Western Thought Research Articles

Mirzə Şəfi Vazeh və Fridrix Bodenştedt Ədəbi Əlaqələrinin Psixologiyası: Təqliddən Plagiata Doğru

One of the many Eastern poets who became famous in the West in the 19th century is the “Sage from Ganja” Mirza Shafi Vazeh. His cheerful and song-like poems were translated into German by his student Friedrich von Bodenstedt. The songs quickly gained popularity in Germany. The co-authors of this great cultural event of the 50s of the 19th century, the poet Mirza Shafi and the translator F.Bodenstedt, managed to harmoniously complement each other. The work of F.Bodenstedt “Songs of Mirza Shafi” appeared as a unique result of the cultural unification of the East and the West. In the 70s of the 19th century, confessions written by F.Bodenstedt in the appendix to the work “From the Accounts of Mirza Shafi” led to the rupture of this poetic unity. The issue of plagiarism, which is usually emphasized in our scientific community, when it comes to the literary relationship between Mirza Shafi and F.Bodenstedt, has gained relevance after these confessions. The plagiarism committed by F.Bodenstedt in relation to Mirza Shafi has largely obscured the true essence of the cultural phenomenon that arose, as a result of the fusion of Eastern poetry and Western thinking. It should be noted that indirect acts of plagiarism by F.Bodenstedt were reflected in his memories about Mirza Shafi. He absorbs the colorful oriental features of Mirza Shafi, which could arouse the interest of a German reader tired of the revolutions of the 40s. The German translator masterfully imitates the vivid and emotional image of the poet. During conversations, he exploits the poet intellectually, involving him in “psychological games”. F.Bodenstedt tried to translate into German the impromptu poems of Mirza Shafi in the Azerbaijani and Persian languages to the extent that he understood the essence of what was said in these passages. He sought to gain popularity in the competitive German scientific community through his translations on Oriental subjects. Despite the fact that, F.Bodenstedt published the songs in his own name his confessions were not successful, because he could not separate the oriental spirit of Mirza Shafi from the songs. The confessions which were supposed to make him the sole author of the “Songs of Mirza Shafi”, caused serious doubts and sharp criticism in the German scientific community. Along with F.Bodenstedt, who gradually lost the trust he had won in the eyes of his readers, the Azerbaijani poet Mirza Shafi also began to be forgotten. As a result of the steady change of poetic tastes in German societies, the process of oblivion is further accelerated. Mirza Shafi, forgotten in the West since the beginning of the 20th century, became famous in Azerbaijan in the same century and has continued his path independently ever since.

Fragmented frontiers: three approaches to understanding irregular warfare

ABSTRACT This article surveys current thinking, both academic and doctrinal, on the subject of irregular warfare. It argues that from a western perspective the debate has essentially resulted in three competing forms of understanding, what this paper terms the maximal, traditional, and competition-disruption models. Conceptually, all have certain strengths but also a number of highly significant weaknesses. It nevertheless proposes that the last of these, particularly when articulated as a form of ‘strategic disruption’, offers the most coherent vision of irregular warfare. Even then, significant gaps in reasoning still exist. Ultimately, the ability of western thinkers and doctrine writers to agree a common understanding of irregular warfare remains an inherently fragile endeavor.

Oriental Cultural Image Construction and Gender Studies in Chinese American Films from a Postcolonial Perspective: A Case Study of Crazy Rich Asians

In the post-colonial era, Orientalism and Gender Order are one of the key topics in today’s research. Researchers have found that there is sometimes a relationship between Middle Easternism and gender order in cultural works, which can reflect the Western understanding and thinking of other cultures to a certain extent. However, there is still a research gap on whether contemporary Western Chinese films truly realize the expression of cultural equality. Therefore, the background of this study is based on the complexity of cross-cultural communication in the context of globalization, especially the stereotype and gender bias of the West against the East. The research focuses on the cultural image and gender representation of Chinese characters in Crazy Rich Asians, and how they reflect and challenge the post-colonial framework. Using textual analysis and cultural studies methods, combined with cinematology, gender studies, and post-colonial theory, the author provides an in-depth interpretation of the plot, characters, and visual elements in the film. The study found that although the film has innovated in expression and expanded the traditional Oriental image to a certain extent, in some aspects, the characters and plots in the film still reflect a cultural interpretation based on the Western perspective and the stereotypical performance of gender roles. The conclusion of the study points out the importance of cultural awareness and gender equality in the cross-cultural communication of Chinese films and proposes strategies to promote cultural diversity and gender equality to promote a more just global cultural dialogue.

Bridging the theory-practice divide in public administration: A virtuous pragmatic approach of Wang Yangming and William James

Public administration (PA) is a practical discipline that faces persistent challenges in establishing effective connections between researchers and practitioners. This divide between theory and practice hinders practitioners’ use of research findings and the integration of practical experiences into scholarly work. Bridging this divide holds practical significance and leads to a deeper understanding of PA’s disciplinary identity as more than just a form of science. This paper brings together the philosophies of Western thinker William James and ancient Eastern philosopher Wang Yangming, promoting a virtuous pragmatic approach to bridge the theory–practice divide in PA. This approach offers a teleological and embodied perspective on knowledge, providing a nuanced framework for understanding the theory–practice divide. By drawing on Wang’s coherent virtue–ethical framework and James’ embodiment and pragmatic philosophy, this paper argues that unifying theory and practice requires establishing a common purpose that is perceptually familiar to both parties. Moreover, shaping and acting on this purpose inherently involves cultivating the virtues of Cheng (Sincerity, 诚) and Ren (Benevolence, 仁). Grounded in the virtuous pragmatic approach, we introduce a three–stage research praxis framework to guide the research process and encourage practitioner engagement in existing research endeavors. This study serves as a valuable contribution to bridging the theory–practice divide in PA and advancing pragmatic PA studies in both Eastern and Western cultural contexts.

Investigating and imagining human-nature-technology relationships through dance

An increasingly popular response to Western thinking about human dominance over nature is posthumanism. Rather than addressing the challenges of anthropocentrism by focusing on yet another grand perspective in response to it, we propose that environmental philosophers engage in arts-based research to reflect on how to relate differently to non-human life and our environment. This article explores how arts-based research, particularly dance-based methods, can enhance environmental philosophers’ moral imagination in rethinking human-environment relations. It discusses the dance film Cobalt (2024) as a case study to explore how embodied movement can explore the human-environment relationship beyond verbal discourse, leading to expressive and imaginative responses. Screenings of Cobalt in academic settings engaged participants in discussions that revealed diverse interpretations, demonstrating the film’s potential to challenge dominant perspectives on human-environment relationships and to foster the moral imagination essential for addressing current environmental crises.

An Interpretation of Faith, Hope, and Love in Western Thought Through the Lens of Contemporary Chinese Literature: A Study of the Implications in Shi Tiesheng's Posthumous Essays

This article delves into the profound spiritual insights within Shi Tiesheng's posthumous prose, drawing comparisons with Western concepts of faith, hope, and love. Shi's works, emerging from his arduous experiences of suffering and disability, transcend the personal to touch on universal human concerns. His contemplations on suffering and the pursuit of faith and hope resonate with Western religious and philosophical thought. His advocacy for these virtues mirrors the Western triad, suggesting a shared human quest for meaning and salvation across cultures. The article explores how Shi's unique life and cultural backdrop informed his writing, bridging Eastern and Western perspectives on human existence and spiritual fulfillment.

Roar of relational peoples

Human consciousness remains an uncontested space. Listening and learning as an Aboriginal researcher to First Nations, Indigenous, African and Pacific Islander Peoples, it became apparent at a philosophical level that there is a shared view of reality. Relational ontology and connected key concepts from various international authors are presented. Demonstrating that despite the dominant Western cultural systems of thought, the earth also holds a loud roar from relational peoples, as they declare their ways of knowing in a world continually experiencing environmental loss and a lack of humanity between people. These voices come from unique and sovereign cultures, but they are also all people groups who position humans, nature and the spirit world as equal entities in their view of reality. However, to begin, this article first shifts the sociological lens onto Western cultural hierarchal thought, to understand how the Western mind became the apex entity.

The First Russian Scholar in Islamic Studies Dmitry Cantemir — the Forerunner of the Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Eastern Europe in the First Half of the 18th Century

This article is focused on the Russian-Moldavian scientist and politician D. Cantemir (d. 1723). Being one of the most educated people of his time and polymath, D. Cantemir made a significant contribution to the formation of academic Oriental studies in Europe. His fundamental work on the history of the Ottoman Empire "On Growth and Decay" became well known in Europe. However, another work by D. Cantemir, which marked a breakthrough in the understanding of Islam by the Western mind — “The Book of Sistima, or Description of the Muslim Religion” — remained almost unknown outside Russia for a long time. The works of D. Cantemir are characterized by two important qualities. First, the active usage of many authentic Muslim sources. Secondly, a humanistic view on Islam and Muslims implies a quest for common ground for Muslims and Christians. These features, combined with D. Cantemir’s vivid and rich experience of interaction with Muslim civilization, made the works of the Russian scholar a path-breaking contribution to the development of Oriental studies in Europe. The publication of this article is dedicated to the publishing of a commented translation of the “Book of Sistima” into modern Russian, prepared by the researchers the Moscow Islamic Institute and the Medina Publishing House, and is intended to establish a basis for a deeper study of D. Cantemir’s heritage in the field of Islamic studies.

Important Aspects of Law and State Concepts in the Philosophy of Law

One of the themes which are studied at the Western Philosophy is law and state. Law and state concepts have always been investigated properly to the requirements of that period, socio-political issues between them have been primary investigation source for all philosophers, politicians, and lawyers. Law and state which Western thinkers always based on, do not comprehend only practical and political issues, law and state in their views are distinctive measures that empower spiritual, moral and ethical values in society, and have a significant influence on the community. In this present research, alongside showing the relevant and distinctive features of the concepts of law and state examined in the philosophy of law, as well as commitment and analyzed other important issues by reliabale sources.

Greek Philosophy: Western Thought's Basis

Greek Philosophy: Western Thought's Basis

The Concept of the Science of Religions and Its Origins in Islamic and Western Thought

The researcher in this study delved into the evolution and conceptual delineation of the science of religions, employing an analytical and descriptive historical approach. It was concluded that this academic discipline involves the study of the emergence, progression, and dissemination of various belief systems, their doctrines, rituals, and legal frameworks, while also undertaking comparative analyses to underscore both distinctions and parallels. This field, rooted in Islamic tradition, garnered Western interest due to several factors, particularly the impact of Islamic civilization on Western civilization.

Natural processes and natureculture – A relational understanding of nature amongst local stakeholders in Swiss parks

ABSTRACT Various scholars have criticized that formal Western thinking was dichotomous and substantialist, leading to an alienation from nature and to its exploitation in industrialized societies. Critics argue that a relational turn towards a more holistic, process-based and relational approach to address the world would be an important step to overcome these problems. Such a relational turn involves a shift towards more flexible and inclusive concepts. We analyse ‘nature’ concepts of local stakeholders in Swiss nature parks to examine whether they contain any relational elements. Indeed, we found that all stakeholders interviewed see themselves as part of nature. Many reported how they experience nature in active processes and see nature as a collaborator and partner. Moreover, they do not strictly separate between natural and cultural elements in their environment. We conclude that a relational turn in environmental policy in Western countries could build on these relational elements in nature concepts of the local population.

The Theory of State Emergence in Western Political Thought: Between Theoretical and Practical Rooting

Objectives:This study aimed at identify the state's emergence theories in Western political thoughts. Methods The study employs three interrelated approaches to examine the research problem. The approaches are historical, descriptive-analytical approach, and the structural-functional. Results: The study concluded with a set of results, the most important of which is although intellectual propositions and theories through which the pioneers of Western political thought presented to justify state's existence; however, this did not contribute to developing a single intellectual theory that would be agreed on by Western thinkers Conclusions: the study attempts to reveal whether theorizing the origin of the state in Western political thought contributes to developing a theory that provides an explanation of state's emergence. Meanwhile, the study sought to identifying the roots of state's concept, its constituent elements, and its functions. In the same context, it examines state's practical efforts, propositions, and intellectual theories through which Western thinkers tried to reach a clear interpretation of the idea of the state.

SHARQ VA G‘ARB MUTAFAKKIRLARI QARASHLARIDA JAMOATCHILIK NAZORATI TUSHUNCHASI VA UNING BUGUNGI KUN AMALIYOTIDAGI IJTIMOIY-FALSAFIY AHAMIYATI

This article analyzes the content of the phenomenon of public control, which is the primary basis for building a civil society in the history of mankind in the views of Eastern and Western thinkers of antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modern Times, the concept of public control, mechanisms of public control and its significance in practice, legal norms for ensuring public control in our country.

THE ROLE OF DEMYTHOLOGIZATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRICS POLITICAL FIELD

The article is devoted to the urgent problem of getting rid of entrenched political myths that hinder the rapprochement of the peoples and countries of BRICS. A distinction is made between natural and artificial myths; debunking the former allows us to reveal new aspects of ethnic myths rooted in the mentality of traditional peoples, and demythologization of artificial political “pseudo-myths” as the results of clever political technologies frees, for example, the peoples of Africa from imposed Western ideologies that are far from solving pressing problems. It is extremely important to mythologize the indigenous political and mythological concepts of Western political science, for example, the concept of democracy, which becomes a genuine instrument of political struggle, a means of “debunking” any political regime that is objectionable to the West. It is shown that already in the twentieth century there was a rejection of the established mythologeme about ideal democracy, even within the framework of Western thinking. The article examines modern approaches to the interpretation of democracy in Russian political science, free from mythological overtones and rethinking it in various forms (for example, authoritarian, deliberative, state, socio-political). It also examines the need to debunk the main myth of the West, as presented by the famous political scientist S. Huntington, that Western civilization is the most developed and is forced to confront the whole world, taking a leading position in the inevitable “clash of civilizations”. Also, one of the fundamental myths of the Western world is clearly collapsing - about freedom as one of the main human rights. The problems of demythologization must be recognized by all participants of BRICS, a historically new political association, which is largely built on the basis of trust, consolidation of forces and mutual consideration of all national and state interests.

"The Death Penalty in Western Thought: An Ethical Study"

"The Death Penalty in Western Thought: An Ethical Study"

Earthly Observatory: situated knowledges and curating in the Anthropocene

ABSTRACT This article arises from a 2021 curatorial collaboration in Chicago USA by Giovanni Aloi and Andrew S. Yang, authors, educators and makers who specialise in the representation of nature in art. Aloi and Yang jointly organised Earthly Observatory, an exhibition which brought together examples from the practices of 30 artists/contributors. Here, Aloi and Yang reflect on the genesis of the project, its ambitions and how it contributes to the contemporary understanding of practice. They emphasise their commitment to transdisciplinarity as the optimal means to engage the non-human and explain how they arrived at the exhibition’s five thematics: Conditions of Representation; Seeing, Making, Tracing; Relative Visibilities; Vulnerability and Communality; and Down to Earth. Aloi and Yang analyse how each imposed order on a wide variety of thought-provoking works filling six gallery spaces. The thematics also gave Earthly Observatory its sense of cohesion. Each tapped the potential for practice of Donna Haraway’s influential description of partial perspectives. Once adopted, situatedness – being somewhere in particular – challenges the panoptic power of epistemological traditions stretching back in Western thinking for millennia which have enforced the fictitious separation between nature and culture.

Humans in a Bottle: Material and Immaterial Ecosystems

Presenting their experiences as artists and researchers, Soft Turns question the western scientific compulsion to fully ‘know’ a subject, and the human desire to control one’s environment, which extends beyond the visible into the air around us. Noting parallels in the history of the internet and meteorology, they discuss examples of human intervention in thermodynamic systems such as the failed Biosphere 2 experiment, controlled environment agricultural and space travel research, and the energy intensive data centre industry. Critiquing capitalism’s dependence on extractive, exploitative growth in both material and immaterial dimensions, they argue that in our current climate emergency, investing in strategies to loosen western thinking and control is critical. With examples from their artistic production, they suggest that slowing down, learning from other ways of knowing the world, and looking to plants and other intelligences can all contribute to a reactivation of an empathetic, intimate engagement with our environments.

EL ORIGEN DEL “CONTRATO SOCIAL” EN EL "תרב"

That of “the social contract” is an idea that has been used to explain the western political thinking until today. From the 17th century onwards, that idea has been applied to the study of politics according to a rational or empiric paradigm (Hobbes vs. Locke). When searching the origin we discover that it is, in fact, Jewish theological. This proves the importance of the western Jewish-Christian thinking. This essay explains the origin of the “social contract”. It also describes its basic elements to be able to understand the importance of this idea nowadays. Our explanation will apply our model of performance of ideology to ideography. The texts from the Psalms will be used as our pivotal ideographic reference.

Han Feizi on Reputation-Driven Disobedience: A Comparative Study

Must absolutist states resort to intimidation and coercion to tackle subjects’ disobedience driven by their pursuit of reputation? Since canonical early modern Western thinkers broached but did not solve this question, I turn to the most renowned ancient Chinese Legalist Han Feizi’s understudied account of reputation for answers. Whether as a means or an end, individuals’ pursuit of reputation always challenges the authority of the absolute monarchy that endeavors to centralize state power. Forcefully confronting this pursuit is the barely but only acceptable way for the state to tackle this challenge, as non-confrontational strategies favored by many Western thinkers inevitably fail due to their incompatibility with the logic of political absolutism. Thus, Han Feizi unwittingly exposes the tension between political absolutism and reputation. This exposure adds nuances to his view of human nature and helps us understand how individuals’ morally ambiguous pursuit of reputation obstructs the centralization of state power.