Le «travail du négatif» comme purification dans les Leçons sur la philosophie de la religion de Hegel

La purification est une métaphore désignant le moteur de la philosophie de la religion de Hegel. Elle est d’abord à l’œuvre dans la création de la Nature qui se consume pour produire la conscience de soi divine à travers l'esprit humain. En second lieu, elle s’opère dans l’objectivation des productions spirituelles de l’homme qui sont purifiées jusqu'à ce que l’Esprit soit auprès de soi dans le christianisme. La troisième purification est morale et trouve son fondement dans la Genèse, le judaïsme étant le premier à avoir identifié l'unité des natures humaine et divine. Le mythe témoignera également de la culpabilité en tant que l'homme n'exprime pas immédiatement sa divinité, mais sa finitude. La réalisation du divin impliquera donc la purification de la naturalité au profit de la substantialité. Le christianisme explicitera cette tâche par l’héroïsme de Jésus et cet héroïsme se perpétuera jusqu’à ce qu’émergent un individualisme moderne et une religion assurant la cohésion sociale : le protestantisme luthérien. Cet individualisme sera toutefois défectueux puisqu’il produira éventuellement davantage d’égoïsme que de réconciliation, ce qui donnera lieu à certaines critiques de l’analyse hégélienne du christianisme. En effet, Hegel croit toujours que la vitalité religieuse est nécessaire au fonctionnement de l’État, bien qu’elle soit dorénavant incapable de diffuser les sentiments de culpabilité et de responsabilité dans le corps social. Néanmoins, comme les valeurs du christianisme ont été épurées de leur contingence en passant dans les mœurs et dans l’État, il s’avérera que le corps social peut se passer d’une tradition religieuse vivante

Les pèlerines, la religion vécue et la Roumanie postcommuniste

À la fin de l’année 1989, la Roumanie entamait son chemin vers la démocratie. Depuis, le pays a connu de nombreux changements dont une « revitalisation religieuse ». L’attrait pour la religion en Roumanie a suscité l’intérêt des chercheurs qui ont tenté de rendre compte de comportements qu’ils jugeaient contraires aux thèses des théories de la sécularisation et de la modernisation. Ma thèse part d’une critique de ces études qui, concentrées sur ces théories, omettent trop souvent l’action des individus dans la vie de tous les jours. Dans la présente recherche, j’utilise l’approche de la religion vécue pour me pencher sur des individus et leur manière de comprendre, d’exprimer, de pratiquer et d’expérimenter la religion au jour le jour. D’une manière réflexive, ma thèse examine la religion vécue dans la Roumanie postcommuniste à partir de pèlerinages réalisés durant le printemps et l’automne 2012 dans des monastères réputés pour leurs miracles, leurs confesseurs charismatiques ou leurs reliques. En raison de leur présence nombreuse dans les pèlerinages, les femmes se sont imposées comme les artisanes de la religion vécue en Roumanie. Elles sont au centre de ma thèse. En observant leurs croyances et leurs pratiques — et sans omettre la religion vécue des « porteurs de la religion officielle » —, j’explore des thèmes qui constituent autant de facettes de la religion vécue : le sort, le charisme, la matérialité et les reliques. Ma thèse propose deux contributions à la recherche. 1) L’étude de la pratique de la religion des pèlerines nous renseigne sur la manière dont la religion est comprise et pratiquée dans un contexte orthodoxe. Elle laisse également entrevoir les conséquences de cette pratique dans la Roumanie postcommuniste : en effet, la religion vécue s’avère un véhicule de valeurs qui s’opposent au discours démocratique officiel. 2) L’étude propose une contribution théorique et méthodologique à l’approche de la religion vécue. Le matériau empirique sur lequel elle repose indique que la religion vécue prend racine dans l’Église pour ensuite circuler entre les femmes et les représentants de l’institution. Dans ce mouvement de va-et-vient, la religion vécue appartient aux pèlerines, mais aussi aux « porteurs de la religion officielle ».

Influence of personality factors on the consumption of personal care products

The study is significant from both an application perspective of marketing management as well as from an academic angle. The market for personal care products is a highly fragmented one, with intense competition for specific niche segments. It is well known in marketing literature that the bulk of the volume of sale is accounted for by the minority who are the heavy users. This study will help the marketers to identify the personality profile of such a group and understand how the interaction of personality factors at least partially explains differences in consumption. This knowledge might be useful for better segmentation using psychographic variables as well as for designing specific advertisement campaigns to target the vulnerable groups of customers. From a theoretical perspective, the research may contribute to understanding how specific personality variables and their interaction lead to differences in consumption. The knowledge corresponding to self theory, social comparison theory, persuasibility, evidence from psychology of eating disorders: these all may be integrated into a common frame work for explaining consumption of products having a social function.

La sabiduría como competencia gerencial

Aunque el concepto de sabiduría ha sido ampliamente estudiado por expertos de áreas como la filosofía, la religión y la psicología, aún enfrenta limitaciones en cuanto a su definición y evaluación. Por esto, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo, formular una definición del concepto de sabiduría que permita realizar una propuesta de evaluación del concepto como competencia en los gerentes. Para esto, se realizó un análisis documental de tipo cualitativo. De esta manera, se analizaron diversos textos sobre la historia, las definiciones y las metodologías para evaluar tanto la sabiduría como las competencias; diferenciando la sabiduría de otros constructos y analizando la diferencia entre las competencias generales y las gerenciales para posteriormente, definir la sabiduría como una competencia gerencial. Como resultado de este análisis se generó un prototipo de prueba denominado SAPIENS-O, a través del cuál se busca evaluar la sabiduría como competencia gerencial. Como alcances del instrumento se pueden identificar la posibilidad de medir la sabiduría como competencia en los gerentes, la posibilidad de dar un nuevo panorama a las dificultades teóricas y empíricas sobre la sabiduría y la posibilidad de facilitar el estudio de la sabiduría en ambientes reales, más específicamente en ambientes organizacionales.

La muerte en la psicoterapia fenomenológico-existencial

El siguiente trabajo pretende, mediante la revisión de diferentes fuentes bibliográficas, mostrar las distintas categorías en las que la muerte se trabaja dentro de la psicoterapia fenomenológico existencial. Es así como se hace un recorrido por los antecedentes filosóficos de este enfoque psicoterapéutico, las diferentes escuelas que dentro de él se desarrollan y sus planteamientos frente a la muerte, las maneras de morir, la muerte y el ciclo vital, y los avances actuales como la Teoría del Manejo del Terror (TMT) . Todos estos elementos se revisan para después ser relacionados y así proponer una serie de acciones prácticas a llevar a cabo dentro del encuentro psicoterapéutico con miras a un trabajo adecuado y productivo con la muerte desde una perspectiva existencial.

The Inner Meaning of Outer Space: Human Nature and the Celestial Realm

Kant argued that humans possess a priori knowledge of space; although his argument focused on a physics of bodies, it also has implications for a psychology of beings. Many human cultures organize stars in the night sky into constellations (i.e., impose structure); attribute properties, behaviors, and abilities to objects in the celestial realm (i.e., impose meaning); and use perceived regularity in the celestial realms in development of calendars, long-range navigation, agriculture, and astrology (i.e., seek predictability and control). The physical inaccessibility of the celestial realm allows a potent source of metaphor, and also allows projection of myths regarding origin and ascension, places of power, and dwelling places of gods, immortals, and other souls. Developments in astronomy and cosmology influenced views of human nature and the place of humanity in the universe, and these changes parallel declines in egocentrism with human development. Views regarding alleged beings (e.g., angels, extraterrestrials) from the celestial realm (and to how communicate with such beings) are anthropocentric and ignore evolutionary factors in physical and cognitive development. It is suggested that in considering views and uses of the celestial realm, we learn not just about the universe, but also about ourselves. 

Demand of children in Colombia : guessing or planning

El artículo analiza los determinantes de la presencia de hijos no deseados en Colombia. Se utiliza la información de la Encuesta Nacional de Demografía y Salud (ENDS, 2005), específicamente para las mujeres de 40 años o más. Dadas las características especiales de la variable que se analiza, se utilizan modelos de conteo para verificar si determinadas características socioeconómicas como la educación o el estrato económico explican la presencia de hijos no deseados. Se encuentra que la educación de la mujer y el área de residencia son determinantes significativos de los nacimientos no planeados. Además, la relación negativa entre el número de hijos no deseados y la educación de la mujer arroja implicaciones clave en materia de política social.

La influencia de la construcción de identidad cultural vietnamita en la guerra de independencia de Vietnam (1946-1954)

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo explicar la influencia de la construcción de identidad cultural vietnamita en la Guerra de Independencia de Vietnam entre 1946 y 1954. Se argumenta que la construcción de identidad cultural justificó, promovió y legitimó la guerra de independencia como instrumento político ya que –en tanto proceso relacional– generó durante la colonización francesa prácticas de diferenciación fundamentadas en la reivindicación de los valores, tradiciones, costumbres, creencias y símbolos vietnamitas en torno a la resistencia. Ello propició una ruptura en las relaciones políticas imperantes, lo que condujo a la búsqueda de un nuevo orden social basado en la autodeterminación. Se utiliza una metodología de tipo cualitativa, fundamentada en el análisis documental e historiográfico.

Does uncertainty cause inertia in decision making? An experimental study of the role of regret aversion and indecisiveness

Previous research has shown that often there is clear inertia in individual decision making---that is, a tendency for decision makers to choose a status quo option. I conduct a laboratory experiment to investigate two potential determinants of inertia in uncertain environments: (i) regret aversion and (ii) ambiguity-driven indecisiveness. I use a between-subjects design with varying conditions to identify the effects of these two mechanisms on choice behavior. In each condition, participants choose between two simple real gambles, one of which is the status quo option. I find that inertia is quite large and that both mechanisms are equally important.

The Economic anI Racial Implications of the Globalization of Knowledge by Catholic Missionaries in Portuguese India, 16th-18th Centuries

The European Missionaries benefitted from the native Asian sources and knowledge providers much more than it is honestly acknowledged.

The “right way” of Hermetism: disputes on Gnostic’s, Pagan’s and Christian’s (re-)visions of the Hermetic phonomenon in late antiquity

This paper aims to understand the phenomenon of Hermetism though the perspective of its process of reception and reproduction in society. It will explore the phenomenon that was the transformation of the Hermetica into a social discourse. The so-called technical and philosophical Hermetica are texts. A text is the result of a production: it is composed by men, and addressed to men. It is important to consider the intentions and values present in a text’s production, and to understand that its process of reception and reproduction in society are, in fact, complex and dynamic.

Results of applying sensor fusion to a control system using optic flow

The results from applying a sensor fusion process to an adaptive controller used to balance all inverted pendulum axe presented. The goal of the sensor fusion process was to replace some of the four mechanical measurements, which are known to be sufficient inputs for a linear state feedback controller to balance the system, with optic flow variables. Results from research into the psychology of the sense of balance in humans were the motivation for the investigation of this new type of controller input. The simulated model of the inverted pendulum and the virtual reality environments used to provide the optical input are described. The successful introduction of optical information is found to require the preservation of at least two of the traditional input types and entail increased training till-le for the adaptive controller and reduced performance (measured as the time the pendulum remains upright)

Another Proof of the Preceding Theory

Another Proof of the Preceding Theory was produced as part of a residency run by Artists in Archeology in conjunction with the Stonehenge Riverside project. The film explores the relationship between science, work and ritual, imagining archaeology as a future cult. As two robed disciples stray off from the dig, they are drawn to the drone of the stones and proceed to play the henge like a gigantic Theremin. Just as a Theremin is played with the hand interfering in an electric circuit and producing sound without contact, so the stones respond to the choreographed bodily proximity. Finally, one of the two continues alone to the avenue at Avebury, where the magnetic pull of the stones reaches its climax. Shot on VHS, the film features a score by Zuzushi Monkey, with percussion and theremin sounds mirroring the action. The performers are mostly artists and archeologists from the art and archaeology teams. The archeologists were encouraged to perform their normal work in the robes, in an attempt to explore the meeting points of science and ritual and interrogate our relationship to an ultimately unknowable prehistoric past where activities we do not understand are relegated to the realm of religion. Stonehenge has unique acoustic properties, it’s large sarsen stones are finely worked on the inside, left rough on the outside, intensifying sound waves within the inner horseshoe, but since their real use, having been built over centuries, remains ambiguous, the film proposes that our attempts to decode them may themselves become encoded in their cumulative meaning for future researchers.

To what extent do pupils perceive science to be inconsistent with religious faith? An exploratory survey of 13-14 year-old English pupils

Scientists hold a wide range of beliefs on matters of religion, although popular media coverage in the UK commonly suggests that atheism is a core commitment for scientists. Considering the relationship between religion and science is a recommended topic in the English National Curriculum for lower secondary pupils (11-14 year-olds), and it is expected that different perspectives will be considered. However it is well established that many pupils may have difficulty accessing sophisticated ideas about the nature of science, and previous research suggests some may identify science with scientism. To explore pupil impressions of the relationship between science and religion, 13-14 year old pupils were surveyed in one class from each of four English secondary schools, by asking them to rate a set of statements about the relationship between science and religion, and scientific and religious perspectives on the origins of the world, and of life on earth, on the value of prayer and on the status of miracles. The survey revealed diverse views on these issues, reflecting the wider society. However it was found that a considerable proportion of the pupils in the sample considered religious beliefs and scientific perspectives to be opposed. The basis and potential consequences of such views are considered, and the need for more attention to this area of student thinking is highlighted.