Raimond Gaita on Saints,Love and Human Preciousness

Raimond Gaita’s work in moral philosophy is unusual and important in focusing on the concept of sainthood. Drawing partly on the work of George Orwell, and partly on the life and work of Simone Weil, as well as on further material, I argue that Gaita’s use of this notion to help make sense of the concept of human preciousness is unconvincing, not least because he does not properly explore the figure and psychology of the saint in any detail. I relatedly argue that the notion of human preciousness in question is implausible and, in some ways, sentimental. I also explore Gaita’s concept of “speaking personally” in moral philosophy, and suggest that matters here are a great deal more complicated than he supposes.

The Principle of Production and a Critique of Metaphysics: From the Perspective of Theory of Baudrillard Contractual Approach Based on Rawls’ Device of the “Original Position”

In this article, I discuss Baudrillard’s critique of metaphysics based on his work The Mirror of Production, in which he stresses the principle of production—i.e., dichotomy and derivation. In the development of classical German philosophy, the principle of production was speculatively established, first as Descartes’ cogito, then as Fichte’s Tathandlung, and finally as Hegel’s labor, and grew to be a major principle of modern metaphysics. At the article’s conclusion, the meaning of Symbolic Exchange—Baudrillard’s utopian condition lying beyond the principle of production—will be discussed.     

The Meaning of “Existence” and the Contingency of Sense

In this paper I argue first for a revisionary ontology, that is, for an understanding of “existence” as the property of a field not to be empty. In this context, I distinguish between “metaphysics” (the theory of totality or of fundamental reality) and “ontology” (the systematic investigation into the meaning of “existence”). In the second part, I provide a sketch for a corresponding revisionary theory of the modalities in light of the new ontology proposed.     

负数的空间表征引起的空间注意转移

本研究采用数字线索提示的刺激探测任务, 通过三个实验探讨负数的低水平加工能否,以及怎样引起空间注意的转移。实验一探讨只有负数单独呈现作为线索时能否引起空间注意的转移。结果表明：对负数绝对值大小的加工能引起空间注意的转移。实验二进一步探讨在正数、负数和零混合作为线索时能否引起空间注意的转移。结果表明：对负数数量大小的加工能引起空间注意的转移。实验三再次用正数, 负数和0三种数字混合作为探测刺激前的线索, 但仅对负数和零作为提示线索之后的探测刺激进行反应, 又一次得到了由有效提示线索所引发的对数字数量大小加工引起的空间注意的转移。本研究表明, 对负数的低水平加工可以引起空间注意的转移, 然而, 是对绝对值的加工还是数量大小的加工引起注意转移依赖于共同参与的其它数字加工产生的影响。     

哲学视域中战国楚竹书《周易》的文献价值

上海博物馆所藏楚竹书<周易>见证了数字式爻题的早已存在,与其他传本的<周易>爻题一样,充分蕴示了卦所潜涵的繁复无尽的变动不居之流变情状及卦与卦间所潜涵的同样繁复无尽的流变互通情状,由此而充分符示了宇宙人生中两大类势力互动格局繁复无尽的变动不居之流变图景与诸格局间同样繁复无尽的流变互通图景.楚竹书<周易>的卦爻画已是完全符号化了的卦爻画,但符号化的卦爻画于西周时期<周易>古经成书时当已存在,这种卦爻画乃是易学成为具有自身特有话语系统的高度哲学性的天人之学的根基.残存的楚竹书<周易>卦名后与上爻之辞终了后的奇特符号标识,昭示了卦与物事的极而必反、覆而相通之理,但尚难解读出经文分篇方面的信息.     

《易传》与道家哲学的可通约性

<易传>和道家是先秦哲学中最具形上学思维能力的哲学流派.尽管<易传>的"尚刚"和道家的"贵柔"代表了中国传统哲学的两大方向,体现了儒道二家各自的价值取向和人生态度,然而,当<易传>和道家哲学在寻求终极性的形上学根源时,却不约而同地运用了类似的思想方法,即在形而上的"道"论中走到了一起.本文从传统形上学的本原论、本体论和体用论等方面,试图阐释这两家哲学的可通约性.<易传>和道家的形上学之所以能够相互贯通,是因为<易传>和道家的哲学处在同一个层次上以阐释其价值观念和政治理想,也就是说,"性与天道"是道家的形上学,也是儒家的形上学,不是那一家的"专利".正因为这样,儒道二家才有可能在魏晋玄学和宋代理学中走向新的沟通和融合.     

Continuity, Naturalism, and Contingency: A Theology of Evolution Drawing on the Semiotics of C. S. Peirce and Trinitarian Thought

The starting point for this article is the question of the relationship between Darwinism and Christian theology. I suggest that evolutionary theory presents three broad issues of relevance to theology: the phenomena of continuity, naturalism, and contingency. In order to formulate a theological response to these issues I draw on the semiotics (theory of signs) and cosmology of the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce. Peirce developed a triadic theory of signs, underpinned by a threefold system of metaphysical categories. I propose a semiotic model of the Trinity based on Peirce's semiotics and categories. According to this model the sign‐processes (such as the genetic “code”) that are fundamental to life may be understood as vestiges of the Trinity in creation. I use the semiotic model to develop a theology of nature that addresses the issues raised by evolutionary theory. The semiotic model amounts to a proposal for a new metaphysical framework within which to understand the relationship between God and creation and between theology and science.     

Is our Universe Deterministic? Some Philosophical and Theological Reflections on an Elusive Topic

Abstract. The question of whether or not our universe is deterministic remains of interest to both scientists and theologians. In this essay I argue that this question can be solved only by metaphysical decision and that no scientific evidence for either determinism or indeterminism will ever be conclusive. No finite being, no matter how powerful its cognitive abilities, will ever be able to establish the deterministic nature of the universe. The only being that would be capable of doing so would be one that is at once transcendent and immanent. Such a being is compatible with the God of the Christian tradition, which yields that a deterministic worldview is compatible with (yet does not necessarily lead to) a deterministic worldview. A more important point is that because science is never able to establish the determinism of our universe, it can never definitely rule out divine action except on metaphysical grounds.     

A Return to Musical Idealism

In disputes about the ontology of music, musical idealism—that is, the view that musical compositions are ideas—has proven to be rather unpopular. We argue that, once we have a better grip on the ontology of ideas, we can formulate a version of musical idealism that is not only defensible, but plausible and attractive. We conclude that compositions are a particular kind of idea: they are completed ideas for musical manifestation.     

Critical Notice of Beyond the Analytic-Continental Divide: Pluralist Philosophy in the Twenty-First Century. Edited by Jeffrey A. Bell,Andrew Cutrofello,and Paul M. Livingston (New York: Routledge, 2016. 334 + viii pp)

This collection maintains a dialogue between the analytic and continental traditions, while aspiring to situate itself beyond the analytic-continental divide. It divides into four parts, (1) Methodologies, (2) Truth and Meaning, (3) Metaphysics and Ontology, and (4) Values, Personhood and Agency, though there is considerable overlap among the categories. History and temporality are recurrent themes, but there is a lot of metaphysics generally, with some philosophy of language, philosophy of social science, ethics, political philosophy and epistemology. Less prominent is a pragmatic, deflationary attitude, and at a number of points I argue for the virtues of such an approach.