Scholastic tradition and Renaissance humanism. Thesaurus.

German idealism: Sources & Influences. Critical reviews. Summaries & Annotations.

Methodological studies. Antique tradition and Patristics.

Сontemporary Philosophical and Theological researches. Site Map

Scientific-Educational Centre of Problems of Religion, Philosophy, Culture to SUAI (Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation) presents "ΕΙΝΑΙ: The Problems of Philosophy and Theology" Volume 1, No. 1/2 (1/2) 2012

Сontemporary Philosophical and Theological researches

• A. N. Isakov. God and Being: Christianity and philosophy - In Russian: Исаков. А. Н. Бог и бытие: христианство и философия - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 190 kb.

  The problem of compatibility of Being and God is a fundamental problem of a tradition making of philosophical knowledge, its dependence on entry conditions which always demand some define in the future in a concrete cultural and historical situation. The modern situation after Heidegger and failure of existential philosophy can be characterized as weakening of Being (Gianni Vattimo's term). Probably, strengthening of idea of God, its role as sense creation factor will be one of consequences of it. But it is obvious that intelligent dialogue between philosophy and Christian theology in the general conceptual field is very actual at present.
  

• A. K. Sekatskiy. The ontological and teological aspects of «not-to-be in a hurry» - In Russian: Секацкий А.К. Неспешность: онтологические и теологические аспекты - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 226 kb.

  The situation of modernity reflects itself as multiplicity of speeds and all kinds of quickness. Conditions of human being are changing according the grows of communication, wanting and art-producing. The most difficult state of Today is «not to be in a hurry», at the same time it is the most important state.
  This article treats some social reasons of such a situation. Special attention is devoted to so called “modern creative activity”.
  

• D. U. Orlov. From constitutive acting towards poiesis: Heidegger's hermeneutic method - In Russian: Орлов Д.У. От конституирования к поэзису: герменевтический метод Хайдеггера - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 262 kb.

  Does anything exist beyond intentional purposes? It is known that Husserl's transcendental philosophy answers to this question in the unambiguously negative way. Heidegger does not accept readily the principle of totality of consciousness, which is introduced by Husserl. Heidegger overcomes the intentionality because of following to the question of being. The article considers some aspects of that shift, which is described as the conversion of the transcendental-phenomenological attitude into the hermeneutic one.

German idealism: Sources and Influences

• V. L. Ivanov. Principium omnium primum: the Significance of the Principle of Contradiction in the Order of Explication of the notio entis in the Ontology of Christian Wolff - In Russian: Иванов В.Л. Principium omnium primum: место принципа противоречия в порядке экспликации понятия сущего в науке онтологии Христиана Вольфа - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 337 kb.

  The article tries to interpret the significance of the first Principle within the ontology by Chr. Wolff and to determine the characteristic features of this science. It describes the place of the Principle of Contradiction in the scientific deduction of notio entis in genere within the first two sections of Ontologia by Wolff. Furthermore it explains the connection between the Principle of Contradiction and the Principle of Sufficient Reason in Wolff. Then the extraordinary significance of the Principle of Contradiction for Wolff is explicated as a kind of indicator for the peculiar understanding of the new science of ontology in order to determine the specific form of Wolff’s modern ontology. To this purpose the significance of the Principle is compared to the role it plays in the scholastic metaphysics (in the 3rd Metaphysical Disputation of Fr. Suarez, SJ). As a result a peculiar displacement of the concept of metaphysics as the rational science that occurs in the Modern Age is identified.
  

• I. A. Protopopov. Problem of the ontological proof and concept of the transcendental ideal in the Kant’s philosophy - In Russian: Протопопов И.А. Проблема онтологического доказательства и понятие о трансцендентальном идеале в философии Канта - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 325 kb.

  The article is dedicated to the problem of ontological proof of the existence of God and concept of the transcendental ideal in the Kant’s philosophy. In contrast to the «Critique of Pure Reason» in the «precritical» period Kant believed that there was theoretical proof of the existence of God. He represents this his proof in the early works as «ontological», to distinguish it from the Cartesian’s argument, which he would call «ontological» only in the «Critique of Pure Reason». Kant’s ontological argument which was established on the basis of general concept of being and of real possibility loses its constitutive significance in the «Critique of Pure Reason» and receives the regulative status of the transcendental ideal.

• V. L. Ivanov. Metaphysica of A.G. Baumgarten within the Tradition of the German School Philosophy of the XVIIIth Century. An Introduction - In Russian: Иванов В.Л. «Метафизика» Баумгартена в традиции немецкой школьной философии XVIII в. Предисловие к переводу - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 390 kb.

  This article plays a role of introduction to the translation of the Preface and the 1st Chapter of Metaphysica by A.G. Baumgarten. It describes the philosopher’s biography, explicates the scientific genre and the stylistic aspects of this opus. Likewise, it shows the German school philosophy of the XVII – XVIII centuries as the context for the creation and reception of this book. The article contains the Baumgarten’s own Synopsis of the Metaphysica. Besides, some specific features of the treatise in Ontologia have been also analysed.
  

• 1st Chapter of Metaphysica by A.G. Baumgarten - In Russian: Александр Готлиб Баумгартен. Метафизика (Предисловие. Пролегомены к метафизике. Часть 1. Онтология: Пролегомены. Гл.1). Пер. М.М. Позднева, В. Л. Иванова, Т. В. Антонова - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 280 kb.

Scholastic tradition and Renaissance humanism

• O. N. Nogovitsin. The conception coincidentia oppositorum and the critics of the Aristotle’s principle of contradiction in the late treatise «On Not-Other» of Nicholas of Cusa - In Russian: Ноговицин О.Н. Концепция coinсidentia oppositorum и критика принципа противоречия Аристотеля в позднем трактате Николая Кузанского «О неином» - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 442 kb.

  In the late treatise «On Not-Other» Nicholas of Cusa undertakes ones again an attempt to think over unthinkable. The name «Not-Other» as he supposes might be the best conductor on this way, because it can express the sense of difference between the final creaturely beings and infinitive creative being. This sense or meaning is constituted by him both before understanding of a First Course with the coincidence of contradictions and before the sphere of application of the principle of contradiction. Epistemological, logical and ontological implications of this paradox are being analyzed in this article in context of the critics by Nicholas of Cusa of the doctrine of Aristotle on contradiction.
  

• V. L. Ivanov. The Question on the intensive Infinity in the Trinity by John Duns Scotus within the Tradition of the theological Quodlibetal questions. An Introduction - In Russian: Иванов В.Л. Вопрос Дунса Скота об интенсивной бесконечности в Троице в контексте истории жанра теологических вопросов Quodlibet. Предисловие к переводу - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 478 kb.

  The article is an introduction to the translation of the V. Quodlibetal question by the Franciscan theologian John Duns Scotus. It explains the structure of the university disputation de quolibet, describes the history of the theological genre Quodlibet in the Middle Ages and situates the Quodlibetal questions of Duns Scotus within this history and his own academic career. Additionally, the main subject matters of the Scotus’s question on the intensive infinity in the divine are identified and the features of the present translation are specified.
  

• Дунс Скот. Какие угодно вопросы. Вопрос V. Есть ли отношение происхождения [в божественном] формально бесконечное. Пер. В. Л. Иванова - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 327 kb.

Antique tradition and Patristics

• M. N. Varlamova. How could be a power without matter? Some words about the power in Aristotle's Physics - In Russian: Варламова М.Н. Есть ли сила без материи? О бесконечной силе в «Физике» Аристотеля - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 214 kb.

  The article is dedicated to the interpretation of the endless power of the first Mover in Aristotle’s Physics. In his analysis the author uses the definition of motion, composition of the movable thing and its origins. The first Mover stands out from a series of physical things because it is deprived of matter. That is why its power as the source of motion of the Sky requires a special interpretation.
  

• Lenka Karfikova. Names and Things according to Eunomius of Cyzicus ang Gregory of Nyssa - In Russian: Карфикова Л. Имена и вещи согласно Евномию Кизическому и Григорию Нисскому. Пер. И. Г. Бея - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 379 kb.

  Polemics between Cappadocian brothers Gregory of Nyssa and Basil of Caesarea and Neo-Arians bishop Eunomius of Cyzicus is one of the most interesting theological disputes of the 4th century, which served to formulate the propositions of Christian orthodoxy. The article does not deal with the theological substance of this polemics in whole, but it considers views of Eunomius and Gregory on the subject of speech's origin. In conclusion it is discussed the meaning of some ancient theories of speech, which were used by both polemical sides for ironic mockery of antagonist's opinions.
  

• V. M. Lurije. Identity of the Human Individual according to John Philoponus: the Physical Body in Space and the Human Body in Resurrection - Part 1 - Лурье В.М. Идентичность человеческой личности по Иоанну Филопону: физическое тело в пространстве и человеческое тело в воскресении. Часть 1. - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 331 kb.

  The difficulty of reconstructing Philoponus' thought concerning the bodily Resurrection resulted from our total dependency on the Cononite sources (the monophysite tritheist party of the opponents of Philoponus): even Timothy of Constantinople (a Chalcedonian) was depending on the Cononite information, too.
  The Cononites understood Philoponus' notion of εἶδος as synonymous to σχῆμα, whereas its real meaning was different (the soul as a separable ἐντελέχεια of the body etc.). Thus, the famous knot from the Cononite anti-Philoponian florilegium, the following Philoponian quotation (about the resurrected bodies):
  ܘܠܐ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܒܡܢܝܢܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܢ ܠܗ̇ܢܘܢ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ܆ ܐܠܐ ܘܠܐ ܫܘ̈ܝܝ ܒܐܕܫܐ ܠܗ̇ܢܘܢ.
  must be cut with an emendation:
  ܘܒܡܢܝܢܐ ܐܚܪ̈ܝܢ ܠܗ̇ܢܘܢ ܕܐܝܬܝܗܘܢ܆ ܐܠܐ ܫܘ̈ܝܝ ܒܐܕܫܐ ܠܗ̇ܢܘܢ.
  

• D. S. Birjukov. Τό ἄπειρον: the aspects of understanding by John Philoponus, the later Platonists and st John Damascene - In Russian: Бирюков Д.С. Τό ἄπειρον: аспекты понимания у Иоанна Филопона, поздних платоников и св. Иоанна Дамаскина - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 324 kb.

  The article is dedicated to analyses of the topic of infinity according to John Philoponus, John Damascenes and members of the Alexandrian Neoplatonist school. It is demonstrated that Aristotelian understanding of infinity which denies the existence of actual infinity and admits the existence of potential infinity, being taken as the background, results in two extreme positions. Firstly, it is Philoponus’ discourse which, based on rejecting of the existence of actual infinity, leads to rejecting of potential infinity as well, for the same reason, that for Philoponus potential infinity is reduced to the actual one. Secondly, it is Damascenes’ discourse which is opposite to the discourse of Philoponus and which admits a discourse of the existence of actual infinity in both Divine and created spheres.
  

• Аммоний, Иоанн Филопон, Симпликий о «бесконечном»-«беспредельном»-«неопределенном». Переводы фрагментов сочинений. Пер. З. А. Барзах - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 229 kb.

Methodological studies

• A. V. Achutin. «Homonymy» in translation of philosophical terms - In Russian: Ахутин А.В. «Омонимия» в переводе философских понятий - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 272 kb.

  Translation of philosophical terms encounters special difficulties. The philosophical concept, on the one hand, is deeply connected with semantics of language in which develops. On the other hand, a subject, which it concerns (“world”, “nature”, “consciousness”, “concept” itselfs…), arises – as if for the first time – in the original logic of speculation and is defined by it. For philosophical systems basically there is no general extraphilosophical thesaurus which could be used for translation. For example, if the Greek words “idea” or “kosmos” is used today for translation of corresponding terms of the Greek philosophy, there is a literal homonymy.

Thesaurus

• A. I. Dovatur. Plato on Aristotle - In Russian: Доватур А.И. Платон об Аристотеле - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 248 kb.

  The paper of Prof. A. I. Dovatur “Plato on Aristotle” (1966) examines Plato’s praise of his pupil preserved in Vita Marciana and Vita Aristotelis Latina, both reflecting ancient biographical tradition according to which Plato called Aristotle’s house “the reader’s house”, and when Aristotle was not present among his listeners he used to say that the “the mind is absent”. Presuming these words to be authentic, Dovatur recognizes the ironic touch in them. He argues that for the follower of Socrates written texts would have little value in contrast to oral dispute; thus Plato could hardly have approved of Aristotle’s passion for reading.
  

• M. M. Pozdnev. Plato on Aristotle. An afterword - In Russian: Позднев М.М. Платон об Аристотеле. Послесловие к публикации - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 177 kb.

  The review of Dovatur’s argument points out various testimonies of Plato’s own fondness of literature and his interest in it shared by the Socrates of his dialogues. The reader’s attention is drawn secondly to the intentions of a biographer, probably a Neo-Platonist, to represent Aristotle as an adherent of Platonic philosophy. Even his great learning is admired in context of this faithfulness to his teacher. The authentic meaning of Plato’s word might well be ironic, but the irony pace Dovatur is called forth not by Aristotle’s wide reading per se, but by his famous scrupulousness, an effect of great erudition that often makes a good student very uncomfortable for a good lecturer.

Critical reviews

• Погоняйло А.Г. – И. А. Протопопов Проблема существования Бога и вопрос о бытии в философии Канта - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 116 kb.
  
• Варламова. М. Н. – A. Aichele. Ontologie des Nicht-Seienden: Aristoteles – Metaphysik der Bewegung - text in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), 143 kb.

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