This is the first draft of a paper presented in an international conference in West Bengal.

Penelitian ini berjudul KEBERADAAN GAPURA PERAHU ISI SURAKARTA. Latar belakang pemakaian ikon gapura Perahu ISI Surakarta dan bentuk media promosi ISI Surakarta yang terdapat ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta didalamnya. Permasalahan penelitian ini terletak pada keberadaan gapura perahu ISI Surakarta, serta latar belakang pemakaian ikon gapura Perahu ISI Surakarta. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif. Sumber data penelitian diperoleh dari karya, observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumen (arsip). Proses analisis data menggunakan interaksi analisis data melalui (...) beberapa tahapan, yaitu pengumpulan data, reduksi, sajian data, serta kesimpulan. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, diperoleh simpulan keberadaan gapura Perahu ISI Surakarta sebuah karya dari seorang seniman yang secara tidak langsung mempengaruhi dinamika kehidupan masyarakat dan orang-orang kreatif yang bekerja di ISI Surakarta juga memanfaatkan ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta menjadi identitas ISI Surakarta. Pemilihan ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta sebagai inspirasi untuk media promosi ISI Surakarta dikarenakan gapura tersebut selain memiliki bentuk yang artistik, lebih familiar di mata masyarakat, juga memiliki konsep filosofis yang dapat mewakili ISI Surakarta secara keseluruhan. (shrink)

Gapura Perahu Sebagai Ikon Media Promosi ISI Surakarta, Surya Afandy, 2014. Tesis Program Pascasarjana penciptaan dan pengkajian Seni Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Surakarta, pengkajian seni rupa. Tesis ini membahas tentang keberadaan gapura perahu ISI Surakarta, latar belakang pemakaian ikon gapura Perahu ISI Surakarta dan bentuk media promosi ISI Surakarta yang terdapat ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta didalamnya. Permasalahan penelitian ini terletak pada keberadaan gapura perahu ISI Surakarta, latar belakang pemakaian ikon gapura Perahu ISI Surakarta dan bentuk media promosi ISI Surakarta (...) yang terdapat ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta didalamnya. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif. Sumber data penelitian diperoleh dari karya, observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara, dan dokumen (arsip). Proses analisis data menggunakan interaksi analisis data melalui beberapa tahapan, yaitu pengumpulan data, reduksi, sajian data, serta kesimpulan dan interpretasi analisis dengan dasar teori semiotika Bhartes. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, diperoleh simpulan keberadaan gapura Perahu ISI Surakarta sebuah karya dari seorang seniman yang secara tidak langsung mempengaruhi dinamika kehidupan masyarakat dan orang-orang kreatif yang bekerja di ISI Surakarta juga memanfaatkan ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta menjadi identitas ISI Surakarta, ini terbukti dengan sering munculnya ikon gapura perahu pada media promo-media promo ISI Surakarta. Pemilihan ikon gapura perahu ISI Surakarta sebagai inspirasi untuk media promosi ISI Surakarta dikarenakan gapura tersebut selain memiliki bentuk yang artistik, lebih familiar di mata masyarakat, juga memiliki konsep filosofis yang dapat mewakili ISI Surakarta secara keseluruhan. Cerminan visual gapura Perahu STSI atau ISI Surakarta sendiri secara tidak langsung mengungkap mitos pada ISI Surakarta, yaitu ideologi dewa ruci yang muncul melalui pendekatan semiotika Barthes karena Penggunaan teks, bahasa, maupun tanda pada umumnya didasarkan atas ideologi tertentu secara sadar atau tidak sadar oleh pemakai tanda, dengan demikian kegiatan membaca tanda pada media promosi cetak dapat diartikan sebagai membongkar suatu ideologi yang secara manipulatif bekerja dalam sebuah kondisi sosial tertentu. (shrink)

Còn khoảng 3 tuần là tới thời gian đóng dữ liệu ISI Web of Science về hoạt động bình duyệt khoa học, qua hệ thống Publons. Hiện nay cũng là thời điểm kết thúc năm học, và có thể đánh giá hoạt động khoa học...

The Mahdi is the eschatological figure of Islam who will rule over the world at the end of time after having rid humanity of evil. During the whole Islamic history, many rulers have claimed to be the long-awaited Mahdi, thus creating the conditions for political revolutions based on prophetic statements. The present paper will study this subject as it occurs in contemporary history, first outlining such messianic character in the light of Muhammad’s revelation, then finding the different meanings of Mahdist (...) claims (the man-oriented and the message-oriented inclinations, the Mahdi as a renewal and the Mahdi as an apocalyptic personality), finally studying different self-proclaimed Mahdis in recent history, in Africa as well as in the Middle East. The last paragraph will be dedicated to the messianic dispositions of the terroristic organization Islamic State which has deeply affected the political-revolutionary strategy adopted by the group. (shrink)

Aylan, Isis, Begum, Grenfell, Trump. Harambe, Guantanamo, Syria, Brexit, Johnson. COVID, migrants, trolling, George Floyd, Trump! Gazing over the fractured, contested territories of the current global situation, Watkin finds that all these diverse happenings have one element in common. They occur when biopolitical states, in trying to manage and protect the life rights of their citizens, habitually end up committing acts of coercion or disregard against the very people they have promised to protect. When states tasked with making us (...) live find themselves letting us die, then they are practitioners of a particular kind of force that Watkin calls bioviolence. This book explores and exposes the many aspects of contemporary biopower and bioviolence: neglect, exclusion, surveillance, regulation, encampment, trolling, fake news, terrorism and war. As it does so, it demonstrates that the very term 'violence' is a discursive construct, an effect of language, made real by our behaviours, embodied by our institutions and disseminated by our technologies. In short, bioviolence is how the contemporary powers that be make us do what they want. Resolutely interdisciplinary, this book is suitable for all scholars, students and general readers in the fields of IR, political theory, philosophy, the humanities, sociology and journalism. (shrink)

Claudia Card did not live long enough to complete her work on surviving evils. Yet she left us an invaluable body of work on this topic. This essay surveys Card's views about the nature of evils and the ethical quandaries of surviving them. It then develops an account of survival agency that is based on Card's insights and in keeping with the agentic capacities exercised by Yezidi women and girls who have escaped from ISIS's obscene program of trafficking in (...) women and sexual violence. Card holds that true survival requires not only staying alive and as healthy as possible but also preserving your good moral character. The essay maintains that while exercising agency to elude evil and protect yourself often depends on your own skills and personality traits, exercising agency to restore or develop your moral character often depends on social support. (shrink)

Isis, Vol. 105, No. 2 (June 2014) , pp. 432-434.

This dissertation investigates ancient ecological and indigenous cultural forms in response to contemporary crises of ecology and psychology—"an alienation that haunts the modern soul while increasingly choking the biosphere." Lady Raglan's (1939) documentation of foliate masks carved into churches throughout much of Europe is taken as a starting place: faces where "oak leaves grow from the mouth and ears, and completely encircle the head" (p. 45). Another data point: excavation beneath Notre Dame Cathedral uncovers a Roman-era stone block dedicated to (...) Cernunnos ("The Horned One"), demonstrating literal encasement of pre-Christian fertility traditions in stone (Evans, 1988). The inquiry examines such documented traditional forms alongside Classical, Roman, Greek, Sumerian, and Near-East archeological and textual sources, exploring how historical patterns of human-earth relationality might inform contemporary crises through the rediscovery of autochthonous creativity: the natural human capacity to reconnect with body, symbol, ancestry, memory, and ecological life-worlds. The study introduces the method of epistrophic hermeneutics: a novel synthesis of hermeneutics with Hillmanian therapeia and epistrophē—defined by Hillman (2007/2016o) as "the reversion or return of soul phenomena to the archetype, according to the principle of likeness or analogy" (p. 153). The term hermeneutic of hospitality is introduced as an alternative to hermeneutics of faith or suspicion, respectively – a practice of epistemic humility at depth, rooted in what Hillman (1981/2013a) termed a "poetic basis of mind"(p. 31). The method embraces Hillman's dictum that "we can never be purely phenomenal or truly objective" because "one is never beyond the subjectivism given with the soul's native dominants of fantasy structures" (Hillman, 1981/2013a, p. 32). Archetypes, in this sense, are understood as "the primary forms that govern the psyche" (p. 13): participatory lenses of the epistemic eye. A hermeneutic of hospitality thus protects epistemological pluralism that includes cultural diversity yet continues deeper, beyond tokenism and into a celebration of pluralism at epistemic depth: that is, a protection of the living ecosystem of mind and image. Concretely, this reading stance follows Hillman's (1986/2016f) therapeutic attitude: "Instead of inquiry: interest, respect, welcome, praise—even attachment. To greet… even mythic presences that may be unpopular or demonized."(p. 96) This epistrophic work aims to "release the mind into its originality beyond the old entrapped condition" (Hillman, 1986/2016d, p. 295), aligning with the work’s principle of autochthonous creativity. The argument proceeds via case-rich exegesis. In Classical Greece, Dionysian masks give the Green Man civic expression; Dionysus appears as “a horned god… crowned with serpents” (Euripides, Bacchae, trans. 1996, p. 34), binding horns, snakes, and vegetation to ecstatic ritual. This vegetal–animal fusion has deep Mesopotamian precedent: Enki of the Sumerian wetlands was “the Wild Bull of Eridu” whose iconography shows “two streams, the Euphrates and the Tigris, flowing out of his shoulders” (Kramer, 1961, p. 76), while Damu embodied “the power in the rising sap” (Jacobsen, 1976, p. 39)—both figures conjoining fertility, water, and vegetal renewal. The parallel is explicit in Greek cult: Dionysus Limnaios, “Dionysus of the Swamps,” inhabited Athens’ oldest sanctuary where “water pours abundantly from under the rocks” (Pausanias, Description of Greece, 1.20.3), mirroring the Sumerian Dumuzi-abzi, “the power to renew life in the watery deep” (Katz, 2003, p. 35). Wild Bull Dumuzi is at once bull and cowherd—divine animal and shepherd—whose “bitter laments when he dies as the dry heat of summer yellows the pastures” (Wolkstein & Kramer, 1983, p. 64) mark the seasonal transition toward death and dormancy. The archetypal union of Goddess and God appears again in Baal and Baalath, “the male power identified especially with water” meeting “earth,” whose union makes “plants and trees, animals and men… the offspring” (Patai, 1990, p. 45)—a cosmogony of ecological reciprocity. These figures also share the power of metamorphosis. Humbaba’s “seven splendours” enable constant transformation—“Humbaba’s face keeps changing!” (George, 2003, p. 37)—a capacity echoed in Dionysus, who is “a lion, a bull, a boar, a bear, a panther, a snake, and now a tree, fire, water” (Euripides, Bacchae, trans. 1996, p. 101). In Near Eastern vegetal–arboreal myth, Adonis is born from the trunk of his mother-tree Myrrha, which “split open to allow the birth” (Graves, 1960, p. 74); Osiris is enclosed within a tree’s girth, Isis crafting his wooden phallus for resurrection (Graves, 1960, p. 60). Likewise, Ningishzida’s “winding roots, embodiments of living supernatural power, free themselves from the trunk and become live serpents entwined around it” (Black & Green, 1992, p. 136), a precise analogue to Dionysus Perikonis who “twines himself around the column” (Pausanias, Description of Greece, 10.19.3). Taken together, these scenes form a coherent archetypal grammar: a horned-vegetal deity mediating between water and earth, embodying seasonal death and renewal, uniting the powers of plant, animal, and human through metamorphosis, and returning life to the land through sacred union. This grammar repeats across Sumerian, Levantine, and Greek worlds, providing the imaginal architecture that will later be carved into the foliate heads of Medieval Europe. By tracing – text by text, altar by altar, mask by mask – how these symbolic forms have historically mediated human–earth relationship, the study demonstrates that epistemic pluralism at depth is precisely the restoration of a type of human culture capable of ecological harmonization. This is not a dynamic that can be simulated through instrumental control; it depends on the cultivation of consciousness that lives in participatory reciprocity with the more-than-human world: an epistemic eye that glints green. A hermeneutic of hospitality, in this sense, is not merely a method of interpretation but a protection of epistemological pluralism capable of return to the imagination of the Earth. The image of the Green Man describes just this: a dynamic bridge mediating between the many worlds of participatory and epistemic possibility. His mythic dance, rooted in water and leaf, horn and mask, death and return, is the precise form through which the restoration of the living Earth and the living soul become an indivisible act. Published January 2023. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18447.50089. (shrink)

REVIEW (1): "Jeff Kochan’s book offers both an original reading of Martin Heidegger’s early writings on science and a powerful defense of the sociology of scientific knowledge (SSK) research program. Science as Social Existence weaves together a compelling argument for the thesis that SSK and Heidegger’s existential phenomenology should be thought of as mutually supporting research programs." (Julian Kiverstein, in Isis) ---- REVIEW (2): "I cannot in the space of this review do justice to the richness and range of (...) Kochan's discussion [...]. There is a great deal in this foundational portion of Kochan's discussion that I find tremendously interesting and engaging [...]." (David R. Cerbone, in Studies in History and Philosophy of Science) ---- REVIEW (3): "Science as Social Existence will be of interest not only to Heidegger scholars but to anyone engaged in science and technology studies. [...] This is an informative and original book. Kochan should be praised for his clear, pleasant-to-read prose." (Michael Butler, in CHOICE). (shrink)

Blind Obedience: A Double-Edged Sword -/- Introduction -/- Blind obedience refers to unquestioning compliance with authority, where individuals follow orders or rules without critical thinking or moral evaluation. Throughout history, blind obedience has led to both progress and disaster. While obedience is necessary for maintaining order in societies, institutions, and organizations, blindly following authority without questioning its ethical implications can result in tragic consequences. -/- This essay explores the nature of blind obedience, its psychological roots, historical examples, its presence in (...) modern society, and the importance of critical thinking in preventing its dangers. By examining these aspects, we can better understand the balance between necessary obedience and the responsibility to challenge unethical commands. -/- The Psychology of Blind Obedience -/- Human beings are naturally inclined to obey authority. From childhood, people are taught to respect parents, teachers, and leaders, which helps maintain societal order. However, this conditioning can also suppress independent thought and personal moral judgment. -/- One of the most well-known psychological studies on obedience is Stanley Milgram’s experiment (1961). In this study, participants were instructed by an authority figure (a scientist) to administer electric shocks to another person (who was actually an actor and not harmed). Even as the “victim” screamed in pain, many participants continued delivering shocks simply because they were told to do so. The study demonstrated how ordinary individuals could commit harmful acts when instructed by an authority figure, proving that blind obedience is a powerful force that can override personal morality. -/- Another significant study is the Stanford Prison Experiment (1971), conducted by Philip Zimbardo. Participants were randomly assigned roles as either guards or prisoners in a simulated prison. The ”guards” quickly became abusive, using psychological and physical intimidation, while the “prisoners” became submissive. The experiment had to be stopped early due to the extreme behavior of the participants, showing how blind obedience to authority and roles can lead to cruelty and loss of moral reasoning. -/- Historical Examples of Blind Obedience -/- 1. Nazi Germany and the Holocaust -/- One of the most horrific examples of blind obedience occurred during World War II. Under Adolf Hitler’s rule, millions of ordinary citizens and soldiers followed orders that led to the mass genocide of Jews and other targeted groups. High-ranking officials like Adolf Eichmann, who played a major role in organizing the Holocaust, later defended their actions by claiming they were simply “following orders.” The Nuremberg Trials rejected this defense, emphasizing that individuals are responsible for their actions, even when acting under authority. -/- 2. The My Lai Massacre (Vietnam War, 1968) -/- During the Vietnam War, American soldiers carried out the My Lai Massacre, killing hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians, including women and children. Soldiers later justified their actions by stating they were following direct orders from their superiors. This event became a symbol of the dangers of military obedience without ethical consideration, leading to global condemnation and changes in military training regarding moral responsibility. -/- 3. The Jonestown Mass Suicide (1978) -/- The Jonestown Massacre is a chilling example of blind obedience within a cult. Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple, manipulated over 900 of his followers into committing mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced punch. Many obeyed without resistance, demonstrating how charismatic leaders can exploit blind obedience to maintain control, even to the point of self-destruction. -/- 4. The Spanish Inquisition -/- During the Spanish Inquisition (1478–1834), religious authorities ordered the persecution, torture, and execution of individuals accused of heresy. Many officials and citizens participated in these brutal acts simply because they were told it was their duty. Blind obedience to religious authority justified unimaginable cruelty in the name of faith. -/- Blind Obedience in Modern Society -/- Although history provides extreme examples, blind obedience continues to manifest in various ways today. -/- 1. In the Workplace -/- Many corporate scandals, such as the Enron financial fraud, occurred because employees blindly followed unethical directives from executives. Employees who question unethical policies may risk losing their jobs, making it difficult to resist orders from higher-ups. -/- 2. In Politics -/- Authoritarian governments thrive on blind obedience. In North Korea, citizens are forced to obey government propaganda without question, and those who dissent face severe punishment. In many cases, blind obedience to political leaders leads to oppression, censorship, and human rights violations. -/- 3. In Religion -/- Religious extremism often arises from blind obedience. Groups like ISIS and past events like the Crusades show how unquestioning faith can be manipulated to justify violence, terrorism, and oppression. While religion can promote morality, blind obedience can be dangerous when it discourages critical thinking. -/- 4. In Social Media and Misinformation -/- In the digital age, blind obedience appears in the form of misinformation and propaganda. Many people accept fake news, conspiracy theories, and political lies without fact-checking. This has led to real-world consequences, such as vaccine hesitancy, political division, and even violent riots based on false information. -/- The Dangers of Blind Obedience -/- 1. Loss of Personal Responsibility -/- Blind obedience allows individuals to shift responsibility for their actions onto authority figures. This leads to moral disengagement, where people justify harmful actions by saying they were just following orders. -/- 2. Suppression of Critical Thinking -/- When individuals do not question authority, they lose the ability to think independently. This weakens societies by allowing corrupt leaders, unethical policies, and harmful ideologies to spread unchecked. -/- 3. Violation of Human Rights -/- Many human rights violations throughout history, including genocide, slavery, and discrimination, occurred because individuals and societies accepted orders without questioning their morality. -/- The Importance of Critical Thinking -/- To prevent the dangers of blind obedience, individuals must develop critical thinking skills. This involves: -/- Questioning Authority: Instead of blindly following orders, people should ask whether commands are ethical and justified. -/- Encouraging Open Dialogue: Societies must promote free speech and debate to challenge oppressive or unethical ideas. -/- Teaching Ethical Decision-Making: Schools and workplaces should educate individuals on how to recognize and resist unethical commands. -/- Holding Leaders Accountable: Governments, corporations, and religious institutions must be held responsible for their actions, preventing the abuse of authority. -/- Conclusion -/- Blind obedience is a powerful but dangerous force. While obedience is sometimes necessary for maintaining order, unquestioning submission to authority has led to some of the greatest tragedies in human history. From the Holocaust to modern corporate scandals, the consequences of blind obedience highlight the need for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and personal responsibility. -/- To build a just and moral society, individuals must learn to balance obedience with independent thought. Questioning authority does not mean rejecting all rules, but rather ensuring that decisions align with ethical principles. By fostering education, awareness, and critical thinking, we can prevent the dangers of blind obedience and create a world where people act not out of fear or habit, but out of reason and moral responsibility. -/- . (shrink)

Dieser Beitrag erörtert die „übersinnlichen Erkenntnisse“ von Rudolf Steiner zum Thema der Beziehungen von Jesus zu den Essenern. Steiner beschäftigte sich in seinem Vortragszyklus „Das fünfte Evangelium“ mit dieser Frage und präsentierte Erkenntnisse seiner Forschungen aus der Akasha-Chronik. Um die Unabhängigkeit der Akasha-Forschungen von Steiner herauszufiltern, stellt der Autor die Forschungen der Theosophin Blavatsky den Erkenntnissen von Steiner gegenüber. Die Gegenüberstellung verfolgt das Ziel, die Grenzen und Möglichkeiten der Akasha-Forschungen Steiners zu erkunden. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass das fünfte Evangelium von (...) Steiner einige Grundaussagen über die Beziehung von Jesus zu den Essenern enthält, die man bereits bei Blavatsky in „Isis entschleiert“ findet. Dass Steiner die Forschungen ganz unabhängig von bereits vorhandenen Ergebnissen (von Blavatsky) betrieben hat, ist daher unwahrscheinlich. Steiner berichtet über persönliche Begegnungen von Jesus mit den Essenern, die man nirgendwo sonst in dieser Detailliertheit in der Literatur finden kann, und daher hat er einen zusätzlichen Beitrag zur esoterischen Forschung geliefert, der nicht übersehen werden sollte. Eine These, die sich aus dieser Arbeit ergibt, ist, dass Steiner methodisch sowohl den theosophischen Mediumismus als auch die meditative Schau der Akasha-Chronik, die er als exakter empfand, in seine Forschungen einfließen ließ. (shrink)

Illicit arms availability in neighbourhoods are always a threat to external and internal security. Due to the geopolitics of Afghanistan, superpowers and non-state actors were active in that region for decades .Consequently, the FATA area of Pakistan and Adam Khel in particular became an oasis for arms Producers and traders as well as terrorists and drug traffickers. America and the former Soviet Union poured Afghanistan with the latest weapons from 1979 to 1989. A major part of that stockpile came to (...) the grey market of Darra Adam khel . Same thing happened when America and Nato arrived in Afghanistan after 9/11. Pakistan army and ISI a major and decisive player in this illicit arms trade which poses a big security concern for Indian policy makers. (shrink)

The Kurdish movement has revitalised the idea of democracy. Under the most difficult of circumstances – squeezed between ISIS on one side and the Turkish armed forces on the other – a radical form of democracy has been implemented that has inspired many both inside and outside the region. Introducing the special issue “Rethinking Democracy in Kurdistan”, this article explores the ingenious challenge to the nation-state system posed by this new democratic theory and practice, focusing on the prison writings (...) of Abdullah Öcalan. These remarkable texts are read as proposing a new philosophy of world-history which decisively breaks with Marxism, displaces the central place of Europe, and drastically extends the point in time at which philosophies of history typically begin. (shrink)

MARGARET LYNN SCHABAS (Toronto, 1954) is professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and served as the head of the Philosophy Department from 2004-2009. She has held professoriate positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at York University, and has also taught as a visiting professor at Michigan State University, University of Colorado-Boulder, Harvard, CalTech, the Sorbonne, and the École Normale de Cachan. As the recipient of several fellowships, she has enjoyed visiting terms at Stanford, Duke, (...) MIT, Cambridge, the LSE, and the MPI-Berlin. In addition to her doctorate in the history and philosophy of science and technology (Toronto 1983), she holds a bachelor of science in music (oboe) and the philosophy of science (Indiana 1976), a master’s degree in the history and philosophy of science (Indiana 1977), and a master’s degree in economics (Michigan1985). -/- She has published four books and over forty articles or book chapters in science studies. Some of the journals in which her articles can be found are Isis, Monist, History of Political Economy, Public Affairs Quarterly, Daedaelus, Journal of Economic Perspectives, and Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science. Her first book, A world ruled by number (1990) examines the emergence of mathematical economics in the second half of the nineteenth century. Her second book, The natural origins of economics (2005), traces the transformation of economics from a natural to a social science. She also has two co-edited collections, Oeconomies in the age of Newton (2003), with Neil De Marchi, and David Hume’s political economy (2008), with Carl Wennerlind. She is currently writing a monograph on Hume’s economics, as well as articles on the history and philosophy of bioeconomics. She is currently president of the History of Economics Society. -/- EJPE interviewed Margaret Schabas at the University of British Columbia in March 2013. In this interview, she recounts her earliest foray into the history and philosophy of economics, the conceptual trade between economics and natural science, and her most recent undertaking: the history and philosophy of bioeconomics. (shrink)

The emergence of COVID-19 has made it ever more onerous for the world economy to rethink the way things are done and to be done. The need and almost compulsory way of services being catered for will never have been made so practically obvious without the influence of a pandemic like COVID-19. The world at some point in time was almost brought to a standstill, with services pertaining to supply-chain deliverables, education / professional development and many more almost brought to (...) a halt. This paper has the platform for critically assessing the pathway SSA economies (SSA) should follow, notably creativity in new technologies, while adopting a stance on ISI approach in order to reduce its reliance on the importation of essential commodities, which seem to have been a worrying concern throughout the crisis of COVID-19. Suggestions for SSA economies to embrace the notion of creative destruction is the focal point in this paper for the realization of growth and development, while at the same time harnessing the power of human integrity to champion competitive innovation. (shrink)

It is facile and factually incorrect to represent suicide terrorists as simply seeking mass destruction, as demented or believing that they will be rewarded by "seventy-two virgins in paradise". In my book The Myth of the Closed Mind: Understanding How and Why People are Rational I felt it was important to deal with the issue of terrorism by consulting explanatory theories of human behaviour and the substantial research on the strategic pattern of terrorist incidents over the decades, led principally by (...) Professor Robert Pape of Chicago University. -/- To defeat your enemy, you must first understand him. Strangely, we must first grant that, though morally depraved, terrorists are rational: they concoct and execute detailed plans with definite strategic goals in mind. Only once we have granted the terrorist a rational mind can we, in the end, create peace. My argument is that while religion may have a small role in terrorism, it is principally politics, or the logic of territorial control, that is the key to understanding the threat we face. -/- This extract from my book is principally about Al Qaeda, but a similar analysis applies to ISIS, the current greatest threat to our peace in the west. -/- The strategic goal of Al Qaeda was simply to repulse what they saw as foreign intervention. ISIS has the same goal, but in order to continue its growth as a state in the sense of a monopoly of coercion over a given geographical area. -/- ISIS, a rogue state that arose in ungoverned space created unintentionally by foreign intervention in Iraq, is now lashing out at foreign governments that have severely shrunk the territory ISIS occupies. Before October 2015, ISIS confined its terrorism to the goal of extending its territory in Iraq and Syria, and there were no significant ISIS-led or inspired suicide terrorist attacks outside Iraq and Syria. But now, as their territory collapses, they are attacking the countries that have strangled their control of territory in Iraq and Syria: the coalition of western governments – Britain, Belgium, Canada, France, Morocco, Turkey, Russia, the U.S.A. and others – exactly the countries that have recently seen an explosion of suicide terrorism. (shrink)

John R. Searle (s. 1932) on tunnetuimpia sosiaalista tai institutionaalista ontologiaa tutkineita nykyfilosofeja. Hän on ehtimiseen korostanut kielen ja puhetekojen keskeistä merkitystä institutionaalisen tai sosiaalisen todellisuuden rakentumisessa. Siihen nähden on yllättävän vaikeaa selvittää, mitä hän tästä kielellisestä perustasta tarkkaan ottaen ajattelee ja miten sosiaalisen maailman pitäisi sen päällä maata. Searlen perusajatus puheteoille rakentuvasta institutionaalisesta todellisuudesta tuntuu johtavan umpikujaan.

本文旨在提出一个关于人类认知、现实与自由意志之间关系的统一理论。本文的核心论断是：我们体验到的“选择感”与“未来的开放性”，并非实在的特征，而是我们大脑作为一台预测与模拟机器，其固有的`if...el se...`（条件分支）计算结构的必然主观回响。 -/- 首先，本文区分了两种根本不同的逻辑：描述宇宙唯一、必然演化路径的**规则逻辑**（物理定律），以及我们大脑为生存而必须采用的、充满分叉可能性的**叙事逻辑**。本文论证，叙事逻辑中的所有核心概念——可 能性、选择、因果、乃至“自我”——都是这个`if...else...`认知程序的必要幻觉。 -/- 其次，本文通过“狮子案例”进行认知考古，揭示了这种分叉思维的原始起源：在面对生存威胁时，从“是”（is）到“应该”（ought）的跳跃，诞生了第一个认知上的`else`分支（一个狮子本不应该吃我的“完 美宇宙”）。 -/- 进而，本文揭示了这种幻觉得以维持的强大心理引擎——**叙事的暴政**。我们并非在事前进行真正的“选择”，而是在唯一的现实路径发生后，**事后**构建一个关于我们“为何”选择了`if`分支而非`else `分支的故事，从而不断地自我确认控制的幻觉。 -/- 最终，本文导向一个决定论的结论：我们体验到的“分叉感”，其物理对应物只存在于我们大脑内部的并行神经激活模式中，而外部世界的流变没有分叉。我们并非生活在一个充满可能性的宇宙中，我们只是生活在对自己大脑` if...else...`程序运算过程的体验之中。因此，人类所能达到的最大自由，并非在外部世界中做出不同的选择，而在于清醒地认识到，我们就是那个正在必然地、执行着其唯一程序的宇宙本身。.

ENG: The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) presents a duality of opportunity and risk. On the one hand, there are potential dangers inherent in the development of AI. However, on the other hand, the advent of AI also offers humanity a multitude of possibilities for improvement and advancement. The aesthetic values and cultural expressions that artists encounter in their environment serve to redefine the aesthetic judgments they form, thus determining the paths they subsequently follow. The objective of this research is (...) to examine the impact of AI on the field of aesthetics and culture to identify the changes and transformations occurring within the world of art and design. In the conventional domain of aesthetics, emphasis is placed upon the finished object as a singular entity that will be interpreted as a completed work. In contrast, the emerging field of ‘new aesthetics’ prioritizes the atmosphere, directing our focus to the physical object, which is perceived as a spatial extension. Accordingly, the object is not defined by its intrinsic content, but rather its capacity to expand and occupy space. Thus, the domain of aesthetics has evolved to encompass a spatial dimension. Despite the growing interest in the aesthetic dimensions of AI, there has been little discussion to date about the relationship between atmosphere and the field of AI. This study aims to highlight the lack of attention given to this topic in academic discourse and to introduce a new approach to it. Several implications (regarding general propositions and constituents AI aesthetics) has been placed and finalized with layers of hallucination. The application of AI enables the augmentation of the hallucinatory capabilities of the imagination. However, a current challenge is the tendency of AI-powered digital assistants, such as ChatGPT, to hallucinate and present unreal information as if it were real. In this sense, the relationship between AI and hallucination is evolving in a manner that is perceived to be negative. This is justified given the problematic nature of this issue in scientific studies. However, when considered from the perspective of artistic production, there may be potential for new avenues of creativity and imaginative expression. A reappraisal of the role of atmospheric factors in space design is required. The introduction of a novel aesthetic layer to the atmosphere through the use of AI is a possibility, given the hallucinatory tendencies of AI. - TR: Yapay zekanın gelişimi, insanlık için önemli fırsatlar sunarken, aynı zamanda yeni zorluklar ve riskler de ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Ancak, doğru bir şekilde yönetildiğinde ve kullanıldığında, yapay zeka teknolojisi insan hayatını önemli ölçüde iyileştirebileceği ve birçok alanda yenilikler getirebileceği ön görülmektedir. Estetik değerler ve kültürel ifadeler, sanatçıların estetik yargılarını yeniden tarif etmekte ve izledikleri yolları belirlemektedir. Bu araştırma sanat ve tasarım dünyasındaki değişim ve dönüşümleri incelemek adına yapay zekanın estetik ve kültür alanına tesirini irdelemektedir. Konvansiyonel estetikte nesneye tamamlanmış bir çalışma olarak yorumlanacak bitmiş bir varlık olarak odaklanılmıştır. Ancak atmosferi merkeze alan yeni estetik, odak noktamızı mekandaki fiziksel bir uzantı olan nesneye yöneltmektedir. Dolayısıyla nesne 'içerdiği' şeyle değil, mekana yayılma şekliyle karakterize edilmektedir. Böylelikle estetik teori mekânsal katmanlar edinmiştir. Yapay zeka bağlamında estetik tartışmalarında bir ivme kazanılmış olsa da aynı hareketlilik atmosfer ile yapay zekanın ilişkisinde henüz kurulmamıştır. Bu çalışma literatürdeki bu eksikliğe işaret etmeyi ve bir giriş yapmayı hedeflemektedir. Tartışma önermeler olarak şu başlıklar altında toplanmıştır: Teknik arkaplandaki atmosfer tecrübesinin önemi; Deneyimi fazla olan aktörlerin hiyerarşisi; Kısmi telif hakkına yönelik ‘kısmi’ tanımlamalarının gerekliliği; Çizim becerisiden atmosfer üretme becerisine bir yolculuk; Kültürel ve bedensel referansların yorumlanabilmesi. Yapay zekanın estetiğine dair yapı taşları ise şu başlıklar altında toplanmıştır: Estetik akıntı; Yarı-geçirgen bir estetik; Yapay zekanın ara-fenomen olarak incelenmesi; Metaforik istemler; Halüsinatif katmanlar ve alternatif değerlendirmeler. Çalışmanın sonunda odaklanılan konu yapay zekanın gücü ile imgelemin halüsinatif katmanları artırılabilme potansiye olmuştur. Halüsinasyona dair şuan gündemde olan yegane konu ChatGPT gibi yapay zeka asistanlarının halüsinasyon görmeleri ve gerçek olmayan bilgilerin gerçekmiş gibi sunulmasıdır. Bu haliyle yapay zekanın halüsinasyon ile ilişkisi negatif bir tandansta ilerlemektedir. Bu bilimsel çalışmalarda bir problem olması sebebiyle haklı bir negativiteye sahiptir. Ancak sanatsal üretim tabanında bakıldığında imgelemde yeni kapılar açılabilir. Bu konu özellikle mekanın tasarımına gelindiğinde atmosferik etmenler yeniden değerlendirilmelidir. Atmosferin yapay zeka ile yeni bir estetik katman açması yapay zekanın halüsinasyon yatkınlıklarıyla gerçekleşebilir. (shrink)

-/- Understanding Military War through the Lens of the Universal Formula -/- By Angelito Malicse -/- War has long been one of humanity’s most destructive and persistent problems. Despite centuries of progress in science, technology, and diplomacy, military conflict remains a recurring phenomenon in modern civilization. However, through the application of a universal formula grounded in the laws of nature, we can clearly understand why wars occur — and more importantly, how they can be prevented. This essay explains the phenomenon (...) of military war using my universal formula composed of three interrelated natural laws: the Law of Karma, the Law of Homeostasis, and the Law of Feedback Mechanism between Conscious Minds. -/- I. The Law of Karma: Systemic Cause and Effect -/- The first universal law reveals that everything operates within a system governed by cause and effect. Any defect or error within a system — whether it is a political, economic, or social institution — inevitably leads to imbalance and dysfunction. War is a consequence of such systemic defects. -/- Example: The Iraq War (2003) The U.S. invasion of Iraq was justified by the belief that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Later investigations by the Iraq Survey Group found no such weapons, revealing a fundamental failure in intelligence and political judgment (Duelfer, 2004). This systemic error led to instability in the Middle East, thousands of civilian deaths, and the rise of extremist groups like ISIS. -/- Example: World War I World War I was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but its true causes lay in the militarization of Europe, entangled alliances, and imperial competition (Clark, 2012). These long-term systemic defects made the war inevitable once a small trigger occurred — a clear example of karma in complex systems. -/- II. The Law of Homeostasis: The Balance of Nature -/- The second universal law is the law of balance, or homeostasis. Nature functions through balance — and the same applies to human societies. When nations or leaders act in a way that disrupts equilibrium, nature reacts. Military war represents a violent attempt to restore or assert balance, but one that ironically worsens the imbalance. -/- Example: The Russian-Ukrainian War (2022–present) Russia’s justification for the invasion of Ukraine involved security concerns about NATO’s expansion (Mearsheimer, 2014). However, the resulting war led to massive destruction, economic sanctions, and global instability in food and energy supply chains (UN News, 2022). The attempt to assert geopolitical balance only deepened global imbalance. -/- Example: The Vietnam War The Vietnam War was fought under the U.S. doctrine of “containment” to stop the spread of communism. However, the war destabilized the region, caused millions of deaths, and led to internal unrest in the U.S. (Herring, 2002). The U.S. intervention upset both regional and domestic balance. -/- III. The Law of Feedback Mechanism: Conscious Minds and Collective Decision-Making -/- The third universal law states that conscious minds act as feedback mechanisms, continuously influencing and responding to one another. When these minds interact with ignorance, fear, or ideology, they produce escalating conflict. -/- Example: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The enduring conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is driven by cycles of retaliation, differing historical narratives, and deeply rooted trauma (Khalidi, 2020). Each act of aggression or defense feeds a feedback loop of mistrust, with generations growing up in an environment of conflict. Education, empathy, and historical truth are essential to break this pattern. -/- Example: North Korea’s Militarization North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons partly in response to perceived threats from the West. This leads to counter-responses such as sanctions and military drills from the U.S. and allies. These feedback loops, lacking constructive communication, reinforce mistrust and increase the potential for war (Revere, 2017). -/- Conclusion -/- Military war is not a mystery, nor is it an unsolvable problem. Through the lens of the universal formula — the Law of Karma, the Law of Homeostasis, and the Law of Feedback Mechanism — we can clearly see that war is the product of systemic defects, imbalance in nature, and broken feedback between conscious minds. It is a preventable outcome, not a natural necessity. -/- By teaching this universal formula in all levels of education and applying it to leadership, governance, and global cooperation, we can replace the culture of war with a culture of balance, truth, and harmony. In doing so, we do not simply end war — we evolve beyond it. -/- References -/- Clark, C. (2012). The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914. Harper. -/- Duelfer, C. (2004). Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD. CIA. -/- Herring, G. C. (2002). America’s Longest War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950–1975. McGraw-Hill. -/- Khalidi, R. (2020). The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance. Metropolitan Books. -/- Mearsheimer, J. (2014). Why the Ukraine crisis is the West’s fault. Foreign Affairs, 93(5), 77–89. -/- Revere, E. J. R. (2017). North Korea: The Gathering Storm. Brookings Institution. -/- UN News. (2022). Ukraine war’s global fallout will ‘worsen,’ UN warns. -/- . (shrink)

İlk insanın mağara gölgeleri ile çağdaş insanların neon ışıklı mağazaları arasında geçen süre boyunca insanın yaşam koşulları farklılaşmış ve eş zamanlı biçimde, etkileşim ağının örüldüğü sosyal uzay da değişime uğramıştır. Ancak, tüm değişikliğe rağmen insan özünde, toplumsal ilişkilerinde atalarından miras kalan ilkel biyolojik örüntülerin sadık bir hizmetçisi olabilir mi? Bizim bu makale ile amacımız, bu sorunun izinde ahlakın niçin var olduğuna dair evrimsel bir açıklama sunan Michael Tomasello’nun görüşlerinin deskriptif bir tanımlamasını yapmak ve doktrinini soruşturmaktır. Michael Tomasello’ya göre insanın ahlaki (...) motivasyonu işbirliği ile başlamıştır. İlk insan, zorunlu olarak işbirlikçidir ve ahlak, ilk insanın kurduğu yakın ilişkilerin doğal bir sonucudur. Makalemizin amacına yönelik ilk bölüm, Michael Tomasello’nun evrimsel sürecini sunar; ikinci bölüm ise, birinci bölümün arka planını sunmayı hedefler ve ahlakın evrimine yönelik başvurulan kavramları detaylandırarak Tomasello’nun doktrinindeki temelleri belirtir. Son bölüm ise Tomasello’nun görüşünün metodolojik açıdan kendi içinde tutarlı olduğunu ancak, ahlak felsefesindeki mevcut tartışmaları çözüme kavuşturmadığını vurgular. (shrink)

Revista Intelligence Info este o publicație trimestrială din domeniile intelligence, geopolitică și securitate, și domenii conexe de studiu și practică. -/- Cuprins: -/- EDITORIALE / EDITORIALS -/- Tiberiu TĂNASE Considerații privind necesitatea educării și formării resursei umane pentru intelligence–ul național Considerations regarding the need to educate and train human resources for national intelligence Nicolae SFETCU Epistemologia activității de intelligence Epistemology of intelligence Nicolae SFETCU Rolul serviciilor de informații în război The role of the intelligence agencies in a war Nicolae SFETCU (...) Evoluția inteligenței artificiale în domeniul securității naționale The evolution of artificial intelligence in the field of national security -/- INTELLIGENCE / INTELLIGENCE -/- Ovidiu BOUREANU O scurtă istorie a spionajului: spionajul modern de la Războiul Rece la Războiul împotriva terorii A Brief History of the Spy: Modern Spying from the Cold War to the War on Terror Ioana PĂIUȘ, Tiberiu TĂNASE Securitate și informații într-o lume în schimbare Security and intelligence in a changing world Nicolae SFETCU Activitatea de intelligence - Ciclul intelligence Intelligence Activity – Intelligence Cycle Tiberiu TĂNASE Controlul asupra Intelligence –ului Control over Intelligence Tiberiu TĂNASE Informația și nevoia de gestionare a resurselor informaționale Information and the need to manage information resources Tiberiu TĂNASE Controlul parlamentar al serviciilor de informații Parliamentary control of intelligence services Tiberiu TĂNASE Mecanisme de control democratic al activității serviciilor de informații Mechanisms of democratic control of the activity of intelligence agencies Nicolae SFETCU Analiza informațiilor Intelligence Analysis Bogdan-George RĂDULESCU Cum ar trebui să fie utilizată analiza intelligence pentru a contracara războiul cognitiv? How should intelligence analysis be utilized to counter cognitive warfare? -/- ISTORIE / HISTORY -/- Tiberiu TĂNASE Biroul de Informații al Secției Militare din Transilvania și rolul său în campania pentru apărarea României Mari The Intelligence Office of the Transylvanian Military Section and its role in the campaign for the defense of Greater Romania Stan PETRESCU Pacepa, Kuklinski, Pollard și românii Pacepa, Kuklinski, Pollard and the Romanians Tiberiu TĂNASE Contracararea de către SSI a activităților informative și acțiunilor Serviciilor Germane și Sovietice de Informații implicate în evenimentele din 21 - 23 ianuarie 1941 Countering by the SSI of the informational activities and actions of the German and Soviet Intelligence Services involved in the events of January 21-23, 1941 Tiberiu TĂNASE Alexandru Ioan Cuza, fondatorul Intelligence-lui statului modern românesc Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Founder of the Intelligence of the Modern Romanian State Tiberiu TĂNASE, Bogdan MUSCALU Puncte de vedere privind tradițiile romane în istoria intelligence-lui Viewpoints on Roman traditions in history intelligence Tiberiu TĂNASE Istoria Serviciului Român de Informații – serviciu de intelligence competitiv, și strategiile de intelligence History of the Romanian Intelligence Service – competitive intelligence service, and intelligence strategies Rodica LISEANU Reformele serviciilor secrete de la Mihail Moruzov la Eugen Cristescu, între inovație și decadență Secret service reforms from Mihail Moruzov to Eugen Cristescu Rodica LISEANU Take Ionescu – O biografie vectorială în istoria partidelor politice și în semantica diplomației Take Ionescu - A Vectorial Biography in the History of Political Parties and the Semantics of Diplomacy Remus MACOVEI Trădători și trădători Traitors and traitors -/- GEOPOLITICA / GEOPOLITICS -/- Antoaneta AVRAM Pandemia de COVID-19 și consecințele ei în peisajul anului 2022 The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences in the landscape of 2022 Darius-Antoniu FERENȚ, Ioan MANCI Analiza conflictului ruso-cecen din perspectivă militară Analysis of the Russian-Chechen conflict from a military perspective Lisa-Maria ACHIMESCU Apusul universalismului european The decline of European universalism Emilian M. DOBRESCU Hegemonia chineză în producția de pământuri rare Chinese Hegemony in the Production of Rare Earths Ionuț-Daniel GORGOVAN ”Descurajarea integrată”. Analiză asupra strategiei SUA în Pacific "Integrated deterrence". Analysis of US Pacific Strategy Tiberiu TĂNASE, Violeta Ioana NAGÂȚ Conflictul arabo-israelian. Percepții privind cauzele și natura conflictului. Repere istorice și actualitate The Arab-Israeli conflict. Perceptions of the causes and nature of conflict. Historical landmarks and current affairs -/- SECURITATE / SECURITY -/- Tănase TIBERIU Minighid de pregătire și protecție contrainformativă Counterintelligence preparation and protection mini-guide Darius-Antoniu FERENȚ ISIS - Jocul morții - Martiri, asasinate și fascinație The Killing Game - Martyrdom, Murder and the Lure of ISIS Traian OSTAHIE Abordări generale ale conceptului de cultură de securitate For a 21st century realism Dalia Elena SILAGHI Terorismul cibernetic: o formă contemporană de terorism Cyber Terrorism: A Contemporary Form of Terrorism Paul Alexandru HELER Conflictul asimetric și consecințele sale în securitatea Asiei Asymmetric Conflict and Its Consequences in Asian Security Daria-Maria TÂRNĂVEAN Confruntarea informațională și repercusiunile sale asupra mediului actual de securitate The Information Confrontation and its Repercussions on the Current Security Environment Darius-Antoniu FERENȚ Analiza atacurilor cibernetice, precum APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) și ransomware Analysis of cyber attacks such as APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) and ransomware Daniela Georgiana GOLEA, Oana Ștefania COȘA Nevoia de adaptare managerială a noilor probleme de securitate modernă The need for managerial adaptation to new modern security issues Darius-Antoniu FERENȚ, Corneliu PREJA Implicarea NATO în domeniul apărării cibernetice NATO's involvement in cyber defence Alexandru CRISTIAN Paradigme în mediul internațional de securitate Paradigms in the international security environment Alexandru CRISTIAN Schimbarea paradigmelor în mediul internațional de securitate Changing paradigms in the international security environment Dan D. FARCAȘ Adevăr și dezinformare în fenomenul OZN Truth and disinformation in the UFO phenomenon Alexandru CRISTIAN Un nou mediu de securitate A new security environment -/- ȘTIINȚA INFORMAȚIEI / INFORMATION SCIENCE -/- Oana Ștefania COȘA Rolul structurilor de intelligence medical în atingerea obiectivul de consolidare a sistemului de sănătate The role of medical intelligence structures in achieving the objective of strengthening the health system Nicolae SFETCU Preocupări legislative în mineritul datelor Legislative concerns in data mining Nicolae SFETCU Utilizarea analiticii rețelelor sociale în intelligence Using social network analytics in intelligence Nicolae SFETCU Ingineria cunoașterii în colectarea informațiilor Knowledge Engineering in Intelligence Gathering -/- ISSN 2971 – 9089 ISSN-L 2821 – 8159, DOI: 10.58679/II26972. (shrink)

Since Circular 34 from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam required the head of the national project to have project results published in ISI/Scopus journals in 2014, the field of economics has been dominating the number of nationally-funded projects in social sciences and humanities. However, there has been no scientometric study that focuses on the difference in productivity among fields in Vietnam. Thus, harnessing the power of the SSHPA database, a comprehensive dataset of 1,564 Vietnamese authors (854 males, (...) 705 females) with 2,410 publications in the 2008 – 2018 period was extracted and analyzed. Various factors were considered including age, gender, new authors, leading authors, co-authorship, and Impact Factor. The findings suggest a high level of contribution from authors at the age of 40 – 44 in economics (858 publications) in a 12-years period, which is equivalent to the social medicine total output, and two times more than the total output of the education. Moreover, the presence and reinforcement of male researchers are still dominating in Economics and other fields, with the only exception of education. Despite the rapid rise in the number of Vietnamese lead authors, gender disparity among disciplines is an issue. Contrary to the strong international collaboration-oriented tendency in social medicine, economics, and other fields, educational authors are not open to international collaborating. Finally, most of the publications in economics belong to the group with JIF from 0 to 2, in contrast with the high number of social medicine publications with JIF from 2 to 5, which suggesting the field of economics is fulfilling the quantity, but still, need more quality publications. (shrink)

Sau 14 tháng bền bỉ, phương pháp đổi mới việc rà soát tổng quan lý thuyết xã hội của ISR, dựa trên dữ liệu metadata có cấu trúc, đã được xuất bản bởi tạp chí MethodsX (Elsevier Q2 SCImago | ISI Web of Science). Bài có tiêu đề: “Making social sciences more scientific” [1].

0. Deniz Kaya & Simon Nordberg: Einleitende Worte –– 1. Milana Smirnov: Die Gelbe Kröte –– 2. Robin Evan Helberg: Verwirklichung. Vom Traum zur Wirklichkeit –– 3. Finian Faller: Bedeutung und die innermenschliche Wirklichkeit –– 4. Talat Heybach: Vom Traum, unfrei zu sein. Aspekte des (alten) Rechtsradikalismus –– 5. Basil Schaudt: Das Reich Gottes im Spiegel der Zeit –– 6. Julia Rothhaar: Interview mit Isis Mrugalla Kalmbacher – Die Wirklichkeit der Spielplätze –– 7. Patrick Frey: Doktorandenbrief – Wahre Freiheit (...) und letzte Verantwortung –– 8. Adrijan Duraki: Masterbrief – Technologie, Wahrnehmung und Realität ––. (shrink)

This is a review of Julie Chajes, Recycled Lives: A History of Reincarnation in Blavatsky’s Theosophy, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2019. The book, which falls under the broader umbrella of the academic study of Western esotericism, is concerned with the Russian occultist Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831–1891), her doctrine of reincarnation, its development through the different phases of her literary work, and her sources, whether these be Indian philosophy, Ancient Greek philosophy, or nineteenth-century science. Blavatsky’s project, which lies at the crossroads (...) of spiritualism and comparative philology, was to uncover what she believed was a primeval wisdom, parts of which, she thought, had been preserved in diffuse forms in the mythologies, religions, philosophies, and science of ancient civilizations (Hindus, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Greeks, Jews, etc.). According to Blavatsky, one of the fundamental elements of this primitive wisdom-religion is the belief in reincarnation. But—and this is the main focus of the book—it so happens, or so the author claims, that Blavatsky defended two different theories of reincarnation at different stages of her literary career; in Isis Unveiled (1877) she defended the theory of metempsychosis, whereas in The Secret Doctrine (1888) she defended a theory of reincarnation simpliciter. In this review, I briefly present each of these two theories from the author’s perspective before addressing the author’s take on the Ancient Greek and nineteenth-century sources of Blavatsky. (shrink)

This handbook brings together a distinguished team of scholars from philosophy, theology, and religious studies to provide the first in-depth discussion of Vedanta and the many different systems of thought that make up this tradition of Indian philosophy. Emphasizing the historical development of Vedantic thought, it includes chapters on numerous classical Vedantic philosophies as well as the modern Vedantic views of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo, and Romain Rolland. The volume offers careful hermeneutic analyses of how Vedantic texts have been interpreted, (...) and it addresses key issues and debates in Vedanta, including religious diversity, the nature of God, and the possibility of embodied liberation. Venturing into cross-philosophical and cross-cultural territory, it also brings Vedanta into dialogue with Saiva Nondualism as well as contemporary Western analytic philosophy. Highlighting current scholarly controversies and charting new paths of inquiry, this is an indispensable research guide for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of Vedanta and Indian philosophy. (shrink)

Richard Landes is professionally a historian but in this book under review, he is a philosopher of violence; especially genocides and the Holocaust. The reviewer has synoptically read him, Susan Neiman on the one hand and Haruki Murakami and Stephen King on the other hand. The review flows between the history of ideas, philosophy and literary studies since all three are connected to each other.

Nugayev critically analyzes current conceptions of scientific change. Then he constructs his own normative model and compares it with actual problematic situations. In particular, he analyzes critically the replacement of Lorentz’s theory with the special theory of relativity. Key words: Popper, Duhem, Schlesinger, Lakatos, Kuhn.

Review of work on several debates, including Galileo vs. the Church, Bohr vs Einstein, Hoyle vs. Big Bang theory, Oppenheimer vs. Teller, N-rays, magnetic monopoles.

In the ever-evolving landscape of video game development, mythology serves as a rich source of inspiration, providing developers with a wellspring of narratives, characters, and themes that resonate with players. This article, "Gaming the Gods: How Mythology Inspires Game Development," explores the intricate relationship between ancient myths and contemporary gaming. By examining various titles that draw upon mythological elements—from the pantheons of Greek and Norse mythology to the folklore of diverse cultures—we uncover how these stories enhance gameplay, deepen character development, (...) and create immersive worlds. The article also discusses the challenges and responsibilities developers face when adapting these age-old tales, including cultural sensitivity and authenticity. Through case studies of popular games, we illustrate how mythology not only enriches storytelling but also fosters a deeper connection between players and the narratives they engage with. Ultimately, this exploration highlights the enduring power of myth in shaping the future of interactive entertainment, inviting both players and creators to embark on epic journeys through the realms of legend and lore. (shrink)

This article offers a cross-cultural analysis of two enigmatic figures from Indo-European mythologies: Tīrka Šavār, a lesser-known Persian omen of death or misfortune, and the Dullahan, Ireland’s iconic headless horseman. Both entities serve as harbingers of fate, embodying their cultures’ anxieties about mortality, the unknown, and the thin veil between the human and supernatural realms. Through comparative methodology, this study explores how these myths reflect distinct cultural values—Persian narratives often intertwine destiny with moral and cosmic order (aša), while Irish lore (...) emphasizes the inevitability of death and the capriciousness of the Otherworld. The analysis reveals striking parallels: both figures act as liminal beings, mediating between life and death, and their appearances are marked by omens (e.g., the Dullahan’s lantern, Tīrka Šavār’s symbolic manifestations). Yet their differences are equally telling: Tīrka Šavār’s role in Persian cosmology often ties to Zoroastrian dualism, where moral choices influence fate, whereas the Dullahan operates within a Celtic framework of inescapable doom. By situating these myths within their historical and religious contexts, this article illuminates how ancient societies grappled with existential fears and conceptualized the supernatural. (shrink)

This paper examines the significance of spring within Japanese philosophy, focusing on the themes of renewal, impermanence, and the deep connection between humanity and nature. The arrival of spring, marked by the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms (sakura), serves as a poignant reminder of the concept of "mono no aware," which emphasizes the appreciation of transience and the fleeting moments of beauty in life. Through an exploration of traditional practices such as Hanami (flower viewing) and the philosophical reflections of notable (...) figures like Matsuo Bashō and Kitarō Nishida, this study highlights how spring inspires a sense of harmony and mindfulness in Japanese culture. Additionally, the paper discusses the role of seasonal change in shaping aesthetic sensibilities and ethical considerations, illustrating how the cyclical nature of life is celebrated and embraced. Ultimately, this exploration reveals that spring is not merely a season in Japan but a profound philosophical lens through which individuals can engage with the world, fostering a deeper understanding of existence and the interconnectedness of all living beings. (shrink)

This study examines the pursuit of immortality through a comparative analysis of the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh and Hindu mythology centered on Vishnu, the preserver god. Employing a literary and philosophical approach, the paper contrasts Gilgamesh’s personal, mortal-driven quest with Vishnu’s cosmic, eternal existence. In Gilgamesh, the semi-divine king seeks eternal life after his companion Enkidu’s death, only to confront the inevitability of mortality, reflecting a Mesopotamian view of death as a divine boundary. Conversely, Vishnu embodies immortality as an intrinsic (...) attribute, manifested through avatars like Krishna, aligning with Hindu cosmology’s cyclical view of existence and the eternal soul. The analysis reveals distinct cultural frameworks: Gilgamesh’s linear struggle for individual legacy versus Vishnu’s timeless duty to universal order. Results highlight that Gilgamesh’s journey ends in acceptance of human limits, finding meaning in earthly achievements, while Vishnu’s narrative offers transcendence through reincarnation and cosmic harmony. The study concludes that these contrasting perspectives—personal desperation versus divine continuity—mirror Mesopotamian pragmatism and Hindu metaphysics, respectively, yet both resonate with humanity’s universal longing to transcend death. This comparison underscores that the quest for immortality is less about evading mortality than redefining its significance across cultural and philosophical landscapes. (shrink)

This essay discusses three authors from the early seventeenth century (Galileo, Descartes, and Van Helmont) and the reasons that guided their decisions to write occasionally in their respective vernacular languages even though Latin remained the accepted language for learned communication. From their writings we can see that their choices were social, political, and always of high importance. The choice of language of these multilingual authors conveyed a message that was sometimes implicit, sometimes explicit. Their usage of both Latin and vernacular (...) proved, on the one hand, their place in the international learned community and, on the other hand, their interest and investment in changing the educational system. (shrink)

Review of: Husain Sarkar. A Theory of Method. xvii+ 229 pp., bibl., indexes. Berkeley/Los Angeles/London: University of California Press, 1983. $29.95. The subject of this book is best stated in the author's words: "A theory is about the world; a method is about theories; and, a theory of method is about methods" (p. 1). A theory of method seeks to offer a general framework within which to choose among methods. Through critical examination of the positions of Karl Popper, Imre Lakatos, (...) and Larry Laudan, Sarkar develops his own framework for evaluating methods, which includes two bold proposals: that the history of science cannot be used as an arbitrator among methods, and that methods should be chosen by testing the heuristic advice they give about which lines of scientific research to pursue further. (shrink)

Review of Desmond M. Clarke. Descartes: A Biography. xi + 507 pp., apps., figs., bibl., index. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. $40 (cloth).; Richard Watson, Cogito, Ergo Sum: The Life of René Descartes. viii + 375 pp., figs., bibl., index. Boston: David R. Godine, 2002. $35 (cloth).

David Hyder.The Determinate World: Kant and Helmholtz on the Physical Meaning of Geometry. viii + 229 pp., bibl., index. Berlin/New York: Walter de Gruyter, 2009.

Review of: Jean-Pierre Schobinger (Editor). Die Philosophie des 17. Jahrhunderts. Volume 3: England. 2 half-volumes. xxxiv + 874 pp., bibls., index. Basel: Schwabe, 1988. SFr 160, DM 195.

Review of: R. Steven Turner, In the Eye's Mind: Vision and the Helmholtz-Hering Controversy. xiv + 338 pp., frontis., illus., figs., tables, bibl., index. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1994.

A review of: Manfred Kuehn. Scottish Common Sense in Germany, 1768-1800: A Contribution to the History of Critical Philosophy. (McGill-Queen's Studies in the History of Ideas.) xiv + 300 pp., app., bibl., index. Kingston, Ont./Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1987. $35.

Review of: Marinus Dirk Stafleu. Theories at Work: On the Structure and Functioning of Theories in Science, in Particular during the Copernican Revolution. (Christian Studies Today.) 310 pp., bibl., index. Lanham, Md./New York: University Press of America, 1987; Toronto: Institute for Christian Studies, 1987. $28.75 (cloth); $16.50 (paper).

This article seeks the origin, in the theories of Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), Descartes, and Berkeley, of two-stage theories of spatial perception, which hold that visual perception involves both an immediate representation of the proximal stimulus in a two-dimensional ‘‘sensory core’’ and also a subsequent perception of the three dimensional world. The works of Ibn al-Haytham, Descartes, and Berkeley already frame the major theoretical options that guided visual theory into the twentieth century. The field of visual perception was the first area (...) of what we now call psychology to apply mathematics, through geometrical models as used by Euclid, Ptolemy, Ibn al-Haytham, and Descartes (among others). The article shows that Kepler’s discovery of the retinal image, which revolutionized visual anatomy and entailed fundamental changes in visual physiology, did not alter the basic structure of theories of spatial vision. These changes in visual physiology are advanced especially in Descartes' Dioptrics and his L'Homme. Berkeley develops a radically empirist theory vision, according to which visual perception of depth is learned through associative processes that rely on the sense of touch. But Descartes and Berkeley share the assertion that there is a two-dimensional sensory core that is in principle available to consciousness. They also share the observation that we don't usually perceived this core, but find depth and distance to be phenomenally immediate, a point they struggle to accommodate theoretically. If our interpretation is correct, it was not a change in the theory of the psychology of vision that engendered the idea of a sensory core, but rather the introduction of the theory into a new metaphysical context. (shrink)

Review of Michael Oberhausen; Riccardo Pozzo (Editors). Vorlesungsverzeichnisse der Universitaet Koenigsberg (1720–1804). (Forschungen und Materialen zur Universitaetsgeschichte, 1.) 2 volumes. lxviii, 778 pp., illus., indexes. Stuttgart: Frommann-Holzboog, 1999.