scholarly journals The Unavoidability of Nature. The Struggle of Erich Przywara and Chantal Delsol to Reintroduce the Concept

Verbum Vitae ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maciej Raczyński-Rożek
Keyword(s):  
Modern Philosophy ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Direct Connection ◽  
Contemporary Culture ◽  
Existence Of God ◽  
Intellectual Discourse ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
History Of

The history of modern philosophy has been marked by a retreat from traditional metaphysical concepts, including the notion of nature, which is central to theological considerations. It allows us to recognize a direct connection between the ordered world of nature and the existence of God. Still, some theologians paradoxically welcomed the downfall of metaphysics. Acknowledging the irreversibility of changes in the intellectual landscape of contemporary culture, and following Heidegger’s critique of the so-called ontotheology, they stated that one can and should “do” theology without resorting to metaphysical concepts, like the concept of nature. In this paper I am revisiting the work of two thinkers that defended the concept of nature. They represent two generations of 20th and 21st century Christian theologians (Erich Przywara) and philosophers (Chantal Delsol) who assiduously sought to reintroduce the concept of nature to the mainstream of intellectual discourse. Tracing their footsteps, we shall see that intellectual systems inspired by Christianity actually need the concept of nature, or its equivalent. What is common to both scholars is that they try to achieve this goal indirectly, by substituting the concepts of classical metaphysics. As mentioned, modern critique left metaphysical notions with a bad reputation (undeservedly, in our opinion), but Przywara and Delsol replace them with related concepts that latter-day thinkers find easier to accept.

scholarly journals Dostoevsky at the Turn of the 21st Century: Antinomies of Interpretation

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 5-47
Author(s):  
Valentina Borisova ◽  
Sergey Schaulov
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Literary Studies ◽  
Final Conclusion ◽  
Research Subjects ◽  
Contemporary Culture ◽  
Religious Philosophy ◽  
Silver Age ◽  
Classical Text ◽  
Russian Literary ◽  
History Of

The aim of the proposed article is to identify the key trends and contradictions in the study and interpretation of Dostoevsky’s work at the turn of the 21st century. Dostoevsky studies are one of the most advanced and active branches of Russian literary studies, which is confirmed by a large number of regular scientific conferences, as well as by a significant number of fundamental monographs. The search for a new interpretive basis in the Christian tradition, which has revealed a number of axiological and methodological contradictions, including the inevitable choice between literary and philosophical/theological discourses, is seen as the main methodological breakthrough in contemporary Russian literary studies (and simultaneously a challenge). Three aspects of the question of the Christian basis of Dostoevsky’s work are examined: along with “dogmatic ranting” (as defined by I. A. Esaulov), reading the writer’s works in the context of the legacy of religious philosophy of the Silver Age remains relevant. We recognize the analysis and interpretation of Dostoevsky’s texts in the spirit of historical poetics as the most productive, provided that the postulate about the Christian nature of the Russian classical tradition is accepted. The methodological search of Dostoevsky’s researchers, typical for the turn of the 21st century, has found its expression in a multitude of “research subjects”: this polemic centers on the definitions of “realism in the highest sense”/“Christian realism” and a dispute around The Idiot and the image of Prince Myshkin, caused by the receptive conflict of interpreters. In addition, the article underscores the problem of the use of Bakhtin’s legacy in Dostoevsky studies: in our opinion, the key notions of his concept in literary studies “function” either in an adjusted form, or as scientific metaphors, or as an “appeal to authority”. Therefore, it seems more productive to include Bakhtin’s heritage in Dostoevsky studies as an essential fact in the history of perception of his work, rather than as a methodological basis for studying the text. It is in this aspect that the success of Russian literature in recent years is most obvious, however, the gap between scientific excellence and mass perception of Dostoevsky is also apparent. The final conclusion states that the contradictions of interpretations generated by transcending the “spectrum of adequacy” when reading a classical text have not been overcome. Dostoevsky’s work still causes controversy and methodological arguments. This means that the history of his perception remains an ongoing, living narrative. Dostoevsky still remains a subject of contemporary culture, rather than its object.

Thorstein Veblen: A View from the 21st Century

2007 ◽  
pp. 73-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Nureev
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Institutional Economics ◽  
Economic Thought ◽  
History Of Economic Thought ◽  
Thorstein Veblen ◽  
History Of

The article provides a description of T. Veblen’s views, showing his place in the history of economic thought. The author analyzes the context of Veblen’s life and work and considers different aspects of his theoretical legacy. Special attention is paid to the discussion of Veblen’s role in the development of institutional economics. The author describes in detail the main trends in the development of institutionalism after Veblen.

The Efficient Organisation of Public Intellect: Lyon Playfair and Scottish Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-290
Author(s):  
Robert Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Social Mobility ◽  
Technical Education ◽  
Direct Connection ◽  
National System ◽  
Modern Idea ◽  
History Of ◽  
Parish Schools ◽  
Education Act ◽  
Scottish Politics

Lyon Playfair was a champion of scientific and technical education who was professor of chemistry at Edinburgh University before serving as a Liberal M.P., initially for a Scottish university seat, from 1868 to 1892. This article looks mainly at his role in debates on the Education Act of 1872 and the bills which preceded it. Playfair sought to define the democratic traditions of Scottish education, especially emphasising the legacy of John Knox, and to adapt them to the new national system. He idealised the direct connection between parish schools and universities, and the opportunities available to talented boys, using newly available statistics to support his case. He also contributed to the shaping of Scottish secondary education, and to establishing the modern idea of social mobility through educational merit. When the Scottish Office was established in 1885, Playfair opposed the devolution of education and this dissent led him to move to an English seat. His career has a wider interest for the history of Scottish politics in the age of Gladstone.

Bernard Freydberg: A Dark History of modern Philosophy

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-317
Author(s):  
Dennis Vanden Auweele
Keyword(s):  
Modern Philosophy ◽  
History Of

THE CONCEPT OF THE BALANCE OF FORCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1835-1847
Author(s):  
Vladimir Tomashevic ◽  
Hatidza Berisha ◽  
Aleksandar Cirakovic
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Scientific Understanding ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Major Powers ◽  
Realistic Theory ◽  
World Power ◽  
History Of ◽  
Balance Of Forces ◽  
Single World

In this paper the authors proceed from defining the concept of balance of forces, theoretical understanding of the balance of forces from the aspect of the scientific understanding of the realistic theory of international relations with concrete examples from the history of international relations. However, the focus of the work is an analysis of the power between a single world power (USA) and major powers (Russia, China) in a possible balance of power.The aim of the paper is to try to point out, through a relatively brief review, the possibility of establishing a balance of forces in the 21st century.

Renaissance Mass Murder

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Bowd
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Social History ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Mass Murder ◽  
Early Modern Europe ◽  
Contemporary Culture ◽  
The Face ◽  
History Of ◽  
Italian Wars ◽  
Human Tragedy

Renaissance Mass Murder explores the devastating impact of war on the men and women of the Renaissance. In contrast to the picture of balance and harmony usually associated with the Renaissance, it uncovers in forensic detail a world in which sacks of Italian cities and massacres of civilians at the hands of French, German, Spanish, Swiss, and Italian troops were regular occurrences. The arguments presented are based on a wealth of evidence—histories and chronicles, poetry and paintings, sculpture and other objects—which together provide a new and startling history of sixteenth-century Italy and a social history of the Italian Wars. It outlines how massacres happened, how princes, soldiers, lawyers, and writers, justified and explained such events, and how they were represented in contemporary culture. On this basis the book reconstructs the terrifying individual experiences of civilians in the face of war and in doing so offers a story of human tragedy which redresses the balance of the history of the Italian Wars, and of Renaissance warfare, in favour of the civilian and away from the din of the battlefield. This book also places mass murder in a broader historical context and challenges claims that such violence was unusual or in decline in early modern Europe. Finally, it shows that women often suffered disproportionately from this violence and that immunity for them, as for their children, was often partially developed or poorly respected.

On Crepidostomum farionis O. F. Müll. (= Stephanophiala laureata Zeder), a Distome Parasite of the Trout and Grayling. I. The Life History

Parasitology ◽  
1927 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Gall Bladder ◽  
Excretory Vesicle ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Larval Trematode ◽  
Sphaerium Corneum ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
History Of ◽  
Second Intermediate Host ◽  
Ephemera Danica

1. Crepidostomum farionis inhabits the gall bladder, as well as the intestine and pyloric caeca, of the trout and grayling.2. The life history of Crepidostomum farionis has been worked out and is based on the similarity of organisation of the cercaria, encysted larval trematode and the adult.3. The first intermediate hosts in the life history of this trematode are Pisidium amnicum (Müll.) and Sphaerium corneum (L.) though the latter is unusual.4. The second intermediate host is the larva of the mayfly, Ephemera danica (Müll.).5. There are two generations of rediae, the first gives rise to daughter rediae, which in turn produce cercariae.6. The rediae are characterised by the absence of ambulatory processes and a functional intestine.7. The cercaria (n.sp.) possesses “eye spots,” stylet and gland cells (salivary?), and the excretory vesicle is tube-shaped.8. The excretory system of the redia and the cercaria has been worked out in detail.9. The relation of the parasites to their respective hosts is discussed. On account of the need for further observations definite conclusions are held over for a later paper.

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