Bribery: the concept

The aim of this paper is to clarify the concept of bribery, and to do this in a way that reveals its underlying normative features. Bribery, like lying is not a value neutral concept. It has a negative connotation and is regarded by most as generally, although not necessarily universally, wrong. At the very least, those who resort to bribery bear a burden of justification for what they do. This is no small point, as no such burden must be borne for the vast majority of human activities, such as engaging in conversation or taking a walk, which normally do not. As Sissela Bok says of lying, we might say that a negative moral weight attaches to every act of bribery; it may be possible to counter this negative weight in some instances, but not without an argument (the provision of good reasons).¹ Why should a negative moral weight be attached to every act of bribery? It might be thought that, even if most instances of bribery are morally objectionable, the concept of bribery itself is morally neutral.² However, enticing people to violate what they take to be their positional duties does seem to call for some sort of moral justification. This seems to be so even in extreme cases, for example, when bribing a Nazi guard to allow concentration camp prisoners to escape. The ready availability of a moral justification in such circumstances does not eliminate the need for one.     

After the Crash:

This article chronicles the journey of a therapist and a lesbian feminist activist over the last thirty years. Her path has taken her through many different therapy experiences: Freudian psychoanalysis, Radical Psychiatry, encounter groups, women's groups, Gestalt Therapy, Feminist Therapy, Reichian Therapy, Bioenergetics, breath and movement therapy, and Integratice Body Psychotherapy (IBP). Synthesizing all she has experienced and studied, the author had developed Feminist Body Psychotherapy (FBT). Today her work integrates FBP with IBP, an approach similar to hers, which she experienced, studied and now teaches in Los Angeles. This article stresses the importance of integrating the body into psychotherapy to heal the mind-body split.     

Envy: the canker in the bud

This paper explores the relevance of the concept of moral masochism as a response to early trauma and the implications of this for psychotherapy.

Consideration is given to early conceptualisations of moral masochism within the psychoanalytic literature, in particular, the move from drive theory to object relations. More recent developments in relation to trauma and defences, such as disassociation, are explored. It is suggested that a more complex and fuller understanding requires thinking about the subtle and shifting interaction of both these levels. This allows the possibility of building a more nuanced understanding which can look at both behaviour, as described in the trauma literature, and meaning which is the core of a more classical psychoanalytic approach.

Case histories are used to illustrate the linkages between moral masochism and trauma and the transference and countertransference dynamics and challenges involved. Progress varied in these cases, with both positive and negative outcomes. This theoretical background is used to suggest why this may be so.     

Neuroethics: the practical and the philosophical

In comparison with the ethical issues surrounding molecular genetics, there has been little public awareness of the ethical implications of neuroscience. Yet recent progress in cognitive neuroscience raises a host of ethical issues of at least comparable importance. Some are of a practical nature, concerning the applications of neurotechnology and their likely implications for individuals and society. Others are more philosophical, concerning the way we think about ourselves as persons, moral agents and spiritual beings. This article reviews key examples of each type of issue, including the relevant advances in science and technology and their accompanying social and philosophical problems.     

幻象：世界的终结

我很不情愿把你所提的问题①中所包含的危机符号戏剧化。相反,请让我在本世纪初的一个哲学本和我们当下的忧思之间展开一种比较。《纯粹现象学和现象学哲学观念》之第一卷,是胡塞尔在第一次世界大战前一年出版的,也是他生前所发表这部巨的惟一一卷。这部巨从一问世就让他的追随不胜困惑。