Philosophies

14 pages, 293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From the Great Void to Moral Practice: Ira Kasoff’s Systemic Reconstruction of Chang Tsai’s Ontological Ch’i in Cosmology, Human Nature, and Sagehood

by Xiangqian Che and Yunxi Ren

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030065 (registering DOI) - 24 May 2025

Abstract

This paper examines Ira E. Kasoff’s systemic interpretation of Chang Tsai’s Neo-Confucianism in his The Thought of Chang Tsai (1020–1077), focusing on Kasoff’s reconstruction of Ch’i (qi, 气) as the ontological foundation of Chang’s philosophy. Through a trichotomous translational strategy—distinguishing [...] Read more.

This paper examines Ira E. Kasoff’s systemic interpretation of Chang Tsai’s Neo-Confucianism in his The Thought of Chang Tsai (1020–1077), focusing on Kasoff’s reconstruction of Ch’i (qi, 气) as the ontological foundation of Chang’s philosophy. Through a trichotomous translational strategy—distinguishing between “Ch’i”, “ch’i”, and “qi”—Kasoff systematically integrates Chang’s cosmology, human nature, and ethics into a coherent framework. He argues that Ch’i (e.g., Great Void, taixu, 太虚) serves as the primordial substance underlying all existence, while ch’i and qi explain the generation of phenomenal forms and moral agency. Kasoff highlights how Chang’s Ch’i-centric ontology refutes Buddhist illusionism and Daoist non-being, positing yin–yang interactions as the self-generative mechanism of the cosmos. Central to Kasoff’s analysis is Chang’s dual-nature theory of heavenly nature (天地之性, as the inherent goodness of Ch’i) and physical nature (气质之性, as the individualized limitations of ch’i); Kasoff demonstrates how Chang’s emphasis on learning (xue, 学) aims to transform nature and restore heavenly nature, culminating in sagehood as the realization of cosmic harmony. Additionally, by contrasting Chang’s Ch’i-based system with Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, Kasoff underscores its originality—a dynamic, materialist ontology that bridges metaphysics and ethics. Full article

6 pages, 171 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Introduction: Special Issue of Philosophies on Forms of Life: The Future of the Concept

by Juliet Floyd and Sandra Laugier

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030064 - 23 May 2025

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Abstract

Wittgenstein’s notion of “forms of life” has received recent attention in philosophy, political theory, anthropology, and the sociology and philosophy of new medias [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wittgenstein’s “Forms of Life”: Future of the Concept)

15 pages, 235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aristotle’s Attainable and Attributable Phronimos

by Shane D. Drefcinski

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030063 - 21 May 2025

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Abstract

Unlike many philosophers in the last quarter of the 20th century, many current scholars of Aristotle are less critical of the doctrine of the reciprocity of the virtues. They recognize that the reciprocity of the virtues is grounded in Aristotle’s accounts of eudaimonia [...] Read more.

Unlike many philosophers in the last quarter of the 20th century, many current scholars of Aristotle are less critical of the doctrine of the reciprocity of the virtues. They recognize that the reciprocity of the virtues is grounded in Aristotle’s accounts of eudaimonia, moral virtue, and phronēsis. However, there remains a concern that if the phronimos must have all the moral virtues in addition to phronēsis, then the phronimos is, for actual humans, unattainable. In what follows, I will argue that Aristotle’s phronimos is intended to be attainable and attributable to actual humans. In Part 2 of the paper, I will set out some preliminary points about the “methodology” Aristotle employs in his ethics, with special attention to the need to reconcile as many of the phenomena as one can and the recognition of the inescapable imprecision of ethics. In Part 3 of the paper, I will discuss passages where Aristotle insists upon the attainability of both eudaimonia and the moral virtues. In Part 4, I will explore how moral virtue and phronēsis admit of degrees and that his distinction between heroic virtue and moral virtue supports the attainability and attributability of the latter. Finally, in Part 5, I will propose a plausible reading of the reciprocity of the virtues that supports the thesis that the phronimos is attainable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aristotelian Ethics)

15 pages, 195 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Against Ahistorical Liberalism: The Importance of Acknowledging Past Injustices

by Deniz Özbek Özyurt

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030062 - 20 May 2025

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Abstract

Liberal political philosophy has traditionally maintained that history is irrelevant to justice, focusing instead on the present and the future. This perspective renders liberalism largely indifferent to historical injustices, as it prioritizes abstract principles of fairness over considerations of past wrongs. However, contemporary [...] Read more.

Liberal political philosophy has traditionally maintained that history is irrelevant to justice, focusing instead on the present and the future. This perspective renders liberalism largely indifferent to historical injustices, as it prioritizes abstract principles of fairness over considerations of past wrongs. However, contemporary liberal thinkers have increasingly challenged this ahistorical stance, advocating for an approach that acknowledges historical injustices and their enduring effects. This article examines this theoretical debate, emphasizing the importance of remembrance in political philosophy. Full article

20 pages, 250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conditionality (idappaccayatā) in the Pāli Discourses of the Buddha

by Andrea Sangiacomo

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030061 - 20 May 2025

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Abstract

In the Pāli discourses of the Buddha, ‘conditioned co-origination’ (paṭicca-samuppāda) is the key insight that underpins the Buddha’s own awakening and his teaching. This paper aims to shed light on three connected aspects of conditioned co-origination: the synchronic and non-linear nature [...] Read more.

In the Pāli discourses of the Buddha, ‘conditioned co-origination’ (paṭicca-samuppāda) is the key insight that underpins the Buddha’s own awakening and his teaching. This paper aims to shed light on three connected aspects of conditioned co-origination: the synchronic and non-linear nature of the conditional relations it establishes, the non-causal nature of this relation, and how the whole teaching can be seen as a deepening and expansion of the Buddha’s core insight about the impermanence and uncertainty (anicca) of all conditioned phenomena, which is also central in several forms of Buddhist meditation. These three points are connected. (1) By realizing how any given experience arises out of the systematic conditional relationship among several factors, (2) the practitioner’s attention is directed to contemplate the constitutively conditional nature of phenomenal experience as a whole (instead of focusing on specific causal relations), (3) by thus becoming able to directly see that ‘whatever has the nature of arising, all of that has the nature of ceasing’ (SN 56.11), which is the key insight that unlocks the path towards nibbāna. Full article

15 pages, 404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Puzzle of Buddhist Non-Attachment: A Challenge for Laypersons

by Joyitri Sarkar

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030060 - 19 May 2025

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Abstract

This article explores the challenges associated with practicing Buddhist non-attachment as a layperson and whether its application in everyday life represents a puzzle. In Buddhism, practicing non-attachment implies becoming free of desires, as prescribed by Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy in pursuit of liberation. This [...] Read more.

This article explores the challenges associated with practicing Buddhist non-attachment as a layperson and whether its application in everyday life represents a puzzle. In Buddhism, practicing non-attachment implies becoming free of desires, as prescribed by Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy in pursuit of liberation. This raises a critical challenge to form and maintain friendships in this increasingly competitive and demanding environment. To thrive, one must pursue beneficial goals to ensure a meaningful existence. A layperson, therefore, cannot entirely detach from their goals and aspirations without potentially abandoning the Buddhist path to enlightenment. Thus, non-attachment presents a dilemma for laypersons, creating a challenge in reconciling Buddhist philosophy with the realities of worldly existence. Full article

22 pages, 478 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Prudential Rationality of Risking Traumatic Brain Injury in Dangerous Sport: A Parfitian Defense

by Eric Gilbertson

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030059 - 16 May 2025

Viewed by 82

Abstract

It is an open question whether participation in dangerous sports is prudentially rational given the high risk of traumatic brain injury they involve. This paper explores the merits of one attempt to rationalize participation in dangerous sport, which is based on Derek Parfit’s [...] Read more.

It is an open question whether participation in dangerous sports is prudentially rational given the high risk of traumatic brain injury they involve. This paper explores the merits of one attempt to rationalize participation in dangerous sport, which is based on Derek Parfit’s idea that it is rational for you to care less about the well-being of your future selves the more distant they are, because time diminishes the degree of their psychological connectedness to your present self. I respond to two sets of concerns about this defense of dangerous sport. First, there are concerns that the Parfitian defense is too weak to justify taking such serious risks as dangerous sport involves—specifically, objections based on an appeal to the overall shape of one’s life, as well as objections from self-directed duties. Second, there are concerns that the Parfitian defense would prove too much—specifically, that it would rationalize generally reckless risk-taking for fun; and that it would make one exploitable. I show that none of these objections succeeds, and I conclude that the Parfitian defense remains tenable. Full article

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32 pages, 455 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Extended vs. The Modern Synthesis of Evolutionary Theory

by Sergio Da Silva

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030058 - 13 May 2025

Viewed by 298

Abstract

This paper examines the extended evolutionary synthesis’s critique of the modern synthesis, and introduces the “survival of the luckiest” framework as a mediating perspective. This framework preserves the core principles of the modern synthesis, while incorporating an additional element of randomness arising from [...] Read more.

This paper examines the extended evolutionary synthesis’s critique of the modern synthesis, and introduces the “survival of the luckiest” framework as a mediating perspective. This framework preserves the core principles of the modern synthesis, while incorporating an additional element of randomness arising from the interplay of natural and sexual selection. Although the extended synthesis emphasizes developmental processes, niche construction, epigenetic inheritance, and horizontal gene transfer, it also neglects the critical role of this additional randomness. By critically analyzing the evidence provided by proponents of the extended synthesis, we show that the survival of the luckiest framework offers compelling alternative explanations. In doing so, it bridges the modern synthesis with principles of self-organization and emergence, addressing key gaps while maintaining its foundational tenets. Full article

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22 pages, 336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Finite Promise of Infinite Love, or What Does It Mean to Love Forever?

by Errol Boon

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030057 - 13 May 2025

Viewed by 230

Abstract

This paper offers a philosophical account of the specific form of romantic love underlying the ideal of love-based marriages. Rather than examining the institution of marriage, it considers marriage as the promise of infinite love between finite persons. Although this promise may seem [...] Read more.

This paper offers a philosophical account of the specific form of romantic love underlying the ideal of love-based marriages. Rather than examining the institution of marriage, it considers marriage as the promise of infinite love between finite persons. Although this promise may seem irrational, even those who never formally marry still invoke phrases like ‘I love you forever’. In three steps, this paper explores what we could possibly mean by infinite love and how it can be rationally promised throughout a finite life. First, I trace the concept of infinite love back to the metaphysical discussions surrounding the emergence of the love-based marriage among German Idealists and Jena Romanticists. Next, drawing on John Searle’s speech act theory, I examine how the ideal of infinite love can be articulated as a promise. Finally, I turn to early existentialist thought—particularly the notions of passion (Lidenskab, Leidenschaft), repetition (Gjentagelsen, Wiederkehr), and the moment (Øjeblik, Augenblick) as developed by Kierkegaard and Nietzsche—to justify the meaning of the marital promise. In short, I propose that instead of interpreting the marital promise as a description of an expected reality, we should approach it as a passionate necessity that discloses the world in a fundamentally indeterminate way. By reframing the marital promise in this light, I aim to show that marital love is compatible both with the ideal of personal autonomy and with an alternative conception of rationality and temporality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Philosophies of Love)

12 pages, 199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cinema of Thought: A Dialectic of Body and Brain in Turkish Art Cinema

by Serdar Öztürk and Waseem Ahad

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030056 - 8 May 2025

Viewed by 429

Abstract

Can films contribute to the production of thought? Or, to put the question more radically, can films generate thought on their own, or can there be films that think the unthought? When thought is equated with rationality, logic, concepts, generalizations, and abstractions, the [...] Read more.

Can films contribute to the production of thought? Or, to put the question more radically, can films generate thought on their own, or can there be films that think the unthought? When thought is equated with rationality, logic, concepts, generalizations, and abstractions, the answer can be “no” at the outset, particularly when ordinary people in the flow of their daily lives typically turn to mass films for escapism. On the other side of the spectrum, among the philosophers and social scientists who argue that cinema might contain serious intellectual elements, there is no general approach that radically challenges the meaning that ordinary people may attach to films. By focusing on Deleuze’s concepts of “body-cinema” and “brain-cinema”, this article aims to showcase how films can philosophize on their own. While going beyond the traditional association of thought with mind and reasoning, this article explores the diffused location of thought, existing in our very sensations and emotions. This article analyzes some of the significant films from the Turkish art cinema—both old and recent—to explore how thought is constituted with reference to the human body and brain in cinema. Full article

15 pages, 411 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Martial Arts and the Problem of Definition

by Richard Peter Bailey and Nadia Samsudin

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030055 - 7 May 2025

Viewed by 585

Abstract

“Martial arts” is a popular phrase in popular and academic discourse but notoriously difficult to define. This article addresses the challenge of defining martial arts, demonstrating the multifarious and sometimes contradictory nature of how the term is conceived in different contexts. Consulting a [...] Read more.

“Martial arts” is a popular phrase in popular and academic discourse but notoriously difficult to define. This article addresses the challenge of defining martial arts, demonstrating the multifarious and sometimes contradictory nature of how the term is conceived in different contexts. Consulting a range of perspectives, the article is critical of essentialist positions in locating a permanent set of features common to all martial arts because definitions under such positions fail to consider these practices’ fluidity, hybridity, and historical evolution. Instead, the article advances a more pragmatic and contextual definition of martial arts, appealing to nominalism and diaeresis to build context-specific definitions appropriate for particular analytical or practical purposes. Acknowledging the diversity and complexity inherent in martial arts, the article suggests that scholars and practitioners can move beyond strict classification and engage in more fruitful discussions regarding these practices’ history, culture, and philosophy. Lastly, the article promotes a more inclusive and dynamic system that recognises both traditional and modern forms of martial arts without being constrained by the strictures of essentialist definitions. Full article

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18 pages, 326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Interpretation of Denotational Semantics

by Felice Cardone

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030054 - 4 May 2025

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Abstract

The denotational approach to the semantics of programming languages views program meanings as elements of domains, abstract partially ordered structures that form the basis of a mathematical theory of computation. This paper discusses how the interpretation of these structures as models of information [...] Read more.

The denotational approach to the semantics of programming languages views program meanings as elements of domains, abstract partially ordered structures that form the basis of a mathematical theory of computation. This paper discusses how the interpretation of these structures as models of information in computation has evolved into the interactive view of domains represented by game semantics. As a unifying motif of these developments, we propose the interpretation of program meanings as fulfillments of intentions suggested by Heyting’s phenomenological meaning explanation of intuitionistic logical constants, recently carried on by van Atten and Tieszen. We will also make an attempt to interpret this idea in the light of a pragmatic view of computation as communication, connecting it to the foundation of game semantics for programming languages and looking at this pragmatic turn as a source of new intentionalities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Semantics and Computation)

16 pages, 325 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On Divine Rebaptism

by Felipe G. A. Moreira

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030053 - 29 Apr 2025

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Abstract

Divine rebaptism occurs when a deity renames an entity with a proper name N*, which is pronounced differently or is orthographically distinct from the proper name N this entity previously had. Genesis 17:5 and 17:15 illustrate this phenomenon or alleged phenomenon while [...] Read more.

Divine rebaptism occurs when a deity renames an entity with a proper name N*, which is pronounced differently or is orthographically distinct from the proper name N this entity previously had. Genesis 17:5 and 17:15 illustrate this phenomenon or alleged phenomenon while raising two questions not yet addressed. First, the identity question: Are those named “Abram” and “Sarai”, respectively, identical to those named “Abraham” and “Sarah” in Genesis? Second, the semantic question: What picture of the semantics of proper names best accounts for the divine rebaptisms portrayed in Genesis? This essay begins by motivating these questions; it indicates that they should—in an interdisciplinary fashion—appeal to Pentateuch specialists and philosophers interested in the semantics of proper names. Then, a case is made for the claim that though Genesis does not provide sufficient evidence to answer the identity question, it indicates a response to the semantic one: that especially in Genesis 17:5 and 17:15, this text points to gradation semantics. This is the view that proper names have the properties of being meaningful, indirect, flaccid, flexible, and lexically univocal in distinct degrees, depending on their context of use. Full article

14 pages, 398 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytometamorphosis: An Ontology of Becoming in Amazonian Women’s Poetry About Plants

by Patricia Vieira

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030052 - 29 Apr 2025

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Abstract

Metamorphosis is central to Indigenous Amazonian cosmologies, which often posit a period in the past when transformations from one being into another proliferated. This time gave way to the relative stability of the present that always runs the risk of going back to [...] Read more.

Metamorphosis is central to Indigenous Amazonian cosmologies, which often posit a period in the past when transformations from one being into another proliferated. This time gave way to the relative stability of the present that always runs the risk of going back to an ongoing process of transmutation. In this article, I highlight the significance of plants in Amerindian ontologies of becoming as catalysts of metamorphic movements through their entheogenic effects, through their curative properties and as the ancestors and teachers of humans. Beyond being the facilitators of other entities’ transformations and the virtual grandparents of all beings, plants are also masters of metamorphosis, displaying much more plasticity in adapting to their surroundings than animals. I argue that contemporary Amazonian women’s poetry translates the multiple transformations of vegetal life into literary form. In many Amazonian Indigenous communities, women have traditionally been the ones responsible for plant cultivation, while, in Western societies, women are often associated to certain parts of plants, such as flowers, and to nature as a whole. In the article, I analyze the poetry of Colombian author Anastasia Candre Yamacuri (1962–2014) and Peruvian writer Ana Varela Tafur (1963-), who emphasize the metamorphic potential of plants and the ontology of becoming at play in Amazonia. I contend that women’s writing on plants reflects evolving views on both plants’ and women’s roles in Amazonian societies, marked by rapid social transformation and environmental destruction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Poesis: Aesthetics, Philosophy and Indigenous Thought)

10 pages, 223 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enactivism, Health, AI, and Non-Neurotypical Individuals: Toward Contextualized, Personalized, and Ethically Grounded Interventions

by Jordi Vallverdú

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030051 - 28 Apr 2025

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Abstract

The enactive approach offers a powerful theoretical lens for designing artificial intelligence (AI) systems intended to support the health and well-being of non-neurotypical individuals, including those on the autism spectrum and those with with ADHD, dyslexia, or other forms of neurodivergence. By emphasizing [...] Read more.

The enactive approach offers a powerful theoretical lens for designing artificial intelligence (AI) systems intended to support the health and well-being of non-neurotypical individuals, including those on the autism spectrum and those with with ADHD, dyslexia, or other forms of neurodivergence. By emphasizing embodiment, relationality, and participatory sense-making, enactivism encourages AI-based interventions that are highly personalized, context-sensitive, and ethically aware. This paper explores how existing AI applications—ranging from socially assistive robots and virtual reality (VR) therapies to language-processing apps and personalized treatment planning—may be enhanced by incorporating enactivist principles. Despite their promise, practical adoption of AI technologies in real-world clinical practice remains limited, and persistent challenges such as algorithmic bias, privacy concerns, and the tendency to overlook subjective dimensions raise cautionary notes. Drawing on relevant philosophical literature, empirical studies, and cross-disciplinary debates (including the friction and potential synergies between predictive processing and enactivism), we argue that AI solutions grounded in enactivist thinking can more effectively honor user autonomy, acknowledge the embodied nature of neurodiverse cognition, and avoid reductive standardizations. This expanded, revised version integrates insights on neurodiversity, mental health paradigms, and the ethical imperatives of AI deployment, thereby offering a more comprehensive roadmap for researchers, clinicians, and system developers alike. Full article

11 pages, 214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“The Problem of Speech in Merleau-Ponty: My View of ‘Speaking Speech’ and ‘Spoken Speech’ in Light of Ontogenesis”

by Rajiv Kaushik

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030050 - 26 Apr 2025

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Abstract

The turn away from phenomenology in 20th century French philosophy was in large part due to an increased emphasis on Ferdinand de Saussure’s notion of “linguistic structure”, i.e., that language is the internal system of differences between signs. Thinkers such as Paul Ricoeur [...] Read more.

The turn away from phenomenology in 20th century French philosophy was in large part due to an increased emphasis on Ferdinand de Saussure’s notion of “linguistic structure”, i.e., that language is the internal system of differences between signs. Thinkers such as Paul Ricoeur and Jean-François Lyotard famously offered a “semiological challenge” to phenomenology. The idea was that phenomenology, especially Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, reduces to the sensible world and cannot think linguistic structure. Thus, the argument goes that phenomenology leaves out a basic element of human life: not only can it not think linguistic structure, but it also cannot think about elements, e.g., writing and text, which are its result. This paper takes up this challenge, especially in reference to Merleau-Ponty’s terminology in Phenomenology of Perception of “speaking speech” (parole parlante) and “spoken speech” (parole parlée). I point out that, in retrospect of his later work, Merleau-Ponty very clearly did want to take linguistic structure seriously. This, however, means that we need to reconsider some of the basic themes in his work. Taking inspiration from the recently published “problem of speech” lectures, I reconstruct Merleau-Ponty’s idea that speech is a concrete limit situation from which we get both the idea of a language structure in which there are differences and of an ontological difference between being and beings. This is an internal criticism of both linguistic structure and formal ontology. I begin the paper by noting that, in Merleau-Ponty’s descriptions of the tacit and spoken cogito, also in Phenomenology of Perception, Merleau-Ponty criticizes the notion of a subject to which language refers and highlights the notion of a subject that defies representational and denotational structure. I do not, however, go along with Merleau-Ponty’s own criticism of the tacit ego, which he ultimately declared too subjectivistic. Ultimately, I hope to stress the importance of linguistic structure and writing in Merleau-Ponty’s ontology. This is an ontology of that is fragile and requires symbolization. This paper emphasizes under-developed themes in Merleau-Ponty’s work such as bodily event, difference, symbolization, and the writing of philosophy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Merleau-Ponty and Rereading the Phenomenology of Perception)

21 pages, 410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Geometry of Thought: Circling Through Concepts

by Miloš Adžić, Filip Jevtić and Jovana Kostić

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030049 - 25 Apr 2025

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Abstract

The goal of this paper is to shed light on the nature of mathematical practice, i.e., on “doing mathematics”. It explores Gödel’s perspective, which offers an approach to understanding mathematics centered on concepts, objects, and structures. The paper has two parts. In the [...] Read more.

The goal of this paper is to shed light on the nature of mathematical practice, i.e., on “doing mathematics”. It explores Gödel’s perspective, which offers an approach to understanding mathematics centered on concepts, objects, and structures. The paper has two parts. In the first part, we situate Gödel’s reflections against the backdrop of formalism and Platonism. In the second part, we present the view shaped by Gödel’s ideas that resonates with contemporary discussions in the philosophy of mathematical practice, particularly in its attention to abstraction, generalization, and conceptual discovery, as essential components of mathematical reasoning. We illustrate this view through concrete examples from category theory and geometry. This approach reveals that mathematical practice, far from being merely formal, is a dynamic interplay of intuition, abstraction, structural, and conceptual reasoning. Such a focus underscores the need for developing the theory of concepts along the lines proposed by Gödel to provide a more natural framework for thinking about mathematics. Full article

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18 pages, 241 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stylistic Conventions and Complex Group Collaboration

by Marc Slors

Philosophies 2025, 10(3), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies10030048 - 23 Apr 2025

Viewed by 288

Abstract

Social etiquette, dress codes and culture-specific architectural features are undoubtedly stylistic conventions. Literature from anthropology, sociology and ecological psychology suggests a coordinative function of such conventions, without, however, offering a theoretical analysis of this function. The best-known philosophical theory of conventions—by David Lewis—does [...] Read more.

Social etiquette, dress codes and culture-specific architectural features are undoubtedly stylistic conventions. Literature from anthropology, sociology and ecological psychology suggests a coordinative function of such conventions, without, however, offering a theoretical analysis of this function. The best-known philosophical theory of conventions—by David Lewis—does offer a theoretical analysis of the coordinative function of conventions, but stylistic conventions typically fall outside the purview of this theory. The present paper suggests a remedy for this situation by putting to use the notion of ‘correlation devices’, developed as an addition to the Lewisian framework. I argue that stylistic conventions function as markers for social categories without which these categories become cognitively intractable. Given that social categories are a precondition for complex coordinated role-divisions, and given that such role-divisions are a major part of the explanation for our evolutionary success, I argue that it is likely that the psychological proclivities that make us susceptible to stylistic conventions can be explained as the result of group-level selection pressures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Collective Agency and Intentionality)

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Philosophies, Volume 10, Issue 3 (June 2025) – 18 articles

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