scholarly journals Aristotle’s Two Cities: Reducing Diversity to Homogeneity

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-73
Author(s):  
Refik Güremen

Abstract It has often been argued, in scholarly debate, that Aristotle’s denial of citizenship to the working population of his ideal city in Book VII of the Politics constitutes a fundamental injustice. According to this view, although it is true that their way of life prevents them from living a morally virtuous life, it does not follow that the working people are naturally devoid of the human qualities required for such a life. So, rather than finding a just way to distribute citizenship among the diversity a city’s population would naturally exhibit (as he does, to a certain extent, in Book III), Aristotle would commit himself to oligarchic measures in Book VII. In this article, it is argued that the main concern of Book VII is less with a just determination of the extent of citizenship (unlike Book III) than with conceiving the most efficient way for a city to be happy: this consists in establishing a community composed of individuals who lay claim to happiness in the same way and to the same degree. In other words, it consists in reducing the diversity of Book III to a certain kind of homogeneity.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Georgieva ◽  
M Kamburova ◽  
P Stefanova ◽  
D Tsanova

Abstract Background Prevention is an important instrument for public health improvement and maintaining workability of active age people. National Health Insurance Fund of Bulgaria (NHIF) finances an annual regular check-up for people over 18 years of age. In addition, working people have access to preventive activities at their workplace. The aim of the study is to explore an actual regularity of preventive activities at active population in Bulgaria. Materials and Methods Data were collected by documents review and direct individual self-administered questionnaire, within a larger research project on health of active population in Bulgaria. It includes 326 employees in a study representing different branches, companies and professions. The questionnaire consists of questions about: a) distribution of risk factors, b) knowledge and attitude to prevention as a tool for better health c) types and regularity of preventive activities. Data processing was performed by SPSS v.24. Results Three of four respondents have been diagnosed with chronic disease, 49.4% of them suffer from more than one disease. One third of observed people take more than one medicine. Despite NHIF offers free of charge and obligatory annual check-ups, only 46% of study subjects have undergone a preventive examination within the last year, 49.7% - between 2 and 5 years and 4.3% have done so more than 5 years ago or never, which decrease the effectiveness of preventive measures. Visiting regular check-ups is significantly lower for younger age groups (below 44 years; p < 0.05). Relatively large part of people measured blood pressure (88.5%), blood glucose (67%) and blood cholesterol (51.5%) during the last year in relation to any symptoms, but not within the regular check-up. Conclusions Study results confirm the current tendency for low coverage of annual check-ups of working population in Bulgaria. Potential of preventive activities is not rationally used because recommended regularity is not observed. Key messages Phenomena as polymorbidity and polypragmasia are widely distributed in Bulgarian active population. Potential of preventive activities is not fully used because recommended regularity is not observed. Despite Bulgarian NHIF finances obligatory annual check-up for people aged over 18 years, most people become subjects of medical examination in case of disease symptoms, rather than regular check-ups.


1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-239
Author(s):  
Mokgethi B.G. Mothlabi

AbstractThere is a certain paradox inherent in Marx's criticism of morality. On the one hand, he rejects morality as a form of bourgeois ideology which serves mainly to justify the status quo. The status quo in question is one which is mainly detrimental to ordinary working people, while favouring property owners as well as owners of the means of production. In this sense Marx's condemnation of morality resembles his condemnation of religion, which he saw as the opium of the people. On the other hand, Marx employs morally significant language to challenge what he regards as the evils of capitalism and their destructive effects on the working class. It becomes clear from all this that capitalism cannot be seen as purely an economic matter. Insofar as it affects the lives and well-being of people, it is also a moral issue and deserves to be judged accordingly. How Marx steers between his seeming rejection of morality and, at the same time, using it to criticise capitalism is the main concern of this article. In the process, Marx's concept of ideology is explained while the focus and motivation of his social critique is also briefly considered.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-73
Author(s):  
Mihaela Nicoară

Abstract One of the goals of evaluation is applying the management based on value, in order to redirect the performances of different activities of the enterprise meaning when, how, and how much to extend the businesses that bring value, and which of the operational measures have the biggest potential to raise the value. The evaluation is based on balanced sheet, balance of accounts, and then the economic balance that includes both the patrimony of the economic entity in economic values and the turnover that the entity is able to achieve. The determination of the adjusted net asset is based on the achieved economic balance. The adjusted net asset is considered the most important patrimonial value because it takes into consideration the incident of various factors on the real value of the assets and on the liabilities or debts of the entity. The evaluation of the economic entity is essential in many moments of the existence of an enterprise, as acquisition, divesture, stock holdings, stock issued, issued shared, stock sales, absorptions, fusions, etc. The specialized literature mentions as essential patrimonial values: the active asset, the adjusted active asset, the active asset reduction. Taking into consideration only their own funds and equity as resource of financing the patrimonial assets of the economic entity, we can affirm that these values correspond to the seller’ view that considers that the economic entity is terminating its activity and his main concern is only the possible selling prices.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-57
Author(s):  
Tarasova TN ◽  
Suslin SA ◽  
Barinova ZhV ◽  
Bochkareva MN

Objectives – to analyze the incidence and structure of morbidity with temporary disability among the working population of the Samara region in the period of 2013–2018. Material and methods.The assessment of the temporary disability was carried out according to the scale " Estimation of morbidity with temporary disability (MTD) rate according to E.L. Notkin", which estimates the "proportion of sick persons" in the total number of working people. Results.The rate of the morbidity with temporary disability was assessed in terms of quality, including the data on the variations of frequency and duration of temporary disability during the study period. Conclusion.The analysis of the incidence rate with temporary disability allows to develop a set of measures for its prevention and reduction, not only in an individual area, but in the whole territory.


Author(s):  
Aleksei Ivanovich Aleksandrov ◽  
Andrei Andreevich Kovalev

The subject of this research is the philosophical conceptualization of evil in the Confucianism. This goal is achieved by solving the following tasks: 1) assessment of Confucianism as a synthesis of the philosophical views of Confucius and Mencius; 2) determination of good and evil as  the contrasting concepts in the ethical space, which is based on the ideal of a “person of high nature” Junzi and the real world of a “petty person"; 3) evaluation of evil as the antipode of good, which is based on the sense of duty and regard of moral rules. The novelty of this research consists in the first within the Russian historical-philosophical literature comparative analysis of the views of Confucius and Mencius upon the nature of evil, examination of the genesis of such representations, and their relevance for modern philosophy. Representations on the nature of good and evil of Confucius and Mencius are based on the contrast within the ethical space of the ideal of a “gentleman” (due) and the reality of a “petty person”. The virtue of a “gentleman” is a means of achieving good; and the virtuous life leads to prosperity of the country. Evil of a “petty person” captured by selfish motives, leads to social demise and political disintegration. Mecius applies same moral principles, which govern the individual’s everyday life, to the political sphere of social existence. The thinker underlines circumscription of the monarchs, indicating that even the monarch – if not a “gentleman”, but merely a “petty person” – can be corrupted by evil, in which case the country faced demise.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 40-42
Author(s):  
N. A. Koryagina ◽  
I. N. Ryamzina ◽  
A. I. Shaposhnikova ◽  
E. N. Koltyrina

Aim. To assess the prevalence of major risk factors (RFs) of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a young working population.Material and methods. This cross-sectional study included 1832 respondents (70% men and 30% women; mean age 29,44±8,6 years). The levels of blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TCH), and body mass index (BMI), as well as the prevalence of smoking, were assessed.Results. Elevated office BP levels were registered in 10,5%, and isolated ambulatory arterial hypertension (AH) in 10%. Overall, AH prevalence in this young working population was 20%. Elevated BP was registered in 34,2% of individuals with hypercholesterolemia (TCH >5 mmol/l), compared to 18,2% in people with TCH <5 mmol/l (p<0,001).Conclusion. The most prevalent CVD RFs in working people under 40 were obesity and AH.


Author(s):  
Juan Felipe Gonzalez-Calderon

This article aims to examine Constantine Lascaris’s work on Aristoteles’ ethical corpus. We consider evidence from the textual witnesses of the Nicomachean Ethics, the Eudemian Ethics, the Magna Moralia, and some other minor ethical writings, which belonged to Lascaris, in order to reconstruct his working methods. We also explore Lascaris’ own statements about virtuous life; a life devoted to the service of the common good, to philosophy and to the study of texts. For him philosophy was a way of life, rather than simply a discourse. We look at the link between written culture and philosophical life and propose further research into how Byzantine and Renaissance scholars understood their own intellectual activities to be a special kind of spiritual exercise intended to promote moral improvement in both individuals and societies.


Author(s):  
Olga V. Filippova ◽  

This article examines the socio-psychological determinants of recidivism. At the socio-psychological level, the determinants of crime are manifested in the criminogenic impact on the individual from small social groups. The closest environment has the most serious influence on the formation of personality. This environment is represented by such small social groups as the family, educational and work teams, everyday and informal milieu. Repeat offenders have no family connection and contacts with educational and work teams. Most repeat offenders are unmarried, they do not work or study. Family desocialization of criminals, their negative attitude towards educational and work activities lead to alienation from the main social institutions and positive microgroups, which is accompanied by joining an informal antisocial environment and establishing strong ties with it. In the course of the study, the author generalized criminological views on the determination of recidivism, analyzed information on the characteristics of repeat criminals, and studied the data on the level of recidivism among those convicted to various measures of criminal liability and the statistics of convictions. The author also surveyed the staff of penitentiary institutions about the causes and conditions of recidivism, and convicts who committed a repeat crime and were serving imprisonment. When studying the determinants of crime recurrence, it is necessary to take into account the criminogenic influence of the factors that determined the primary crime, including at the level of small social groups. After conviction, criminals, as a rule, do not change their immediate environment and contacts, and continue to lead the same way of life. Deficiencies in the punishment system also play a criminogenic role in the determination of recidivism. As a result of the study, the author comes to the conclusion that, at the socio-psychological level, the repeated commission of crimes is due to the absence of positive changes in the convicts' microenvironment with a negative immediate environment retaining its influence and also due to the ineffectiveness of the current punishment system, which is unable to ensure the correction of convicts and prevent recidivism.


1988 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Hugo

Many students of human relations in South Africa would probably agree that an understanding of the policy of racial separation and the general determination of whites not to yield power to the black majority necessitates an awareness of their fears. The importance of this factor can hardly be overlooked, especially if it is defined broadly along the lines suggested by Philip Mason in his succinct study of racial tensions around the globe: There are fears of all kinds… There is the vague and simple fear of something strange and unknown, there is the very intelligible fear of unemployment, and the fear of being outvoted by people whose way of life is quite different. There are fears for the future and memories of fear in the past, fears given an extra edge by class conflict, by a sense of guilt, by sex and conscience… Fear may also act as a catalytic agent, changing the nature of factors previously not acutely malignant, such as the association in metaphor of the ideas of white and black with good and evil… Where the dominant are in the minority they are surely more frightened.1


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