One can see often in explanations of encyclopedia or lexicons of philosophy that Plato manifested primarily the absolute Idealism, whereas Aristotle verified antagonistically the relevance of realism. It is easy to pi...One can see often in explanations of encyclopedia or lexicons of philosophy that Plato manifested primarily the absolute Idealism, whereas Aristotle verified antagonistically the relevance of realism. It is easy to pick up several parts of their representative works and prove that this thesis is corresponded to the original of Plato and Aristotle. But, in reflections of philosophy, we should not ignore a cautious view, focused just on this starting point： If the above mentioned thesis is used like a slogan, ＂Plato for idealism, Aristotle for realism,＂ as it often is, in the meantime there arises a dogmatic position which fixes our mental and intellectual activity only within the frame, so that everyone begins to reflect on Plato or Aristotle from that starting point in a certain framework. A critical and self-critical view of philosophy may bring this position for a query.展开更多
How can Western political thought engage non-Western cultures if liberalism is--in Thomas Nagel＇s famous formulation-a view from nowhere？ This paper seeks to investigate the philosophical problems at the nexus of mo...How can Western political thought engage non-Western cultures if liberalism is--in Thomas Nagel＇s famous formulation-a view from nowhere？ This paper seeks to investigate the philosophical problems at the nexus of moral relativism and liberal universalism that Martha Nussbaum attempted to come to terms with in her essay Human Functioning and Social Justice： In Defense of Aristotelian Essentialism. I argue not against the idea of essentialism but rather for greater care in the concept＇s application.展开更多
The first part of the paper presents the philosophical concept of Jean Baudrillard in which the issues of death and dying constitute an essential theme. Contemporary times in which the human condition seems to be extr...The first part of the paper presents the philosophical concept of Jean Baudrillard in which the issues of death and dying constitute an essential theme. Contemporary times in which the human condition seems to be extremely difficult are presented in a somber way. Isolation from nature results in the existence filled with fear of death. Natural death is a mentally inconceivable occurrence, an embarrassing phenomenon, and therefore unworthy of being remembered. Only sudden, spectacular death creating media hype seems to be meaningful and worth paying attention to. Instant death is set in opposition to slow death which is also called postponed death. Death in the heat of work, duties, obligations, and prohibitions is the death inflicted at the request of both an employee and an employer. Work rewarded with payment is an act of temporary suspension of death. Burdened with work, people forget about the debt they have incurred from nature. A contemporary employee does not deserve death and instant death is only act of salvation, the act of free will. The second part of the paper focuses on artistic activity of Zuzanna Janin and Bogna Burska. Both artists deal with an issue of media death using different means of expression. Spinning their narratives of intimate decaying and media rage in a public space, they correspond with the Baudrillard＇s philosophical thought.展开更多
In modem Chinese thought, ＂philosophy＂ and the whole disciplinary system rooted in it have had a far-reaching influence on the Chinese understanding and interpretation of their own tradition. If we are to avoid a na...In modem Chinese thought, ＂philosophy＂ and the whole disciplinary system rooted in it have had a far-reaching influence on the Chinese understanding and interpretation of their own tradition. If we are to avoid a na＇fve and simplistic final interpretation of traditional thought, the most prudent and reliable way to go about it is to ponder the whole framework and realm on which this understanding is based before we proceed to understand tradition. Before the inevitable problematization of ＂Chinese thought,＂ we should try to problematize ＂philosophy.＂ This demands that we find, in the constant rise and fall of philosophical trends, the view of philosophy by which Chinese thought is generally judged, and make it the object of questioning. Mou Zongsan＇s attempt to reinterpret classical Chinese thought, based directly on Aristotle＇s theory of the four causes, cannot be viewed as a success. The so-called first beginning of philosophy means establishing, led by the question of being---ontology, a system in which cheng （completion） is prior to and identical with sheng （generation）. Now that Chinese thought has encountered Heidegger and thus rediscovered Aristotle and the whole of classical Western thought, the time is ripe for us to reexamine and assess the beginning of philosophy in terms of the complete and original experience whence Chinese thought arose.展开更多
文摘One can see often in explanations of encyclopedia or lexicons of philosophy that Plato manifested primarily the absolute Idealism, whereas Aristotle verified antagonistically the relevance of realism. It is easy to pick up several parts of their representative works and prove that this thesis is corresponded to the original of Plato and Aristotle. But, in reflections of philosophy, we should not ignore a cautious view, focused just on this starting point： If the above mentioned thesis is used like a slogan, ＂Plato for idealism, Aristotle for realism,＂ as it often is, in the meantime there arises a dogmatic position which fixes our mental and intellectual activity only within the frame, so that everyone begins to reflect on Plato or Aristotle from that starting point in a certain framework. A critical and self-critical view of philosophy may bring this position for a query.
文摘How can Western political thought engage non-Western cultures if liberalism is--in Thomas Nagel＇s famous formulation-a view from nowhere？ This paper seeks to investigate the philosophical problems at the nexus of moral relativism and liberal universalism that Martha Nussbaum attempted to come to terms with in her essay Human Functioning and Social Justice： In Defense of Aristotelian Essentialism. I argue not against the idea of essentialism but rather for greater care in the concept＇s application.
文摘The first part of the paper presents the philosophical concept of Jean Baudrillard in which the issues of death and dying constitute an essential theme. Contemporary times in which the human condition seems to be extremely difficult are presented in a somber way. Isolation from nature results in the existence filled with fear of death. Natural death is a mentally inconceivable occurrence, an embarrassing phenomenon, and therefore unworthy of being remembered. Only sudden, spectacular death creating media hype seems to be meaningful and worth paying attention to. Instant death is set in opposition to slow death which is also called postponed death. Death in the heat of work, duties, obligations, and prohibitions is the death inflicted at the request of both an employee and an employer. Work rewarded with payment is an act of temporary suspension of death. Burdened with work, people forget about the debt they have incurred from nature. A contemporary employee does not deserve death and instant death is only act of salvation, the act of free will. The second part of the paper focuses on artistic activity of Zuzanna Janin and Bogna Burska. Both artists deal with an issue of media death using different means of expression. Spinning their narratives of intimate decaying and media rage in a public space, they correspond with the Baudrillard＇s philosophical thought.
文摘In modem Chinese thought, ＂philosophy＂ and the whole disciplinary system rooted in it have had a far-reaching influence on the Chinese understanding and interpretation of their own tradition. If we are to avoid a na＇fve and simplistic final interpretation of traditional thought, the most prudent and reliable way to go about it is to ponder the whole framework and realm on which this understanding is based before we proceed to understand tradition. Before the inevitable problematization of ＂Chinese thought,＂ we should try to problematize ＂philosophy.＂ This demands that we find, in the constant rise and fall of philosophical trends, the view of philosophy by which Chinese thought is generally judged, and make it the object of questioning. Mou Zongsan＇s attempt to reinterpret classical Chinese thought, based directly on Aristotle＇s theory of the four causes, cannot be viewed as a success. The so-called first beginning of philosophy means establishing, led by the question of being---ontology, a system in which cheng （completion） is prior to and identical with sheng （generation）. Now that Chinese thought has encountered Heidegger and thus rediscovered Aristotle and the whole of classical Western thought, the time is ripe for us to reexamine and assess the beginning of philosophy in terms of the complete and original experience whence Chinese thought arose.
