Recalcitrant Fears of Death

According to what I will refer to as judgmentalist approaches to the fear of death (JFD), the fear of death conforms to the structure implied by judgmentalist theories of emotion. JFD holds that fears of death are constituted in part by evaluative judgments or beliefs about one’s own death. Although many philosophers endorse JFD (explicitly or implicitly), there is good reason to believe that it may be problematic. For, there is a troubling (and, for the purposes of this discussion, rather interesting) objection to judgmentalist theories of emotion; if judgmentalism is false, then so too is JFD. In brief, the worry with judgmentalist theories is this: it is sometimes the case that one has an emotion, but holds a belief (or beliefs) that is in tension with the emotion. For example, I sometimes fear flying despite the fact that I believe flying is not dangerous. Emotions of this sort are often referred to as recalcitrant emotions, and they are widely thought to pose a serious challenge to judgmentalist theories. In this paper, I consider an objection to JFD based on the existence of recalcitrant bouts of the fear of death. I include in this discussion an Epicurean-inspired solution to the problem of emotional recalcitrance. Although I argue this solution may be ultimately unsuccessful, I believe it is still worth considering. For, in most discussions of the problem of emotional recalcitrance, philosophers abandon judgmentalism in favour of some other theory of emotion. The Epicurean-inspired solution I discuss in this paper, however, may allow one to retain one’s commitment to judgmentalism.     

Family and social networks after bereavement: experiences of support,change and isolation

The role of family and social support networks on grief experiences following the death of a family member in a road traffic accident is explored. Twenty‐one bereaved informants were interviewed and the data analysed using grounded theory methodology. We outline the ways in which a crash fatality impacts upon familial and social relationships. The data clearly demonstrate that although the death of a loved one precipitated closer familial and social bonds in some instances, it was more common that those relationships deteriorated and collapsed. Implications for service delivery, grief education and research are discussed.     

The life instinct

In psychoanalytic writing an oversimplified interpretation of Freud's concept of the life and death instincts sometimes colours the presentation. Roughly, there is an implication that the life instinct is 'good' and the death instinct 'bad'. Freud however is clear that: "Neither of these instincts is any less essential than the other; the phenomena of life arise from the concurrent or mutually opposing action of both"(1933b, p. 209). In this paper I look in detail at the characteristics of the life instinct as conceptualized by Freud, and draw on Bion's work 'on linking' to elaborate Freud's view that binding is the life instinct's key characteristic. I suggest that there are pathological forms of both the life and death instinct if defused (separated off) from the other, and I explore a pathological variation of the life instinct in which binding is without the negation, rest, limit or end provided by the 'opposing action' of the death instinct. I consider an instance of the kind that any analyst might meet clinically, in which an inhibited patient experiences severe anxiety that life-giving connections threaten to proliferate indiscriminately and to an overwhelming intensity and size.     

THE PHILOSOPHY OF JOSEPH MARGOLIS

Abstract: In this article I focus on some of Joseph Margolis's contributions to medical ethics. I first discuss some of Margolis's normative and metaphysical views on death and abortion, particularly in his early work Negativities , as well as some of his metaphysical assumptions. Then these views and assumptions are related to his theory of persons and, by implication, his theory of culture, set forth in a number of later works. In the course of the discussion, I call attention to some controversial issues of today, such as embryonic stem cell research and the creation of embryos for the sole purpose of research, and ask for Margolis's views on them, given his earlier contributions and assumptions. Finally, I comment on his relativism and his program for research in aesthetics and ethics.     

CHRISTIANITY AND POSSIBILITY: ON KEARNEY'S THE GOD WHO MAY BE

Abstract: This essay interprets and responds to Richard Kearney's metaphysics of possibility and hermeneutics of religion against the background of Nietzsche's proclamation of the death of God and the theodicy problem. Kearney's work is thus read as an interesting but ultimately problematic attempt to preserve or perhaps reinstate religious thought after the modern critique of idols. In addition, his positions are compared and contrasted with some of authors with whom he seems to be in limited agreement (for example, Plotinus, Hillesum) as well as some with whom he clearly breaks (for example, Girard, Sölle).     

葛兰西对克罗齐哲学的批判改造

批判改造克罗齐哲学,是葛兰西实践哲学建构的一个重要理论基础。克罗齐虽然想消除黑格尔哲学形而上学的残余,他关于历史与精神同一性的思考、关于伦理政治史的分析,关于历史是自由的故事的论断,虽然有助于批判马克思哲学解释中的机械决定论倾向,但由于他只是从精神同一性的角度出发,就只能在不触动现实基础的情况下,提倡一种“消极革命”,强调对现实进行改良。因此,必须实现对克罗齐哲学的再颠倒,使克罗齐哲学中的有益部分真正成为实践哲学的重要内容。     

自尊能缓冲死亡焦虑吗?--自尊对死亡提醒条件下大学生死亡焦虑的影响

采用2×4两因素组间设计,以168名大学生为被试,考察了自尊对死亡提醒条件下死亡焦虑的影响.结果发现(1)死亡提醒操作确实唤醒了大学生的死亡焦虑,焦虑平均值为2.28±0.49;(2)支持了西方文化背景下提出的自尊缓冲死亡焦虑的假设,即死亡提醒条件下,自尊越高,死亡焦虑越低,说明自尊对死亡焦虑的缓冲作用是一种普遍心理现象.     

压力性生活事件与青少年自尊：被动性社交网站使用和人生意义感的中介作用

采用青少年生活事件量表、被动性社交网站使用量表、生命意义感量表以及自尊量表对605名青少年施测,旨在探讨压力性生活事件对自尊的效应以及被动性社交网站使用和人生意义感的中介作用。结果发现：被动性社交网站使用和拥有人生意义感在压力性生活事件与自尊之间起中介作用,压力性生活事件分别通过被动性社交网站使用、拥有人生意义感的中介作用和被动性社交网站使用与拥有人生意义感的序列中介作用对自尊产生效应。     

树立急救白金10分钟理念，提高社区猝死抢救成功率

探讨建立社区急救体系提高猝死抢救成功率,比较国际与我国的急救现状、分析建立社区急救体系的保障因素、建立大众与社区急救流程、分析“急救白金十分钟”抢救的时效性规律。提出建立社区以家庭为个体急救单位、单元有志愿者、大楼设置救护小组、社区内建立自救站的大众急救网络;在其中组织多层面的大众急救宣传的培训;设置醒目的急救器械;设置社区内的急救流程。社区医院的建设需要政府的大力支持,要努力提高急救人员素质、建立长期培训和准入制度、高危人群筛查、建立对讲呼叫通讯网络、配备急足够的急救器材。最终建立和达到社会范畴的“急救白金十分钟”的时效性理想。     

超越死亡的道家生死哲学观

关于生与死的思考铸就了人类哲学的恢弘与博大。中国古代哲学中关于生死之论,不乏智者和睿者,其中道家先哲们以“万物皆一”的开阔视野看待生死,超越了一时一事、一得一失,确立了极具特色的超越死亡、生死存亡一体的生死哲学。并以其丰富的理论内容,深刻的思想内涵,脱俗的不凡见解和独特的美学意境,为中国乃至世界生死哲学理论宝库书写了不可或缺的一笔,对后世产生了极其深远的影响。