Philosophical World Research Articles

The Phenomenon of Consciousness in the Works of Lev Tolstoy and Jiddu Krishnamurti

ABSTRACT This article is devoted to the study and comparative analysis of the metaphysical foundations of the worldview of Lev N. Tolstoy (1828–1910) and Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986). The author considers the interpretation of the phenomenon of consciousness given by these thinkers as the key to understanding the unity of the world and man, true spiritual values, and criticism of traditional social institutions. The author outlines three aspects of Tolstoy and Krishnamurti’s perception of the phenomenon of consciousness (religious–metaphysical, psychological, and social) that help us understand a wide range of problems related to the worldview of the Russian and Indian thinkers. Based on analysis of sources (Tolstoy’s artistic and philosophical works, texts of Krishnamurti’s talks, etc.), the author concludes that the two outstanding representatives of world culture and philosophy are close to each other in many important aspects.

Jin-gyeong and Sin-ingan: The Prophecy of the Later World in The Canonical Scripture of Daesoon Jinrihoe

The core tenets of Daesoon Jinrihoe in Jeungsanism are encapsulated in the teachings of Eumyang-hapdeok (陰陽合德, Virtuous Concordance of Yin and Yang), Shinin-johwa (神人調化, Harmonious Union between Divine Beings and Human Beings), Haewonsangsaeng (解冤相生, Resolution of Grievances for Mutual Beneficence) and Dotongjingyeong (道通眞境, Perfected Unification with Dao). Among them, the first three teachings eventually turn towards the prophetic thought of Dotong-jingyeong, which is the process of man becoming a divine figure. While these principles are considered crucial advice for overcoming an unstable life, there are many curious questions that help for better comprehension. What is the reality of Jin-gyeong (眞境) for their followers? How can one reach the ultimate stage under this belief system? Is this ideological concept different from similar perspectives of other major religions? How is this concept related to the idea of Jisang-cheonguk (地上天國, earthly paradise)? This paper analyses these issues of Jin-gyeong from the historical and social narratives of Haengnok (行錄, Acts), Gongsa (公事, Reordering Works), Gyoun (敎運, Progress of the Order), Gyobeop (敎法, Dharma), Gwonji (權智, Authority and Foreknowledge) and Yesi (豫示, Prophetic Elucidations) in The canonical scripture of Jeon-gyeong and also from the ontological approaches of East Asian faiths in order to identify alternative notions of Daesoon cosmology. The paper, based on the sayings of Kang Jeungsan, particularly his philosophy of the Later World, argues the insight that the Jin-gyeong world can be interpreted as created through the Cheonji-gongsa (天地公事, Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth) project in terms of Gaebyeok (開闢, Great Opening) and the earthly paradise as open only for those who achieve the condition of Sin-ingan (新人間, literally means ‘new humans’ but symbolizing ‘being a human-god’) by the personal cultivation of Dotong (道通, the unity with Dao).

A Rhapsody in Pink: Reflections on Seducing Nature through World Philosophies by way of James Joyce’s Ulysses

Through a reflection on color in the natural world by way of James Joyce’s Ulysses, this paper is an ebullient, rhapsodic, and free-flowing associative meditation on the embodied place of humans in nature. Various sources are employed through a variety of philosophic literature: ancient Western, such as Heraclitus, Parmenides, Anaximander, and Plato; the Continental philosophical tradition, such as Nietzsche, Heidegger, Husserl, and Merleau-Ponty; and Asian sources, especially Buddhism (Dōgen and Thich Nat Hanh) and Daoism (Laozi and Zhuangzi). The meditation metaphorically opens with an encounter of the color pink, which is allegorically represented as our entry into the natural world, and how this color has been neutralized through its human intensification in the color red, which in its attempt to exaggerate pink and the natural accomplishes the opposite – the covering up the self-same reality of the world and the human place in the world. The liberation of the feminine by way of Joyce’s character Molly Bloom is heralded as a call to turn again to nature’s world as the only means of human redemption. This turn, or return, is a returning to the natural order by means of learning afresh how to seduce nature to love us as a species again; and in turn, nature holds out an existential challenge to our species – how to say yes, again and again, to who and what we truly are. And the what and who we are is to be in and a part of nature once again.

<i>Discourse on the Method</i>: a philosopher’s Bildungsroman

The problem raised by the article is defined by a paradox: according to Descartes, education is associated with the darkness of preconceptions, truisms, and instilled prejudices that rely exclusively on the authority of tradition as opposed to light, which is the medium of natural intelligence, free of dogmatism and skepticism alike. The article sets out to solve a dual task: on the one hand, to describe the philosopher’s years of learning and the fruits of his enlightenment, and, on the other, to read Discourse on the Method as a prototypical Bildungsroman that challenges the program of humanistic education adopted during the Renaissance and exposes the novelistic imagination of the author’s contemporaries. Following the method of intellectual history, we discover that the autobiographical setting of Discourse on the Method, combined with the figure of the new conceptual character and the self-reflexive element that reproduces the negative genre-specific model of narration, transform one of the most renowned works of world philosophy into a mature Bildungsroman with a main theme best expressed by the question ‘How to become a philosopher?’

The Last Judgment before the Last

AbstractThroughout the nineteenth century, most historians preferred not to ask philosophical questions. In their writings, however, they indirectly engaged with problems about the character of the world-historical process, thus confronting what might be called penultimate questions. This article analyzes both the notions and the practices of historical work in Leopold Ranke's writings to consider how his spontaneous philosophy of history came to shape an entire discipline. It argues that Ranke crafted what I call historical figures from archival materials and that these served as equivalents to concepts in G. W. F. Hegel's philosophical world history. The writing of history has not yet escaped the logic of these narrative figures of historical argumentation.

Значение Ф. М. Достоевского в отечественной и мировой философии

The author presents the main views and ideas of F. M. Dostoevsky, which determine his significance for Russian and world philosophy. The article analyses the relationship between such key concepts for Dostoevsky as humanity and all-humanity and his ideas about the pochvennichestvo, the Russian idea and Russian socialism. It is shown that the three main achievements of Dostoevsky are: 1) the study of man on three levels — humanism, humanity and all-humanity; 2) the combination of polyphony with symphony as the basis of artistic and philosophical synthesis; 3) the combination of his three main philosophical concepts — pochvennichestvo, the Russian idea and Russian socialism. These results can serve as a basis for creating an alternative project for the development of Russian and world civilization, which is very important in the current critical era. This project can be based on the domestic experience, taking into account the Russian national character, and rely on the works of such geniuses of the past as F. M. Dostoevsky.

The concept of transcendence in philosophy and theology

The transcendence of God is the most sensitive and profound subject that could be addressed by the most enlightened minds of the world. In sketching this concept, the world of philosophy and that of theology are trying the impossible: to define the Absolute. Each approach is different, the first being subjected to reason, reaching specific conclusions, and the second, by understanding God's Personal character, appealing to the experience of living your life in God. The debate between the two worlds, that of philosophy and that of theology can only bring a plus to knowledge, while impressing any wisdom lover.

Avicenna on Animal Goods

Abstract Investigating historical sources for positions on animals and animal ethics within philosophy of the Islamic world is a profound challenge, given the quantity and diversity of possible source texts. This article argues that Ibn Sīnā’s (Avicenna, d. 428/1037) philosophy provides a hitherto unappreciated account of animal well-being. By tracing his conception of providence to that of essences, and by highlighting the role of psychological powers in ensuring the attainment of essential goods, this article argues that Avicenna can account both for essential goods and interests proper to individual species and for the capacity of animals to attain these goods and interests. This account rests on Avicenna’s rich teleology, which includes the role of the lawgiver as the upholder of justice within human society. In the end, human goods and animal goods are articulated with the same overarching account, which human beings are called to know.

Saiva Siddhantha Elements of Thirukovaiyar

The saivism is the most famous philosophy in the world philosophy. The sastra were the forerunner and the basis. Saivite thirumurai hence, the two eyes of Saivism are referred to as the thothras and the shastras. The saivism are the three tools of the pati, pasu, pasam. They are arrogant, contempt, maya and the three tools of love, the life pathi gnana, which is sick of the three tools, is special. The Lord has given life to other coughs called maya ganmam to remove the tools that are painful. The two types of yoga, the pure state of the original yoga, and the sukhumustate, are the means of forgetting oneself. It is summarized in the study that those who reach the lord and constantly worship him will attain one or the other stage of liberation.

The Birth of Dialetheism

The aim of this paper is to lay bare the roots of dialetheism in discussions about dialectics and dialectical logic at the time of the first development of paraconsistent logics. In other words, this essay is the attempt to write the first step of a history of dialetheism. I consider, first, the logico-philosophical terrain in which dialetheism was born: the discussions on what was called at that time ‘dialectical logic’ and its relation to paraconsistent logic. Second, I highlight what I define a dialectical turn in Richard Routley’s thought. Third, I consider Graham Priest’s arrival to Australia, which goes hand in hand with the beginning of a longstanding collaboration and friendship with Routley, and provides the conditions for the introduction of the new word at the beginning of the 1980s. I conclude with some reflections about what happens when a new word enters the philosophical world: what is made possible by the new presence? But also: what can get lost, and how can what was lost be recuperated?

Socratic dialogue in Lesia Ukrainka's poetic and practical philosophy

The article is about the poetic-practical philosophy of dialog of Lesia Ukrainka, which is manifested in the dramatic creativity of the prominent poetess, her translation activity and the concept of “person-nature relations”. In the text it is shown that Lesia Ukrainka created a new genre of contemporary drama on the basis of application of “Socratic dialog”, which started an important direction in contemporary literature and coincides with a leading trend of world philosophy associated with the paradigmatic turning point from the philosophy of subjectivity to the philosophy of inter-subjectivity. The kinship of the Socratic philosophy of dialog and “Socratic drama” is also referred to. The author also showed that the meaning of Socratic dialog of Lesia Ukrainka in the resolution of the main problems of world outlook of modernity and the role of argumentation, in particular, the method of elenctics, the realization of such notions as “truth” and “verity”, which is particularly important the modern day situation of “posttruth” and “post-morality”. Against the background of the global environmental crisis, it is important to look at the way how Lesya Ukrainka suggests treating nature as a subject and partner in dialogue. This paradigm continues and deepens the Romantic concept of nature as a partner in a conversation and co-creator of the liber mundi ("the book of the world"). It also opens the opportunity to apply hermeneutical methods of understanding nature as a common world (Mitwelt) of communication, love and creativity. The article also analyzes the topic of dialogue between cultures, as well as perception and understanding of another culture as a subject in a dialogue. We can see this focus in Lesya Ukrainka's approach to translation of poetic texts produced by cultures from distant places and epochs.

HOW VENUS BECAME COOL: SOCIAL AND MORAL DIMENSIONS OF BIOSIGNATURE SCIENCE

AbstractA 2020 scientific report indicated the presence of phosphine, a potential biosignature chemical, in the atmosphere of Venus. As a result, Venus instantly became a global cultural celebrity. How did Venus become so fashionable, so cool in colloquial language, so quickly? I contend that Venus became the center of attention at least temporarily because Venus became moral. Since life at present is a concept that is as much moral as it is scientific, I explain this point by offering a geographically broad sampling of world philosophies that show that secular and religious Western forms of thought strongly value life over nonlife as do many Asian traditions. These cultural valuations of life over nonlife become infused in human psychologies globally and astonish us at the discovery of extraterrestrial life. This essay's substantial culture sample thereby demonstrates that Venus became revered because of deep‐seated but also widespread attitudes of special moral attendance to the presence of life especially in extraterrestrial settings.

Covid-19 Affirms the Identity of Philosophy

On the world philosophy day (World Philosophy Day) which is celebrated on 19 and 20 November 2020, UNESCO invites all activists and lovers of philosophy to pay attention to the importance of philosophical thinking in helping humans face the challenges posed by the Covid-19 outbreak. Various activities such as interviews with philosophers, round table discussions, and webinars were held with a focus on the importance of philosophical thinking or reflection, and this affirms the role of philosophy in human life (UNESCO, 2020).

Religious Freedom and Toleration: A Liberal Pluralist Approach to Conflicts over Religious Displays

Among the defining features of a liberal pluralist state is what John Rawls has called the “fact of pluralism”: individuals hold diverse “comprehensive doctrines” as to the meaning, value, and ends of life. For Rawls this is a permanent feature of modern democracies, a fact which motivates him to seek a political conception of justice that rests on fundamental intuitive ideas of a democratic society, implicitly shared by people whatever their religion or other comprehensive doctrine happens to be.1 For Rawls, a liberal society addresses conflicts by seeking an “overlapping consensus” that does not favor one particular comprehensive doctrine—such as a particular religious or philosophical world view—because no such view would be acceptable to all members of society. Thus, imposing it would require the oppressive use of state power.2 Common ground is sought by exercising the civic virtue of tolerance, of “being ready to meet others halfway.”3...

PHILOSOPHICAL DAVOS AS A REASON FOR DIVORCE. M. FRIDMAN’S VERSION. PART 2

This article is a continuation of the previous publication published under the same title (part 1). Both parts are devoted to the problem of understanding the split that once occurred in world philosophy and was embodied in the division of philosophy into two directions, continental and analytical philosophy. In the second part, the author continues to discuss the reasons for the split and the argumentation cited by various authors, proving the conceptual difference of directions. The article analyzes the main ideas of the authors of the Vienna Circle Manifesto and the argumentation of R. Carnap in his dispute with M. Heidegger, the subject of which is devoted to the so-called overcoming of metaphysics. The reason for writing both parts was the work of M. Fridman “Parting of the Ways: Carnap, Cassirer and Heidegger”, translated into Russian. The result of the second part is the conclusions formulated by the author of the article regarding the difference between the named directions. The author believes that it makes sense to discuss their differences not in the categories of truth and falsity of teachings and concepts, but in the categories of different orientations and attitudes, which do not deny but complement each other. On the one hand, analytical philosophy claims to be scientific orientation, clear and precise language, logic and mathematics. In contrast to it, continental philosophy does not pretend to be scientific, to a clear and precise language, but prefers innuendo, rejection of doctrinalism, and the exploratory nature of philosophizing.

Humanity And Divinity Are The Objects Of Sufi Teachings

Philosophy, especially Eastern philosophy, has always developed in harmony with religion, religious teachings. It is true that at one-time Imam al-Ghazali in his "Tahafut ul-Falasifa" (“Incoherence of the Philosophers”) opposed philosophers, sharply criticized their sixteen metaphysical and four physical rules, and sought to absolutize the divine will, which, although it gained followers and successes in this respect, cannot eliminate the harmony [1] between philosophy and religion, humanity, and divinity. Perhaps he brought Ibn Rushd into the world of philosophy, and Ibn Rushd became famous for illuminating the relationship between philosophy and religion [2].

Энциклопедия русской философии как научный проект

Press conference of the authors and editors devoted to the Third edition of Ency­clopedia Russian Philosophy had been held at January 21 in International press-center of MIA Rossiya-Segodnya [Maslin 2020]. Philosophers – authors of En­cyclopedia, members and guests of Zinoviev club, journalists took part in the event. Among the speakers were: full member of Russian Academy of Sciences A.A. Guseinov, Editor of Encyclopedia, professor Emeritus of Moscow State University M.A. Maslin, director of the publishing house “World of Philosophy” P.P. Aprishko, editor-in-chief A.P. Polyakov, vice-director of Institute of Philoso­phy Russian Academy of Sciences A.V. Chernyaev, executive director of Zi­noviev’s Center V.A. Lepekhine [Press Conference 2020]. The article is devoted to analyses of encyclopedia as philosophical genre reflected the statue of philo­sophical knowledge in Russian culture and it’s social and cultural resonance. The significance of this publication for the modern world philosophical commu­nity lies in the fact that the authors sought to bring together and present different opinions about Russia's intellectual culture and capture a holistic image of Rus­sian philosophy in the variety of its key directions.

Достоевский и схоластическая теология: точки пересечения

The article considers the reflections of scholastic theology in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s works; their range spans Dostoevsky’s works from Notes from Underground where the Underground man alludes to the second proof of the existence of God to The Devils where Stepan Verkhovensky transforms Thomas Aquinas’s concept of creation in his view of the relationship between man and God. Similar verbal and structural references are also present in The Brothers Karamazov where Book Five is titled “Pro and contra.” The links with Summa Theologiae also paradoxically connect the Underground man’s ideology with that of these alleged opponents, the rationalists, by drawing parallels between St. Thomas’s arguments and Auguste Comte’s The Catechism of the Positive Religion. References to Thomas Aquinas’s theology were picked up by Dostoevsky’s contemporaries and they are intended to guide the readers in the philosophical and religious world of the writer and his characters.

Достоевский и схоластическая теология: точки пересечения

The article considers the reflections of scholastic theology in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s works; their range spans Dostoevsky’s works from Notes from Underground where the Underground man alludes to the second proof of the existence of God to The Devils where Stepan Verkhovensky transforms Thomas Aquinas’s concept of creation in his view of the relationship between man and God. Similar verbal and structural references are also present in The Brothers Karamazov where Book Five is titled “Pro and contra.” The links with Summa Theologiae also paradoxically connect the Underground man’s ideology with that of these alleged opponents, the rationalists, by drawing parallels between St. Thomas’s arguments and Auguste Comte’s The Catechism of the Positive Religion. References to Thomas Aquinas’s theology were picked up by Dostoevsky’s contemporaries and they are intended to guide the readers in the philosophical and religious world of the writer and his characters

Education Project: Utopia or New Reality?

The article reveals the main specific features of Russian philosophy of the Enlightenment. The activity of the outstanding scientist Mikhail V. Lomonosov, his contribution to the development of domestic and world science and philosophy come to the forth. Russian Enlightenment is distinguished by the originality of the intellectual tradition. Knowledge of Western ideas leads to the emergence of domestic science, philosophy, literature. The desire for freedom, autonomy and progress in science during the century of Enlightenment was combined with adherence to spiritual traditions, and openness to foreign-language culture did not abolish patriotism and reverence for the state.