Emptiness and becoming : integrating Madhyamika Buddhism and process philosophy

Beginning with a comparison of process philosophy and Madhyamika Buddhism -focussing in particular on Charles Hartshorne and Nagarjuna - which seeks to find points of similarity and difference, this thesis goes on to ask whether the differences are disagreements or complementary insights that may be integrated by means of a hermeneutical framework which can facilitate the enrichment of both systems. It is argued that process philosophy's method of creative synthesis and Madhyamika's method of negative dialectics are complementary rather than rival methods, because: (1) the Madhyamika bi-negation of symmetrical internal and external relations is complemented by process philosophy's argument that asymmetrical relations have primacy, which can be integrated into a theory of 'asymmetrical interdependence'; (2) the Madhyamika bi-negation of being and non-being is complemented by process philosophy's argument that becoming has primacy; (3) Madhyamika's emptiness (or openness) and process philosophy's creativity are complementary ideas that can be integrated into a ‘creative emptiness’; (4) Madhyamika's deconstruction of theism and acceptance of a conventional (and thus empty) ‘Cosmic Buddha-Bodhisattva’ and process philosophy's panentheism are complementary and can be integrated in the idea of an ‘empty God’; (5) The creative emptiness and the empty God are two different but complementary ultimates - the ultimate activity and the ultimate actuality; (6) Madhyamika’s two truths -conventional (empty world) and ultimate (emptiness) - can be enriched by expanding the conventional to include ultimate actuality (empty God), and not subordinating the conventional to the ultimate; (7) process philosophy can be similarly enriched by meditating on creative emptiness, which reveals the empty God-world, which is not dominant vis-a-vis creative emptiness. An attempt is made to develop a hermeneutical framework for the comparison and integration of Madhyamika and process thought, which can also be used to construct a general theory of worldviews and a theory of interreligious dialogue. Finally, the practical applications of the integration of process thought and Madhyamika Buddhism are explored, focussing on ethical and socio-political issues and how the integration of the two systems can be used to advantage in these contexts.

The Place of Philosophy in Management

Our purpose is to not to define a particular philosophy of management, but rather to demonstrate some of the ways in which philosophy – ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, logic and æsthetics – contributes to the practice of management. We identify a number of contemporary management questions, procedures or issues where the application of philosophical approaches are relevant, and show how philosophical skills, an understanding of philosophical principles or exposure to philosophical discussion can contribute to improved management practice. In some ways the paper is a report on progress in the quest begun by Nigel Laurie and Christopher Cherry in the first issue of Philosophy of Management, formerly Reason in Practice (2001) when they asked why philosophers have interested themselves so little in the entire field of management. We include some examples where philosophers have written about management, some where managers have shown the direct impact of philosophy on management effectiveness and some where potential remains. In much we see links to process philosophy, and to the need for conversation and reflection by and between managers and philosophers. This does not of itself show how philosophy can contribute to management education. A brief final section discusses the way in which moral creativity skills can be developed through reflection, and describes how this has been done in the Manufacturing Leaders’ Programme at the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge and in the International Management Ethics & Values course taught to undergraduate management students in Adelaide, Singapore and Hong Kong. This will be taken up in a subsequent paper.

Shackle on time, uncertainty and process

This paper is intended both as a contribution to the conceptual work on process in economic thought and as an attempt to connect a non-institutionalist, non-evolutionary thinker to it. The paper has two principal objectives: (i) to delineate a broad, philosophically grounded conception of what an economic process theory (EPT) is; and (ii) to locate the contributions of George Shackle within this broad conception of EPT. In pursuing these two objectives, I hope to draw out the originality and significance of Shackle’s economics with a particular emphasis on what he adds to process conceptions developed within other heterodox traditions such as institutional and evolutionary economics. I will also highlight some of the perceived limitations of Shackle’s approach and link them to the limitations of process philosophy.

Transformações de si: uma leitura dos escritos de Winnicott priorizando processos e relações

Nesta tese, faço uma leitura dos escritos de Winnicott coligada à filosofia de Whitehead apoiada nas afinidades existentes entre estes autores. Realizo uma leitura que, ao contrário do que é usual nas exposições do autor, explicita pressupostos e sistematiza conceitos. Nela, priorizo a abordagem relacional e processual, aprofundo as descrições dos conceitos de self, meio ambiente, saúde, apropriação e transição e chego a delinear uma metapsicologia winnicotiana. A releitura dos processos de transformação de si daí resultantes potencializa a relevância das colocações de Winnicott para a clínica e para a teoria psicanalítica.

Avoir ou ne pas être : la constitution possessive de l'organisation

Thèse réalisée en cotutelle entre le Département de communication de l'Université de Montréal (sous la direction de François Cooren)et le Centre de sociologie des organisation de Sciences Po Paris (Institut d'études politiques de Paris; sous la direction de Bruno Latour).

Filosofia da educação: limites e possibilidades na formação do pedagogo

O presente trabalho trata da Filosofia da Educação, do ponto de vista de suas limitações e possibilidades, como atividade prático-teórica que se debruça sobre os problemas educacionais. A filosofia da educação na formação do educador pode consistir tanto uma solução para problemas educacionais, devido sua perspectiva crítica, como um problema especialmente se não reconhecer seus próprios limites. Assim, o problema que move este estudo diz respeito aos limites da disciplina Filosofia da Educação na formação do pedagogo e as questões que orientam as investigações aqui constituídas são as seguintes: Que possibilidades e que limites tem a Filosofia da Educação na formação do pedagogo? Onde podemos situá-los? O que os teóricos brasileiros dizem a respeito da Filosofia da Educação? E esta, sendo disciplina, como é concebida por seus professores e alunos no Curso de Pedagogia? Com o principal objetivo de analisar a participação da Filosofia da Educação, seus limites e possibilidades na formação do educador, indagando em que ambientes podemos situá-los, tendo em vista que esta disciplina constitui um conjunto de saberes ligado a duas grandes áreas do conhecimento: a Filosofia e a Educação, em suas complexidades, nexos e contradições elegeu-se como principais fonte de pesquisa obras de autores que concebem a educação como processo histórico-social, a filosofia e a filosofia da educação na sua especificidade crítica e reflexiva, assim como os depoimentos de professores e alunos do curso de Pedagogia da Universidade Federal do Pará, Universidade do Estado do Pará e Universidade da Amazônia, na década de 1990, que concederam entrevistas sobre o interesse epistemológico deste estudo. A análise dos dados permitiu observar que os limites, mas também as possibilidades da disciplina Filosofia da Educação são forjadas nas relações entre ela a Educação, a Filosofia, e prática educativa de professores e alunos e as contradições tecidas no contexto teórico e prático destas áreas de saber, em função das necessidades e das contingências a que elas são submetidas no contexto social e histórico.

A música e o devir

Process philosophies focus on becoming and often have recourse to the musical metaphor. Becoming is whole and indivisible. Bergson’s notion of durée coincides with the Whiteheadian notion of process. Becoming is duration. Every being is temporal; its very essence is temporality. The unveiling of each being is durational and has its own particular temporality; every creature’s individualization is in accordance with its own particular way of enduring. A melody is also whole and indivisible; its very meaning relates to its whole, undivided temporality. A note of music is nothing at an instant; the wholeness of its being thoroughly defines it.

Roland Reichenbach / Norbert Ricken / Hans-Christoph Koller (Hrsg.): Erkenntnispolitik und die Konstruktion pädagogischer Wirklichkeiten (Schriftenreihe der Kommission Bildungs- und Erziehungsphilosophie in der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft). Paderborn: Schöningh 2011 [Rezension]

Rezension von: Roland Reichenbach / Norbert Ricken / Hans-Christoph Koller (Hrsg.): Erkenntnispolitik und die Konstruktion pädagogischer Wirklichkeiten (Schriftenreihe der Kommission Bildungs- und Erziehungsphilosophie in der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft). Paderborn: Schöningh 2011 (179 S.; ISBN 978-3-5067-6984-8)

Un aporte a la comprensión de las estrategias emergentes en las organizaciones a través del concepto de improvisación y la metáfora musical

Este trabajo se inscribe en uno de los grandes campos de los estudios organizacionales: la estrategia. La perspectiva clásica en este campo promovió la idea de que proyectarse hacia el futuro implica diseñar un plan (una serie de acciones deliberadas). Avances posteriores mostraron que la estrategia podía ser comprendida de otras formas. Sin embargo, la evolución del campo privilegió en alguna medida la mirada clásica estableciendo, por ejemplo, múltiples modelos para ‘formular’ una estrategia, pero dejando en segundo lugar la manera en la que esta puede ‘emerger’. El propósito de esta investigación es, entonces, aportar al actual nivel de comprensión respecto a las estrategias emergentes en las organizaciones. Para hacerlo, se consideró un concepto opuesto —aunque complementario— al de ‘planeación’ y, de hecho, muy cercano en su naturaleza a ese tipo de estrategias: la improvisación. Dado que este se ha nutrido de valiosos aportes del mundo de la música, se acudió al saber propio de este dominio, recurriendo al uso de ‘la metáfora’ como recurso teórico para entenderlo y alcanzar el objetivo propuesto. Los resultados muestran que 1) las estrategias deliberadas y las emergentes coexisten y se complementan, 2) la improvisación está siempre presente en el contexto organizacional, 3) existe una mayor intensidad de la improvisación en el ‘como’ de la estrategia que en el ‘qué’ y, en oposición a la idea convencional al respecto, 4) se requiere cierta preparación para poder improvisar de manera adecuada.

Philosophy in process.

Vol. 7, pt. 2- has imprint: Albany : State University of New York Press.