Social Phenomena, Misc

This book argues that our success in navigating the social world depends heavily on scripts. Scripts play a central role in our ability to understand social interactions shaped by different contextual factors. -/- In philosophy of social cognition, scholars have asked what mechanisms we employ when interacting with other people or when cognizing about other people. Recent approaches acknowledge that social cognition and interaction depends heavily on contextual, cultural, and social factors that contribute to the way individuals make sense of (...) the social interactions they take part in. This book offers the first integrative account of scripts in social cognition and interaction. It argues that we need to make contextual factors and social identity central when trying to explain how social interaction works, and that this is possible via scripts. Additionally, scripts can help us understand bias and injustice in social interaction. The author’s approach combines several different areas of philosophy—– philosophy of mind, social epistemology, feminist philosophy—as well as sociology and psychology to show why paying attention to injustice in interaction is much needed in social cognition research, and in philosophy of mind more generally. -/- Scripts and Social Cognition: How we Interact with Others will appeal to scholars and graduate students working in philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology, social epistemology, social ontology, sociology, and social psychology. (shrink)

This article examines the rediscovery of the Sapt Sindhu civilization and its contemporary significance in shaping India’s cultural and political identity. Scholars, nationalists, and cultural theorists, among others, have played an essential role in searching for and reconstructing this civilization. Rooted in the ancient Indus Valley civilization, the Sapt Sindhu has come to symbolize India’s historical unity and cultural continuity. The article explores how this rediscovery is used to strengthen national pride, particularly in the context of a diverse and pluralistic (...) society. Drawing on sociological insights, it analyzes the ways in which the narrative of the Sapt Sindhu is employed to construct a unified national identity, often at the expense of complex social realities such as caste, regionalism, and gender. Through a critical examination of historical texts, contemporary political discourse, and media representations, the article underscores the potential for such idealized representations of the past to either unify or divide, depending on their use. The methodological approach is rooted in the sociological analysis of national identity formation, cultural memory, and the politics of history. By using theories of collective memory, social identity, and post-colonialism, the study explores how the Sapt Sindhu narrative is both a tool for social cohesion and a potential site of exclusion for marginalized groups. The article concludes by advocating for a more inclusive understanding of India’s cultural history, one that respects the diversity of its social structures and addresses the needs of contemporary society. (shrink)

This article articulates our everyday notion of cooperation. First, I topple an orthodoxy of shared agency theory by arguing that shared intentions to J are neither necessary nor sufficient for J to be cooperative. I refute the necessity claim by providing examples of shared intention-free cooperation (in institutional contexts and beyond). I refute the sufficiency claim by observing that coercion and exploitation need not preclude shared intentions but do preclude cooperation. These arguments, in turn, lead to my positive proposal. People (...) cooperate, I argue, just in case their activities are coordinated in ways that do not undermine any participant’s agency. (shrink)

What should we do about “tainted” public commemorations? Recent events have highlighted the urgency of reaching a consensus on this question. However, existing discussions appear to be dominated by two naïve opposing views – to remove or preserve them. My aims in this essay are two-fold. First, I argue that the two views are not naïve, but undergirded by concerns with securing self-respect and with the character of our engagement with the past. Second, I offer a qualified defence of vandalising (...) tainted commemorations. The defence comprises two parts. I consider two prominent suggestions – to install counter-commemorations and to add contextualising plaques – and argue that they are typically beset with difficulties. I then argue that in some circumstances, constrained vandalism is a response to tainted commemorations which effectively adjudicates the demands of the two opposing views. (shrink)

В діяльності людини мета має велике значення, оскільки вона задає вектор руху людського життя на тому чи іншому його етапі. Життя взагалі можна розглядати як процес реалізації мети, яка має актуальність, є ієрархічною і задає сенс. Дослідження проблеми мети людської діяльності є важливим як аспект діяльності соціальної, що впливає на соціальне буття, соціальні відносини. А в умовах все більшого ускладнення суспільства питання про мету виходить на перший план, оскільки взаємодія загальної і індивідуальної мети теж ускладнюється, особливо в плані мотивації щодо (...) дії, поведінки. Проблема мети розглядається у даному дослідженні не як проблема мети філософії, а як проблема індивідуального і соціального буття, саме як проблема людської поведінки. Це зауваження є важливим тому, що телеологічність філософського знання відноситься до вічної філософської проблеми початку і кінця, вічних цінностей, сенсу людського буття, Бога. У цьому плані можна погодитися зі стоїками, які виділяли кінцеву мету і просто мету. (shrink)