Kuala Lumpur is a diverse city representing many different religions and nationalities. Recent government policy has actively promoted unity and cohesion throughout the city; and the country of Malaysia, with the implementation of a programme called 1Malaysia. In this book, the authors investigate the aims of this programme – predominantly to unify the Malaysian society – and how these objectives resonate in the daily spatial practices of the city’s residents. -/- This book argues that elements of urban infrastructure could work (...) as an essential mediator ‘beyond community’, allowing inclusive social structures to be built, despite cultural and religious tensions existing within the city. It builds on the premise of an empirical study which explores the ways in which different communities use the same spaces, supported through the implementation of a theoretical framework which looks at both Western and Islamic conceptualisations of the notion of community. Through the analysis of Kuala Lumpur, this book contributes towards the creation of more inclusive places in multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious communities across the world. (shrink)

Public education is not just a way to organise and fund education. It is also the expression of a particular ideal about education and of a particular way to conceive of the relationship between education and society. The ideal of public education sees education as an important dimension of the common good and as an important institution in securing the common good. The common good is never what individuals or particular groups want or desire, but always reaches beyond such particular (...) desires towards that which societies as a whole should consider as desirable. This does, of course, put the common good in tension with the desires of individuals and groups. Neo-liberal modes of governance have, over the past decades, put this particular educational set up under pressure and have, according to some, eroded the very idea of the common good. This set of contributions reflects on this state of affairs, partly through an exploration of the idea of publicness itself – how it can be rearticulated and regained – and partly through reflections on the current state of education in the ‘north’ and the ‘south.’. (shrink)

Volume 52, Issue 9, August 2020, Page 923-927.

Two modern achievements, the modern figure of the intellectual and the modern institution of the university, have been undergoing a radical crisis of identity. The decline of the philosophical project of modernity is turning out to be a painful process for modern culture: once again it has to reformulate the aims of its social institutions (the university) and the tasks of its cultural heroes (the intellectual). The traditional modern figure of the intellectual seems untenable in our increasingly postmodern cultural surrounding. (...) The modern institution of the university may face a similar fate in our increasingly globalized surrounding: either it is going to accept the rules of bureaucratic consumer-oriented corporations, or it will have to try once again to find a new regulative idea. Thus, the history of the university and the history of the intellectual in the 20<SUP>th century being parallel, the present volume consists of essays in the philosophy of culture (devoted to the intellectual) and in the philosophy of education (devoted to the modern university) and attempts to link the two modern themes together. (shrink)

Článek reaguje na monografii Homo Natura: Nietzsche, Philosophical Anthropology and Biopolitics (2020) současné akademičky Vanessy Lemmové zabývající se Nietzschovým úkolem „přesadit člověka zpět do přírody“, tzn. chápat jej jako bytost veskrze imanentní přírodě. Reakce směřuje především na jednu z hlavních tezí knihy, podle níž tato Nietzschova snaha otevírá možnost nového, postantropocentrického pohledu na člověka a jeho vztahu k přírodě – pohledu, v jehož centru zájmu již nestojí člověk, nýbrž život sám, resp. kontinuum života, jež se ztělesňuje v lidském druhu a (...) jehož je lidský druh rovnocennou součástí po boku ostatních organismů. Nietzschova myšlenka o homo natura podle Lemmové předznamenává myšlení současného posthumanismu vyznačujícího se právě snahou vytvořit takový pohled na člověka a jeho vztah k přírodě, který bybyl vhodným teoretickým rámcem pro sebepojetí člověka v epoše antropocénu. Článek tuto tezi doplňuje o Heideggerovu interpretaci Nietzschovy myšlenky nadčlověka podanou v sérii přednášek Co znamená myslet?, v níž je nadčlověk chápán jako ekologický ideál lidstva schopného zodpovědně převzít moc plynoucí z technického přetváření země. Cílem článku je ukázat, že, v souladu s interpretacemi Lemmové a Heideggera, u Nietzscheho lze nalézt způsob, jak by se lidstvo mohlo produktivně vyrovnat s realitou antropocénu, a to skrze přechod od „posledního člověka“ k „nadčlověku“, kde přechod k „nadčlověku“ je chápán jako idea nastolení nového vztahu mezi lidmi a přírodou, resp. mezi lidmi a zemí. (shrink)

Paradoxe polonais : si l'apprentissage de l'anglais fait partie de la formation professionnelle, le français est plutôt le résultat d'un choix motivé et volontaire, signe qualificatif de distinction. Les Polonais sont de plus en plus conscients de la valeur de la notion de « francophonie », à ne pas confondre ave le « caractère français »Somewhat paradoxically, learning English is seen in Poland as a standard requirement of vocational training, while learning French is seen as a matter of personal choice (...) and motivation and a marker of social distinction. Yet Poles are growing increasingly aware of the value of the notion of "francophonie" - not to be confused with the "caractère français". (shrink)

The paper discusses problems concerning anthropocentric understanding of cosmology and physics. The author considers two version of anthropic principle ("weak" and "strong"). Among other things the connection between anthropic principle and cosmological principle is here analysed. The author also deals with the problem of object-subject relation in physical science (probability and measurement in quantum mechanics). He have come to the conclusion, that anthropocentric interpretation of physical science leads to essential difficulties.

The author presents in the paper several related „logical” meanings of the category of the existence. He discusses some views held by Frege, Russell, Lesniewski, and Quine. The aim of the discussion is to show the insufficiency of those views for the philosophical discourse. The criticism goes in two main directions: immanent direction and transcendent direction. Firstly, the author indicates some internal inconsistencies of the interpretations under discussion. Secondly, he tries to compare the conceptions under consideration with some alternative attitudes, (...) especially with the approach of the so-called existential metaphysics. (shrink)

Badania dotyczące pojawiania się myśli oderwanych od zadania wykonywanego przez podmiot pokazują, że takich myśli jest tym mniej, im większe wymagania stawia ono systemowi poznawczemu, jeśli chodzi o zaangażowanie procesów zarządczych, złożoność, trudność bądź częstość wykonywanych operacji. Jednym z możliwych wyjaśnień tych zależności jest hipoteza biernej regulacji zasobowej: aktywność umysłowa oderwana od zadania rozwija się w takim zakresie, w jakim procesy realizujące zadanie pozostawiają wolne zasoby niezbędne do jej rozwoju. Analizy przedstawione w artykule motywowane są pytaniem o teoretyczną konkretyzację tej (...) idei. Jaka jest natura zasobowych ograniczeń, które mają uniemożliwiać równoczesne rozwijanie się aktywności umysłowej dotyczącej zadania i oderwanej od niego? Na jakim etapie rozwoju aktywności umysłowej prowadzącej do pojawienia się myśli oderwanej od zadania występuje w związku z tymi ograniczeniami zasobowa blokada? Pod tym kątem rozważane są cztery współczesne znaczące ujęcia „roboczej” części umysłu: modele pamięci roboczej Baddeleya i Cowana oraz architektury kognitywne ACT-R i CAPS. Chociaż w tych teoriach są uwzględnione ograniczenia dotyczące przetwarzania lub aktywnego przechowywania, z którymi może wiązać się bierna regulacja zasobowa, to ważne pytania dotyczące mechanizmów takiej regulacji pozostają bez odpowiedzi. Wyjaśnienie odwołujące się do idei biernej regulacji zasobowej stawia przed modelami funkcjonowania umysłu nowe wyzwania. (shrink)

I show how classical and quantum physics approach the problem of randomness and probability. Contrary to popular opinions, neither we can prove that classical mechanics is a deterministic theory, nor that quantum mechanics is a nondeterministic one. In other words it is not possible to show that randomness in classical mechanics has a purely epistemic character and that of quantum mechanics an ontic one. Nevertheless, recent developments of quantum theory and increasing experimental possibilities to check its predictions call for returning (...) to the problem of comparing possibilities given by classical and quantum physics to accommodate and prove the existence of a `genuine randomness'. Recent results concerning `amplification of randomness' show that, in certain sense, quantum physics is in fact ‘more random’ that classical and outperforms it in producing a `truly random process'. (shrink)

In this paper logics defined by finite Sugihara matrices, as well as RM itself, are discussed both in their matrix (semantical) and in syntactical version. For each such a logic a deduction theorem is proved, and a few applications are given.

A logic is a pair (P,Q) where P is a set of formulas of a fixed propositional language and Q is a set of rules. A formula is deducible from X in the logic (P, Q) if it is deducible from XP via Q. A matrix is strongly adequate to (P, Q) if for any , X, is deducible from X iff for every valuation in , is designated whenever all the formulas in X are. It is proved in the (...) present paper that if Q = {modus ponens, adjunction } and P {E, R, E +, R +, E I, R I } then there exists a matrix strongly adequate to (P, Q). (shrink)

The issue of whistleblower protection has been gaining more attention in recent years, especially after the passing of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 23, 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law. However, there is a fundamental question as to whether the regulations are sufficient to provide real protection for whistleblowers in organizations. In this regard, it seems crucial that the various actors (legislators, managers, employees) work together to (...) create an appropriate social environment. In this context, it is worth considering the use of knowledge of human decision-making processes, with particular emphasis on the possibility of modifying choice architecture and influencing decisions without imposing specific solutions. Nudging can be used in the “foreground” of legal regulation, by adjusting the social environment in such a way that legal regulation can work effectively. The paper provides an introduction to the application of nudge theory in the context of legal protection of whistleblowers. (shrink)

The paper links higher education reforms and welfare states reforms in postcommunist Central European countries. It links current higher education debates (and reform pressures) and public sector debates (and reform pressures), stressing the importance of communist-era legacies in both areas. It refers to existing typologies of both higher education governance and welfare state regimes and concludes that the lack of the inclusion of Central Europe in any of them is a serious theoretical drawback in comparative social research. The region should (...) still, after more than two decades of transition and heavy international policy advising, be viewed as a “laboratory of social experimentation”. It is still too risky to suggest generalizations about how Central European higher education and welfare systems fit existing typologies. Consequently, the “transition” period is by no means over: it is over in terms of politics and economics but not in terms of social arrangements. Both higher education and welfare states should be viewed as “work in progress”: permanently under reform pressures, and with unclear future. (shrink)

We formulate a cosmogonic indifference principle in cosmology in terms of a dynamical system theory. While the choice between generic and fine tuned initial condition for our Universe has a rather philosophical character, there is a very generic set of initial conditions which give rise to the concordance inflectional ΛCDM model which becomes in good agreement with astronomical observations.

This article focuses on the production of children’s literature in New Zealand. It problematizes the current practices of releasing and distributing children’s literature, and explores these practices as technologies of control through processes of censorship and classification set by government agencies such as the Office for Film and Literature. Decisions about what is and what is not acceptable for children’s development, it is argued, are not neutral and are instead driven by a neoliberal image of the ‘happy’ uncomplicated child. The (...) article takes the example of the state-funded and distributed My Feelings series as a widely accessible text that is embedded in neoliberal ideology. As this series is distributed to all New Zealand early childhood centres and kindergartens, this article explores understandings of how politics of government influence children’s literature. The work of Václav Havel and Michel Foucault are drawn upon to demonstrate the mechanisms of ideologically driven forms of governmental power that directly impact on the constitution of certain types of childhoods. An example from a contrasting historical and political discourse in the form of communist Czechoslovakia suggests unexpected synergies between neoliberal and socialist ideological frameworks. This analysis further problematizes notions of power in the distribution of children’s literature, and illustrates the influence that political agendas have on the production of idealized political childhood subjectivities. (shrink)

Archival research can be described as preoccupied with the ontology of data formation and collection in relation to the speaking and writing subject. From its outset, it can be located in the humanistic tradition, which the archival and historical discipline has inherited. Thus, archival research can be described as preoccupied with the ontology of data formation and collection in relation to the speaking and writing subject. At the same time, the archival researcher—the human subject—is produced as the sole source of (...) subjective experiences, consciousness and feelings, and has become the central player in this tradition, embedded in debates over the concept of human autonomy in archival research. Archival researchers—human subjects—should be continually challenged by their own discipline, and by such arguably scientific methods, which often espouse rejecting their ethical commitments to idiosyncrasy, entanglements and the blurring of subject–object binaries. An approach that re-elevates these comm... (shrink)

In this paper we are discussing a version of propositional belief logic, denoted by LB, in which so-called axioms of introspection (B BB and B B B) are added to the usual ones. LB is proved to be sound and complete with respect to Boolean algebras equipped with proper filters (Theorem 5). Interpretations in classical theories (Theorem 4) are also considered. A few modifications of LB are further dealt with, one of which turns out to be S5.

Quine’s project of “naturalized epistemology” is usually interpreted as a rejection of classical epistemology, which becomes merely a “chapter of psychology”. It does not imply, however, a different understanding of the character of naturalization is inadequate or wrong. Susan Haack’s interpretations are briefly analyzed in the paper. Thereafter, they are harnessed as models of interpretation of the “naturalization of law”. The main aim is to point the radical reading of Quine’s project is not the only acceptable one. Consequently, there are (...) at least three models of the “naturalization of law” that are analogical to the “naturalization of epistemology”. The author details their character. (shrink)