JOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHICAL THEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Year:2009 | Volume:10 | Issue:3 (39)|Papers Count:14

"Philosophy of Information" is an appellation coined by Luciano Floridi, the contemporary Italian philosopher, to refer to a new field in the philosophical studies. Philosophy of Information which is among 'the philosophies of' enjoys both phenomenological aspect and metatheoritical aspect. Philosophy of Information (PI) concerned with the critical investigation of the conceptual nature and basic principles of information including dynamics of information and application of sciences relevant to information; it also deals with the elaboration and application of information-theoretic and computational methodologies to philosophical problems. The essay ahead, initially presents the historical development of emerging Philosophy of Information in the history of western thought; then it explains 18 issues of this theoretical area.

Based on the description of the real structure of our conception of the world, P. F. Strawson's descriptive metaphysics, similar to Kant's empirical Realism, deals with determining the limitations of empirical knowledge of the world. In this case, Kant's transcendental Idealism seems to be an incoherent doctrine which can yield a skepticism which the critical philosophy seeks to solve. Strawson rejects Kant's Transcendental Idealism in that it considers two limits, which leads to the paradox of delimitation. Yet, the question is: Can Strawson's descriptive metaphysics depict the limitations of our knowledge without considering both limits? It seems that he has adopted a language that chains us to some metaphysical constraint, which is opposed to the sketch of the descriptive metaphysics. Thus, he is engaged in the same paradox which he discovered in Kant. It seems that thinking on the limit is essentially paradoxical; so skepticism can not be solved by appealing to it.

During many centuries, "Natural Law" doctrine has been interpreted in different ways; so there have been propounded various theories which trace back to the ancient Greek age, and which today play a central role in the domains of social sciences. One theory as regards the natural law is Aquinas's theory of natural law; and a recent popular explication of Aquinas's position is John Finnis's interpretation. According to Finnis, an action is wise only when it is done to gain: one of the basic goods. These goods, on Finnis's view, are: life, knowledge, skilled performance, play, friendship, marriage, practical reasonableness, and religion. Each: of these goods is self-evident, intrinsic, independent of each other, having equal value, and non-based on facts. The essay firstly explains Finnis's natural- law theory; and then, based on the doctrines of Islamic Transcendent Theosophy, it offers a criticism of Finnis's theory.

God has always been one of the most important intellectual concerns of human beings. To know, to prove and to believe in God, human beings have paid attention to at least two ways: Mysticism and Philosophy. In the framework of these two intellectual disciplines, there have been presented different theistic arguments, one of which is the Argument of the Truthful. In time, such proof has received several expositions. Utilizing the most prominent experts of Transcendent Theosophy, the essay describes in detail the self-evidence of existence; then, it presents a profound analysis of the cause and effect, so that the essay refers the principle of causality to the divine self-manifestation, that is to say, the relation between the Lord of manifestations and His manifestations. And at the end, it offers five new expositions of particular unity of existence.

Orientalism and Islamology in the acadmic spheres of the world have always encountered by different reactions of the East. Some consider the scholars of such disciplines as the political collaborators of their respective governments in pursuing colonial purposes. Some others regard the Orientalists as adversaries. Still others, including Annemari Schimmel, believe that the East and the west are inseparable. This paper in the first place recognizes three kinds of approaches in Orientalism: the first approach to the East is based on such books as "the Arabian Nights"; the second approach is through the study of theology and Abrahamic religions, and the third one is conjoined with absorption and love, which is adopted by Schimmel. Then, it proceeds to introduce her approach to Islam and the features o her Islamic studies.

Nowadays learning a new language is attractive among the youth and the adolescence. It is proved that language and culture are interwoven and culture is manifested through the language. This effect is doubled when the textbooks are scientifically and beautifully prepared; therefore, we should take into our consideration the negative points of such a transfer. On the other hand, we can assume that on the basis of the rich teachings of the verses of the holy Qur'an and the traditions, we can avoid the negative effects of the cultural issues of a foreign language. It seems a good strategy to provide the students of Philosophy and Theology with the necessary equipment to cope not only with the side effects of learning a new language but also with their religious missions and duties: spreading the Islamic thoughts and teachings all over the world via preparing attractive books containing materials and events taken from our own culture and religion.

Given the purposefulness of biological differences between men and women, one can say that the perfection of women is accomplished through moving in the framework of her natural characteristics. Within feminism, a movement emerged in the west parallel to the industrial revolution, some holds that motherhood is a factor of being lower and a means to curb women. These feminists seek new ways to prove the superiority of female characters as well as to present general moral procedures for the whole society. They try to make the kindly well-intentioned relationship between mother and child a pattern for social relations. In Islam, however, motherhood is a sublime position which necessitates the adornment of certain virtues such as fear of God, chastity, patience, and self-sacrifice; the reason is that mothers are the first teachers of humans and the most important agent of transmitting values to next generations.

The present essay is an attempt to open a window to the ideal methodology of ontological metaphysics and metaphysics in its philosophical sense. Thus, the essay initially holds out its historical development in western and Islamic thought; inasmuch as the historical development includes the interaction between metaphysics and science, it mentions in brief such a connection. Then, it attempts to explicate the principles and pillars of a comprehensive methodology of Metaphysics.

"Potentiality and actuality" is among the qualities of the absolute existent, which is the subject of First Philosophy. An existent is "potential" with respect to the actuality it can possess, though it is an "actual existent" by attention to the actuality it now possesses. It should be mentioned that potentiality is an existential thing, however a weak existence which is distinguished from nonexistence. The present essay initially deals with the question how 'potentiality and actuality' entered First Philosophy. Then it proceeds to analyze the relation between such an issue and the subject of first philosophy as well as the how of application of existence to it. And finally, the paper propounds some dubious things and then responds to them.

Pragmatism is, most importantly, an "approach" that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. So it emphasizes on resorting to experience, whether in the sense of 'process' or in the sense of "product". Form this viewpoint, the concept of experience in James' pragmatic thought finds a special significance so that the whole of his thought can be referred to it as well as be understood upon it. Such a point is also true in regard to his view of 'religion'. James seeks to explore religion within human life, actions and experiences, so he has used the expression "religious experience". For the sense meant by James has not stated clearly, the present writing attempts to elucidate it in different relations and aspects.

Among the major current discussions is the discussion about the status of reason in cognition, the scope of its validity in the acquisition of religious doctrines and rules, negatively or affirmatively. In certain stage of Islamic thought history, such a concept came to be a criterion in acceptance or rejection of thoughts and ideas. It is said that the validity of reason was rejected by Hadith scholars, among whom is Allameh Majlesi, and as a result, the emphasis was focused upon the Infallible's words and traditions. The present essay is going to analyze Allameh Majlesi's words, which is claimed that they indicate denial of the validity of reason. In the light of such an analysis, it makes clear the role of reason in the acquisition of knowledge as well as the value of rational judgments.