On Dependency between Wishes and Perception

Introduction. Empirical studies of recent years convincingly show that the character of sensory perception can be influenced by non-cognitive mental states of the agent, such as her desires. The aim of the paper is to analyze how this causal connection between agent's wishes and her sensations can affect the epistemological status of dependent sensations.Methodology and sources. The author examines S. Siegel's argument on this issue. S. Siegel argues that the empirically proven dependence of sensations on desires (wishful seeing) should lead to a decrease of the epistemological status of sensations to the same extent as the dependence of beliefs on desires (wishful thinking) leads to a decrease of the epistemological status of these beliefs. Thus Siegel's argument concludes that the phenomenon of wishful seeing deprives us of any reason to accept sensations as credible evidence of the states of the world. So, this is an argument in favor of skepticism.Results and discussion. The article discusses two main strategies for rejecting Siegel's argument. According to the first strategy proposed by R. Long, sensations are not so similar to beliefs that one can conclude that their epistemological status should be decreased on the basis of their dependence on desires. According to another strategy for refuting Siegel's argument, proposed by A. Raftopoulos, the influence of desires on perception does not extend to early vision. Early vision is free from the influence of higher order conscious mental states. The dependence of the results of sensory perception on other mental states is reduced to the influence of these states on the agent's attention. At the same time, attention can be volitionally controlled and can be trained. Therefore dependent perception under certain conditions can be rationally accepted.Conclusion. Thus, the article shows that, even though perception is dependent on other non-cognitive mental states, such as desires, this dependence does not necessarily lead to a decrease in the epistemological status of sensations, so sensations can be rationally accepted under certain conditions. This means that Siegel's argument for skepticism is not compelling.

Wishful Thinking; the Role and Development of Good Faith in the Roman Law of Contracts

The paper outlines the theoretical achievements of the work of the Dutch historian Jan Romein and the legal historian and romanist Hoetink, which have become common wisdom in time. However, application of new insights into historical narratives has often been hesitant because of the “anything goes” mentality. This paper approaches one of Roman law’s holy cows, namely the role and development of good faith in the Roman law of contracts and questions whether a move from historical interpretation to legal history may provide another narrative.

Embodied Irrationality? Knowledge Avoidance, Willful Ignorance, and the Paradox of Autonomy

In the current philosophical and psychological literature, knowledge avoidance and willful ignorance seem to be almost identical conditions involved in irrational patterns of reasoning. In this paper, we will argue that not only these two phenomena should be distinguished, but that they also fall into different parts of the epistemic rationality-irrationality spectrum. We will adopt an epistemological and embodied perspective to propose a definition for both terms. Then, we will maintain that, while willful ignorance is involved in irrational patterns of reasoning and beliefs, knowledge avoidance should be considered epistemically rational under particular circumstances. We will begin our analysis by considering which of the two phenomena is involved in patterns of reasoning that are still amply recognized as irrational—as wishful thinking, self-deception, and akrasia. We will then discuss the impact of epistemic feelings—which are emotional events that depend on epistemic states—on agents' decision-making. Then, we will consider the impact of willful ignorance and knowledge avoidance on agents' autonomy. By considering these issues, we will argue that when agents are aware that they are avoiding certain information (and aware of what kind of feelings acquiring the information would trigger), knowledge avoidance should be considered a rational, autonomy-increasing, hope-depended selection of information.

Lyricism and Happiness in the Autobiographical Writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

<p>One aspect of Rousseau's prose style, not only in La Nouvelle Heloise but also in the autobiographical writings, particularly the Confessions and the Reveries du promeneur solitaire, is his lyricism. While Rousseau's lyricism has always been generally recognized it has rarely been given detailed examination, especially in the case of the autobiographical works. In this thesis, therefore, a detailed study of lyrical passages in Rousseau's autobiographical writings is undertaken. This analysis is linked to the theme of happiness, which is usually related in some way to Rousseau's lyricism. The first chapter of Part One of this study considers, the nature of lyricism in relation to literary expression in poetry and in prose, and also briefly surveys lyrical prose before Rousseau. Then Rousseau's potential for lyrical expression, as so far defined, is studied. As Rousseau's lyricism is to be analysed within the framework of happiness, the role of happiness in his life and works is considered in Chapter III. Part Two, namely Chapters IV to VII inclusive, consists of an examination of lyrical passages connected with happiness in Rousseau's autobiographical Writings. The subdivisions of happiness in the different chapters into absence of happiness, wishful thinking, happiness in personal relationships and happiness associated with nature respectively, are to be regarded as no more than a convenient framework for stylistic analysis. The aim of the thesis is to discover, in the course of analysing these lyrical passages, in what manner and with what effect certain feelings and reflections are expressed; to show what characterizes his lyrical suppleness and what is responsible for his melodiousness; to discover what features of, style are, variously, characteristics, special, unexpected or even disappointing, whether at one time or more generally in Rousseau's lyrical expression.</p>

Lyricism and Happiness in the Autobiographical Writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

<p>One aspect of Rousseau's prose style, not only in La Nouvelle Heloise but also in the autobiographical writings, particularly the Confessions and the Reveries du promeneur solitaire, is his lyricism. While Rousseau's lyricism has always been generally recognized it has rarely been given detailed examination, especially in the case of the autobiographical works. In this thesis, therefore, a detailed study of lyrical passages in Rousseau's autobiographical writings is undertaken. This analysis is linked to the theme of happiness, which is usually related in some way to Rousseau's lyricism. The first chapter of Part One of this study considers, the nature of lyricism in relation to literary expression in poetry and in prose, and also briefly surveys lyrical prose before Rousseau. Then Rousseau's potential for lyrical expression, as so far defined, is studied. As Rousseau's lyricism is to be analysed within the framework of happiness, the role of happiness in his life and works is considered in Chapter III. Part Two, namely Chapters IV to VII inclusive, consists of an examination of lyrical passages connected with happiness in Rousseau's autobiographical Writings. The subdivisions of happiness in the different chapters into absence of happiness, wishful thinking, happiness in personal relationships and happiness associated with nature respectively, are to be regarded as no more than a convenient framework for stylistic analysis. The aim of the thesis is to discover, in the course of analysing these lyrical passages, in what manner and with what effect certain feelings and reflections are expressed; to show what characterizes his lyrical suppleness and what is responsible for his melodiousness; to discover what features of, style are, variously, characteristics, special, unexpected or even disappointing, whether at one time or more generally in Rousseau's lyrical expression.</p>

The myth of Ken Dedes in the mother cult of East Javanese society

Ken Dedes is a figure who is remembered by the East Java community through myth and folklore. The myth of Ken Dedes is related to her figure as the primary woman who keeps the secret of radiant beauty, intelligence, and the mother who gave birth to the kings of Java. This study aims to find the reflection of people's memories about Ken Dedes and to find the cult of the mother from her figure. This research used a descriptive qualitative method with anthropological and psychological approaches. The results of the study show that Ken Dedes is remembered and reflected in the views of the people of East Java. From this reflection, the memory of Ken Dedes' serves as a projection or wishful thinking, an education tool, and a way of justification. In addition, in the context of the patriarchal society of East Java, Ken Dedes is a form of mother cult. In conclusion, the memory and reflection of Ken Dedes in East Javanese society have different variants based on the category of young and adult or old age. Meanwhile, the cult of the mother of a patriarchal society is legitimacy of throne.