In 2005, Ram Roy Bhaskar was the examiner for a PhD thesis by Dr. Chris Sarra entitled Strong and Smart: Reinforcing Aboriginal Perceptions of Being Aboriginal at Cherbourg State School. Bhaskar described the thesis as ‘an exemplary paradigm of how research should be conducted’ and suggested that it would be ‘invaluable for all future studies of indigenous people in Australia and indeed to educationalists and social theorists throughout the world’. With thanks to Chris Sarra, we are delighted to (...) be able to publish this examiner's report, which illustrates educational themes in Bhaskar's work and provides Bhaskar's response to Sarra's critique of his idea that there is a ‘common core humanity’. In its practical consideration of the question of human identity – a question currently much debated – this report is an excellent and timely complement to Bhaskar’s (2020) article Critical Realism and the Ontology of Persons. It also showcases Bhaskar's concepts of Power1/Power2 and concrete universality/singularity. We hope that publishing this report will draw attention to Sarra's exceptional work which, according to Bhaskar, ‘may well come to take on the role of a paradigm for multi-ethnic and similarly divided and contested communities’. (shrink)

Following on from Roy Bhaskarâe(tm)s first two books, A Realist Theory of Science and The Possibility of Naturalism, Scientific Realism and Human Emancipation, establishes the conception of social science as explanatoryâe"and thence emancipatoryâe"critique. Scientific Realism and Human Emancipation starts from an assessment of the impasse of contemporary accounts of science as stemming from an incomplete critique of positivism. It then proceeds to a systematic exposition of scientific realism in the form of transcendental realism, highlighting a conception of science as explanatory (...) of a structured, differentiated and changing world. Turning to the social domain, the book argues for a view of the social order as conditioned by, and emergent from, nature. Advocating a critical naturalism, the author shows how the transformational model of social activity together with the conception of social science as explanatory critique which it entails, resolves the divisions and dualisms besetting orthodox social and normative theory: between society and the individual, structure and agency, meaning and behavior, mind and body, reason and cause, fact and value, and theory and practice. The book then goes on to discuss the emancipatory implications of social science and sketches the nature of the depth investigation characteristically entailed. In the highly innovative third part of the book Roy Bhaskar completes his critique of positivism by developing a theory of philosophical discourse and ideology, on the basis of the transcendental realism and critical naturalism already developed, showing how positivism functions as a restrictive ideology of and for science and other social practices. (shrink)

Since its inception in the 1970's, critical realism has grown to address a broad range of subjects, including economics, philosophy, science, and religion. It has also gone through a number of key evolutions that have changed its direction, and seen it develop into a complex and mature branch of philosophy. Critical Realism: A Brief Introduction, is the first book to look back over the entire field of critical realism in one concise and accessible volume. As the originator and chief exponent (...) of CR, Roy Bhaskar draws from his experience of countless introductory lectures, seminars, workshops and courses to give a definitive and compelling account of this increasingly influential, international and multi-disciplinary approach. Its eight chapters examine the following topics: Transcendental Realism and the Philosophy of Science Critical Naturalism and the Philosophy of Social Science Explanatory Critique and Ethics Language and Critical Discourse Analysis The Development of Critical Realism Interdisciplinarity and Applied Critical Realism Modernity, Theories of Science and Metacritique The Advantages of Critical Realism Everything from the definition of CR and its applicability to the social sciences, to explanations of dialectical critical realism and the philosophy of meta-reality are addressed in detail, making this the essential introduction for students of CR at all levels. (shrink)

_Dialectic_ is now widely regarded as a classic of contemporary philosophy. This book, first published in 1993, sets itself three main aims: the development of a general theory of dialectic, of which Hegelian dialectic can be seen to be a special case; the dialectical enrichment and deepening of critical realism, viz. into the system of dialectical critical realism; and the outline of the elements of a totalizing critique of Western philosophy. The first chapter clarifies the rational core of Hegelian dialectic. (...) Chapter two then proceeds to develop a general theory of dialectic. Isolating the fallacy of 'ontological monovalence', Roy Bhaskar then shows how absence and other negating concepts such as contradiction have a legitimate and necessary ontological employment. He then goes on to give a synoptic account of key dialectical concepts such as the concrete universal; to sketch the further dialectical development of critical naturalism through an account of what he calls four-planar social being; and following consideration of the dialectical critique of analytical reason, he moves on to the real definition of dialectic as absenting absence and in the human sphere, the axiology of freedom. Chapter three extends and deepens critical realism’s characteristic concerns with ontology, science, social science and emancipation not only into the realms of negativity and totality, but also into the fields of reference and truth, spatio-temporality, tense and process, the logic of dialectical universalizability and on to the plane of ethics, where it articulates a combination of moral realism and ethical naturalism, whereby consideration of elemental desire involves commitment to the eudaimonistic society. This is then followed by a sublime discussion of key moments in the trajectory of Western philosophy, the tradition of which can now be seen to be based on what the author calls the unholy trinity of the epistemic fallacy or the reduction of being to knowledge, primal squeeze or the collapse of structure and alethic truth, and ontological monovalence. (shrink)

This series of interviews, conducted in the form of exchanges between Roy Bhaskar and Mervyn Hartwig, tells a riveting story of the formation and development of critical realism. Three intersecting and interweaving narratives unfold in the course of this unfinished story: the personal narrative of Roy Bhaskar, born of an Indian father and English mother, a child of post-war Britain and Indian partition and independence; the intellectual narrative of the emergence and growth of critical realism; and a world-historical (...) story, itself theorized by critical realism in its discussion of the development of modernity. This book gives an invaluable account of the development of critical realism, and its consolidation as a leading philosophy of our times. It takes us through the major moments of its formation, the principal objections to and controversies within critical realism, the establishment of its institutions, and considers its limits and future development. Special features of the book include discussion of the genesis of critical realism, and the origins and nature of the so-called dialectical and spiritual turns. The informal dialogical style of The Formation of Critical Realism makes it compelling reading and an invaluable source for students of critical realism as well as all those interested in the intellectual story of our times. (shrink)

Four recent turns in social thought are discussed and related to the four dimensional schema of dialectical realism the author has recently outlined. It is shown how ontology matters, and indeed is not only necessary but inevitable, The nature of the reality of ideas is demonstrated and the most prevalent mistakes in the metatheory of ideas and ideation analysed. The significance of categorical realism and the character of those specific types if ideas known as ‘ideologies’ are then discussed. Finally some (...) good and bad dialectical connections of ideas and related phenomena are sketched. (shrink)

In a brilliant series of studies, Roy Bhaskar, the originator of the influential, multi-disciplinary and international philosophy of critical realism, presents for the first time in published form, his new philosophy of Meta-Reality. The philosophy of Meta-Reality confirms many aspects of the great philosophical traditions of the past, while correcting their one-sidedness and transcending their dualism and dichotomies, representing what is valid in them in a radically new way, apt for our contemporary times of global crisis.

In this radical book, Roy Bhaskar expands his philosophy of critical realism with an audacious re-synthesis of many aspects of Western and Eastern thought. Arguing that the existence of God provides the fundamental structure of the world, he renders plausible ideas of reincarnation, karma and moksha or liberation. Originally published in the year of the millennium, From East to West continues to be a groundbreaking and fundamental work within the critical realist tradition. Stimulating debate in ontology, epistemology, ethics, political (...) philosophy and the philosophy of religion, this book has been influential as a major new development in critical realism. This second edition contains a new introduction from Mervyn Hartwig, who is the founding editor of the _Journal of Critical Realism_ and editor and principal author of the _Dictionary of Critical Realism_. (shrink)

In this concise text, Roy Bhaskar sets out to diagnose, explain and resolve the "problems of philosophy". _Plato Etc._ reviews all the main areas of the subject: the theory of knowledge and philosophy of science; the philosophy of logic and language; the philosophies of space, time and causality; the philosophy of the social and life sciences and of dialectic; ethics, politics and aesthetics; and the history and sociology of philosophy. Among the issues discussed are the problems of induction and (...) universals, the question of relativism, Heidegger’s "scandal of philosophy", the nature of moral truth and the conundrum of free will and determinism. The last two chapters consist of a synoptic account of the development of Western philosophy from the pre-Socratics to poststructuralism. _Plato Etc._ seeks to revindicate the philosophical project, and to demonstrate that the author’s "dialectical critical realism" has the categorical power to remedy the problem fields of philosophy. The book serves both as a critical introduction to philosophy and as an invaluable resource for the scholar. (shrink)

Originally published in 1989, Reclaiming Reality still provides the most accessible introduction to the increasingly influential multi-disciplinary and international body of thought, known as critical realism. It is designed to "underlabour" both for the sciences, especially the human sciences, and for the projects of human emancipation which such sciences may come to inform; and provides an enlightening intervention in current debates about realism and relativism, positivism and poststucturalism, modernism and postmodernism, etc. Elaborating his critical realist perspective on society, nature, science (...) and philosophy itself, Roy Bhaskar shows how this perspective can be used to undermine currently fashionable ideologies of the Right, and at the same time, to clear the ground for a reinvigorated Left. Reclaiming Reality contains powerful critiques of some of the most important schools of thought and thinkers of recent years—from Bachelard and Feyerabend to Rorty and Habermas; and it advances novel and convincing resolutions of many traditional philosophical problems. Now with a new introduction from Mervyn Hartwig, this book continues to provide a straightforward and stimulating introduction to current debates in philosophy and social theory for the interested lay reader and student alike. Reclaiming Reality will be of particular value not only for critical realists but for all those concerned with the revitalization of the socialist emancipatory project and the renaissance of the Marxist theoretical tradition. Roy Bhaskar is the originator of the philosophy of critical realism, and the author of many acclaimed and influential works including A Realist Theory of Science, The Possibility of Naturalism, Scientific Realism and Human Emancipation and Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom. He is an editor of the recently published Critical Realism: Essential Readings and is currently chair of the Centre for Critical Realism. (shrink)

Since its original publication in 1979, The Possibility of Naturalism has been one of the most influential works in contemporary philosophy of science and social science. It is a cornerstone of the critical realist position, which is now widely seen as offering a viable alternative to move positivism and postmodernism. This revised edition includes a new foreword.

In this article, Roy Bhaskar suggests how critical realism might facilitate the understanding of persons and improve their lives. He considers the implicit potentialities of persons and how they ca...

In _Philosophy and the Idea of Freedom_ Roy Bhaskar sets out to develop a critique of the work of Richard Rorty, who must be one of the most influential authors of recent decades. In a brilliant tour de force, Bhaskar shows how Rorty falls victim to the very epistemological problematic Rorty himself describes. Roy Bhaskar argues that Rorty’s account of science and knowledge is based on a half-truth. He sees the historicity of knowledge, but cannot sustain its (...) rationality or the reality of the objects it describes. The author further argues that Rorty’s problem-field replicates the Kantian resolution of the third antinomy: we are determined as material bodies, but free as discursive subjects. Rorty’s actualism makes human agency impossible. Developing his own critical realism, Bhaskar shows just where Rorty’s system comes unstuck, and how the philosophical problems to which it gives rise can be rationally resolved and explained. In this process Bhaskar utilizes his critique of Rorty to begin to elaborate his own alternative interpretation and critique of the philosophical conversation of the West. (shrink)

Interdisciplinarity and Climate Change is a major new book addressing one of the most challenging questions of our time. Its unique standpoint is based on the recognition that effective and coherent interdisciplinarity is necessary to deal with the issue of climate change, and the multitude of linked phenomena which both constitute and connect to it. In the opening chapter, Roy Bhaskar makes use of the extensive resources of critical realism to articulate a comprehensive framework for multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity and (...) cross-disciplinary understanding, one which duly takes account of ontological as well as epistemological considerations. Many of the subsequent chapters seek to show how this general approach can be used to make intellectual sense of the complex phenomena in and around the issue of climate change, including our response to it. Among the issues discussed, in a number of graphic and compelling studies, by a range of distinguished contributors, both activists and scholars, are: The dangers of reducing all environmental, energy and climate gas issues to questions of carbon dioxide emissions The problems of integrating natural and social scientific work and the perils of monodisciplinary tunnel vision The consequences of the neglect of issues of consumption in climate policy The desirability of a care-based ethics and of the integration of cultural considerations into climate policy The problem of relating theoretical knowledge to practical action in contemporary democratic societies Interdisciplinarity and Climate Change is essential reading for all serious students of the fight against climate change, the interactions between governmental bodies, and critical realism. (shrink)

The article is dedicated to the history of developing highly effective catalysts in the leading scientific institutions of Ukraine and explores the prerequisites for developing theories in physical chemistry, in particular those related to kinetics and catalysis. It highlights the significance of scientific discoveries at the turn of the 19th and 20th century and their application by native scientists to advance theoretical development in the field of chemistry. Special attention is paid to the works of Lev Pisarzhevskii, focusing on his (...) advancements in electronic chemistry and, in particular, the electronic theory of catalysis. The article also outlines current challenges in creating highly efficient catalysts for the chemical and light industry, emphasizing the importance of such indicators of catalysts as activity and selectivity. Drawing on historical, scientific and patent data, the study investigates the process of creating a highly efficient catalyst for obtaining acrylic acid from acrolein. This catalyst holds a great ractical importance for the production of various polymers in industrial conditions. It is shown that, as a result of research conducted by native scientists of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and the Chemistry Department of Kyiv State University, the catalyst K-2-5 was developed. The catalyst has good indicators for the industrial production of acrylic acid from acrolein. The authors also highlight works studying the properties of the obtained catalyst, specifically its porous structure, which is an important factor in catalytic processes. They extensively focus on the kinetic indicators of catalytic reactions that occur when using this catalyst. The article also emphasizes the relevance of these developments for advancing research in catalysis and chemical industrial production. (shrink)

У статті розглянуто питання концептуалізації традиції викладання риторики в системі освіти США. Простежено зв'язок концепції "риторичної культури" та впровадження в процес навчання новітніх медіатехнологій. Зроблено висновок про важливість концепції "риторичної культури" для педагогічної доктрини США.

Professor Yurii Duplenko passed away on October 18, 2024, at the age of 89.

У статті досліджується вплив науково-технічних досягнень, зокрема, сучасних мережевих комунікативно-інформаційних технологій на формування сітьової організації суспільства. Мережа, як нова якість соціальної комунікації, трансформує інститути і практики сучасного суспільства, формує новий посткласичний підхід до аналізу суспільства. Мережева організація суспільного життя має певні переваги щодо попередніх форм організації (централізованих та ієрархічних структур). Вона більш мобільна, децентралізована, гнучка, дещо змінює методи і способи управління. Мережі – більш рухливі і адаптивні форми організації, здатні зростати разом із своїм оточенням. В таких системах з багатьма розгалуженими (...) вузлами, як точок перетину ліній зв’язку легше здійснюється координація. Нова техніка і технологія, втілені в практику суспільного та індивідуального життя, породжують нові соціальні явища та їх нові якості. Мережа стає основою просторової структури соціального життя. Сучасне суспільство вибудовується за моделями, що задаються технологіями системної інтеграції процесів обробки і передачі інформації. (shrink)

This photo-essay analyzes the politics of dwelling of the inhabitants of ‘outcast’ Calcutta - the city that is the nightmare of urban planners and whose squalor, filth and poverty are taken to be indexes of the failure of the postcolonial urbanism as such. The city that turned itself into a barricade during the street-fighting years of the 1960s is now about to turn its back on its own subalterns (migrants from poorer areas), participating in urban cleansing drives that derive from (...) neo-liberal dictates. Showing that the squatters also dwell and forge solidarities underpinned by an ethic of survival, this essay draws attention to non-state political formations emerging out of the negotiations of the City Form with the non-civic but enabling life-forms prevalent in subaltern Calcutta. (shrink)

The article aims to study of one of the relevant issues in the field of the modern post-history, namely, the virtualization of society. The latter is considered as a result of the postmodern worldview and the simulative nature of knowledge about social reality. The subject of the research involves the forms of virtual culture reflected in today’s Ukrainian society. Given the specifics of the identified issue, the author of the article draws attention to the specific methodological apparatus of the research. (...) The narrative background of the research, as well as the principle of historicism, allows one to consider virtualization as a process of modelling social reality using computer technologies, whose image or prototype is a historical reality. It is important to note that the virtualization of society has a historical conditionality, which makes it possible to consider it as the next stage of the historical and cultural development of society. At the same time, the modern type of culture is a virtual culture, whose main creator and consumer is human. Its main feature is a pronounced innovative character. The main forms of Ukrainian society virtualization are focused on virtual communities and virtual states. Importantly, each of them mimics the social reality, whose prototype is an image characterizing the cultural identity of society. (shrink)

Now acknowledged as a classic in the philosophy of science, A Realist Theory of Science is one of the very few books to transform not only our understanding of science, but that of the nature of the world it studies. The book has inspired the multi-disciplinary and international movement of thought known as critical realism. Re-issued with a new introduction.

This unique collection of studies, based for the most part on transcripts of talks in India, Europe and America over the last five years, covers the period in which Roy Bhaskar was developing out of the seeds of the most radical phase of critical realism, his new philosophy of meta-Reality. Because of the spontaneous and informal nature of these talks and discussions, this book provides probably the most immediately accessible introduction to his thought, both for those new to it (...) and those already familiar with it alike. (shrink)

Building on its origins at a seminar in Oslo organized by two of the editors, this book combines classic texts of Nordic ecophilosophy and the original contributions of those influenced by this tradition to present the view that critical realism is indeed a worthy intellectual tradition to carry forward and further develop the work of the founders of Nordic ecophilosophy. It was clear at the seminar that there was a promising convergence of interests and themes in the two approaches; while (...) at the same time, within the Nordic ecophilosophical tradition, there was appreciation of the capacity of critical realism, with its provision of a robust philosophical ontology and generation of totalizing immanent critiques of Western philosophy, to provide an expansive and secure home for the development of ecophilosophical work generally. If there is a single overarching theme of critical realist philosophy, it surely must be that of the unity of theory and practice, which Bhaskar, following Hegel, has also called "seriousness". This makes the applicability, relevance and actionability of critical realism key considerations for critical realists. There can be no doubt that this concern was shared fully by the Nordic ecophilosophers; and this quality of "seriousness" is a striking feature of the Nordic contributions presented in this book. (shrink)

The thesis that Protestantism in general, and Calvinism in particular, are in some particularly close relationship with capitalism, just as it existed between capitalism and feudalism, has become a common accepted truth of historical interpretation, despite the modifications that this theory has undergone since Max Weber first formulated it.

Religious and moral ideas are the basis of those social, political and economic relations, with the apology of which stands for Catholicism.The ethic of social ideas, according to Catholic theorists, makes it possible to better perform the "presence" of the church in all social systems. John Paul II formulates this task in the following way: "Christians must spread the social doctrine that is based on the gospel, which the churches have proclaimed always, but even to a greater extent, over the (...) past hundred years. This doctrine relates above all to moral principles, because without them the so-called social question can never be resolved. ". (shrink)

This volume is a 'stand alone' follow up and companion to the forthcoming volume Metatheory for the 21st-Century: Critical Realism and Integral Theory in Dialogue. Whereas Vol. I is primarily theoretical in its focus, this volume (Vol. II) will build on many of the theoretical foundations laid in Vol. I while applying them more concretely and practically to addressing the complex planetary crises of a new era that many scholars now refer to as 'the Anthropocene.' We live in a time (...) when humanity's powers have become so powerful and ubiquitous that our impact on nature has literally reached tectonic proportions. Welcome to the Anthropocene (Crutzen, 2002): a new epoch marked by the profound and far-reaching causal power of human, social life in shaping the trajectory of Earth system processes, including the climate system. The state of the world is thus profoundly influenced by the shortcomings of our dominant philosophies and metatheories and the collective self-understanding(s) they have produced. A key aim of this volume is thus to develop metatheoretical applications that serve emancipatory praxis toward a flourishing world. This volume will be of interest to upper-undergraduate and post-graduate students of philosophy, sociology and critical realism. (shrink)

The article is devoted to the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence functioning. The problem of the safe coexistence of man and artificial intelligence is taking on increasing importance. The definition of artificial intelligence and the explanation of the difference between weak, strong artificial intelligence and super-intelligence are given. The first ethical problem of artificial intelligence functioning is the existential question of human redundancy due to the spread of artificial intelligence. The article emphasizes that artificial intelligence, on the one hand, frees (...) a person from certain areas of activity, facilitating their existence, on the other hand, it makes them superfluous in production and in personal life. The second is the problem of responsibility for the actions of artificial intelligence. The article argues for the necessity of human responsibility for the actions of artificial intelligence because artificial intelligence does not have consciousness. The third problem is the intensification of the phenomenon of stupidity in society. Artificial intelligence creates the conditions for the increasing cleverness of some segments of the population and stupidity of others, which can result in even greater mental and property inequality. (shrink)

Purpose This study aims to address the existing knowledge gap by investigating teachers’ adoption of ChatGPT for educational purposes. The study specifically focuses on identifying the factors that motivate and inhibit teachers in adoption of ChatGPT in higher education institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach This research has used interpretative phenomenological analysis – a qualitative approach. Through in-depth interviews among the teachers, data was collected to identify the motivating and inhibiting factors that impacted teachers’ willingness to adopt ChatGPT. The data was collected from (...) 48 teachers working across HEIs of Uttarakhand region in India. Findings The analysis revealed seven themes under motivating factors that encourage teachers to adopt ChatGPT for their educational purposes. These include time factor, tool for competitive edge, learning enhancement tool for students, research facilitator, benefits in educational settings, troubleshooter and easy to use. On the other hand, inhibiting factors comprise five themes, which include technical difficulties, limited features for educational and research purposes, tool for handicapping innovation and creativity, lack of personal touch and ethical considerations. Practical implications The findings will be valuable for HEIs in establishing policies that promote the appropriate and effective use of ChatGPT. Moreover, the study provides recommendations to ChatGPT solution providers for improving ChatGPT services for effective adoption of ChatGPT among teachers and implementation at HEIs. Further, it contributes to the body of literature by filling a knowledge gap about teacher adoption of ChatGPT in the HEIs. Through qualitative research, the study has pinpointed specific motivating and inhibiting factors that affect teacher adoption of ChatGPT. Originality/value Unlike previous studies that primarily explored the potential advantages and drawbacks of ChatGPT in education, this research study delves deeper into the topic. It makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of ChatGPT adoption among teachers by identifying distinct factors that either motivate or inhibit teachers from adopting ChatGPT for job related purposes. The study provides novel insights that were previously mislaid, thereby introducing a fresh perspective to the existing literature. (shrink)

The perception of reality by biosystems is based on different, and in certain respects more effective, principles than those utilized by the more formal procedures of science. As a result, what appears as random pattern to the scientific method can be meaningful pattern to a living organism. The existence of this complementary perception of reality makes possible in principle effective use by organisms of the direct interconnections between spatially separated objects shown to exist in the work of J. S. Bell.

Стаття присвячена аналізу політичної ситуації на Сході України, дослідженню причин військового конфлікту в даному регіоні. Проаналізована програма суспільно-політичного руху "Партія Новоросія". Досліджено стратегію консервативної модернізації в Росії, що включає в себе: по-перше, консолідацію еліт, по-друге, безкомпромісну боротьбу з моральним виправданням порушень писаного закону, по-третє, рух до реалістичного законодавства. Автор доходить висновку про існування реального протиріччя між політичними сподіваннями деяких жителів ДНР та ЛНР на реставрацію соціалізму й реальними перетвореннями в самій Росії, які не мають жодного відношення до соціалістичних.

The purpose of the article is the deployment of the philosophem of “death of man” in the films by M. Haneke. Such a statement of the problem is due to the understanding of art as the ground of philosophy that was to a certain extent already proclaimed by Nietzsche. The art provides such means of relation to the truth, which are deprived of rigid conceptualization and are working basing on the freedom of both the author and the recipient. This is (...) characteristic of the non-classical type of philosophy. In XX–XXI centuries special care is taken over the elimination of subjectivist excessive theorizing, while retaining the attention to the experience of consciousness, phenomenology provides its version of attention to the true meaning with its intention to the reduction of redundant constructions and the discovery of the face and voice of intentional objectivity. If verbal art certainly tends to verbalized judgment, then the cinema provides the possibility of holistic visual, auditory and semantic perception. Novelty is due to this approach, when the appeal to the cinema is carried out in the interests of philosophy: we get the opportunity to get into the advanced experience, avoiding verbal transcription. This provides the possibility of implementing a philosophical set on critical thinking in the Kantian sense of understanding of the primordial principles invisible in everyday life. Haneke builds his cinema as an open question without a direct answer, which has the purpose of excite the mind and consciousness of the viewer. The active agent of the events is the moral dimension of personal life. According to Haneke, it is in this that one can see the foundations of human existence, the ineffectiveness of the moral and ethical dimension eliminates human in man, which becomes identical with death. Haneke’s interest in truth and contradiction is realized as a radical inquiry about the principles of civilization, which is exacerbated when the usual way of life is destroyed and the system of values does not work. The idea of European civilization moving beyond its own limits possesses not always clearly identified foundations. Contrary to the technocratic variants of the Übermensch as a posthuman, philosophical cinema Haneke returns the significance of personality-existential ethical practices, which involve critique and analytical comprehension of the principles of their own existence. (shrink)