Search results

1

Social Structure and Language Structure: the New Nomothetic Approach

100%

Roberts S., Winters J.

Psychology of Language and Communication

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2012

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vol. 16

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issue 2

89-112

EN

Recent studies have taken advantage of newly available, large-scale, cross-linguistic data and new statistical techniques to look at the relationship between language structure and social structure. These ‘nomothetic’ approaches contrast with more traditional approaches and a tension is observed between proponents of each method. We review some nomothetic studies and point out some challenges that must be overcome. However, we argue that nomothetic approaches can contribute to our understanding of the links between social structure and language structure if they address these challenges and are taken as part of a body of mutually supporting evidence. Nomothetic studies are a powerful tool for generating hypotheses that can go on to be corroborated and tested with experimental and theoretical approaches. These studies are highlighting the effect of interaction on language.

2

L’hérédité de l’acquis, une hypothèse fausse mais récurrente (1958–2018)

100%

Grimoult C.

Organon

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2018

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vol. 50

101-122

EN

The inheritance of acquired characteristics seems to be a trendy hypothesis in the fields of biological and cultural evolution, despite the fact that it has already been refuted many times, and has been shown inconsistent with all the available knowledge accumulated. This paper presents its failure, and its logical and factual inferiority to multilevel selection, offering new hypotheses explaining its attractive power. The argumentation aims to prove that the biological variations (genetic mutations) and cultural variations (intellectual innovations) are certainly not changes directed by the environment, but are analogous to stochastic changes which are closely channeled by many selective screens, according to the synergic theory of evolution and the synergic theory of the human sciences and their core, multilevel selection.

3

Some issues concerning applications of naturalistic paradigm to the study of religion

86%

Kowalczyk-Purol K.

Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce

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2014

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issue 54

39-77

EN

Viewing religion as a product of evolution already has yielded a new and interesting hypotheses, which could help to integrate entire heritage of scientific study of religion. Nonetheless, there are some objections toward this program. First, despite the fact that evolutionary theories of religion are inherently interdisciplinary, its integration with sociological, anthropological and historical studies should be improve in the future. Second, phenomenological descriptions (that is individual religious experiences) are neglected by Darwinians. This fact could negatively affects explanatory potential of this approach. Finally, opponents of analyzed paradigm state that evolutionary hypotheses have still low level of confirmation. It stems from a small number of conducted empirical investigations on evolutionary roots of religion. Nevertheless, application of Darwinian tools to the study of religion remains a very promising scientific venture.

4

Scientific realism and philosophical naturalism in Šmajs’ evolutionary ontology

86%

Melichová I., Burgan R.

Human Affairs

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2013

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vol. 23

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issue 4

556-575

EN

J. Šmajs’ concept of evolutionary ontology has attracted much attention in recent years especially in Czech and Slovak academic circles, yet it remains, as some of its proponents claim, undervalued in Britain and the US. Even in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, there are, in addition to its strong supporters, several authors who almost a priori reject the concept, pointing to several questionable, contradictory or even mutually exclusive or self-refuting arguments. In this paper, mainly based on a comprehensive analysis of the first part of Šmajs’ book, Evoluční ontologie kultury a problém podnikání (2012) [Evolutionary Ontology of Culture and The Issues Of Business], we attempt to demonstrate that the opponents of Šmajs’ concept are closer to the truth, since the concept, we believe, is just another variation on the extreme escalation of philosophical naturalism.

5

Pragmatism and Political Pluralism - Consensus and Pluralism

86%

Marsonet M.

Academicus. International Scientific Journal

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2015

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issue 12

47-58

EN

A pragmatist thinker like Nicholas Rescher deems the idea that social harmony must be predicated in consensus to be both dangerous and misleading. An essential problem of our time is the creation of political and social institutions that enable people to live together in peaceful and productive ways, despite the presence of not eliminable disagreements about theoretical and practical issues. Such remarks, in turn, strictly recall the “practical” impossibility of settling philosophical disputes by having recourse to abstract and aprioristic principles. In the circumstances, the social model of team members cooperating for a common purpose is unrealistic. A more adequate model is, instead, that of a classical capitalism where - in a sufficiently well developed system - both competition and rivalry manage somehow to foster the benefit of the entire community (theory of the “hidden hand”). Certainly the scientific community is one of the best examples of this that we have, although even in this case we must be careful not to give too idealized a picture of scientific research. Consensus, however, in the Western tradition is an ideal worth being pursued. At this point we are faced with two basic positions. On the one side (a) “consensualists” maintain that disagreement should be averted no matter what, while, on the other, (b) “pluralists” accept disagreement because they take dissensus to be an inevitable feature of the imperfect world in which we live. A pluralistic vision, therefore, tries to make dissensus tolerable, and not to eliminate it. All theories of idealized consensus present us with serious setbacks. This is the case, for instance, with Charles S. Peirce. As is well known, Peirce takes truth to be “the limit of inquiry,” i.e. either what science will discover in the (idealized) long run, or what it would discover if the human efforts were so extended. By taking this path, thus, truth is nothing but the ultimate consensus reached within the scientific community. We can be sure that, once a “final” answer to a question has been found which is thereafter maintained without change, that one is the truth we were looking for. This fascinating theory, however, has various unfortunate consequences. In our day the German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has in a way revived these Peircean insights, putting forward an influential theory to the effect that consensus indeed plays a key role in human praxis, so that the primary task of philosophy is to foster it by eliminating the disagreement which we constantly have to face in the course of our daily life. In his “communicative theory of consensus,” furthermore, he claims that human communication rests on an implicit commitment to a sort of “ideal speech situation” which is the normative foundation of agreement in linguistic matters. Consequently, the quest for consensus is a constitutive feature of our nature of (rational) human beings: rationality and consensus are tied together. A very strong consequence derives from Habermas’ premises: were we to abandon the search for consensus we would lose rationality, too, and this makes us understand that he views the pursuit of consensus as a regulative principle (rather than as a merely practical objective). Rescher opposes both Peirce’s eschatological view and Habermas’ regulative and idealized one.

6

W poszukiwaniu korzeni języka naturalnego – intencjonalna komunikacja u naczelnych różnych od człowieka

72%

Kwiatek Ł.

Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce

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2014

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issue 55

43-73

PL

Where should we seek the roots of natural language? Common sense suggests that human language should have somehow evolved from primitive vocal communication, which is also, to some extent, present among other animals, especially since primary humans mean of communication is speech. Some biological and psychological evidences, however, both from observation and experiments, indicate that for the missing evolutionary link between human language and animal (apes) communication one should take chimpanzee gestural communication, the only undoubtedly intentional non-human mean of communication. In this paper, I present the evidences for the aforementioned theory and draw some conclusions regarding the issue of two “sources” of language – biological and cultural evolution.

7

Proliferacja jako narzędzie podtrzymujące ewolucję człowieka w świetle poglądów Paula K. Feyerabenda z okresu umiarkowanego

72%

Kilian K. J.

Filozoficzne Aspekty Genezy

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2013

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vol. 10

179-202

PL

W umiarkowanym okresie swojej twórczości Feyerabend utrzymywał, że wzajemne oddziaływanie zasad proliferacji i uporczywości może przyspieszać pożyteczne biologicznie mutacje oraz może być jedynym dostępnym środkiem służącym do zapobiegania stagnacji naszego gatunku. Celem tego artykułu jest rekonstrukcja poglądów Feyerabenda na to zagadnienie oraz nadanie im określonej interpretacji, pozwalającej uniknąć pewnych problemów, do których te poglądy prowadzą. Przekonanie, że można przyspieszać biologicznie pożyteczne mutacje za pomocą formułowania i bronienia hipotez, sugeruje, przynajmniej na pierwszy rzut oka, podejście lamarkistowskie - teorię zmienności ukierunkowanej. Tę myśl Feyerabenda da się również rozumieć w duchu teorii zmienności nieukierunkowanej, a więc na modłę darwinowską, co sugeruje wyrażenie "może przyspieszać". Obydwa ujęcia prowadzą jednak do poważnych trudności. Lamarkistowskie uważane jest obecnie za błędne, zaś zgodnie z darwinowskim zmiany adaptacyjne zachodzą bardzo powoli. Biologicznie pożyteczne efekty współdziałania proliferacji i uporczywości pojawić się mogą po niesłychanie długim okresie czasu. Jego myśl, że wzajemne oddziaływanie proliferacji i uporczywości może być jedynym dostępnym środkiem zapobiegania stagnacji naszego gatunku najlepiej jest rozumieć w duchu kulturowej ewolucji człowieka, która ma charakter lamarkistowski.

EN

In his early philosophy, Feyerabend claimed that the interaction between the principles of proliferation and tenacity may increase the tendency towards useful biological mutations. He also maintained that the interplay between the two principles may be the only possible way of preventing the human species from stagnation. I try to rectify some problems of Feyerabend’s approach. The claim that it is possible to increase the tendency towards useful biological mutations by means of generating and defending hypotheses seemingly implies Lamarckism, i.e. the theory of directed variation. However, it could also be incorporated into Darwinism, i.e. the theory of undirected variation (it is suggested by the phrase “may increase”). Both approaches lead to serious difficulties: Lamarckism is rejected by the mainstream biology; Darwinian adaptive changes are very slow. Biologically useful effects of interplay between proliferation and tenacity may come out after a very long time. Feyerabendian conviction that interaction between proliferation and tenacity may be the only possible way of preventing our species from stagnation should be understood in the light of human cultural evolution, and the latter is of course Lamarckian.

8

Truth and courage as the basis for the development of civilisation – an outline

72%

Cynarski W. J.

Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology

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2018

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vol. 18

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issue 2

23-28

EN

Background. In reflections on Western Latin civilisation the concepts of supporters of conflict in the theory of civilisation should be taken into account, starting with Feliks Koneczny. On the other hand, however, there are the indications of radical humanism from Erich Fromm and the personalism of John Paul II the civilisations of life and death). Normative ethics should protect the dignity of the individual who is treated as a personal being. Aim. The problem of the influence of normative ethics on the development of civilisation or its maintenance and survival was addressed. The goal in particular was to emphasise the virtues of courage and fidelity to the truth, and to reflect on the state of discourse in this area. Method. The method of analysing the content of the literature on the subject was used, as well as deductive and comparative methods. This is a broader discourse analysis, including sources (journalistic content) and studies. Results. The article contains – an outline of historiosophical findings and the essence of humanity; criticism of several “progressive” ideologies; praise for the courage to proclaim the truth; and remarks about the relationship between science and higher values. Conclusion. The weakening of Christian identification in the countries of Western Europe affects their spiritual progression. Therefore, today’s leaders of the Western world e.g. Donald Trump see great potential in the revival of the Western spirit in Poland and the heroism of the Poles.

PL

Perspektywa. W rozważaniach nad zachodnią, łacińską cywilizacją należy uwzględnić koncepcje zwolenników konfliktu w teorii cywilizacji, od F. Konecznego zaczynając; z drugiej jednak strony – wskazania radykalnego humanizmu E. Fromma i personalizmu Jana Pawła II (cywilizacje życia i śmierci). Etyka normatywna powinna chronić godność pojedynczego człowieka, traktowanego właśnie osobowego. Cel. Podjęto problem wpływu etyki normatywnej na rozwój cywilizacji lub jej utrzymanie i przetrwanie. Celem jest zwłaszcza zaakcentowanie cnót odwagi i wierności prawdzie, oraz refleksję o stanie dyskursu na tym obszarze. Metoda. Zastosowano metodę analizy treści literatury przedmiotu, oraz metodę dedukcyjną i porównawczą. Jest to poszerzona analiza dyskursu, z uwzględnieniem źródeł (treści publicystyczne) i opracowań. Wyniki. Artykuł zawiera szkic ustaleń historiozoficznych i dotyczących istoty człowieczeństwa; krytykę kilku „postępowych” ideologii; pochwałę odwagi głoszenia prawdy; oraz uwagi o relacji nauki do wartości wyższych. Wnioski. Osłabienie chrześcijańskiej identyfikacji w krajach Europy zachodniej wpłynęło na jej duchowy regres. Toteż dzisiejszy lider zachodniego świata – Donald Trump – dostrzegł wielki potencjał odrodzenia zachodniego ducha właśnie w Polsce i bohaterstwie Polaków.

9

Lidská práva v kontextu kulturní evoluce:

72%

Tvrdíková L.

Právník. Teoretický časopis pro otázky státu a práva (The Lawyer - Scientific Review for Problems of State and Law)

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2021

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vol. 160

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issue 2

121-135

EN

Main aim of this paper is to present naturalistic theory of human rights, which shows that despite the fact that human rights can be seen as basic moral requirements they are society-dependent, which means they are connected to the society and its evolution. First part of this paper deals with the starting-point of this approach – what this naturalization means. I want to point out that it really does not mean that all the things and all issues can be reduced to physical or chemical properties and laws. The fact that we – human beings – have language also makes us discursive beings and we can build fantastic worlds to live in – as Peregrin points out. We do not have to live in the natural world as such, in the realm of nature where natural laws, e.g. physical, chemical, etc. are the only thing that matters, our world that we live in and which we build is also normative – realm of freedom – where there exist other rules which matters – and our freedom lies in the fact that we can obey but also disobey them. This is our ability which makes us different among other organisms and because of this our ability Darwinian evolution is not the only evolutionary process that plays the crucial role in our evolution, according to some philosophers and cognitive scientists there is also a process which they named cultural evolution. So, next part will be devoted to the concept of cultural evolution which might not be interesting just for cognitive scientists and philosophers but also for scientists who work in the field of social science, law and jurisprudence. This is caused by the fact that this theory works with rules and their place and function in society. In this part we will focus on the evolution of morality because as we will see human rights can be seen as basic moral requirements which are necessary for global cooperation.

CS

Tento článek si klade za cíl podat naturalističtější verzi teorie lidských práv, z které bude zřejmé, že i lidská práva, byť o nich můžeme hovořit jako o základních morálních požadavcích, jsou závislá na společnosti a na jejím vývoji, jelikož i samotná moralita je závislá na společnosti a na jednotlivcích v ní žijících. První část bude věnována východisku tohoto textu a tomu, co vlastně znamená ona naturalističtější teorie. Nejedná se o přístup, kdy bychom chtěli tvrdit, že vše je redukovatelné na fyzikální a chemické zákony. Jak bude uvedeno, člověk je diskurzivní bytostí, a to díky tomu, že máme jazyk, prostřednictvím kterého vytváříme Peregrinovými slovy fantastický svět, ve kterém žijeme, nejsme vázáni na to žít pouze v přírodním světě, kde se vše řídí přírodními zákony, ale i ve světě svobody – v normativním světě pravidel, kde touto naší svobodou je se pravidly řídit, či nikoli. Tímto se, jakožto organismy, podle některých lišíme od ostatních organismů, neboť v případě lidí nehraje ve vývoji roli pouze darwinovská evoluce, ale i evoluce kulturní, která je mnohem rychlejší. Tento koncept, tedy koncept kulturní evoluce, který je zajímavý nejen pro kognitivní vědce a filosofy, ale i pro vědce věnující se společenským vědám či právu, neboť pojednává mimo jiné i o vývoji společnosti a – mimo jiné – úloze norem v ní, pak bude představen v další části. V té se zaměříme i na vývoj morality, jelikož lidská práva lze podle autorky považovat za základní morální požadavky, díky kterým je možná globální kooperace.

10

O filozofii politycznej Friedricha Augusta von Hayeka w świetle badań nad efektywnością ekonomiczną common law

58%

Załuski W.

Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Iuridica

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2017

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vol. 78

11-28

EN

The goal of this paper is to evaluate Friedrich August von Hayek’s political philosophy through the prism of the research on the economic efficiency of common law conducted within Law and Economics. One of the assumptions of Hayek’s political philosophy was the thesis about the optimizing character of cultural evolution. According to this thesis legal rules which have arisen spontaneously are economically efficient and thereby do not need to be corrected by the legislator. This thesis was thoroughly analysed by the Law and Economics scholars (notabene not inspired directly by Hayek’s philosophy), and these analyses are critically discussed in this paper. The results of these analyses are not unambiguous; nonetheless, they seem to undermine Hayek’s assumption about the optimizing character of cultural evolution. This fact affects the assessment of Hayek’s normative postulates; in particular, it justifies scepticism towards his critique of legislative activity.

PL

Celem artykułu jest ocena filozofii politycznej Friedricha Augusta von Hayeka przez pryzmat badań nad efektywnością ekonomiczną common law. Jednym z założeń filozofii politycznej Hayeka jest teza o optymalizacyjnym charakterze ewolucji kulturowej. Zgodnie z tą tezą reguły prawne powstałe spontanicznie są ekonomicznie efektywne, nie wymagają więc istotnych korekt ze strony ustawodawcy. Teza ta została poddana dokładnym analizom przez badaczy z nurtu Law and Economics (notabene nie inspirowanych bezpośrednio filozofią Hayeka), których wyniki zostały krytycznie omówione w niniejszym artykule. Konkluzje tych analiz nie są jednoznaczne, niemniej jednak wydają się podważać założenie Hayeka o optymalizacyjnym charakterze ewolucji kulturowej. Rzutuje to w istotny sposób na ocenę postulatów normatywnych Hayeka; w szczególności, uzasadnia sceptycyzm wobec jego krytyki aktywności legislacyjnej.

11

Od praczłowieka do Einsteina: rozważania nad ewolucją moralności i umysłu

58%

Kozłowski J.

Rocznik Teologii Katolickiej

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2014

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vol. 13

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issue 1

PL

Prof. dr. hab. JAN KOZŁOWSKI – członek korespondent PAN i PAU, wykłada teorię ewolucji na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim i ekologię w Państwowej Wyższej Szkole Zawodowej w Tarnowie. Jego zainteresowania naukowe dotyczą pogranicza ekologii i ewolucji. Jest przewodniczącym Komitetu Biologii Ewolucyjnej i Teoretycznej PAN. Więcej informacji na www.eko.uj.edu.pl/~kozlo lub www.researchgate.net.

EN

The article presents an subjective vision of human evolution dating back to man’s monkey ancestors. This evolution was very fast took only a few million years. It was started with the transition to the life in an open savannah which created a selection pressure on bipedalism and zooming group. This implied, in turn, the selection pressure on brain development and the growing role of social environment. At a certain stage of development tribes and their culture were formed, and Darwinian evolution was, in the sphere of the mind and customs, replaced by cultural evolution. This evolution was much faster, as it was based on the inheritance of acquired features. Rapid evolution of man was based on positive feedback and did not require the intervention of supernatural powers, such as aliens or God. If God created man, he trusted the mechanisms of evolution, as in the case of other species.

12

The Global Transformation of Belly Dancing: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Counter-Hegemonic Responses

51%

Popp A. M., Yen C.-J.

Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research

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2012

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vol. 55

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issue 1

17-29

EN

The first part of this study, explored by Ashley Popp, presents an investigation into a relatively unexamined area of physical education: an analysis of a transcultural phenomenon in the history of dance. Data has been collected from primary sources and archival evidence to assess competing ideologies inherent in the transformation of a particular art form. In the analysis of the cultural migration through which belly dance was transferred from the Middle East to the United States, an adaptive reaction to the hegemonic relationships of culture, race, gender, and class has been observed. Beyond performance aesthetics, links have been made between the act of belly dancing and the building of women’s self-esteem, as researched by Chia-Ju Yen. The main purpose of her study was to explore how facial burn patients cope with disfigurement and the unfriendly attitudes of others, and examines the alteration of body image via inspiration provided by the performance of belly dance. This research was conducted from the perspective of an anthropologically thickdescription research method, and a case study was performed using in-depth interviews, including narratives by a woman who had suffered facial injuries. The results of the research showed that through family support, hard work and a decisive and studious personality, the patient was able to cope with the discriminatory attitude of others. The performance of belly dance not only made her emphasize her body, but also enriched her life.

Refine search results

Social Structure and Language Structure: the New Nomothetic Approach

L’hérédité de l’acquis, une hypothèse fausse mais récurrente (1958–2018)

Some issues concerning applications of naturalistic paradigm to the study of religion

Scientific realism and philosophical naturalism in Šmajs’ evolutionary ontology

Pragmatism and Political Pluralism - Consensus and Pluralism

W poszukiwaniu korzeni języka naturalnego – intencjonalna komunikacja u naczelnych różnych od człowieka

Proliferacja jako narzędzie podtrzymujące ewolucję człowieka w świetle poglądów Paula K. Feyerabenda z okresu umiarkowanego

Truth and courage as the basis for the development of civilisation – an outline

Lidská práva v kontextu kulturní evoluce:

O filozofii politycznej Friedricha Augusta von Hayeka w świetle badań nad efektywnością ekonomiczną common law

Od praczłowieka do Einsteina: rozważania nad ewolucją moralności i umysłu

The Global Transformation of Belly Dancing: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Counter-Hegemonic Responses