Practical Philosophy Research Articles

The Development of Philosophical Practice in a Hospital Context

This article examines what comes to pass when philosophical practitioners start working in the institutional environment of a hospital, with its unique norms and culture through the experience of three philosophical practitioners in Norway. It finds that that a notable characteristic of these practitioners is their effort to avoid taking on the traditional helper role, which they perceive that other hospital professions are representing. Their ideal is to approach “life here and now” with openness, acceptance, curiosity, and wondering, while simultaneously supporting a serious, playful creativity in the search for new perspectives when relevant. For the patients, this offers a space where they can rediscover themselves as whole individuals, rather than rather only beings in need of help. The article concludes that philosophical practitioners have the potential to play a significant role within hospitals.

Pensar a organização e os estudos organizacionais desde a filosofia da práxis

Abstract This essay proposes a reflection on the themes of organization and organizational studies, taking the propositions of Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez’s philosophy of praxis as the foundation. The author’s propositions are systematized in the first part of the text, what refers to the definitions of praxis and teleology - what defines the proper human activity - to the inseparable relationship between theory and practice in praxis; to the levels and forms of praxis - repetitive and creative, spontaneous and reflexive; to the philosophy of praxis. Based on these foundations, a reflection is made on Administrative Theories, Organizational Theories, Management as the hegemonic version in Administration and Organizational Studies (OS), Organizational Analysis understood as a predominantly interpretive and constructionist theoretical activity, and Critical Management Studies. It ends with a discussion about OS as a space with the potential for a creative praxis in relation to the organization of liberating social struggles. The challenge is to think about organization as a category with possibilities of content developed based on creative dialogues and learning processes with the knowledge produced in the praxis of organizing liberating concrete struggles embedded in material socio-historical relations.

Thinking about organization and organization studies based on the philosophy of praxis

Resumen Este ensayo propone una reflexión sobre los temas de la organización y los estudios organizacionales tomando las proposiciones de Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez sobre la filosofía de la praxis como fundamento. Las proposiciones del autor se encuentran sistematizadas en la primera parte del texto en lo que se refiere a las definiciones de praxis y teleología - lo que define la actividad propiamente humana -; a la relación inseparable entre teoría y práctica en la praxis; a los niveles y formas de la praxis - reiterativa y creadora, espontánea y reflexiva -; a la filosofía de la praxis. Posteriormente, con base en estos fundamentos, se realiza una reflexión sobre las teorías administrativas, las teorías organizacionales, el management como versión hegemónica en la Administración y en los Estudios Organizacionales (EO), el Análisis Organizacional entendido como actividad teórica marcadamente interpretativa y construccionista, y los Critical Management Studies. Se finaliza con una discusión sobre los EO como espacio con potencial para una praxis creadora en relación con la organización de luchas sociales liberadoras. El reto es concebir la organización como una categoría con posibilidades de contenido desarrolladas a partir de diálogos creativos y procesos de aprendizaje con el conocimiento que es producido en la praxis de organizar luchas liberadoras concretas, insertas en la materialidad de relaciones sociohistóricas.

Knowledge, Confidence, and Epistemic Injustice

In this paper I begin by explaining what epistemic injustice is and what ordinary language philosophy is. I then go on to ask why we might doubt the usefulness of ordinary language philosophy in examining epistemic injustice. In the first place, we might wonder how ordinary language philosophy can be of use, given that many of the key terms used in discussing epistemic injustice, including ‘epistemic injustice’ itself, are not drawn from our ordinary language. We might also have doubts about the usefulness of ordinary language philosophy in this area, given ordinary language philosophers’ aversion to theory. Finally, we might have doubts about the usefulness of ordinary language philosophy due to the fact that the study of epistemic injustice is clearly a study of practical matters concerning the way the world is and has been historically. If ordinary language philosophy is just concerned with grammar, what use can it be to practical and social philosophy concerning current issues? In response to these worries, I demonstrate the usefulness of ordinary language philosophy in practice by applying the insights of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Alan R. White to a problem that Miranda Fricker raises, but does not answer: about whether there is a confidence condition on knowledge. I also make use of Gilbert Ryles distinction between ‘the use of ordinary language’ and ‘the ordinary use of an expression’ to show that the terminology used in examining epistemic injustice is ordinary in some sense.

Analysis of the Role of Philosophical Counselling in Nurturing Dynamic Leadership

The need to nurture dynamic leadership in all possible ways is felt all the more today in the world. Leadership must be aligned with the world where it can be stated that the world is too complex and is rapidly changing and hence, one person alone cannot provide all the answers. Dynamism in thought, word and action can certainly benefit the leader, the organization as well as the country in diverse ways. Leader can no longer be a person - a person who is in charge of a group and instead, the thought is that leadership can come from anyone. This means we need many leaders who are able to offer dynamic leadership that is needed in the modern age. Fallacious thinking most often leads to rigidity, self-centeredness, vindictiveness, biases, indifference in context to leadership are explicit today. For example, corruption, lack of commitment, opportunistic leadership etc. The possibility of nurturing dynamic leadership thought is an important proposition that this paper raises. This implies orienting leaders to eliminate fallacies and sharpen logical thinking in a gradual way. A good leader should exude integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, and gratitude besides being an agile, effective delegator, and show the direction of growth. It is a belief that these key leadership qualities can be learned and improved through professional coaching, mentoring and counselling. Research indicates that value-based leadership generally leads to better decision-making, increased support for decisions and leader transparency, better follower morale, and opportunities to build trustworthy relationships. There is also a discussion that the leaders who appreciate the influence of servant leadership and emotional intelligence in their relationships have the potential to develop high-quality interpersonal relationships with all stakeholders. Hence, in view of leadership styles this paper is also an exploration of leadership styles that can be mentored through philosophical counselling.

Threads of Understanding

Interpretation is a multifaceted ability which serves to understand and convey meaning accurately and effectively, in diverse contexts, while using the available data parsimoniously, plausibly and comprehensively. Its role in philosophical counseling is wide: it opens perspectives, it reveals one’s level of anchoring in common sense and evidence, sharpens one’s sensitivity to detail, promotes self-reflection, facilitates the exploration and examination of ideas and one’s particular understanding of them. It also promotes critical reflection and learning to handle differences of opinion effectively and insightfully. Thus, developing this competence serves both clients and counselors in becoming more aware of their strengths and weaknesses in terms of: linguistic proficiency, reading comprehension, cultural awareness, critical thinking capacities. Our lead question in this brief research into the art of hermeneutics inquires into what it takes to assess, to challenge and to develop one’s interpretive capacity. We formulate a brief theoretical guide to interpretation work, with the aid of relevant reference literature, and then, as a practical example, we present a philosophical group experience in which we explore stoic ideas, making use of interpretation skills, through reading, group consultation and self-consultation. Our findings are meant to inspire and support practitioners in facilitating such interpretive exercises and, while doing so, in dealing with the obstacles and problems that may arise in the way people interpret ancient texts and ideas, all while acknowledging various expressive manifestations of their ancient and contemporary interlocutors.

Blaming the Victim

When mental suffering and distress are diagnosed as so-called “mental illnesses” it locates the cause as within the afflicted person. A close examination of the life situation of the distressed person will most times show the cause as originating external to the sufferer. Mental distress can arise with any number of troubling life situations such as financial or relationship problems, illness or death in the family, ethical dilemmas and so on. But diagnosing the person as having a biological brain problem allows the prescription of psychotropic medications that can cost thousands of dollars over their lifetime. Of course, this adds to the profit margins of the corporations that produce them. These medications not only cause harmful side-effects, they add to the suffering of the person taking them. Philosophical counselling doesn’t cause any side effects, and is often much more effective at mitigating mental distress.

The Utility of Friedrich Nietzsche’s Philosophy for Philosophical Counseling

This article explores the potential utility of certain features of Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophical concepts for philosophical counselling. Central to the philosophical counseling process is philosophical counsellors applying the ideas of philosophers or philosophical system to inspire, educate, and guide their counselees in dealing with life problems. For example, the philosophical practice methodology of Logic-based Therapy, developed by American philosopher Elliot Cohen, provides a rational framework for confronting problems of living, where the counselor helps the counselee find an uplifting philosophy that promotes a guiding virtue to act as an antidote to unrealistic and often self-defeating conclusions derived from irrational premises. I present the argument that Nietzsche’s analysis of suffering, is one such uplifting philosophy which can be of utility to philosophical counselors. According to Bernard Reginster, suffering forms the bedrock of Nietzsche’s life-affirming concept of the ‘will to power.’ Nietzsche’s notion of the will to power radically alters our conception of, and the significance we assign to suffering, where the will to power is best understood as an individual’s desire for the activity of overcoming resistance. Nietzsche’s analysis implies that the fundamental human impulse is not to avoid suffering, but rather to embrace suffering as an unavoidable existential given of life itself: the meaning to be found in suffering is tantamount to affirming life itself.

The Double Valence of Trauma in the Age of Techno-Surveillance

As a philosophical counselor, I encounter many individuals who live with an almost inexpressible grief, hopelessness, and despair. This paper argues that two macro-causes of these affects are philosophical and structural. This paper sets up a distinction between (1) biotic, ontological, rational value, and (2) abiotic, hyperreal, nihilistic value. Abiotic “value” now constitutes the hemorrhagic nihilism of our time. Kant, Nietzsche, Baudrillard, and Kierkegaard will be utilized to construct the philosophical argument tracing the movement from the biotic to the abiotic. This is the first valence of trauma, the cognitive/imaginative valence. Ruin porn, environmental grief, and structurally induced precarity will be utilized to provide historical evidence for the movement from the biotic to the abiotic. This is the second valence of trauma, the somatic-structural valence. The paper concludes that the double valence of hemorrhagic nihilism is, in essence, traumatic. Consequently, addiction to hyperreality has become the pandemic of our time.

Teaching Philosophy at Kharkiv University in the 19th — Early 20th Century (according to students’ recollections)

The article highlights the peculiarities of teaching philosophy at Kharkiv University in the 19th and early 20th according to students’ recollections. Gaining this historical experience will contribute to solving the urgent problems of optimising humanities courses in higher education today. It is found out that Kharkiv University became the centre of development of philosophical science in Ukraine. Through the efforts of public figures, it was possible to invite Johann Schad, a graduate of the German school, to become a professor of the newly created Department of Speculative and Practical Philosophy. His efforts to develop the department and the progressive views of the academic staff alarmed the authorities resulting in the formation of a faculty subservient to the regime, decrease in the level of teaching of philosophical disciplines, and subsequently, the dissolution of the Department of Philosophy. The main emphasis in the professional training of students is placed on historical disciplines, primarily the study of Russian history. It was only in the 1870s that Kharkiv University was able to provide its students with a proper philosophical education. The analysis of students’ recollections of the institution shows the popularity of philosophy courses and the respect of students for the teaching staff. At the beginning of the twentieth century, with the permission of the government, student clubs were established. Unfortunately, the level of popularity of philosophical circles was low due to the chauvinistic views of their leaders. Nevertheless, it was found that thanks to the efforts of the academic staff of Kharkiv University, Ukrainian philosophical thought is being formed and popularised abroad.

«Философы всегда будут восхищаться Кантом…»

The topics of this issue, devoted to the tercentenary of Immanuel Kant’s birth, focus on his practical philosophy, most notably on the problems of free will in the light of the debates at the end of the eighteenth century; on the concept of human dignity and its reflection in daily life and in the main legal documents of the Russian Federation; on the possibility of deriving positive duties from the categorical imperative; and on the relevance of Kantian ethics to modern-day realities. The issue of the reception of Kant’s philosophy in Russia is also discussed, using as an example the article by Russian religious philosopher Alexey Vvedensky in the historical context of Kant’s early reception and subsequent fate in the twentieth century.

Franklin Leopoldo e Silva, lecteur brésilien de Bergson : contribution à l’histoire globale du bergsonisme

This article shows how the Brazilian historian of philosophy and philosopher Franklin Leopoldo e Silva (1947-) interpreted Bergson’s problem of causality. I first show how Bento Prado Jr. (1937-2007) explained the rewriting of Kant’s “Transcendental Aesthetics” made in the second chapter of Bergson’s Time and Free Will. I then reveal how Leopoldo e Silva draws consequences from such a rewriting in the field of ethics, as if the third chapter of Time and Free Will were a kind of rewriting of the “Transcendental Dialectic.” Finally, based on a reflection on the trajectory of the Brazilian authors studied, I question the following problem: Can we practice philosophy by making the history of philosophy in Brazil?

О кантовском понятии человеческого достоинства сегодня

Although Kant was born three hundred years ago, his practical philosophy is still relevant and helpful for understanding difficult and crucial issues of today. One example is the strange transformation the concept of human dignity has undergone in post-Soviet Russia — in everyday language, in ideological doctrines, and in legal documents. While in ordinary life dignity is increasingly reduced to access to material benefits, in its legal sense — above all in the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation — anti-communist ideology has turned it into the “right” to enjoy comfortable living conditions, being almost totally divorced from duties and from morality. Such interpretations of human dignity lead to a dead end, creating problems for its perception and for its relationship to other constitutional provisions — problems that are impossible to resolve in the framework of such an interpretation of right. By turning to Kant, one of the pillars of the modern egalitarian universalist conception of human dignity, we can trace the idea of personal dignity back to its origin as an absolute inner value which, unlike external material benefits, has no equivalent, and involves self-legislation, restriction of freedom, and the fulfilling of moral duty.

The Philosophical Café

Through a number of various factors and circumstances, I have come to hold my own philosophical café in the city I currently live in: Timișoara, România. What I had planned to be a monthly occurrence, turned into a bi-monthly one at the request of the public. Thus, since the first edition we have had twenty-two such meetings, with a brief vacation during the summer months. What I have in mind with this article is to make an analysis of the development of the process throughout this year of sessions, as well as to do an interrogation on the effects this method has had on those that took part in the meetings and thus, of its future within philosophical practice. This interrogation will be completed via a questionnaire that I have devised, that will be available to fill-in for all attendants that have participated in at least two philo-café sessions.

Do It Yourself

This article draws on Claude Lévi-Strauss and Michel de Certeau’s theorizations of bricolage in order to explore Bernard Stiegler’s philosophical practice. Taking as its point of departure the elements of intellectual biography provided by Stiegler in Acting Out (2009), it explores his (re)deployment of existing philosophical concepts and the sedimentary nature of his own thought. The article then moves to consider the presence of concepts and practices of mystagogy in Taking Care of Youth and the Generations (2010), arguing that these are a restaging of the dynamics of Acting Out on a collective, rather than an individual scale. Ultimately, the article turns to Stiegler’s late aesthetic writing to explore how his theorization of the roles of amateur and artist might point us towards the lineaments of his unfinished “mystagogy.”

Humanism In Education Philosophy and Its Implication to Christian Education and Practice

Education philosophy plays a critical role in shaping educational practices and approaches. Humanism as philosophy has gained popularity recently, particularly in secular schools and institutions. However, its implications for Christian education and training are poorly understood, so in this paper, we will explore the critical tenets of Humanism in education and their implications for Christian educators and practitioners. This paper explores the concept of Humanism in education philosophy and its implications for Christian education and practice. Humanism in education philosophy is rooted in the belief that education should focus on the holistic development of individuals and place the individual at the centre of the learning process, emphasizing the development of human potential and fostering a well-rounded education. This approach focuses on critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth, empowering students to participate in their learning process actively. The implications of Humanism in education philosophy for Christian education and practice are significant, as they raise questions about the integration of faith and secular knowledge, the role of moral values, and the purpose of education within a Christian context.

Islamic Economic Practices in Indonesia

As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia has great potential in the halal industry. However, research on symbols in Indonesia’s Islamic philosophy and economic history is still far behind that of other countries. Therefore, efforts are needed to improve its study. This research aims to describe and understand the importance of the symbol in the philosophy and history of Islamic economic practices in Indonesia. The findings of this qualitative research, conducted in Indonesia, have practical implications for the halal industry and Islamic economic practices. Data was collected by conducting observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis is carried out by reducing data, presenting data, and giving meaning to the data that has been collected, and from that meaning, conclusions are drawn. This research has concluded that the essence of the Islamic economic process in Indonesia is an effort to fulfill the needs of the Indonesian people based on Islamic values to achieve happiness in the world and the hereafter. The Islamic economic system has become a phenomenon that is the object of the study of Islamic economic philosophy in Indonesia today. The urgency of Islamic economic philosophy in the context of Indonesian Muslim society can be found at the level of implementation. Islamic economic practices have become a way of life for the people of Indonesia. The main principle of Islamic economics holds fast to the concept of tawhid. Many things can be learned from the Islamic economy in Indonesia, ranging from the rules of legal buying and selling, lending and borrowing with legal contracts, and investment in Islam to the prohibition of usury, avoiding things that are haram, injustice, and usury. The Islamic economic system has proven to be beneficial for all people, both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Connecting Philosophies

MIND—The complex organ in human beings that determines the way we think, live. It guides the entire course of our life. The mind is a complex structure. In today’s era we are constantly bombarded with information and the test of time is to take in the right amount of information and use it constructively. The mind can be easily diverted by distractions. In order to understand this flickering nature of mind there was an attempt to dive deep into the analysis of mind by renowned saint of Maharashtra Saint Samarth Ramdas during the sixteenth century. He in his monumental work, The Manache Shlok explored the way to train the mind to think systematically. Manache Shlok literally translates to (Dialogue with the mind). In order to uplift the mind Samarth Ramdas curated an innovative, spiritual way of life and tried to enlighten the fragment of divinity that resides in every human being. He teaches us how our mind is our enemy, friend and a teacher at the same time. This paper primarily focuses on the work of Saint Samarth Ramadas, who centuries ago decoded how the mind (mana) works, how it gets diverted and has also suggested the ways in which flaws can be avoided.Logic based therapy is a modality of philosophical counseling developed by philosopher Dr. Elliot D. Cohen. The theory began with the idea that many emotional and behavioral problems may largely be the result of bad logic. Humans upset themselves because of their faulty thinking. Thinking being the significant activity of the mind, needs to be done in a structured manner. According to LBT, a fallacy is a mistake in reasoning that leads to destructive or negative conclusions. There are eleven such fallacies that LBT identifies. The basic premise in which LBT believes is to train the mind to think rationally and not jumping to make conclusions. In the same manner Manache Shlok are instructions to the mind to train the mind to think positively and thereby lead to elevation of the self. This paper thus is an attempt to link the fallacies proposed by LBT and how comprehension of Manache Shloka {verses} will help the mind stay away from such fallacies by drawing parallels and understanding the contrasts and yet how both the philosophies have a common approach to deal with the mind. The paper is an attempt to understand Manache Shloka and Logic based therapy, as philosophies that are a way to uplift the mind. Both the philosophical approaches have curated their own ways to tackle with the unstable nature of mind, but one common ground which helps them corresponding is their common goal of betterment of mankind.

Кант и «морская болезнь» современности

On the eve of the tercentenary of Kant’s birth, just as it was a hundred years ago, Kantianism is simultaneously on the receiving end of the blows of history and attacks by rival philosophical parties, both progressivist and reactionary. The radical wings of both parties perceive modernity as a depressing, nauseating period which must be broken with by moving toward the past or toward the future. One of the most original and profound diagnoses of this attitude was offered by Hans Jonas, who discerned in radical doctrines of a hundred years ago a similarity with the gnosticism of antiquity. Jonas’s diagnosis has not lost its relevance. That is why the central question addressed in this study is as follows: what prescription does the Kantian programme offer for modernity’s “gnostic dizziness?” I maintain that Kant’s critical turn is still an effective strategy by means of which to compensate for the sudden stresses and “gnostic impulses” provoked by the modern worldview revolution, bringing back an “orientation in thinking” which reorients the world process and individual activity. The imperative to always see and respect humanity in a particular individual warns against the “category mistake” committed by modern radicals who ascribe agency (subjectivity) to non-­human abstractions which cannot possess this property. In theory, Kant grounds the view that humanity should resign itself to the fact of its perspective being limited and local. Kantian practical philosophy provides the traveler with a map of regulative ideas and a “moral compass”, along with an explanation of disruptive factors, offering a working explanation of the situation and its possible outcomes. Kant’s “Copernican revolution” brings human beings back into focus and imagination to order, allowing for the hope that new challenges will be successfully met.

Rx Metaphysics

Recent research on the structure of life-narratives and narrative identity suggests that meaning-making and narrative coherence are predictive of adjustment and resilience. I argue that the metaphysical presumptions operative in a client’s worldview are fundamental elements of meaning-making, and that these presumptions contribute to the life-narrative’s distinctive capacity to guide us through life-challenges. This application of metaphysical methodology to client worldviews represents a systematic extension of logic-based therapy. In this paper, I articulate a conceptual framework for worldview analysis and reconstruction using the resources of logic, metaphysics, and epistemology. I draw particularly on C. G. Jung’s concept of Auseinandersetzung, often inadequately translated as “working through,” John Dewey’s notion of “reconstruction in philosophy,” and José Ortega y Gasset’s exploration of worldview as a “basic orientation” in the world. I provide brief illustrations of this framework in practice, and I conclude with some observations about indications and contraindications for worldview reconstruction as a modality of philosophical practice.