BM 76829, a fragment from the mid-section of a small tablet from Sippar in Late Babylonian script, preserves what remains of two new unparalleled pieces from the cuneiform astronomical repertoire relating to the zodiac. The text on the obverse assigns numerical values to sectors assigned to zodiacal signs, while the text on the reverse seems to relate zodiacal signs with specific days or intervals of days. The system used on the obverse also presents a new way of representing the concept (...) of numerical ‘zero’ in cuneiform, and for the first time in cuneiform, a system for dividing the horizon into six arcs in the east and six arcs in the west akin to that used in the Astronomical Book of Enoch. Both the obverse and the reverse may describe the periodical courses of the sun and moon, in a similar way to what is found in astronomical texts from Qumran, thus adding to our knowledge of the scientific relationship between the two cultures. (shrink)

This article confronts the challenges and opportunities presented by medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) representing families impacted by the family regulation system. Based on the authors’ experience developing a collaboration between a medical-legal partnership, interdisciplinary law school clinic and nurse home visiting program focused on clients impacted by the family regulation system, the article challenges traditional conceptions of the MLP model and proposes an expanded vision for MLPs to address systemic injustice and improve outcomes for families.

Kathy Acker’s work has been praised for the way it highlights the transformative potential of the body in contact with the world. Often, however, such contact also reminds us of the danger involved in the use of the body to disrupt social convention. “Bodies at Liberty” mines this tension, considering Acker alongside three contemporary theorists – Michel Serres, Jean-Luc Nancy, and Mari Ruti – whose disparate theories of embodiment each offer accounts of exposure, vulnerability, and relation as strategies for envisioning (...) human frailty as grounds for meaning-making in our lives. Read together, these texts become examples of the body’s ways of guiding our attention toward new paradigms for thriving and bonding in precarious times. (shrink)

What are Platonic ideas? What actual necessity is there for the supposition of such entities? What is their relation to the human soul? These questions form the core of this book. First, the Theory of Ideas is developed. Then, questions are posed as to how knowledge of ideas is possible and what meaning such ideas have practically in our lives. Then a unified concept of the soul is developed on the basis of the theoretical and practical aspects of Plato's philosophy.

Navigating conflict in healthcare settings can be challenging for all parties involved. Here, we analyse disputes about the provision of healthcare to patients, specifically exploring how mediation might be used to resolve disputes where healthcare professionals may disagree with the patient themselves or the patient's family about what healthcare is in the patient's best interests. Despite concerns about compromise over the patient's best interests, there is often room for the parties to come together and think about how the dispute might (...) be resolved in a way that is acceptable to all. It is in this space where mediation might step in. We set out the potential benefits and risks of mediation in this article, and argue that there is a need for clearer, empirically grounded evidence on the use of mediation in healthcare disputes. (shrink)

It was only recently that people began to refer to God, occasionally, as “she.” Is it now possible to re-imagine divine power as a female force deeply related to the changing world? If so, then we can understand the deeper meaning of female images of divine power including depictions such as “The Goddess.” Carol Christ offers a new look at these female images of God in She Who Changes . She shows how many traditional ideas about divine power reject (...) the female body and connection to the natural world. She looks at the work of female theologians in Judaism, Christianity, and various religions that worship "The Goddess" to explore the way in which they are re-imagining both divine and human power as embodied both in a changing world and deeply related to all beings. (shrink)

Carol P. Christ reflects on her influential essay ‘Why Women Need the Goddess,’ responding to misinterpretations and arguing that women, men, and other living things still need the symbol of Goddess. As long as ‘Goddess’ and ‘God-She,’ like the word ‘feminist’ are controversial, we still have a long way to go before we as a culture can fully accept female power as a beneficent and independent power.

Carol P. Christ discusses her new multi-pronged definition of patriarchy as an integral system: male dominance is enforced by violence which is a product of war; the control of female sexuality ensures the transfer private property and slaves which are the spoils of war in the male line; and the system as a whole is legitimated by religion. She argues, based on the new research on matriarchies that patriarchy is not eternal or universal, but that it arose in history, (...) and is inseparable from the rise of warfare and other forms of domination. (shrink)

This article seeks evidence of Herodotus's conception of his historical enterprise in the recurring scenes in which he portrays barbarian kings as inquirers and investigators. Through these scenes-involving most notably Psammetichus, Etearchus, Croesus, Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, and Xerxes-the historian not only explores the character of autocrats, but also holds up a mirror to his own activity as inquirer. Once we recognize the metahistorical dimension of Herodotus's representation of inquiring kings, we can better understand the scenes in which these figures appear (...) and the historian who sees his own enterprise reflected or distorted in their efforts. I argue first that the tale of Darius's inquiry concerning the Paeonian wonder-woman is a paradigmatic Herodotean treatment of kingly inquiry in the way the historian both identifies with, and distances himself from, his kingly investigator. I then assess kingly research under three headings that reflect some of the many ways that Herodotean kings use and abuse investigation: Measurement and Self-Aggrandizement; Exploration and Conquest; Trial, Torture, and Test. Under the final rubric, kingly experiments are the focus, some involving human subjects , others involving the divine . Herodotus's extensive analysis of inquiring kings indicates that any earlier investigator-measurer, explorer, or experimenter-is a potential rival for him. If Herodotus is conscious that he is following in the footsteps of inquiring kings, however, his critique of their techniques and motives suggests that his inquiry is intellectually and ethically superior to theirs. Ultimately, then, Herodotus's exploration of regal investigation helps both to define and to lend authority to the historiê that he undertakes in the Histories. (shrink)

In this article Carol Christ illustrates the ways in which process philosophy offers dynamic alternatives to dualistic habits of thought. She highlights how the Goddess is the most relational in the process and therefore the most sympathetic to the unfolding of the universe and those who inhabit it, human and non-human alike. Change she asserts is good, indeed divine, a statement in bold contrast to the Western tradition which attempts to fix and control all things. The individual and her (...) relationship to the environment becomes an active process, with neither reduced to mere things, and both ever changing in relationship. The article offers a resounding challenge to those still stuck in dualistic metaphysics and the world that springs from them. (shrink)

The article presents a dialogue between Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow. It argues that a process metaphysic provides an alternative to the Christian liberation paradigm and could help feminists in religion to articulate alternatives to the concept of God as a dominant male other found in classical theism. A shared metaphysic could help feminists in different religious traditions to recognize common concerns and commitments, to guard against claims of uniqueness and exclusivity of religious traditions, and to engage with (...) the complexities of diversity. Anticipating arguments against a feminist process paradigm, the dialogue addresses further questions: Is the idea of divinity as unfailing sympathy too good to be true? How do we explain bad things happening – is divinity evil as well as good? How does a process idea of divine sympathy differ from the traditional notions of God as love? Other issues considered are: self-sacrifice as love; the place of anger in a relational theology; co-creation and power with versus over. In conclusion the author suggests that the foundation of a shared spiritual feminist ethic would be understanding that life in the body is to be enjoyed by all and accepting responsibility to co-create a more just and harmonious world. (shrink)

In this article Carol P. Christ states that ‘thealogy matters’ because religious symbols not only articulate meaning but also provide orientation for ethical decision-making. Rejecting the notions that religious meaning is delivered from on high and that traditions must be uncritically accepted, she proposes a model of ‘embodied theology’ in which individuals and communities take responsibility for religious worldviews. She asks us to question Jungian theories of the feminine, images of the Goddess in patriarchal traditions, models of ritual practice (...) in the Wiccan tradition as articulated by Gerald Garner, and the idea of divine omnipotence modelled on the ‘tyrant ideal’ of God. She explores two ways in which process panentheism can help us to understand the divine power we call Goddess. (shrink)

Several features of this compact passage have puzzled scholars ever since the discovery of the Aristotelian Constitution of the Athenians a century ago. First, did the Athenian Assembly really deliberate on all these disparate matters in the chief meeting of the sixth prytany, and if so, why? Second, why did it limit complaints against sycophants to a total of six divided equally between citizens and metics? Since the answers we give to these questions are fundamental to our understanding of basic (...) Athenian institutions, they deserve careful consideration. This paper will argue that the Assembly did deliberate on these matters at the same meeting and indeed that this was natural, since they are all symbolic, as well as practical, instruments for controlling behaviour inimical to the demos' interests. It will also suggest that the limitation on probolai against citizen and metic sycophants was introduced to safeguard against the sort of abuse of the label ‘sycophant’ that took place under the regime of the Thirty, and that the measures described in Ath. Pol. 43.5 were, therefore, most likely linked together in the early years of the restored democracy. (shrink)

Betr. u.a. Erasmus und die Reformation in Basel.

Les raisons pour lesquelles Durkheim a pris parti contre le rétablissement du divorce par consentement mutuel ne sauraient se réduire à son désintérêt pour la cause des femmes : il y va de l’institution du statut de personnes à chacun. Si la division sexuelle du travail au sein du couple marié possède cette vertu et si l’institution du mariage protège les partenaires, tel n’est pas le cas au niveau de la division du travail social. Ceci a des effets sur la (...) sexualité des hommes, engendrant une souffrance toute particulière tandis que les femmes n’en sont pas affectées. Leur interdire le divorce semble alors une exigence de justice sociale tant que la division du travail reste anomique et/ou n’intègre pas les femmes. Les analyses de Durkheim constituent une conceptualisation nouvelle du terme de liberté moderne qui permet encore aujourd’hui d’éclairer les demandes d’un élargissement de l’état matrimonial. (shrink)

W. R. Connor has argued that Theopompus' critical attacks on almost all the leading figures in Greek history suggest he was writing a ‘history without heroes’. This article will argue that a similar principle applies to Theopompus' attitude towards Herodotus and other earlier historians: all fell short of his ideal, and, in the final analysis, Theopompus had but one literary hero: himself. Theopompus' mysterious Epitome of Herodotus, I will suggest, is best taken not as an independent work, but as a (...) portion of the Philippika in which Theopompus incorporated and adapted a significant body of Herodotean material. This fact, taken together with Theopompus' polemical statements about his predecessors, suggests that Theopompus boldly challenged Herodotus on his own turf, confident he could improve upon him. (shrink)

Unlike so many present-day historians, Momigliano did not proceed according to the absolute dogmas of a new program of historical scholarship, method, or perspective. Rather, his scholarly work grew organically from the connection between personal initiatives and existential forces. Momigliano's lifelong theme was the historical dimension of the contacts among cultures, religions, and civilization. He made no absolute claims for his own method. His scholarly works are briefly summarized, including: his concern with the problematic of Johann Gustav Droysen's position and (...) of Hellenism in general; his general review of the Italian investigations into Greek history and examination of the structure of the history of the Imperium Romanum; his activities during the years at Oxford; and his inaugural lecture as professor of ancient history at University College London in 1952, as well as the wide variety of individual studies which followed. Momigliano welcomed the worldwide expansion of scholarly work in his field, but saw more clearly and earlier than others the dangers that grew with the field. In his view, only the safeguarding of the historical foundations and precise knowledge of the history of historiography solidly based on them would ensure the continuation of historical scholarship. (shrink)

Bringing together leading scholars in contemporary social and political philosophy, this volume takes up the central themes of Axel Honneth’s work as a starting point for debating the present and future of critical theory, as a form of socially grounded philosophy for analyzing and critiquing society today.

This paper lays out the case for a new metaphysics to underpin feminist work in religion, one that is experientially-based, relational and inherently open. The author suggests that the work of process philosophers, Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne can provide a starting point for this venture. The author is mindful of the justified criticism that neither of these men paid attention to issues related to women and that philosophy in general has been an elitist male bastion. Nevertheless she is (...) insistent that metaphysical clarity is needed or feminist thealogies and theologies run the risk of becoming easily ignored or refuted assertions. (shrink)

I hope to open a wider dialogue between process philosophy and feminist spirituality. Process philosophy can help us to articulate the philosophical implications of feminist revisionings of divine power. Feminist spirituality can help us to understand the wider implications of process philosophy's rethinking of finitude, relationship, the body, and nature.

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:American Journal of Philology 124.1 (2003) 146-149 [Access article in PDF] Ryan K. Balot. Greed and Injustice in Classical Athens. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001. xii + 291 pp. Cloth, $39.50. This study, which originated as a Princeton doctoral dissertation, explores how greed and injustice figure in selected texts from Homer to Aristotle and how these two concepts are woven into Athenian history, especially in the oligarchic episodes of (...) the late fifth century B.C. Balot breaks new ground in exploring how a range of authors employs the concepts of greed and injustice to analyze relations within the polis and between city-states. The result is a stimulating account of the centrality and malleability of these ideas in Hellenic and, more particularly, Athenian thinking. While this study passes over many Athenian texts that might illuminate its topic and contributes more to intellectual history than to political or social history, it provides insights into the texts on which it focuses.In his introductory chapter, Balot states that "Greed is central to ancient Athenian history, ideology, and political thought. It motivated political action and occupied the attention of contemporary analysts of civic conflict and imperialism" (1). His goal, he says, is "to explain how the social practices of greed gave rise to a sophisticated discourse and how, in turn, that discourse shaped and stimulated cultural practices, self-representations, and political behavior in a particularly important period of Athenian history" (5)—i.e., the oligarchic revolutions of 411 and 404 B.C. Balot observes that in a Hellenic context, "greed" (which is sometimes, but not always, designated by the term pleonexia) is a concept normally used to criticize others either from a societal perspective, because a greedy agent violates canons of fair distribution, or from an ethical perspective, because the greedy individual has an "impoverished conception of what it means to live as a human being" (1); in this study, he is interested primarily in the societal perspective. He emphasizes that we should be attuned to greed as "one of the most powerful evaluative tools in the arsenal of Athenian rhetoric" (7), and that behind the archaic and classical discourse on greed lies social conflict over what constitutes fair distribution within society. Having sketched out some of the features of "greed" in a Hellenic setting, Balot surveys perspectives on greed from Rome to the Middle Ages and modern America. While this provides a broader context for his study, the brevity of the treatment does not allow much depth of analysis.Balot begins his discussion of ancient texts in chapter 2, "Greed in Aristotle's Political Thought." His rationale for starting with Aristotle, who comes at the end [End Page 146] of the tradition with which he is concerned, is that "Aristotle's analysis provides a powerful theoretical model that can then be tested and played off against earlier discussions of and cultural practices deriving from greed" (22-23). Balot discusses in detail Aristotle's psychological and social analyses of greed in his Nicomachean Ethics and Politics, with special attention to his difficulties in reconciling these different perspectives on greed. There is perhaps too much joy in Aristotle for Aristotle's sake here (Balot acknowledges in his introduction that this chapter contains the most technical discussion in the book), and what emerges is not so much a theoretical model as a series of questions and problems raised by Aristotle's analyses. Given the difficulty of the material and the specifically Aristotelian context in which it must be set, it might have been better to treat it at the end of the book as a retrospect on the earlier tradition.In chapter 3, "Solonian Athens and the Archaic Roots of Greed," Balot first discusses how Homer and Hesiod explore individual acquisitiveness and the threat that it poses to distributive justice within a community. He nicely takes Homer's portrayal of the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles in the Iliad as paradigmatic for later discussions of greed, both in its treatment of individual greed as a social problem and in Achilles' use of the "rhetoric of greed" against... (shrink)