Rational Arguments Research Articles

The Resolution of Interpretations. Thomism, Semiotics, and Phenomenology in Dialogue

More than ever do people seem entrenched in their intellectual positions despite a dearth of concerted and honest reflection upon them. This obstinacy presents a moral and rhetorical challenge—attempting persuasion through naked rational argumentation alone will prove fruitless. But we should not discount the role of the intellect in the fixation of even the least-reflectively formed beliefs. From the perspective of cognition, this fixation is proximately the result of interpretation. In the language of Thomism, this interpretive adherence to falsity consists in a perverse process of discursive reasoning. To exposit the constitution of adherence to false interpretation, here we will draw on the traditions of Thomism, phenomenology, and semiotics. With the insights of these traditions, we will proceed: first, examining the process of interpretation itself; second, considering two different modes of interpretation; and third, situating interpretation in the context of the twofold movement of resolution. Through analyzing interpretation and resolution, we will demonstrate that obstinate intellectual insistence consists in two intellectual errors: adoption of the vague as sufficient for understanding; and reflexive confusions. In both cases, the error persists through the failure to pursue the twofold movement of resolution.

A New Dialectical Model of Water Security under Climate Change

Although Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is widely accepted as the state-of-the-art rational model for improving water governance, its evaluations under climate change at national and global scales indicate that progress made in water security and ecosystem preservation is slow. The paper identifies the relationship between Humans and Nature as the main reason for that and generates a novel social component to improve Water Resources Management (WRM) following three pillars: (1) A historical review over the past 20,000 years indicating that WRM depends on the interplay between Humans and Nature. This is in constant change over time, and depending on socio-economic and climate conditions, it oscillates between two opposites: conflict and cooperation. Three clusters have been identified, showing a different timeline pattern of dominance: (a) Nature dominating Humans (Naturalistic), (b) Nature–Humans in cooperation and competition (Dualistic), and (c) Humans dominating Nature (Anthropocentric). (2) Clarification of why a WRM model can improve water security through the Governance–Policy–Science Nexus. (3) Suggestion of a novel WRM model based on conflict identification (eristic component) and dialectical conflict resolution. Two types of conflicts have been distinguished: (a) Human vs. Human and (b) Human vs. Nature when the laws of nature are not respected. The dialectical tool operates by exchanging rational arguments to unify opposite objectives for harmonizing Humans with Natural laws. A case study of flood mitigation in Crete Island illustrates the Eristic–Dialectical methodology.

Deadlock in transition to a net-zero socially robust knowledge

Although Taiwan proposed 2020 to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, it has encountered difficulties making this transition. This research argues that climate issues involve epistemic politics and competition and those different discourses require the construction of socially robust knowledge (SRK) in reflexive, contextual confrontation, and competition. A society with strong SRK can lead the country’s net-zero carbon emissions decision, system, and transformation. This article analyses the types of environmental movements and the strength of their production of SRK with two cases that discusses the current lag of net-zero transition.The study found that the elements of successful transition include the same object of resistance, based on rational risk knowledge debate, and multi-level social mobilisation, which constitutes a strong SRK. A solid SRK package successfully reframes the development thinking of Taiwanese society. The net-zero movement needs a transparent object of resistance; environmental groups need to familiarise themselves with the issue of climate warming, resulting in a gap in appeals, mobilisation strategies, stages, and dominance. Although the latter still presents a certain degree of SRK and constitutes a policy of confrontation or competition with the government, the issues of appeal are pretty diverse, showing scattered initiatives. Folk-focused issues and discourses cannot build a strong agora, thus failing to reframe the social development framework and create more elements or opportunities for social transformation to a green path; as a result, Taiwan’s sluggish climate governance and net-zero transition have encountered dilemmas both at home and abroad.

The Concept of Nature According to Syed M Naquib Al-Attās: The Perspective of New Kalam

This article explains the views of Syed M Naquib al-Attas on the concept of nature from the perspective of the issue of kalam jadid. The study from the perspective of kalam jadid is important in this modern era because the issue of kalam jadid challenges religious thought to be able to answer actual issues around modernity with rational arguments. Kalam jadid is a kalam developed from classical issues based on the dirasatul firaq. Therefore, the study of kalam jadid is not limited to the problem of firqah thought (limited to the debate on the nature of qadm or hadith, but based on the development of modern science in the perspective of Islamic worldview. This article uses a descriptive method with a philosophical approach. Data were obtained by surveying the relevant literature and discussion. The data is then analyzed by means of discourse analysis which enables the researcher to uncover hidden intentions in the text. The results of this study concludes that al-Attās's thoughts on the concept of nature can be categorized as the issue of kalam jadd. The al-Attās method of describing the concept of nature based on the Islamic worldview can be a model in studying and developing the science of kalam in the modern era. This is the basis for the rise of new kalam (new kalam/Jadīd kalam). The study of kalam involves a variety of sciences: sufism, metaphysics, philosophy, and science. Thus, the science of kalam becomes a science that is more meaningful in various fields of science.

Abū al-Muʿīn al-Nasafī’s Defence of Prophecy (Nubuwwa): An Examination of Prophecy and its Justification in Islamic Theology

This article aims to investigate the rational arguments presented by Abū al-Muʿīn al-Nasafī for justifying prophecy as a significant phenomenon in human history. The study begins by analysing al-Nasafī’s definition of prophecy, followed by examining its linguistic, philosophical, and theological implications. The possibility and necessity of prophethood are explored from two distinct perspectives: natural reason and divine wisdom. In terms of natural reason (ʿaql), prophethood falls under the category of possibilities (mumkināt), which implies that its existence is not impossible according to reason. When it comes to the divine wisdom of God, prophethood is considered a necessity (wājib), as it would be inconceivable for God to abandon humanity without guidance in the realm of existence. The author presents numerous arguments supporting both categories. For instance, several factors justify the rationale behind the institution of prophecy, such as the limitations of the human mind in acquiring knowledge, the need to express religious knowledge with clarity and precision, and the significance of preserving this knowledge for future generations. Al-Nasafī argues that prophetic reality provides the most plausible explanation for our body of knowledge in various fields such as astronomy, more precisely “science or knowledge of the stars” (al-ʿilm bi al-nujūm), and medical science held by humanity. Moreover, essential skills and crafts passed down from generation to generation, such as farming and dressmaking, that are essential for human survival, can only be attributed to prophetic reality. Al-Nasafī also maintains that the institution of prophecy is the exclusive factor that can adequately explain the presence of various languages throughout the world. According to him, the first human language was taught by a prophet, and all subsequent languages are derived from this original language. The second part of the paper centres on al-Nasafī’s criteria for validating the authenticity of a prophetic assertion. In al-Nasafī’s view, miracles constitute the most critical means by which an individual claiming prophethood can demonstrate their claim. Following, the paper highlights al-Nasafī’s differentiation between magic tricks or illusions executed by skilled magicians and miracles performed by prophets. Although magicians can manipulate and fool their audience using sleight of hand, the allure and mystique surrounding their illusions start to fade away once the causes or mechanics of those illusions become apparent. Conversely, as miracles are investigated and pondered over, they become increasingly precise and powerful. Lastly, as per al-Nasafī, merely having an intellectual understanding or belief in God alone is inadequate to achieve the happiness promised by the religion. Only through the institution of prophethood, one can comprehend the meaning (ḥikma) of our existence or life on Earth and acquire the benefits that pertain to both this world and the afterlife. By offering a thorough analysis of the concept of prophecy and al-Nasafī’s rational arguments in support of it, this paper aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the notion of prophecy and its rational justifications in Islamic thought.

MOVEMENT AND ITS STABILITY AS AN ARGUMENT FOR CREATION, IN THE CAPPADOCIAN FATHERS

The Cappadocian Fathers consider that the orderly movement of creatures and, especially, the stability of heavenly bodies is an indication of the existence of the Creator and divine providence. In St. Basil the Great we find a version of the argument of the First Mover from Aristotle, developed also by Thomas Aquinas. In St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nazianz, as in Aristotle, the question of the existence of movement was posed not only in the sense of an original impulse towards movement, but also for the continuation of movement once begun. The sustaining in motion had to have a cause outside the one being moved. And St. Gregory of Nyssa shows that the stability of the movement of heavenly bodies is a witness of divine proneness, as a sign of the specificity of the uncreated, which is unchangeability, in contrast to the attribute of change that dominates the creature. The Cappadocian Fathers do not base faith on reason, but by rational arguments and facts of nature they strengthen the solidarity between faith and reason and clear the obstacles, coming from wrong philosophies, which obstruct the channels through which natural revelation inspires manry

We see what we want to see: Pitfalls of Perception and Decision-making in Security Management

We human beings are often convinced of having a clear picture of reality and believe ourselves to be thoroughly rational in our thinking and decision-making. However, our perception of reality is limited and prone to errors, and our decision-making is often guided by emotions and instincts instead of facts and rational thinking. If we don’t stop to think we often jump to conclusions based on partial or erroneous information, and eloquently justify our decisions with apparently rational arguments. In many areas of human activities, including security management, limits of perception and errors in decision-making can have harmful, even disastrous consequences. Very often in security management the decision-making process is not sufficiently challenged by critical thinking as decisions are often made hidden behind the veil of secrets. Cognitive biases - systematic errors in thinking affecting decisions and judgments - have been identified and analysed in various contexts, and the results have been applied to improve decision-making processes. However, in the heavily regulated and compliance-dominated world of security management sufficient attention hasn’t been paid to cognitive biases and their impacts. As result of insufficient attention an important risk factor is regularly underestimated. This paper includes an introduction to the concept of cognitive biases and the research on the phenomenon. The biases which in the author’s experience have a particularly harmful impact on security management are described in detail. This introduction is followed by description of scenarios and real-life examples where erroneous perception and decision-making of security actors leads to disasters. De-biasing is the strategy which aims at eliminating or at least limiting of the impact of cognitive biases. This strategy has been successfully implemented in various types of environments. This paper presents ideas how de-biasing strategies could be implemented in security management in order to improve the quality of decision-making.

Group Identity in Public Deliberation

I argue that different argumentative practices require participants to categorize themselves in different modes. Accordingly, I distinguish four types of argumentation: rational argumentation, intergroup argumentation, intragroup argumentation, and, finally, personal argumentation. An inescapable implication of my approach to deliberation is that deliberation presupposes the self-categorization of participants in the same ingroup. Deliberation does not require, however, the group to antecede the deliberation process, and a distinctive feature of successful public deliberation is its capacity to produce social identification with the deliberative group. Thus, identity negotiation is an important part of deliberative processes.

Creating Discursive Conditions for Constitution Reforms in Tanzania

There has been low public participation in discursive constitutional reforms in Tanzania. However, the discursive conditions shaping such low public participation were still unknown. The current study examined discursive conditions for constitutional practices. The study employed Mactayres' legitimation theory (1998) of the common public good to extract discursive conditions of reconstitution debates in Tanzania. A documentary review was used to extract data, and transcription and translation were later done. Four data sets were involved in the analysis: two public discursive forums, telephone public deliberation opinions and television interviews of politicians. Attride-Stirling (2001) thematic qualitative analysis guided the systematic methodological analysis of the study. The findings show four main discursive conditions for constitution debates in Tanzania: lack of inclusive public discursive participation, lack of normative values for discursive critiques and inquiries, lack of public discursive constitution consciousness and inappropriate public discursive setting and structures. It is recommended that public constitution awareness requires total involvement of civil societies, government organs, politicians, professionals, media and individuals; secondly, public constitution awareness-raising should be held before engaging the public in public deliberation of constitution reform; thirdly, the nature of public awareness should reflect appropriate platforms that suit public discursive settings and involve a wide public agenda (economics, health, education, agriculture, human rights) to allow a wide public deliberation; fourthly, during constitution debates public should be informed on the values of public discourse that involve rational arguments, tolerance respects and public consensus to achieve a common understanding. Fifthly, where there are no discursive structures (discursive layout), public consensus must be on the road map toward the new constitution. Finally, those responsible for collecting public opinions should arrange and conduct constitutional debates in an informal setting with no time constriction to make it easy for majority participation and to achieve data saturation of public opinions. While the study contributed to democratic discursive conditions as the party of Critical Discourse Analysis, future studies can focus on power relationships and reconstitution practices in Tanzania.

Smart Geosynthetics and Prospects for Civil Infrastructure Monitoring: A Comprehensive and Critical Review

Civil infrastructure monitoring with the aim of early damage detection and acquiring the data required for urban management not only prevents sudden infrastructure collapse and increases service life and sustainability but also facilitates the management of smart cities including smart transportation sectors. In this context, smart geosynthetics can act as vital arteries for extracting and transmitting information about the states of the strain, stress, damage, deformation, and temperature of the systems into which they are incorporated in addition to their traditional infrastructural roles. This paper reviews the wide range of technologies, manufacturing techniques and processes, materials, and methods that have been used to date to develop smart geosynthetics to provide rational arguments on the current trends and utilise the operational trends as a guide for predicting what can be focused on in future researches. The various multifunctional geosynthetic applications and future challenges, as well as operational solutions, are also discussed and propounded to pave the way for developing applicable smart geosynthetics. This critical review will provide insight into the development of new smart geosynthetics with the contribution to civil engineering and construction industries.

"WORLD ORDER" IN THE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL WORLDVIEW OF THE ICONIC LINGUISTIC PERSONALITY OF HENRY KISSINGER

Aim. To analyze the set of language tools used by H. Kissinger for the most vivid and convincing description of various modern political systems, which, to a large extent, reflects the linguistic and cultural worldview of H. Kissinger’s linguistic personality.Methodology. In the course of considering the features of ways and means of reflecting an adequate linguistic and cultural worldview of the author, the interdisciplinary approach is used, which includes the possibility of using a set of methods and research techniques for analyzing texts with rich political content, such as component analysis based on dictionary definitions, contextual and comparative analysis.Results. The study of the linguistic and cultural worldview of the iconic linguistic personality of Henry Kissinger on the material of his book "World Order" illustrates the author's peculiar use of rational arguments (reasonableness, accuracy of selected ideologues, political terms and phrases, logical presentation of the material, validity and scrupulousness of the facts presented), expressed by ideologems inherent in this genre of political communication, stable phrases and terms, as well as linguistic means aimed at the emotional side of information perception, both lexical (epithets, metaphors, etc.) and syntactic (paradoxical antithesis constructions).Research implications. The results of the scientific research contribute to the further development of the theory of the linguistic worldview as a clearly structured multilevel system. Its description on the example of the linguistic and cultural picture of various types of the world order, proposed by H. Kissinger, the analysis of the corresponding set of language tools also helps better understand the argumentation of different sides of the political process.

The Role of Regional Honor Council In Maintaining The Honor of Notary Position

A profession that in carrying out its duties, functions and authorities requires an ethics, so does a Notary. So the code of ethics is used as a guideline for the behavior of members of the profession in acting and behaving. The existence of a Notary code of ethics aims to make the Notary profession run professionally with motivation and orientation to intellectual skills as well as rational and critical argumentation as well as upholding moral values. So that the notary in carrying out his position is supervised by the Notary Honorary Council, because this supervisory function is very necessary so that the Notary does not ignore the nobility and dignity of his profession. Writing this article aims to identify, examine and analyze the role of the Honorary Board in maintaining the honor of the position of Notary Public by upholding a code of ethics. This writing uses a normative juridical approach, using primary and secondary legal sources. Primary legal materials are obtained from laws and regulations and secondary legal materials are obtained from library materials, archives, and documents related to the object of research. The results of the discussion show that the position of the Honorary Board in the Notary organization has a strategic and important role in enforcing the code of ethics as an effort to maintain the honor of a notary. The Ethics Council will supervise so that there are no violations committed by the Notary, such as signing the deed without dealing with the client and the Notary, Setting substandard rates, Carrying out efforts that can lead to unfair competition, Name sign issues and changing addresses are not reported. The obstacles faced by the Honorary Council were the increasing number of Notaries, the formation of the Honorary Council which only numbered three people and was collective in nature. The Honorary Council in enforcing the Notary's code of ethics identifies, evaluates and improves the supervisory system for Notaries so that violations of the code of ethics can be minimized, the Honorary Council makes strategic steps to be implemented and used according to the objectives to be achieved.
 KEYWORDS: Code of Ethics, Honor Council, Notary.

THE RATIONAL EXPRESSION OF THE SUPREME BEING IN KANTIAN THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY VERSUS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PERSONAL GOD IN THEOLOGY

the science of sciences, has tried, starting from what could be expressed rationally, to explain the existence or the possibility of man's knowledge of the existence of the Supreme Being, as designated by Immanuel Kant. The questions that can be raised are: can human reason grasp the transcendental meanings of the Supreme Being? Can philosophical reason be overcome by theological knowledge, as a result of experiencing the Personal God? The answer to these questions can only be expressed through an analysis of Kant's rational arguments alongside the mode of knowledge proposed by theology

The Persistence of Islamist Political Parties in Bangladesh: A Rational Choice Argument

In 1971, the new country of Bangladesh was carved into the world political map. The country’s first government identified it as a secular nation primarily due to the religious identity averred by the Pakistani state apparatus, its former oppressor. Over half a century after its independence, the country has seen a considerable impact of religion in politics, with many academic publications on Islamist movements and politics since the early 2000s. A conspicuous gap in this literature is the lack of focus on Islamist political parties, even though all Islamist political movements emerged from within those parties. This paper argues that the continued existence of Islamist parties is due to two specific factors: institutional change and large madrasa networks. This paper adopts a ‘rational choice’ approach to investigate these two factors critically.

What do you mean, ‘negotiating?’: Patient, physician, and healthcare professional experiences of navigating hierarchy in networks of interprofessional care

ABSTRACT Interprofessional collaborative practice is a phenomenon that can be fraught with power dynamics between professions, within professions, and between professionals and patients. In the literature, the dominant notion is that conflicting viewpoints and interests arising from unequal power dynamics can be resolved through negotiation. This study examined COPD patients, health professionals, and physician experiences of negotiation within 10 interprofessional collaborative COPD care teams. Physicians, patients, and healthcare professionals each had strikingly different conceptions and experiences of negotiating their perspective with other team members. Our study suggests that negotiation is an idealized notion rather than a relational process embedded in interprofessional collaborative practice. Importantly, we found that the ability and opportunity to negotiate one’s perspective is heavily influenced by one’s position in the workplace division of labor and professional hierarchy. We conclude that “negotiation” is only one approach among many in navigating interprofessional relations. Further, the rhetorical and ideological appeal of “negotiation” may overstate its role in interactions in interprofessional care settings, and lead to a misunderstanding of the power dynamics at play. It may be naïve to assume team members can control their situation through the competitive assertion of their individual perspective in a rational debate. Unfortunately, adopting the language of negotiation uncritically may not offer relevant solutions to structural and collective problems within a healthcare workplace.

Social consequences of educational measures: A commentary.

This commentary discusses Messick's (1995) unified validity framework, which broadly characterizes the interpretation of test scores in terms of their social consequences. Scores and their interpretation can lead to unintended consequences when they capture only part of the specified construct or characteristics unrelated to the construct. The evaluation of construct underrepresentation and irrelevance requires careful investigation and rational argument about the construct and its theoretical basis, as well as any planned uses, contexts, scores, or samples. Developers also validate an assessment for specific purposes, and users share responsibility for validation for any novel use or interpretation of scores. This commentary also considers the consequences of decisions based on assessments and the consequences of local and national norms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

How to Change Your Mind: The Contemplative Practices of Philosophy

AbstractThe methods of philosophy may be associated with practices such as rational dialogue, logical analysis, argumentation, and intellectual inquiry. However, many philosophical traditions in Asia, as well as in the ancient Greek world, consider an array of embodied contemplative practices as central to the work of philosophy and as philosophical methods in themselves. Here we will survey a few such practices, including those of the ancient Greeks as well as examples from East Asian traditions. Revisiting the contemplative practices of philosophy can help us to rethink the boundaries of the discipline, the nature and scope of scholarly methods, and the role of philosophy in everyday life.

Environmental valuation of hydro-environmental services of the Tropical Montane Cloud Forest

Environmental externalities are just one class of externalities (or external effects). They are not more important than any other type of economic externalities, but it would not be possible to find rational arguments to justify that they are less so. If more complex and therefore better decisions are to be taken, these externalities should be duly quantified and incorporated in the framework of an economic analysis of public or private decisions of society. In that case, they can be accounted for as costs of our decisions. Environmental economics has different environmental valuation methods to include ecosystems and its dynamics into an economic system. The most applied methods are contingent valuation, hedonic prices, and travel cost. These methods may be used as a guide to formulate public policies to protect the environment and have an efficient management. The present research is an analysis for hydro-environmental services (recreational services) of the tropical montane cloud forest (La Granada waterfall) of Coatepec due to the increasing risks caused by human activity. Therefore, the travel cost method will be applied to estimate the economic value associated with the ecosystem. This method applies conventional empirical techniques used by economists to estimate economic values based on market prices. The findings showed different travel costs for every chosen zone and a consumer surplus of $47.10 MXN and an estimated yearly value of $70,645 MXN.

P. Ricoeur’s Creative Imagination: The Source of Narrative Identity and Social Justice

The paper analyses Paul Ricoeur’s concept of creative imagination and shows how this essential element of human consciousness determines personal and societal identity and how it can be a source of just social norms and of ‘good life’ (vie bonne). The imagination, which is characterized by semantic innovations and a heuristic function, creates a dynamic narrative defining a human being and opens as specific rationality surpassing purely argumentative rationality and allowing to solve conflicts of social norms. The ethical aspect of this process, implying a triple structure I/other/just institutiones, creates conditions for the realization of the dialectic of justice and love in the political space; due to the dialectic, innovative ways for the realization of social justice become possible. Critical questions intended to open up the perspective for further thinking are posed at the end of the paper.

Playing Identities, Preserving Interests: Balance of Identity and Indonesia's Foreign Policy Dilemma Amid the China-US Rivalry

A foreign policy dilemma often occurs when a country is caught in the middle of two or more conflicting countries. States that have no conflict of interest would normally choose neutral positions or maintain good relations with all parties. In the case of Indonesia's foreign policy toward the China-US rivalry, free and active policy is the fundamental principle to preserve its national interests. Both China and the United States are Indonesia's strategic partners, especially in terms of economic cooperation. Although conventional wisdom tends to argue that Indonesia's current foreign policy has been increasingly dependent on China rather than the United States, it is also clear that a free and active principle sustains. This article aims to analyze how Indonesia could manage its relations amid international rivalries. Most scholars argue that the principle is feasible due to rationalist calculations that put a strong emphasis on economic interest. Using the balance of identity theory, this article argues that in dealing with the dilemma of dependence amid the ongoing China-US rivalry, Indonesia could employ its identity to preserve its strategic position between the two conflicting parties. Unlike the rationalist argument, which emphasizes materialist incentives, balance of identity puts more emphasis on the social feature of interstate relations.