Showing papers in "Open Journal of Philosophy in 2015"
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TL;DR: In this article, a serious message on life, at the core of reasoning, to wit, "I am a liar" self-destructive infests reasoning to undermine it to fill life with oxymora, then proposes a singing way out in music.
Abstract: This essay delivers a serious message on life, at the core of reasoning, to wit, “I am a liar” self-destructive infests reasoning to undermine it to fill life with oxymora, then proposes a singing way out in music. This essay is naturally divided into three sections: one, how self-destructive the liar paradox is life-ubiquitous; two, the liar paradox as basic to logic and philosophy; and three, how to deal with the liar paradox in snake-charming, in “Tying.” In short, these pages say that “I am a liar” self-denies to self-destroy, to demolish the structure of living (Section 1) and reasoning (Section 2). Such self-demolition must be snake-charmed into deeply singing life and reasoning (Section 3).
48 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the unequal access of females and males in primary, secondary and higher education, and presents the main obstacles that prevent women or girls from having access to education are examined.
Abstract: As a traditional society, Afghanistan has always been a hotbed of gender inequality in different aspects. Especially, women/girls face various obstacles in education. Despite the efforts to improve the education sector in the last decade, the situation of female education still remains deplorable. There is still a long way to go in improving education, in particular female education. This article aims to examine the unequal access of females and males in primary, secondary and higher education, and presents the main obstacles that prevent women or girls from having access to education. The article is prepared by a desk study using a variety of presently available researches, papers and data related to education, women’s rights and gender inequality from national and international organizations.
23 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the role of music in Africa and found that music plays an indispensable role in the being of Africans at work, in politics, in socio-economic engagements, in religious worship, integral development, in their moral life, etc.
Abstract: This article investigates the role of music in Africa. The study is primarily motivated by the fact that music plays an indispensable role in the being of Africans at work, in politics, in their socio-economic engagements, in religious worship, integral development, in their moral life, etc. The primary objective therefore is to ascertain the influence of music with regard to the integral development of the Africans and the overall acknowledgment of this indispensable role on the active and meaningful behavior of Africans. Using the methods of phenomenology and analysis, the findings reveal that Africans are music lovers and that music features as an indispensable handmaid of any meaningful behavior and sustainability of the being of any African person whether young or old.
18 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed a picture model for the quantum vacuum by using modern transfinite quantum field theory but also guided by philosophical ideas about the picture of the space of logic and reality.
Abstract: The paper utilizes some fundamental results obtained in the context of topological quantum field theory, hyper finite sub-factors, Turaev-Viro machine and four dimensional fusion algebra to shed mathematical, physical and philosophical light on the major problem of cold fusion reactors In particular, we develop a picture model for the quantum vacuum by using modern transfinite quantum field theory but also guided by philosophical ideas about the picture of the space of logic and reality
18 citations
TL;DR: In this brief consideration of mine, trying to remain as faithful as possible to the texts taken into exam, I will first try to introduce the concept of history as contemporary history in the thinking of Benedetto Croce, whereas the second part of the reasoning will point toward proving and meditating on how such concept crosses the whole philosophical system of the Italian intellectual as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In this brief consideration of mine, trying to remain as faithful as possible to the texts taken into exam, I will first try to introduce the concept of history as contemporary history in the thinking of Benedetto Croce, whereas the second part of the reasoning will point toward proving and meditating on how such concept crosses the whole philosophical system of the Italian intellectual. What does contemporary history mean according to Benedetto Croce? Why is the spirit of the historian fundamental in the description of this concept? What kind of connection exists between story and contemporary history? What does pathology of history mean? How does the concept of contemporary history relate to that of awareness, of finished and thinking? These are but a few of the questions to which I tried to find an answer with this essay.
16 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the author proposed a hypothesis of the "ultron-logotron" theory that might explain relationships between self and consciousness: mind and matter on the basis of modern quantum physics and his personal experience of valid precognitive dreams.
Abstract: The
deeper structure of leptons and quarks is still not experimentally and/or
objectively clearly elucidated No detailed accepted theory is yet established
Consequently, experimental and theoretical physicists have been investigating
to find experimental or objective proofs related to the deeper structure of
fundamental elementary particles in quantum physics The author proposed a
hypothesis of the “ultron”-logotrn” theory that might explain relationships
between self and consciousness: mind and matter on the basis of his review of
modern quantum physics and his personal experience of valid precognitive
dreams, and further published an article that describes a considerable
parallels between Confucian philosophy and quantum physics from the ontological
perspective Ultrons are the building blocks of matter of the universe
Logotrons are the building blocks of conscious mind In this study, possible
deeper structures of leptons and quarks: yin- and yang-ultron with mass of 016
eV, electric charge of _ and +1602176565 × 10-19 coulomb/(319 × 10-6 _ 2k) (see Equations (7) and (8)),
size less than 1616199 × 10-35 m, total number of ultrons as well
as number of yin- and yang-ultrons in a neutrino, electron, positron; and up,
down, strange quark (see Equations (2) to (6) and (9)) are presented on the basis
of reported data in particle physics and the perspective of the author’s
hypothesis of the “ultron”-“logotron” theory
12 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue strongly in favour of the belief that Kantian pure reason can be implemented via pure mathematics to reveal a true deep aspect of the fundamental monads of the real physics of the cosmos.
Abstract: The paper argues strongly in favour of the opinion that Kantian pure reason could be implemented via pure mathematics to reveal a true deep aspect of the fundamental monads of the real physics of the cosmos. Thus using a remarkable pure mathematical-geometrical result stating that under certain conditions a manifold will have 96 percent of its volume concentrated near to its surface, we conclude that the 96 percent dark energy causing the edge of our universe to expand is a direct consequence of this pure geometrical result. From this viewpoint we could generalize our finding to mean that scientific philosophy is not only an important ingredient of human cultural existence but a real immensely important tool in analyzing the reality of the cosmos at the quantum level as well as its large scale structure.
11 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose to apply the magnetic fields associated with thinking upon the intergalactic strength fields for induced changes in magnetic moments of elementary electrons to solve for durations that approach the age of the universe or "immortality".
Abstract: Teilhard de Chardin’s integration of geobiological phenomena with philosophical and spiritual perspectives resulted in ideas, such as potentially quantifiable “spiritual energy”, the emergence of a “sphere of human thinking” (noosphere) as the next evolutionary stage of the biosphere, and the ultimate expansion of consciousness into the galaxy. Transformations of his concepts into contemporary values that effectively define cosmology, quantum biology, and human cerebral parameters could support his interpretations. Scaled quantification of basic universal energies match the magnitudes measured within the human cerebrum during thinking. Superposition of the magnetic fields associated with thinking upon the intergalactic strength fields for induced changes in magnetic moments of elementary electrons solves for durations that approach the age of the universe or “immortality”. The immersion of the human species within both the earth’s magnetic field and the Schumann Resonances creates the conditions for producing the “noosphere” and for its potential expansion into space. The rapid development of new computer-based technologies that expose the human population to homogeneous energetic patterns and produce cognitive states consistent with “unifying” the noosphere could be sufficient to produce physical changes which would support Teilhard de Chardin’s hypotheses.
10 citations
TL;DR: Based on the method of recessive ideological and political education in higher vocational colleges in the field of the characteristics and development, the authors analyzes the current situation of ideological/political education, and puts forward the recessive ideology system of education of college students in China.
Abstract: The rapid development of higher vocational education in our country, to higher vocational ideological and political education work has brought serious challenges, researching the effectiveness of the ideological and political education work, improving the effect of education, higher vocational education is not only the objective need of development, is suspending in front of ideological and political education workers a key subject concerning theory and practice. Based on the method of recessive ideological and political education in higher vocational colleges in the field of the characteristics and development, the paper analyzes the current situation of ideological and political education, and puts forward the recessive ideological system of ideological and political education of college students in China.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the Rectification of (Modern) Names (RNN) is used to address a plethora of "irrationalities" pervading the lifeworld in its colonization by instrumental reason.
Abstract: This exercise in applied philosophy argues that if the philosophical ideas of Jurgen Habermas are to be implemented in order to achieve a liberated, emancipated society free of domination, and address other problems he identifies in the contemporary world, there must be active involvement of both politicians and political theorists in the project, as well as some theoretical and practical changes in Habermas’s approach regarding the notion of “the political” in the realm of practical politics. This paper builds upon an earlier article titled “The Rectification of (Modern) Names” and develops the key Confucian idea of the rectification of names. Specifically, this paper attempts to extend to the political realm of an earlier argument that Habermas’s analysis that system forces are colonizing the lifeworld is the best angle to attempt to realign contemporary political terms with the realities they should represent. As system is part of lifeworld, displacing lifeworld norms by system norms threatens the very existence of the lifeworld. Moreover, Habermas’s thinking on philosophy, politics, and sociology could help rectify prevailing problems in Western constitutional democracies, especially if practical politics were carried out using Habermas’s ideas on communicative action and discourse ethics. This paper attempts to put into practical terms of some problems Habermas left in philosophical ones, and such practical terms represent a modest solution, addressing a plethora of “irrationalities” pervading the lifeworld in its colonization by instrumental reason. The paper argues that in the unfolding of Eric Hobsbawm’s “Dual Revolution,” the Industrial Revolution continues to outstrip the Political Revolution.
7 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that both the rationalist and the deflationist view are untenable, as they fail to distinguish among different senses of irrationality that we can attribute to morality, and develop and defend an anti-rationalist view, to the effect that an inherently irrational superego is no threat to morality's place in human life, as long as it's capable of making us experience an integrated form of life.
Abstract: Philosophers of psychoanalysis have for years been debating over Freud’s criticism of morality as a sheer product of irrationality originated in our superego development. In this paper I shall consider three views on Freud’s moral psychology, which I call the “deflationist”, the “rationalist”, and the “anti-rationalist” view. I argue that both the deflationist and the rationalist view are untenable, as they fail to distinguish among different senses of irrationality that we can attribute to morality. By contrast, I shall develop and defend an anti-rationalist view, to the effect that an inherently irrational superego is no threat to morality’s place in human life, as long as it’s capable of making us experience an integrated form of life. And as this desired interaction does not always come easily, we can naturally see the point of introducing psychoanalysis to our lives.
TL;DR: The mastery of reasoning and the material elements of reasoning are important issues in the development of pillars of artwork creation.
Abstract: Basically, process in the art creation is supported by three pillars of existence, namely 1) activity, 2) method, and 3) knowledge. In the application of activities, methods, and knowledge are always accompanied by the reasoning of the creators of art. Reasoning is used to obtain formulation of practical knowledge, productive knowledge, and theoretical knowledge of an object. The creators in directing its attention to the target of creation use a set of logically interrelated concepts, supported by reasoning in varied models. Substance of reasoning contains of several elements, i.e., confidence, the will to work, models, concepts, methods of concept application and the artwork. The mastery of reasoning and the material elements of reasoning are important issues in the development of pillars of artwork creation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the three major components that are necessary for the national development of any country, namely language, culture and literacy, are discussed and discussed in terms of their roles in the functional side of human conscious behaviour.
Abstract: Language, culture and literacy are three major components that are necessary for the national development of any country. It is difficult if not impossible to see adequately the functions of language because it is so deeply rooted in the whole of human behavior that it may be suspected that there is little in the functional side of human conscious behaviour in which language does not play a vital part either directly or indirectly. Culture on its part is the sum of the attainments and activities of any specific period, race or people including their implements, handicrafts, agriculture, economics, music, art, religious beliefs, traditions, language and story. Culture is indeed an indispensable part of human conscious existence. Literacy on its part is the ability to read and write. It encompasses a complex set of abilities to understand and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture for personal and community development. This paper critically affirms that the three aforementioned components of language, culture and literacy could be harnessed to ensure national development in the country. It suggests a critical and paradigm shift in the practical use and application of these three major components towards enhanced national development.
TL;DR: This article examined African humanism within the context of African philosophical outlook as it was yesterday, today and tomorrow in complementarity with the western humanism and drums out a few examples from the works of Achebe as they express and relate African world view in relation to the west.
Abstract: The belief system that defies or negates the existence of other beings is the one which claims superiority over other beings in existence. On the contrary, African humanism is the philosophy which naturally enables the coexistence of all humans, irrespective of their creed, culture, tribe, nation or race. Achebe expressed and x-rayed the displeasure in the breaking of this principle or philosophy with the intrusion and imposition of western way of life which defied the existence of the kind of tranquility that existed amongst Africans, thereby leading to all things breaking apart. This paper examined African humanism within the context of African philosophical outlook as it was yesterday, today and tomorrow in complementarity with the western humanism. It drums out a few examples from the works of Achebe as they express and relate African world view in relation to the west. The paper aims at bringing African philosophy to relevance and unifying it worldwide without which philosophy is without universal relevance.
TL;DR: This article found that language is only a small fraction of the story of human beings and that language merely serves to magnify what Friederich Nietzsche is rightfully identified as an art of dissimulation.
Abstract: Despite having named ourselves Homo sapiens—a designation contingent on word/reason (logos) as our chosen identifier—recent evidence suggests language is only a small fraction of the story. Human beings would be more aptly named Homo videns—seeing man—if percentage of cortex area per modality determined the labeling of an organism. Instead, the sentential ontology of language philosophers and linguists persists in spite of the growing body of cognitive research challenging the language instinct as our most defining characteristic. What is becoming clearer is that language is palimpsestic. It is like a marked transparency over visuospatial maps, which are wired to sensorimotor maps. The left lateralized interpreter uses language to communicably narrativize an apparent unity, but people are not the only fictionalizing animals. This examination looks to cognitive and psychological studies to suggest that a prelinguistic instinct to make sense of unrelated information is a biological consequence of intersections among pattern matching, symbolic thinking, aesthetics, and emotive tagging, which is accessible by language, but not a product thereof. Language, rather, is just an outer surface. Rather than thinking man, playing man, or tool-making man, we would be better described as storytelling animals (narrativism). Like other social mammals, we run simulation heuristics to predict causal chains, object/event frequency, value association, and problem solving. The post hoc product is episodic fiction. Language merely serves to magnify what Friederich Nietzsche is rightfully identified as an art of dissimulation—lying. In short, the moral of the story is that we are making it all up as we go along.
TL;DR: The concepts of religion and politics in Nigeria are problematic even at the level of conceptualization as discussed by the authors, and it is not only possible but also realizable to co-exist them.
Abstract: The concepts religion and politics are problematic even at the level of conceptualization. This paper examines the two concepts in the Nigerian society and points out some of the areas of problem, and goes on to argue that peaceful co-existence of both concepts in the Nigerian society is not only possible but also realizable.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a new epistemological and methodological criteria for communication sciences, where the knowledge used in the designs is oriented toward artificial aims and, consequently, the processes will follow the lead of the designs in order to obtain the expected results.
Abstract: There is a need for new epistemological and methodological criteria for communication sciences. This necessity is underscored by the important developments of communication in recent years, due to the information and communication technologies (ICT). Consequently, we should overcome interpretive schemes until now dominant, which see communication sciences only as social sciences (or even as it were a mere professional practice based on past experience). Hence, the reality of a new conception is required to specify communication sciences which are analyzed as applied sciences of design. Thus, the theoretical approach—in cognitive and processes—fits best to the reality of new communication phenomena. Within this novel framework, which deals with the current reality and the future projection of the communication sciences, the conception of them as applied sciences of design can follow several steps in order to present its characterization: 1) the scope proposed to do research regarding communicative phenomena; 2) communication science as applied disciplines (subjects focus to solve specific problems) that work on designs (they seek to enlarge the human potential communication); and 3) the new criteria that carry out this proposal about the epistemology and methodology of communication sciences (where the knowledge used in the designs is oriented toward artificial aims and, consequently, the processes will follow the lead of the designs in order to obtain the expected results).
TL;DR: In this article, the authors look at how modern universities emerged from medieval Catholic monasteries, especially from theological philosophies, which prompted Catholic Friars to form guilds of children for catechisms and teachings on doctrine from 1200 to 1225 CE.
Abstract: The study looks at how modern universities emerged from medieval Catholic monasteries, especially from theological philosophies, which prompted Catholic Friars to form guilds of children in monasteries for catechisms and teachings on doctrine (doctorate) from 1200 to 1225 CE. These guild centers in monasteries that soon graduated into teaching centers for the new knowledge (or science) transformed the monastery guilds into universities with Saint Thomas Aquinas as one of the earliest graduates of those universities around 1250 CE.
TL;DR: It is asserted that there could not be comprehension an understanding of relations and meaning respectively without logic, and the nature of Igbo-African Logic is captured.
Abstract: This paper is not concerned with the possibility of Igbo-African Logic, it asserts that there is. It emphasizes that there could not be comprehension an understanding of relations and meaning respectively without logic. The paper goes on to capture what the nature of Igbo-African Logic is.
TL;DR: It is postulated that the mind-body problem can be explained/resolved by a special kind of complexity, which consists of recurrent self-reference, directing on itself the “cognitive centre” in the neural network in the human brain.
Abstract: Complexity and related phenomena exist as at least as “objective” and primary aspects/elements of the world as matter, space, and time. On the other hand, space, time, and matter become more and more subjective in modern physics. Complexity causes “something new” to emerge at the level of the whole complex system, which is not present at the level of the elements of this system and cannot be fully reduced to the interactions between these elements. This fact concerns both simple systems, such as atoms composed of a nucleus and electrons or (macro)molecules composed of atoms, as well as very complex systems such as living individuals built of (macro)molecules, organelles, cells, and organs, and conscious brains composed of networks of neurons. In other words, the dynamic complexity consisting of a special concrete spatiotemporal organisation of matter/ energy is as real as space, time, and matter themselves. Therefore, one can speak about the “objective” existence of such a “subjective” phenomenon as (self-)consciousness. The last phenomenon constitutes an aspect, epiphenomenon, or “by-product” of the functional complexity of the (part of the) neural network in the human brain. (Self-)consciousness is equivalent to a certain kind of such complexity and must emerge as a necessary aspect of an appropriately organised dynamic neural network. Therefore, for instance, zombies cannot exist or are even nonsensical. Each dynamic state of the neural network underling self-consciousness is univocally related to one psychic state, and inversely. It is postulated that the mind-body problem can be explained/resolved by a special kind of complexity, which consists of recurrent self-reference, directing on itself the “cognitive centre” in the neural network in the human brain.
TL;DR: This paper explored four concepts to point a way out of the political morass in which we find ourselves at the middle of the second decade of the 21st century: 1) The Rectification of Names, a concept of Confucius that should have the highest priority in such a situation as now prevails in the United States; 2) Carl Schmitt's concept of "the political"; 3) A new reading of James Madison's Federalist Paper No. 51 that envisions creating a will in the community independent of the majority, that is of society itself; 4)
Abstract: This paper explores four concepts to point a way out of the political morass in which we find ourselves at the middle of the second decade of the 21st century: 1) The “rectification of names”, a concept of Confucius that should have the highest priority in such a situation as now prevails in the United States; 2) Carl Schmitt’s concept of “the political”; 3) A new reading of James Madison’s Federalist Paper No. 51 that envisions “creating a will in the community independent of the majority, that is of society itself”; 4) And Jurgen Habermas’s “communicative action theory”, which would serve to engender genuinely democratic discourse in our political system, combined with a critique by former US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens of corporate influence in our politics, which together represent a significant step toward finally achieving the Confucian ideal. Finally, this paper offers a mechanism and an institution for realizing the goal that the new Madison reading suggests, something that is consistent with the best values of our nation most grandly conceived, and a social media method—afforded by movements such as the Arab Spring and the Occupy Wall Street Movement—for triggering that mechanism and resulting institution, one that is analogous to the Han dynasty’s development of the Shuo Wen Dictionary, and one that would function in a way similar to that envisioned by Han dynasty thinkers.
TL;DR: In this article, a critical investigation of Hume's defense of Berkeley on language and an attempt to highlight the extent to which Hume departs from the views of his Irish colleague is presented.
Abstract: In 1739 Hume bequeathed a bold view of the self to the philosophical community that would prove highly influential, but equally controversial. His bundle theory of the self elicited substantial opposition soon after its appearance in the Treatise of Human Nature. Yet Hume makes it clear to his readers that his views on the self rest on respectable foundations: namely, the views of the highly regarded Irish philosopher, George Berkeley. As the author of the Treatise sees it, his account of the self draws on Berkeley’s conception of language, especially his views on singular terms. But Hume, as impressed as he is with Berkeley’s account of language, deems it necessary to defend this view against possible criticism. In the process Hume modifies Berkeley’s views. My paper is a critical investigation of Hume’s defense of Berkeley on language and an attempt to highlight the extent to which Hume departs from the views of his Irish colleague.
TL;DR: Singer as discussed by the authors argued that science and religion are two sides of the same coin and that science has no Godlike knowledge and Godlike powers over nature, and that such an unqualified status is an unwarranted estimation of the powers of modern science and comes with some moral implications.
Abstract: In this paper, we argue that Peter Singer in some of his key works ascribes certain absolute and definitive attributes to modern science, equating them to God. The advancement of modern science particularly in the areas of medical technologies such as human assisted reproduction and genetic engineering, has given science unparalleled powers over nature in general and human nature in particular. Because of this authority, Singer directly and indirectly attributes absolute values to science and the scientific method. He does this by according some supreme attributes (of God) like omniscience, omnipotence and omni-benevolence to science. In this paper we argue, contra Singer, that modern science has got no Godlike knowledge and Godlike powers over nature. Therefore, conferring on science such unqualified status is, firstly, an unwarranted estimation of the powers of modern science, and, secondly, this comes with some moral implications. For example, science may become the measure of all things. It also raises the ethical concern as to whether we can, for example, determine the moral worth of a human being or ascertain metaphysical truths merely by relying on scientific truths. Thirdly, Singer’s perspective exhumes the age-old conflict between science and religion and celebrates the victory of science over religion. We argue for the view that science and religion are two sides of the same coin. In the search for the truth, the two disciplines concentrate on each aspect of reality, and therefore complement each other. Whereas science concentrates on the physical/natural, religion focuses on the spiritual/supernatural. It would therefore be sensible to adopt an approach to knowledge which accommodates and integrates both religion and science as complementary ways of understanding reality.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that religious utterances as Habermas articulates them are not equiparable to cultural, ethnic and philosophical differences and also that, Occult/Paranormal experiences are restricted to few adepts in it, hence, lacking general accessibility.
Abstract: The task of this paper is to argue against the opponents of Habermas’ institutional translation proviso. The opponents argue against Habermas on the grounds that 1) religious utterances are like cultural differences, ethnic differences and philosophical differences, 2) there are numerous cultures with their distinct religious potential truth contents that are not scientifically demonstrable. The latter argument is based on Occult/Paranormal experiences which are realities of life, hence should be allowed into the public sphere. However, this paper argues that religious utterances as Habermas articulates them are not equiparable to cultural, ethnic and philosophical differences and also that, Occult/Paranormal experiences are restricted to few adepts in it, hence, lacking general accessibility. In mind of our increasingly pluralistic society, there is need for common understanding of religious potential truth contents for general agreement and unity of purpose. Hence, we say that anyone who wants to bring religious potential truth contents into the public sphere seems to have no option other than to translate them into secular language for common understanding. It is based on common understanding that participants in the public sphere enter into a meaningful rational-critical debate resulting in mutual agreement.
TL;DR: In this article, a study was conducted to determine how users of the university libraries perceive the services rendered to them, and the results showed that university libraries are underfunded, they lack qualified personnel and also the university library do not have a general standard that guild them to access if actually users are satisfied with the library or not.
Abstract: This study seeks to determine how users of the university libraries perceive the services rendered to them. Department of Mechanical Engineering was chosen as the population of this study. It is heavily populated with students seeking for information. 600 copies of questionnaire were made, only 450 copies were returned, well-filled, that is 75% of the questionnaire. Results were gathered and findings were made. The result showed that University Libraries are underfunded, they lack qualified personnel and also the university libraries do not have a general standard that guild them to access if actually users of the libraries are satisfied with the library or not.
TL;DR: The meaning of this Psalm is coded in its rich poetic techniques and similes that the paper endeavours to explain in its immediate context as a Song of Ascents and in the contexts of other Wisdom texts of the Old Testament as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Beset by all kinds of ideologies that divest it of its divinely endowed values, family in our contemporary society suffers greatly from those who purport to have a better way of fulfilling its divine mandate. All who understand the importance of family are greatly concerned at the overt derailment that has proved detrimental to human society. The Sacred Scripture offers us varied insights into solving the problem in which we find ourselves. Psalm 128 chosen for this paper is one of those texts in the Bible that reflects on family and its value in human society. As a Wisdom Psalm and didactic in nature, the poem presents to its readers what family is in dire need of at this time. The meaning of this Psalm is coded in its rich poetic techniques and similes that the paper endeavours to explain in its immediate context as a Song of Ascents and in the contexts of other Wisdom texts of the Old Testament. Its theological thrust, the fear of God, which is introduced at the beginning and iterated in various phrases within the Psalm comes out clearly as messages the Psalm offers to worrisomely deformed image of family in our time.
TL;DR: Using the rural library for youth development as discussed by the authors was constructed and distributed among the youths and librarians in five (5) villages in Anambra State of Nigeria that have rural libraries.
Abstract: Nigeria is a developing country with youths that have great potentials. They embrace new innovations easily. In Anambra State of Nigeria alone, there are eight (8) higher institutions. It was observed that in the rural areas recently, youths indulge in drug taking and other anti-social acts. Many of them are dropout from schools. The rural libraries could play big roles by reverting them to skillful living again that is by equipping the libraries with information resources that would interest the youths and attract them back to complete their education. A questionnaire titled “Using the rural library for youth development” was constructed and distributed among the youths and librarians in five (5) villages that have rural libraries. 300 copies of questionnaire was made and distributed. 235 respondents were gotten. The response rate became 78%. Findings were made. It was suggested that the government should build and equip the rural libraries to modern standard, provide current materials and also employ more librarians to work there.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyse the meaning of death as a possibility in Heidegger's fundamental ontology and argue that one of those layers relates to death being a transcendent possibility for Dasein, which can be further characterized in terms of non-genuine, genuine and deconstructive authenticity.
Abstract: Heidegger’s understanding of death in terms of possibility has been debated for more than three decades. The main dispute is about the coherence of the concept of possibility. To advance the debate, we analyse the meaning of “death as a possibility” in three steps. Firstly, we delineate the notions of death and possibility in Heidegger’s fundamental ontology. Secondly, we analyse and evaluate the main opposed interpretations of death as a possibility. Thirdly, we discuss Heidegger’s assertion that death is a distinctive [ausgezeignete] possibility of Dasein. On the basis of the results, we claim that Heidegger provides an ontic-ontological and multilayered framework for the understanding of death. We further argue that one of those layers relates to death as a transcendent possibility for Dasein, which can be further characterised in terms of non-genuine, genuine and—what we call—deconstructive [Abbauende] authenticity. Finally, we suggest that deconstructive authenticity refers to Dasein’s authentic relationship to its own ontological annihilation. As this annihilation cannot be phenomenologically depicted, deconstructive authenticity implies that Dasein is, to a certain extent, free to depict the meaning of its death.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the concept of consent and consensus as a foundation for the justification of the emergence of the state and argue that if there is no mutual agreement within the society, there can be little or no way of ensuring peaceful resolution of policy differences that is associated with the democratic process.
Abstract: The purpose of the state and its apparatus right from the formation of human society to this contemporary period is still being confronted with the question of legitimacy. One of the major reasons why the state is formed is for the attainment of good life of the citizens. The institution of the state would thus remain legitimate only when those who are in political authority perform basic functions of government to meet the expectations of the members of the society. To this end, this paper examines the concept of consent and consensus as a foundation for the justification of the emergence of the state and argue that if there is no mutual agreement within the society, there can be little or no way of ensuring peaceful resolution of policy differences that is associated with the democratic process. Consequent upon this, the paper adopts Thomas Hobbes social contract theory as a theoretical framework to explain the origin of the state and justify the absolute power of the government which is rooted in the consent and the consensus of the people. The philosophical methods of conceptual clarification and critical analysis are employed to examine Hobbes political theory and evaluate its relevance to the contemporary society.
TL;DR: The theory of Rene Girard seems to perfectly explain the coexistence, in "mactare victimam", of two meanings: kill on the one hand, raise and glorify on the other hand as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: In this article I will show that the victimary theory of Rene Girard can make a decisive contribution to the interpretation and solution of etymological and semantic questions of the verb “mactare”, which is basic in the terminology related to the topic of the sacrifice. The victimary anthropology provides the hermeneutical key that allows us to consider the expressions “mactare Deum” and “mactare victimam” as genetically synonymous. The theory of Rene Girard seems to perfectly explain the coexistence, in “mactare victimam”, of two meanings: kill on the one hand, raise and glorify on the other hand. In the case of original lynching, which is mostly hidden in the myth, the victim, which at first is killed for it is believed that the cause of all evils is deified by the persecutors as the cause of all goods. Hence the need to strengthen and renew periodically, through animals or human sacrifices, the saving power of divinity established with the murder of the first victim. That’s why killing and glorifying coexist in “mactare”, which is both “mactare victimam” and “mactare Deum”, since the verb means to kill when referring to a victim and to glorify when referring to God. Indeed, the deification of the victim is the result of his killing.