Political philosophers often draw their conclusions on how political systems ought to be by first investigating human nature and then proposing recommendations extrapolating from those investigations. They attempt to do this by creating a hypothetical ‘state of nature’ where human beings would be unaffected by social, political, and cultural paradigms and can act freely in pursuit of their instincts, thereby revealing their true nature. English philosopher Thomas Hobbes followed this method of investigation and found that human beings are naturally violent, (...) individualistic, warlike and therefore concluded that political theory ought to be as such to prevent human beings from acting out their baser impulses through draconian authoritative measures when necessary. In this paper, I challenge Hobbes’s claim on human nature by citing contemporary research on cognitive sciences which demonstrates that human beings have a natural predisposition to believe in supernatural agency (God/s) and therefore in the state of nature must behave in such a way as contemporary psychologists discovered investigating the effect of religiosity on human beings such as increased cooperation, selfless behavior towards genetically unrelated strangers, reduced crime rate deterred by supernatural punishment, etcetera. I argue that if we take into account the human propensity to believe in the supernatural agency then the state of nature hypothesized by Hobbes would need to be modified and therefore so would his political theory. Given the integration of cognitive science of religion into the state of nature, I conclude that the ideal political system must be centered around religion. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#67-68; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2020 P 77-118. (shrink)

Reading have always been a very important activity, which further paves the way for excellence in life both academically and non-academically. It is a fundamental skill that unlocks learning and provides individual’s benefits. Reading habit and attitude become an interest topic to discuss because it can be the key success in learning. This study aimed to examine the reading habits and attitudes of big city residents in Pakistan towards books with Chinese themes, available in Chinese, English, or Urdu language. Using (...) a survey design and simple random sampling, data was collected from 300 respondents through a pre-tested questionnaire based on Smith's (1991) Adult Survey of Reading Attitude. The study analyzed data from 11 online bookstores and publishers in Pakistan used to provide recent insights. We used two keywords (China, Chinese: چائ نا , چائ ن یز ) to collect data from online bookstores. The results of the study, with a reliability test score of 0.79, showed that the participants had a positive attitude towards reading Chinese themed books. The findings of this study can inform the development of educational programs to enhance reading skills and cultural understanding for users of Chinese-themed books in Pakistan. (shrink)

This paper considers readers' different backgrounds and perspectives due to the fact that interpretations of literary texts are not static but can change over time and across cultures. The study suggests that political symbolism in Moby-Dick may be interpreted differently by Arab and Middle Eastern readers compared to Western readers. Hence, the article aims to uncover alternative perspectives that have contributed to painting the unobjective image of America in Arab perceptions. Regarding the methodology, this paper applies Wolfgang Iser’s reception theory (...) which gives the reader the full right not only to discover meanings but also to produce them in the text as well. Accordingly, the specificity of the Arab child recipient of an American classic requires a different approach that seeks to uncover the connotations of Melville’s Moby-Dick that certainly has room in the Arab mentality today because the accessibility of Moby-Dick through cartoon adaptations has facilitated its reach to millions of children globally, including those in Arab nations. These adaptations offer Arab audience access to the ethical themes, which are often integrated into televised versions as essential educational content. This paper also explores the television adaptations and cultural localization of Moby-Dick`s cartoons by identifying the unique characteristics of Arab culture embedded within dubbed motion pictures because translating Melville’s work into Arabic involves subtle cultural adjustments that resonate with the values and sensibilities of Arab and predominantly Muslim societies. -/- . (shrink)