Philosophy Of Religion

Readers .familiar .with .the .direction .of . Glanzer .and .Ream's .scholarship .over .the . last .several .years .will .welcome .this .addition .to .their .growing .corpus .of .works . related . to . Christian . education . . In . Moral Identity, . they . explore . a . sobering . shift, . noting .how .universities .once .saw .moral .formation .of .students .as .their .mission . or .part .of .their .mission .but .today .claim .no .such .mandate . .In .fact, .Glanzer .and . Ream . find . many . universities . today . going . to . some . lengths . to . avoid . being . involved . in .that .task .at .all . Glanzer .and .Ream .begin .their .book .by .clarifying .what .they .mean .by .moral development .and .moral education . .They .note .the .influence .of .Lawrence .Kohlberg, . other .stage .theorists, . they .argue .for .a .more .Aristotelian .and .biblical .approach .that .considers .moral .behavior, .not .just .moral .reasoning, .as .evidence .of .moral .development . . Having .made .clear .both .this .important .distinction .and .which .side .of .it .they . prefer, . they . then . connect . moral . formation . to . identity . . They . distinguish . three . kinds .of .identity .in .which .universities .typically .engage .(p . .20) . .First, .universities . want . to . produce . graduates . who . will . function . well . in . their . chosen . professions . . Some .higher .educators .identify .a .second .purpose .by .identifying .such .qualities .as . citizenship .and .neighborliness . .A .few .educators .and .institutions .identify .a .third . purpose: .to .shape .good .people . In . chapter . two . Glanzer . and . Ream . provide . the . historical . background . to . the . decline-some .might .say .kidnapping-of .the .third .kind .of .formation . .They .argue . quite .persuasively .that, .while .most .educators .agreed .that .the .purpose .of .colleges . was .moral .formation, .it .was .disagreement .about .moral .traditions .that .led .to .the . book rEviEws 176 situation .we .see .today . .The .competing .claims .of .Christian, .Enlightenment, .and . democratic .traditions .led .to .compromises .and .ultimately .to .large-scale .abandonment . of . the . development . of . moral . identity . as . a . suitable . aim . for . higher . education . . Chapters .three .and .four .return .to .Kohlberg .as .well .as .some .well-known .observers .and .critics .of .higher .education, .ranging .from .Jacques .Barzun .to .Stanley . Fish . .Here .Ream .and .Glanzer .open .up .and .explore .a .concept .important .to .the . remainder .of .their .argument, .what .they .call ."less .than .human" .moral .education . . Less-than-human .moral .education .is .that .which .deludes .itself .into .thinking .that . universities .can ."engage .in .the .science .of .objective, .tradition-free .moral .development" .(p . .67) . . Chapter .five .begins .the .second .section .of .the .book . .The .kernel .of .the .book's . purpose .appears .here .with .the .argument .that .more .human .moral .education .must . ground . itself . in . tradition . and . in . community . . Glanzer . and . Ream . eschew . such . sources . of . identity . as . citizenship, . race, . ethnicity, . gender, . and . sexuality . as . sufficient .grounds .for .moral .education . .In .chapters .five .and .six, .readers .will .find .a . handful . of . examples . of . colleges . that . have . tried . to . get . it . right . but, . on . our . authors' . terms, .still .offer .moral .education .that .is .less .than .fully .human . Readers .start .to .get .at .the .heart .of .Moral Identity .in .the .next .chapters, .where . Ream .and .Glanzer .offer .more .detailed .appraisals .of .a .few .colleges .from .the .156 . colleges . whose . materials . they . studied . (all . members . of . the . Council . for . Christian .Colleges .and .Universities .or .Lilly .Fellows .Program) . .Based .on .their .reading . of .published .materials, .the .authors .chose .nine .colleges .to .visit: .Bethel, .Calvin, . Eastern .Mennonite, .George .Fox, .St . .Olaf, .Seattle .Pacific, .Univ . .of .Dallas, .Univ . . of . St . . Thomas, . and . Xavier . University . . These . institutions . all . state-in . varying . language-that .they .aim .at .the .development .of .moral .character . . Many .of .Ream .and .Glanzer's .readers .will .have .followed .the .last .decade's .discussion . of . whether . Christian . higher . education . has . lost . its . way . . For . some . students . of .this .question, .two .titles .catch .the .debate . .James .Burtchaell .began .the .current . round .of .discussion .with .his .1998 .book, .The Dying of the Light .(Eerdmans) . . Robert .Benne .answered .Burtchaell .with .his .2001 .title, .Quality with Soul .(Eerdmans), . and .several .others .have .raised .their .voices .since .Benne's .title .appeared . .For .those . unfamiliar . with . the . titles, . Burtchaell . pointed . to . colleges . that, . in . his . view, . had . abandoned . their . Christian . mission . . Benne . provided . examples . of . the . opposite . . Ream .and .Glanzer .echo .Benne's .language .with .a .major .subheading .in .chapter . seven: ."Quality .with .Soul .in .Moral .Education: .Profiles .from .Our .Case .Studies ." . Readers .dismayed .by .Burtchaell's .report .or .encouraged .by .Benne's .will .take . special .joy .in .the .25 .pages .of .chapter .seven .given .to .reporting .on .the .condition .of . the . campuses . that . Glanzer . and . Ream . visited . while . writing . this . book . . In . their . view, .some .colleges .still ."seek .to .add .a .moral .vision .to .students' .selves .that .does . not .merely .attempt .to .strip .away .students' .humanity, .but .actually .seeks .to .offer . students .the .opportunity .to .enrich .and .even .strengthen .portions .of .it" .(p . .222) . . These .colleges .go .about .their .tasks .in .different .ways, .and .they .use .different .language .to .describe .their .specific .missions, .but .in .Glanzer .and .Ream's .terms .they . offer .a .more .human .approach .to .moral .education . . Early . in . Christianity and Moral Identity in Higher Education, . Ream . and . Glanzer . list . the .three .audiences .they .hope .will .find .their .book .useful: .those .in .the .disciplines .

Jan Assmann's Achsenzeit: Eine Archäologie der Moderne (2018) is the most thorough presentation of thinkers who reflected on the Axial Age available today. Although the label "Axial Age" was coined by Karl Jaspers in 1946, other scholars had touched on the issue as early as 1771. From the beginning, socio-historical analyses rested on a presentist framework according to which the Axial Age was interpreted as a positive historical legacy that could be exploited to make up for the deficiencies of the present. Achsenzeit excels in the discussions covering the time span from Anquetil-Duperron to Vögelin (1975), but it disappoints in relation to current debates. Unfortunately, Assmann's book ignores contemporary gene-culture co-evolutionary perspectives, as well as current research which argues for the convergent evolution of axial-age societies based on increased affluence, enhanced urbanization processes, and higher population density. These criticisms aside, the book is indispensable for the necessary knowledge of the pre-2000s discussion on the topic, and it is a highly pleasurable read.

The history of mankind is replete with tales of injustice which have occurred in various forms. While the state battles against other forms of injustice, a particular type-the injustice perpetrated by the mighty-has not received the kind of attention that is commensurate with the harm it produces. The subjugation of the weak by the strong, powerful and influential persons, corporate organizations, and nations is atrocious, despicable, morally shocking. As horrendous as the injustice by the mighty is, the perpetrators are rarely apprehended or held accountable. It is so because of their possession of enormous power, finance, and influence with which they control the state, manoeuvre their ways and shield themselves from the punishment they deserve. In effect they are rarely and inadequately punished for the wrong things they do. This paper is an attempt to find a way of curbing the injustice by the mighty and its accompanying menaces. Hence, we posit the Golden Rule Principle as a veritable panacea. Using the qualitative research model the paper critically examines the subject matter and argues for the Golden Rule to be universalized. The Golden Rule-treat others as you would want them to treat you-requires the mighty to test the plausibility or implausibility of their actions by putting themselves in the position of those they oppress, subjugate and despise. The human person, possessing conscience and integrity, will curtail his doing of harm to others if he detests being harmed.

Resumo: Diante das sociedades religiosamente plurais, exige-se uma compreensão pluralista defensável. Assim, objetiva-se analisar a (in)compatibilidade de sistemas religiosos distintos. Conclui-se que qualquer sistema religioso contradirá logicamente outro em algum nível, o que oportuniza um desafio para o pluralismo religioso. Para essa análise, considera-se o exclusivismo religioso defendido por Alvin Plantinga e o pluralismo de John Hick. Após isso, defende-se que qualquer religião tem um escopo epistêmico, um sistema de conhecimento delimitado. Há religiões com escopo mais aberto, que possibilita maior interação com outros sistemas, e religiões com escopo mais fechado, que possibilita menor interação. A fim de contribuir para o pluralismo diante desse problema, distinguem-se dois tipos dele: o pluralismo religioso ingênuo, que exacerba a diversidade das religiões e ignora a diferença entre elas, e o pluralismo religioso moderado, que reconhece o exclusivismo lógico sem abandonar a possibilidade de convivência racional entre religiões.

Ācārya Viśuddhasāgara believes firmly that human birth must be utilized as a springboard for spiritual development rather than for physical or material development. This can be attained only when one holds the belief that the body and the soul are two utterly distinct entities and that the soul needs to be attended to as the first priority in all human endeavors. If this belief percolates down mankind, we shall witness a world that is rid of strife, deprivation and antagonism. No one will then play with the ways of nature on this planet Earth.
Right thoughts are a prerequisite for world development. Your thoughts must focus on the development and well-being of the world, besides of the self. The world today is beset by several wrong beliefs and tendencies that have become ‘natural’ to most of us but are causing great harm to self and others. ‘The Thoughts’ confronts many such issues head-on with inviolable logic and scriptural attestation. This fact alone makes the book essential reading for all thoughtful persons globally.
‘The Thoughts’ is for purifying mind-body-speech and soul in order to attain blissfulness, here and hereafter.
The book includes an Index of the scriptural terms.

Keywords:
non-injury (ahiṃsā), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (acaurya), chastity (brahmacarya), non-attachment-to-possessions (aparigraha), cause (karāṇa), effect (kārya), omniscience (kevalajñāna), non-absolutism (anekāntavāda), doctrine of conditional-predication (syādvāda)

“LUZAGA: En el día que nacieron los cielos” es una extensión o digamos “separata” del trabajo de investigación “Cómo descifré la lengua ibérica – Celtibérica” de Enrique Cabrejas. En este nuevo estudio se adentra en profundos asuntos específicos de la Hermenéutica ibérica que encierra el Bronce celtíbero de Luzaga y que nunca fueron abordados ni estudiados con anterioridad. Pone de manifiesto cuestiones sorprendentes e insospechadas de la inédita herencia subyacente transmitida desde la liturgia helenística a la posterior cristiana. Las comparativas entre helenismo y cristianismo que todavía estando presentes y fosilizadas, han pasado inadvertidas hasta la actualidad.

Despite Rabbi Sacks'' focus on reconciliation in the Isaac-Ishmael Biblical narratives, he actually opposes a 'pluralistic' position on interfaith theology. He favours  an approach of distinctive theologies (akin to 'Dignity of Difference'). I take this further and in a continental philosophical direction to argue that there cannot be 'shared theological ('Abrahamic') narratives because their premises are starkly different and because it would require a problematic relinquishing of Jewish interpretations of Biblical and theological narratives.

This article focuses on a fundamental conceptual error often made in atheistic and agnostic criticism of God: The tendency to think of God as a human-like being. This approach is fueled by psychological expectations that God is a being who feels, gets angry, punishes, or forgives. However, these criticisms are not aimed directly at God Himself, but at the limited conceptions that people have formed in their minds. The article emphasizes the difference between the ontological reality of God and the epistemological models formed in human minds and argues that ignoring this difference makes philosophical discussions shallow and reductionist. At the same time, pantheistic approaches that attempt to reduce God to the nature of the universe are discussed as different forms of this humanistic modeling. The article shows that criticisms of the theistic model of God are often based on superficial contextual errors, disconnected from other elements of the system, such as free will, testing and the afterlife. Finally, it is emphasized that the attitude of asking God "how should you have created" is epistemologically contradictory and far from a rational basis.

This study explores the symbolic and numerical structures in two foundational Abrahamic texts: the Qur’an and the Torah. It focuses on the Qur’an’s open, mathematically coherent system—particularly the prominence of the number 19—as a model of divine clarity, in contrast to the encrypted, mystical use of numbers in Jewish Gematria. The paper examines historical, theological, and philosophical implications of each system, analyzing how they function as tools of revelation, concealment, or spiritual interpretation. This research opens a cross-traditional dialogue on the role of numbers in faith, epistemology, and authority.

In this paper, the author has tried to get into a comprehensive examination of the commercial infrastructure and exchange networks that may have existed in the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) between ca. 2800 BCE and 1900 BCE, tracing their evolution into the early historic period. By integrating archaeological data ranging from sealed weights and caravan encampments to port installations with literary and epigraphic sources spanning Vedic hymns, Pāṇinian grammar, Buddhist travelogues, and Greco-Roman accounts, the study reconstructs the roles of caravan leaders (sārthavāhas), caravan routes (Uttarapatha, Vaṇnupatha), and maritime corridors (from Tamralipti to Alexandria). It highlights the technical and institutional innovations such as standardized weights, caravan guilds, ritual sanctions, and shipbuilding lexicon that facilitated long-distance exchange of grains, textiles, metals, spices, and luxury items. The analysis further situates IVC trade within a broader Afro-Eurasian context, revealing its enduring legacy in South Asian economic traditions.

In the modern era of the West, various atheistic approaches have emerged, each reflecting the philosophical perspectives of its time. This article aims to outline the evolution of these diverse approaches and demonstrate the challenges each has posed to theism. Typically, these challenges have allowed theism to refine its perspectives and rebuild its beliefs more logically. The article will then illustrate how theism has developed along this path. I identify this process as a nine-stage journey, each of which will be explained in this article. Ultimately, it will be shown how each of these challenges has become a chapter in the philosophy of religion, and the areas in which philosophical discussions about religion have been shaped will be explored. As a result, the article will present the 13 key themes of the philosophy of religion that have emerged following these challenges.

Nella lingua italiana e non solo, catastrofe indica, nella sua accezione comune, un evento disastroso, una calamità dalle conseguenze gravissime. Anche il termine greco da cui proviene (καταστροφή, katastrophé) esprime prevalentemente l’idea di “distruzione”, “rovina”, “morte”, ma presenta anche, nella sua forma originaria, il valore neutro di “rivolgimento”, “rovesciamento”, a cui seguirà, solo in un secondo tempo, quello di cambiamento sventurato e irreversibile.

Bidding farewell to a friend is a moment of change, not in terms of the nature of the friendship, but the proximity of nothingness between oneself and another. Existing studies on friendship in Daoism can be grouped into two broad camps: one favours comparison with notable Western thinkers such as Aristotle and Derrida to establish its ethical ground, while the other favours characterizing it as a shared experience, typically involving death or self-forgetting. This paper takes a different approach by arguing that Daoist friendship does not lie with the physical self or its emotional disposition but the nothingness of the in-between-the domain of the interhuman encounter. Focusing on the Zhuangzi, this paper will also argue that Daoist friendship can be reframed as the friendship of non-friendship.

This article focuses on addressing Marilyn McCord Adams' 'Problem of Hell'the argument that eternal damnation is incompatible with divine goodness and omnipotence. While Adams proposes universalism as the solution, this raises concerns about preserving human freedom and moral responsibility. Drawing on insights from Thomas Hopko, Richard Swinburne, Jacques Maritain, and Alexander Pruss, I develop the 'Presence-Union' model of hell that reconciles eternal separation from God with divine goodness. This model demonstrates how the unveiled presence of divine love, combined with a miraculous restoration of natural felicity and the distinction between formal and real union with God, provides a coherent alternative to both traditional views of hell and universalism, and maintains both divine mercy and the gravity of human moral choice.

Emmanuel Levinas, one of the greatest philosophers of the twentieth century, who was identified with the ethics of alterity more than any other philosopher, stands in the heart of this book.  However, he does not stand alone, and I will be guided by him in reflecting on his work and in creating an ethical dialogue between him and a whole line of philosophers and thinkers.  This approach will enable us to outline the topics which engaged Levinas from a new perspective, and reconsider the significance of his work, while encompassing a variety of topics and ideas.
Among the ways that scholars usually present the systematic thinking of thinkers and philosophers, two prominent ones are relevant to our enterprise: the first is to select different chapters of the written work of a philosopher, identify the principle that connects them, and construct a coherent approach that reveals the central thesis of his philosophy.  The other way is to situate the thinker’s philosophy in its specific historical and philosophical context, so as to understand the conditions under which his philosophy developed, and describe the different stages of its development. The book that sits before you will take a different path, and consider the sources Levinas drew upon, the subjects that he dealt with and treated from an ethical perspective, and the different personalities he influenced. However, this will not be a completely abstract exercise, but will build upon a imaginary dialogues, ones that did not in fact materialize between Levinas and others. This journey enables us to take a new look at Levinas as he conducts a philosophical discussion with philosophers and thinkers of the first order.  In this way, we will not only situate Levinas anew in a discourse which he creates with the great philosophers of our time, but also with the great Jewish men of spirit of the twentieth century.

We contend that a very seductive argument for theological fatalism fails. In the course of our discussion we point out that theological fatalism is incompatible with the existence of a being who is omnipotent, omniscient and infallible. We suggest that ‘possible’ formalized as ‘‘ is to be understood as ‘can or could have been’ and not simply as ‘can’. The argument we discuss conflates the two. We end by rounding out, hopefully, some left over corners of serious concern to the theist.

The Supreme Court's decision in Little Sisters of the Poor Saints , on July 8, 2020, serves to remind us of the highly charged nature of so-called "religious liberty," or "free exercise." Especially at issue in this case was the question of religious exemption from generally applicable laws: were the Little Sisters obliged to offer contraceptive medications and services to their employees under the terms of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? By an overwhelming majority (7-2), the Court ruled that the Little Sisters were exempt. The following is a modest sketch of how one might frame a novel counter-argument against at least one class of religious exemptions. Needless to say, the legal and political status of religious exemptions (in toto) is freighted with burdens amplified by religious passions, stirred through a long history of competing court decisions and legislation. For that reason alone, a full and proper treatment of religious exemption calls for a major investment of specialized intellectual effort. But sometimes those outside the main arenas of discourse notice certain oddities escaping the attention of insiders. It is in that spirit of a curious outsider that I offer the following reflections. In addition to Little Sisters of the Poor, two related Supreme Court decisions commanded attention this past session. Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. and St. James School v. Biel (no. 19-348)-consolidated and decided together, also on July 8-were additional victories for the rights of religious institutions over individual plaintiffs. These two California cases challenged the "ministerial exception" principle in suits of wrongful dismissal by Catholic schools. Our Lady of Guadalupe involved a 60-yearold 5 th and 6 th grade teacher, Agnes Morrissey-Berru, whose suit alleged age discrimination after she was denied a contract renewal by the school. St. James School vs. Biel involved Kristen Biel's suit brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §12101). Biel's school did not renew her contract after she notified them of having been diagnosed with breast cancer. In the summer of 2019, she successfully challenged the "ministerial exception" principle in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeal (911 F.3d 603, 2019; rehearing en banc denied, 926 F.3d 1238, 2019); the decision was appealed to the Supreme Court, but Biel died of complications related to her cancer before the Court ruled * Ivan Strenski is the Holstein Family and Community Professor of Religious Studies, Emeritus, at the University of California, Riverside. A scholar with interests in Buddhism, Emile Durkheim, and the history of religions, he is the author of Contesting Sacrifice: Religion, Nationalism and Social Thought (2002) and Why Politics Can't Be Freed From Religion (2010), among other works.

Here is the full text of Living, Minding World, published complete at last. The central project of this book was to investigate the implications of modern science for serious existential and religious thought, so its concluding chapter reviews the social and cognitive functions of religion from a historical perspective before summarizing the contribution to these functions from current science, as the author sees them. The main body of the book is taken up with a survey of relevant, current science which sometimes jumps ahead of the existing consensus to anticipate where the author believes the research is going. For example, it accepts Nicholas Humphrey’s theory of phenomenal consciousness as the working of a mind which has evolved some capability to monitor its own operations. It accepts and argues for the view of the so-called 'Third Way' movement that genetic change is not entirely random but partly influenced by life-style choices of the living organisms – eg through sexual selection, the Baldwin effect, and epigenetic mechanisms.
One key thesis of the book is the author's view that current science – notably computer science – is mistaken in regarding information as the fundamental content of human thought and communication. It introduces the notion of 'suggestion' as a term of art roughly meaning 'attempted influence'; it considers information as a suggestion that some coded statement is 'true'; and it goes on to reject the dualist theory of 'mind' by arguing that what we call 'mind' is really a process of 'minding' – ie of processing suggestions (competing influences). The crucial points about suggestion are:
a) that it is a weak form of causation exerted by one system on another, which influences without determining the receiving system's behaviour; and
b) that in itself, it is neither true or false, though it may be evaluated and compared with alternative suggestions in many other ways. 
Taking 'suggestion' as a fundamental idea, it becomes possible to understand how human consciousness could emerge in a physical system without supernatural assistance. It becomes possible to understand the seeming intelligence and creativity of Nature as Spinoza did: as a spontaneous property of Nature itself, without the volition of an external Creator. It becomes possible to understand and weigh the suggestions from current science that organized human groups, human society as a whole, the biosphere of planet Earth, and even perhaps this entire universe, are living, minding systems with which relationship is possible.

This article argues that God-centered philosophical discussions, especially in atheist and agnostic circles, are largely irrational, lack conceptual integrity and contradict the basic principles of philosophy. The author emphasizes that the sine qua non condition for a philosophical discussion is that the concept in question, in this case God, must be assumed within its own definition, even if temporarily. Since the concept of God necessitates creativity, discussing a non-creator as God loses its meaning. Nevertheless, in atheist and agnostic discourses, God's existence is denied, but questions such as "why did he do this?" and "why is there pain?" are posed assuming that God exists, which leads to a serious logical contradiction. It is also stated that arguments such as the "argument from evil" essentially involve emotional and reductionist responses and an anthropocentric judgment against the absoluteness of God. Agnostics' use of atheist arguments by abandoning their epistemological position contradicts their position and goes beyond rational consistency. The main theme of the article is that interpretation, criticism and syllogism, which are the main functions of philosophy, are valid only on changeable phenomena, and that making speculative judgments on ontological constants serves not philosophy but sophistry.

Dos acontecimientos fundamentales marcan el comienzo del siglo XIX para la historia de Rusia: la irrupción de las tropas francesas al mando de Napoleón Bonaparte en Moscú en julio de 1812 y la entrada triunfal de los ejércitos rusos guiados por el zar Aleksandr I en París en marzo de 1814. Ambos eventos reforzaron los ya existentes contactos entre el mundo ruso -según la feliz denominación de Gonzague de Reynold-y la Francia ilustrada, favoreciendo la penetración del pensamiento iluminista en San Petersburgo y Moscú, a la vez que colocaba a los intelectuales frente al interrogante sobre qué papel le cabía a esta "nueva Rusia liberadora" en el "concierto de las naciones europeas". Este planteo se realizará alrededor de la figura de Pedro el Grande. El arribo al trono de "todas las Rusias" de Aleksandr I, el nieto mimado de Catalina la grande, fue recibido por los intelectuales rusos como el anticipo de un mayor avance de las ideas liberales que triunfaban en el accidente europeo. Por otra parte, la victoria sobre Napoleón acrecentó el indudable prestigio del zar, convirtiéndole en "vencedor del déspota" y adalid del liberalismo. Esta "Rusia salvadora", que el zar encarnaba, favoreció el despertar henchido de orgullo de una conciencia nacional destinada a definir el papel de Rusia en la historia universal. Bien lo mostrará Khomiakov -uno de los eslavófilos-al decir "la cuestión rusa, en todos sus aspectos, es el más grande problema mundial de nuestro tiempo". Esta búsqueda del "papel en la historia" implicaba necesariamente bucear en el pasado, rescatando aspectos fundamentales de su desenvolvimiento; los escritores que fueron considerados "fundadores" del nacionalismo ruso al "encontrar al Estado" (gosudarstvo) reencontraron a la Iglesia ortodoxa, pues fue "esa Iglesia la que inculcó a tribus dispersas el sentimiento ' Cit. GUARIGLIA, GUGLIELMO. 11 messianismo russo. Firenze, Studium, 1956, p. 181. 127 de formar un solo y mismo pueblo, con lo cual, creó la nación. La Iglesia contribuyó igualmente a construir el Estado, al aportar en su doctrina una teología del poder útil a los príncipes que buscaban legitimar el suyo propio, crear un estado y fundar un Imperio" ...Así nació, como señaláramos en otra oportunidad, la teoría de "Moscú tercera Roma"3, concepto clave para entender el resurgimiento del nacionalismo ruso y que nos demuestra que "el patriotismo ruso es de otra esencia que nuestros patriotismos occidentales. En él hay un elemento místico y milenarista, de origen religioso, teológico, aún cuando esté laicizado, materializado" y ello justifica el estudio político de una serie de pensadores que aunque parecen teólogos cumplen un papel esencial en el desarrollo del pensamiento político ruso. A principios del siglo XIX ya encontramos en estado embrionario las ideas que, al desenvolverse, en un ambiente propicio, dieron origen a eslavófilos y occidentalistas. Estos beberán su saber en la Europa iluminista continuando la senda trazada por Pedro y Catalina, camino en el que introducirán influencias del laicisismo protestantizante germano-holandés, del escepticismo volteriano pre-nihilista y de la teosofía y franc-masonería germana y francesa. Siguiendo el modelo francés originarán sectas y sociedades secretas que, en muchos casos, confundirán la mencionada influencia con la posición "tradicionalista" que buceará en los propios orígenes bizantinos y ortodoxos para reencontrar el papel de Rusia. De este contexto franc-masónico surgirá en 1816 la Liga "Unión de Salvación" que, con los oficiales que regresaban del frente francés infestados de "ideas liberales", llegará a superar el millar de miembros; entre ellos Nikita Muraviov, Paul Péstel y N. Trubetzkoi. Dos años más tarde se convirtió en la "Unión del Bien Público", preparando el camino hacia las sociedades "del Norte" y "del Mediodía" que organizaron y dirigieron la rebelión decabrista de diciembre de 1825 cuando, aprovechando la muerte del zar Aleksandr, pretendieron instalar una "monarquía constitucional" a la inglesa. Quinientos oficiales aristócratas fueron juzgados, cinco ahorcados y cien condenados a la deportación a Siberia, mientras el nuevo zar -Nikolai I-comenzaba un reinado de "mano de hierro" que le valdrá el apodo de "el gendarme de Europa" y el canciller austríaco Metternich afirmaba: "se acabó la novela; ahora comienza la historia"5. "La revolución del 14 de diciembre de 1825 interrumpió por largo tiempo el predominio cultural francés. La generación siguiente -que es la que nos

L'azione politica del proletariato non solo è un'azione di classe tendente all'emancipazione e allo svincolamento di una classe dalla sua soggezione e schiavitù ad un'altra ma è anche, contemporaneamente e in una prospettiva più ampia, lotta per l'emancipazione di tutta la società, lotta per la liberazione di tutti gli uomini. Ogni conquista, ogni vittoria del proletariato è quindi anche, dialetticamente, una conquista e una vittoria di tutti, anche degli altri.

O planet in its present form is several million years fold. To put it in perspective, visualise the human species a million years ago as composed of something like 100,000 inquisitive furry creatures living in the most fertile parts of Africa, Asia and perhaps Europe. There was land enough for the average family to occupy an expanse three times the size of Delhi city all by itself. But naturally most of them gravitated into the valleys favoured with the best water and game, leaving other regions almost empty. They did not live in villages though (for villages had not been invented) but rather roamed about in small groups hunting meat and gathering vegetables to feed themselves. If there was any religion at this point of time it was largely to do with the understanding of the mighty forces of Nature.

It is a commonplace in contemporary theory of knowledge that human beings avail themselves of many different ways to acquire knowledge. Our senses provide one avenue, memory another, reasoning yet another, and so on. Most of these avenues of knowledge are windows on the world; that is, they all provide information about the spatio-temporal world we all inhabit.

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de investigar o fenômeno religioso nos espaços públicos e privados, no âmbito educacional, social e político. No Brasil, desde o período colonial até os dias de hoje, o Ensino Religioso (ER) sofreu inúmeras alterações devido à dinâmica entre profissionais da área da educação e a sociedade. Diante disso, é necessário rever os conceitos relacionados à educação religiosa nas escolasem um Estado laico. Contudo, a Constituição Federal de 1988 garante ao sujeito a liberdade de discernimento sobre os assuntos referentes à fé. Refletiremos, neste estudo, sobre os motivos que levam os estudantes a participarem das aulas de Ensino Religioso e o interesse em conhecer mais sobre o sagrado (Deus). Discutiremos, também, grades curriculares alternativas, para que os professores possam apresentar aos alunos os mais diversos temas do Ensino Religioso.

This paper critically examines the conceptual and ethical challenges in framing human-animal relationships through the lens of rights and justice. Arguing that both "human" and "animal" lack universal, non-reductive definitions, the paper interrogates the viability of animal rights frameworks, highlighting parallels with the limitations of human rights. It traces religious and philosophical perspectives that cast animals as a "quasi-self" in relation to humans, underscoring how anthropocentric paradigms shape both empathy and dominance. Through a biopolitical analysis inspired by Agamben's Homo Sacer and State of Exception, this study critiques contemporary approaches, including utilitarianism, capabilities theory, and speciesism, for failing to address systemic inequities underpinning human-animal dynamics. Examining practices such as domestication, companionship, and industrial exploitation, the paper situates these relationships within the broader ethics of capitalism and commodification. It concludes by reimagining the human-animal relationship as a negotiation of existence that resists universalizing categories, advocating for ethical frameworks grounded in lived experience and relationality over abstract rights discourse.

First few pages of the paper. For the entirety: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-religion-and-artificial-intelligence/867462871532038FDE79B253EA9A3C15

Abstract: This chapter explores the intersection of Hindu philosophy and practice with the development of artificial intelligence. The chapter first introduces aspects of technological growth in Hindu contexts: the role of automata in classic Indian texts, the use of technological “wonders” in contemporary temple rituals, and the reception of “western” ideas about AI in Hindu communities. It then shows how AI technologies can be conceived of from a Hindu perspective and moves from there to the philosophical contributions Hinduism offers for global reflection on AI. Specifically, the chapter describes “openings” and “contentions” for AI in Hindu rituals. The focus will be the use of robotics and/or AI in Hindu pūjā (worship of gods) and the key practice of darśan (mutual seeing) with the divine. Subsequently, we investigate how Hindu philosophers have engaged the distinctive qualities of human beings and their investigation into body, minds, and consciousness/awareness. The chapter concludes by raising questions for future research.

A Remarkable Work on Sacred Spaces and Sacred Action

This is the best essay known to me by the polymathic writer and scholar Toyin Falola, unifying  the imaginative and  the intellectual,  bringing alive an  amazing sensitivity to the sacred.

The work demonstrates African aspirational genius reaching towards ultimate possibilities yet going beyond the African context in resonating profoundly with sacred space and sacred action in any zone-temporal, geographical or cultural.

We present what is, to our knowledge, the very first attempt in the modern West at challenging the coherency of the Kalam Cosmological Argument (KCA) from the orthodox Islamic view of cosmology, which we have dubbed the Tasalsul Creativity Model (TCM), as championed by Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728H).

In this paper, we turn to the works of both Western and Eastern academics so as to explore the speculative theo-philosophical landscape of Vedantic thought, Greek philosophy, Christian metaphysics, and Kalam theology. In so doing, we present Sikhism’s understanding of creation, and evaluate the coherency of the KCA, before contrasting both against TCM. Our aim is to show that not only does Islamic orthodoxy reject an absolute beginning to creation as incoherent, but in lieu of an eternally inactive deity purported to be omnipotent, posit in its place a volitionally dynamic being who perpetually exercises power from eternity.

We have also included an appendix titled 'Modern Muslims’ Mistrust of the TCM', in which we tackle the specific arguments against TCM forwarded by Sharif Randhawa, Hafeez Fazli, Dr Tallal M. Zeni, and Bassam Zawadi.

This article is an in-depth review of Tomasz Stawiszyński’s journalistic book Powrót fatum (Kraków 2024), which attempts to capture the state of contemporary Western culture. The paper critically presents Stawiszyński’s theses in the book and disputes its main components: both the accounts Stawiszyński proposes and his manner of argumentation. It is argued that the book does not deliver what it promises as Stawiszyński’s historical overviews (therein of the religious history of Europe) are not reliable, and his description of culture is distorted, both by what he one-sidedly exaggerates and by what he systematically omits or minimises (in particular, the dynamics of capitalism).

The philosopher Felmon Davis passed away at the age of 76 on May 7, 2025 in his adopted home of Mannheim, Germany. Before his retirement in 2018, he was Professor of Philosophy at Union College, Schenectady, NY. He grew up in Philadelphia and attended Haverford College. This is where he met Richard Bernstein and was first introduced to the thought of Jürgen Habermas. After taking his BA at Haverford with distinction, he went on to Princeton to do his PhD with Richard Rorty. In 1974-75, he spent a year in Munich to engage with the researchers at the Starnberg Max Planck Institute during Habermas' tenure there. After Rorty had departed for the University of Virginia, Davis completed his thesis under the supervision of Raymond Geuss. The dissertation analyzed the notion of 'unavoidability' in Habermas' theory of communicative action, in a critical attempt to clarify its sources of normativity. From the late 1980s, he regularly visited Frankfurt, later Gießen Universities, first as a DAAD scholar. He soon established himself as a highly regarded figure among colleagues and students, whom he treated with unflagging curiosity and egalitarian respect. Handbook (C. Lafont, R. Kreide, H. Brunkhorst (eds.), NY: Columbia UP, 207-218), and especially in his article 'Habermas's Expressivist Theology: Chalice Half-Full?' (Las Torres de Lucca. International Journal of Political Philosophy 2012), probably the only paper to elucidate Habermas' view of religion with Simon Blackburn's theory of morality. His dialectical skills are shown to great effect in a recorded debate on the rationality of Christianity with William Lane Craig (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp3Z5xfOV2s). He was an early adapter to all things digital and to computer ethics and metaphysics in particular. After their retirement, Felmon Davis and his spouse Elisabeth Egetemeyr relocated to Mannheim, Germany. Davis was a regularly visitor and guest at Regina Kreide's doctoral colloquium in Political Theory at Gießen University. His reputation was legendary among the students he met and taught at Frankfurt, Darmstadt, Gießen and Hamburg. He increasingly despaired of the political development of the U.S., but always aimed at some reconciliation, at least on an epistemological level, as in his unpublished paper on 'Democracy and the Religious Right' (2019, on ResearchGate). He taught his final course on "Fear, Truth, and Democracy" in the Winter of 2021/22 at Hamburg University. We're privileged to have known him.

This article discusses the prospects and pitfalls of science-engaged theology (SET) - a new and growing movement in the science and religion discourse. The guiding question of this enquiry is why, when, and how theology should engage with the sciences. After introducing what I call the 'source account' of SET that has emerged in recent discussion, I show that this basic account often comes with additional commitments: the 'no methodology' and 'locality and specificity' theses, both of which address the 'how' question, and the 'entanglement' thesis, which addresses the 'when' question. I argue that accepting any of them as an essential feature makes SET methodologically flawed. To provide alternative answers, I then propose to interpret the sources of theology in terms of the so-called loci theologici. Recognizing the sciences specifically among the loci theologici alieni also helps to counter the view that SET may spell the end of the discipline of science and religion. The aim is, therefore, to show that the source account of SET, if taken in a minimal sense, is a valuable contribution to the science and religion discourse, without replacing it, whereas SET, if coupled with these additional assumptions, would and has considerably muddied the waters.

This working paper, generated with the assistance of Grok 3, an artificial intelligence assistant, speculatively examines the potential economic and political philosophy of Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, elected on May 8, 2025. By comparing his possible views to Pope Leo XIII's teachings, particularly from Rerum Novarum, and considering Prevost's background and statements, the paper explores his alignment with social justice, workers' rights, and critiques of unregulated capitalism. It also assesses how his Latin American experiences and alignment with Pope Francis might shape his approach to climate change, migration, and moral issues. The analysis suggests that if Pope Leo XIV follows Leo XIII's legacy, his papacy could emphasize balancing economic liberalism with social responsibility, defending traditional Catholic morals, and engaging with global challenges through Catholic social teaching. The new pope's social media posts indicates he is a strong anti-Trumper.

A tanulmányban amellett érvelek, hogy a Gen. et Corr. I. 1 "helyes kezdet", eredeti része a mű érvelé sének. Ez ellentétes Jacques Brunschwig értelmezésével, aki szerint a Gen. et Corr. I. 1 "hamis kezdet". Két érvet adok, hogy ez miért nem lehet így. Egyrészt a monizmus és pluralizmus összehasonlításá ból Aristotelés azt a következtetést vonja le, hogy a minőségváltozást nem lehet hypokeimenon nélkül megmagyarázni. Nem adható a keletkezésről olyan elmélet, ami egyáltalán mindenféle hypokeimenont kizár a változásokból. Másrészt Aristotelés azért elemzi Empedoklés elméletét, mert talál nála olyan szempontokat, amelyek hasznosak lesznek a saját keletkezéselméletében. Amikor Empedoklés amel lett érvel, hogy az elemek az egységből keletkeznek, akkor egy minimális hypokeimenon segítségével próbálja megmagyarázni a keletkezést, azaz valami jelen van a keletkezés minden lépésekor, de ez nem ugyanaz az entitás. Ettől teljesen különböző módon a minőségváltozás hypokeimenonja szubsztanciá lisan ugyanaz marad. Ez lesz az alapja Aristotelés magyarázatának, és ezt akkor találja meg, amikor Empedoklés elméletét vizsgálja a Gen. et Corr. I. 1ben. A tanulmány végén két további megjegyzést teszek. Rámutatok arra, hogy Aristotelés nem köteleződik el az első fejezetben az első anyag létezése mellett, illetve, hogy az első fejezet meglepően hasonló a Phys. I. 4hez. A Gen. et Corr. I. 1 fontos része a műnek, és Aristotelés természetfilozófiai írásainak általában.

In this paper I argue that Gen. et Corr. I. 1 is a true start, it is a genuine part of the argumentation given in Gen. et Corr. This goes against an interpretation by Jacques Brunschwig who calls Gen. et Corr. I. 1 a “false start”. I give two arguments why this is not the case. On the one hand, from the comparison of monism and pluralism, Aristotle draws the conclusion that alteration cannot be explained without a hypokeimenon. We cannot give a theory of generation which excludes the existence of any hypokeimenon from changes whatsoever. On the other hand, Aristotle presents a discussion of Empedocles’ theory because he finds a hint in Empedocles which will be useful in his own explanation of generation. When Empedocles argues that elements are generated from the one, he tries to account for generation using a minimal hypokeimenon, i.e. there is something present in all stages of generation, but this is not the same entity. Quite opposed to this, the hypokeimenon of alteration remains substantially the same. This will be the basis of the explanation given by Aristotle, and he finds it while discussing Empedocles’ remarks in Gen. et Corr. I. 1. At the end of my paper, I point out that Aristotle is not committed to the existence of prime matter in the first chapter and that the chapter has a strikingly similar structure to Phys. I. 4. Gen. et Corr. I. 1 is a genuine part of Gen. et Corr. and of Aristotle’s natural philosophical works in general.

Firstly, this lecture describes the Christology of J.H. Gunning jr. (1829-1905) and the Christological tradition of the so called ‘ethical’ theology after him. Next, it analyses Miskottes break with Gunning in his criticism of the Christology of  F.W.A. Korff (1887-1942) and in his own restatement in Old Testament terms of Barths conception of incarnation as revelation. Lastly, it discusses the attitude of apostolate in solidarity that Miskotte adopted from Gunning.

Like Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus and most other ancient philosophers, Spinoza sets for philosophy a very elevated goal, namely to guide human beings to the realization of their highest good, or as Spinoza also puts it, the ultimate human perfection. Though Spinoza follows the ancients in calling this goal happiness (felicitus), he also follows thinkers of the medieval Jewish and Christian traditions in naming it salvation (salus), joy (gaudio), blessedness (beatitudo), acquiescence of spirit (animi acquiescentia), glory (gloria), and love (amore). Finally, in an expression that gives the ultimate good a modern political significance as well as one pertaining to the life of the individual person, Spinoza calls it freedom (libertas). One of the keys to grasping Spinoza's conception of the highest good is to see how these various strains (ancient, medieval, and modern) enter into a combination in his work that is radical in its significance, and that brings down upon him, not only t...

This essay discusses Stanley Cavell's remarkable interpretation of Emmanuel Levinas's thought against the background of his own ongoing engagement with Wittgenstein, Austin, and the problem of other minds. This unlikely debate, the only extensive discussion of Levinas by Cavell in his long philosophical career sofar, focuses on their different reception of Descartes's idea of the infinite. The essay proposes to read both thinkers against the background of Wittgenstein's model of philosophical meditation and raises the question as to whether Cavell and Levinas do not indirectly shed light on the early modern motif of the spiritual automaton. Wittgenstein • Cavell • Levinas • Philosophical meditation • Skepticism • Other minds • Spiritual automaton "skepticism with respect to other minds cannot be skeptical enough"-Stanley Cavell, The Claim of Reason

The past two decades have seen a revival of large-scale surveys of African attitudes and opinions, focusing especially on African attitudes to politics and religion. However, at present, works dealing with the methodological challenges inherent in such survey works are still limited. This paper illustrates the insights derived from the qualitative seam of 'paradata' generated separately through personal observations, discussions and field notes of field workers administering a survey on religious practices and beliefs in the religiously mixed region of southwest Nigeria. In the main, the study's field observations and reflections suggest that concerns over the confidentiality of data and the high social status of the world religions sometimes push respondents toward clear identification with Islam or Christianity. This seems to be the case especially where individuals are interviewed in a family context, with interviews in professional and peer groups apparently more open to alignment traditional practices. Besides, field notes further illustrate that respondents' understanding of 'traditional religion' is fluid, and not all respondents consider all forms of traditional practice as an equivalent, or rival, to the world religions.

This study hypothesises that as a result of a thorough analysis of the context and content of rabbinic texts, including the known associations of their authors − spanning the periods of Shabbatai Tzvi, the Baal Shem Tov and the Vilna Gaon − the conclusion can be reasonably drawn that the Chassidic and Mitnagdic movements had been fundamentally subjected to multiple Sabbatian influences and that a causal doctrinal and rabbinic link between Sabbatianism and both the Chassidic and Mitnagdic movements can be demonstrated.

Let us examine the principal threads in Professor Stróżewski’s body of work—the threads whose interweaving determines its creative unity. Yet more important than these themes or the methods he employs is the Professor’s distinctive attitude toward philosophical material and toward the very act of philosophizing. On the one hand, there is his profound respect for the philosophical tradition; on the other, his willingness to engage with the most recent conceptual developments. On one hand, he refers to direct observations of human beings and the world; on the other, he strives to attain a holistic picture of them. On one hand, he constructs a coherent conceptual framework—one that even evolves toward a philosophical system; on the other, he continually acknowledges the mystery that gleams behind its very structure.
Although I fundamentally share the intuitions that guide his conclusions, I must nevertheless voice reservations about some of the solutions he proposes. These reservations arise not so much from an immanent critique of his conception as from adopting a wholly different, indeed opposing, metaphilosophical perspective.

This volume provides its readers with an analysis of György Enyedi’s (third bishop of the Antitrinitarian Church in Transylvania, 1555-1597) exegetical publications and manuscripts in the 1590s. While developing his brilliant views on New Testament criticism against the background of Antitrinitarian theology, Enyedi relied on the auxiliary sciences of classical philology and philosophy. The joint use of Humanist lexicography and Late Renaissance Aristotelian philosophy (J. Zabarella) resulted in Enyedi’s unique conception of literal sense. As Enyedi’s criticism had to wait until the Enlightenment era for real appreciation, the volume follows up the traces of Enyedi’s reception until the 18th century (R. Simon, J. LeClerc and minor authors).