Philosophy, Miscellaneous

It is more or less common ground that an important aspect of the explanation of normativity relates it to the way Reason (our rational powers), reasons (for beliefs, emotions, actions, etc.) and reasoning, with all its varieties and domains, are inter-connected. The relation of reasoning to reasons is the topic of this this paper. It does not start from a tabula rasa. It presupposes that normativity has to do with the ability to respond rationally to reasons, and with responding to (...) reasons with the use of our rational powers. The question is where does reasoning fit in? I will compare two sketchy accounts of reasoning, judging their success in elucidating the concept and its role in the explanation of normativity. First I outline the view that reasoning is an activity of searching for a justified answer or for a justification of the answer to a question. Some critical reflection on that view leads to what I call the simple account, which takes reasoning to consist (broadly speaking) in responsiveness to perceived reasons. I will illustrate ways in which the simple account is at odds with the concept of reasoning. Its merits depend on the thought that intentions, attempts or actions can be conclusions of reasoning. Those who affirm that possibility often regard reasoning that has such conclusions as practical reasoning. Hence much of the paper will be about practical reasoning. That would lead to a tentative endorsement of reasoning as a search for a justified answer, suggesting a different view of the place of reasoning in explaining normativity. (shrink)

Goethe, an important figure in 18th century German Freemasonry, developed a Masonic thought based on the assumptions of hermetic esotericism that influenced much of his poetic and scientific production. ===================Goethe importante figura della massoneria tedesca del XVIII secolo sviluppa un pensiero massonico fondato sui presupposti dell'esoterismo ermetico che influì su molta della sua produzione poetica e scientifica.

This article introduces a theoretical framework in which apparently straight lines exhibit recursive asymptotic behavior governed by phase-operated curvature in spacetime. Drawing upon both physics and epistemology, the study argues that observational systems are recursively phase-linked to latent stochastic components, which cannot be reduced to conventional probabilistic interpretations. We define the operator of phase link, connecting the observer and the environment, thereby formalizing improbability as a generative—rather than disruptive—element. This approach resolves the wave–particle antinomy by reframing duality as a projection (...) of a phase-coherent structure. The resulting model offers implications for gravitational theory, quantum measurement and the logic of scientific observation. (shrink)

This paper offers a structural reinterpretation of Jungian synchronicity as a topological and epistemic phenomenon, rather than a psychological anomaly. We argue that meaningful coincidence can be modeled as a form of phase-aligned collapse within a coherence manifold, where causal transmission is replaced by structural resonance. Drawing on parallels with quantum measurement and the Participatory Anthropic Principle, we propose that meaning emerges through observer participation in topologically organized fields of relational significance. Synchronicity thus marks not a violation of causality but (...) a point of epistemic convergence—a non-causal collapse of latent order into intelligible form. This framework advances a post-causal epistemology, wherein coherence supplants causation as the organizing principle of meaning. (shrink)

This article explores the hypothesis that synchronicity—often dismissed as psychological coincidence—can be rigorously interpreted as a phase collapse of semantic superposition, culminating in an epistemic singularity. Departing from classical models, we propose that the observer functions as a recursive, programmable interface whose engagement with the environment operates through phase coherence and reversibility. At moments of synchronicity, non-causal semantic configurations undergo sudden stabilization, enabling a mode of knowing that transcends empirical validation. Measurement is reframed as resonance between external structures and the (...) observer’s internal topology. Synchronicity becomes not a mere coincidence, but a localized collapse of interpretive potential, activated through the intrinsic phase of attention or belief. This framework challenges the foundations of epistemology and proposes a novel model for quantum measurement and scientific cognition. Meaning is constituted not through symbolic processing alone, but through structurally entangled participation—at the edge of what can be known and what can be measured. (shrink)

This paper proposes a novel framework—phase epistemology—for understanding knowledge as an emergent property of structural resonance, rather than as a product of inferential or probabilistic processes. At the heart of this model lies the epistemic vector: a directional trajectory of intelligibility that arises through asymptotic phase coherence between observer and observed. Rather than treating knowledge as representation or correspondence, the paper situates it within a recursive phase alignment that evolves over time toward topological stabilization. Drawing from quantum theory, philosophy of (...) mind and structural realism, the paper suggests that semantic collapse—the moment when ambiguity resolves into meaning—is governed not by logic alone but by relational coherence. This collapse mirrors the wave-function reduction in quantum measurement and links it to cognitive interpretation. The observer is not a passive recipient of information but an active phase participant whose internal structure aligns with latent fields—including what is metaphorically framed here as dark matter or dark energy. The proposed epistemic framework bridges the quantum–classical divide through the notion of asymptotic cognition, in which consciousness functions as a boundary condition for the stabilization of meaning. Improbability, in this context, is not a statistical deviation but a phase singularity—a point of maximum informational tension and epistemic reorganization. Ultimately, this paper argues for a redefinition of knowledge as a dynamic topology of coherence. It invites new perspectives on cognition, agency, intentionality and the structure of reality itself—where to know is to resonate and to resonate is to shape the possible. (shrink)

This paper introduces a novel epistemological framework—phase epistemology—that redefines the foundations of knowledge as resonance-based rather than inferential or probabilistic. The central claim is that knowledge arises from phase coherence between the internal structures of a cognitive agent and the dynamic informational manifold of the environment. This mutual alignment allows the collapse of semantic superposition into intelligible form, forming the basis for what we call epistemic vectors—emergent trajectories of directed awareness. Rather than framing knowledge as the accumulation of justified beliefs (...) or representational content, this model treats knowing as a phase event: an alignment-based resolution of inter￾pretive ambiguity. The paper proposes that both biological and artificial systems exhibit forms of minimal self-awareness as structural attractors within environments characterized by mutual uncertainty. It is in the recursive, dynamic feedback between observer and field that knowledge emerges as topological stability. By integrating insights from quantum measurement theory, systems biology, and philosophy of mind, the paper offers an interdisciplinary foundation for understanding agency, intentionality and the generation of meaning. The phase-epistemological model is proposed not as a replacement for classical epistemology, but as an extension that captures relational and structural dimensions of cognition often neglected in reductionist accounts. Implications are discussed for cognitive science, AI and the epistemology of scientific observation. Ultimately, the paper invites a reevaluation of what it means to “know” when knowledge is not inferred, but emerges from the resonance between self and world. (shrink)

This paper introduces a novel epistemological framework—phase epistemology—that redefines the foundations of knowledge as resonance-based rather than inferential or probabilistic. The central claim is that knowledge arises from phase coherence between the internal structures of a cognitive agent and the dynamic informational manifold of the environment. This mutual alignment allows the collapse of semantic superposition into intelligible form, forming the basis for what we call epistemic vectors—emergent trajectories of directed awareness. Rather than framing knowledge as the accumulation of justified beliefs (...) or representational content, this model treats knowing as a phase event: an alignment-based resolution of interpretive ambiguity. The paper proposes that both biological and artificial systems exhibit forms of minimal self-awareness as structural attractors within environments characterized by mutual uncertainty. It is in the recursive, dynamic feedback between observer and field that knowledge emerges as topological stability. By integrating insights from quantum measurement theory, systems biology and philosophy of mind, the paper offers an interdisciplinary foundation for understanding agency, intentionality and the generation of meaning. The phase-epistemological model is proposed not as a replacement for classical epistemology, but as an extension that captures relational and structural dimensions of cognition often neglected in reductionist accounts. Implications are discussed for cognitive science, AI and the epistemology of scientific observation. Ultimately, the paper invites a reevaluation of what it means to “know” when knowledge is not inferred, but emerges from the resonance between self and world. (shrink)

This paper reinterprets modularity not merely as an architectural feature of complex systems but as a quantum-cognitive and ontological principle. Drawing on mathematical modeling, quantum theory and epistemic phenomenology, we introduce the anthropic modularity function M(x), which defines a topological threshold between structured differentiation and cognitive overload. Through six modular sections, we explore how modularity shapes historical empires, fractal languages, observer-centered cognition and ethical responsibility. We argue that both excessive modularization and enforced monolithic integration lead to systemic collapse—epistemically, structurally and (...) ethically. The modular golden mean, defined near M(x) ≈ σ/2, marks the zone of maximal resonance between parts and whole, suggesting a new topological ethics of differentiation anchored in the dynamics of phase coherence. Modularity, we propose, is the logic of sustained distinction within an entangled reality. This interdisciplinary study proposes the function ( ) M(x) of coherent modularity as both an epistemic measure and a practical principle for system design, including potential applications in artificial intelligence. By framing modularity as a topological function of cognitive resolution, we introduce a method for quantifying meaningful differentiation, one capable of guiding architectures of cognition, AI and self-organizing systems. The anthropic threshold c becomes a pivot between structured complexity and recursive breakdown — a criterion applicable to both biological minds and synthetic intelligences. (shrink)

rabbits is a 9x9 bit-grid, in progress. . .

The philosophy of superdeterminism is based on a single scientific fact about the universe, namely that cause and effect in physics are not real. In 2020, accomplished Swedish theoretical physicist, Dr. Johan Hansson published a physics proof using Albert Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity that our universe is superdeterministic meaning a predetermined static block universe without cause and effect in physics. Some argue that Special Relativity is premised on the principle of causality, and therefore, Dr. Hansson’s use of Special Relativity (...) in his proof contradicts his conclusion that cause and effect in physics are not real. However, Special Relativity is not premised on the principle of causality, but rather is consistent with the absence of cause and effect in physics. (shrink)

In this paper we present a philosophical motivation for the logics of formal inconsistency, a family of paraconsistent logics whose distinctive feature is that of having resources for expressing the notion of consistency within the object language in such a way that consistency may be logically independent of non- contradiction. We defend the view according to which logics of formal inconsistency may be interpreted as theories of logical consequence of an epistemological character. We also argue that in order to philosophically (...) justify paraconsistency there is no need to endorse dialetheism, the thesis that there are true contradictions. Furthermore, we argue that an intuitive reading of the bivalued semantics for the logic mbC, a logic of formal inconsistency based on classical logic, fits in well with the basic ideas of an intuitive interpretation of contradictions. On this interpretation, the acceptance of a pair of propositions A and ¬A does not mean that A is simultaneously true and false, but rather that there is conflicting evidence about the truth value of A. (shrink)

There was once a time when words held such power that they could penetrate and transform everything they touched. The world was filled with various characteristics that symbolized the same essence. Whether through vibrations, images, or sensations, words came to represent maps, plains, dimensions, states, and the integrative nature of the universe. In Lama Anagarika Govinda’s Foundation of Tibetan Mysticism (Govinda, 2012), readers explore a participant’s journey through time. Here, the structure of the jewel in the lotus, conveyed through the (...) six-syllable auditory precept, OM MANI PADME HUM, reveals itself as a being’s progression towards enlightenment. These unseen forces of wisdom have been invoked throughout the centuries, guiding the mind toward a focal point where everything is realized as fundamental—the very source of all manifestations. Today, modern theoretical science is starting to conceptualize mysticism as a creative process that envisions a relatable reality compatible with contemporary mathematical theories. This bridging of worlds is taking shape, and within Govinda’s studies, we can trace back the significance of the six syllables that have echoed the sounds of the universe, aligning with new scientific discoveries. Quantum field theory, consciousness agents, and the integrated information theory of consciousness all reflect the insights of Tibetan Buddhism and the meaning of OM MANI PADME HUM. Could we be approaching a historical moment where the intuitive practices of mystics align with modern scientific expressions? Is there a potential for consensus between the subjective interpretations of thought and the objective scientific method? These questions prompt a necessary reflection and epistemic exploration toward a unified perspective of consciousness as the universe manifested in being. (shrink)

The universe may disguise what is most precious and essential to us—what holds the key to unlocking the mysteries of love, life, and higher consciousness. The divine feminine is woven into the fabric of our existence like a thread of gold glittering through ever so slightly and holding firm the stitches of human genius. If we, as a species, were to honor, care for, and recognize this aspect, it could open the universe to a state of incredible completeness and harmony, (...) leading us toward a rebirth of virtue and a deeper understanding of what we are and what we could become. -/- Identifying the original forces that conspired to suppress the feminine and label it as weak, incapable, or unworthy of individual brilliance is challenging. Such suppression raises questions about the insecurities within the masculine that led to feelings of threat and fear and the compulsive desire to hinder the feminine from developing naturally. This hindrance has contributed to a world beset by poor leadership, doubt, war-mongering, and an inflated ego that continuously undermines itself. -/- I want to highlight two literary works that bring the divine feminine to the forefront: Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ Women Who Run with the Wolves (1996) and the portrayal of archetypes such as Mary Magdalene, also presented as Miryam the Migdalah in The Gospel of the Beloved Companion (2011), translated by Jehanne De Quillan. I will explore the intuitive feminine, which has been dismissed throughout history as an obstruction to development, suppressed to the point of near extinction. The failure to embrace feminine manifestations has resulted in a world unbalanced in values and insights where now we find ourselves yearning for meaning, care, and purpose. -/- In our pursuit of progress, we have often exploited our planet and lost touch with our inherent intuitive powers. This oppression has led to a narrow understanding of reality and confusion as we navigate through states of paranoia and uncertainty. We must first recognize the value of what we have lost and admit to the mistakes that have been made. It is essential for us to unite and rekindle the feminine fire, allowing it to warm and guide us out of the shadows. (shrink)

The role of consciousness in evolutionary psychology, apart from postponing, rerouting, reinterpreting or ignoring stimuli, may simply be independently confirming, as in any science’s methodology.

In this paper, I explore the concept of happiness by relating it to those of desire, pleasure, and love, arriving at the classical view that objective happiness consists in the possession and enjoyment of the good.

In this paper, I present the case for an objective, as opposed to subjective, conception of happiness along familiar, classical lines.

An Address delivered to the Seattle G. K. Chesterton Society at the University of Washington Newman Center, May 2, 2013.

In Tobia (2016), Kevin P. Tobia tests for bias using two ontological arguments claimed to be symmetrical and of equal strength. We show they are neither.

This paper examines Timothy Gowers’ attempt to counter a mythology of genius in mathematics: that to be a mathematician one has to be a mathematical genius. Someone might take such attacks on the myth of genius as expressions of envy, but I propose that there is another reason for cautioning against placing a high value on genius, by turning to research in the humanities.

This essay explores the foundational principles behind the author’s philosophical motivations, with a focus on the relationship between knowledge, reality, and intellectual development. It examines how the mind navigates its capacity for understanding, discovery, and creation, proposing a broad framework for intellectual growth that spans across various disciplines. By reflecting on the limits and possibilities of human knowledge, the essay seeks to reveal the dynamic interplay between theory and practice, inviting a deeper exploration of the nature of inquiry itself. Considering (...) questions in metaphysics and mathematics as well as in the natural sciences, the mind sciences, and the arts and social institutions, the work seeks to articulate a coherent orientation that informs both theoretical reflection and practical engagement. (shrink)

Based upon the concept of Law qualified in Monarchia, II.50, Dante was not only a general philosopher (a lover of knowledge) as well as a political disputant in his times, but also his primary contribution (not always obvious) in legal speculation could be demonstrated. In fact, if his thought reflected the platonic ordo sapientiae through a deep intersection between téchne and episteme (phronesis) toward a linguistic koiné, could we say the same thing on his concept of justice as a rational (...) ars boni et aequi? This essay aims to depict Dante as legal theorist of his times and theorist of Justice beyond them, adopting the hermeneutical point of view, not just as an interest into textual interpretation but referring his use of language as form of life and his works an inexhaustible sources of education for legal philosophy. (shrink)

This essay inquires into the possibility of extending Randall Collins' analysis (as it is presented in The Sociology of Philosophies) of the process of innovation within intellectual networks.

In this dialogue Zhuangzi and Jacob discuss nothing and something and their relation with God.

Abstract: The understanding our own mind seems to be an interesting topic in philosophy. I recall reading Kant, he ran far away in the metaphysical space when chalanged complex problems. He used the “intuition” as a mean to justify things, much before the awareness of scientific genetics and such things that made it feasible for such a use. Not much else he could do, the 18th century access to scientific knowledge was just very limited. My view of instinct and intuition (...) are quite simple, perhaps a foolish view of such a complex and interesting phenomena. (shrink)

This paper updates (2017) a previously-presented* model of models, which can be used to clarify discussion and analysis in a variety of disputes and debates, since many such discussions hinge on displaying or implying models about how things are related. Knowing about models does not itself supply any new information about our world, but it might help us to recognize when and how information is being conveyed on these matters, or where possibly it is being obscured. If a claim P (...) is expressed in the context of a certain model, a disagreement about P may actually not be about whether the underlying model is accurate; it could reflect misunderstandings about the model’s assumptions or conventions. Also, in practice, constructed models are rarely fully elaborated for every detail, so misunderstandings can arise from apparent “gaps” in the model. In that case, developing and considering complementary versions of models can sometimes clarify ambiguities. Following the main analysis are several extended Case examples to illustrate the wide applicability of the models approach, for clarifying, if not necessarily “resolving”, numerous debates and issues. For example, a famous “counter example” by Nelson Goodman to a logical model proposed by Carnap is shown to be not as deal-breaking as presumed historically, if only plausible complementary models had been explored. And models sometimes presented as competing in Artificial Intelligence research— “Declarative” versus “Procedural”—can instead be viewed as good examples of “complementary” models. Also reconsidered in this light are some well-known, competing positions, by Russell, Strawson, and Kripke, in the literature regarding names, pointing, definite descriptions and “using” sentences, and so on. All these concepts are locatable within the presently proposed models analysis. Questions such as where “truth” resides (whether in sentences or in uses of sentences) are not settled in this paper; yet, practical questions about how testable claims about the world can be expressed by models are clarified. _* Original version presented at a University of Waterloo Philosophy Colloquium 1984. (shrink)

The proposition that “promises ought to be kept is one of the most important normative ideas or value judgements in our daily lives. But what about “illegal promises”? That is to say, what about promises that are, legally or morally speaking, malum in se or inherently wrongful, such as voluntary exchanges that are inherently immoral or wrongful, like bribes, blackmail, murder, etc.? In short, what moral obligations, if any, do such promises impose? Although many of the greatest thinkers in Western (...) civilization have offered a wide variety of theories to explain the source of promissory obligations, it turns out there is a blind spot in this centuries-old conversation, for few theorists have given the problem of illegal or immoral promises any sustained thought. Nevertheless, illegal or immoral promises should be of theoretical interest to us because such promises may help us delimit the outer boundaries of promissory obligations. (shrink)

Some metaphysics are provided showing that what is commonly called ‘the physical world’ can be deconstructed into three ‘levels’: a single, unified ‘noumenal world’ on which everything supervenes; a ‘phenomenal world’ that we each privately experience through direct perception of phenomena; and a ‘collective world’ that people in any given ‘language using group’ experience through learning, using and adapting that group’s language. This deconstruction is shown to enable a clear account of qualia and of how people can hold some things (...) to be physically real even when it is clear no one can ever directly experience those things as phenomena. It is further shown to enable a single, internally consistent, largely empirically supported conceptual framework – a ‘metacosmology’ – able to encompass not only the physical world as people conceive of it for everyday purposes, and as scientists conceive of it for scientific purposes, but also people’s first person phenomenal experience of a physical world and, prospectively, the mechanisms by which such first person, conscious experiences can be generated. (shrink)

Criticism and Creative Compensation: Andreas Schönberger, Immanuel Kant et al. In: Sabine Coelsch-Foisner (2023) Kreativität, schöpferischer Wille und (Über)Lebensstrategie. Winter, Heidelberg. -/- Creativity as a survival strategy requires the creative will to succeed in an academic environment. In addition to previous education, originality and the quality of one's own preliminary work, conviction of one's own abilities and flexibility in the choice of topics, activities and places are important prerequisites for success. The spirit of optimism in the age of the Enlightenment (...) and the stormy rise of idealism, the possi- bility of documenting academic achievements and partly self-awarded qualifica- tions in self-financed printed works, and the administrative gaps in the system were enough to annoy Immanuel Kant – at least briefly. (shrink)

This story reproduces “The Perfect Plan” in the fiction title Wild Wise Weird, written by Professor Quan-Hoang Vuong with his permission. Prof. Vuong ’s other nonfiction title is Meandering Sobriety.

This essay seeks to understand what it means for the human collective when AI technologies have become a predominant force in each of our lives through identifying three moral dilemmas (i.e., tragedy of the commons, tragedy of commonsense morality, tragedy of apathy) that shape human choices. In the first part, we articulate AI-driven versions of the three moral dilemmas. Then, in the second part, drawing from evolutionary psychology, existentialism, and East Asian philosophies, we argue that a deep appreciation of three (...) shades of human finitude can help us mitigate harmful effects of the AI-driven versions of the three tragedies and even transcend them. (shrink)

In recent years, with the advances in machine learning and neuroscience, the abundances of sensors and emotion data, computer engineers have started to endow machines with ability to detect, classify, and interact with human emotions. Emotional artificial intelligence (AI), also known as a more technical term in affective computing, is increasingly more prevalent in our daily life as it is embedded in many applications in our mobile devices as well as in physical spaces. Critically, emotional AI systems have not only (...) the ability to not passively read and classify emotions, but most also have an ability to predict and ‘nudge’ users to certain desired emotional states. Drawing from Piredda (2020)’s account on affective artifacts and other recent accounts, we've examined various emerging emotion-sensing technologies such as recommender algorithms, personal AI assistants, work-related emotion trackers, and emotional AI toys and robots through the lens of affective artifacts. We show how these technologies fulfill the criteria of being affective artifacts: they are artifactual, multifunctional, semi-agentive, and semi-interpesonal. Emotional AI systems as affective artifacts can influence the affective states of the users (e.g., help regulate emotions of ourselves and others), and importantly, our manipulation of these algorithms can intersect with the maintenance and construction of our sense of self and identity. (shrink)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the way people engage with politics around the world: how citizens consume news, how they view the institutions and norms, how civic groups mobilize public interests, how data-driven campaigns are shaping elections, and so on (Ho & Vuong, 2024). Placing people at the center of the increasingly AI-mediated political landscape has become an urgent matter that transcends all forms of institutions. In this essay, we argue that, in this era, it is necessary to look beyond (...) certain limited notions of democracy and broaden our views of what it means to put people at the heart of political governance. Thus, we introduce some key features of a very, if not the most important concept, in East Asian political culture, ‘people as roots (of the state)’ or (dân bản in Vietnamese and 民本 in Chinese) . We propose that a more culturally sensitive analysis, which takes into account the diverse interpretations of people-centeredness within different political cultures, can provide valuable insights for researchers and leaders worldwide. Indeed, as the sociologist Shmuel Eisenstadt succinctly puts, modernity does not and should not correspond to Westernization. (shrink)

Bài viết này tóm lược các điểm quan trọng và những triết lý xã hội trong Tầm nhìn Xã hội 5.0 (Society 5.0) của Nhật Bản, đồng thời đưa ra bài học cho Việt Nam trong việc hình thành một xã hội “lấy dân làm gốc”, được hiện thực hoá bởi trí tuệ nhân tạo (AI). Nhằm tiến tới một xã hội nơi con người được đặt làm trung tâm đồng thời chung sống hài hoà với công nghệ ngày càng (...) thông minh, năm gợi ý cụ thể cho Việt Nam đã được đưa ra: Tầm nhìn lấy con người làm trung tâm; Góc nhìn đa chiều về mối quan hệ giữa người và máy; Lấy AI làm động lực phát triển kinh tế-xã hội; Cách tiếp cận từ dưới lên trên và thúc đẩy tính tham gia trong việc thiết lập tầm nhìn; và Tính bền vững và bao quát trong các ứng dụng của AI. (shrink)

As I tried to show in my earlier works (An Endeavor of New Concept of Being and Non-Being, Non-Being and Nothingness and Reality as Being and Nothingness), the environment in which the human being is finding itself should be characterized by being and nothingness, and any non-metaphysical philosophy must consider such an understanding of Reality as the utmost category which is above being, Universe, etc. In this article, I will try to shed light on the place and role of the (...) human being or the presence or this-being in Reality as being and nothingness. (shrink)

A discussion on PhilPapers.org, initiated by myself, has prompted me to write this sketch.

Metaphysics has done everything to involve God in the world of being. However, in case of considering Reality as being and nothingness, naturally, the metaphysical approach toward the idea of God is losing its grounds. If Reality is being and nothingness, so the idea of God, too, should concern nothingness as well as being.

There is a common belief that non-being and nothingness are identical, a widespread, even general delusion the wrongness of which I will try to demonstrate in this work. And which I consider even more important, that is to define nothingness for further determination of “its” place and role in the reality and especially in human life.

Wild Wise Weird presents a compelling collection of narratives that use anthropomorphised birds to explore significant themes relevant to contemporary global societies. Through allegorical storytelling, the chapters address critical issues such as community dynamics, resource management, health awareness, leadership challenges, and environmental stewardship. Each narrative, particularly those featuring Kingfisher, reflects the socio-economic complexities many communities face, highlighting the urgent need for effective governance and informed decision-making.

"Translating Key Terms Terms in Lu Cheng's Records in the Chuan xi lu: Some Preliminary Considerations" Draft paper for the 2024 Conference on [Wang] Yangming's Learning of Mind, Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Updated October 4, 2024. The final version will appear in the conference volume. -/- Criticism and suggestions welcome. Please do email.

This article presents a philosophical framework for uniting monotheistic religions under the premise of a common deity. Through careful examination of shared scriptures, ideologies, and ethical principles, it addresses the logical inconsistency of maintaining multiple monotheistic traditions while proposing a practical pathway toward unification. The framework acknowledges the complexity of religious institutions while offering a solution that respects existing structures during a transitional period. By identifying core commonalities and addressing institutional concerns, this paper provides a theoretical and practical foundation for (...) religious convergence in the modern era. The proposed approach includes a comprehensive implementation timeline and detailed guidelines for preserving valuable aspects of individual traditions while moving toward unified religious expression. (shrink)

I have been working on the fundamental laws of physics for a long time. During this time, I realized that gravity does not work like Newtonian and this misleads us into Dark Matter. The relationship between distance and gravitational force varies with distance. The gravity equation varies with some value between $1/r$, $1/r^2$ or $1/r^4$ for the farthest or closest available distance. However, empty space also has a gravitational and expansion effect. This study aims to analyze and discuss these two (...) phenomena. This work explains observational galaxy rotation curves without dark matter. (shrink)

Sublime Žižek: Guarding Lenin’s Tomb (July 2002) - Žižek & Badiou: The Neo-Marxist Magicians (November 2003) - The Ruins of Thought: Five Scenarios Toward a Short Film (November 2005) - Slavoj Žižek at Jack Tilton Gallery, New York, New York, April 2009 (April 2009) - Questions for Žižek (April 2009).

Abstract In diesem Text geht es zunächst um eine Zurückweisung eines indologischen Interpretationsmusters, nach dem in Nagarjunas Philosophie den Dingen eine fehlende Existenz zugeschrieben wird. Das halte ich für einen Versuch, den Buddhismus auf die Stufe eines Aberglaubens herabzustufen. Weiterhin geht es um das zwischen den Dingen Liegende und um den Begriff der Abhängigkeit und um zahlreiche ganz ähnliche Begriffe, die der Philosoph A. N. Whitehead verwendet, um ein Prinzip zum Ausdruck zu bringen, das von ihm auch als die Verflochtenheit (...) der Dinge bezeichnet wird. Ein viel früherer Hinweis auf das zwischen den Dingen Liegende stammt von dem indischen Philosophen Nagarjuna. Bei beiden Philosophen gibt es Dutzende von Begriffen und Bildern, die sich vom Denken an ein Objekt lösen, um sich mehr auf das zu konzentrieren, was zwischen den Dingen passiert, auf Zwischenräume und Zwischenzustände. Mein eigenes Beispiel dafür ist ein Vogelschwarm, der weder verklumpt noch auseinanderfällt. Solch ein Zwischenzustand lässt sich nicht auf einen einzigen Begriff festnageln, der die Vielfalt der Beziehungen zum Ausdruck bringen könnte. (shrink)

Semantic Information conveyed by daily language has been researched for many years; yet, we still need a practical formula to measure information of a simple sentence or prediction, such as “There will be heavy rain tomorrow”. For practical purpose, this paper introduces a new formula, Semantic Information Formula (SIF), which is based on L. A. Zadeh’s fuzzy set theory and P. Z. Wang’s random set falling shadow theory. It carries forward C. E. Shannon and K. Popper’s thought. The fuzzy set’s (...) probability defined by Zadeh is treated as the logical probability sought by Popper, and the membership grade is treated as the truth-value of a proposition and also as the posterior logical probability. The classical relative information formula (Information=log(Posterior probability / Prior probability) is revised into SIF by replacing the posterior probability with the membership grade and the prior probability with the fuzzy set’s probability. The SIF can be explained as “Information=Testing severity – Relative square deviation” and hence can be used as Popper's information criterion to test scientific theories or propositions. The information measure defined by the SIF also means the spared codeword length as the classical information measure. This paper introduces the set-Bayes’ formula which establishes the relationship between statistical probability and logical probability, derives Fuzzy Information Criterion (FIC) for the optimization of semantic channel, and discusses applications of SIF and FIC in areas such as linguistic communication, prediction, estimation, test, GPS, translation, and fuzzy reasoning. Particularly, through a detailed example of reasoning, it is proved that we can improve semantic channel with proper fuzziness to increase average semantic information to reach its upper limit: Shannon mutual information. (shrink)

It is argued that whenever component parts are assembled into an integrated whole, some of the properties defining the qualitative identities of the components are lost, and therefore the components as such have ceased to exist, at least temporarily. They have been replaced by a structure, which has different properties and behaviour from its components. In the process of creating a structure some properties are lost and others are gained, so rather than saying "a whole is more than the sum (...) of its parts" it would be more accurate to say "a whole is instead of its parts". It is suggested that the visual perception of components continuing to exist intact within solid structures is illusory, a result of the way our perceptual and cognitive processes habitually operate. The relation between physical structures and consciousness is briefly discussed, in the context of the physical universe conceived as one continuous structure uniting all individual physical entities. (shrink)

(This is the prologue to a book examining the causes of day-to-day strife in the populations of modern democracies vying to live and assert the freedoms promised to them by systems of governance supposed and expected to represent them.) -/- Voters, the population at large, no longer want representation but participation. But how is that achieved? The technological means are certainly there for each one of us to express opinion, bring forth ideas, mobilise groups with common purpose. -/- The growth (...) of the social, political, and professional consciousness has gone beyond the stage of conformism and acceptance. The time is ripe for mechanisms that create profound bottlenecks to be superseded by better means, less procedure, less posturing, full involvement at grass roots. (shrink)

McBride reconsiders what philosophy is and what philosophy should be. He considers Gilles Deleuze and Leonard Harris, offering a compacted account of Deleuze’s transcendental empiricism and then subsequently offering an account of Harris’s philosophy born of struggle. He suggests that Deleuze and Harris are making similar moves. There are likenesses, the positions may be compatible in some respects, but, in the end, McBride believes Harris’s position offers a more explicit and tenable reason to engage in philosophy.

Research projects on Art History use to be highly expensive, exhaustive, slow, and sometimes disappointing. As a consequence, careers of most relevant artists start and finish without being noticed, in absence of critical assessments that contribute to improve it. This compendium of documents is primarily intended to help serious researchers and writers find an appropriate standard to ask for regular updates to artists during their careers. The document is structured as a traditional publication, but as a sample of resources that (...) could be useful in research projects. A comprehensive check list for painting evaluation, a sample of spontaneous assessments, and a set of plates are offered in this compendium as the raw material for future development of investigation on the pictorial art. My aim in this document is to open discussions to explore reasonable communication channels between painters and researchers without excluding non-academic opinions that could enrich debates on the contextualization of every artwork, and prevent awful and disappointing silence regions of the art world. (shrink)