Figures In Philosophy Research Articles

The Migrant seen as a Philosophical Wanderer: Real Perceptions, Ideals and Fantasies on Foreignness - Philosophical Counselling for Migrants

The nomad spirit has shaped the authenticity of our humanity since the dawn of time. In this process, the cultural self undergoes a transformation or a conversion. Migrants are those who are seeking to pacify some initial anxieties or inner delusions and to do so they are availing of the element of foreignness by settling in or travelling to a distant place. This research asserts that there is a physical abode that grants us a sense of familiarity and security. Individuals anchor their identity in the broadness of these three pillars that give the predisposition of a being-at-home feeling; the childhood home, any place on our emotional axis that is associated with our family or friends and the made up places found in modern, popular stories that blend in with our idealism of what home should mean. Second, the paper will argue, as found in the case study, that the majority of us are psychologically unequipped when we proceed to meeting with the inclemencies of a new political, economical, social and cultural setting of a different country. There is much reflectiveness, aloneness and responsibility in migrants’ decision to engage in the dialogue of interculturality. Hence, the migrant begins to resemble a philosophical figure by means of contemplation, self-transformation, dispelling the impurities of the mind and the soul by carrying out a personal project of outlandishness. Within the presence of the dialogue, we not only perceive what is different from our behavior, but we also take the first step into discovering other life styles and all habits adjacent to them; we participate in the “mutual belonging” of interculturalism. The study will bridge the cultural, social, psychological implications from migration literature to philosophical theories. It represents a humble attempt at connecting philosophical counselling approaches and techniques with existing multicultural guidance services which are present in every country.

Existentialist Philosophies of Anxiety: A Comparative Exploration of Kierkegaard and Heidegger

This academic essay delves into the intricate realm of existentialist philosophies concerning anxiety, examining the perspectives of two towering figures in philosophy: Sren Kierkegaard and Martin Heidegger. Both of these existential philosophers have made a big deal out of the concept of anxiety and have a considerable understanding of it. From a particular perspective, it is possible that Heidegger drew on Kierkegaard's interpretation of the concept of anxiety. The objective of this analysis is to comprehensively scrutinize the philosophical underpinnings of anxiety, exploring how these thinkers conceived it in the context of the human experience. Furthermore, this essay examines the religious backgrounds of Kierkegaard and Heidegger, shedding light on the profound influence of their respective religious upbringings on their philosophical interpretations of anxiety. As contemporary society grapples with a multitude of anxieties, the insights of these philosophers remain pertinent, providing valuable perspectives on the nature of anxiety, freedom, and human existence. The essay also critiques part of modern psychological approaches to anxiety, revealing the enduring relevance of existentialist thought.

Response to Robert Bernasconi's “Slavery's absence from histories of moral and political philosophy”

AbstractI focus in this response on what I take to be Bernasconi's proposal to dissolve and reframe moral and political philosophies around the problematic of slavery. Insofar as, in the wake of Afro‐diasporic and Black radical thought, it offers us one version of an argument that has now touched virtually all aspects of modern European philosophy, how are we to understand the specific orientations of Bernasconi's approach? Reading Bernasconi's article, I comment on the following points: (1) the notion of “absence” or “silence” about slavery, (2) Bernasconi's focus on methodology rather than individual moral or political responsibility, and (3) his shift away from canonical philosophical figures. To conclude, I open further questions regarding the relationships between the “material” approach to the history of philosophy he advocates in this article and the project of a “critical philosophy of race” he has defended elsewhere.

Philosophy in Science: Can Philosophers of Science Permeate through Science and Produce Scientific Knowledge?

Most philosophers of science do philosophy ‘on’ science. By contrast, others do philosophy ‘in’ science (‘PinS’), i.e., they use philosophical tools to address scientific problems and to provide scientifically useful proposals. Here, we consider the evidence in favour of a trend of this nature. We proceed in two stages. First, we identify relevant authors and articles empirically with bibliometric tools, given that PinS would be likely to infiltrate science and thus to be published in scientific journals (‘intervention’), cited in scientific journals (‘visibility’) and sometimes recognized as a scientific result by scientists (‘contribution’). We show that many central figures in philosophy of science have been involved in PinS, and that some philosophers have even ‘specialized’ in this practice. Second, we propose a conceptual definition of PinS as a process involving three conditions (raising a scientific problem, using philosophical tools to address it, and making a scientific proposal), and we ask whether the articles identified at the first stage fulfil all these conditions. We show that PinS is a distinctive, quantitatively substantial trend within philosophy of science, demonstrating the existence of a methodological continuity from science to philosophy of science.

L. N. Tolstoy's Pattern in the cultural landscape of Crimea

The cultural landscape as a concept is not a homogeneous formation, but, like a mosaic, includes patterns of cultures, both ethnic groups and state and other entities, religions, professional traditions, art, literature, science. Outstanding personalities who have contributed to the culture of the area have a separate role. The Crimean cultural landscape is rich and diverse, which is natural for a multiethnic region with a rich centuries-old history. Many outstanding figures of culture and art have contributed to the cultural landscape of Crimea, such as artists I.K. Aivazovsky, M.A. Voloshin, K.F. Bogaevsky, poets and writers A. Mickiewicz, A. S. Pushkin, I. Shmelev, architects A. N. Beketov, P.Ya. Saferov and N.P. Krasnov, composer A. Karamanov, ethnographer and sociologist N.Y. Danilevsky and many others. The subject of this article is the contribution to the cultural landscape of Crimea of the outstanding writer, cultural and philosophical figure, Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy. Research methods used in the article are: the method of historicism in retrospect of the details of the cultural landscape of the Crimea, the method of historiography in clarifying the concept of cultural landscape, the associative-artistic method in comparing what L.N. Tolstoy wrote about the Crimea and its contribution to the cultural landscape. The scientific novelty of the research consists in understanding L. N. Tolstoy's contribution to the cultural landscape of Crimea. The cultural landscape of Crimea is rich and diverse due to both the unique natural and climatic zone and the geographical location of the peninsula on the way from east to west, which since ancient times has led to the polyethnicity, polylingualism, and multi-confessional nature of the Crimean cultural ecumene. The formation of the Crimean cultural landscape was influenced not only by communities, but also by prominent personalities who lived and/or visited the peninsula at different times. The contribution to the Crimean culture of the famous writer, philosopher, educator L. N. Tolstoy consists in his deep philosophical understanding of the local cultural flavor, expressed in the cycle "Sevastopol stories", as well as in the diaries of the writer, where he talks about Crimea as a place whose beauty and harmony embodies the philosophical harmony of thought, understanding by man and his the eternal pursuit of goodness and light as the goal of life.

Антифилософията на Лев Шестов

The text discusses specific features of Lev Shestov's philosophical style, highlighting the main accents in it – even with his first works, Shestov gained the reputation of a philosopher who denied philosophy. The following philosophical figures are discussed – the paradoxicalist, the groundless man, the anti-dogmatist and the anti-metaphysician, etc., emblematic of Shestov. Important facts from his biography are examined, the totality of which could be part of the explanation for the originality of his thought, one of which is the lack of an academic philosophical education. Other relevant facts are the ethnic background as well as unusual circumstances of his early years. Special attention is paid to the relationship between Shestov and Husserl regarding the understanding of philosophy(the main opposition is between the conception of philosophy as a reflection – Besinnung, and of philosophy as a struggle) – the main stages in these relations are traced chronologically. Finally, Shestov's opinion on Indian thought, which he began to get to know and deal with since 1934, is presented, and his dissatisfaction with this thought is also discussed.

Eavesdropping on a Cyclical Conversation

In this one-act play, Rux has various historical, literary, and philosophical figures speak in discussion to, around, and through one another through quotations. Through this format, Rux recontextualizes various musings on life, death, reading, and discourse.

Кантовское понятие просвещения и его альтернативы

The modern popularity of the Kantian definition of enlightenment often leads to a distorted notion that his understanding of enlightenment was dominant already during his lifetime, expressing the quintessence of all-European Enlightenment. This turns our attention away from entire layers of philosophical thought, since the Kantian definition of enlightenment in the late eighteenth century was neither the only one nor the preeminent one. The study of alternatives represented in the German philosophy of that period gives a deeper insight into the originality of the Kantian approach with regard to both its merits and demerits. The presentation of the Kantian definition of enlightenment as the standard turns out to be a rather late historical phenomenon. Even Kant’s closest followers did not turn to his interpretation of enlightenment and, indeed, were sharply critical of the phenomenon as a banal and superficial one, opposed to faith. Further transformation of the views on the Enlightenment led to the emergence of the inauthentic terms of “Enlightenment” and Lumières applied post factum to the eighteenth-century philosophy in Europe. As a result, the essence of the enlightenment was defined not so much by the eighteenth-century Enlighteners as by historians and philosophers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries who constructed a model notion of enlightenment against which philosophical figures were then compared. This approach ignored, first, the authentic definition of enlightenment (in Germany and Russia in the eighteenth century there were authentic terms “Aufklärung” and “prosveshcheniye”, and in France the proto-term “eclairé”) and, second, important national differences in the interpretation of the phenomenon. The emasculate Kantian definition of enlightenment used to legitimise the proposed approach. A closer look at the authentic view of eighteenth-century philosophers and a comparison of the Kantian approach to enlightenment with its alternatives that existed at the time might perhaps demonstrate that the philosophical and heuristic potential of the allegedly overcome and discredited Enlightenment is far from exhausted and is still relevant today.

“LA DIFFERANCE” AND “RIEN ENROULE”: YOUNG MARC RICHIR READS DERRIDA

This paper analyzes the influence of J. Derrida’s philosophy on the early thought of French phenomenologist M. Richir. Main texts for the analysis are Derrida’s report « La Différance » and the article « Le Rien Enroulé » by Richir. The author stresses their deep figurative and substantive interconnectedness. Thus, Richir borrows from Derrida a number of key philosophical figures, including the figure of différance itself, and applies them to phenomenological landscape through the “first-person” narrative. Having examined the correlation between Derrida’s figures of différance and Richir’s phenomenalization, the author concludes that Richir, influenced by the impersonal figure of différance, leads his “first-person” narrative in an attempt to take it beyond the limits of classical phenomenological discourse. Moreover, the author finds preconditions for Richir’s introduction of one of his early key concepts “nothing” (rien) in the text of Derrida’s « La Différance ». The main thesis of this research is: Richir borrows Derrida’s understanding of consciousness and performs phenomenological description from its perspective. The paper considers Derrida’s text as a key to understanding Richir’s article « Le Rien Enroulé » and, as a result, the key to his early philosophy in general.

КіноСковорода: кінематографічна актуалізація біографії

The article concerns the relevance of the issue of genre heredity between literature and cinema. The cinematography actively turned to the genre of biography even in the first decades of its development, in the era of the silents. It did not disappear from the view of cinematographers throughout the 20th century. Recently, this genre has been activated both in cinema and on television, which increased the interest of researchers. Hence, the receptive problematics of the Ukrainian philosopher, theologian, poet and teacher Hryhorii Skovoroda’s biography (1722–1794) is analysed in the cinematographic discourse. It was noticed that the figure of the outstanding philosopher did not attract the proper attention of cinematographers either in Soviet period (only one feature film and one documentary film were shot) or in the time of Ukraine’s Independence. However, even those few films only partially represent the “Ukrainian Socrates” to the viewer. It is stated that documentary production, in contrast to the feature films, is represented by a number of films about Hryhorii Skovoroda, which, of course, differ in their quality and creative potential. However, having an aesthetic and cognitive value, they all present a certain way of processing biographical material (letters, memories, stories of contemporaries), his writings and creative works (philosophical, literary, musical works) and perform an important function of popularizing this outstanding personality and his creative heritage. It is concluded that the cinematographic actualization of the philosopher’s biography and works in recent decades is due to the new historical situation, to the desire to perceive his legacy in a new light, to debunk the existing biographical myths. Skovoroda’s philosophical ideas not only remain relevant in the 21st century, but also appear as markers of Ukrainian identity in the modern reality.

An Interview with Radu Oreian

An Interview with Radu Oreian David Riddle Watson Radu Oreian is an emerging artist from Romania who currently works in Marseilles, France. Finding inspiration from Renaissance masters, medieval manuscripts, and philosophical figures, his works create connections across time and space by folding the history of art and ideas into his pieces. His works use a variety of mediums and consistently challenge the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and drawing. Using the Braille alphabet in recent pieces, he has added another dimension to his work, addressing the physicality of communication. Most importantly, his work is communal—it is a radical attempt to bring disparate pieces together in harmony in a time when that is greatly needed. Radu Oreian's work has consistently grown in popularity as it has been shown in major art shows across the globe. Over this last year his work has been featured in prominent exhibitions such as Untitled in Miami, Art Paris, the Dallas Art Fair, and Zona Maco in Mexico City. His most recent show was a month-long residency at 1969 Gallery in New York City, which ran from 6 September until 22 October 2022. david riddle watson: Can you talk a little about how and when you started drawing and painting? When did you decide to do art professionally? radu oreian: I started drawing after I suffered a bad injury in a soccer game and I was stuck in bed for a couple of weeks with my knee in a cast. At that time I was playing at a professional level, and I had no intention of becoming an artist, but somehow one drawing led to another and slowly the idea of changing my life crept in. I guess it's the cliché of the bad accident that became the best thing that happened to me, from a professional perspective. [End Page 160] drw: Where did you study? Can you speak a little to the experience at the Cluj School—I know there is some history there. ro: I studied two years at the University of Arts and Design from Cluj, in Transylvania, and I spent another two years studying at the National Academy of Art from Bucharest. The term "Cluj School" describes a generation of artists that reached international success, but it's not defined by a specific style or artistic direction, rather by a group of very talented artists that put Romania on the map of contemporary art. I ended up working as an assistant years later to some of these artists when I was living in Berlin. drw: What artists have been influential to you as you were finding your style? ro: The artists I worked with from the Cluj School were fundamental for my development. Leaving aside their practice, I was mostly struck by their professionalism and their stamina of producing amazing works no matter the pressure they had on their shoulders. History-wise there are so many artists that left an imprint on my practice. For example, I remember visiting an etching exhibition of James Ensor, my favorite draftsman, in Arles, that touched me to the core. drw: I'm always curious about process. What does a typical day at the studio look like? Is there any general rule about how long a painting typically takes you from beginning to completion? ro: A good day at the studio begins before entering the studio. On the road to my atelier I pass Marseille's old port fish market, then some streets with small cafés and restaurants, so when I start working I am already charged with a visual imprint. This walk is a preparatory process. Rather than overthinking my working day, I prefer to put myself in a clear mind-set, and that always leads to good results. My works are amalgamations of details. I often refer to them as tornadoes of matter, and they have their own way of completing themselves. drw: How do you choose your subjects? I notice lots of mythological and religious images. What is it about these figures that inspires you? [End Page 161] ro: I like to zap through art history. The archives of images are immense and of such amazing quality. There are...

Guide to Personal Knowledge: The Philosophy of Michael Polanyi: Tacit Knowledge, Emergence and the Fiduciary Program by Dániel Paksi and Mihály Héder

Reviewed by: Guide to Personal Knowledge: The Philosophy of Michael Polanyi: Tacit Knowledge, Emergence and the Fiduciary Program by Dániel Paksi and Mihály Héder Alessio Tartaro PAKSI, Dániel and Mihály Héder. Guide to Personal Knowledge: The Philosophy of Michael Polanyi: Tacit Knowledge, Emergence and the Fiduciary Program. Wilmington, Del.: Vernon Press, 2022. xxiii + 209 pp. Cloth, $65.00 Famous for the concept of "tacit knowledge," Polanyi is a figure who looms over twentieth-century philosophy without ever establishing himself as one of its major protagonists. Yet, Polanyi tackled central problems in twentieth-century Western philosophy and offered [End Page 358] insightful and original analyses thereof. In Personal Knowledge, Polanyi articulates ideas about metaphysics, mathematics, evolution, philosophy and sociology of science, epistemology, philosophy of language, political theory, theology, and more. The richness of the contents, but also their deep unity, make Polanyi's work a unique piece in the philosophical landscape of his time, full of fruitful insights that are still relevant nowadays. Guide to Personal Knowledge, written by two of the leading experts on Polanyi's philosophy, deserves the merit of providing an accessible introduction to this complex work. The book is divided into thirteen chapters, each corresponding to the respective chapter of Personal Knowledge. In each chapter, Paksi and Héder clearly explain Polanyi's main ideas, presenting them in the same order as they appear in Personal Knowledge. The chapters are introduced by a "Goals of the chapter" section that provides a series of key points, where the authors summarize Polanyi's objectives in the corresponding chapter of Personal Knowledge. The Guide is interspersed with many direct quotations from Personal Knowledge that allow the reader to link the Guide to the original text. The use of figures and tables illuminates even the most complex concepts, such as "tacit integration" and the difference between "random and ordered systems." The Guide is enriched by twenty-five boxes that provide information on ideas, authors, and concepts directly or indirectly referenced by Polanyi in Personal Knowledge. These boxes are a valuable supplement. In some cases, they offer insight into contemporary events, theories, and scholars to which Polanyi alludes but that he does not elaborate on, for example, about the role of the Michelson-Morley experiments in Einstein's development of the theory of relativity. In other cases, boxes develop a comparison between Polanyi's ideas and related philosophical figures, such as Thomas Kuhn and Samuel Alexander. Thanks to the boxes, the reader gains a richer and more complete view of Polanyi's thought. In the preface, Paksi and Héder preliminarily introduce some key concepts for understanding Polanyi's work, including "objectivity," "trust" and "fiduciary program," "tacit knowledge," "intellectual passions," "deceptive substitution," "moral inversion," "operational principles," "logic of achievement," and "emergence." Their analysis always proves faithful to Polanyi's thought, and the authors show how these concepts are interrelated and constitute the pillars of Personal Knowledge's argumentative structure. Other equally crucial concepts in Polanyi's work, for example, "commitment," "indwelling," "tradition," "conviviality," "anthropogenesis," "ultrabiology," are not introduced in the preface, but they are explored in depth in the respective chapters. The thirteen chapters of the book recapitulate in detail the main thematic segments of Personal Knowledge. The critique of objectivism and positivist views of science is explained and analyzed in chapters 1 to 4. This critique is articulated on several levels. Polanyi first criticizes [End Page 359] objectivism because it attempts to remove the personal element from scientific knowledge in order to pursue ever higher degrees of formalism, neutrality, and impersonality. Polanyi asserts, however, that the personal element is irreducible, and then proceeds to demonstrate how it operates: in the evaluation of probability statements (chapter 2), in the appreciation of ordered patterns (chapter 3), and in the practice of skills (chapter 4). The ineliminability of the personal element shows that objectivism is false. Paksi and Héder brilliantly retrace the train of thought that leads Polanyi to this conclusion. The second theme that runs across Personal Knowledge concerns the tacit foundation of human intellectual abilities and, consequently, of science and society. In chapter 6, the authors follow Polanyi's disparate arguments about animal intelligence, human...

SOCIAL-HISTORICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL PRECONDITIONS FOR THE FORMATION OF HOMESCHOOLING IN THE USA (1970-1990s)

The article describes the process of homeschooling as one of the alternative forms of education in the USA. The historical and social preconditions for the development of the supporters of homeschooling movement are analyzed. The purpose of the article is to study the socio-historical and pedagogical preconditions for the emergence and development of homeschooling in the USA. Research methods: systematisation of the results of psychological and pedagogical research, analysis and synthesis of information from scientific, pedagogical and historical literature on the issue of the formation and development of home education in the USA, generalization for the formulation of research conclusions. The views of supporters and critics of home education, their main arguments and considerations are highlighted. As a result of the analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, the views of pedagogical and philosophical figures who made a significant contribution to the establishment of homeschooling in the USA were analyzed. In addition, the peculiarities of the formation of homeschooling and the increase of interest in homeschooling in the historical context are considered step by step. The peculiarities of the formation and essence of the regulatory and legal framework of homeschooling have been clarified. The conclusions state the absence of uniform educational standards and the presence of significant autonomy of the states in the formation of requirements for the organization of homeschooling. An analysis of research actively carried out at the end of the 20th century, the results of which revealed the reasons for the introduction of homeschooling in the USA, was conducted. The levels of high, moderate and low legislative regulation of educational issues in different states are established depending on the availability and compliance with regulatory and legal documentation.

Janina Hosiasson-Lindenbaum on Analogical Reasoning: New Sources

Janina Hosiasson-Lindenbaum is a known figure in philosophy of probability of the 1930s. A previously unpublished manuscript fills in the blanks in the full picture of her work on inductive reasoning by analogy, until now only accessible through a single publication. In this paper, I present Hosiasson’s work on analogical reasoning, bringing together her early publications that were never translated from Polish, and the recently discovered unpublished work. I then show how her late work relates to Rudolf Carnap’s approach to “analogy by similarity” developed in the 1960s. Hosiasson turns out to be a predecessor of the line of research that models analogical influence as inductive relevance. A translation of Hosiasson’s manuscript concludes the paper.

The Natural Relation of The Mathematical Mind and Reality: A Study of The Liang Gie's Philosophical Thought

The relation between mathematics and reality is a philosophical problem that needs more attention, considering that mathematics and philosophy, especially ontology, are two fields that discuss reality at a higher level than other sciences, such as physics. The Liang Gie is one of the few philosophical figures in Indonesia who pays more attention to philosophical problems in the field of mathematics, through three parts of his work in the field of philosophy of mathematics. One of the topics discussed in his work is related to mathematical ontology. This study aims to explore the main points of The Liang Gie's thoughts, which are related to mathematical ontology, especially related to the relationship between the mathematical mind and reality. This article is a literature study on the thoughts of The Liang Gie's mathematical ontology. By using qualitative research methods in the field of philosophy, the data obtained from the literature study will be processed to obtain a philosophical knowledge that has implications for real life. There are three assumptions that can be concluded through the discussion of this research. First, some figures think that mathematics can stand alone with its own existence without having to relate to objects in the real world. Second, there is also an assumption that mathematics is considered responsible for everything in the universe or even mathematics is considered as the universe itself. Third, inmany ways mathematics has a strong relationship with empirical phenomena, especially with regard to the measurement process. These three conclusions can then be linked to themathematical philosophy approach, such as Platonism, Absolutism, and Fallibilism.

REFORMULASI PEMBELAJARAN FILSAFAT ISLAM PRAKTIS DI ERA TEKNOLOGI INFORMASI

Practical philosophy is one of the philosophical patterns to bring philosophy closer to everyday life. In Islamic philosophy, the practical philosophy is called a wisdom 'Amali, namely philosophy about human behavior or efforts. Unfortunately, the discussion of practical philosophy lately does not get the ideal portion, so philosophy seems to be a realm that discusses the theoretical things and gives rise to the impression that the philosophy is very up and merely theoretical. The presence of philosophical theories that can provide a way out of various modern human problems is needed, especially in the information technology era with multiple issues and complexity. With these considerations, this study will analyze the reformulation of practical Islamic philosophy in the age of information technology. This type of research is qualitative research by applying the library study method. This study indicates that in the treasure of Islamic philosophy, the emphasis on the importance of practical philosophy and the practical philosophy description is stated in almost all Islamic philosophical figures, both classic and medieval periods. Among the Islamic philosophers that discuss the problem of human life relevant to modern human life is Al-Kindi (Al-Hilah lil-Daf Al-Ahzan), Al-Farabi (Risalah Tanbih ila al-Sabili al-Sa'adah), and Al-Ghazali (Mizan Al-Amal and Al-Munkidz min al-Dhalal). While the reformulation model and development of practical Islamic philosophy learning can be done by introducing practical Islamic philosophy, sorting out the concept of practical philosophy relevant to people's lives in the era of information technology, and making philosophical interpretations of the achievement of classical Islamic philosophers so that their thinking concepts are applicable to life Today's society.

Posthuman fantasies: is Love, Death & Robots or women, violence & antihumanism?

ABSTRACT This study explores representations of women, violence, and antihumanism in the Netflix original Love, Death & Robots animated anthology series. Drawing on the cyborg philosophical figure described by Donna Haraway in The Cyborg Manifesto and the posthumanist ideas of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, the text examines how posthuman representations are constructed. The present study begins with a literature review extending these theories. The first section under the main theme of “love and death” provides the intersecting narratives of sexual violence with love and women. In the second section “antihumanism” theme reveals the discourse that the series develops against humanist ideas through subheadings. Thus, the analysis section re-presents alternative ideas about the posthuman concept. In study, I argue that Love, Death & Robots have the masculine nature of perpetuating traditional gender stereotypes and rejecting humanistic philosophy at the beginning of the posthuman age. The TV show offers a unique textual rupturing, with its original take on the animated science fiction genre.

Contempt for the Whos? or: How to Read Nietzsche Autobiographically after the Death of the Bios

This paper examines French philosopher Sarah Kofman’s fractured relationships to her identities as Jew and woman. Active participant in postwar debates surrounding deconstruction and psychoanalysis, acclaimed reader of Freud and Nietzsche, and interlocutor of Derrida, Kofman is today most widely remembered for her autobiographical writings about her childhood as a young Orthodox Jewish girl during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Kofman’s mother sent her to pretend to be the daughter of a Christian woman, which both ensured Kofman’s physical survival and led to an uncanny Freudian doubling of the maternal figure, such that both “Jew” and “Christian” became unstable, mimetic identity categories which Kofman could never again fully inhabit. The paper examines Kofman’s writings on Nietzsche, suggesting that her attempt to absolve the German philosopher of the charges of antisemitism oft leveled against him functioned as a similarly failed and incomplete means of asserting control over her personal identity. If Kofman could demonstrate that Nietzsche was not in fact an antisemite, then she could write herself into the lineage of Continental philosophy and reclaim the stable ancestry she lost during the war. Yet the paper concludes that a counter-narrative running throughout Kofman’s writings suggests an awareness that she could never fully absolve Nietzsche, and therefore that her attempt to claim Nietzsche as a father figure would always fail. The paper thus suggests that the illusion of control and stability epitomized by Kofman’s reading of Nietzsche provides an interpretive thematic to understand the unstable figure of the post-Holocaust Jewish philosopher.

Shinran as Global Philosopher

Gutoku Shinran 愚禿親鸞 (1173–1263) is one of Japan’s most creative and influential thinkers. He is the (posthumous) founder of what ultimately became Jōdo Shinshū, better known today as Shin Buddhism, the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan. Despite this, his work has not received the global attention of other historical Japanese philosophical figures such as Kūkai 空海 (774–835) or Dōgen 道元 (1200–1253). The relationships of influence between Shin Buddhism in general—or Shinran’s work more specifically—and earlier Chinese sources, especially non-Buddhist sources, are complex, rarely examined in much detail, and often buried under layers of interpretive difficulties, made all the more challenging for contemporary Anglophone scholars by the ways in which Shin Buddhism has been marginalized in much of the philosophical scholarship on East Asian traditions. Exploring his work through a lens of connection to the broader Chinese philosophical landscape reveals new insights, both for our understanding of Shinran’s philosophical project, and for contemporary comparative engagement across East Asian traditions, helping to resituate Shinran as a globally significant philosopher.

Toward a Theory of Cultural Revolution

Before his complex involvement in the events of the Cultural Revolution, Yao Wenyuan emerged as a central figure in wide-ranging theoretical debates around questions of beauty under the aegis of the Aesthetics Debate of the 1950s and ’60s. This debate provided the conditions for a series of engagements on the part of Chinese and Soviet aesthetic theorists with the conceptual vocabulary of the “early Marx,” preceding the more famous embrace of humanist Marxist discourse in the 1980s. This article proposes to take Yao seriously as a theorist of an anti-humanist proletarian aesthetics, whose thought seeks to pose the relations between labor and aesthetics in terms strictly opposed to the philosophical figure of the human that emerged in the thought of more prominent figures such as Li Zehou. It does so by tracing Yao’s conception of aesthetics as a site of class struggle at the level of sensorial experience, in terms that suspended any attempt to articulate a universalist aesthetic according to humanist tropes of creative labor. The depth of Yao’s aesthetics not only demonstrates the theoretical underpinnings of the Cultural Revolution, but so too does it underscore the persistence of the problems of humanism and anti-humanism in engagements with Marxist thought.