Disability and employment – overview and highlights

Due to the expected decline in the working-age population, especially in European countries, people with disabilities are now more often recognized as a valuable resource in the workforce and research into disability and employment is more important than ever. This paper outlines the state of affairs of research on disability and employment. We thereby focus on one particular group of people with disabilities, that is to say people with mental disabilities. We define disability according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization, by that recognizing that disability results from the interaction of person and environment. Key issues, including the complexity of defining disability, the legal situation in Europe and North America concerning disability at work, and barriers and enablers to employment, are discussed. For each of the topics we show important findings in the existing literature and indicate where more in-depth research is needed. We finalize with a concrete research agenda on disability and employment and provide recommendations for practice.     

Russian Eurasianism – Historiosophy and Ideology

I attempt to answer thequestion about the place of Eurasianism in theRussian intellectual tradition. I reconstructits historiosophical assumptions as well thepolitical ideology following from them. I sharethe opinion of certain historians thatEurasianism is interesting for a variety ofreasons, but I disagree with those who see init nothing more than a synthesis of standardideas often found in the history of Russianthought. Eurasianism's originality includes itsacknowledgment of the positive contribution ofthe Mongols to the history of the Russianstate, the radicalism of its critique of theWest, the innovativeness of its theory ofrevolution, as well as the absence, unusual forRussian thinkers of the period, of aneschatological sensitivity.     

Instrumental Values – Strong and Weak

What does it mean that an object has instrumental value? While some writers seem to think it means that the object bears a value, and that instrumental value accordingly is a kind of value, other writers seem to think that the object is not a value bearer but is only what is conducive to something of value. Contrary to what is the general view among philosophers of value, I argue that if instrumental value is a kind of value, then it is a kind of extrinsic final value.     

Emotional Intelligence and cognitive abilities – associations and sex differences

In order to expand on previous research, this cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and cognitive abilities in healthy adults with a special focus on potential sex differences. EI was assessed by means of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso-Emotional-Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), whereas cognitive abilities were investigated using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), which measures key aspects of cognitive functioning, i.e. verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, verbal fluency, attention and processing speed, and reasoning and problem solving. 137 subjects (65% female) with a mean age of 38.7 ± 11.8 years were included into the study. While males and females were comparable with regard to EI, men achieved significantly higher BACS composite scores and outperformed women in the BACS subscales motor speed, attention and processing speed, and reasoning and problem solving. Verbal fluency significantly predicted EI, whereas the MSCEIT subscale understanding emotions significantly predicted the BACS composite score. Our findings support previous research and emphasize the relevance of considering cognitive abilities when assessing ability EI in healthy individuals.     

Narrative and embodiment – a scalar approach

Recent work on the relation between narrative and selfhood has emphasized embodiment as an indispensable foundation for selfhood. This has occasioned an interesting debate on the relation between embodiment and narrative. In this paper, I attempt to mediate the range of conflicting intuitions within the debate by proposing a scalar approach to narrative and an accompanying concept of a split-self (Waldenfels 2000). Drawing on theoretical developments from contemporary narratology, I argue that we need to move away from a binary understanding of narrative as something an entity (the self) strictly is or is not; rather, we need to see narrative as an attribute admitting of degrees. I suggest that the relation between narrative and embodiment should be seen along these lines, proposing three levels of the narrativity of embodied experiencing: 1) the unnarratable, 2) the narratable and 3) the narrative. Finally, I discuss the implications this framework has for the general question of the narrative constitution of selfhood.     

Philosophical Perfectionism – Consequences and Implications for Sport

Ethical theories in sport philosophy tend to focus on interpersonal relations. Little has been said about sport as part of the good life and as experienced from within. This article tries to remedy this by discussing a theory that is fitting for sport, especially elite sport. The idea of perfection has a long tradition in Western philosophy. Aristotle maintains that the good life consists in developing specific human faculties to their fullest. The article discusses Hurka's recent version of Aristotelian perfectionism and relates it to various aspects of, and the good life in, sport. How much time should be spent on sport in relation to other activities, how much should one concentrate on one sport to reach one's best and how should one's efforts be spent over a season? Well-roundedness and concentration are central alternatives for theories of perfection. Similarly some activities are simple whereas other are complex and thIs poses problems for persons that want to maximise their achievements. Whereas Hurka thinks one has obligations to perfect oneself, the author of this article thinks perfection is an attractive choice but no obligation.     

Modernity and Happiness – The Case of Germany

The question asked in this article is whether modern societies enable the individual to lead a happier life. It was hoped during the Age of the Enlightenment that rationally designed social conditions would lead in the future to greater prosperity, more security and increased happiness for all. Only a little of this optimism has survived into the twentieth century. In their studies on anomie, sociologists such as Durkheim, Merton and Sennett have drawn attention to the darker sides of progress. Current theories of anomie – explicit social critiques – entirely ignore the successes of modernity and discuss only its crises. In these theories, anomie is described as a structural feature of modern societies, whose destructive consequences are manifested by growing alienation, increasing social isolation and rising suicidality. Empirical analyses of data from Germany show, however, that these theses diverge from the reality. Despite rapid processes of modernisation, anomic patterns of perception and behaviour have not become more widespread over the last 20 years; on the contrary, in some areas anomie has decreased significantly. Proceeding from this insight, this article proposes a correction of those models of anomie that are blind to progress. The crises of modernity are confronted with its successes, which have helped considerably to reduce anomic reactions and to stabilise subjective well-being at a high level. Finally, the article points out that this is not a stable equilibrium, rather that temporal and structural imbalances may occur in the course of modernisation processes, whose magnitudes may, however, be curbed – albeit not entirely or in every respect.     

Explaining embodied emotions – with and without representations

Embodied accounts have offered a theoretical framework in which emotions are understood to be patterned embodied responses that are about core relational themes. Some authors argue that this intentionality should be understood in terms of some kind of non-conceptual representation format, while others suggest a radical enactivist framework that takes emotions to be intentional but not representational. In this paper I will argue that the abstract nature of the core relational themes emotions are about and the interrelatedness of emotions with each other and with other mental states speak in favor of emotions being representations.     

Higher and Lower Pleasures – Doubts on Justification

According to the discontinuity view we can have a (lower) pleasure which, no matter how often a certain unit of it is added to itself, cannot become greater in value than a unit of another (higher) pleasure. All recent adherents of this view seem to rely basically on the same sort of reasoning which is referred to here as the preference test. This article presents three arguments, each of which indicates that the inference from the preference test to the discontinuity view is not conclusive.     

A syndrome of errant sexuality – and the self

Abstract

Sexual activity can be viewed as a service for the self. Addictive, perverse and aversive devices mostly build an aggregate. I will present self-psychological and other views for understanding such an aggregation of errant sexuality. In the course of the development of culture, sexuality has developed a variety of functions. Self-psychology views sexual activity as a device for establishing and/or repairing coherence and vitality of the self. In the present paper, I will posit perverse action as being part of a conglomerate – consisting of addictive, perverse and aversive features as different but interdependent appearances of sexual life. Fundamental to developing and sustaining deviant sexuality, as perverse activity, is sexualisation. A vertical split is often described. The individual psychodynamic may be featured by addictive and aversive attributes. Addictive, perverse and aversive behaviours are viewed as part of narcissistic behaviour disorders. Self-psychologically informed features of treatment concentrate on the anxieties of being empty and destructive, and thus being unable to engage in an intimate relationship. The healing process consists of helping the client to establish a stronger self, able to build up and maintain relationships with sufficiently sustaining self-object qualities.

Triebel A.

Sexualität kann als Aktivität im Dienste des Selbst angesehen werden. Süchtige, perverse und aversive Verrichtungen bilden meistens ein Aggregat. Ich will selbstpschologische und andere Gesichtspunkte darstellen, um eine solche Ansammlung umherirrender Sexualität zu verstehen. Im Verlauf der Entwicklung der Kultur hat Sexualität eine Vielzahl von Funktionen entwickelt. Selbstpschologie sieht sexuelle Aktivität als eine Maßnahme, um die Kohärenz und Vitalität des Selbst zu etablieren und/oder wieder herzustellen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit will ich perverse Handlung als Teil eines Konglomerats darstellen – bestehend aus süchtigen, perversen und aversiven Zügen als verschiedenartige aber interdependente Erscheinungen sexuellen Lebens. Grundlegend für die Entwicklung und Aufrechterhaltung devianter Sexualität, wie perverser Aktivität, ist die Sexualisierung. Oft wird eine vertikale Spaltung beschrieben. Die individuelle Psychodynamik kann durch süchtige und aversive Attribute gekennzeichnet sein. Süchtige, perverse und aversive Verhaltensweisen werden als Teil von narzißtischen Verahltensstörungen angesehen. Selbstpsychologisch informierte Merkmale der Behandlung konzentrieren sich auf Ängste, leer und destruktiv zu sein und somit unfähig, sich in einer intimen Beziehung zu engagieren. Der Heilungsprozeß besteht in der Hilfe, ein stärkeres Selbst zu etablieren und die Fähigkeit, Beziehungen mit genügend tragenden Selbst-Objekt Qualitäten aufzubauen und zu erhalten.

Tribel A. Un síndrome de Sexualidad Errante-y del Self

La actividad sexual puede ser vista como al servicio del self. Adicciones, perversiones y mecanismos aversivos la mayoría de la veces conforman un agregado. Presentaré el punto de vista de la psicología del Self y otros para la comprensión de la incorporación de la sexualidad errante. En el curso de desarrollo de cultura sexual se han desarrollado una variedad de funciones. La psicología del Self contempla la actividad sexual como un mecanismo para el establecimiento de la coherencia y/ o la reparación y vitalidad del Self. En este trabajo propondré la acción perversa como una parte de un conglomerado, consistente en un futuro adictivo, perverso y aversivo, como partes diferentes pero interdependientes apariencias de la vida sexual. Fundamentalmente para el desarrollo y sostenimiento de la desviación sexual. A menudo se describe una escisión vertical. La psicodinamia individual puede ser representada por atributos adictivos y aversivos. Comportamientos adictivos, perversos y aversivos son vistos como parte de trastornos de comportamiento narcisista. La psicología del self informa sobre tratamientos concentrados en las ansiedades de sentirse vacíos y destructivos y por tanto incapaz de unirse en una relación intima. El proceso de cura consiste en ayudar a establecer un self más fuerte, capaz de construir y mantener relaciones con sostenimiento suficiente de las cualidades del Self-objeto.