When we ask what is the relation between embodiment and thinking, it is usual to respond that these two phenomenal spheres are to be understood as radically different, and an attempt is made, at the same time, to find a certain point of contact which they might have in common. Aristotle, on this question, determined that at least the thinking part of the mind, the so-called active reason, is separable from the body, although the same cannot be said of the emotions or of sense perceptions, which are inseparably connected with the body. It follows from this that, in order to fully understand emotionality and sense, it is necessary to properly elucidate the connection between spirit and body, because it is precisely in this connection that emotionality and sense have their place. Descartes also recognised the necessity of clarifying the connection between spirit and body in the context of the problem of the so-called passions, although he had already blocked such a connection with his division of human existence into the spheres of res cogitans and res extensa. The question of the psychosomatic complexity of human existence, however, presents a much more complicated problem than it may usually seem. This complexity can be vividly shown by the phenomenological description of lived embodiment given by Merleau-Ponty in Phénomenologie de la perception, where the phenomenon of the body is understood in the context of the individuality of human existence. A closer examination of the so-called bodily schema, in which the whole of bodily functions are synthesised, displays to us the very borders of individual being. In order to better investigate and understand these borders we wish to place the conception of so-called schizoanalysis alongside this phenomenological treatment of embodiment, which Deleuze and Guattari have worked upon together. In the light of this concept of ‘the body without organs’ it should be shown not only in what sense embodiment goes beyond the boundaries of individual experience, but also that the connection between embodiment and thinking is much tighter than it might seem from the perspective of traditional philosophy which presupposes some kind of difference between the body and the spirit. It may even be said that the spheres of embodiment and thinking come together to such an extent in Deleuze and Guattari that they cannot be practically distinguished from one another.
Speaking one's own language, in the sense of linguistic indications of one's separateness or uniqueness, versus total submersion in the amalgam of crowd opinion are two borderline situations. Idealization, however, does not abolish the research problem. What is one's own distinct voice, what constitutes originality of thought, in the midst of linguistic tradition? In philosophy, or in poetry? Hence the question: can distinct philosophical thinking be born in the Polish language? Philosophical thought is not born as a result of technical procedures, plans, or tasks to be accomplished. Thought is something different from research projects. Its coming requires the persistence of waiting, listening, and refraining from closing the issue. Silence and listening are the conditions in which thought is born.
The author argues that our best hope for addressing world problems (from climate change to violence, to poverty) is to teach critical thinking through the study of language and all symbol systems. This means removing disciplinary boundaries so that we can focus more effectively on solving common problems. Human survival also depends upon our critical analysis of electronic media and our wise uses of technology. Critical thinking via all symbol systems is more likely to generate humane actions. Therefore, education-not governments or armies or institutions or private corporations-is our best hope.
In a time of advancing neoliberal educational practice globally (e.g. Roxborough, 1997, McCafferty, 2010), in the provision of public sector education as well as in assumptions regarding public educational purposes and curriculum development; this paper looks to a broader definition of education (e.g. Biesta, 2009). The authors argue that pedagogical proposal of the Community of Philosophical Inquiry as in the work of Matthew Lipman (e.g. 2002) and Ann Sharp, a model of educational praxis existent in over 60 countries world wide, can enable the advancement of a vision for deliberative democracy (Lipman, 1998) and social justice and contribute to educational theory and practice in ways which develop communicative rather than individualistic notions of autonomy (Code, 2006, p.170.). Philosophical inquiry, especially as discussed in this paper with adolescents, equips students with the tools to become more critical, to develop a more social and global awareness and consequently enable them to make more reflected moral judgments (Hannam & Echeverria, 2009, p.114). Drawing on practical examples from the direct experience of the authors in the UK and Mexico, as well as building on 40 years of research world wide, an argument is developed for embedding philosophical thinking into all educational environments as a means of forming transformative intellectuals (Giroux, 1988) and enabling a raising of awareness with regard to the consequences of the tacit acceptance of neoliberal educational policies. Furthermore, drawing on the writing of Hannah Arendt (1998) a view is advanced which suggests that deliberative and participatory democratic structures can be developed in our societies where the opportunity for careful thinking as well as conscious action taking can take place.
Universe reverberates with steps. Once steps fall silent, the world reaches its end. Beginning with this quotation from Vasilij Rozanov we try to investigate walking and its various modalities which constitute also modalities of thinking. Reading Nietzsche's dedication to walking and nomadic lifestyle, we understand walking, "gehen", as a specific harmony achieved between body and thought as well as between body and its situatedness. It is a peculiar manner of walking, the irrationality of Chaplin's or Groucho Marx's gait, that marks a point of crisis in the systematic structure of the organization of Western society.
When one calculates whether a table will fit into the space between a wall and a cupboard, it is likely that a calculation of this sort will be carried out by forming a mental image of the table, the wall, and the cupboard. If I think about my beloved, it is quite plausible that I will bring up a mental image of the one I love. […]
In this paper, I take three snapshots of Wittgenstein's philosophical work in order to jot a few notes on the issue of the continuity in his philosophy. I use Wittgenstein's distinction between what can be 'said' and what can only be “shown” in order to highlight Wittgenstein's continual insistence that our basic relation with reality is seamless. I propose that Wittgenstein holds, throughout his philosophical career, that our thinking does not stop short of the world. In brief, I suggest that Wittgenstein would note that our natural history is largely what the mediaevals would call second nature.
The article discusses lexical units chcąc nie chcąc and mimo woli, which are used in contemporary Polish. Firstly, the author justifies why she considers chcąc nie chcąc and mimo woli as lexical units. Later, she describes features of the expressions under discussion by showing restrictions in their lexical collocations. Among other things, the author investigates whether there is a component communicating necessity in the expression chcąc nie chcąc and whether the unit mimo woli refers to a moment preceding the initation of an action. The analysis conducted in the article shows that when we describe an activity with the expression mimo woli, we declare that somebody did not decide on initating it. Whereas the expression chcąc nie chcąc, states that something caused a given action and that it was not the will of the person who initiated it to do so. At the end of the article, the author presents the semantic explications of the expressions studied.
In this article I want to show the exceptional character of Heidegger’s late writings with help of Daniela Vallega – Neu’s book, Heidegger’s Poietic Writings. Daniela Vallega – Neu attempts a reading not of philosophical works in the traditional sense, but of Heidegger’s collections of notes and reflections. In these, Heidegger searches for a language that would not simply speak directly about being, but would let the sense of being emerge in the thinking and saying. He attempts to open a path of thinking in order to prepare what he calls “the other beginning”. This is why she calls them Heidegger’s “poietic” writings, referencing the Greek word “ποίησις”. In this article, I want to show Heidegger’s pathos, in which he seeks the force of being in the more mystical attitude of his late writings. Their unortodox and intimate character differs greatly from that of traditional philosophical texts.
Making an attempt to describe the threats to the development of artistic education, one should particularly emphasise the failure of noticing the mission of art and culture in the vision of a contemporary man. Above all, the threat is posed by the depreciating attitude of the mass media turning culture into entertainment and spiritual space merely into a battlefield for trivial and ordinary goods. The problem of globalization deeply afflicts culture, particularly artistic education. But are the tasks of artistic education as defined within the humanistic approach to the Culture of Man not fundamental to the future of “thinking art”? The matter is worth of a serious and continuous debate, irrespective of the political correctness and the pragmatic attitudes “for today”. However, particular responsibility lies with the didactics in the field of art.
The article tackles the analysis of psychological and pedagogical prerequisites of forming the socio-cultural competence, which are defined by socio-cultural contexts of the modern world. Based on the background of theoretical and empirical research, it is found out that the age period of studying for a Master’s degree is beneficial for forming the socio-cultural skills in critical reading of on-line news articles as a source of socio-cultural knowledge. The article highlights that this period is the most favorable for forming the learners’ critical thinking skills for them to be able to assess the socio-cultural phenomenon or event, which is being studied by the future University teachers of English. It has been shown that critical thinking is neither about negative opinion nor about criticism, but it has to do with a sorted out approach with the purpose to make a well-grounded judgment and a decision as for the objectivity or bias of the socio-cultural information that is presented in the on-line news articles. It has been stated and proved that the process of the professional education of the future University teachers of English provides opportunities to interpret the ideas, expressed in on-line news articles, correctly, avoiding prejudice or bias. It helps to build up one’s own well-grounded opinion as for this or that socio-cultural phenomenon, even despite the respected ideas of others. The age period of studying for a Master’s degree is ideal for forming the socio-cultural competence. However, one shouldn’t consider the development of critical thinking as the only one, which is beneficial. It is viewed that a separate «Critical Thinking» discipline in the education system of our country is not a panacea: it is important to enable the future University teachers of English to use the critical thinking skills in particular subject-related activity in the frames of specific University disciplines. It is stated that forming critical reading skills is possible in the process of forming the socio-cultural competence in the discipline of English Practice Course
The article indicates that in the presence of various crises of foster care, there is a confusion of the district family support center, institutions not seeing and not hearing the needs of foster families and orphanages. It is emphasized that the reconstruction of the ability to hear problems and see the complex issues of foster care, for the district aid institution to go beyond the horizon of foster care, crises requires the dialogue and the courage to act in the field of social matters. Then, in the conditions of a local community, where the dialogue is practised, the district family support center regains the ability to see and hear the matters of the wounded world. As a result, the district family support center shapes the capacity of communication activities accompanied with the development of the local community. At the same time, this shift towards district local communities inhabitants’ everyday life is expressed in active care for foster care within the framework of dialogue workshops and educational activities. Such an orientation, in a trialectic perspective, in the weave of three dimensions of space the internal micro-space of the institution, the meso-space of foster care and the macro-social space of the local community – allows the district family support center to transform its activities in the field of social affairs, and experience the recognition of the inhabitants of local communities.
This empirical study examines the capacity of pupils´ gestures to mediate information and make processes of pupils´ thinking visible. The study understands pupils´ gestures as the visual processing of information or as thinking made visible. Based on an analysis of pupils´ gestures recorded during sixteen lessons of Czech language and literature at lower secondary schools, the study shows that pupils´ gestures appear in classes in the form of explanatory talks which the pupils use to (re)construct the patterns of their thinking. However, pupils´ gestures can not only highlight ongoing cognitive processes, but they also reveal the individual steps that comprise pupils´ cognitive operations. The study therefore introduces pupils´ gestures as a tool for making cognitive processes - their presence, content and structure - visible.
In this contribution we shall focus on the project of philosophy for communities carried out at the Liceo “Vasco-Beccaria-Govone” (Mondovì , Italy) within the IX edition (2016) of the CeSPeC Summer School on Futures, imagining the world of tomorrow. Philosophy is understood as a practice, an experience, a creation of concepts, an inquiry, as an exercise of argumentation and research. Thanks to this view, a dialogue has opened up with the pupis of this school. In this contribution we present the perspective of a post-philosophy for children and we understand it as an opportunity for philosophy in itself.
The latest developments in neuroscience concern not only education but also other disciplines, i.e. psychology and philosophy. Interest in neuroscience in Poland is only beginning. The article deals with thought processes in the context of language teaching in school. We will find in it examples of good practices of employing exercises to improve working memory. The author lists the main factors which determine the normal functioning of the brain. The protracted digitisation of Polish schools may turn out to be beneficial for the future generations, for, as the latest research indicates, multitasking among teenagers causes irreversible changes in their brains.
The study assessed children’s ability to develop narratives and express ideas. It comprised 120 children (5-10 years), and differences in relation to age, sex, and economic area were measured. To this end, we compared four schools in 2 economic areas (poor and average). We used 2 picture and 2 story re-telling tasks designed to elicit narrations reflecting the generation of ideas in response to visual and auditory stimuli. Significant differences for age and sex but not economic areas were found. Suggestions are made for balancing brain activity and developing more creative approaches in teaching and assessment.
The Polish School of Logic flourished in the period 1920-1939. Philosophically, it was influenced by Kazimierz Twardowski, professor at the University of Lwow (now Lviv in Ukraine), who established the Lwow-Warsaw School, to which the mentioned logical group belonged. Twardowski claimed that logic is very important in every kind of human activity, professional as well as private. Hence, every argument should be clearly formulated and proceed by correct inferential rules. These postulates involved semiotics, formal logic, and methodology of science - that is, logica sensu largo. This position was accepted by Twardowski’s most distinguished students, such as Jan Łukasiewicz, Stanisław Leśniewski, Kazimierz Ajdukiewicz, and Tadeusz Kotarbiński, who graduated before 1914, as well as the next generation of logicians and philosophers, particularly by Alfred Tarski. Although all these people considered logic, philosophy, and science as completely neutral with respect to politics and ideology, they treated logical skills as indispensable in political activities. In philosophical specialized terminology, Polish logicians regarded logic as a weapon against irrationalism. This position was also represented by Polish logicians who did not belong to the group of Twardowski’s students.
The aim of the article is to examine the philosophical value of the famous and widespread American educational project of the “Philosophy in the Classroom”. To fulfil this task, the author analyses the key concepts and the basic premises of the project in terms of their consistency and philosophical background. The critique is embedded in the conceptual framework of Hannah Arendt’s political philosophy as well as of Hans-Georg Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics.
The article characterises Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders as a holistic developmen- tal disorder, emphasising the importance of communication difficulties, both verbal and non-verbal. By pointing successively to the pathological changes in the anatomy and the functioning of individual parts of the CNS, the authors draw attention to the aspects of the impaired development of a child with FASD (FAS, PFAS, ND-PAE, FAS without confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure) and the possibility of providing support through proper programming of the therapeutic process while taking into consider- ation neurobiological knowledge. In the therapeutic work with a child affected by fetal alcohol syndrome, the starting point should be the identification of the child’s strengths rather than deficits. These children require holistic therapy, thanks to which it is pos- sible to eliminate the health, communication and also social problems. The authors present the methods of overall development interactions with the aim of creating the foundations of the language.
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