This paper includes an analysis of a fragment of Cicero’s address in pro Balbo 24.54, which contains interesting, yet highly laconic information regarding one of the leges de repetundis – i.e. lex Servilia Caepionis. The analysis of the fragment led to the determination that the basic purpose of issuing that act was to cover the issue of changing the personal composition of judges sitting on the de reptundis tribunal. Apart from that, it seems that the genesis of the institution of (...) divinatio can also be found in that statute. (shrink)

Grzegorz W. Kolodko, one of the world's leading authorities on economics and development policy and a key architect of Poland's successful economic reforms, applies his far-reaching knowledge to the past and future of the world economy, introducing a framework for understanding our global situation that transcends any single discipline or paradigm. Deploying a novel mix of scientific evaluation and personal observation, Kolodko begins with a brief discussion of misinformation and its perpetuation in economics and politics. He criticizes the simplification of (...) complex economic and social issues and investigates the link between developments in the global economy and cultural change, scientific discoveries, and political fluctuations. Underscoring the necessity of conceptual and theoretical innovation in understanding our global economic situation, Kolodko offers a provocative study of globalization and the possibility of coming out ahead in an era of worldwide interdependence. Deeply critical of neoliberalism, which sought to transfer economic control exclusively to the private sector, Kolodko explores the virtues of social-economic development and the new rules of the economic game. He concludes with a look at our near and distant future, questioning whether we have a say in its making. (shrink)

In recent years there has been growing interest in adapting virtue ethics to the ethics of technology. However, it has most typically been invoked to address some particular issue of moral importance, and there is only a limited range of works dealing with the methodological question of how virtue ethics may contribute to this field. My approach in this paper is threefold. I start with a brief discussion of Aristotelian virtue ethics, with a view to constructing a framework in which (...) to then address at least some of the aspects of the growing technicization of life that call for scrutiny. I subsequently proceed further by outlining three possible models of virtue-theoretical analysis within the ethics of technology, giving special attention to those changes in human agency where technicization can be seen to exert a significant influence. Finally, I focus on the third such possibility, the extended virtue model, as a basis for calling for a more inclusive account of moral agency. (shrink)

The paper presents an analysis of the anumāna chapter of Jayarāśi’s Tattvôpaplava-siṁha and the nature of his criticism levelled against the anumāna model. The results of the analysis force us to revise our understanding of Jayarāśi Bhaṭṭa as a sceptic. Instead, he emerges as a highly critical philosopher. In addition, the nature of Jayarāśi’s criticism of the anumāna model allow us to conclude that anumāna should not be equated with inference, but rather is its limited subset, and may at best (...) be rendered as ‘disputational inference’, ‘debational inference’ or even ‘dialogical inference’. Jayarāśi applies a range of logical laws which clearly represent patterns of what can be classified as a priori reasoning and analytical justifications for knowledge, which were traditionally not reckoned sound. Against the backdrop of Jayarāśi’s criticism of anumāna, the paper also attempts to provide an explanation to why Indian philosophy and logic did not develop any concept of proper symbols and variables. (shrink)

The main goal of the paper is to present a putative role of consciousness in language capacity. The paper contrasts the two approaches characteristic for cognitive semiotics and cognitive science. Language is treated as a mental phenomenon and a cognitive faculty. The analysis of language activity is based on the Chalmers’ distinction between the two forms of consciousness: phenomenal and psychological. The approach is seen as an alternative to phenomenological analyses typical for cognitive semiotics. Further, a cognitive model of the (...) language faculty is described. The model is implemented in SNePS/GLAIR architecture and based on GATN grammar and semantic networks as a representation formalism. The model - reflecting traditionally distinguished linguistic structures - consists of phonological, syntactic, and semantic modules. I claim that the most important role in the phenomenon of language is played by psychological consciousness. Phenomenal consciousness accompanies various stages of language functioning, but is not indispensable in explanations of the language faculty. (shrink)

From the perspective of Aquinas’ Biblical commentaries, the article develops the reflection on pignus / arra haereditatis (Eph 1:5) seeing these essential elements of Thomas’ reflection on salvation in the terminological question of which one is better: pignus or arra, namely the pledge or the earnest/deposit. Thomas develops soteriology, which indicates that human salvation starts “now” and not “later,” through the participation in the Passion of Christ and in His merits. Analyzing Aquinas’ commentary on Ps 21, on the Letter to (...) the Ephesians and on the Letter to the Galatians together with the themes of Christ’s obedience and its soteriological significance as well as His wish of voluntary death for us, the article shows the Biblical roots of Thomas’ soteriology. The author devotes particular attention to the analysis of the logic of inchoatio and consummatio in Thomas’ soteriological grammar and his understanding of faith as the beginning of eternal life and the ensuing consequences. (shrink)

Main object of present work is to analyze thought embodied by Nietzsche’s aphorism from fourth part of Beyond Good and Evil: “The thought of suicide is a strong means of comfort: it helps get us through many an evil night” as potential tool to restore control over one’s own life during the strong existential crisis. An idiographic approach is assumed. There are proposed three theoretical cases which are the results of author’s direct life experiences and reflections. These cases of applying (...) Nietzsche’s thought are considered from an interdisciplinary perspective. Three possible effects of implementing Nietzsche’s thought discussed in this paper indicate that the power of his words may bring relief to an individual in times of suffering. Their potential real impact may result from liberation from framework of good and evil as well as experience catharsis-like state with use of the mechanism of aversive stimulus. (shrink)

The expression “moral experience”, along with the concomitant notion of experience itself, seems to have been understood in divergent ways. Taking as a background three views currently operative in our culture - emotivism, the ethics of duty, and the notion of an ethics “beyond good and evil” - a conception of ethical experience will be presented based on the findings of Edith Stein as elaborated in her work "Philosophy of Psychology and the Humanities".

W artykule podejmuję zagadnienie relacji między charakterem filozofii Alfreda Northa Whiteheada i Bertranda Russella a intensywnymi transformującymi przeżyciami tych myślicieli, spowodowanymi przez pewne jednostkowe zdarzenia. Według Russella, taki właśnie charakter miało w jego życiu doświadczenie wywołane mocnym napadem bólu Evelyn Whitehead, żony Alfreda, w lutym 1901 r. W zdarzeniu tym uczestniczył też dwuipółletni syn Whiteheada, Eryk. Russell twierdzi, że doznał wówczas czegoś w rodzaju mistycznej iluminacji, która w przeciągu około pięciu minut całkowicie zmieniła jego dotychczasowy sposób myślenia: m.in. wyposażyła jego (...) ateizm w imperatyw przeciwstawiania się wszystkiemu, co powoduje ludzkie cierpienia, zwłaszcza cierpienia dzieci, i skłoniła go do bezkompromisowego pacyfizmu. Dla powściągliwego w ujawnianiu swoich przeżyć Whiteheada, podobnym doświadczeniem była śmierć osiemnastoletniego Eryka pod koniec pierwszej wojny światowej. Według Russella przyczyniła się ona do rezygnacji przez Whiteheada z uprawiania matematyki na rzecz filozofii i do ponownej akceptacji porzuconego wcześniej teizmu. Argumentuję, że hipoteza Russella nie jest bezpodstawna i staram się ją uszczegółowić przez wskazanie, że Whitehead znalazł pocieszenie, którego poszukiwał, w koncepcji Boga zachowującego w pamięci całą przeszłość oraz w idei współkonstytuowania boskiego życia przez byty aktualne. Oczywiście, zarówno zmiany w filozofii Russella, jak i genezę filozofii Whiteheada można tłumaczyć inaczej niż przez odwołanie się do ich jednostkowych intensywnych doświadczeń, na przykład jako wynik argumentacji uwzględniającej aktualny stan wiedzy filozoficznej, naukowej, moralnej i religijnej. Intuicja podpowiada nam jednak, że bez uwzględnienia wpływu owych jednostkowych intensywnych doznań, ich idee filozoficzne miałaby zapewne inny charakter. (shrink)

The uniqueness of Edith Stein’s approach to lived experience emerges only in light of intentionality as reasonableness. The “personal touch” or authentic affectivity means in this context one’s own “living body” in regard to a threefold dimension of the human experiencing: the personal, the humanistic, and the spiritual, and seems to echo those of Immanuel Kant’s, i.e., the soul, the world and God. Consequently, not whatever kind of own’s commitment is at stake. Moreover, no less important is the role of (...) community and its various types. For sure, Stein’s genuine account is found in dialogue with the phenomenologists of her time. It paves the way toward a community of life and life itself. Therefore, it seems to be possible to some extend to accord Stein’s account with contemporary discussions of the meaning of life and “a fundamental transformation of human existence.”. (shrink)

Among different types of autonomy of ethics, semantic autonomy seems to be the most interesting. It is a thesis about irreducibility of meaning of ethical terms to some other types of discourse. The paper proposes an argument for the semantic autonomy of ethics, based on a detailed interpretation of the Open Question Argument by G.E. Moore, and followed up by the reading of Philippa Foot's argument about weak objectivity of evaluative meaning of ethical terms. The result of investigation gives the (...) two-fold picture of modern understanding of morality: irrevisability of moral demands as attempted by any theoretical armchair endeavors, which are external to the moral practice, and democratic intersubjectivity of moral discourse. (shrink)

Should we approach the lived experience and/or understand the other with the sense of things? If this is the case, how are we to treat the human experience par excellence? Paradoxically, Edith Stein gives a fresh meaning to the Husserlian term “leiblicheSelbstgegebenheit.” In contrast to Max Scheler’s account, she develops the “persönliche Note” criterion of authenticity. And against Maetin Heidegger’s existential philosophy, a concern for human existence itself resonates. Based on these three dimensions, this article discusses the idea of “the (...) lived experience” according to Edith Stein, that is, the human experience contemplated by the humanities. -------------------------- Received: 03/02/2023. Reviewed: 16/03/2023. Accepted: 30/03/2023. (shrink)

We give geometric axioms for existentially closed Hasse fields. We prove a quantifier elimination result for existentially closed n-truncated Hasse fields and characterize them as reducts of existentially closed Hasse fields.

The picture of the beginnings of humankind presented by natural science is often contrasted with what is conveyed in Scripture. It has been pointed out that the Edenic state before sin – which we refer to as original justice – was a time of absolute perfection in which there was no room for any deficiency. According to Thomas Aquinas, however, this picture conflicts with what Paradise was as a state on the way to Heaven. For Aquinas, the difference between Paradise (...) and the present situation is not an ontological one but a change of circumstance, because original justice was not a period of salvation. This means that Paradise was a period of development, thanks to the grace received, which is reconcilable with the principled account of natural science. The key is the distinction between Paradise and Heaven, which sets religion–science reflections in their proper context. Contribution: The article drew attention to notions of original justice, emphasising the Paradise time as the development of virtues, including the theological virtue of faith. This helps to build an adequate theological framework for a fruitful dialogue with the natural sciences, as recommended by Buitendag. (shrink)

The paper analyses the beginnings of systematic ontology in Jainism, which appears to have began after first century CE, albeit certain ontology-relevant terminology in a nascent form was present earlier. A clear expression of systematic ontological reflection is the existence of models that organize ideas and categories in a more consistent conceptual scheme. Jainism follows similar developments that had earlier taken shape in in the early Buddhist Abhidharma, proto-Sāṁkhya-Yoga and proto-Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika. In addition, the paper argues that the models, five in (...) total, can be used as a methodological tool to distinguish various historical layers in early Jaina writings. (shrink)

The paper examines available references to the Ājīvikas that are often identified by scholars, notably by Basham, as genuine quotations from Ājīvikas’ lost works. In addition, the paper analyses some additional material not previously indentifed as possible quotations relevant to Ājīvikism. Unfortunately, none of such references seem to be genuinely derived from an Ājīvika source: All of such passages or verses previously considered genuinely taken from Ājīvika literature turn out to have been composed by non-Ājīvika authors and usually derive either (...) from Jaina works or from fables and narrative literature. There is no clear proof that the Ājīvikas developed their own Sanskrit literature, much less philosophical literature in Sanskrit. Further, the faithfulness and reliability of reports of the Ājīvikas and paraphrases of their views cannot be assessed with any certainty. (shrink)

Galileo's paradox of infinity involves comparing the set of natural numbers, N, and the set of squares, {n2 : n ∈ N}. Galileo sets up a one-to-one correspondence between these sets; on this basis, the number of the elements of N is considered to be equal to the number of the elements of {n2 : n ∈ N}. It also characterizes the set of squares as smaller than the set of natural numbers, since ``there are many more numbers than squares". (...) As a result, it concludes that infinities cannot be compared in terms of greater--lesser and the law of trichotomy does not apply to them. Cantor's cardinal numbers provide a measure for sets. Cantor gives a definition of the relation greater–lesser between cardinal numbers and establishes the law of trichotomy for these numbers. Yet, when Cantor's theory is applied to subsets of N, it gives that any set can be either finite or of the power ℵ0. Thus, although the set of squares is the subset of N, they are of the same cardinality. Benci, Di Nasso introduces specific numbers to measure sets called numerosities. With numerosities, the following claim is true: numerosity of A < numerosity of B, whenever A ⊈ B. In this paper, we present a simplified version of the theory of numerosities that applies to subsets of N. This theory complies with Galileo's presupposition that when A ⊈ B, then the number of elements in A is smaller than the number of elements in B. Specifically, we show that as the numerosity of N is the number α, the numerosity of the set of squares is the integer part of the number √α, that is ⌊√α⌋, and the inequality ⌊√α⌋ < α holds. (shrink)

W artykule przedstawione zostaną różne sformułowania argumentu z pragnień, wysuniętego przeciwko naturalizmowi, autorstwa Clive’a S. Lewisa. Analizie zostaną poddane zarzuty o brak logicznej poprawności jego wywodu oraz dotyczące zwodniczego charakteru czynników irracjonalnych, do jakich zaliczają się uczucia i pragnienia. Wykazane zostanie, że sformułowania, w których mamy do czynienia z brakiem konkluzywności antynaturalistycznego wniosku Lewisa, można jednak traktować jako poznawczo wartościowe, gdyż są one oparte na indukcyjnym schemacie wnioskowania. Istnieją natomiast sformułowania, które jedynie wielkim kosztem, jakim jest uznanie Wszechświata za absurdalny, (...) można uznać za niekonkluzywne. Podejrzenie, iż odwołanie do czynników irracjonalnych osłabia argumentację Lewisa, okazuje się błędne. -------------- Zgłoszono: 22/07/2020. Zrecenzowano: 30/08/2020. Zaakceptowano do publikacji: 19/09/2020. (shrink)

Mianem „ewolucyjnego argumentu z rozumu przeciwko naturalizmowi” określa się tu argumentację, którą współcześnie sformułowali przede wszystkim Clive Staples Lewis, Alvin Plantinga oraz Victor Reppert. Jej sednem jest twierdzenie, że uznanie wiarygodności władz poznawczych człowieka nie daje się pogodzić z naturalistycznym obrazem świata. Problem polega na tym, że naturalistyczna koncepcja pochodzenia naszych władz poznawczych tłumaczy ich genezę przez odwołanie ostatecznie do czynników czysto fizykalnych, w szczególności nieintencjonalnych, czyli do charakterystyk nieadekwatnych w stosunku do aktów poznawczych. W artykule przedstawiono sformułowania tego argumentu, (...) dokonane przez trzech wymienionych autorów, ze wskazaniem na podobieństwa i różnice między tymi trzema wersjami. Następnie argument został poddany ocenie w kontekście idei emergencji. Zarysowana została możliwa odpowiedź na pytanie: czy idea emergencji obala wspomniany argument? Dokonane zostało rozróżnienie na empiryczną ideę emergencji i ideę emergencji, rozszerzoną o aspekt metafizyczny. Rozpatrzona została także kwestia, czy negatywny argument z rozumu przeciwko naturalizmowi może być uznany również za argument pozytywny na rzecz określonego stanowiska metafizycznego, a jeśli tak, to jakiego. Ostatecznie okazało się, że idea emergencji w dowolnej z dwóch wymienionych postaci nie stanowi wsparcia dla naturalistycznej wizji rzeczywistości, a w przypadku wersji rozszerzonej o założenie naturalizmu jest wrażliwa na ewolucyjny argument z rozumu przeciwko naturalizmowi. ---------------------------------------- Zgłoszono: 30/06/2024. Zrecenzowano: 7/09/2024. Zaakceptowano do publikacji: 5/11/2024. (shrink)

Pragmatics, Micropragmatics, Macropragmatics The paper addresses the distinction between micropragmatics and macropragmatics. It is postulated that this differentiation, a consequence of a number of controversies surrounding the core field of pragmatics, does manifest a number of conceptual merits and methodological feasibility. The article also aims to elaborate on the four concepts central to the methodology of pragmatics, i.e. deixis, presupposition, implicature and speech acts, from an essentially ‘micropragmatic’ perspective, describing their contribution to the proposition of an utterance, its illocutionary force, (...) and a wide range of effects the utterance may produce. At the same time, however, three relativities-regularities are indicated and presented as prompts for an integrated study of intentionality at the macro level of discourse/text. (shrink)

THE PROBLEM OF BEING IN PLATONISM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOMAS AQUINAS. A META-SYSTEMATIC ESSAY In spite of the apparent opposition to Plato, Aristotle accepted a lot from the thought of his master. The intuition, which plays the key role in the system of Plato, was understood by Aristotle in terms of how we grasp the middle term of syllogism. It is not, therefore, the intuition of being, but the reasoning, departing from the experience (nature’s “intention”), which is the way (...) of the cognition of the ultimate. The teleology of being, which Plato was so keen on finding, was found by Aristotle in the physical world as a counterpart of motion. Alas, Aristotle lost sight of what is most valuable in Plato: the sense of being that transgresses the categories. According to Thomas, being is what is the most perfect in things; so, consequently, what is the proper effect of the Ultimate Cause, and what is Its primary aim. It is better to be, i.e. to exist. Each thing craves for being. Being, however, is, in the Dionysius’ sense, a problem; it might guide us to God, but veil Him before us as well. It is a perfection, but not the Perfection itself, Plato was right at this point. Keywords: BEING, PLATO, ARISTOTLE, THOMAS AQUINAS. (shrink)

Generalnie rzecz ujmując, prezentowana monografia pokazuje, że jej Autorka jest zdecydowaną przeciwniczką uprawiania filozofii tylko przy biurku z dala od problemów praktycznych. Swoich poszukiwań nie traktuje w kategorii realizacji akademickiego zawodu tylko zadania, związanego z podejmowaniem określonych działań, wpływających na zmianę postrzegania przez człowieka środowiska naturalnego. Postulaty upraktycznienia filozofii, a zwłaszcza etyki cnót, uprawiania jej w ścisłej współpracy z różnymi społecznymi interesariuszami są jak najbardziej słuszne i godne instytucjonalnego wsparcia. Książka ma niezaprzeczalnie walor perswazyjny. --------------- Zgłoszono: 19/11/2020. Zrecenzowano: 18/12/2020. Zaakceptowano (...) do publikacji: 09/02/2021. (shrink)

Celem artykułu jest rekonstrukcja hipotezy odnowionego traducjanizmu. Hipotezę tę sformułował o. Stanisław Ziemiański, polski jezuita, przedstawiciel filozofii chrześcijańskiej. Przedmiotem badań naukowych przedstawionych w artykule były artykuły i książki, w których autor sformułował hipotezę odnowionego traducjanizmu. Sformułowana hipoteza była także przedmiotem debaty, która jednak nie doprowadziła do żadnego rozstrzygnięcia merytorycznego. Artykuł jest podzielony na dwie części. W pierwszej przedstawiono argumenty, które wspierają hipotezę traducjanizmu. W sposób szczególny skoncentrowano się na omówieniu sposobu wykorzystania nauk przyrodniczych w argumentacji filozoficznej. W drugiej części dokonano (...) krytycznej oceny przedstawionych argumentów. Wykazano za pomocą argumentacji filozoficznej, że koncepcja o. Ziemiańskiego ma charakter naturalistyczny i prowadzi do eliminacji pojęcia duszy. W artykule zastosowano metodę rekonstrukcji treści tekstu z uwzględnieniem analizy logicznej i metodologicznej. Dzięki zastosowanej metodzie uporządkowano materiał badawczy i poddano go ocenie logiczno-metodologicznej. W zakończeniu wskazano, że warto jest rozwijać nawet tak kontrowersyjne koncepcje jak o. Ziemiańskiego, gdyż inspirują one do twórczego myślenia i prowadzą do rozwoju filozofii chrześcijańskiej. Tego typu hipotezy mają wartość, gdyż prowokują do twórczej debaty, której owocem może być modyfikacja niektórych rozstrzygnięć w zakresie antropologii i etyki, podtrzymywanych mocą samej tradycji. Przykład z hipotezą odnowionego traducjanizmu wyraźnie pokazuje, że można swobodnie wrócić do przeszłości i wydobyć z niej coś wartościowego, a następnie przedstawić to w taki sposób, aby przyciągnąć uwagę współczesnego czytelnika, którego cechuje niechęć do zbyt wyrafinowanych spekulacji filozoficznych. (shrink)

The paper explores possible influences that recent developments in the field of a branch of AI called Automated Discovery Systems might have upon some aspects of the old debate between Francis Bacon’s inductivism and Karl Popper’s falsificationism. Francis Bacon advocates mechanical induction as the legitimate, infallible method of science, and Karl Popper proposes his famous falsificationist view, according to which science proceeds by subsequent conjectures and refutations, and the question about where scientific hypotheses come from neither needs, nor is capable (...) of, logical analysis. The traditional method of discussing such methodological debates relies on the analysis of various historical examples of discoveries in order to see how well the two models of scientific method account for them. (shrink)

Introduction: As an occupational group, medical providers working with victims of trauma are prone to negative consequences of their work, particularly secondary traumatic stress symptoms. Various factors affect susceptibility to STS, including work-related and organizational determinants, as well as individual differences. The aim of the study was to establish the mediating role of cognitive trauma processing in the relationship between job satisfaction and STS symptoms among medical providers.Procedure and Participants: Results were obtained from 419 healthcare providers working with victims of (...) trauma. Three questionnaires, namely the Secondary Traumatic Stress Inventory, Work Satisfaction Scale, and Cognitive Trauma Processing Scale, were used in the study, as well as a survey developed for this research. Correlational and mediation analyses were applied to assess relations between variables.Results: The results showed significant links between STS symptoms and both job satisfaction and cognitive processing of trauma. Three cognitive coping strategies play the intermediary role in the relationship between job satisfaction and symptoms of secondary traumatic stress. However, this role varies depending on preferred strategies.Conclusion: Nurses and paramedics are significantly exposed to the occurrence of STS. Thus, it is important to engage health care providers in activities aimed at preventing and reducing symptoms of STS. (shrink)

This is a monograph on the philosophy of culture. Based on philosophical realism, the book's classical-philosophy approach to culture allows it to embark on a journey through the centuries to show human culture as an ongoing drama of nature and person, and evaluate its main actors.

This monograph represents a rare, classical-philosophical approach to culture. It is grounded in philosophical realism and emphasizes personalism as a true achievement of philosophical anthropology. Employing the apparatus of the history of philosophy, science and religion, the author demonstrates the immense scope of the drama unfolding within human culture. In a classical approach, evaluation is inevitable-with regard to various theories of culture, human culture as such, and all its main actors. Jaroszyński's work shows that realistic study of what it means (...) to be a human person leads to the most comprehensive understanding of culture as it is and should be. (shrink)