Self-Realization

Science is a field of study based on the Newtonian paradigm of objective, measurable and provable facts pioneered by experts such as Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Francis Bacon, and others (Darity, Jr., 2008). Because of this experts of the scientific professions tend toward negating subjective evidence for truth that is not based on procedures that follow the scientific method. Spirituality, on the other hand, is a study of the non-linear, abstract and experiential reality of one’s existence. Practitioners within this field (e.g. spiritual counselors, yoga teachers, meditation guides, Chinese medicine) frequently provide articles and lectures of successful treatments of a variety of forms of disease as proof of evidence that practices, such as acupuncture, work (Stern, 2014) while others still continue to argue against its validity.

The purpose of this article is to provide explanations through consciousness research including reasons why spiritual and Eastern healing practices can never be “provable” in the context of evidence-based, or empirical research, though providing evidence in the form of validity experientially in numbers. It is the authors hope to provide sufficient explanations for the reader that he or she may begin to observe and witness for oneself the appropriateness of context in providing evidence as proof or validity for science and spirituality.

Keywords: consciousness, context, evidence-based, provability, science, spirituality, validity

The relationship between self‐realization, and so what I really wholeheartedly endorse and owe to myself, and morality or what we owe to others is normally thought of as antagonism, or as a pleasant coincidence: only if I am indebted to such relations as my fundamental projects that I care wholeheartedly about does morality have a direct connection to self‐realization. The aim of this article is to argue against this picture. It will be argued that the structure of self‐realization and the caring activity involved commits the person to values that are beyond the object of his wholehearted caring, in a way that might just pave the way to morality.

Depression is emerging as one of the major threats to public health in the 21st century. Yet, unexpectedly few studies have looked into how defining features of late modernity, like increased complexity, detraditionalization and individualization, may upset young people’s subjectivation, well-being and mental
health. This study provides qualitative interviews with seven Norwegian young adults between 20 and 31 years that have experienced a bout of depression. The results reveal that failure to live up to perceived standards and ideals of contemporary Western neoliberal culture of the sovereign, self-governing
individual, in total control of all aspects of life, looms large over their heads. However, there were also more personal unique themes about bullying and genetic dispositions for depression that suggest that sociocultural theories about late modern life
as producing conditions for depression must be interpreted in line with more individual biographic and biological factors.

The aim of the research is to explicate the importance of understanding bio-centric equality in the process of Self-realization. It focuses on how the 17 th century Western concept of Selfrealization, through the process of individuation emphasizing human beings as separate entities, detached from other human and non-human aspects, has induced a selfish nature. Alice Walker's famous novel The Color Purple has been chosen to explore the importance of an alternate reality of a biophilic narrative with regards to the process of Self-realization. Rosemary Radford Ruether's concepts of "Gaia" and the "Human Consciousness and Altruism" are employed on the text by Alice Walker.

PERSONAL LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATIONS FOLLOWING
THE TRAUMATIC WAR EXPERIENCE
The personal landscape transformations are defined as the territory of a person's life, which has special dynamics, structural and functional characteristics, meaningful filling. In addition to specifying the landscape concept, the task was to determine the types of landscapes of combatants after returning from the war. The sample consisted of 91 combatants, higher education cadets, and volunteers. We used the written narrative method of the proposed scheme, a conversation, and a focused one-on-one interview. As a result, post-traumatic combatants' narratives consisted of war-related injuries (41.9%); family treason (24.7%); losses suffered in peacetime (23.5%); other difficult life situations (9.9%).
The following criteria for determining the type of landscape have been developed: meaningfulness of the past; assessment of the present; a vision of the future; value dominant. There is considered the value-semantic configuration of the individual`s life as an integral indicator of the landscape. The following types of landscapes have been identified: a) existential (differs from the unwillingness to rethink the traumatic past; to assess the present adequately; the inability to construct the future; the dominant for survival); b) family (distinguished by a good understanding of the past; adequate assessment of the present; detailed construction of the future; dominant of meaningful relationships); c) service (differs from family primarily by the criterion of dominant value - to be useful to the state, the fight against the aggressor, the army); d) self-realization (differs in the main value of self-development); e) pragmatic (distinguished by the major value of career advancement).
The most common landscapes are existential and family landscapes (25.0% each); in second place is landscapes of service and self-realization (17.3% each); on the third - pragmatic (13.6%). The hypothesis according to which the direct participation of military personnel in hostilities can act as a trigger for changing the personal landscape is confirmed.

On the one hand, it is commonly agreed that we make choices in which we are guided by a core of personal commitments, wishes, feelings, etc. that we take to express who we are. On the other, it is commonly agreed that some of these ‘existential’ choices constitute who we are. When confronting these two matters, the question of agency inevitably arises: Whether and in what sense can we choose ourselves? The paper will argue for a new perspective on existential choice.

Psychological support is considered as a mediator of constructive personality transformations, which is a specially organized activity aimed at restoring and maintaining psychological health, professional self-realization, and deepening relations with a significant environment. It was determined that the results of the support are determined by activity, determination, responsibility, mutual tolerance of the parties to the accompanying interaction. The stages of support were analyzed: diagnostic-targeted, operational-instrumental, community-communicative, assessment and correction. Indicators of the effectiveness of support are determined: increase in the level of psychological well-being of the accompanying person, enhancement of community, dialogue, mutual tolerance of interaction between the recipient and agents; stimulating the involvement of the recipient in the joint work, his responsibility, empathy, optimism. Support strategies that can be used to obtain additional resources for restoring psychological health are disclosed: a strategy to overcome feelings of loneliness, alienation; a strategy for integrating traumatic experiences through new interpretations of what has been experienced; a strategy for testing new ways of engaging with the environment, a media strategy for improving self-regulation and self-efficacy.

This chapter examines the interactions between artistic critique on capitalism and the social change, focusing on the normative role of artists in the context of "network capitalism" and the imperative to creativity in the "Creative Age" (Florida). Drawing on recent debates about capitalism, critique, and crisis prompted by Boltanski and Chiapello's seminal work The New Spirit of Capitalism (2005) and other subsequent interventions, as well as on the notion of "critique" supported by Foucault, the author reconsiders artists' role in the normative change through artistic critique on capitalism. Thus are shown both its paradoxical consequences in terms of the emergence of new norms of excellence and creative lifestyles, adaptable, hyper-mobile and flexible, and artists' divergent contribution to redevelop a particular sense of self-realization and self-fulfilment.

Personal fulfilment depends upon knowledge of one's identity. A person discovers her identity by trial and error. The experimentation and critical evaluation that are indispensable for that are inhibited by various strands of the currently trendy " identity politics. " I identify and criticise six errors: that self-identification determines identity; that one discovers one's identity by looking inward; that a person's identity is substantially determined by her inherited culture; that one can discover one's identity through consciousness-raising; that criticism or microaggression undermines a person's identity; and that cultural appropriation is objectionable. I give an example from my own search for my identity to illustrate how each of the six errors subverts self-discovery and puts obstacles in the way of human fulfilment.

We know that we are, but what and why we are, that we do not know. What is the true nature of the Self? The term Self-Realization indicates the awareness of our true nature. This paper shows the direct way to Self-Realization. It also shows how to avoid the many sidetracks that are involved in the quest.

University of Luxembourg
Faculté de Lettres, des Sciences Humaines, des Arts, et des Sciences de l’Éducation

EXPLORING LEARNING PROCESSES WITHIN A COLLABORATIVE STUDY CIRCLE
Cultural-historical activity theory perspective on individual and social transformation

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master in Learning and Development in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts

Master académique - Master of Arts

1. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Charles MAX
2. Supervisor: Study director Dr. Gudrun ZIEGLER
Presented by Jean-Marie NAU
February 2012
Members of the Jury: Professors Charles Max, Georges Steffgen, Thierry Dubreuilh (external expert), Anola Bracaj (student expert)
 
Abstract (721 words)
The purpose of this study is to explore learning processes within a collaborative study group, engaged on a path of individual and social transformation, with the perspective of cultural-historical activity theory. The topic opens up a window on processes in learning communities beyond school-related education. The objective is to gain insights how learning takes place in the activity, what the tools are that the participants use in the activity, how these tools guide their learning, and how the participants’ multivoicedness influences the learning process,.
Research as a process
Scientific method as a truth seeking endeavour is interpretive, and demands clarity about the basic set of beliefs that guides action, and the interpretive framework that contains the ontological, epistemological, and methodological premises.
The two-fold moral purpose of any human being - to develop their latent potentialities through efforts to contribute to the advancement of civilization, - constitutes the core element of a conceptual framework that governs Bahá’í educational activity.
This research presents a modest contribution to explore a tiny facet and fragment of social reality, and is not a description of the world as it is. The study represents one perspective on social reality, a reality that is whole.
History is not just a series of events, but develops. Humanity as an organic entity evolves, in its collective life, towards maturity, and the distinguishing attribute of this maturity is the unification of the human race.
Participants and research instruments
The unit of analysis consists of a group of five participants who start a course on how to provide children, aged five to eight, moral, spiritual, and values-based training. The data collected includes five video-recorded group sessions and interviews, written questionnaires, notes, and a number of documents, which include primary texts, written by the central authors and institutions of the Bahá’í community, by individuals or Bahá’í inspired organisations.
The concept of learning is applied to the individual and social plane. The analysis at the micro-level is referring to individual utterances and joint conversations. References are made to acquisition and participation approaches and their interconnectedness.
I use activity theory to frame the analysis and discourse analysis to analyze the data. Activity theory states, that a collective activity, with the basic purpose shared by others, is undertaken by people who are motivated by a purpose or towards the solution of a problem, which is mediated by tools, used in order to achieve an outcome.
When we communicate, we may strive for clarity, but we are always situated in an historical context and what we say is influenced by our multivoicedness. Reflecting on what people have said and written, and thereby discovering meaning and interpretation is the basis of discourse analysis.
Findings & Implications
The study shows how learning takes place through a complex interaction between all of the elements in the activity system. Nine distinct instances offer insights that this particular type of collaborative activity encourages and promotes the exchange of questions, ideas, experiences, thoughts and knowledge among participants.
The study shows that participants negotiate tools given by the content-based curriculum and suggests that participants in a collaborative learning activity focus on their objectives and outcome, and thus choose, define and appropriate themselves suitable tools. Several mediating artefacts, tools and signs were used by the participants and shaped their learning.
The study circle observed is at the beginning of its historicity. Study circles are developing with their own historicity in different contexts and cultures, and influence the way participants learn. As participants bring in their historicity and multivoicedness, they influence the learning activity. There is interconnectedness and mutual influence between participants and the learning activity.
The study shows how participants bring into the activity their multivoicedness and historicity. Most of these voices help the participants towards reaching their objective and outcome.
In the analysis of the 21 excerpts, I identified 32 voices that participants bring into the activity, collected into seven interacting and overlapping categories.
I suggest that participants, engaged in collaborative learning activities, raise their awareness that their multivoicedness influences their learning.
The study suggests that the existence and deliberate creation of certain conditions among participants in a learning activity influence the learning process. They include mutual trust, honesty, unity, a welcoming and encouraging attitude, a respect for the opinion of others, adopting a humble learning attitude, humour, and taking ownership of one’s learning.
Keywords: cultural-historical activity theory, mediating artefacts, learning, development, historicity, multivoicedness.
DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4135.4244

Tolsztojtól származik az a mondás, amely szerint a boldog családoknak nincs története, nem lehet belőle regényt írni, mind egyformák. Ennek az Anna Kareninából származó gondoltnak manapság számtalan változata elterjedt, főként az angolszász kultúrában, és legismertebb példája ezt az egyes emberekre szűkíti (Boldog embereknek nincs története – Happy people have no history).
Csíkszentmihályi Mihály boldogságkutatásai ezt a tézist némileg cáfolni látszanak, hiszen, mint ahogy rámutat az optimális élmények eléréséhez negatív tapasztalatok megélése és belsővé tétele ugyanúgy fontos, mint a pozitív események maximális megtapasztalása (CSÍKSZENTMIHÁLYI 2001).
A vizsgálathoz olyan személyeket igyekeztem megkeresni, akik az általános vélekedések szerint igen önmegvalósító embereknek számítanak, vagy legalábbis határozottan törekszenek erre, folyamatosan keresik az új impulzusukat életútjuk során. A kutatás nagyobb részét a kvantitatív, kérdőívekkel felvett adatok elemzése képezi, majd egy rövid kvalitatív kifejtésben vázolom a szubjektív meglátásaimon alapuló eredményeket, és ismertetem a vizsgálatban részt vevő személyek gondolatait.

A person's own inner most awareness and the movements within their awareness field bring forth their direct personal experience of their cosmological archetypal field of awareness. This spontaneous event is given to us within the archetypal realm of awareness. The archetypal dimension manifests itself as us, and reveals itself to us through our experience of its self-manifestation.

Shashi Deshpande is one of the brightest stars in the august galaxy of contemporary Indian women writers who in her various works has depicted the contemporary middle class women’s outer and inner world with rare acumen and insight. The present study is an attempt to show how the multi-layered ‘silence’ is used by her protagonist as a strategy to survive, understand and realize her identity and self-respect, as also to establish and assert her status, role and contribution in the domestic and social domains. That Long Silence (1989) is a modern novel, revolving around its central protagonist Jaya, who is in search for her ‘self’ in a tradition bound society. The present paper is an honest attempt to show how patriarchy hampers woman’s assertion and tries to oppress her in each and every possible way; and how a woman projects herself as a subject and refuses to live her life in a servile manner. The paper beautifully traces the journey of Jaya, the protagonist from suppression to self-realization.
Keywords: Patriarchy, Silence, Suppression, Self-realization
Introduction

This presentation is based on a traditional Indian parable about the relationship between a spiritual seeker and his or her spiritual teacher. In the original myth the seeker cannot believe that he or she is actually spiritual and strong. The spiritual teacher is to convince the student that he or she is potentially pure spirit and invincible. The imagery used is that of a senior, wise and deeply spiritual lion, the symbol of fearlessness and strength, who meets another, younger soul who is a young and inexperienced, inherently strong and fearless like a lion, but is under the impression that he is weak and silly like a sheep.

When we grow and develop in our lives, we do so by interacting with others and demonstrating different versions of ourselves.

What happens when the ideal self and the real self are not close to each other?
How does conditional positive regard affect children?
Describe locus of control and differentiate between internal and external locus of control.

CSI's course requirement for A.A. in Library and Information Science degree program.

The humanistic perspective on personality emphasizes the individualized qualities of optimal well-being and the use of creative potential to benefit others, as well as the relational conditions that promote those qualities as the outcomes of healthy development. The humanistic perspective serves as an alternative to mechanistic and/or reductionistic explanations of personality based on isolated, static elements of observable behavior (e.g., traits) or self-concept.

la possibilità di influssi orientali sulla nascita della filosofia è respinta da Zeller con due ordini di considerazioni: 1) tale opinione era stata sostenuta per la prima volta «non da Greci ma da rIFerIMeNtI BIBlIoGrAFICI I riferimenti nel testo sono indicati dall'autore e dall'anno di pubblicazione per le opere moderne, e dal titolo per le opere antiche. Per le opere straniere, di cui è disponibile l'edizione italiana, il riferimento è a tale edizione, negli altri casi è all'edizione in lingua originale e la traduzione è mia. Salvo diversa indicazione in nota a piè di pagina, la traduzione dei dialoghi di Platone e delle Upani≤ad è tratta rispettivamente da Platone, Tutti gli scritti, a cura di G. reale e collaboratori, Bompiani, Milano, 2000, e Upani≤ad, a cura di raphael, Bompiani, Milano, 2010.

S pesso si è portati a credere che l'interesse per la metafisica tradizionale o filosofia autorealizzativa coincida con un'evasione dai problemi contingenti e un disinteresse dalla problematica sociale e politica. Ma se è vero che la maggior parte di coloro che sono impegnati politicamente e socialmente raramente si interessa all'autorealizzazione, non è detto che sia anche vero l'inverso, e cioè che chi prioritariamente si dedica alla ricerca del Sé e dell'armonia interiore sia insensibile al problema politico e all'armonia sociale. "Ogni sincero e pratico Ricercatore non è mai fuori dalla società ma profondamente dentro" dice Raphael in Quale democrazia? (p. 107), un libro pubblicato per la prima volta più di trent'anni fa, con il titolo La Filosofia dell'Essere, e più volte riedito, come si dovrebbe fare sempre con i libri il cui valore non invecchia.

This essay is an exposition of the inner journey through the unconscious and the process of self-realization. The sections in this essay are: the inner journey, the hero’s journey, the psyche, the call, dark night of the soul, dream symbols, individuation, the Self, synchronicity and Self-realization.

radically different in their paths to self-realization, conceptions of the divine, and attitudes to worldly life. Ramana taught the practice of self-enquiry (vichara) as means to realization of the Self, and is widely seen as exemplifying the Hindu spiritual tradition of jnana-marg, 3 the 'path of knowledge.' Though Gandhi is often remembered chiefly as a political figure, he asserted regularly that his political work was a mere means for him to realize God or Absolute Truth, and he thus exemplifies the karma-marg, the spiritual 'path of action.' In exploring these two figures'

Philosophy of Science and Science of Philosophy

Abstract
The form less God and Soul are subject of philosophical/ theological discussion. The history goes back to the six systems of philosophy and Religion. It starts from the worship of natural deities, and leads to monism.
God is one has a prominent place. The transmigration of Soul has given it a unique place. The conflict has started with literary discussion on the theories of formless God and Soul on physical plane, and transmigration of Soul.
The Brahma, God is the cosmic principle, and the Soul is life principle, both are same, and beyond perception of human senses. Hence it is the matter of self realization, just like magnetism induces magnetism in iron, in the same way the cosmic principle induces its replicates. The life on the earth is its higher form with evolution and complexity in nature. Hence it has been said that God and Soul are one and the same without attribute and character.
The creation has evolved from a single ancestor with combination of fundamental energy and nature. It is the combination of fundamental energy and primeval matter- micro-nature. It has generated the biodiversity with evolution. The fundamental energy and nature are infinite and eternal.
Transmigration
The immortal DNA is the part of nature, and is blue chip of life. It has been described as bio-Soul. The immortal words stimulate the language on the DNA. The metabolism is the source of consciousness. They appear with birth in the womb as hereditary life principle, and disappear with death.
Key words- God; Bio-soul; DNA; Eternal life principle; Transmigration

At the outset of 21st century we are passing through a critical period struggling between best possibilities and worst possibilities. The humankind is facing a crisis of faith at global level, which is manifold and multidimensional. It calls for a paradigm shift in our value perception and radical rethinking on our age old fundamental values of life, above faith in a scientific world.
RELIGION AND SCIENCE A GLOBAL VILLAGE
The advance of science quantum theory to Higgs field and single unified force has now become easily assessable to consider the world as a singular nest – biosphere. The Vedic contemporary expression ‘Global village’ needs to evaluate afresh. The man is part of nature. It is time when forces of unity and harmony can triumph, and marvel of science and technology can be used to ameliorate human sufferings and ensure quality of life. It requires to explored symphony which is at once both ancient and modern as identity of life, and our heritage.

The human mind is central to comprehend and manoeuvre the natural world. Though it is the crown expression of Nature in the mortal world, it is inherently inconsistent. It is often captivated by many animalistic habits. One of the animalistic habits of mind is its fickleness. Sikh theology emphasizes that one must learn how to control and transform one's mind to come out of this condition. An individual can do so by diverting his/her mind from its feral inclinations and turning it to the mind's innate longing for spiritual enlightenment. Sikh doctrines assert that the contemplation on God (imbibing love of God in one's life) helps restrain the mind and attain self-realization and everlasting equipoise. Sikh theology asserts that the human mind is central to comprehend and manoeuvre the natural world and human evolution. It argues that human life is an opportunity to harness/transform the mind to achieve self-realization and live a quality life. However, the human mind is often captivated by many animalistic habits. Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), the sacred Sikh scripture [1], points out this situation as "Kartoot pasoo ki Manas jaat." Meaning: Although human beings belong to the homo-sapiens class, their traits are those of subhuman animals. (M. 5, SGGS, p. 267) One of the animalistic habits of mind is its fickleness. It is the primary cause of unhappiness and failure in achieving our prescribed life goals. SGGS emphasizes that one must learn how to control and transform one's mind to come out of this condition. An individual can do so by diverting his/her mind from its feral inclinations and turning it to the mind's innate longing for spiritual enlightenment. By cultivating an attitude of compassion and contentment, one can harness one's mind.

Изследванията върху личността (напр. на невробиологията, еволюционната биология или генетиката) не успяват да представят понятието за личност в неговата пълнота и остават външни за разбирането му. Тези научни дисциплини могат единствено да посочат основни елементи във формирането на личността, но на тях винаги ще им лисва цялостното разбиране за това какво личността, напълно развитото човешко същество, е. Единствено през едно по-обхватно понятие за личност изследователите биха били в състояние да посочат актуалните условия за формирането на личността и какво всъщност представлява тя.
В своята книга No Two Alike: Human Nature and Human Individuality Джудит Харис се фокусира върху уникалността на личностите и формирането на различията помежду им. Според американската психоложка причините за оформянето на уникални личности не се крият в детството на личността, нейното възпитание и социалните групи, в които попада, а притежават вътрешно-психологически измерения.
Възгледите на Харис за формирането на личността намират своето място в полето на философската антропология, в която личността е представена като себе-създаваща се на базата на проект за своето бъдеще, който бива реализиран чрез лични избори и преодоляването на социалния ѝ контекст. Понятието за личност притежава в по-висока степен социални и психологически отколкото физиологически и биологически измерения. Нещо повече, акцентът на себеактуализацията е вътрешен за личността мотив за нейното поведение.
В тези граници целта на настоящия текст е анализирането на теорията за уникалните личности на Джудит Харис и нейното доразвиване с оглед на възможността за формиране на по-пълно философско-антропологическо понятие за личност.

This article is devoted to different approaches that describe the problem of self-realization. The paper presents the essence of self-realization. The publication focuses on the model of self-realization that consists of levels (low, medium, high) and criteria of self-realization.

We habitually think of our Self as a conscious agent operating largely in terms of how we consciously experience those operations. However, psychological and neuroscientific findings suggest that mental operations that seem to be initiated by the conscious Self are largely preconscious or unconscious.  In this paper I examine how these aspects of the Self and its operations combine in the exercise of free will—and suggest that the conscious wishes, choices and decisions that we normally associate with “conscious free will” result from preconscious processes that provide a form of “preconscious free will”.  The conscious experiences associated with other so-called “conscious processing” in complex tasks such as speech perception and production, reading and thinking, also result from preconscious processing—which  requires a more nuanced analysis of how conscious experiences relate to the processes with which they are most closely associated. We need to distinguish processes that are conscious a) in the sense that we are conscious of them, b) in the sense that they result in a conscious experience, and c) in the sense that consciousness plays a causal role in those processes.  We also examine how consciousness enables real-ization: it is only when one experiences something for oneself that it becomes subjectively real. Together, these findings suggest that Self has a deeper architecture.  Although the real-ized aspects of the Self are the consciously experienced aspects, these are just the visible “tip” of a far more complex, embedding preconscious/unconscious ground.

I offer a personal case-study to show how poor self-knowledge due in part to self-deception led to wasted life, a life lacking in meaning, and descent into severe anxiety and depression. A meaningful human life connects with things of value outside of itself and provides fulfilment for its bearer. For humans, fulfilment depends upon self-discovery, which requires a process of conjecture and refutation, a willingness to question and criticise received views and to welcome challenges and criticism to views that one holds dear and that may seem to be part of one's identity. When one pursues an organised project of self-discovery, living one's life is intertwined with drafting a philosophical autobiography.

The aim of this paper is to provide a philosophical analysis of the relationship between self-realization and social recognition on the basis of a view that I characterize as “pragmatist.” According to this view, an individual realizes herself to the extent that she acts for the sake of establishing rational and dynamic interactions with her natural and social environment. Focusing on the social sphere, I show that we can interpret such interactions as relations of mutual recognition between an individual, who thus receives the ontological and ethical status of personhood, and an environment, which thereby acquires the normative and institutional features of society. Insofar as interactions with the surrounding reality are constitutive of a person’s self-realization, and not mere conditions of possibility, I finally suggest that we conceive of the problem of human flourishing in terms not only of the “good life” but also of the “good world.”

В статті розглядаються проблеми творчості та самореалізації особистості. Досліджується їх роль у розвитку особистості в ранньому юнацькому віці, аналізуються прояви творчих здібностей і особливості самореалізації, їх характеристики та взаємозв'язки. Теоретично і експериментально обґрунтовується, що процес творчості і самореалізації є однією з умов формування гармонійної особистості.

Drawing from Alan Watts’s philosophy of paradox, this essay aims to articulate an integrative framework of ontological paradox (i.e., that all aspects of existence feature distinct and integral dimensions). The metaphysical tenet of separation, which undergirds scientific materialism and denies humanity’s embedded place in the world, is merely one pattern of participating in such a paradox. What then are the different types of ways, beyond a materialistic ontology, in which individuals can relate to and participate in the ever-evolving whole of existence (and whole of themselves)? Spanning the fields of philosophy, science, psychology, religion, and mysticism, this integrative inquiry seeks to reconcile and synthesize a broad range of orientations to ontological paradox into a greater frame of reference. The result is the limb and pillar matrix. Providing an alienation-integration spectrum that applies to both internal/micro paradox (i.e., the relation of one’s self to oneself) and external/macro paradox (i.e., the relation of self to the cosmic whole), the limb and pillar matrix consists of five key questions or “pillars” and seven “limbs” or patterns of participating in paradox. The pillars of paradox relate to (a) the existence and (b) resolvability of ontological paradox, as well as (c) access, (d) progressive resolution, and (e) stabilization of resolution (i.e., full integration). The limbs of paradox establish seven multivalent participatory patterns: ignorance, denial, deferment, bypass, transcendence, resolution, and dissolution.

In this article, we explain, explore, and problematize the formation, organization, leadership, and daily educational life of the first (to our knowledge) international democratic university of students (UniS) in the 21st century. UniS is run by the students, for the students, and with the students for their diverse purposes, desires, interests, and needs. A student is anyone who freely chooses to study something for whatever reason. Everyone can become a student at any time without any high school credits, fees, bureaucracy, tests, or any other form of human suffering. But what exactly is UniS? Why students? What if…? How can one visualize UniS, which is "so vague, so bizarre, so unnecessary to me!" What are its philosophical principles? Who are we? What does the University of Students look like? In the spirit of curiosity, wonder, leisure, fun, freedom, and love for learning, we invite the reader to attend and connect with two working edu-clubs of UniS: a movie club "Schooling Around the World and Time" and an "Educationalist Club." In addition, we discuss some of the main issues, limitations, and challenges, including the civilization of the necessities, colonization of the human spirit by the economy, a lack of genuine leisure, and toxification of the human by foisted education. The open-ended, poetic conclusion lets the readers form their own interpretations, ideas, questions, and answers about UniS. What is the future of UniS? And only time will tell, 10, 100 years later or 100 light-years from now.

My first attempt in studying Chinese Philosophy. This paper was submitted for my Term Paper I subject at St. Thomas of Villanova Institute of Philosophy. It may not be as scholarly as the other papers, but I hope that it can help you in anyway possible.

Confucius was deeply concerned with the world he was living in during his time because he feared that the learnings he believed in have not been properly transmitted to the people. This is why he taught many people and influenced them with teachings from the Zhou Dynasty. His goal for educating many people is for them to realize themselves, to unlock their potential and to be virtuous or benevolent persons, capable of respect, loyalty and love despite the limitations that each person possesses, since he also dreamt of a non-chaotic society. His process to self-realization is a long process of educating the human person in order to realize his nature which is founded in goodness. He says that influential people, like high officials, have a great part to play in helping other persons to realize themselves simply by being a good exemplar that follows rules and has right and civilized conduct. Confucius teaches from a moral standpoint.

This paper seeks to expose Confucius’ view on education as means for people to achieve self-realization which will, eventually, lead them to be upright and moral people capable of respect, loyalty and love. It exposes the different kinds of students that Confucius had, the teachings taught by Confucius, how Confucius defined education and self-realization, and how Confucius dealt with education as a process for a person to realize his or her potential and goodness.

La tesis pretende reconstruir críticamente la reflexión realizada por el filósofo estadounidense Harry G. Frankfurt a partir de los años 1960 sobre las fuentes de la normatividad práctica. No es descabellado caracterizar los múltiples caminos que ha recorrido la obra de Frankfurt desde sus comienzos como el cauce horadado en su incesante búsqueda de dar una respuesta a la pregunta: “¿qué es ser una persona?”. Los senderos seguidos, así como los trazados, permiten ubicar a Frankfurt como promotor o comentarista destacado en las discusiones filosóficas más relevantes sobre la libertad de la voluntad, la responsabilidad moral, la normatividad práctica, la teoría de la acción o la teoría de los ideales llevadas a cabo en los últimos cuarenta años, particularmente en el ámbito de la filosofía anglo-sajona o analítica. El documento se articula en torno de la descripción y profundización de un conjunto de conceptos teóricos que en parte han ido sustituyéndose y en parte solapándose: estas nociones son las de “jerarquía de deseos”, “identificación”, “preocupaciones”, “importancia” y, de forma privilegiada, “amor”. Mediante la reconstrucción de estos puntos centrales así como de las principales críticas y complementos a su teoría que surgen en el ámbito de la filosofía analítica, la tesis pretende probar que la interpretación que mejor rescata y articula las diversas dimensiones elaboradas en la completa extensión de la obra de Frankfurt es aquella que supone a la persona como un agente que, en su inherente mundanidad, se autorrealiza mediante el procedimiento de amar. Es decir, la investigación busca mostrar que el conjunto de elementos conceptuales aportados por el filósofo estadounidense adquieren un sentido más acabado si no se los entiende como parte de una teoría compleja de la autonomía o de la responsabilidad moral, sino como parte de una novedosa perspectiva de la autorrealización (al menos en el ámbito analítico). Este punto de vista centrado en un modelo formal o procedimental de autorrealización, casi ausente en los estudios críticos analizados en el documento y apenas sugerida por el propio Frankfurt, es la aproximación que permite zurcir –no de forma invisible pero tampoco estropeando el tejido- la descripción de la voluntad como reflexiva (estipulada a partir de los textos publicados en la década de 1970), la caracterización de las personas como sujetos que no pueden dejar de ser activos (presentada a partir de las obras de fines de 1980 y comienzos de 1990), la centralidad de las relaciones de amor para fundamentar la normatividad práctica (desarrollada a partir de la década de 1990) y la sugerencia de que la preocupación por hacer las distinciones pertinentes (en particular entre la verdad y la falsedad) es la condición de posibilidad de la agencia en los contextos donde el conocimiento es el objetivo de la práctica (elaborada con detalle en el conjunto de artículos escritos por Frankfurt sobre la noción de “bullshit” o charlatanería). Con estos elementos, la tesis original de este documento es que la obra de Frankfurt puede leerse como una teoría sobre las precondiciones para considerar a un sujeto una persona y las condiciones procedimentales para su autorrealización.

The lucidity of awareness is experienced directly through the doorway of our subjectivity as our own innermost awareness. As we gaze into our own interiority we can experience the unfolding of the manifestation of this field of radiance and this lucidity of awareness. The invisible field of luminous knowingness becomes experientially visible. Lucidity of Phenomena Experientially visible means seeing the flashes of light, sensing light, experiencing the presence of the radiance within us and beyond us. Experiencing the presence of the radiance means feeling the luminous experience of the light and the energy of the light in everything and anything, in anyone and everyone. As we experience the visibility of luminous knowingness within us as us, we are empowered to experience the manifestation of the lucidity within the appearance of all phenomena. Lucidity is not only within us but within all phenomena, all appearance has lucidity and all appearance is lucidity. All phenomena are the manifestation of primordial radiance. When we are experiencing the radiance of phenomenon, our inner light is meeting the outer light, and thus there is only one indivisible light. In truth there is only primordial luminous radiance that is manifesting our mind, our body and our innermost awareness, as well as the infinitely vast universal context of phenomena that we are placed within in time and in space. Our capacity to experience the radiance of the field of awareness within our own embodied subjectivity opens for us the ability to gaze into the subjectivity of all phenomena. By gazing into our own subjectivity there arises this intersubjective gaze that is direct and inside to inside. This intersubjective gaze allows us to experience the luminous openness of all phenomena and context. This intersubjective gaze opens the innermost openness of all phenomena. Subjectivity is the openness of our being to Being itself within all beings.

The paper presents the results of theoretical studies of self-realization. This article is devoted to different approaches that describe the problem of self-realization in the modern world. The publication focuses on external and internal hurdles that prevent a person to realize his-/herself in personal and professional life.

Research Objective: the article discusses the mutual influence of professional self-realization and the psychological well-being of specialists of caring professions. Methodology: correlation and comparative analysis in different professional groups of specialists. The study involved 465 volunteers with work experience of 3 to 40 years: teachers, doctors, medical personnel, psychologists of state and private enterprises. Several standardized self-reports were used to collect data: Ryff's Scales of Psychological Well-being, Professional Burnout Questionnaire, Kokun's Professional Self-Fulfilment Questionnaire, Gura's Workplace Satisfaction Self-assessment Survey, Tkalych's Work-Life Balance additional scale. The use of the open questions allowed clarifying some phenomenological manifestations of professional self-realization among specialists of caring professions, as well as to clarifying the external and internal determinants of self-realization. The authors tested the hypotheses about the influence of several factors on the level of psychological well-being: belonging to a certain professional group, the degree of self-realization, as well as age, gender, and length of service. The results of the study present the structure of well-being and features of self-realization in different professional groups. We proved that professional self-realization is a significant factor in the formation of individual components of psychological well-being: self-acceptance and competence. However, in some cases, high scores for professional self-realization may be associated with burnout and the desire to leave the job. The conclusions contain recommendations on organizational agency and direct psychological interventions that ensure the psychological well-being of specialists of caring professions.

Personality textbooks come in two forms, each with their own style of organizing content. They will either be organized in terms of historical affiliation (e.g., Freud and those theories that are historically affiliated with Freud, etc.) or they will offer a series of disparate research foci. Both approaches make it difficult for students to attain a coherent, synoptic grasp of the subject matter. Profiles of Personality offers an alternative. It presents personality theories on the basis of a meta-narrative that guides the student through an unfolding story of personality and personal becoming. The meta-narrative of the text reflects the whole person emphasis that gave rise to the study of personality in the first place. As Walter Mischel once noted, the study of personality was intended to become the meta-discipline for integrating the findings and general principles of psychology as a whole as they speak to the person as a whole. Profiles of Personality moves progressively deeper into the world of macro-integrative theorizing, increasingly exposing the role of paradox in the differential-integrative process of personality formation. Highlights of this new edition (from University Professor's Press) include brief discussions of gerotranscendence, gender, and education, additions to the analysis of narrative, and an expanded section on multiculturalism and the ecopsychological culture of place.