Feminist philosophers of religion have drawn attention to desire as a neglected category for approaching the sources and concerns of religion. This paper extends this discussion by engaging with one particularly disturbing aspect of the writings of the Marquis de Sade. In a world where ultimate sexual pleasure is derived from destruction of the Other, Sade glories in describing the suffering of mothers, often at the hands of their own children. This paper offers one possible reading of these dark desires (...) through employing aspects of psychoanalytic theory to suggest that, rather than isolate him from the majority of humanity, we might consider possible connections between the desires he details and our own. This involves considering the ambivalence of the mother, and thus challenging the idealization of the all-caring, all-nurturing mother. (shrink)

This exciting textbook combines a clear introduction to the themes traditionally covered in the philosophy of religion with contemporary developments in the discipline. The combination of traditional and alternative approaches makes it the most innovative introduction to the area currently available, while a range of exercises and student features provide a lively and accessible approach to the discipline. Most introductions to the philosophy of religion turn out, in practice, to be philosophic defences of religious belief, concentrating solely on the theistic (...) tradition. This book differs from such an approach by offering a range of alternative views and in particular by examining the human dimension of religion and religious belief. Thus alongside helpful clarifications of such traditional issues as arguments of the existence of God, the problem of evil, and immortality, this book also addresses more neglected areas like natural histories of religion, feminist approaches, and revisionary accounts of religious belief. The book ends with reflections on the future of religion. _The Philosophy of Religion_ will be essential reading for all students of the subject as well as the interested lay reader. (shrink)

This new edition of The Philosophy of Religion will continue to be essential reading for all students and practitioners of the subject.

From some of the great philosophers of the Western tradition: "The Devils gateway" --Tertullian "A misbegotten male" --Aquinas "Big children their whole life long" --Schopenhauer The roots of philosophical misogyny in the writings of thinkers from the ancient Greeks through the modern age are exposed and explored in this collection. Beverley Clack questions whether the wisdom of these philosophers can be separated from the misogyny, and whether feminists should seek an alternative to the Western philosophical canon. This collection (...) offers chronological evidence of how the great male thinkers debated the question of woman, provides and introduction of each thinker. The philosophers included are: Plato, Aristotle, Tertullian, Augustine, Aquinas, Kramer, Sprenger, Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Rousseau, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Freud, Weininger, Spengler and Lucas. (shrink)

For centuries people have debated the nature of the human self. Running beneath these various arguments lie three certainties - we are born, reproduce sexually, and die. The models of spirituality which dominate the Western tradition have claimed that it is possible to transcend these aspects of human physicality by ascribing to human beings alternative traits, such as consciousness, mind and reason. By locating the essence of human life outside its basic physical features, mortality itself has come to be viewed (...) as a problem, for it appears to render human life both meaningless and absurd. Complex connections have then been made between the key features of life: sex is linked with death, and birth becomes the event that introduces the child to the world of decay - and ultimately to death itself. This fascinating book exposes the way in which the preoccupation with transcendence in both religious and secular thinking has distorted our sense of what it is to be human. At the same time, Sex and Death offers an alternative approach to the debate, based on an acceptance of mortality that emphasizes the depth and profundity possible in human life. It is an argument which will be essential reading for students of philosophy or religion, as well as the general reader interested in these debates. (shrink)

Philosophers of religion have tended to focus on Freud’s dismissal of religion as an illusion, thus characterising his account as primarily hostile. Those who wish to engage with psychoanalytic ideas in order to understand religion in a more positive way have tended to look to later psychoanalysts for more sympathetic sources. This paper suggests that other aspects of Freud’s own writings might, surprisingly, provide such tools. In particular, a more subtle understanding of the relationship between illusion and reality emerges in (...) his theory, that itself offers a useful way of understanding the meaning and significance of religion for the human animal. By exploring these sources a view of religion emerges which connects it closely with the processes of imagination and creativity. Under this view, religion is more than just a set of hypotheses to be proved or disproved. In religion, we have access to the most deeply rooted wishes and anxieties of the human heart, and thus its investigation enables a deeper understanding of what it is to be a human being. (shrink)

This article begins with personal reflections on becoming a feminist. I reflect on the way my feminism has shaped my work as an academic and writer. Particular attention is paid to the importance of restating feminist principles for a turbulent age where the gains of the women’s movement are under threat. If these reflections aim to restate feminist claims for the present and future, the reflections that follow from a number of young women suggest ways in which the Next Generation (...) are also thinking again – or perhaps for the first time – about the claims of feminism and the relevance to their lives. (shrink)

This article considers the relationship between philosophy of religion and an approach to the study of religion, which prioritises the experience of lived religion. Considering how individuals and communities live out their faith challenges some of the assumptions of analytic philosophers of religion regarding the position the philosopher should adopt when approaching the investigation of religion. If philosophy is understood principally as a means for analysing belief, it will have little space for an engagement with what it feels like to (...) live out one’s faith. (shrink)

Pamela Sue Anderson's A Feminist Philosophy of Religion and Grace Jantzen's Becoming Divine: Towards a Feminist Philosophy of Religion set the tone for subsequent feminist philosophies of religion. This Element builds upon the legacy of their investigations, revisiting and extending aspects of their work for a contemporary context struggling with the impact of 'post-truth' forms of politics. Reclaiming the power of collective action felt in religious community and the importance of the struggle for truth enables a changed perspective on the (...) world, itself necessary to realise the feminist desire for more flourishing forms of life and relationship crucial to feminist philosophy of religion. (shrink)

At one place in his collection of essays The Crane Bag and Other Disputed Subjects, the novelist and mythographer Robert Graves makes the following claim that might sound rather shocking to the ears of an analytic philosopher:I find myself far more at home with mildly superstitious people – sailors and miners, for instance – than with stark rationalists. They have more humanity.

Feminist philosophy of religion as a subject of study has developed in recent years because of the identification and exposure of explicit sexism in much of the traditional philosophical thinking about religion. This struggle with a discipline shaped almost exclusively by men has led feminist philosophers to redress the problematic biases of gender, race, class and sexual orientation of the subject. Anderson and Clack bring together new and key writings on the core topics and approaches to this growing field. (...) Each essay exhibits a distinctive theoretical approach and appropriate insights from the fields of literature, theology, philosophy, gender and cultural studies. Beginning with a general introduction, part one explores important approaches to the feminist philosophy of religion, including psychoanalytic, poststructualist, postmetaphysical, and epistemological frameworks. In part two the authors survey significant topics including questions of divinity, embodiment, autonomy and spirituality, and religious practice. Supported by explanatory prefaces and an extensive bibliography which is organized thematically, Feminist Philosophy of Religion is an important resource for this new area of study. (shrink)

This paper considers the impact that the practices of friendship might have on shaping philosophical activity in the twenty-first century. To consider what it means to practise philosophy necessitates understanding the effect that the structures of the contemporary university have on philosophical enquiry. Maintaining the historic sense of the university as a place where conversations take place which aim at deepening the understanding of one’s world is increasingly difficult in universities structured by the imperatives of the neoliberal economic policies of (...) the last forty years. The model of friendship, because it is both personal and conversational, has the power to reinvigorate not just the practice of philosophy but also the understanding of the university as a place for deep learning. (shrink)

This paper suggests ways in which a philosophy modelled as dance provides the means of challenging political structures that emphasise control and constraint at the expense of spontaneity and creativity. Through combining Arendt’s claim that spontaneity is the quintessential human quality with Nietzsche’s modelling of philosophy as disruptive dancing, the possibilities of modelling philosophy as dance are explored. Envisaging philosophical practice in this way provides a corrective to the prioritising of certainty in philosophical method, thus enabling further reflection on what (...) it means to promote human flourishing. (shrink)

Consumer economies of late capitalist societies have come to be dominated by a powerful cultural narrative of the successful life. Success has increasingly been defined in terms of material attainment, the achievement of status and what might be described, in popular language, as the pursuit of the ‘snazzy life’. This model of what constitutes ‘the good life’ avoids recognizing the shadow that haunts such narratives; namely the possibility that one may not succeed and as a result be deemed a failure. (...) This paper suggests that engaging with the often neglected theme of failure enables a contemporary feminist theology of loss to emerge; a theology that helps, moreover, to shape richer understandings of what it might mean to live a ‘good’ life. (shrink)

Feminists have challenged the claim that gender is irrelevant to the discussion of evil and suffering in the world. This chapter considers a range of approaches offered by feminists to the problem of evil, suggesting something of the innovation that considering gender issues bring to the discussion of evil. In describing a variety of feminist perspectives, I intend to highlight the way in which feminist theories invariably turn to the practical solutions that might be made to evil and suffering in (...) our world. (shrink)

This book is a collection of chapters on contemporary philosophy of religion by a wide range of authors: Beverley Clack; John Manoussakis; Nick Trakakis; Trent Dougherty; Logan Paul Gage; Genia Schonbaumsfeld; Harriet Harris; Karyn Lai; Imran Aijaz; Monima Chadha; John Bishop; Jerome Gellman; Mark Wynn; Bryan Frances; Ed Feser; Michael Scott; Roger M. White; David Bartholomew; Kevin Hart; Victoria Harrison; Marci Hamilton; Medhi Aminrazavi; Daniel McKaughan; Michael Smith; David Oderberg; Neil Levy; Michael Levine; Christopher Toner; Rob Koons; Todd (...) Tremlin; and Neil Manson. (shrink)

The Infectious Disease Ontology (IDO) is a suite of interoperable ontology modules that aims to provide coverage of all aspects of the infectious disease domain, including biomedical research, clinical care, and public health. IDO Core is designed to be a disease and pathogen neutral ontology, covering just those types of entities and relations that are relevant to infectious diseases generally. IDO Core is then extended by a collection of ontology modules focusing on specific diseases and pathogens. In this paper we (...) present applications of IDO Core within various areas of infectious disease research, together with an overview of all IDO extension ontologies and the methodology on the basis of which they are built. We also survey recent developments involving IDO, including the creation of IDO Virus; the Coronaviruses Infectious Disease Ontology (CIDO); and an extension of CIDO focused on COVID-19 (IDO-CovID-19).We also discuss how these ontologies might assist in information-driven efforts to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, to accelerate data discovery in the early stages of future pandemics, and to promote reproducibility of infectious disease research. (shrink)

Explanations of how identity is constructed are fundamental to contemporary debates in feminism and social theory. In this important addition to the literature, Beverley Skeggs demonstrates that class needs to be featured more prominently in theoretical accounts of gender, identity, and power. Class has been marginalized in feminist and cultural theory and it has become increasingly difficult to teach, research, or speak about class. Formations of Class and Gender identifies the neglect of class issues in favor of gender issues, (...) and shows how class and gender must be fused together to produce an accurate representation of power relations in modern society. In a sustained examination of the production of knowledge, detailed ethnographic research is used to explain how ôrealö women modify and reformulate our understanding of class, subjectivity, and sexuality. A critical examination of cultural representationùinformed by recent feminist theory and the work of Pierre BourdieuùFormations of Class and Gender is an articulate demonstration of how to translate theory into practice. Engaged with theoretical and methodological issues, this will be the standard referenced ethnography on class and gender. It will be required reading for students and researchers in womenÆs studies and sociology. (shrink)

C.S. Peirce, the American philosopher and a principal figure in the development of the modern study of semiotics, struggled, mostly during his later years, to work out a systematic method for classifying sciences. By doing this, he hoped to define more clearly the various tasks of these sciences by showing how their individual effects are interrelated and how these effects, considered in their interrelations, establish pragmatic meanings for each individual science. Much of his work was centered on the meaning and (...) function of logic in relation to other areas of human knowledge. By rightly defining the work of logic, Peirce argued, the work of the other sciences could be pursued with more rigorous reasoning. Beverley Kent closely examines the published and unpublished writings of Peirce and carefully attends to the chronological development of his systems of classification; she thereby shows for the first time in the scholarly literature how seeming contradictions in Peirce's evolving classification are really part of an increasingly clear position. Logic, Peirce came to understand, is actually dependent on ethics and aesthetics for its principles. Kent shows how Peirce's working out of the classification of logic in relation to other sciences is a clue to the significant differences between his early and late philosophy and, perhaps even more important, to a reading of his more general claims for a philosophy of "pragmaticism." This work will be of interest to readers of Peirce and American philosophy, to historians of logic and semiotics, and to those more generally interested in the history of systems of knowledge-classification. (shrink)

Museums are essential for improving cultural understanding and instruction. Exhibitions showcasing ethnic cultures provide insightful perspectives on many cultures and civilizations. These educational opportunities can be made as effective as possible by assessing their influence on visitor satisfaction.Investigation into the impact of ethnic culture exhibitions on audience pleasure, participation, and comprehension is lacking, despite their significance. By investigating how these displays affect visitors' knowledge acquisition and participation, the study seeks to close this disparity.Utilizing a combined methods technique that integrated quantitative (...) surveys with qualitative comments, the study polled 62 museum visitors who had attended ethnic cultural exhibitions. The questionnaire evaluated knowledge of culture, instructional impact, involvement, and tourist pleasure. Data analysis using the SPSS software was utilized to analyze how different factors affect results and find significant indicators by doing logistic and multinomial logistic regression. This study discovered a substantial correlation between improved knowledge of culture and exhibition participation, as well as a significant improvement in visitor satisfaction and educational results when interactive components and cultural content are included. Through the use of interactive material, ethnic culture exhibitions improve the educational experience and increase visitor happiness. Museums ought to take demographic factors into account while planning different exhibitions for the future. (shrink)

Background: Visual arts education has been suggested to influence cognitive and behavioral outcomes, yet its specific effects on critical thinking and behavior regulation remain underexplored. The effect of visual arts education on these domains forms the topic of the present study, which employs a mixed approach research design. Aim: To assess the impact of visual arts education on the improvement of critical thinking and self-regulation in students. Methodology: A quasi-experimental approach was employed with 80 individuals, with 40 in the experimental (...) group Report Phrase receiving education in visual arts and 40 in the control group receiving non-visual arts education. CTST and BRI assessment tools were used to acquire quantitative data about the participants, utilizing the independent and paired sample T-tests. Data collected from participants include interviews, focus group discussions, self-administered, and thematic analysis. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyse the data. Result: Statistical findings depicted improvements in the quantitative aspect; critical thinking skills improved from 70.0 to 75.3 with p<0.001 and behavior regulation improved from 65.0 to 69.2 with p<0.001 in the experimental-group in contrast to the control-group. The thematic analysis found striking increases in attention, impulse control, task completion, creativity, collaboration, affect expression, and self-esteem of experimental-group participants. Based on the findings of the Repeated Measures ANOVA, significant enhancements were observed in both domains for critical thinking and behavior regulation with effect size estimates of 0.40 and 0.30, respectively. Conclusion: The development of critical thinking and behavior control in students is greatly impacted by art instruction. Quantitative and qualitative data both support the utility of using visual arts interventions for cognitive and behavioral development and inform practice in art education. (shrink)

The incorporation of technology into the training of foreign language teachers has garnered considerable interest among educators, who have increasingly acknowledged the inherent possibilities of innovative tools and applications in augmenting their professional growth. Notwithstanding, these tools allow educators to remain abreast of the most current pedagogical methodologies, augment their instructional expertise, and proficiently cater to the varied requirements of students. This study investigates the incorporation of these tools within the instructional program of educators specializing in foreign languages; with the (...) ultimate aim of unveiling the views of relevant stakeholders on how these tools aid in strengthening their professional growth. The study involved the participation of 107 individuals, comprising both foreign language university lecturers and teacher trainers. Furthermore, a quantitative method of analysis was adopted in analyzing the research data that was collated through the use of an online questionnaire. Several significant findings were made from the research data which were presented and analyzed. The research findings revealed that technology integration seamlessly paves the way for the professional development of foreign language educators. Also, a comprehensive training program, provision of ongoing professional development opportunities, peer collaboration, and establishment of feedback and evaluation mechanisms can aid in countering major limitations of the implementation of technology integration. (shrink)

Eine patientengerechte Versorgung ist ein hohes Ziel. Unangemessene Behandlung wie Unter- oder Überversorgung zu erkennen und zu vermeiden, stellt Ärztinnen/Ärzte und Pflegende am Krankenbett vor schwierige Entscheidungen. Hier ist die Entwicklung von praxistauglichen Orientierungshilfen angezeigt, die wissenschaftlichen Kriterien genügen und nicht allein auf Konsens beruhen. Die vorliegende Arbeit versucht, zentrale Normen zur Vermeidung von Über- und Unterversorgung zu formulieren und theoretisch zu fundieren. Dafür wird auf Basis einer Interessen-basierten Ethik eine Graduierung der Autonomie vorgenommen, indem zwischen schwacher und starker Autonomie (...) unterschieden wird. (shrink)

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the contribution of the CoG-K teachings to people’s participation in poverty alleviation in Emuhaya District, Western KenyaMethodology: This study was a cross-sectional research that sought to give an examining and descriptive scrutiny of the CoG-K’s activities in Emuhaya District of Western Kenya. This study sampled a total of 312 respondents (1 Bishop, 1 General Secretary, 1 General Assembly Trustee, 1 General Assembly Treasurer, 16 Directors, 282 Pastors, and 10 Elders) through purposive (...) sampling method. Oral interviews, questionnaire methods and focus group discussion were used to collect data from the respondents. Observation method was used to validate the information obtained through oral interviews and questionnaires. Secondary data was sourced from published and unpublished literature. Data was analyzed using the theological method of induction (TMI).Results: The findings of the study showed that the teachings of the CoG-K formed the basis by which social problems were viewed and addressed. This was revealed in the people’s participations in religious, social and economic activities in Emuhaya District. Consequently, the research established that the CoG-K’s teachings is a major force influencing efforts that promote religious values as an avenue for enhancing development at grassroots level where the majority of the poor live. Therefore, the contributions of the CoG-K’s teachings to people’s ideas about alleviation of poverty are closely connected to fundamental economic activities in Emuhaya District.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: It is recommended that if Emuhaya District is to develop, it has to place the CoG-K’s teachings and theology of the option for the poor at the top of the agenda and to consider it as is so often the case, as adjunct to core of the work that is development. (shrink)

Beverley Shaw; Sexual Discrimination and the Equal Opportunities Commission: ought schools to eradicate sex stereotyping?, Journal of Philosophy of Education, V.

Introduction BEVERLEY SKEGGS By asking a group of feminist cultural theorists who have produced exemplary interdisciplinary scholarship in the to reflect ...

Beverley Shaw; Procrustes and Private Schooling, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Volume 17, Issue 1, 30 May 2006, Pages 131–135, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1.

Visuomotor adaptation to novel environments can occur via non-physical means, such as observation. Observation does not appear to activate the same implicit learning processes as physical practice, rather it appears to be more strategic in nature. However, there is evidence that interspersing observational practice with physical practice can benefit performance and memory consolidation either through the combined benefits of separate processes or through a change in processes activated during observation trials. To test these ideas, we asked people to practice aiming (...) to targets with visually rotated cursor feedback or engage in a combined practice schedule comprising physical practice and observation of projected videos showing successful aiming. Ninety-three participants were randomly assigned to one of five groups: massed physical practice, distributed physical practice, or one of 3 types of combined practice: alternating blocks, or all observation before or after blocked physical practice. Participants received 100 practice trials. All groups improved in adaptation trials and showed savings across the 24-h retention interval relative to initial practice. There was some forgetting for all groups, but the magnitudes were larger for physical practice groups. The Act and Obs_During groups were most accurate in retention and did not differ, suggesting that observation can serve as a replacement for physical practice if supplied intermittently and offers advantages above just resting. However, after-effects associated with combined practice were smaller than those for physical practice control groups, suggesting that beneficial learning effects as a result of observation were not due to activation of implicit learning processes. Reaction time, variable error, and post-test rotation drawings supported this conclusion that adaptation for observation groups was promoted by explicit/strategic processes. (shrink)