English summary: Nicolas Cusanus' position on Islam is not easily discerned. While in De Pace Fidei he seems to present an Irenic vision of the different religions and the dialog that could be established amongst them, in the Cribratio Alkorani, according to numerous interpretations, he seems more rigid, precluding any constructive dialog between Christianity and Islam. However, as this volume shows, matters are not quite that black and white: the contributions allow us to form a better idea of the coherence (...) of Cusanus' position on dialog and the relationship between the Cribratio Alkorani and his general theological views. French description: La position de Nicolas de Cues sur l'islam n'est pas facile... cerner. Dans le De Pace Fidei, il semble presenter une vision irenique des differentes religions et du dialogue qui pourrait s'etablir entre elles et ce discours general vaut en particulier pour l'islam, tandis que dans la Cribratio Alkorani, Nicolas, aux dire de nombreux interpretes, se montrerait beaucoup plus incisif, au point que ce livre ne pourrait absolument pas constituer le fondement d'un dialogue constructif entre le christianisme et l'islam. Mais un certain nombre de travaux du present volume, montre que les choses ne sont pas si tranchees. Certes, Nicolas de Cues ignorait pas mal de choses sur l'Islam et les documents qu'il utilise l'induisent dans un certain nombre de cas en erreur. Mais, par de l... la lettre, il ressort qu'il a remarquablement compris l'esprit coranique et que ces textes meritent... cet egard plus d'attention qu'ils n'en ont generalement recue. Le present recueil permet de se faire une idee plus precise de la coherence de la position de Nicolas de Cues sur le dialogue entre christianisme et islam et des liens entre les theses de la Cribatio Alkorani et la pensee globale du grand cardinal. Le livre est issu d'un Colloque tenu sur ce theme... l'Universite de Rennes le 9 avril et rassemble des contributions de Walter Andreas Euler, Tom Kerger, Genevieve Gobillot (deux textes), Susan Gottlober, Graziella Federici Vescovini Herve Pasqua.et Jean-Michel Counet. (shrink)

Genevieve Lloyd's book is a provocative and accessible essay on the fragmentation of the self as explored in philosophy and literature. The past is irrevocable, consciousness changes as time passes: given this, can there ever be such a thing as the unity of the self? _Being in Time_ explores the emotional aspects of the human experience of time, commonly neglected in philosophical investigation, by looking at how narrative creates and treats the experience of the self as fragmented and the past (...) as 'lost'. It shows the continuities, and the contrasts, between modern philosophic discussions of the instability of the knowing subject, treatments of the fragmentation of the self in the modern novel and older philosophical discussions of the unity of consciousness. _Being in Time_ combines theoretical discussion with human experience: it will be valuable to anyone interested in the relationship between philosophy and literature, as well as to a more general audience of readers who share Augustine's experience of time as making him a 'problem to himself'. (shrink)

Brings Spinoza's philosophy into engagement with contemporary debates on climate change.

Spinoza is a key figure in modern philosophy. _Ethics_ is his most studied and well known work. Being both up-to-date and clear, this Guidebook is designed to lead the reader through this complex seminal text. _Spinoza's Ethics_ introduces and assess: * Spinoza'a life, and its connection with his thought * The text of the _Ethics_ * Spinoza's continuing relevence to contemporary philosophy.

Why would the work of the 17th century philosopher Benedict de Spinoza concern us today? How can Spinoza shed any light on contemporary thought? In this intriguing book, Moira Gatens and Genevieve Lloyd show us that in spite of or rather because of Spinoza's apparent strangeness, his philosophy can be a rich resource for cultural self-understanding in the present. _Collective Imaginings_ draws on recent re-assessments of the philosophy of Spinoza to develop new ways of conceptualising issues of freedom and difference. (...) This ground-breaking study will be invaluable reading to anyone wishing to gain a fresh perspective on Spinoza's thought. (shrink)

This chapter addresses Adam Smith’s treatment of the interactions between sympathy and imagination in his _Theory of Moral Sentiments._ The discussion highlights Smith’s model of the ‘impartial spectator’, as a construct of the imagination—its relations to older ideas of conscience and propriety, and its bearing on the ideal of objective judgement. It also discusses Smith’s friendship with David Hume—their attitudes to religious belief, especially in relation to immortality and divine judgement; and the importance of their treatments of sympathy and imagination (...) for understanding the development of the idea of the secular in Enlightenment thought. The chapter includes discussion of the influence of Stoicism on Smith’s thought, especially in relation to cosmopolitanism; and of his treatment of the impact of Fortune on human agency. The chapter concludes with a brief consideration of Smith’s suggestion in his early essay _The History of Astronomy_ that philosophy is ‘one of those arts which address themselves to the imagination’. (shrink)

This chapter offers a reading of Montesquieu’s _Persian Letters_, construed as a literary exploration of the exercise of imagining one’s self into the situation of another. The chapter opens with a discussion of the philosophical ramifications of the literary genre of _travel tale._ Against the background of Montaigne’s influential essay _On the Cannibals_, it considers Diderot’s _Supplement to the Voyage of Bougainville,_ arguing that Montaigne’s essay set the scene for Enlightenment authors to use fictional travellers to raise questions about European (...) customs and institutions, including issues of sexual equality. The reading of _Persian Letters_ which follows emphasizes the work’s cosmopolitanism in both form and content. By showing the development in his characters of a capacity to perceive their own customs from the standpoint of others, Montesquieu fosters a similar capacity in his readers. Topics addressed include: relativism in relation to cross-cultural perception and communication; sexual equality; truth and interpretation; tolerance. (shrink)

This chapter offers a reading of Kant’s essay _Perpetual Peace._ Echoing his earlier essays on enlightenment, Kant argues that a cosmopolitan future is implicit in Nature’s purposes for humanity, and that these purposes unfold in human history. The chapter focuses especially on his version of cosmopolitanism, his idea of a limited ‘right to hospitality’, and his attitude to war. It also discusses his approach to ‘cosmopolitan right’ in relation to Hannah Arendt’s reconstruction of a Kantian political philosophy, centred on judgement (...) and imagination. Special attention is given to the relevance of Kant’s approach to hospitality for contemporary issues associated with refugees. (shrink)

The Conclusion discusses the contemporary relevance of Enlightenment ideas, addressing especially issues related to scepticism, cosmopolitanism, and tolerance. It also engages in further discussion of Hannah Arendt’s use of Kantian ideas in articulating the significant role of judgement in the life of the mind. Central to the legacy of Enlightenment thought, it is argued, are its reconfiguration of the relations between intellect, emotion, and imagination; and its contribution to the emerging idea of the secular. The concluding sections also discuss the (...) relations between Enlightenment thought and Romanticism, with special reference to the work of Isaiah Berlin. (shrink)

The chapter opens with a discussion of metaphors of light and of motion in Bacon’s essay _On Truth_, leading into an examination of the tensions between timelessness and change in the Enlightenment understanding of knowledge. Those tensions surface in reflections which d’Alembert and Diderot offered on conceptual aspects of their _Encyclopedia_ project—concerned both with displaying the timeless structure of the human mind and, on the other hand, emphasizing what is new in the understanding of knowledge in their own time. Central (...) to the discussion is Diderot’s approach to _judgement_, which he sees as involved both in the understanding of _genius_ in the arts, and in the selection and ordering of subject entries in the _Encyclopedia._ The chapter concludes with a comparison of Diderot’s concept of _genius_ with the account of _judgement_ offered by Kant in his third _Critique._. (shrink)

This chapter offers a reading of David Hume’s essay ‘The Sceptic’—one of four essays in which he addressed the distinctive intellectual characters associated with ancient philosophical systems. In contrast to his ‘Epicurean’, his ‘Stoic’, and his ‘Platonist’, Hume’s ‘Sceptic’ is not committed to any one preference about how best to live. In his treatment of the intellectual character of the Sceptic, he integrates aspects of the other three character ideals and also elaborates what he sees as the practical upshot of (...) his own version of scepticism. The chapter highlights Hume’s concern with how human beings should conduct themselves in relation to the business of believing. It explores parallels with criticisms of ancient Pyrrhonism, concerned with whether the Sceptic could consistently live his scepticism. The discussion also emphasizes the role of imagination in Hume’s treatment of belief and objectivity, considering relevant sections of some of Hume’s other works: the _Treatise of Human Nature_; _An Inquiry concerning Human Understanding_; his essay _Of the Standard of Taste_; and _Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion._. (shrink)

This chapter addresses Voltaire’s use of the strategy of writing in multiple voices, especially in relation to his _Philosophical Dictionary._ It argues that this literary device was not merely a tactic to avoid being identified with controversial positions. It allowed Voltaire to subtly explore philosophical issues about the way beliefs are held. The chapter offers close readings of the _Dictionary_ entries on Atheism and Torture, highlighting Voltaire’s use of irony and the ways in which his writing strategies allow engagement with (...) a range of viewpoints without endorsing any. The chapter gives some consideration to other works, including the _Treatise on Tolerance_, where Voltaire addressed issues of tolerance and belief. It also discusses the intellectual context of atheism and deism in the eighteenth century. (shrink)

The Introduction begins with a brief account of Immanuel Kant’s treatment of the concept of enlightenment in his essays _Idea for a Universal History with a Cosmopolitan Purpose_ and _A Response to the Question: What is Enlightenment?_ It highlights Kant’s attempt to integrate imagery of light with metaphors of human growth and maturing; the role of that alignment in Kant’s optimism about the future progress of humanity; and some of the criticisms raised to it by his contemporaries, especially Hamann. The (...) discussion draws on James Schmidt’s distinction—between enlightenment as an intellectual process, and ‘the Enlightenment’ as an intellectual movement—to raise some critical questions about our own contemporary attitudes to the Enlightenment. (shrink)

Diderot’s work _Rameau’s Nephew_ is a fictional exploration of a form of consciousness dominated by mental fluidity rather than stability. The chapter discusses Hegel’s interpretation of the character in his _Phenomenology of Spirit_, and Foucault’s in his _History of Madness._ The reading offered here emphasizes what the work shows about the tensions between the attractions of an unstable flow of consciousness and, on the other hand, the stabilizing force of objective judgement. It focuses on Diderot’s celebration of imagination in its (...) various forms, and the vulnerabilities that accompany it. Also discussed are themes related to eighteenth-century debates about music, opera, and drama, and about the origins of language. (shrink)

Background Despite recent regulatory reforms to improve the safety of cosmetic procedures in Australia, treatments involving non-ionizing radiation (NIR)—such as laser, intense pulsed light and radiofrequency—remain largely unregulated in most states and territories. Recent reviews have concluded that there is a lack of evidence of adverse effects, and insufficient evidence has also been cited as a barrier to regulatory reforms. We sought to characterize adverse effects from cosmetic treatments involving NIR reported in Australian media and to analyse associated regulatory themes. (...) Methods We searched for Australian news media disseminated between 2008–2023 reporting adverse effects from cosmetic treatments involving non-ionizing radiation (NIR). Identified case reports were coded and analysed to explore adverse effects and associated regulatory insights. Results One hundred unique media reports were identified that described ninety-five cases. One in five involved permanent effects with burns and scarring most frequently reported (sixty-five and fifty-four cases respectively). Reports concerned women more than men (eighty vs eight cases), most commonly following laser (sixty cases) or IPL (twenty-nine cases) treatment and in non-clinical rather than clinical settings (sixty vs eighteen cases). Six practitioners collectively accounted for almost one third of cases. Significant regulatory gaps were identified, including insufficient mechanisms for addressing poor professional practice, and barriers to consumers seeking compensation including minimum injury thresholds and uninsured providers. Conclusions Media reports have documented cases of serious and permanent injuries following cosmetic NIR treatments in Australia. Nationally consistent regulations should be considered to ensure standards of care, protect consumers, and reduce barriers to redress. (shrink)

La diminution du poids institutionnel des religions dans notre société ne signifie pas pour autant que les hommes se détournent d'interrogations fondamentales touchant à leur identité profonde, à leur origine et à leur destination, au sens de leur vie ici-bas, à l'éventualité d'une vie après la mort. Que ces questions continuent d'occuper la pensée humaine, chacun est à même d'en faire le constat, et la science elle-même les a investies avec des moyens renouvelés. Ce qui a changé dans les dernières (...) décennies, c'est peut-être la manière d'appréhender ces interrogations fondamentales : on recueillait autrefois les réponses en se référant à sa religion d'appartenance ou en puisant dans un ensemble de discours et de pratiques proprement ésotériques ; aujourd'hui, la recherche de principes directeurs qui soient à même de donner un sens à l'existence n'échappe pas au mouvement général de sécularisation et de globalisation qui a radicalement transformé nos cultures. Anticipant cette tendance, Ostad Elahi s'était interrogé, il y a plus de cinquante ans, sur les conditions d'une sagesse contemporaine partagée, capable d'intégrer la dimension spirituelle, et fondée sur les principes fondamentaux communs aux différentes religions. Sous le titre Quelle sagesse pour notre temps?, cet ouvrage entend ouvrir une réflexion sur les modalités que peut prendre la recherche d'une telle sagesse adaptée à notre époque, à la fois conforme à l'idéal d'autonomie de l'individu moderne et ouverte à ses aspirations les plus profondes. Quels en seraient les principes? Parviendra-t-on à les dégager en s'accordant sur des valeurs éthiques et spirituelles universelles? Et si oui, comment est-il possible de les mettre en oeuvre? Une recherche de ce genre relève-t-elle d'une démarche strictement individuelle, ou peut-elle être également conduite de manière collective, à un niveau académique et plus généralement institutionnel? (shrink)

Many normative political theorists have engaged in the systematic collection and/or analysis of empirical data to inform the development of their arguments over the past several decades. Yet, the approach they employ has typically not been treated as a distinctive mode of theorizing. It has been mostly overlooked in surveys of normative political theory methods and methodologies, as well as by those critics who assert that political theory is too abstracted from actual political contestation. Our aim is to unearth this (...) grounded normative theory (GNT) approach – to identify its definitive practices and highlight its potential significance. We detail four overlapping commitments characteristic of GNT. These include commitments to expanding the comprehensiveness of input for normative arguments through original empirical research and/or analysis, recursivity in the development of normative claims, attentiveness to the systematic inclusion of a range of voices and ways of knowing, and accountability to those engaged by the theorist in empirical contexts. We discuss methodological distinctions within GNT, including between more- and less-solidaristic approaches. We discuss how GNT answers calls for theorists to engage more closely with empirical political dynamics and we consider responses to possible critiques. (shrink)

This present Doctoral Thesis deals with David Bohm's reflection on the Act of Thinking vs. Thinking, and its impacts that would affect freedom for creativity, or, on the contrary, would run into arbitrariness and fragmentation, especially in scientific knowledge. For that, we combined some of his works, written in the period of his maturity. In the weaving of our text, following the line of Bohm, we resort to the use of metaphors and analogies, in order to explore not only the (...) “awakening of his creativity”, through the contexts to which he was involved, but also his repertoire, their lenses to understand the world involved and explained. In addition, we analyze how their affective bonds would have contributed to their particular way of making themselves: as a physicist and free thinker. Although he was a scholar born in the last century, we will see how other researchers, even today, seem to share the "same" act of thinking, which in a way, even if implied, continues to extend its influence to many. (shrink)

Book Information Collective Imaginings: Spinoza, Past and Present. By Moira Gatens and Genevieve Lloyd. Routledge. London and New York. 1999. Pp. vi + 169. Paperback, US$20.99, £12.00.

Contributors are Susan Bordo, Stanley Clarke, Erica Harth, Leslie Heywood, Luce Irigaray, Genevieve Lloyd, Mario Moussa, Eileen O'Neill, Adrianna Paliyenko, Ruth Perry, Mario Sáenz, Karl Stern, Thomas Wartenberg, and James Winders.

Canadian and American population-based research concerning sexual and/or gender minority populations provides evidence of persistent breast and gynecologic cancer-related health disparities and knowledge divides. TheCancer's Marginsresearch investigates the complex intersections of sexual and/or gender marginality and incommensurabilities and improvisation in engagements with biographical and biomedical cancer knowledge. The study examines how sexuality and gender are intersectionally constitutive of complex biopolitical mappings of cancer health knowledge that shape knowledge access and its mobilization in health and treatment decision-making. Interviews were conducted with (...) a diverse group (n=81) of sexual and/or gender minority breast or gynecologic cancer patients. The LGBQ//T2 cancer patient narratives we have analyzed document in fine grain detail how it is that sexual and/or gender minority cancer patients punctuate the otherwise lockstep assemblage of their cancer treatment decision-making with a persistent engagement in creative attempts to resist, thwart and otherwise manage the possibility of discrimination and likewise, the probability of institutional erasure in care settings. Our findings illustrate the demands that cancer places on LGBQ//T2 patients to choreograph access to, and mobilization of knowledge and care, across significantly distinct and sometimes incommensurable systems of knowledge. (shrink)