggest a general scientific vision of aestheticization as a macro-process of semantic reconstruction of social reality; develop its three-aspect structure, highlighting the perceptual, axiological and pragmatic aspects. The conceptual foundations of aestheticization thus formed, allowed us to further offer an understanding of the process of aestheticization of media communication that is currently essential. Its essence is to rely on sentient intelligence and smart emotions of the recipient in building the communicative process and in choosing its forms and means. In aestheticized media communication, visual-sensuous and expressively emotive elements dominate over rational ones; imagery, affect and effect are emphasized. By creating new sensually expressive and attractive mass images, media communication not only modifies the forms of sensory perception, but changes the structural archetypes of the modern «media man» and transforms social perception. This reveals the potential of aestheticization in the «fundamental ideological reconstruction» of society (T. Eagleton) through the «aesthetic modulation of the human psyche» (F. Schiller).

TRANSCENDENTALISM, NATURALISM AND ONTOLOGY

The opposition between transcendentalism and naturalism plays a key role in discussions about consciousness at the confluence of phenomenology and analytical philosophy. Associated with it is a whole range of research programs. However, the opposition between transcendentalism and naturalism in these programs is, as a rule, operational and not thematic in nature and presupposes that 1) Transcendentalism and naturalism as traditions are initially alien to each other; 2) The domain of their opposition is ontology. The article attempts to problematize these premises based on one historical circumstance. Turning to the texts of Kant, the founder of transcendental philosophy, I intend to show that transcendentalism, which was first substantiated in them, is a version of naturalistic ontology, that is, a peculiarly interpreted naturalism that identifies nature with its natural scientific model and excludes constituting subjectivity from ontology. It is built not on the naturalization of phenomenology, but on the transcendentalization of natural science. Reinterpreting the experimental method in the spirit of the Copernican turn, Kant substantiates the apodictic nature and lack of alternative to the ontology of nature by turning nature into a correlate of consciousness and strictly limiting the principles of mathematical natural science to the boundaries of the phenomenal world. As a result, the true theme of philosophy—the thing in itself and transcendental subjectivity itself—is taken beyond the boundaries of ontology. The thematization of the naturalistic origins of transcendentalism and the removal of transcendental consciousness beyond the boundaries of ontology, carried out within its framework, thus reveals the problematic nature of these premises. The article also demonstrates that, despite significant differences in the understanding of transcendental philosophy and ontology between Kant and Husserl, the identified motives—the naturalistic nature of the ontological foundation and the meta-ontological character of transcendental subjectivity—remain of fundamental importance for the founder of phenomenology. This allows us to conclude that ontology is not the original domain of confrontation between transcendentalism and naturalism and to substantiate the compatibilist thesis according to which transcendentalism is compatible with ontological naturalism.

Онтологічні підґрунтя моральної культури. Частина II

Background. Forgetting the problems of being, erasing the idea of being from the worldview of contemporary humans, and focusing on individualistic and hedonistic practices lead to the narrowing of the personality's fullness, dehumanization of its moral and spiritual dimension, and alienation from one's own essence. The ontological turn of thinking, turn to its essential foundations, will allow finding a reliable foundation for a moral culture shaken by skepticism and nihilism, and making an existential turn in search of a person's lost essence. The article is aimed to study the ontological foundations of moral culture. The task of the article's first part is to investigate the ontological framework of moral culture – its fundamental axes; the task of the article's second part is to analyze the moral concepts of freedom, conscience, dignity, and equality through the prism of the ontological framework. Methods. The article uses a historical-philosophical and comparative method, as well as methods of genealogy and hermeneutic methods of interpretation. The general research paradigm is the transcendental anti-positivist tradition of philosophizing. Results. It is argued that the parameters of reality and its internal structure are determined by the ontological framework, namely the axes of sacred and profane, single and multiple, phenomenal and essential (proper). The fundamental connection between the ethical and the ontological, in which human existence is always a moral existence, is emphasized. Moral culture, our ideas about good and evil depend on our understanding of existence. Moral concepts are ontological – point to an objective valuable reality, "material a priori". It is noted that ontological dignity includes formal and material (content) aspects, assuming the existence of ontological equality of all people, ontological freedom and ontological conscience. Conclusions. The vision of existence as a sacred gift enables the ontological dignity of a person, that is, his non-alienated transcendental self-being. The vision of the sacred gift of being in the unity of diversity, in turn, implies the vision of the ontological equality of all people, who, being different, are simultaneously equal as they are all gifted with being. The ontological equality of people requires a certain "common denominator" of humanity, which may vary depending on the chosen paradigm. A meaningful expression of ontological dignity is ontological freedom, which consists of a person's ability to say a transcendental "yes" or "no" to the world, and to choose between being-centric and egocentric modes of existence. Awareness of the two poles of existence – the essential and the phenomenal – gives rise to an ontological conscience: an individual's anxiety about the authenticity of one's own existence and guilt for not being oneself.

О поэтической полемике между Паулем Целаном и Иоганнесом Бобровским

The main purpose of this work is to explore the experience of confronting guilt ‘after Auschwitz’ in the creative dialogue between two significant poets of the twentieth century — Paul Celan and Johannes Bobrowski. Despite their importance, their works remain inade­quately studied, particularly in the context of the interaction between language and existence, or more precisely, poetic semiotics and the ontological foundation of existence. Sander Gil­man, an American Germanist, in his work “Why and How I Study German” aimed at stu­dents of the German language in the United States, notes: “Learning German means under­standing the path that leads from the text to the crematory”. Celan shared a similar senti­ment. Bobrowski, while agreeing with Celan's belief that Auschwitz revealed the infernal nature of the German language, attempted to counter him by suggesting that even within the language of the underworld, a poet could serve as a synergistic participant in the manifesta­tion of Truth from the Light of Truth in the performative "production of the presence" of God. One of those who supported him in this argument was perhaps the most complex author in German history, Hamann, whom Goethe considered to be “the brightest mind of his time” and the future “forefather and teacher” of all Germans. In this context, the poetic dialogue between Celan and Bobrowski concerning the German ‘language after Auschwitz’ could be seen as an effort to prevent its complete deontologization, due to what the philosopher Hei­degger referred to as “the lack of holy names," stemming from “the defining characteristic of the present era of the world being the closed dimension of the Sacred”.

Ontological Foundation for Representing Metaphors as Part of LOD

Ontological Foundation for Representing Metaphors as Part of LOD

Ontology of Historicism: The Actor-Network Theory and the Elimination of the Subject

The article refers to the ontological foundations of the actor-network theory, considered from the perspective of historicism at the present stage of its development. The author offers an original version of the origin of the actor-network theory, placing it in the context of the process of overcoming classical historicism, historical relativism inherent in Postmodernism and searching for a new perspective on the historical process. The article puts forward and argues the thesis that the theoretical demarche under consideration, genetically related to the Structuralism of previous decades, has the potential to bring the problems common with Structuralism to the ontological level. The actor does not have some pre-existence, but is wholly constituted in the event. It does not exist on its own, but along with other actors whose activity creates the space in which they themselves are constituted. The essence of an actor entirely coincides with its existence in the space of events. The author concludes that the actor-network theory, not striving for the revival of trans-historical universals like the subject of history, also refuses to historicize the entities with which it has to deal. The actor has no personal history and is himself fundamentally unhistorical, but exists only within the framework of the ‘stories’ that happen to him. Such a theoretical demarche partially revives the subject of history, and in the ultimate perspective, the forms of thought characteristic of classical historicism. Thus, a specific structure is constituted in the space of the humanities, using the forms of classical historicism with their inherent figures and adapting them to a new context that meets the modern scientific situation.

Ukrainian Identity: Ontological Foundations and Essential Features

Turning to the phenomenon of Ukrainian identity as a multiverse of national values, as an objective ontological reality, an integral component of European civilization, becomes important in the institutionalisation of the spiritual and practical paradigm of our desire for freedom and independence. The Ukrainian national identity is based on the archetypal principles of human existence. This is a systemic and multi-level phenomenon that is embodied in a number of diverse criteria: biosphere, geological, anthropological, civilizational, ethnic, political, etc. In this context, the following dimensions of Ukrainian identity are decisive: anthropological code, territory (space of life), geopolitical determination, life activity, culture, and politics (state). Identity is based on the perception and understanding of one's own land, family, language, and culture as native and unified. The strengthening of the Ukrainian political nation should be included among the indisputable positive trends of social development. It is formed by the Ukrainian ethnic group and all national minorities in the country. Common to all is the citizenship of Ukraine - the state that they create for themselves to protect the rights and freedoms of each member of society, the national interests of the country in general. Congregationalism becomes the ontological foundation of the creation of a national state as a guarantor of the nation's self-preservation and the creation of the necessary political, economic, social, and other conditions for its development and establishment in the international community. Identity at the level of state policy means the ability of state authorities to organise collective action in such a way as to enable guaranteed opposition to real and potential aggressors. The ideological orientation of social consolidation in Ukraine is the national idea, which will determine the state-building priorities of social and political life based on civic principles. The fundamental feature of the Ukrainian national idea is its creative nature. This is motivated by the need to establish a constructive dialogue between values traditional to Ukrainian society and cultural innovations that penetrate globalisation processes.

Towards a German labor market ontology: Challenges and applications

The labor market is an area with diverse data structures and multiple applications, such as matching job seekers with the right training or job. For this reason, the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) is a good example of the central role of ontologies in this area. However, ESCO cannot provide all the details of local labor market needs and does not provide links to other hierarchies of competences. For example, other taxonomies of occupations and skills are widely used in German-speaking countries, but they are not in a state where they are easily accessible for interoperability and reasoning. In this paper, we present a first version of a German Labor Market Ontology (GLMO) that uses ESCO as a top-level ontology for the target domain. This makes it highly interoperable and comparable to existing ontologies by providing details for the regional structures in German-speaking countries. In addition, we present a detailed evaluation of the provided data and applications, as well as an extensive discussion of future work.

Ontological foundations of urban health policy ideas: the case of planning Sydney’s Western Parkland City

ABSTRACT This case study examines the ontological backgrounds of urban health policy ideas in planning the Western Parkland City, a large-scale regional development project in Sydney, Australia. Using an empirical approach, the study identifies seven key urban health policy ideas and analyses the nature of these ideas using urban health ontological frameworks. The dominant ontological paradigms appear as the medical-industrial and urban health science paradigms with strong alignment with the sustainable urban development and healthy urban planning research traditions. Additionally, the dominant ideas adopt a view of systems that is complicated more than complex, favour change driven by structure rather than agency, and involve perspectives that transcend across multiple scales. These findings highlight the importance of recognising the influence of paradigms in shaping policies and the need for transdisciplinary approach to policymaking.

Contradictions in the development of architecture science

The aim of the research is to study the formation of the ontological foundations of the science of architecture as an experience of its self-consciousness in the context of the evolution of spatial codes of cultural experience. The article considers contradictions of the modernist definition of architectural form, as well as the formation of the scientific discourse of architecture and the identity of architects’ professional thinking in general. The main hypothesis is based on the thesis that the freely historically unfolding evolution of architectural form is an objective experience of consolidating the self-consciousness of architecture as a text of its immanent expression and self-reference. The authors specify the limitations of the scientific functionalist discourse, which do not allow forming the internal basis for an autoreferential image of the architectural reality. Problematization of the ontological foundations of the science of architecture is a necessary link in the evolution of the methodology of architectural thinking and form making in post-industrial society.

Research on prediction model of scaling in ASP flooding based on data mining

As a result of alkali ASP flooding in oil and gas fields, strata and pipelines become seriously scaled, which poses a threat to the normal operation of crude oil production. We propose an intelligent knowledge reasoning model for dynamic scaling prediction in order to address the problems of high directivity, poor generalization ability, and poor application effect of existing scaling prediction methods. The model framework includes the knowledge acquisition layer which mainly relates to the manual acquisition of scaling prediction knowledge and the intelligent training of the knowledge base, and it includes the knowledge modeling layer that provides a set of standard domain common ontology and knowledge organization system using the ontology modeling technology, it also includes the knowledge inference layer which is the application layer of the model. The three layers collaborate and finally complete the scaling prediction through inference and expression. A total of 238 wells were selected for experimentation in the northern development area of the Xingshugang Oilfield. Experimental results indicate that the model has the highest accuracy of 91.87%. Additionally, the time series prediction trend for the six ions matches the trend of change in ion concentration in the scaling state, verifying the accuracy of the model’s predictions.

Measuring constitutional preferences: A new method for analyzing public consultation data

Public consultation has become an indispensable part of constitutional design, yet the voluminous, narrative data produced are often impractical to analyze. There are also few, if any, standards for such analysis. Using a comprehensive reference ontology from the Comparative Constitutions Project (CCP), we develop a new methodology to identify constitutional topics of most concern to citizens and compare these to topics in constitutions globally. We analyze data from Chile’s 2016 public consultations—an ambitious process that produced nearly 265,000 narrative responses and launched the constitutional reform process that remains underway today. We leverage advances in natural language processing, in particular sentence-level semantic similarity technology, to classify consultation responses with respect to constitutional topics. Our methodology has potential for advocates, drafters, and researchers seeking to analyze public consultation data that too often go unexamined.

Умиротворение террористических организаций и способы их интеграции в легитимный политический процесс

The subject of the study is cases of the integration process of terrorist organizations into the legitimate political space. Analysis of the degree of influence of internal and external relations (in relation to the state) on terrorist activities made it possible to propose a typology of terrorist organizations. The types of organizations whose characteristics contribute to integration are indicated. A comparative analysis of the ontological foundations of the concept of “terrorist organization” was carried out in the instrumental (T. C. Schelling, A. Schmid) and organizational (P. Wilkinson, M. Crenshaw) approaches. Generalization of a number of ideas from the concepts of the organizational approach made it possible to construct an explanatory model of the preservation and integration of terrorist groups. Four methods of integration are described, which differ in the level of acceptance by the political system of the demands of groupings and their role in the political process.