Ionuț Bârliba | Gh. Zane Institute of Economic and Social Research (original) (raw)

Papers by Ionuț Bârliba

Studii de antrozoologie Etica și lumea non-umană, 2021

The general aim of my article is to analyze the relationship between humans and animals, through ... more The general aim of my article is to analyze the relationship between humans and animals, through a discussion on selfhood, understood as a key concept to describe authentic relationships between beings regarded as selves. Throughout my paper I will try to answer some questions such as: What does the interaction between people and animals tell us about selfhood? Do animals have a self? What would that mean? Is it only by language and discursive interaction that self connections (between beings) can be created? What do our interactions with animals tell us about the human selfhood? If we are to accept the idea of animal selfhood, we need to understand and approach animals not only as anthropomorphic objects, but as subjects (meaning that they have
some sort o cognitive/mental activity), as (other) individuals. Leslie Irvine (2004) identifies several dimensions of subjectivity (agency, coherence, affectivity, history) present in (domestic) animals behaviour in relation to us. Basically, subjectivity signals the presence of mental activity and thus opens the idea of the existence of the animal self. Therefore, the dimensions of subjectivity mentioned above hold the premises to
transform basic interactions with animals into (self) relationships. I will also focus on the structure of the interaction between people and animals as it should be, namely as a self to self relation. In this respect, I will take into consideration aspects such as our intentions when interacting with them, our care for their wellness and so on. To support this analysis, I will take a look at some philosophical understandings of the self as
defined mainly by the relationship with others (the social self).

Conștiința la confluența dintre științe, 2022

The present article is part of a wider research regarding the significant role that the concept o... more The present article is part of a wider research regarding the significant role that the concept of the Individual has in shaping the (post)modern thought. The modern individual is reclaimed by both the Church and the laic state (Hobbes), though the Individual is by no means a natural part of any of the two institutional powers. Kierkegaard seizes this problem and sets a peculiar distinction between the Individual and the masses, the public. At the same time, he separates the Individual from the Church, an institution which transforms the Individual into a simple numerical member of a religious community. These problems set the tone
for the future postmodernist views on the Individual and the self. The self is no longer regarded as a unitary entity, as the essence of the Individual. Under this epitome, the self becomes an imaginative and fragmented entity, as part of „what you see is what you get” culture of authenticity.
Within this context the postmodern view on authenticity becomes questionable. Thus, we will address some of the most notable and common phenomena and realities of our word today that challenge the deep structure of the individual and social conscience, such as isolation, social pressure, conformism, the „reality” of the virtual reality, populism.

The Romanian Journal of Modern History, 2023

The tension between the elites and the masses is a central phenomenon of the 19th century, the ce... more The tension between the elites and the masses is a central phenomenon of the 19th century, the century of paradigm changes and the transition from the Old Regime to the modern era. The present article analyzes these profound changes through several essential concepts such as: individual, elites, masses, freedom and refers to some relevant works and authors in this regard. John Stuart Mill talks about the tyranny of the majority and conformism, Søren Kierkegaard brings up the leveling pressure of the masses on the individual, Gustave Le Bon and José Ortega Y Gasset deal with the modern phenomenon of mass democracy and the emergence of the Mass-Man. In this context, the article analyzes the conservative perspective on these changes, emphasizing the critical view of Edmund Burke. Conservatives suggest reforms and prudence instead of revolutionary changes. Their solutions, although largely reasonable, cannot completely stop the emancipation of the masses, which
will culminate in the next century with the totalitarian currents that will rise
precisely on the leveling force of these new dominant political and social actors.

The Scientific Annals of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi (New Series). PHILOSOPHY, 2007

The relationship which Plato had with poetry was never the best one can have. The same thing can ... more The relationship which Plato had with poetry was never the best one can have. The same thing can also be said about rhapsody and the rhapsodes. Plato has real doubts whether rhapsody, along with poetry is an art or not and if the rhapsode and the poets really posses a techne. The short Socratic dialog Ion raises the question weather the rhapsode possesses an art, a real understanding of what he says about poetry or not; if the rhapsode really possesses an art then what exactly would it consist of? Platon suggests that rhapsodes do not get to the knowledge of poetry, “they do not attain to the clearness of ideas” but they are just under divine inspiration (which in this context expresses only the irrationality of the poetic process). Even if Ion can speak beautifully about Homer he doesn’t possess an art because he is not able to speak the same way about any other poet; whereas to have a techne implies to have knowledge over the whole of an art.

Analele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Filosofie, 2022

The present paper proposes a brief comparative analysis between two distinct metaphysical approac... more The present paper proposes a brief comparative analysis between two distinct metaphysical approaches about the person, with consequences in the area of morality. On the one hand, there is a Cartesian, Kantian perception, adopted and adapted by John Rawls, who essentially understands the individual as a rational and autonomous entity. On the other hand, in a Kierkegaardian understanding, people are, in a primary sense, natural beings, i.e. dependent, relational and guided by natural (not instrumental, determined) needs. This second perspective can be understood as an "alternative metaphysics of the person/self", which would suggest a different foundation for morality. In other words, our moral thinking would have its origins in certain natural needs, in love and affection (which also come with certain duties, attributes and responsibilities), rather than in rights and in autonomy.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2010

Review of: Patrick Stokes, Kierkegaard's Mirrors Interest, Self and Moral Vision, Hampshire, ... more Review of: Patrick Stokes, Kierkegaard's Mirrors Interest, Self and Moral Vision, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, 223 pp.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2013

Review to: Jason A. Mahn, Fortunate Fallibility: Kierkegaard and the Power of Sin, Oxford, New Yo... more Review to: Jason A. Mahn, Fortunate Fallibility: Kierkegaard and the Power of Sin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2011, 282 p.

This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard‟s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the co... more This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard‟s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the consumerist society, and also on Patrick Stokes‟ conceptual distinctions between different reactions individuals can display when faced with moral decisions. I start from Baudrillard‟s viewpoint that in the consumerist society, characteristic for the occidental post-modern world, the need (necessity) itself has been replaced by the desire to consume per se. The Western individual perceives abundance as a natural right, and this is transforming both the meaning of work and the value of its products. In essence, Baudrillard describes a form of alienation, with effects that transcend the commercial realm of commodity consumption, and which is better understood within the moral domain. Patrick Stokes exploits the Kierkagaardian concept of interesse while expressing his view of moral vision. He is designing a thought experiment that reveals a fundamental distinction between radically different ...

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2011

Review of: Simon D. Podmore, Kierkegaard and the Self Before God Anatomy of the Abyss, Indiana Se... more Review of: Simon D. Podmore, Kierkegaard and the Self Before God Anatomy of the Abyss, Indiana Series in the Philosophy of Religion, Bloomington, 2011, 280p.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2015

Creative Capitalism, Multitudinous Creativity, Radicalities and Alterities, Edited by Giuseppe Co... more Creative Capitalism, Multitudinous Creativity, Radicalities and Alterities, Edited by Giuseppe Cocco and Barbara Szaniecki, Lexington Books, Lanham. Boulder. New York. London, 2015, 269p.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2014

G. V. Loewen, We Other Nazis: How you and I are still like them, Alcoa: Old Moon Academic Press, ... more G. V. Loewen, We Other Nazis: How you and I are still like them, Alcoa: Old Moon Academic Press, 2013, 268 p.

Kierkegaard among pseudonyms This paper examines Kierkegaard’s use of pseudonyms. It is well know... more Kierkegaard among pseudonyms This paper examines Kierkegaard’s use of pseudonyms. It is well known that most of Kierkegaard’s philosophical works were written under pseudonyms. Throughout this article I try to put together the reasons and the meanings of Kierkegaard’s pseudonymity. Thus the first part of the essay identifies and explains the main reasons for which Kierkegaard writes under a variety of pseudonyms. Secondly the paper analyses some of Kierkegaard’s most important pseudonyms in order to clarify their hidden meanings. Are the pseudonyms Kierkegaad’s aliases? Are the pseudonymous authors real people? How can we tell the difference between Kierkegaard’s real opinion and the ideas asserted by the pseudonymous authors? These are some of the questions this paper tries to answer.

This article tries to make sense of the concept of repetition in Søren Kierkegaard’s works. Accor... more This article tries to make sense of the concept of repetition in Søren Kierkegaard’s works. According to Kierkegaard repetition is a temporal movement of existence. What is repetition and what is its meaning for human existence? In answering this question the Danish philosopher depicts repetition by comparing three different approaches to life. Throughout the article I try to develop a coherent argument on ‘the new philosophical category’ by analysing the three types of repetition and their corresponding human prototypes. I consider repetition a key concept in summarizing Kierkegaard’s theory of existence, where existence pictures the becoming of the human-self that follows several stages. Constantin Constantius’s repetition is an unsuccessful attempt, an aesthetic expression of human-life. The young lover’s repetition is spiritual, albeit not yet authentic, religious, but more poetic, even if he regains his self. Only Job’s repetition is an authentic movement of existence, an expre...

Ordine și libertate De la metafizică la politică, 2020

1. Omul liber al lui Kierkegaard și constituirea sa ca sinteză O întrebare filosofică cu caracter... more 1. Omul liber al lui Kierkegaard și constituirea sa ca sinteză O întrebare filosofică cu caracter general precum "Ce este omul?" își poate găsi un răspuns relevant și cuprinzător în definiţia cu care își deschide Søren Kierkegaard scrierea sa Boala de moarte. Interesat de existenţa omului în diversitatea posibilităţilor sale, Kierkegaard înţelege esenţa acesteia în determinaţia sa spirituală, religios-creștină în special. Existenţa omului este văzută ca un demers, nu ca un dat în sine; existenţa înseamnă devenire. Însă existenţa stă în mod invariabil sub semnul anxietăţii, precum și al disperării, două stări pe care, potrivit lui Kierkegaard, fiecare dintre noi le experimentează de-a lungul vieţii, într-o formă sau alta. În paragraful în care definește omul, Kierkegaard notează: "Omul este spirit. Dar ce este spiritul? Spiritul este sinele. Ce este însă sinele? [...] Omul reprezintă o sinteză între infinitate şi finitudine, între temporal şi etern, libertate şi necesitate, pe scurt o sinteză. Iar sinteza este o relaţie între doi termeni. Privit astfel omul nu este încă un sine" 1 . Dacă ar fi să reformulăm întrebarea iniţială, "Ce este omul?", în termenii specifici lui Kierkegaard, aceasta ar putea suna astfel: în ce fel poate fi / trăi autentic omul, într-o lume a 1 Søren Kierkegaard, Boala de moarte, traducere din germană, prefaţă și note de Mădălina Diaconu, Humanitas, București, 1999, p. 53.

META. Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, and Practical Philosophy, 2019

This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard"s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the co... more This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard"s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the consumerist society, and also on Patrick Stokes" conceptual distinctions between different reactions individuals can display when faced with moral decisions. I start from Baudrillard"s viewpoint that in the consumerist society, characteristic for the occidental post-modern world, the need (necessity) itself has been replaced by the desire to consume per se. The Western individual perceives abundance as a natural right, and this is transforming both the meaning of work and the value of its products. In essence, Baudrillard describes a form of alienation, with effects that transcend the commercial realm of commodity consumption, and which is better understood within the moral domain. Patrick Stokes exploits the Kierkagaardian concept of interesse while expressing his view of moral vision. He is designing a thought experiment that reveals a fundamental distinction between radically different moral reactions of hypothetical individuals, even when they are sharing the same cultural, educational, political or religious background. Starting from these two positions, I analyze a few situations and events from the world of contemporary tennis, revealing how universal values get to be ignored, or contextualized under the influence of social prejudice and schemas. My conclusion is that, nowadays, we are witnessing a reshaping of the way people regard and act on their values, especially in the realm of social media. Thus, situations that should be approached by the appeal to values such as truth, justice, and humanity, in fact get to be interpreted in a biased way, due to the existence of some pre-existing patterns of understanding.

Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia Filosofia e Experiência de Deus, 2017

This paper aims to bring together the Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and Nae... more This paper aims to bring together the Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and Nae Ionescu, a Romanian philosopher from the beginning of the 20th century, the proponent of a philosophical movement called ‘trăirism’. I suggest that the linking concept here would be religious authenticity. Kierkegaard’s interest for existential authenticity and for religiousness as the most authentic way of life is well known and it has been a constant feature throughout his writings. In Kierkegaard’s existential dialectic the religious stage of life is the highest level of human existence. He identifies the authentic religious way of life in biblical figures such as Abraham and Job. Nae Ionescu, the proponent of ‘trăirism’ has a similar approach to philosophy and existence. He believes that philosophy, religion and even science are matters of life, more than matters of knowledge. He understands metaphysics as an existential quest. The aim of metaphysics is to make sense of our existence, starting from our very own experience. Thus, Nae Ionescu’s understanding of metaphysics and philosophy is strongly connected to religion and mysticism. Therefore, the human being’s main existential strive is to gain redemption and this idea brings the Romanian philosopher closest to Kierkegaard’s thought. Fundamentally, both
philosophers believe that the most authentic way of life is religious, meaning that the self/ the human being has to experience a direct relation with God in order to fulfill his existential quest.

Teodor Dima, Introductory Note RESEARCH ARTICLES: Scott Aikin, Emily McGill-Rutherford, Stoi... more Teodor Dima, Introductory Note

RESEARCH ARTICLES:
Scott Aikin, Emily McGill-Rutherford, Stoicism, Feminism and Autonomy
Ionuț-Alexandru Bârliba, Søren Kierkegaard’s Repetition. Existence in Motion
Dale Jacquette, Algebra of Theoretical Term Reductions in the Sciences
Franck Lihoreau, Revelation and the Essentiality of Essence
Clayton Littlejohn, Skeptical Thoughts Concerning Explanationism and Skepticism
Hamid Vahid, Some Problems With Steadfast Strategies for Rational Disagreement

DISCUSSION NOTES/DEBATE:
Franz Huber, For True Conditionalizers Weisberg’s Paradox is a False Alarm

Studii de antrozoologie Etica și lumea non-umană, 2021

The general aim of my article is to analyze the relationship between humans and animals, through ... more The general aim of my article is to analyze the relationship between humans and animals, through a discussion on selfhood, understood as a key concept to describe authentic relationships between beings regarded as selves. Throughout my paper I will try to answer some questions such as: What does the interaction between people and animals tell us about selfhood? Do animals have a self? What would that mean? Is it only by language and discursive interaction that self connections (between beings) can be created? What do our interactions with animals tell us about the human selfhood? If we are to accept the idea of animal selfhood, we need to understand and approach animals not only as anthropomorphic objects, but as subjects (meaning that they have
some sort o cognitive/mental activity), as (other) individuals. Leslie Irvine (2004) identifies several dimensions of subjectivity (agency, coherence, affectivity, history) present in (domestic) animals behaviour in relation to us. Basically, subjectivity signals the presence of mental activity and thus opens the idea of the existence of the animal self. Therefore, the dimensions of subjectivity mentioned above hold the premises to
transform basic interactions with animals into (self) relationships. I will also focus on the structure of the interaction between people and animals as it should be, namely as a self to self relation. In this respect, I will take into consideration aspects such as our intentions when interacting with them, our care for their wellness and so on. To support this analysis, I will take a look at some philosophical understandings of the self as
defined mainly by the relationship with others (the social self).

Conștiința la confluența dintre științe, 2022

The present article is part of a wider research regarding the significant role that the concept o... more The present article is part of a wider research regarding the significant role that the concept of the Individual has in shaping the (post)modern thought. The modern individual is reclaimed by both the Church and the laic state (Hobbes), though the Individual is by no means a natural part of any of the two institutional powers. Kierkegaard seizes this problem and sets a peculiar distinction between the Individual and the masses, the public. At the same time, he separates the Individual from the Church, an institution which transforms the Individual into a simple numerical member of a religious community. These problems set the tone
for the future postmodernist views on the Individual and the self. The self is no longer regarded as a unitary entity, as the essence of the Individual. Under this epitome, the self becomes an imaginative and fragmented entity, as part of „what you see is what you get” culture of authenticity.
Within this context the postmodern view on authenticity becomes questionable. Thus, we will address some of the most notable and common phenomena and realities of our word today that challenge the deep structure of the individual and social conscience, such as isolation, social pressure, conformism, the „reality” of the virtual reality, populism.

The Romanian Journal of Modern History, 2023

The tension between the elites and the masses is a central phenomenon of the 19th century, the ce... more The tension between the elites and the masses is a central phenomenon of the 19th century, the century of paradigm changes and the transition from the Old Regime to the modern era. The present article analyzes these profound changes through several essential concepts such as: individual, elites, masses, freedom and refers to some relevant works and authors in this regard. John Stuart Mill talks about the tyranny of the majority and conformism, Søren Kierkegaard brings up the leveling pressure of the masses on the individual, Gustave Le Bon and José Ortega Y Gasset deal with the modern phenomenon of mass democracy and the emergence of the Mass-Man. In this context, the article analyzes the conservative perspective on these changes, emphasizing the critical view of Edmund Burke. Conservatives suggest reforms and prudence instead of revolutionary changes. Their solutions, although largely reasonable, cannot completely stop the emancipation of the masses, which
will culminate in the next century with the totalitarian currents that will rise
precisely on the leveling force of these new dominant political and social actors.

The Scientific Annals of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi (New Series). PHILOSOPHY, 2007

The relationship which Plato had with poetry was never the best one can have. The same thing can ... more The relationship which Plato had with poetry was never the best one can have. The same thing can also be said about rhapsody and the rhapsodes. Plato has real doubts whether rhapsody, along with poetry is an art or not and if the rhapsode and the poets really posses a techne. The short Socratic dialog Ion raises the question weather the rhapsode possesses an art, a real understanding of what he says about poetry or not; if the rhapsode really possesses an art then what exactly would it consist of? Platon suggests that rhapsodes do not get to the knowledge of poetry, “they do not attain to the clearness of ideas” but they are just under divine inspiration (which in this context expresses only the irrationality of the poetic process). Even if Ion can speak beautifully about Homer he doesn’t possess an art because he is not able to speak the same way about any other poet; whereas to have a techne implies to have knowledge over the whole of an art.

Analele Universităţii din Craiova, seria Filosofie, 2022

The present paper proposes a brief comparative analysis between two distinct metaphysical approac... more The present paper proposes a brief comparative analysis between two distinct metaphysical approaches about the person, with consequences in the area of morality. On the one hand, there is a Cartesian, Kantian perception, adopted and adapted by John Rawls, who essentially understands the individual as a rational and autonomous entity. On the other hand, in a Kierkegaardian understanding, people are, in a primary sense, natural beings, i.e. dependent, relational and guided by natural (not instrumental, determined) needs. This second perspective can be understood as an "alternative metaphysics of the person/self", which would suggest a different foundation for morality. In other words, our moral thinking would have its origins in certain natural needs, in love and affection (which also come with certain duties, attributes and responsibilities), rather than in rights and in autonomy.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2010

Review of: Patrick Stokes, Kierkegaard's Mirrors Interest, Self and Moral Vision, Hampshire, ... more Review of: Patrick Stokes, Kierkegaard's Mirrors Interest, Self and Moral Vision, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, 223 pp.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2013

Review to: Jason A. Mahn, Fortunate Fallibility: Kierkegaard and the Power of Sin, Oxford, New Yo... more Review to: Jason A. Mahn, Fortunate Fallibility: Kierkegaard and the Power of Sin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2011, 282 p.

This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard‟s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the co... more This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard‟s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the consumerist society, and also on Patrick Stokes‟ conceptual distinctions between different reactions individuals can display when faced with moral decisions. I start from Baudrillard‟s viewpoint that in the consumerist society, characteristic for the occidental post-modern world, the need (necessity) itself has been replaced by the desire to consume per se. The Western individual perceives abundance as a natural right, and this is transforming both the meaning of work and the value of its products. In essence, Baudrillard describes a form of alienation, with effects that transcend the commercial realm of commodity consumption, and which is better understood within the moral domain. Patrick Stokes exploits the Kierkagaardian concept of interesse while expressing his view of moral vision. He is designing a thought experiment that reveals a fundamental distinction between radically different ...

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2011

Review of: Simon D. Podmore, Kierkegaard and the Self Before God Anatomy of the Abyss, Indiana Se... more Review of: Simon D. Podmore, Kierkegaard and the Self Before God Anatomy of the Abyss, Indiana Series in the Philosophy of Religion, Bloomington, 2011, 280p.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2015

Creative Capitalism, Multitudinous Creativity, Radicalities and Alterities, Edited by Giuseppe Co... more Creative Capitalism, Multitudinous Creativity, Radicalities and Alterities, Edited by Giuseppe Cocco and Barbara Szaniecki, Lexington Books, Lanham. Boulder. New York. London, 2015, 269p.

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology and Practical Philosophy, 2014

G. V. Loewen, We Other Nazis: How you and I are still like them, Alcoa: Old Moon Academic Press, ... more G. V. Loewen, We Other Nazis: How you and I are still like them, Alcoa: Old Moon Academic Press, 2013, 268 p.

Kierkegaard among pseudonyms This paper examines Kierkegaard’s use of pseudonyms. It is well know... more Kierkegaard among pseudonyms This paper examines Kierkegaard’s use of pseudonyms. It is well known that most of Kierkegaard’s philosophical works were written under pseudonyms. Throughout this article I try to put together the reasons and the meanings of Kierkegaard’s pseudonymity. Thus the first part of the essay identifies and explains the main reasons for which Kierkegaard writes under a variety of pseudonyms. Secondly the paper analyses some of Kierkegaard’s most important pseudonyms in order to clarify their hidden meanings. Are the pseudonyms Kierkegaad’s aliases? Are the pseudonymous authors real people? How can we tell the difference between Kierkegaard’s real opinion and the ideas asserted by the pseudonymous authors? These are some of the questions this paper tries to answer.

This article tries to make sense of the concept of repetition in Søren Kierkegaard’s works. Accor... more This article tries to make sense of the concept of repetition in Søren Kierkegaard’s works. According to Kierkegaard repetition is a temporal movement of existence. What is repetition and what is its meaning for human existence? In answering this question the Danish philosopher depicts repetition by comparing three different approaches to life. Throughout the article I try to develop a coherent argument on ‘the new philosophical category’ by analysing the three types of repetition and their corresponding human prototypes. I consider repetition a key concept in summarizing Kierkegaard’s theory of existence, where existence pictures the becoming of the human-self that follows several stages. Constantin Constantius’s repetition is an unsuccessful attempt, an aesthetic expression of human-life. The young lover’s repetition is spiritual, albeit not yet authentic, religious, but more poetic, even if he regains his self. Only Job’s repetition is an authentic movement of existence, an expre...

Ordine și libertate De la metafizică la politică, 2020

1. Omul liber al lui Kierkegaard și constituirea sa ca sinteză O întrebare filosofică cu caracter... more 1. Omul liber al lui Kierkegaard și constituirea sa ca sinteză O întrebare filosofică cu caracter general precum "Ce este omul?" își poate găsi un răspuns relevant și cuprinzător în definiţia cu care își deschide Søren Kierkegaard scrierea sa Boala de moarte. Interesat de existenţa omului în diversitatea posibilităţilor sale, Kierkegaard înţelege esenţa acesteia în determinaţia sa spirituală, religios-creștină în special. Existenţa omului este văzută ca un demers, nu ca un dat în sine; existenţa înseamnă devenire. Însă existenţa stă în mod invariabil sub semnul anxietăţii, precum și al disperării, două stări pe care, potrivit lui Kierkegaard, fiecare dintre noi le experimentează de-a lungul vieţii, într-o formă sau alta. În paragraful în care definește omul, Kierkegaard notează: "Omul este spirit. Dar ce este spiritul? Spiritul este sinele. Ce este însă sinele? [...] Omul reprezintă o sinteză între infinitate şi finitudine, între temporal şi etern, libertate şi necesitate, pe scurt o sinteză. Iar sinteza este o relaţie între doi termeni. Privit astfel omul nu este încă un sine" 1 . Dacă ar fi să reformulăm întrebarea iniţială, "Ce este omul?", în termenii specifici lui Kierkegaard, aceasta ar putea suna astfel: în ce fel poate fi / trăi autentic omul, într-o lume a 1 Søren Kierkegaard, Boala de moarte, traducere din germană, prefaţă și note de Mădălina Diaconu, Humanitas, București, 1999, p. 53.

META. Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, and Practical Philosophy, 2019

This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard"s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the co... more This article elaborates on Jean Baudrillard"s ideas about the moral effects of the rise of the consumerist society, and also on Patrick Stokes" conceptual distinctions between different reactions individuals can display when faced with moral decisions. I start from Baudrillard"s viewpoint that in the consumerist society, characteristic for the occidental post-modern world, the need (necessity) itself has been replaced by the desire to consume per se. The Western individual perceives abundance as a natural right, and this is transforming both the meaning of work and the value of its products. In essence, Baudrillard describes a form of alienation, with effects that transcend the commercial realm of commodity consumption, and which is better understood within the moral domain. Patrick Stokes exploits the Kierkagaardian concept of interesse while expressing his view of moral vision. He is designing a thought experiment that reveals a fundamental distinction between radically different moral reactions of hypothetical individuals, even when they are sharing the same cultural, educational, political or religious background. Starting from these two positions, I analyze a few situations and events from the world of contemporary tennis, revealing how universal values get to be ignored, or contextualized under the influence of social prejudice and schemas. My conclusion is that, nowadays, we are witnessing a reshaping of the way people regard and act on their values, especially in the realm of social media. Thus, situations that should be approached by the appeal to values such as truth, justice, and humanity, in fact get to be interpreted in a biased way, due to the existence of some pre-existing patterns of understanding.

Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia Filosofia e Experiência de Deus, 2017

This paper aims to bring together the Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and Nae... more This paper aims to bring together the Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and Nae Ionescu, a Romanian philosopher from the beginning of the 20th century, the proponent of a philosophical movement called ‘trăirism’. I suggest that the linking concept here would be religious authenticity. Kierkegaard’s interest for existential authenticity and for religiousness as the most authentic way of life is well known and it has been a constant feature throughout his writings. In Kierkegaard’s existential dialectic the religious stage of life is the highest level of human existence. He identifies the authentic religious way of life in biblical figures such as Abraham and Job. Nae Ionescu, the proponent of ‘trăirism’ has a similar approach to philosophy and existence. He believes that philosophy, religion and even science are matters of life, more than matters of knowledge. He understands metaphysics as an existential quest. The aim of metaphysics is to make sense of our existence, starting from our very own experience. Thus, Nae Ionescu’s understanding of metaphysics and philosophy is strongly connected to religion and mysticism. Therefore, the human being’s main existential strive is to gain redemption and this idea brings the Romanian philosopher closest to Kierkegaard’s thought. Fundamentally, both
philosophers believe that the most authentic way of life is religious, meaning that the self/ the human being has to experience a direct relation with God in order to fulfill his existential quest.

Teodor Dima, Introductory Note RESEARCH ARTICLES: Scott Aikin, Emily McGill-Rutherford, Stoi... more Teodor Dima, Introductory Note

RESEARCH ARTICLES:
Scott Aikin, Emily McGill-Rutherford, Stoicism, Feminism and Autonomy
Ionuț-Alexandru Bârliba, Søren Kierkegaard’s Repetition. Existence in Motion
Dale Jacquette, Algebra of Theoretical Term Reductions in the Sciences
Franck Lihoreau, Revelation and the Essentiality of Essence
Clayton Littlejohn, Skeptical Thoughts Concerning Explanationism and Skepticism
Hamid Vahid, Some Problems With Steadfast Strategies for Rational Disagreement

DISCUSSION NOTES/DEBATE:
Franz Huber, For True Conditionalizers Weisberg’s Paradox is a False Alarm

REVISTA ROMÂNĂ DE STUDII FILOSOFICE ȘI SOCIALE Ideo ROMANIAN JOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHICAL AND SOCIAL STUDIES, 2018

Meta: Research in Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, and Practical Philosophy, 2019

Meta. Vol. XI, No. 2 / December 2019: After Husserl: Phenomenological Foundations of Mathematics ... more Meta. Vol. XI, No. 2 / December 2019: After Husserl: Phenomenological Foundations of Mathematics

Guest Editor: Iulian Apostolescu

Invitație Colocviul nostru propune o abordare interdisciplinară a autenticității, concept filosof... more Invitație Colocviul nostru propune o abordare interdisciplinară a autenticității, concept filosofic reper, ce oferă baza înțelegerii adecvate a multor teme și noțiuni fundamentale în filosofia existențialistă, în fenomenologie, dar și în domenii precum psihologia, antropologia, științele politice, marketing-ul sau studiile de social media. Într-o accepțiune tradițională, autenticitatea are în vedere sinele fiecăruia, individualitatea, și se referă la ceea ce este unic și particular fiecărei ființe umane, din punct de vedere psihologic, etic sau existențial. Autenticitatea nu este însă un dat natural al omului, ci mai degrabă o provocare existențială, un proces continuu de devenire sau de transformare. Totuși, autenticitatea nu este doar apanajul solipsismului, ci se poate defini și social, prin includerea ideii de relaționare cu Celălalt, de responsabilitate asupra acestuia. Discuțiile actuale despre autenticitate se situează în general pe un plan etic și social. Sunt criticate noile tipuri de societăți industriale și informaționale, ce împing existența omului către un spațiu virtual, al inautenticității. De asemenea, se discută despre o eră contemporană a decadenței și a declinului moral, o epocă a culturii narcisismului, clădită pe o viziune problematică asupra ființei umane. Autenticitatea poate constitui, în acest context distopic, un ideal etic, însă rămâne de văzut în ce măsură poate avea succes în fața unui relativism postmodern generalizat; cu atât mai mult cu cât autenticitatea a fost adesea limitată la înțelesul ei estetic, al unui individualism egoist. Astfel, autori precum Charles Taylor încearcă o revalorizare a conceptului, atacând criticile care limitează înțelesul autenticității la nivelul estetismului, al individualismului și al subiectivismului, al slăbiciunii egoiste pentru propria persoană, "forme triviale ale culturii autenticității". Acestea au apărut în contextul evoluției tehnologice a lumii moderne, ce a condus, printre altele, la o superficializare a existenței, individul abandonându-și responsabilitățile sociale și cetățenești în favoarea "fericirii personale". Vă așteptăm, așadar, să participați cu lucrări ce pot aborda, în sens larg, atât aria tematică prezentată mai sus, cât și orice alt aspect sau înțeles al autenticității, specifice oricărui alt domeniu de cercetare umanist sau al științelor sociale. Prezentările ar trebui să se încadreze în limita a 20-25 de minute, incluzând întrebările.