Naturalism and Kantianism

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-123
Author(s):  
Valentin A. Bazhanov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Research ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
External Data ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Brain

An article by T. Rockmore, published in the journal “Epistemology and Philosophy of Science” in 2009 (Vol. XXII. No. 4, pp. 14‒29), claim that naturalism is by its nature an example of anti-Kantianism, for it treats philosophy as a continuation science and recognizes science as a legitimate source of knowledge, does not allow a priori, relies on an a posteriori approach, empiricism in the pre-Kantian sense, and insists on the possibility of revising the knowledge acquired. This article has a goal to show that T. Rockmore point of view should be revised due to the progress of modern cognitive research and, first of all, neuroscience, in which all the features of the naturalistic approach are implemented and in which the “Kantian program” of brain research is developed. In the context of this program, the existence on the ontological level (i.e., in the brain) of certain neural structures that make it possible and play a crucial role in the cognitive activity of a person is recognized. Those concepts that Kant treated as components of cognitive activity in modern neuroscience acquired ontological status in the form of the activity of certain neural structures, which turn out to be prerequisites and components of this activity. We claim that in the context of the Kantian research program in neuroscience, the metaphor “Kantian brain” naturally entered the vocabulary of neuroscientists, and certain specific operations and functions of the brain began to be associated with individual elements of Kant's ideas. It is in this context attempts are made to comprehend the mechanisms of the brain in the “stimulus – activity” mode, when an external effect leads to the excitation of certain neural structures. The brain is capable to anticipate the long-term results of certain actions of the subject. In the case of foresight, the brain generates “internal” models and uses for their correction external data that constantly provided from reality across the subject. At the same time, some kind of self-correcting mechanisms implements, which from a formal point of view described by the Bayes theorem, using a priori evaluations of upcoming events and changes in these evaluations as result of experience. Thus, naturalism and Kantianism understood in the context of the progress of modern science, despite T. Rockmore idea, are completely compatible.

scholarly journals Penile fracture: Retrospective analysis of our case history with long-term assessment of the erectile and sexological outcome

2014 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Pavan ◽  
Giorgia Tezzot ◽  
Giovanni Liguori ◽  
Renata Napoli ◽  
Paolo Umari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Erectile Function ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
Penile Curvature ◽  
Penile Fracture ◽  
Radiological Investigation ◽  
Urinary Disorders ◽  
Patient Reported

Objectives: To review the cases of patients with suspected penile fracture and asses erectile and sexological outcomes. Materials and methods: from 1987 to 2013 presented to the Urology Clinic of Trieste and at the AIED of Pordenone a total of 41 cases that were divided into two groups according to the timing of treatment: 18 patients with anamnestic diagnosis of penile fracture treated nonimmediately and 23 patients treated immediately after the trauma. For all patients we evaluated the type of treatment adopted, the occurrence of complications and reoperations and the follow-up. The erectile function was also evaluated through the IIEF, as well as the psychological impact of the trauma on social and sex life, using a psycho- sexological questionnaire. Results: Among patients treated immediately after the trauma 14 were subjected to surgery. About a year after surgery, penile curvature was reported in 1 patient, pain in 3 patients, urinary disorders in 1 patient, while none reported erectile dysfunction (ED). Out of these, only 3 patients underwent reoperation. Among those treated conservatively 1 patient reported curvature, 1 patient reported pain and none reported ED. Among patients who were admitted at a later date, 14 reported curvature and 4 reported pain whereas urinary disorders were reported in 1 and ED in 4 patients. From a psychological point of view, the trauma caused in most cases a fear of new trauma and of repercussions on erectile function and sensitivity. Conclusions: The diagnosis is mainly clinical; however, radiological investigation is essential to confirm the diagnosis, assess the site and extent of the trauma and possible urethral involvement, so as to plan the most appropriate treatment. In addition, immediate treatment leads to better long-term results, with a lower incidence of ED and penile curvature. Psychologically, penile trauma intensifies the fear of reoccurrence; it decreases, however, with the passage of time.

scholarly journals Identifying safe cultivars of invasive plants: six questions for risk assessment, management, and communication

NeoBiota ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 81-97
Author(s):  
Arunava Datta ◽  
Sabrina Kumschick ◽  
Sjirk Geerts ◽  
John R. U. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Risk Identification ◽  
General Science ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
Less Invasive ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Species Being

The regulation of biological invasions is often focussed at the species level. However, the risks posed by infra- and inter-specific entities can be significantly different from the risks posed by the corresponding species, to the extent that they should be regulated and managed differently. In particular, many ornamental plants have been the subject of long-term breeding and selection programmes, with an increasing focus on trying to develop cultivars and hybrids that are less invasive. In this paper, we frame the problem of determining the risk of invasion posed by cultivars or hybrids as a set of six questions that map on to the key components of a risk analysis, viz., risk identification, risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. 1) Has an infra- or inter-specific entity been proposed as “safe to use” despite at least one of the corresponding species being a harmful invasive? 2) What are the trait differences between the proposed safe alternative and its corresponding invasive species? 3) Do the differences in traits translate into a difference in invasion risk that is significant for regulation? 4) Are the differences spatially and temporally stable? 5) Can the entities be distinguished from each other in practice? 6) What are the appropriate ways to communicate the risks and what can be done to manage them? For each question, we use examples to illustrate how they might be addressed focussing on plant cultivars that are purported to be safe due to sterility. We review the biological basis of sterility, methods used to generate sterile cultivars, and the methods available to confirm sterility. It is apparent that separating invasive genetic entities from less invasive, but closely related, genetic entities in a manner appropriate for regulation currently remains unfeasible in many circumstances – it is a difficult, expensive and potentially fruitless endeavour. Nonetheless, we strongly believe that an a priori assumption of risk should be inherited from the constituent taxa and the onus (and cost) of proof should be held by those who wish to benefit from infra- (or inter-) specific genetic entities. The six questions outlined here provide a general, science-based approach to distinguish closely-related taxa based on the invasion risks they pose.

scholarly journals Det klingendes meningspotensial og dets slumrende klangbunn i lytteren: Utkast til en musikkinspirert livsanskuelse

2020 ◽  
pp. 301-311
Author(s):  
Peder Christian Kjerschow
Keyword(s):  
Brain Research ◽  
World View ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Reward System ◽  
Human Origin ◽  
The World ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Unique Potential ◽  
Thinking Consciousness

In this essay I am aiming to sketch a context of my view of music, taking the form of a musically-inspired Weltanschauung [world view]. Confronted with “great” music of all types, I experience the particular ability of music to bring consciousness into a state of listening, attentive “passivity”, without the need for an explanation of what it is about. Afterwards, the thinking consciousness may rise to active reflection on the unique potential of meaning in music – so unlike anything else – and on the equally enigmatic resonant disposition in me that responds to music as an essential meaningful appeal. Although music has all the characteristics of its human origin and historical context, it may be considered as a spring welling from the very source of the world: Its potential of meaning is rooted deeper than human culture. Thus, music offers a confrontation with objective reality, not with something “staged” by our consciousness or, not to mention, by our brain. This musical confrontation with reality has led to my questioning the subjectivism of Kant and especially Fichte, and to an interest in Schelling’s philosophy of nature as a convincing refutation of subjectivistic epistemology. In the name of reality, I touch on the problematic interpretations and conclusions of neuroscience and brain research concerning self-perception. This sort of “philosophy”, where the very self (i.e. the “I” or the subject) is identified with the object studied, i.e. the brain itself. This view may also imply a reductionistic understanding of the experience of meaningful music as “staged” by the reward system of the brain.

scholarly journals Death Anxiety, Immortality Projects and Happiness: A Utilitarian Argument Against the Legalization of Euthanasia

Conatus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Donovan Van der Haak
Keyword(s):  
Death Anxiety ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Voluntary Euthanasia ◽  
Dying Patients ◽  
Human Decision ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Shed Light

The current, utilitarian debate on the relation between euthanasia and happiness focusses primarily on the subject of dying patients. Where some utilitarians stress how euthanasia may relieve suffering in the process of dying, others emphasize the importance of respecting the autonomy of others to make decisions like these themselves.  However, less attention has been paid to how legalizing euthanasia may impact the human decision-making processes of those still in a healthy and mentally sound state. This paper aims to shed light on this relatively underdeveloped subject within utilitarian theory. In particular, I focus on euthanasia’s most contested form: active, voluntary euthanasia. I draw on Ernst Becker,  who argues that moderate death anxiety stimulates people to work on ‘immortality projects,’ decisions that help them cope with the concept of death. Subsequently, I draw on several studies to defend the notion that immortality projects are indirectly conducive to happiness because they stimulate healthy decisions and long-term, human progress. Additionally, immortality projects counterbalance decisions that are based on an excessive drive for short-term pleasure. As euthanasia can make dying less painful, I argue it may diminish death anxiety to significant degree, and thereby also an incentive to work on immortality projects. This brings me to the conclusion that legalizing euthanasia is problematic from a utilitarian point of view, considering the observation that immortality projects are indirectly conducive to happiness.

scholarly journals THE FUTURE OF HUMANISM: THE PLACE OF HUMAN IN TECHNOGENIC CIVILIZATION

2020 ◽  
pp. 155-165
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Spiritual Values ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Modern Culture ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Electrical Impulses ◽  
The Brain

The article is devoted to reflections on the future of the humanistic paradigm that underlies modern culture, and an analysis of the views of modern philosophers and historians on this scientific problem. Modern science and technology are evolving very rapidly. Society is trying to keep up with their development and modernize culture to meet new requirements. The foundation of modern culture is humanism as a system of views and values associated with the recognition of the central role of man, as well as with the belief in the need to coordinate strategies for solving any socio-cultural issues with the essence of human. At the same time, a person in the context of a humanistic worldview is certainly perceived as a bearer of the individual “I”, acts as the basis of personality. Science and technology are still developing within the framework of a humanistic system of values, and they also set ambitious goals based on such value. However, there are already very significant contradictions between the values of humanism and scientific achievements. Consequently, there is a need for a fundamental analysis of this situation. It seems that technology poses a significant threat to humanism, and this threat can be realized in several scenarios. On the one hand, modern science undermines “faith” in humanism when it claims that despite advances in the analysis of the functioning of the brain, it has failed to find the very center of personality, the individual “I” of a person, on the basis of which the humanistic paradigm is built. That is, science has failed to figure out how electrical impulses turn into consciousness. And if we assume that no “I” actually exists, that this is only a certain function of the brain to create a holistic picture of the world, then a person can be considered simply as one of the algorithms. Then it does not matter on what basis this algorithm works, that is, “live” and artificial algorithms in fact are not fundamentally different. Such considerations, of course, leave humanism no chance. Such reasoning, of course, leaves no chance for humanism. On the other hand, the “humanistic” goals of humanity can lead to its complete or partial transformation into a certain “super-humanity”. And attempts to define the “spiritual” values of such a future “new formation” look like a fundamentally insoluble task. So, from the point of view of determining the future states of humanism, modern philosophers have something to think about.

Brain World or Life World? Critique of Neuroconstructivism

2021 ◽  
pp. 144-156
Author(s):  
Thomas Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
External World ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Phantom Limb ◽  
Rubber Hand ◽  
Life World ◽  
Body Experience ◽  
The World ◽  
Spatially Extended ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Brain

From a neuro-constructivistic point of view, the brain creates an internal simulation of the external world which appears as the phenomenal world in consciousness. This view presupposes in particular that the subjective body and the organic or objective body belong to two fundamentally different worlds, the mental and the physical. The spatiality of the subject-body must then be declared an illusion, for example by referring to dissociations of the subject- and object-body as in the rubber hand illusion or the phantom limb. However, this alleged virtuality of body experience can be refuted by the intersubjectivity of perception, which confirms the co-extensivity of subject-body and object-body. Subjectivity thus proves to be as embodied as it is spatially extended, that means, as bodily being-in-the-world.

CONTROL ASPECTS OF A THEORETICAL MODEL FOR EPILEPTIC SEIZURES

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (07) ◽  
pp. 2013-2027 ◽  
Author(s):  
KOSTAS TSAKALIS ◽  
LEON IASEMIDIS
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Systems ◽  
Epileptic Seizures ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Brain Circuitry ◽  
And Control ◽  
Functional Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Term Objective

We discuss the key features of theoretical models of networks of coupled chaotic oscillators that produce seizure-like events and bear striking similarities to dynamics of epileptic seizures. Our long-term objective is to understand the basic functional mechanisms that can produce seizures and may ultimately lead to strategies for seizure suppression and control. We show that, from a dynamical systems point of view, a plausible cause of seizures is a pathological feedback in the brain circuitry. This suggests new seizure control approaches, as well as systematic methods to tune existing ones. While the suggested models and control approaches are far from being considered optimal for epileptic seizures, they have interesting physical interpretation and implications for treatments of epilepsy. They also have close ties with a variety of recent practical observations in the human and animal epileptic brain, and with theories from adaptive systems, optimization and chaos.

scholarly journals Psicologia Sócio Histórica: Historicidade X Naturalização, Desafios Da Produção Teórico- Práticos Em Saúde Pública / Social Historical Psychology: Historicity X Naturalization, Theoretical – Practical Challenges of Production in Public Health

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edna Peters Kahhale ◽  
Carlos Roberto De Castro e Silva ◽  
Alexandro Da Silva
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Historical Materialism ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
Construction Of Knowledge ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Health And Illness ◽  
The Subject

ABSTRACTIt aims to promote critical debate on the construction of knowledge in psychology taking parameters such as the notion of historicity , the question of dialectical objectivity - subjectivity the constitution of the subject and subjectivity from the perspective of dialectical and historical materialism . Question the knowledge of psychology from category involves questioning the historicity of individual naturalization, natural phenomena and located in a social perspective, discussing the contents of universals and a priori character. That research perspective and reflection pursues the foundations of theoretical constructs and practice, opening a field of reflection on the interweaving of concrete social practices and theoretical constructs generated from demands in specific contexts (situations of health and illness; production of material life, estrangement and unusual or hegemonic meanings opposite the everyday life). In performing this task, configures itself necessarily as critical theory , since it indicates the present theories on ideology that "natural " phenomena and psychosocial conceal their commitment to dominant interests which, in ideological nature , alienate individuals and groups in which they live hindering the formation of the subject of rights . This lack of critical reflection engenders professional practices normalizing and alienating. The problematic of the inclusion of psychology in primary and secondary care is discussed of both point of view theoretical as an action.RESUMOObjetiva-se promover o debate crítico sobre a construção de conhecimentos na área da Psicologia tomando como parâmetros a noção de historicidade, a questão da dialética objetividade - subjetividade na constituição do sujeito e a subjetividade sob a perspectiva do materialismo dialético e histórico. Questionar o conhecimento da psico-logia a partir da categoria historicidade envolve questionar a naturalização dos fenômenos individuais, singulares e sociais em uma perspectiva localizada, problematizando os conteúdos de caráter universalizantes e apriorísticos. Essa perspectiva de pesquisa e reflexão pretende alcançar os fundamentos das construções teóricas e práticas, abrindo um campo de reflexão sobre o entrelaçamento das práticas sociais concretas e as construções teóricas geradas a partir de demandas em contextos específicos (situações de saúde e doença; de produção da vida material; de estranhamento e significações não usuais ou hegemônicos frente ao cotidiano da vida). Ao realizar essa tarefa, configura-se necessa-riamente como teoria crítica, pois aponta a ideologia presente em teorias que “naturalizam” fenômenos psicossociais e ocultam seu comprometimento com interesses dominantes que, por seu caráter ideológico, alienam o indivíduoe os grupos nos quais se insere dificultando a constituição do sujeito de direitos. A falta desta reflexão crítica engendra práticas profissionais normatizadoras e alienantes. Será problematizada a inserção da psicologia na atenção básica e secundária tanto do ponto de vista teórico como de atuação.

scholarly journals DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL SOCIOLOGY IN MODERN SCIENCE

2020 ◽  
pp. 174-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Yu. Shuraeva
Keyword(s):  
Political Development ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
The Subject

The arguments in favor of the development of digital sociology at the present stage of development of science in the field of sociology have been presented, its benefit in the field of economic and political development of modern society has been substantiated. The interpretations of the subject of study of digital sociology have been given, social processes and phenomena have been highlighted, the study of which is especially important from the point of view of digital sociology. The importance of Internet sociology in the framework of General sociological research has been revealed. One of the main methods of sociological research – observation, in the context of sociology of the Internet has been considered. Two approaches in the sociology of the Internet for solving ethical problems and the resulting problems of reliability and quality of the collected data have been emphasized.

scholarly journals TALENT MANAGEMENT AS A NEW FORM OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (9) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Robel Ogbazghi
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources Management ◽  
Talent Management ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Online Student ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
The Subject ◽  
A Company ◽  
Do So

Even though several researchers investigated the topic talent management, only few presented it with relation to the subject sustainability. A sustainable approach is a key criterion for the implementation of a successful talent management process. To do so, it is important to understand the current needs of students, which represent the talents. The aim of the research study is to develop the awareness of sustainable talent management and to find out what conditions must be met by employers to be seen as an attractive and long-term employer on the part of students, which represent the talents and future leaders.Research methodology consists of a literature review followed by an empirical investigation using an online student survey. The results of the student survey, however, are intended to help understanding the position of students in this topic today. What are the working needs and conditions that are important to them, and what are imperative requirements from the students’ point of view to secure a long-term commitment to a company?Overall, this article includes 24 sources of literature, the results of an online student survey with 132 participants from 18 countries, 6 figures and tables. 

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