The Ontopoietic Approach of Human Positioning in the Web of Life

Developed by Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka,phenomenology of life focuses on the thesis of“ontopoiesis”that unfolds an insightful vision upon the human positioning within the great plan of life.The complex and dynamic ontopoietic view enlightens the creative human condition to be understood in terms of metaphysics,ontology,epistemology,anthropology,cosmology,aesthetics,as well as ethics and environmental philosophy.Among many original thematisations,we find an idea of utmost importance for the ethical conduct of man/woman,namely,to be“Custodian of everything-there-is-alive”.It designates a peculiar status of human being within the web of life in its wholeness,which challenges us to deeply reflect,to value and structure our attitudes,deeds,and behaviours activating their moral potential in our relationship with the natural environment.The purpose of this paper is to emphasize some coordinates of Tymienieckan phenomenology in the horizon of environmental ethics,disclosing the significance of the unique situation man/woman has to be aware of,to assume and continuously manifest as the responsible moral agent concerned with a constructive,fulfilling,ordering in flux experience of life,within the unity and differentiation of human-nature harmony.

A Phenomenological Approach of a Special Artwork

Centered on describing,understanding,and interpreting conscious experiences lived by the subject open to objects of various kinds,in the endeavour to catch some of the meaning of life,finally,in particular contexts,phenomenology provides efficient opportunities for questioning and appropriating the meaning of musical works in their complexity,depth,and dynamics.Although music is considered to be the universal language to most people,this art form(of sounds organized in melody,harmony,rhythm,texture,“color”,temporality,etc.)raises serious difficulties when it is theoretically approached in view of a better knowledge and comprehension.A hermeneutic phenomenological analysis can lead us to deciphering much more as regards the“aesthetic object”,which herein is a musical composition signed by Rodion Shchedrin.The“object”of contemplation is“Balalaika”for violin solo pizzicato.It is an uncommon piece of contemporary music we will tackle by applying the phenomenological perspective belonging to Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka.In this essay,we try to emphasize part of the inspiring potential“phenomenology of the ontopoiesis of life”that shows for living and grasping the sense of a peculiar encounter;the perceiving subject does experience with an expression of the art that exactly took its name from the“Muses”.And it matters the more so as the aesthetic experience is articulating together with an ethical,very own human,one.

In Quest for Virtue:Learning From a Great Tradition

The founding Greek vision on virtue/areté(άρέτη)offers a significant pathway to continuously reflect upon and understand,to activate and improve our own potential in promoting human well-being.It eventually leads to the value of wisdom in life,so much needed in tumultuous times of the current multilevel crisis;the moral one deeply affecting but also challenging to problem-solving the individual and society alike in the context of the axiological disarray we have to deal with.Highlighting the aretelogical approach as it has been developed from the Presocratics to the Hellenistic philosophers sustains the effort of comprehending the necessity of virtue in reaching and experiencing human well-being;hence the invitation to(re)learn from a great philosophical tradition focusing on the ethical nucleus-value articulated through the ancient“cardinal virtues”and that persisted over the centuries till the nowadays’“technomoral virtues”.We aim to raise awareness about the royal way of virtue by exploring and appropriating its meaning worth to be constantly disclosed for an authentic human life enlightened by the ideal of eudaimonίa(εύδαιμονία).