The fundamental research question in this dissertation is what the image of man - in the broadest sense of the word - entails within the classical and modern enlightenment points of view. This... Show moreThe fundamental research question in this dissertation is what the image of man - in the broadest sense of the word - entails within the classical and modern enlightenment points of view. This overarching question is considered with regard to the notions of man maintained by the ancients and moderns, with regard to their visions of society, and with regard to the worldview these theories entail. We also evaluate which of the two paradigms is the more convincing upon scrutiny. We have answered such questions by distilling the ideas of the classical philosopher Aristotle -and some ontological ideas from his teacher, Plato- on the one hand, and from the modern intellectual giant, Thomas Hobbes, on the other hand. This is premised on the belief that the essential features of the classical and modern idealtype are to be found within their thought and works.In order to answer our central question, we had to look into the values which underly each vision of man. After all, values are the ideas that motivate our actions as individuals and as a community. We found that the classical vision is guided by the value of Virtue/Duty, Hierarchy and the pursuit of Community in a world permeated with objective values, whilst the modern conception embraces Freedom, Equality and Individuality in a world that is set free of objective values. Show less
This article addresses the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through the lens of pivot template subtitling, a practice deemed logistically efficient... Show moreThis article addresses the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through the lens of pivot template subtitling, a practice deemed logistically efficient by some and ethically suspicious by others. Drawing on (i) a critical review of 29 European codes of ethics promoted by professional translation associations and (ii) the answers to our online questionnaire on pivot subtitling (completed by 376 subtitlers based in Europe), we analyse the main concerns raised about pivot subtitling from the standpoint of access to decent work and economic growth in the AVT industry. Findings suggest that, from the professional subtitlers’ point of view, current practices in pivottemplate-centredworkflows may slow down the progress on SDG8, worsen working conditions and clash with professional codes of ethics. We end by suggesting ways to improve the use of indirect translation, so it does not hinder progress on SDG8 in the AVT industry. Show less
Transgender care, especially regarding the care of children and adolescents, is a relatively new field, in which developments are rapid, in which there is still relatively little empirical data... Show moreTransgender care, especially regarding the care of children and adolescents, is a relatively new field, in which developments are rapid, in which there is still relatively little empirical data available on long-term outcomes of providing or refraining from early medical treatment, and which is a subject of polarized debate. This thesis describes the themes that lead to controversies surrounding the use of early medical treatment for transgender children and adolescents. For each theme, it describes how the considerations, ideas and newly obtained scientific data, when applicable, have changed and developed over the recent years. It shows that care for transgender children and adolescents inherently involves ethical dilemmas, even if more clinical research data will be provided to underpin the evidence-base. Evidence alone will likely not be able to provide answers to all raised uncertainties concerning adolescent gender-affirming medical care. Ethical dilemmas will therefore probably remain part of this sensitive field of care. Besides illumination of some of these ethical dilemmas, this thesis gives suggestions for future studies and proposes ways of dealing with them in clinical practice. Show less
Boer, A. de; Proost, L. de; Vries, M. de; Hogeveen, M.; Verweij, E.J.T.; Geurtzen, R. 2023
ObjectiveA shared decision-making (SDM) approach is recommended for prenatal decisions at the limit of viability, with a guiding role for parental values. People born extremely premature experience... Show moreObjectiveA shared decision-making (SDM) approach is recommended for prenatal decisions at the limit of viability, with a guiding role for parental values. People born extremely premature experience the consequences of the decision made, but information about their perspectives on prenatal decisions is lacking. Therefore, this study aims to describe their perspectives on what is important in decision-making at the limit of viability.DesignSemi-structured focus group discussions were conducted, recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were independently analysed by two researchers in Atlas.ti.ResultsFour focus groups were conducted in the Netherlands, with five to six participants each, born between 240/7 and 300/7 weeks gestation in the period between 1965 and 2002. Considering their personal life experiences and how their extremely premature birth affected their families, the participants reflected on decision-making at the limit of viability. Various considerations were discussed and summarised into the following themes: anticipated parental regret, the wish to look at the baby directly after birth, to give the infant a chance at survival, quality of life, long-term outcomes for the infant and the family, and religious or spiritual considerations.ConclusionsInsights into the perspectives of adults born extremely premature deepened our understanding of values considered in decision-making at the limit of viability. Results point out the need for a more individualised prediction of the prognosis and more extensive information on the lifelong impact of an extremely premature birth on both the infant and the family. This could help future parents and healthcare professionals in value-laden decision-making. Show less
This article examines court cases brought by clients against private health insurance companies and against Brazil’s public health system. When clients take private health insurers to court, they... Show moreThis article examines court cases brought by clients against private health insurance companies and against Brazil’s public health system. When clients take private health insurers to court, they successfully claim that the insurer violated their dignity, which entitles them to a moral damage payment. Similar cases against the state did not include moral damage claims. In relation to public healthcare, it is somehow not possible to equate dignity with economic value. One might conclude that the dignity of consumers in the market is worth more than that of citizens vis-à-vis the state. Instead, I argue for a more subtle approach by concentrating on the ethics of incommensurability. What legal and ethical considerations lead to such a fundamental incommensurability between personhood and economic value? How do the actors involved in court proceedings (claimants, prosecutors, judges, and insurers) perceive the differences between cases against insurance companies and against public health authorities? What can we make of the differences between the legal and everyday understandings of dignity and morality? Show less
In ancient Greek philosophy the concept of ataraxia (“absence of disturbance,” “freedom from anxiety,” “tranquility”) rapidly gained importance in the third century BCE during and after the... Show moreIn ancient Greek philosophy the concept of ataraxia (“absence of disturbance,” “freedom from anxiety,” “tranquility”) rapidly gained importance in the third century BCE during and after the conquests of Alexander the Great († 321 BCE). In this period most of the so-called Hellenistic philosophers—the Epicureans, Stoics, Academic skeptics, and Pyrrhonists—related tranquility to their concept of happiness as a fulfilled life. In this chapter I briefly discuss views of ataraxia in the work of Epicurus, the Stoics Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, and the Academic skeptic Cicero. I then give more space to the role of ataraxia in the Pyrrhonism defended by Sextus Empiricus because it presents us with an attitude to life that may appear particularly helpful to us in the twenty-first century. Show less
Machine Translation (MT), the process by which a computer engine such as Google Translate or Bing automatically translates a text from one language into another without any human involvement, is... Show moreMachine Translation (MT), the process by which a computer engine such as Google Translate or Bing automatically translates a text from one language into another without any human involvement, is increasingly used in professional, institutional and everyday contexts for a wide range of purposes.While a growing number of studies has looked at professional translators and translation students, there is currently a lack of research on nontranslator users and uses in multilingual contexts.This paper presents a survey examining how, when and why students at Leiden University’s Faculty of Humanities use MT. A questionnaire was used to determine which MT engines students use and for what purposes, and gauge their awareness of issues concerning privacy, academic integrity and plagiarism. The findings reveal a widespread adoption of Google Translate and indicate that students use MT predominantly to look up single words, as an alternative to a dictionary. Many seemed sceptical about thevalue of MT for educational purposes, and many assumed that the use of MT is not permitted by lecturers for graded assignments, especially in courses focusing on language skills.The results demonstrate a clear need for more MT literacy. Students may not need practical training in how to use MT, but there is much room for improvement in terms of when and why they use it. Show less
The main argument of this chapter is that digital ethnography is neither new nor consisting of one single approach. It’s a set of methods that studies the use of digital technology both on- and... Show moreThe main argument of this chapter is that digital ethnography is neither new nor consisting of one single approach. It’s a set of methods that studies the use of digital technology both on- and offline, while at the same time using affordances of these very same digital technologies for studying the impact of the digital on cultural practice and social relations. The chapter addresses some of the definitional issues of an ethnography of the digital: How is it defined as a form of inquiry? And do we need a separate sub-discipline in order to study the digital ethnographically? Secondly, and in a next section, it refers to some of the foundational moments of digital ethnography, explaining how these have triggered new approaches and novel ways of understanding the digital. The fourth section particularly focuses on the methodological consequences of such shifts, looking at some of the classical methods and techniques used in doing digital ethnography whilst similarly exploring new frontiers where the ‘fireworks’ are expected to happen. After a brief section delving into some of the emergent ethical issues in this field, I will conclude this contribution with recommendations on how to teach (ourselves) digital ethnography. Show less
In this article I show the relevance of Emmanuel Levinas’ notion of primordial teaching for understanding why online teach- ing cannot adequately mimic face-to-face teaching. I will argue that the... Show moreIn this article I show the relevance of Emmanuel Levinas’ notion of primordial teaching for understanding why online teach- ing cannot adequately mimic face-to-face teaching. I will argue that the current Covid-19 pandemic shows us that being in the immediacy of the embodied presence of one’s students is intimately intertwined with being responsive to the needs of students, which highlights that teaching is not only the trans- mission of intellectual knowledge and skills but first and fore- most an ethical attunement to the suffering of the Other. Lev- inas argues that teaching is in its essence a relation between unique individuals; a uniqueness that originates in the indi- vidual’s unconditional responsibility to each and every other human being. This unconditional responsibility is for Levinas the non-mediated embodied sensitivity to the needs of the Other; an openness that precedes freedom and the conscious choice of a person. In this article I claim this embodied sensitiv- ity is jeopardised in online education, which makes it harder for the teacher to attune to the needs of every student. The risk we run is that the face of the Other remains ‘plastic’, which makes it more difficult for the teacher to attune to the specific needs of students. I will argue that online teaching should not only con- centrate on enabling the transmission of knowledge but should also invest in creating an environment of intimacy that enables responsiveness and genuine contact. Show less
The distinction between potentiality and actuality in Aristotle has its origin in Platonic ethics. In his psychological and ethical works Aristotle’s notion of potentiality is embedded in a causal... Show moreThe distinction between potentiality and actuality in Aristotle has its origin in Platonic ethics. In his psychological and ethical works Aristotle’s notion of potentiality is embedded in a causal framework that is characteristic of life in general. A key theme is the distinction of various meanings of ‘to know’. In his early work the possession of knowledge is distinguished from its use. In De anima Aristotle adds the potentiality for acquiring knowledge as characteristic of the genus human being. He argues that the stages of actualization of knowledge are instances of a more comprehensive biological and ethical development. Life is the fulfillment of soul as formal, efficient and final cause, with the potentiality of body as material cause. The unity of body and soul is derived from the causal nexus of potentiality and actuality, like a power and the instrument in which it resides. In such cases potentiality is complex and depends on numerous conditions. Failure of full realization may occur when any of the necessary conditions of the development and realization of the fulfillment of human life are lacking, whether in the environment (e.g. climate), the body (illness, drunkenness), or the soul (natural virtue, firm character, attention). Show less
Research into the phrasing, structure, and nature from the point of view of legal history, as well as the social and religious background of temple oaths from the Ptolemaic period, supplemented... Show moreResearch into the phrasing, structure, and nature from the point of view of legal history, as well as the social and religious background of temple oaths from the Ptolemaic period, supplemented with 21 unpublished texts written in demotic and Greek. Chapter 1. Introduction: Meaning and terminology of the oath in Ancient Egypt; Chapter 2. Juridical oaths from the Old Kingdom through the Ptolemaic period: an overview (ca. 2600-30 B.C.); Chapter 3. The format of temple oaths: a study of their clauses, components and legal contents; Chapter 4. Swearing a temple oath: the procedure; Chapter 5. Unpublished texts. A selection of demotic temple oaths in the Turin Egyptian Museum and Greek temple oaths from various collections. Show less
Pels, P.; Boog, I.; Florusbosch, H.J.; Kripe, Z.; Minter, T.; Postma, M.; ... ; Richards‐Rissetto, H. 2018
Recent demands for accountability in ‘data management’ by funding agencies, universities, international journals and other academic institutions have worried many anthropologists and ethnographers.... Show moreRecent demands for accountability in ‘data management’ by funding agencies, universities, international journals and other academic institutions have worried many anthropologists and ethnographers. While their demands for transparency and integrity in opening up data for scrutiny seem to enhance scientific integrity, such principles do not always consider the way the social relationships of research are properly maintained. As a springboard, the present Forum, triggered by such recent demands to account for the use of ‘data’, discusses the present state of anthropological research and academic ethics/integrity in a broader perspective. It specifically gives voice to our disciplinary concerns and leads to a principled statement that clarifies a particularly ethnographic position. This position is then discussed by several commentators who treat its viability and necessity against the background of wider developments in anthropology – sustaining the original insight that in ethnography, research materials have been co‐produced before they become commoditised into ‘data’. Finally, in moving beyond such a position, the Forum broadens the issue to the point where other methodologies and forms of ownership of research materials will also need consideration. Show less
This thesis is a comparative study in the History of Modern Philosophy focused on the recourse to physiology on the part of two key figures, Spinoza and Nietzsche. This involves comparative... Show moreThis thesis is a comparative study in the History of Modern Philosophy focused on the recourse to physiology on the part of two key figures, Spinoza and Nietzsche. This involves comparative research into their emphatic appeal to the body as the key to solving fundamental philosophical problems. Both Spinoza and Nietzsche are thinkers of immanence and for both the turn to the body, which is part of their projects of naturalisation, is motivated by theoretical and practical goals. I argue that we can best understand the similarities and differences between their respective philosophical physiologies, and their broader philosophical positions, starting from their shared interest in power ontologies and their commitment to immanence and naturalism. Show less
This thesis interprets the Japanese Buddhist master, Dōgen's metaphysical ideas concerning Buddha-nature, Total-function, and temporality, with the help of Deleuze's pragmatism, in a manner... Show moreThis thesis interprets the Japanese Buddhist master, Dōgen's metaphysical ideas concerning Buddha-nature, Total-function, and temporality, with the help of Deleuze's pragmatism, in a manner congruent with the central Buddhist doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda. In doing so, the research attempts to overcome the problems of what I view as the two opposing poles of Dōgen interpretation: that of the Critical Buddhists who deny Dōgen's metaphysics, claiming that it is in-congruent to pratītyasamutpāda, and the “Comparative Philosophers,” who affirms Dōgen's metaphysics yet in a manner that disregards pratītyasamutpāda. The research reconsiders Dōgen's above metaphysical concepts, of which Critical Buddhism and comparative interpretations gives a shortsighted picture inasmuch as they impose upon Dōgen a “representational epistemology.” This error prevents the former interpretations of Dōgen to acknowledge the potential that Dōgen's metaphysical concepts can have a practical use for an ethics centered on pratītyasamutpāda. Deleuze's philosophy, insofar as it is pragmatist and non-representational, can help to elucidate this limitation, and to create a reinterpretation of Dōgen's doctrine on Total-function, time and Buddha-nature to function as tools for spiritual practice in concurrence to pratītyasamutpāda. Ultimately, I claim that Dōgen's metaphysics is not descriptive or explanatory of reality, but are pragmatically functional tools incorporated into spiritual practice. Show less
In literature ghosts have a long history. They manifest themselves in a variety of forms. They are intriguing because of their undecidable nature—their association with death and afterlife, which... Show moreIn literature ghosts have a long history. They manifest themselves in a variety of forms. They are intriguing because of their undecidable nature—their association with death and afterlife, which are irredeemable and inexplicable to the living. Especially in postcolonial literature we encounter the presence of ghosts. Ghostly figures often serve as metaphors of return—the return of repressed history, which continues to haunt the present. Sometimes they mark a present absence of marginalized groups of people. Noting the ineluctable encounters between ghosts, memories, and subjectivities in postcolonial literature, this dissertation tries to reach a deeper and broader understanding of the narrative potential of the ghostly in spatial, cultural and ethical dimensions. By perceiving ghosts as metaphorical concepts, I incorporate a variety of notions of ghosts into my exploration of ‘spectral space,’ ‘ghost language,’ and ‘mediums.’ I also investigate how these ghost-related concepts function to illuminate a new mode of thinking about the realms of knowledge and ethics. I argue that ghosts are ethical subjects rather than objects of social constructions. They provide us a productive way of establishing a new ethics of ghosts, which is reconsidered as the ethics of how to live with and survive as ghosts. Show less
Euthanasia and physicia-assisted suicide are possible in case of Huntington's Disease, also based on an advance directive. Requirements to make this possible are a sound and possibly longstanding... Show moreEuthanasia and physicia-assisted suicide are possible in case of Huntington's Disease, also based on an advance directive. Requirements to make this possible are a sound and possibly longstanding physician-patient relationship. Secondly a thorough knowlegde of the requirements of due care is necessary, for patients as well as for physicians. Physicians and patients should both be educated upon the possibilites provided in the law. Show less
The purpose of this thesis is to articulate a theological metaethic which accepts the nature of ethics as understood under the rubric of evolutionary theory. It will be argued that such a... Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to articulate a theological metaethic which accepts the nature of ethics as understood under the rubric of evolutionary theory. It will be argued that such a theological methaethic can be interpreted as hopeful and optimistic given the apparent evolution of the moral from the amoral. The relationship between theology and evolutionary theory is presented here not as dichotomic but as dialectic – this is not to suggest that the two fields are mutually communicative, but rather that both can contribute to a cohesive, overarching worldview. In this respect, this thesis threads together the theological presupposition of a God of values with the naturalistic and material presuppositions of the modern scientific worldview (being cognizant of the fact that science may not necessarily be presented with these presuppositions). This dialectic occurs between two different but intertwined levels. One is the level of ethical systems; in this work, a particular understanding of Western Christian ethics. This level is framed by another, broader level of metaethics; in this thesis, an overarching understanding of the character of ethics will emerge from reflections on evolutionary theory and its naturalistic context. This will be a naturalistic view, though one which is understood to fit within a theological framework. Show less
This dissertation (Leiden University, 2014) presents a fresh reading of Plato’s Laws, that aims to do justice to the peculiarities of the dialogue's form and argumentative structure, often labelled... Show moreThis dissertation (Leiden University, 2014) presents a fresh reading of Plato’s Laws, that aims to do justice to the peculiarities of the dialogue's form and argumentative structure, often labelled intricate by specialists. By interpreting the text along its own lines, as less as possible influenced by expectations arising from its Platonic authorship, my thesis brings to light socio-political perspectives that are at odds with tendencies encountered elsewhere in Plato’s oeuvre (particularly his Republic). The more obvious anomalies, such as the Cretan setting, the absence of Socrates, the absence of a moral expert authority, and the prominence of persuasion, can be explained as features of a political project that is oriented towards a pragmatic rather than a metaphysical, absolute moral norm. This analysis also entails a reassessment of the relation between Republic and Laws. Show less
This study analyses the encyclical Caritas in veritate as a new encyclical in the ongoing development of the __social doctrine__ of the Roman Catholic Church. In this regard, the research questions... Show moreThis study analyses the encyclical Caritas in veritate as a new encyclical in the ongoing development of the __social doctrine__ of the Roman Catholic Church. In this regard, the research questions are: to what extent is Caritas in veritate continuous with earlier pronouncements? To what extent is it new? In as far as there are new elements, can these be understood in relation to the theological thought of Joseph Ratzinger, who became pope Benedict XVI? To what extent can the specific points of view present in Caritas in veritate be seen as responses to contemporary social and economic developments such as globalization, or to new insights in the human sciences and contemporary secular thought? Show less
