Philosophical Tradition Research Articles

Philosophy and Poetic Thinking in Teacher Education

AbstractTeacher education has sought to combine the practice of teaching with the practice of thinking and most popularly through reflective practice. This refers to reflection on and in action that leads to thoughtful practical doing; praxis. In spite of its intention to develop teachers’ practical wisdom, reflective practice has become instrumentalised for the efficient achievement of educational ends without questioning whether the means of achieving them are conducive to living a good, meaningful life. Standardised modes of thinking have all the more estranged teachers from thinking Being and from exploring meanings of who they are as teachers. To address this issue, this paper explores possibilities offered by poetic thinking and metaphorical thinking with reference to the thoughts of Heidegger and Arendt. The analysis of the problem of the abandonment of thinking Being by philosophical traditions as well as Aristotle’s notion of praxis and poesis have been originally addressed by Heidegger. Poesis, the act of making and bringing something forth has also been discussed by Arendt in her thoughts about metaphorical thinking and its potential for becoming something new. I argue that poetic forms of thinking enrich the debate about the relation between philosophy and teaching and are insightful for doing philosophy for teachers. They encourage teachers to make use of language in an original way to bring themselves forth as unique Beings. To practically explore the poetic possibilities in teachers’ quests for meaning, I refer to a student teacher’s writing as an example of how Being teacher can be poetically revealed.

Valuing virtue in medicine: a closer look at CanMEDS

Abstract The CanMEDS-2015 Framework outlines seven key roles expected of practicing physicians: communicator, collaborator, manager, health advocate, scholar, and professional. Critics have expressed concern about the omission of a proposed eighth role, ‘Physician as Person’ relevant to humane qualities and personal resilience of the physician. Upon further analyses, the Framework has included several virtuous attributes in the roles of a physician as professional and communicator. However, it addresses certain virtues like creativity, love, and spirituality inadequately. Drawing on literature from Positive Psychology, the author categorizes and additional set of virtues into six classes: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Based on these, the author lists virtues and concepts relevant to a ‘Virtuous Role’ for physicians. The CanMEDS Framework should integrate these virtues as a foundational or overarching role and draw from Virtue Ethics in religious and philosophical traditions. This approach is timely, giving ongoing efforts to update and develop CanMEDS2025. By adopting a Virtuous Role within CanMEDS, we aim to train physicians who are technically skilled and deeply humane, meeting society's expectations for compassionate and virtuous healthcare professionals

The Forgotten Sex: Modern Responses to Correlative Sexism in Kang Youwei and He-Yin Zhen

Abstract The oversight of Chinese feminist traditions in transnational feminist discourse is remarkable given China’s historical importance and vast population. Despite historical suppression by Confucianism, Chinese feminisms emerged at the turn of the last century, drawing from Marxist, anarchist, and liberal movements. While scholars increasingly recognize overlooked female thinkers like Ban Zhao, contemporary discussions of China often revolve around reconciling Confucianism and feminism. This tendency underscores the perception of Chinese feminism as a derivative of Western feminism, where modern thinkers reject local culture for transnational movements. This paper contends that Chinese feminists, including Kang Youwei and He-Yin Zhen, remained deeply rooted in their traditions. While Kang incorporated foreign ideas to advocate for feminist goals and modernize society, he predominantly engaged with traditional philosophy to address its sexist elements. Similarly, He-Yin’s anarcho-feminist approach integrated Western influences to engage with traditional Chinese thought rather than rejecting it outright. By examining prevalent gender and selfhood concepts in traditional Chinese thought, this paper elucidates the notion of “correlative sexism,” and argues that women were not primarily regarded as a “second sex” as described by Simone de Beauvoir. The paper then demonstrates how Kang and He-Yin responded to this sexist discourse, offering novel perspectives on women’s liberation and societal reform.

Transcending Individual Traditions: Zhang Taiyan’s Interpretation of Zhuangzi’s Notion of Chengxin

This article examines the nuanced interpretations of chengxin 成心 in the Zhuangzi 莊子, a foundational Daoist text, across different philosophical traditions. Historically, Daoist thinkers like Guo Xiang 郭象 and Cheng Xuanying 成玄英, along with Neo-Confucian scholars such as Lü Huiqing 吕惠卿 and Lin Xiyi 林希逸, have provided differing perspectives on the notion of chengxin. They regard it as either a source of subjective bias or an expression of heavenly principle. The core focus of this study is Zhang Taiyan’s 章太炎 innovative interpretation of chengxin as seeds (bijas) within ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness), integrating Yogācāra Buddhist concepts with traditional Daoist philosophy. The study conducts a textual analysis of Zhang’s Qiwulun Shi 齊物論釋, comparing his interpretation with earlier commentaries on the Zhuangzi. It is argued that Zhang’s approach is profoundly influenced by the Buddhist doctrine of non-duality, which underscores the interconnectedness of all phenomena. While Zhang’s interpretation has faced criticism from contemporaries and later philosophers for misunderstandings of Yogācāra theory and Kantian philosophy, it employs the method of geyi 格義 (matching concepts), not to impose one tradition over another, but to foster a dialogical process where the insights from each tradition mutually inform and transform one another. This article highlights the interpretative openness of the Zhuangzi, which invites diverse interpretations, and demonstrates how Zhang’s approach enriches this tradition by synthesizing various philosophical and religious frameworks. Zhang’s methodology remains relevant, fostering cross-cultural and inclusive philosophical dialog.

Action Research and socio-environmental justice: decolonizing perspectives for a global responsibility

The text explores the relationship between socio-environmental justice and action research, arguing that the global ecological crisis demands a reassessment of our practices and values. It proposes the idea of an “ethics of the fair measure” as a means to achieve balance between human needs and the planet’s limits. Through an analysis of various philosophical and cultural traditions, it discusses the challenges and implications of socio-environmental justice for the theory and practice of action research, emphasizing the dimensions of interdependence, mutuality, and co-responsibility. As a conclusion, it highlights the need to decolonize the concept of humanity and incorporate perspectives that consider nature as a living and participatory organism into research methodology.

Disability as a Resource

Chinese modern writer Shi Tiesheng’s renowned piece of life writing “The Temple of Earth and I” embodies a conceptualization of disability that underscores the positive potential of disability as resource that may bring power, freedom, and diversity to people with disabilities as well as the entire society. The representation of disability in Shi’s writing forms an alternative disability discourse that can be highly valuable in shaping social and cultural mindsets on disability. Shi’s disability discourse takes a deep root in Chinese philosophical tradition that understands the world as a dynamic process of transformation between oppositional states. In accordance with this recognition, disability has the potential to be transformed from loss to power, from limitation to freedom, and from an often rejected and excluded element to an indispensable part of diversity in the world.

A faith in science: Gardner Murphy and parapsychology

Historians have noted that many 19th-century founders and members of psychic societies were clergy, or had fathers who were clergy, seeking evidence for the survivalist hypothesis. One such member, psychologist Gardner Murphy, was influenced in childhood both by the Episcopalian faith of his father and the Transcendentalism of his mother's hometown, Concord, Massachusetts. We propose that these religious and philosophical influences, as well as his childhood experiences informed his life's work. They also prompted Gardner Murphy to focus on the survivalist hypothesis and commit to discovering a scientific approach that might yield evidence of paranormal phenomena. Murphy was highly respected for his biosocial theory of personality and his contributions to the discipline of psychology, even while he persisted in studying parapsychology, an area of contention in the relatively new science of psychology. He drew on the potential synergy of world religions and philosophical traditions as a means of understanding human behavior – in each case revealing him as the polymath and ethical humanist for which he is remembered. Like William James, he viewed reported psychic experiences as simply another human phenomenon to be examined using the scientific method. His ability to entwine these interests seems motivated by his religious upbringing and academic training in the sciences.

A leitura de Hegel de Alexandre Kojève e seu duplo legado

Kojève represents a pivotal point not only for the reception of Hegel in the 20th century, but for continental philosophy as a whole. By reading Hegel unilaterally, with a magnifying glass on the logic of the lord-bondsman relationship, Kojève imploded the traditional philosophy of history and anticipated, from within Hegelianism, treatments of historical temporality that would appear in opposition to Hegel with the emergence of French structuralism. In Kojève’s reading, humanism and the strong notion of a subject who produces the world also collapse of their own weight. The author thus demonstrates how this “double unavailability”– of man and of history – that so well characterizes continental philosophy in the second half of the 20th century finds its precursor in Kojève’s seminars. (Translator’s abstract).

Home Language and Philosophers’ Language

This paper investigates whether Wittgenstein can be considered an ‘ordinary language philosopher’. A central role in his thinking is that of what may be called our ‘home language’ - the language we bring along in coming to do philosophy. The intelligibility of philosophers’ language depends on its relation to the home language. This is the central point of Philosophical Investigations § 116. Traditional philosophical ‘uses’ of a word like ‘knowledge’ have a problematic relation to our customary uses of the word. In consequence, traditional philosophers have sometimes lost the grip on how such words are actually used in human interaction.

JUSTICE AND SUBJECTIVITY IN MEASURE FOR MEASURE: BRIEF REFLECTIONS ON LAW AND LITERATURE

This article explores the complexities of justice, power, and subjectivity in Shakespeare’s work, focusing on Measure for Measure. The analysis connects Shakespearean themes to emerging philosophical and legal traditions in early modernity, particularly tensions over authority and social order. The play is intertwined with the views of Hobbes, Machiavelli, and Sir Edward Coke, who debate the role of law and central authority. Seventeenth-century England, in transition from feudalism to absolutism, provides the backdrop for this reflection. Hobbes, in Leviathan, advocated a strong central government, while Coke argued for the primacy of the Common Law and judicial control over Parliament. This judicial contention is reflected in the moral and legal conflict of Measure for Measure, where the intersections between law and subjectivity emerge vividly. Shakespeare, although not presenting a partisan position, articulates dilemmas that echo modern concerns about the use of force and the flexibility of the law, opening up room for interpretations about the role of judges and the manipulation of laws in favor of private interests. These debates are deepened by Shakespeare's reading of themes such as honor, virtue, and the tension between freedom and order, linking the work to an ongoing dialogue between literature, law, and politics.

The event-property view of sounds

ABSTRACT Philosophical tradition holds that sounds, like colors, are sensible properties. Recently, however, there is a growing consensus in favor of the view that sounds are particulars, not properties. This article bucks the trend: it argues for the Event-Property View of Sounds – a widely overlooked and intuitively plausible version of the traditional view that not only avoids the difficulties that have led philosophers to opt for particularist alternatives, but does justice to the best insights of recent philosophical and empirical work on audition. In other words, it saves the truth in tradition by transforming it in light of new insight.

From ''Dependent Translation" to "Creative Translation'' by Taha Abdurrahman

This paper undertakes a critical and analytical examination of the transformative dimensions of translation as conceptualized by the Moroccan philosopher Taha Abdurrahman. Central to Abdurrahman’s intellectual project is the call to transcend the pervasive Eurocentrism that characterizes contemporary translation theories. Abdurrahman offers a nuanced critique of the translation methodologies employed during the Abbasid period, particularly the uncontextualized appropriation of Greek philosophy. He contends that this approach led to the marginalization of Islamic philosophy, reducing it to a mode of mere transmission and dependency, initially on ancient Greece and subsequently on the modern West. To address these historical inadequacies, Abdurrahman advocates for an innovative translation strategy termed taʾṣīliyya, which translates literally to “authenticating.” This strategy emphasizes a transformative process whereby the source text is integrated into the receiving culture, aligning with its specific epistemic and cultural needs, irrespective of the original context. Abdurrahman posits that this method is essential for fostering an autonomous Arab/Islamic philosophical tradition, one that is not subsumed under external theoretical paradigms, even if this necessitates deviating from conventional criteria of accuracy and faithfulness. This paper critically engages with the theoretical foundations and proposes practical applications of Abdurrahman’s translation paradigm. It situates his framework within the broader historical trajectory of translation in the Arabic intellectual tradition and contemporary translation studies. Furthermore, it interrogates the theoretical and methodological ramifications of eschewing conventional norms of fidelity and accuracy, notwithstanding their entrenched and restrictive nature.

Ars Erotica: Sex and Somaesthetics in the Classical Arts of Love: Exploring Shusterman’s Writing Identity in the Discourse on the Art of Lovemaking and Body Aesthetics

Standing in marked contrast with Foucauldian notion of “the care for the self” which seeks bodily pleasure by advocating violent practices of consensual homosexual sadomasochism and drugs, Shusterman’s Ars Erotica takes up the notion further by unveiling the idea of somaesthetics that alternatively favors such tranquil, less violent somatic practices as a pursuit of bodily pleasure and cultivation. Rich in its cross-cultural perspectives of how artistic body practices (including the art of love making) are cultivated, Ars Erotica combines important ideas from different philosophical traditions with literary works emanating from varied cultural, religious, and linguistic legacies. The mixture of both philosophy and literature in the book helps reconcile the long-standing disputes regarding the divide between the two scholarships, thus making Shusterman’s writing worthy of investigating. Drawing on these notions of aspects of identity – “self as author” and “discoursal self” (Ivanic, 1998), this article is an attempt to explore these aspects of identity. Thematic coding was used as a technique of data analysis. Findings revealed that aspects of identity can be categorized and suggested as follows: (1) taking control by evaluating while averring to reliable sources, (2) interfering credible sources by infusing personal positioning (3) translanguaging to create aesthetic textual postures.

Reimagining a nursing ecosystem in an uncertain world.

The discussion paper synthesises the insights shared during a keynote panel at the 26th International Philosophy of Nursing Conference, themed "Reimagining a nursing ecosystem in an uncertain world." It delves into the substantial impact uncertainty has on nursing, offering innovative strategies for reconceptualization. Through a critical examination of evidence-based practice, the tendency to homogenise nursing is discussed, prompting advocacy for a Nietzschean political framework as a form of resistance and emancipation. Drawing inspiration from Donna Haraway, a transition from individualistic to relational approaches is needed, especially amidst social and economic instability. Furthermore, the integration of caritas and Indigenous epistemologies underscore the significance of cultural sensitivity in nursing. Meanwhile, Ubuntu philosophy champions empathy and collective values, while a convergence of Eastern and Western philosophical traditions promises to enrich nursing practice. Ultimately, the panellists advocate for overcoming rigid ideologies in favour of a pluralistic approaches, ontologies, epistemologies and ethics to address contemporary challenges, and signal for a philosophical reorientation to engage uncertainty and reshape nursing roles in an ever-evolving and world.

The Poet-Creator of Philosophy: To the Methodology of Research in Philosophical Thought by Rabindranath Tagore

The Indian poet and educator Rabindranath Tagore was the creator of an original philosophy that gives additional meaning to the picture of the history of Indian philosophy in the 20th century. He usually emphasized his identity as a poet and an artist, not considering himself a philosopher. However, Tagore embodies the phenomenon of a poet-thinker who comprehends universal philosophical problems and, in the process of philosophizing, offers his own vision of them. Moreover, he owns a number of texts of a religious-philosophical and socio-philosophical nature, in addition to the content of poetry and fiction. The philosophy created by the poet requires a comprehensive holistic study, which, in turn, raises the problem of research methodology. The article proposes the author's methodology for the reconstruction of Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy, based on an understanding of his personality, the contexts of thought and the hermeneutics of texts. The methodological model of philosophy reconstruction includes three levels. The first involves analyzing the personality of R. Tagore using the categories "cross-cultural thinker" and "problematic thinker". The second is a description of the contexts of his philosophizing: external general civilizational, internal epochal and internal biographical. The third is the hermeneutics of texts, taking into account the poetic component and the philosophical problems of speeches and fiction. The novelty of the described methodological model is due to the possibilities and prospects of reconstructing Tagore's philosophical thought and concepts. 1. Description of the phenomenon of a poet and writer creating a philosophy in which the experience of artistic creation generates a universal religious and social meaning and actualizes humanistic issues. 2. Presentation of the process of formation of cross-cultural philosophy of the XX century on the material of a particular thinker. 3. The analysis of the contexts of the unfolding of philosophy helps to trace the continuity of the thinker and his ideas with the Indian philosophical tradition in a broad sense and at the same time identify innovation, not least due to his dialogue with Western culture and modernity. 4. Seeing Tagore's philosophy as a kind of quintessence of the Bengali Renaissance heritage, it is not difficult to notice its significance and relevance for modernity. 5. Reconstruction along the proposed methodological path will open up not only direct, but also comparative prospects for studying Tagore's philosophical thought in comparison with the reflections of philosophers from different cultural areas, primarily peripheral to the West and non-Western ones.

Salience of Buddhism as an Instrument of Soft Power in India’s Neighborhood

This research paper explores the salience of Buddhism as a potent instrument of soft power within India's neighborhood. Buddhism, with its profound historical and cultural roots in India, has transcended geographical boundaries to become an influential force that shapes diplomatic relationships and socio-cultural ties in the region. This study delves into the multifaceted dimensions of Buddhism's role in India's foreign policy and its impact on fostering closer relationships with neighboring countries. The paper begins by tracing the historical trajectory of Buddhism in India and its subsequent diffusion to neighboring nations. It examines how Buddhism has not only endured as a spiritual and philosophical tradition but has also evolved into a dynamic tool for international engagement. In this context, it delves into the significance of Buddhism as a cultural bridge that connects India with its neighboring countries, transcending linguistic and religious differences. The study also evaluates the geopolitical implications of Buddhism's resurgence in India's neighborhood. It assesses the impact of India's Buddhist diplomacy on regional stability, security, and economic cooperation. Special attention is given to India's relations with countries like China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Myanmar, where Buddhism holds particular significance. In conclusion, this research underscores the enduring relevance of Buddhism as an instrument of soft power in India's neighborhood. It emphasizes the need for India to harness its rich Buddhist heritage and promote intercultural dialogues as essential components of its foreign policy toolkit, furthering its diplomatic objectives and fostering enduring bonds with its neighbors.

В.С. Соловьев и цивилизационный выбор России

The attention is focused on the idea that the modern phase in the Russian philosophical and social thinking is characterized by the discourse on civilizational choice of Russia. Therewith, addressing the Russian religious and philosophical tradition is deemed to be relevant. The central personality of the Russian religious philosophy is Vladimir S. Solovyov – the ideological founder of the all-unity philosophy. His contemplation on multiple topics became significant for the Russian society of his time as well as of the modern days. It is stipulated, that one of the central topics for the Russian society is the problem of correlation of western and eastern elements of spiritual culture and historical development of Russia. Contemplation on this problem based on the creative heritage of Vladimir Solovyov makes his standpoint relevant in the current stage. The opinion that Solovyov's solution to the “East-West” dichotomy is based on the acknowledgement of universal christian values as the highest factor of historical development is being sustained. This allowed the founder of the all-unity to stipulate the highest ideals of spiritual and moral perfection as a goal of the progress of the society, to highlight the threat of spiritual crisis, to anticipate catastrophic events of the following historical period. The universalistic approach of Vladimir Solovyov presumes the inclusion of Russia into the context of the European Christian culture. The philosopher assumed for Russia a task of “global synthesis” of western and eastern values in global scale. Detailed ways of solving this task were utopian. The conclusion is made that the relevance of the philosopher's standpoint for the present is constituted by the vision of main tendencies in spiritual and social life. The all-unity philosophy is deemed to be productive to justify the general Russian identity of the present.

Ғылыми шығармашылықтың философиялық аспектілері

The article is devoted to an urgent problem in epistemology, which studies the essence and nature of scientific creativity, as well as its philosophical aspects. Without creativity, it is impossible to effectively solve any scientific problem or make a scientific discovery. Scientific creativity, as a special human activity, is a constructive process aimed at meeting the needs for the creation of new spiritual and material values. Creativity is characterized by opposition to dogmatism. The essence and features of scientific creativity are investigated through the method of philosophical analysis. The purpose of the article is to analyze aspects of scientific creativity, taking into account its connection with intuition. The paper presents a description of the main features of scientific creativity, including philosophical traditions, methodological, ethical, social and psychological aspects, as well as critical thinking. The method of intuitionism in scientific creativity is studied on the basis of the primary sources of A. Bergson, as well as the concept of Bergsonism in the works of J. Deleuze. The article traces the evolution of ideas about intuition from the origin of philosophical thought to the present. The relationship of scientific creativity and intuition with the psychology of a scientist is considered through the works of J. Adamera on Poincare and the concept of “personal knowledge” by M.Polani. The authors investigated the influence of intuition on the ethics of a scientist and the decision-making process in the scientific field.

Czy Historię filozofii Władysława Tatarkiewicza można uznać za dzieło szkoły lwowsko‑warszawskiej?

The purpose of the paper is to argue for the view that Władysław Tatarkiewicz’s Historia filozofii [History of Philosophy] (1931) cannot be regarded as a work derived from the philosophical tradition of the Lvov‑Warsaw School. Tatarkiewicz was inspired to take up the history of philosophy thanks to his studies in Marburg (1909). When he came into contact with Twardowski and his students, Tatarkiewicz noticed that the history of philosophy was regarded by them as a discipline belonging to the field of history, and was sometimes completely disregarded. The fact that the postulate of order and clarity of language brought Tatarkiewicz closer to Twardowski seems to have been due to Tatarkiewicz’s personal inclinations rather than to Twardowski’s influence on him.

Phenomenological Method as A Theoretical Basis of Qualitative Methods

This paper discusses the phenomenological method as a theoretical basis for qualitative research. Phenomenology, which originates from the philosophical tradition, emphasizes the importance of understanding individual subjective experiences of a particular phenomenon or event. Through this approach, researchers can deepen and understand individual meanings, perceptions, and interpretations of the reality they experience. This paper explains the basic concepts of phenomenology, contributions from leading philosophers such as Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, and Jean-Paul Sartre, and how phenomenological principles are applied in qualitative research. Apart from that, this paper also reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the phenomenological method in the context of qualitative research and provides examples of its practical application in various fields of study. It is hoped that through this paper, readers can gain a deep understanding of the relevance and significance of phenomenology in qualitative research.