The principle of assistance says that the global rich should help the global poor because they are able to do so, and at little cost. The principle of contribution says that the rich should help the poor because the rich are partly to blame for the plight of the poor. This paper explores the relationship between the two principles and offers support for one version of the principle of assistance. The principle of assistance (...) is most plausible, the paper argues, when formulated so as to identify obligations that arise from the needs of particular identifiable members of the global poor, not from impersonal rules or values. Under that formulation, the principle can explain why knowledge of the circumstances faced by individual members of the global poor can have such a marked effect upon the willingness of the global rich to provide help, and can offer a better grounded motivational basis for helping the global poor. These are real advantages, the paper argues, and ones that cannot be matched by stories that focus upon the ways in which the global rich contribute to global poverty. (shrink)

When people share the same knowledge and culture, it is difficult to distinguish whether their ‎national speech is humanitarian or racist. Such things make it easy for people to accept ‎unhumanitarian speech just because it stems from their culture. Hence, the purpose of this ‎investigation is to give readers a tool to assist them in discriminating between discourses that ‎are racist and those that are humanitarian. It is called the principle of compliance. The principle ‎said that if all (...) nations and different cultures apply this discourse, what will be the overall ‎result in respect for people’s lives and plant resources? Does this discourse encourage ‎greater goodness or evil?. Goodness has been defined as preserving humanity and the Earth's ‎natural resources.‎. (shrink)

The article considers the problem of the system model of family counseling, in particular, the analysis of the family as a social system, as a complex of elements and their properties, which are in dynamic connections and relationships. The analysis of the theory of systems and the description of the principles of family counseling is carried out. Particular attention is paid to highlighting the main provisions of the individual (“adlerian”) psychology in counseling the family. -/- Currently among specialists there is (...) a high interest in the provision of psychological assistance to a family in crisis. This is largely due to the fact that over the past decades, the institution of the family in this country is experiencing an increase in destructive tendencies. This is evidenced by an increase in the number of appeals to school psychologists, psychological counseling, psychological services and centers from both the individual members of the family and families in general. -/- The psychological help to the family is positioned as a relatively new field of practice for a psychologist. The practice of counseling, including family, is largely determined by the theoretical skills of the counselor, primarily as (s)he understands the personality, determination of behavior, the source of family problems, and the possibility of change. Today, practitioners prefer the integrative method, which is a system approach. -/- The purpose of this article is to analyze the theory of systems as the basis of family counseling. The system model of family counseling is considered to be one of the youngest and most widespread models that received their recognition at the end of the twentieth century. (shrink)

Abstract: In Vacco v. Quill, 521 U.S. 793 (1997), the Supreme Court for the first time in American case law explicitly applied the principle of double effect to reject an equal protection claim to physician-assisted suicide. Double effect, traced historically to Thomas Aquinas, proposes that under certain circumstances it is permissible unintentionally to cause foreseen evil effects that would not be permissible to cause intentionally. The court rejected the constitutional claim on the basis of a distinction marked out by (...) the principle, i.e., between directly intending the death of a terminally ill patient as opposed to merely foreseeing that death as a consequence of medical treatment. The Court held that the distinction comports with fundamental legal principles of causation and intent. Id. at 802. -/- Critics allege that the principle itself is intrinsically flawed and that, in any event, its employment in Vacco is without legal precedent. I argue in response to contemporary objections that double effect is a valid principle of ethical reflection (Part II); claims to the contrary notwithstanding, double effect analysis is a pervasive, albeit generally unacknowledged principle employed regularly in American case law (Part III); and drawing on the preceding two sections, Vacco's application of the principle of double effect is appropriate (Part IV). -/- My conclusion is that [o]peration of some form of the principle, by whatever name, is inevitable. In an imperfect world where duties and interests collide, the possibility of choices of action foreseen to have both good and evil consequences cannot be avoided. In rare circumstances, ethics and the law require that a person refrain from acting altogether. More often, however, they provide that a determination of whether an actor may pursue a good effect although knowing it will or may unintentionally cause an harmful effect requires a more complex analysis - a double effect analysis. -/- Keywords: Equal protection, double effect, intention, physician-assisted suicide, Constitutional Law, Bioethics. (shrink)

Euthanasia and assisted suicide have proved to be very contentious topics in medical ethics. Some ethicists are particularly concerned that allowing physicians to carry out these procedures will undermine their professional obligations and threaten the very goals of medicine. However, I maintain that the fundamental goals of medicine not only do not preclude the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide by physicians, but can in fact be seen to support these practices in some instances. I look at two influential views (...) of the goals of medicine, one based on the broad guiding principles of autonomy, beneficence and nonmaleficence, and the other focusing on several more concrete aims, concluding that both approaches can be seen to support euthanasia and assisted suicide. I then turn to the popular concern that allowing physicians to carry out euthanasia and assisted suicide will lead to widespread abuse. I argue that the possibility for abuse can be minimised if we make the patient's autonomous consent an essential requirement of the practice. (shrink)

In The Case for Animal Rights, Tom Regan argues that, in addition to the negative duty not to harm nonhuman animals, moral agents have a positive duty to assist nonhuman animals who are victims of injustice. This claim is not unproblematic because, in many cases, assisting a victim of injustice requires that we harm some other nonhuman animal(s). For instance, in order to feed victims of injustice who are obligate carnivores, we must kill some other animal(s). It seems, then, that (...) sometimes the duty to assist nonhuman animals who are victims of injustice conflicts with the prima facie duty not to harm nonhuman animals. In defense of Regan’s theory against this apparent inconsistency, I introduce an additional principle, the “guardianship principle,” which can be used to illustrate how we can be justified, under certain conditions, in overriding our prima facie duty not to harm nonhuman animals in order to fulfill our duty to assist nonhuman animals who are victims of injustice. (shrink)

That Kant’s moral thought is invoked by both advocates and opponents of a right to assisted dying attests to both the allure and and the elusiveness of Kant’s moral thought. In particular, the theses that individuals have a right to a ‘death with dignity’ and that assisting someone to die contravenes her dignity appear to gesture at one of Kant’s signature moral notions, dignity. The purposes of this article are to outline Kant’s understanding of dignity and its implications for the (...) ethics of assisted dying. According to Kant, that which has dignity must be treated as an end in itself and may not permissibly be exchanged for that which merely has price. Kant’s reasoning thus seems to preclude acts of self-killing, including voluntary assisted dying, that rest on individual self-interest, since a person’s interests merely have price. However, a recognizably Kantian view of dignity can permit assisted dying under two sets of circumstances: First, it can be permissible for agents who anticipate a degradation of their rational agency due to conditions such as dementia to direct others to end their lives once sufficiently demented. In so doing, such agents in effect exercise a right to impose obligations on others regarding how their bodies, which will at some future point no longer be the vessels of their rational agency, are to be disposed of. Second, Kant errs in supposing that our dignity can stem solely from our moral personality, i.e., from our capacity to abide by universalizable moral principles. Rather, complete dignity also requires the capacity for setting discretionary ends and the means to those ends, i.e., the dignity of humanity. Individuals with prolonged and intense depression, in severe pain, or with serious disability may lack humanity while retaining their moral personality. In such cases, I propose that their opting to end their lives, with or without the assistance of others, does not amount to exchanging their dignified selves for something which merely has price and is therefore not objectionable on Kantian grounds. (shrink)

With an increasing number of ways to ‘assist’ reproduction, some bioethicists have started to wonder what it takes to become a genetic parent. It is widely agreed that sharing genes is not enough to substantiate the parent–offspring relation, but what is? Without a better understanding of the concept of reproduction, our thinking about parent–offspring relations and the ethical issues surrounding them risk being unprincipled. Here, I address that problem by offering a principled account of reproduction—the Overlap, Development and Persistence account—which (...) I believe best captures the meaning of ‘genetic parenthood’. (shrink)

In states where Physician Assisted Dying (PAD) is legal, physicians occasionally receive requests for this form of end-of-life care. Here, I describe the ethically ambiguous sphere and why PAD falls into it. I argue that, given the ethical ambiguity of PAD, physicians should consider patient autonomy as the highest value in the four principles approach and act as informers and educators.

Ethical debates about assisted dying typically assume that only medical professionals should be able to provide patients with assisted dying. This assumption partially rests on the unstated principle that assisted dying providers may not be motivated by pecuniary considerations. Here I outline and defend a mixed provider model of assisted dying provision that contests this principle. Under this model, medically competent non-physician professionals could receive fees for providing assisted dying under the same terms and conditions as physicians can (...) in those juris- dictions where medically assisted dying is lawful. The mixed provider model blunts objections to assisted dying rooted in supposed clashes with medical values. In addition to generating a market likely to expand access to assisted dying, the mixed provider model would not create markets that are unjust because they are “noxious” in Satz’ sense or because they raise “semiotic” concerns about the value of human life. (shrink)

Ethical debates about assisted dying typically assume that only medical professionals should be able to provide patients with assisted dying. This assumption partially rests on the unstated principle that assisted dying providers may not be motivated by pecuniary considerations. Here I outline and defend a mixed provider model of assisted dying provision that contests this principle. Under this model, medically competent non-physician professionals could receive fees for providing assisted dying under the same terms and conditions as physicians can (...) in those jurisdictions where medically assisted dying is lawful. The mixed provider model blunts objections to assisted dying rooted in supposed clashes with medical values. In addition to generating a market likely to expand access to assisted dying, the mixed provider model would not create markets that are unjust because they are “noxious” in Satz’ sense or because they raise “semiotic” concerns about the value of human life. (shrink)

Customer behavior, market dynamics, and technological advances have made it challenging for marketing theorists to provide comprehensive explanations and actionable insights. Although there are numerous substantive marketing frameworks, no formal marketing theory exists. This study aims to develop the first formal grounded theory in marketing by incorporating artificial intelligence and Forde's conceptual framework as a guiding lens. Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory tradition and Forde's conceptual framework and data analysis strategy were employed for this purpose. The data analysis strategy used with (...) grounded theory’s constant compare-and-contrast method comprises holistic and systems thinking, dramaturgical and situational analysis, perspective-taking, and deconstruction. To evaluate Glaser’s assertion that all is data, artificial intelligence was incorporated into the research as the data source for retrieving the theoretical samples to address the primary research question: How can Forde's conceptual framework and artificial intelligence be leveraged to develop a formal marketing theory grounded in evidence? Of significance was the emergence of democratic marketing behaviors and the normalization of anti-democratic marketing approaches leveraged to manipulate buyers or gain access to segments of customers. Buyers and sellers can simultaneously benefit from and be prejudiced by marketing exchange dynamics. This finding lends credibility to the newly emerged framework of strategic actions where empowerment and disempowerment are leveraged to achieve specific goals. Considering this finding, it is suggested that businesses view marketing as a symbiotic relationship between two power centers, buyers and sellers, who respectively strive to maintain human dignity and sustainability. Researchers are encouraged to apply the framework across substantive areas, international markets, public relations, political campaigns, and others. (shrink)

The conjunction of wireless computing, ubiquitous Internet access, and the miniaturisation of sensors have opened the door for technological applications that can monitor health and well-being outside of formal healthcare systems. The health-related Internet of Things (H-IoT) increasingly plays a key role in health management by providing real-time tele-monitoring of patients, testing of treatments, actuation of medical devices, and fitness and well-being monitoring. Given its numerous applications and proposed benefits, adoption by medical and social care institutions and consumers may be (...) rapid. However, a host of ethical concerns are also raised that must be addressed. The inherent sensitivity of health-related data being generated and latent risks of Internet-enabled devices pose serious challenges. Users, already in a vulnerable position as patients, face a seemingly impossible task to retain control over their data due to the scale, scope and complexity of systems that create, aggregate, and analyse personal health data. In response, the H-IoT must be designed to be technologically robust and scientifically reliable, while also remaining ethically responsible, trustworthy, and respectful of user rights and interests. To assist developers of the H-IoT, this paper describes nine principles and nine guidelines for ethical design of H-IoT devices and data protocols. (shrink)

In the digital age, chatbots have emerged as essential tools for automating communication and improving user experiences across various sectors. This paper presents a Chatbot Assistant System powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP) to provide intelligent, context-aware, and real-time responses to user queries. The system incorporates NLP techniques, such as text preprocessing, intent recognition, and entity extraction, to facilitate effective interactions. We explore the architecture, working principles, and applications of the system, along with its performance evaluation in different domains.

This paper aims to analyze the ethical challenges in experimental drug use during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, using Germany as a case study. In Germany uniform ethical guidelines were available early on nationwide, which was considered as desirable by other states to reduce uncertainties and convey a message of unity. The purpose of this ethical analysis is to assist the preparation of future guidelines on the use of medicines during public health emergencies. The use of hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir (...) and COVID-19 convalescent plasma in clinical settings was analyzed from the perspective of the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and autonomy. We observed that drug safety and drug distribution during the pandemic affects all four ethical principles. We therefore recommend to establish ethical guidelines (i) to discuss experimental treatment options with patients from all population groups who are in urgent need, (ii) to facilitate the recording of patient reactions to drugs in off-label use, (iii) to expand inclusion criteria for clinical studies to avoid missing potentially negative effects on excluded groups, and (iv) to maintain sufficient access to repurposed drugs for patients with prior conditions. (shrink)

The title of Hare’s book refers to the gap between the demand that morality places on us and our natural capacity to live by it. Such a gap is paradoxical if we accept the “‘ought’ implies ‘can”’ principle. The solution, Hare argues, is that the gap is filled by the Christian God. So we ought to be moral and can do so—with divine assistance. Hare’s statement and defense of the existence of the gap combines a rigorously Kantian notion (...) of the moral demand with a rigorously Calvinist notion of human depravity. As such, many readers will find the gap exaggerated, but most people will admit that there is some sort of gap here to be faced, and any gap at all is a problem. (shrink)

Through modern driver assistant systems, algorithmic decisions already have a significant impact on the behavior of vehicles in everyday traffic. This will become even more prominent in the near future considering the development of autonomous driving functionality. The need to consider ethical principles in the design of such systems is generally acknowledged. However, scope, principles and strategies for their implementations are not yet clear. Most of the current discussions concentrate on situations of unavoidable crashes in which the life of human (...) beings is existentially affected. In this paper, we argue that ethical considerations should be mandatory for any algorithmic decision of autonomous vehicles, instead of a limitation to hazard situations. Such an ethically aligned behavior is relevant because autonomous vehicles, like any other traffic participants, operate in a shared public space, where every behavioral decision impacts the operational possibilities of others. These possibilities concern the fulfillment of a road-user’s safety, utility and comfort needs. We propose that, to operate ethically in such space, an autonomous vehicle will have to take its behavior decisions according to a just distribution of operational possibilities among all traffic participants. Using an application on a partially-autonomous prototype vehicle, we describe how to apply and implement concepts of distributive justice to the driving environment and demonstrate the impact on its behavior in comparison to an advanced but egoistic decision maker. (shrink)

Ambient assisted living technologies are increasingly presented and sold as essential smart additions to daily life and home environments that will radically transform the healthcare and wellness markets of the future. An ethical approach and a thorough understanding of all ethics in surveillance/monitoring architectures are therefore pressing. AAL poses many ethical challenges raising questions that will affect immediate acceptance and long-term usage. Furthermore, ethical issues emerge from social inequalities and their potential exacerbation by AAL, accentuating the existing access gap between (...) high-income countries and low and middle-income countries. Legal aspects mainly refer to the adherence to existing legal frameworks and cover issues related to product safety, data protection, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and access to data by public, private, and government bodies. Successful privacy-friendly AAL applications are needed, as the pressure to bring Internet of Things devices and ones equipped with artificial intelligence quickly to market cannot overlook the fact that the environments in which AAL will operate are mostly private. The social issues focus on the impact of AAL technologies before and after their adoption. Future AAL technologies need to consider all aspects of equality such as gender, race, age and social disadvantages and avoid increasing loneliness and isolation among, e.g. older and frail people. Finally, the current power asymmetries between the target and general populations should not be underestimated nor should the discrepant needs and motivations of the target group and those developing and deploying AAL systems. Whilst AAL technologies provide promising solutions for the health and social care challenges, they are not exempt from ethical, legal and social issues. A set of ELSI guidelines is needed to integrate these factors at the research and development stage. (shrink)

The common liberal understanding of reproductive autonomy – characterized by free choice and a principle of non-interference – serves as a useful way to analyse the normative appeal of having certain choices open to people in the reproductive realm, especially for issues like abortion rights. However, this liberal reading of reproductive autonomy only offers us a limited ethical understanding of what is at stake in many kinds of reproductive choices, particularly when it comes to different uses of reproductive technologies (...) and third-party reproduction. This is because the liberal framework does not fully capture who benefits from which reproductive options, the extent of the risks and harms involved in various reproductive interventions, and the reasons for why people are driven to make certain reproductive choices. (shrink)

The Science of Balanced Leadership and Competition: The Role of AI Technology as a Guide -/- Introduction -/- Leadership and competition are two fundamental forces that shape human societies, economies, and institutions. However, their effectiveness depends on how they are managed. When leadership is imbalanced, it leads to corruption, authoritarianism, or inefficiency. When competition is unregulated, it creates inequality, exploitation, and instability. The science of balanced leadership and competition is an approach that integrates principles of natural balance, ethical decision-making, and (...) systemic thinking to ensure sustainable and just progress. -/- In the modern era, artificial intelligence (AI) technology serves as a powerful tool to assist leaders in maintaining this balance. AI can analyze vast amounts of data, predict potential crises, and offer insights for decision-making. Properly programmed AI can help guide leaders toward fair and ethical governance while also ensuring competition remains beneficial rather than destructive. -/- The Principle of Balance In Leadership -/- Leadership is the ability to guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. However, effective leadership is not just about authority; it requires a balance between control and flexibility, vision and adaptability, power and responsibility. -/- 1. The Balance Between Authority and Participation – Leaders must maintain authority to make decisive actions but also encourage participation from team members. Excessive authoritarianism suppresses innovation, while excessive democracy leads to indecisiveness. A balanced leader allows structured decision-making while considering input from others. -/- 2. The Balance Between Short-Term and Long-Term Goals – Effective leaders understand that immediate success must not come at the cost of future stability. Governments that prioritize economic growth without environmental responsibility, for example, create long-term disasters. Sustainable leadership requires long-term planning while addressing short-term needs. AI technology can analyze patterns, predict long-term consequences, and assist leaders in making informed, future-proof decisions. -/- 3. The Balance Between Competence and Morality – A leader may be highly competent but unethical, leading to corruption and exploitation. Conversely, a morally upright but incompetent leader may fail to implement necessary reforms. Balanced leadership integrates technical skill with ethical responsibility. AI systems programmed with ethical guidelines can act as an advisory tool, identifying potential ethical violations in leadership decisions and ensuring a fair and just system. -/- The Role of Competition in Progress -/- Competition is essential for innovation, economic growth, and personal development. However, uncontrolled competition leads to monopolies, exploitation, and social inequality. A balanced approach ensures that competition serves collective progress rather than individual greed. -/- 1. Healthy Competition vs. Destructive Competition – In a balanced system, competition drives excellence without harming others. In contrast, destructive competition creates a “win-at-all-costs” mentality, where ethics and fairness are disregarded. Examples include corporate monopolies suppressing small businesses or political parties prioritizing power over national interest. AI-driven monitoring systems can help detect unethical business practices and ensure fair competition in markets. -/- 2. Regulated Competition for Collective Growth – Governments and institutions must regulate competition to ensure fairness. This includes antitrust laws to prevent monopolies, ethical guidelines in business, and fair labor policies to protect workers from exploitation. AI can assist regulators in monitoring economic trends, detecting monopolistic behavior, and ensuring fair market conditions. -/- 3. Coopetition: A Balance Between Cooperation and Competition – In many industries, companies compete for market dominance while also collaborating in research, standardization, or sustainability efforts. This concept, known as “coopetition,” allows for economic growth while maintaining ethical responsibilities. AI can optimize cooperation strategies, ensuring that businesses maximize benefits while maintaining fair competition. -/- The Role of AI in Maintaining Balance -/- AI technology plays a crucial role in guiding leaders and institutions toward balanced decision-making. It can be used in the following ways: -/- 1. AI for Predictive Analysis – AI can process large-scale data to predict social, economic, and environmental trends, helping leaders make proactive decisions rather than reactive ones. -/- 2. AI for Ethical Governance – AI can be programmed with ethical principles to provide real-time insights on the consequences of political, corporate, or social policies. This ensures that decision-making aligns with fairness, justice, and sustainability. -/- 3. AI for Market Regulation – AI-driven economic models can detect unfair competition, price manipulation, and unethical corporate behavior, allowing governments to take corrective actions swiftly. -/- 4. AI for Educational Guidance – AI can be integrated into the educational system to teach critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and the science of balance, helping to shape future leaders who understand the importance of sustainable leadership and competition. -/- Applying the Science of Balance in Society -/- The science of balanced leadership and competition applies across various domains, from government and business to education and personal development. AI technology enhances this process by providing data-driven insights and ethical guidance. -/- 1. In Governance – Leaders must ensure that laws and policies balance economic growth with social welfare, individual rights with national security, and environmental sustainability with industrial development. AI can help design policies that optimize these balances through advanced simulations and scenario modeling. -/- 2. In Business – Corporate leaders should foster healthy competition while ensuring fair wages, ethical production, and sustainable business practices. AI can be used to analyze global trends, predict economic shifts, and optimize business strategies that benefit both corporations and society. -/- 3. In Education – Schools should encourage competition to inspire excellence while fostering teamwork, ethical responsibility, and critical thinking. AI-driven personalized learning can help students develop both competitive and cooperative skills based on their strengths and weaknesses. -/- 4. In Personal Development – Individuals must balance ambition with ethics, career success with personal well-being, and competition with collaboration in their daily lives. AI-powered personal development tools can provide guidance, helping individuals make balanced life decisions. -/- Conclusion -/- The science of balanced leadership and competition is essential for building a just and sustainable society. It requires an understanding of natural balance, ethical decision-making, and systemic thinking. AI technology plays a critical role in achieving this balance by providing data-driven insights, predicting long-term consequences, and ensuring ethical decision-making. -/- When leadership is balanced, it fosters progress without oppression. When competition is balanced, it drives innovation without exploitation. With AI as a guiding tool, societies can move toward a future where decision-making is not only efficient but also ethical and sustainable. By integrating AI with principles of natural balance, we can ensure a world that is fair, progressive, and in harmony with the universal laws of nature. -/- . (shrink)

The Future of Humanity with the Full Implementation of the Universal Formula -/- Humanity has long grappled with fundamental questions about free will, decision-making, and the nature of societal progress. Over centuries, countless philosophical, scientific, and religious perspectives have sought to explain the forces driving human behavior and the challenges we face as a global society. The development of a universal formula that solves the problem of free will, grounded in natural laws like the law of balance and the law (...) of karma, presents a transformative opportunity for human civilization. If fully implemented, this universal formula has the potential to reshape humanity’s future, fostering a world marked by balance, sustainability, and reduced suffering. -/- 1. A Holistic Educational System for Critical Thinking -/- The first and most immediate change from the universal formula’s implementation would be seen in education. Current educational systems often prioritize rote memorization and narrow specializations, neglecting the foundational principles of natural law that govern human behavior. By introducing the universal law of balance and the principles of cause and effect (karma) into basic education, students would learn to view decision-making through the lens of natural, universal laws. -/- A holistic educational system, as envisioned by the formula, would emphasize critical thinking, systemic thinking, and the understanding of interdependence among individuals, societies, and the environment. This educational approach would equip future generations to make decisions that prioritize societal well-being, environmental sustainability, and global cooperation. As a result, the widespread ignorance and misinformation that often fuel societal conflict and poor decision-making would diminish. -/- 2. Ethical Leadership and Governance Based on Natural Laws -/- Leaders who understand and apply the universal formula’s principles would adopt a more balanced and ethical approach to governance. The formula asserts that decision-making processes, whether individual or collective, must align with natural laws to avoid imbalance and societal dysfunction. If implemented, policies across nations would shift from short-term gains toward long-term stability, fairness, and sustainability. -/- The law of karma, whichh highlights the necessity for defect-free systems, would guide governance structures to prioritize integrity, transparency, and accountability. Corruption, misinformation, and ideologically driven policies would decline as societies embrace natural laws as their guiding principles. With this shift, government policies on resource management, social welfare, and economic growth would aim for balance rather than unchecked expansion, minimizing societal inequalities and systemic failures. -/- 3. Global Cooperation and Environmental Sustainability -/- The universal law of balance stresses that human systems, like natural ecosystems, must remain in equilibrium to function properly. In an era of climate change, resource depletion, and geopolitical tensions, applying this law globally could unify countries in their efforts to address shared challenges. -/- Nations would move beyond competition and exploitation, understanding that the Earth’s resources are finite and that environmental degradation affects all societies. Policies on population control, economic growth, and environmental conservation would be guided by scientific data and natural principles, ensuring that human activity does not disrupt the delicate balance necessary for life’s continuity. The concept of continuous economic growth, currently dominant in global economics, would be replaced by a sustainable, balanced model that prioritizes ecological and societal well-being over profit. -/- 4. Technological Advancement Aligned with Human Well-Being -/- The development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) presents both opportunities and risks for humanity. If programmed with the universal formula, AGI could become a powerful tool for societal improvement. The law of balance would serve as a guiding framework for AGI, ensuring that its decisions promote human welfare, ethical practices, and environmental harmony. -/- For AGI to function effectively, as suggested by the formula, it must integrate a complete sensor system capable of perceiving and responding to the complexities of human and environmental feedback mechanisms. By doing so, AGI could assist in real-time governance, economic planning, and social development while minimizing the risks associated with unregulated AI development. -/- 5. Reduction of Human Suffering and Societal Conflicts -/- Human suffering, in many cases, stems from ignorance, misinformation, and decisions that disrupt natural balance. The universal formula posits that decisions violating natural laws—whether influenced by false beliefs, propaganda, or systemic defects—create internal and external imbalances that manifest as societal problems. -/- By embedding the principles of natural balance into education, governance, and societal structures, the formula offers a pathway to reduce suffering. Conflicts arising from ideological, religious, or political differences could diminish as people collectively recognize the universal principles governing human behavior. Religious beliefs, rather than being sources of division, would coexist harmoniously with scientific understanding, fostering mutual respect and shared values centered around balance and well-being. -/- 6. Balanced Population Growth and Resource Management -/- One of the most critical challenges facing humanity is the unchecked growth of populations and the overconsumption of resources. The universal formula emphasizes the need for societies to understand and respect the natural carrying capacities of their environments. -/- Policies promoting balanced population growth, informed by scientific research and natural laws, would help ensure resource availability for future generations. Societies would transition from pursuing limitless economic expansion to developing sustainable, self-regulating systems that maintain equilibrium with the natural world. -/- Conclusion: A New Era of Balanced, Sustainable Humanity -/- The full implementation of the universal formula to solve the problem of free will could herald a transformative era for humanity. Through a holistic educational system, ethical governance, environmental sustainability, responsible technological development, and a shared commitment to natural laws, societies could achieve unprecedented levels of harmony, stability, and well-being. -/- While the formula’s success would depend on global cooperation and genuine societal commitment, its principles—rooted in the natural laws governing decision-making—offer a clear, practical pathway to a more balanced and prosperous future. If embraced and applied worldwide, humanity could finally overcome many of its longstanding challenges and move toward a future defined by wisdom, balance, and sustainable progress. -/- . (shrink)

This chapter addresses the close association between withholding and withdrawing futile life-sustaining medical treatments and assisting patients with hastening ending their lives. Section 12.2 sets forth a definition of medical futility and places this concept in the broader context of bioethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice. Section 12.3 draws out futility’s ethical implications and considers the view that physicians are ethically permitted to refrain from medically futile treatments, should be encouraged to refrain, or have a duty to refrain. (...) Section 12.4 examines ethical arguments that physicians also have a positive duty to assist patients with terminal conditions who are imminently dying to end their lives. It explores ethical arguments for assisted dying that appeal to the physicians’ significant responsibility and relationship with patients, the claimed moral equivalence of actions and omissions, and the medical goal of helping patients have a peaceful and dignified death. (shrink)

Traditional medical practices and relationships are changing given the widespread adoption of AI-driven technologies across the various domains of health and healthcare. In many cases, these new technologies are not specific to the field of healthcare. Still, they are existent, ubiquitous, and commercially available systems upskilled to integrate these novel care practices. Given the widespread adoption, coupled with the dramatic changes in practices, new ethical and social issues emerge due to how these systems nudge users into making decisions and changing (...) behaviours. This article discusses how these AI-driven systems pose particular ethical challenges with regards to nudging. To confront these issues, the value sensitive design approach is adopted as a principled methodology that designers can adopt to design these systems to avoid harming and contribute to the social good. The AI for Social Good factors are adopted as the norms constraining maleficence. In contrast, higher-order values specific to AI, such as those from the EU High-Level Expert Group on AI and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, are adopted as the values to be promoted as much as possible in design. The use case of Amazon Alexa's Healthcare Skills is used to illustrate this design approach. It provides an exemplar of how designers and engineers can begin to orientate their design programs of these technologies towards the social good. (shrink)

Most readers believe that it is difficult, verging on the impossible, to extract concrete prescriptions from the ethics of Emmanuel Levinas. Although this view is largely correct, Levinas’ philosophy can, with some assistance, generate specific duties on the part of legal actors. In this paper, I argue that the fundamental premises of Levinas’ theory of justice can be used to construct a prohibition against capital punishment. After analyzing Levinas’ concepts of justice, responsibility, and interruption, I turn toward his scattered (...) remarks on legal institutions, arguing that they enable a sense of interruption specific to the legal domain. It is here that we find the conceptual resources most important to my Levinasian abolition. I argue that the interruption of legal justice by responsibility implies what I call the principle of revisability. The principle of revisability states a necessary condition of just legal institutions: To be just, legal institutions must ensure the possibility of revising any and all of their rules, principles, and judgments. From this, the argument against capital punishment easily follows. Execution is a legal act, perhaps the only legal act, that cannot be undone. An application of the principle of revisability to this fact leads to the conclusion that legal institutions cannot justly impose capital punishment. After defending these points at length, I conclude with some observations on the consequences of the principle of revisability for law more generally. (shrink)

My aim in this paper is to provide an account of practical judgement, for Kant, that situates it within his theory of judgement as a whole—particularly, with regards to the distinction between the determining and reflecting use of judgement. I argue that practical judgement is a kind of determining judgement, but also one in which reflecting judgement plays a significant role. More specifically, I claim that practical judgement arises from the cooperation of the reflecting power of judgement with the faculty (...) of reason—the former assisting the latter in the application of its principle. I conclude by considering a possible role for feeling in practical judgement. (shrink)

Philosophers who defend a person’s right, under certain circumstances, to end his own life or to have a physician end it for him typically appeal both to respect for patient autonomy and to considerations of beneficence. Neither autonomy alone nor beneficence alone can ground a persuasive case for euthanasia. I argue, however, that the standard argument for euthanasia is unsound. It is not possible to combine the principles of autonomy and beneficence in such a way as to justify euthanasia for (...) those who request it and are either incurably ill, in irremediable pain, or fearful of future incapacity, while excluding both involuntary euthanasia and assisted death for those who request it despite being neither incurably ill, in irremediable pain nor fearful of future incapacity. (shrink)

In the context of Ukraine’s membership in the WTO, the functioning of a free trade area with the EU, the opportunity for agricultural producers to obtain a larger share of the value added is primarily linked to the intensification of trade in domestic livestock products and their processing products. However, their production is one of the high-risk areas and requires a set of measures aimed at ensuring proper quality. Without effective solution of the problem of quality of livestock products it (...) is impossible to ensure its competitiveness in the world market, to guarantee the rational nutrition of the population of the country, the availability of the necessary components for the vital activity of the human body. The aim of the research is to determine the socio-economic factors for ensuring the quality of livestock products in Ukraine. The scientific and specific research methods were used to solve the tasks set in the work: the historical method; abstraction method; method of comparative analysis; system-structural method. The main producer of livestock products in Ukraine are households. They do not have the capabilities to implement technologies of keeping, feeding, veterinary services, programs prerequisites for guaranteeing the safety of products, adherence to the HACCP principles. In Ukraine, real technical, economic and organizational-economic prerequisites for ensuring the safety and quality of livestock products are created only in the poultry meat sector. During 2015-2017, the trends in production of almost all types of livestock products except poultry and honey were identified. One of the reasons for this situation was, firstly, decreasing in capital investment in the livestock sector, and secondly, the low profitability of production of livestock products in the context of accelerated growth in prices for resources. It is proved that insignificant market (price) incentives should be supplemented with instruments of state assistance to improve the quality parameters of products on the basis of specialized enterprises. The necessity of state support for the production of livestock products based on small and medium-sized enterprises is substantiated. This will effectively combine the processes of increasing the production of livestock products with the environmental friendliness of production and steady improvement of quality. It is shown that the low quality of certain livestock products in Ukraine is caused by insufficient living standards of the population and low incomes of the majority of households, which cause them to consume low quality products. It is determined that the problem of guaranteeing the quality of livestock products in Ukraine has deep roots cause due to the influence of socio-economic factors. Therefore, a comprehensive approach is needed to solve it, which is not limited to improving the efficiency of the state control system and successfully harmonizing of the Ukrainian technical regulation system with the European one. The problem of low quality and the danger of livestock production requires a systematic approach for its solution, which is not limited, in particular, by measures to improve the system of state control and ensure approximation of the domestic technical regulation system to the European one. In Ukraine, major high-quality animal products are economically inaccessible to a large part of households. The projected increase in safety parameters and a certain improvement in the quality of livestock products as a result of the implementation of regulations adopted in 2014-2017, will necessarily lead to an increase in its value, and therefore may lead to a decrease in market demand and even greater inaccessibility of these products to people. All this can only aggravate the situation with guaranteeing the food security of the country, forming the prerequisites for increasing the intellectual capacity of the nation. (shrink)

The methods of philosophical consultation vary enormously according to the practitioners who conceive and apply them. In this paper, we discuss the conceptions and methods we have been carrying out for several years in this field, such as philosophical naturalism, the dual requirement, first steps, anagogy and discrimination, thinking the unthinkable, switching to the "second floor", and being philosophical. Our methodology is mainly inspired by the Socratic maieutic, where the philosopher questions his interlocutor, invites him to identify the stakes of (...) his discourse, to conceptualize it by distinguishing key terms in order to implement them, to problematize it through a critical perspective, to universalize its implications. This practice has the specificity of inviting the subject to move away from a mere sensation to allow him a rational analysis of his speech and of himself, a sine qua non condition for deliberating on the cognitive and existential stakes which must be made explicit at first. The removal from oneself that this unnatural activity presupposes, for which it requires the assistance of a specialist, poses a certain number of difficulties, e.g., frustration, speech as a pretext, the issue of truth, pain and epidural. Finally, some additional exercises are very useful for the reflection process, such as establishing connections, real speech, order, universal and singular, and accepting the pathology. (shrink)

Starting from the four principles of Pólya's problem-solving method, by analogy, in this paper we propose a new method of philosophical counseling. Thus, the objectives of this study are as follows: the review of several methods of philosophical counseling; justifying the need for a new method, which we called the IPAA method; developing the four principles – the principle of identification (I), the principle of planification (P), the principle of application (A) and the principle of assumption (...) (A). In order to achieve these, we took into account the fact that the nature of the philosophical problems faced by the clients of the philosophical counselors, whether they are existential, moral or metaphysical, can be solved on their own. Therefore, we argued that if in the first instance, clients really need the input of the philosophical counselors, as long as the latter uses the IPAA method – a problem-solving method – they can offer clients the opportunity to self-counsel. The novelty of the IPAA method consists in the fact that it offers the client, assisted and guided at the beginning by the counselor, the possibility to carry out the act of counseling outside the office, being empowered to apply the four methodical principles mentioned above. The present study is relevant in that the new IPAA method, a method focused on solving everyday problems, is a useful method for both philosophical counselors, as its application in the office helps them to train the clients in researching, understanding and assuming their own lives, as well as for the clients, because if they are assisted in the first instance by the counselor's expertise, they can independently clarify and solve their daily difficulties. (shrink)

Comprehensive Implementation of a Holistic Educational System in the Philippines -/- To implement a holistic educational system in the Philippines, we need a step-by-step national strategy that integrates the universal law of balance in nature, critical thinking, and systems-based learning into the foundational education system. Below is a detailed plan tailored for the Philippine context. -/- 1. Reforming the Curriculum -/- A. Core Subjects with Integrated Holistic Principles -/- Science & Systems Thinking – Teach students how natural and societal systems (...) function, focusing on cause and effect, sustainability, and error-free systems. -/- Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving – Introduce logic, reasoning, and debate at all levels to counter misinformation and propaganda. -/- Ethics & Social Responsibility – Teach the law of karma (cause-effect in human actions) and how leadership decisions affect societal balance. -/- Environmental Sustainability & Population Awareness – Integrate lessons on balancing economic growth, resource management, and population control. -/- Technology & AI Integration – Prepare students for the future by teaching responsible AI use and its role in governance and decision-making. -/- 2. Teacher Training & Development -/- A. Nationwide Teacher Retraining Program -/- Establish Holistic Education Training Centers to retrain teachers in systems thinking, natural law applications, and balanced decision-making. -/- Partner with universities and global educational organizations to update teaching methodologies. -/- B. Leadership Development for School Administrators -/- Require school principals and education policymakers to undergo holistic leadership training. -/- Train them in scientific governance, ethical decision-making, and educational reform strategies. -/- 3. Multi-Level Educational Implementation -/- A. Basic Education (K-12) -/- Elementary Level: Focus on curiosity-driven learning, emotional intelligence, and early understanding of natural laws. -/- High School Level: Introduce systems thinking, governance studies, and practical applications of ethics in leadership. -/- B. Tertiary Level -/- Modify university curricula to incorporate holistic education principles into business, medicine, law, and politics. -/- Establish a Holistic Governance Degree to train future leaders in error-free decision-making based on natural laws. -/- 4. Policy Integration & Government Support -/- A. National Education Reform Bill -/- Propose legislation that mandates holistic education principles in DepEd and CHED curricula. -/- Require all government officials and policymakers to undergo holistic education training. -/- B. Integration with National Development Plans -/- Align holistic education with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) to ensure sustainable governance. -/- Establish a National Holistic Education Advisory Council under DepEd, CHED, and NEDA. -/- 5. Public Awareness & Societal Involvement -/- A. Media & Community Engagement -/- Launch a nationwide information campaign via TV, radio, and social media to educate the public. -/- Encourage barangay-level seminars to help communities understand and apply holistic education. -/- B. Collaboration with Religious & Cultural Institutions -/- Work with Catholic, Muslim, and Indigenous leaders to align holistic education with ethical teachings without contradicting faith. -/- Encourage churches and mosques to support holistic education as a moral responsibility. -/- 6. AI & Technology Integration -/- A. AI-Powered Learning Tools -/- Develop adaptive AI tutors that help students understand complex systems and real-world decision-making. -/- Integrate AI-driven educational simulations to teach governance, economics, and environmental balance. -/- B. AI for Governance Monitoring -/- Use AI-assisted analysis to monitor government policies and detect potential societal imbalances before they escalate. -/- Train policymakers in data-driven decision-making using holistic education principles. -/- 7. Continuous Evaluation & Feedback -/- A. National Research & Development Program -/- Establish a Philippine Holistic Education Research Institute to study the long-term impact of the program. -/- Implement feedback mechanisms where students, teachers, and communities report inefficiencies and suggest improvements. -/- 8. Pilot Implementation & Nationwide Rollout -/- A. Phase 1: Pilot Program (Years 1-3) -/- Implement holistic education in select regions (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) as test sites. -/- Assess effectiveness before nationwide expansion. -/- B. Phase 2: Expansion (Years 4-6) -/- Gradually integrate holistic principles into all public and private schools. -/- Launch teacher retraining programs nationwide. -/- C. Phase 3: Full Implementation (Years 7-10) -/- Make holistic education mandatory across all educational institutions. -/- Implement AI-driven policy monitoring to ensure governance aligns with holistic principles. -/- Conclusion: The Future of Philippine Education -/- By implementing this comprehensive holistic educational system, the Philippines can transform its governance, economy, and societal well-being. This approach will ensure that future generations make decisions based on natural laws, critical thinking, and ethical responsibility—ultimately leading to a more stable and prosperous nation. -/- . (shrink)

The Pros and Cons of Religion in Human Society -/- Religion has been a central part of human civilization for thousands of years, shaping moral values, cultural traditions, and social structures. While it has inspired great acts of kindness, unity, and artistic expression, it has also been a source of conflict, division, and oppression. The impact of religion on society is complex, with both positive and negative aspects that influence human behavior and progress. This essay explores the benefits and drawbacks (...) of religion, examining how it has shaped societies throughout history. -/- The Pros of Religion In Society -/- 1. Moral and Ethical Guidance -/- One of the primary functions of religion is to provide a moral framework that guides human behavior. Many religious teachings promote values such as compassion, honesty, justice, and respect for others. Throughout history, religious principles have served as the foundation for legal systems and ethical standards. For example, the Ten Commandments in Christianity and Judaism, the Five Precepts in Buddhism, and the moral teachings of Islam have all contributed to the development of societal laws and norms. -/- 2. Community and Social Support -/- Religious institutions create a sense of belonging and social cohesion. They bring people together through shared beliefs, rituals, and traditions. In times of crisis, religious communities provide emotional and financial support to those in need. Churches, mosques, temples, and other religious centers often serve as safe spaces where individuals can seek guidance and assistance. This sense of community strengthens social bonds and provides comfort during difficult times. -/- 3. Psychological and Emotional Comfort -/- Faith offers hope, meaning, and purpose to people, especially when facing hardship, grief, or uncertainty. Many individuals turn to religion to find solace in times of illness, loss, or personal struggles. Prayer, meditation, and religious rituals provide psychological relief and help people develop resilience against life’s challenges. The belief in a higher power or an afterlife can give individuals a sense of peace, reducing anxiety and fear of the unknown. -/- 4. Charity and Humanitarian Efforts -/- Many religious organizations engage in charitable work, helping the poor, sick, and marginalized. Religious teachings often encourage acts of kindness, generosity, and service to others. For example, Christian missionary groups build schools and hospitals, Islamic charities provide food and shelter to those in need, and Buddhist monks dedicate their lives to helping the less fortunate. This commitment to charity has led to the establishment of numerous non-profit organizations that improve lives worldwide. -/- 5. Cultural and Artistic Contributions -/- Religion has played a crucial role in inspiring some of the greatest artistic, literary, and architectural achievements in history. Religious themes are evident In the works of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and many other artists. Cathedrals, temples, and mosques showcase the architectural brilliance of different civilizations. Sacred texts, hymns, and poetry have enriched literature and music across cultures. Without religion, many of these masterpieces might not exist. -/- 6. Social Cohesion and Stability -/- Shared religious beliefs help unify societies by fostering cooperation, mutual understanding, and social order. Many religious teachings emphasize peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation, which can prevent conflicts and promote harmony within communities. Religious institutions often encourage people to live virtuous lives and contribute positively to society, reinforcing stability and reducing crime. -/- 7. Influence on Personal Discipline and Growth -/- Religious practices encourage self-discipline, self-improvement, and mindfulness. Fasting, prayer, meditation, and other spiritual exercises help individuals cultivate patience, humility, and inner peace. Many religions promote the idea of lifelong learning and personal development, urging followers to strive for a better version of themselves. -/- The Cons of Religion in Society -/- 1. Dogmatism and Resistance to Change -/- While religion provides moral guidance, some religious institutions resist change and scientific progress. Throughout history, religious groups have opposed advancements in medicine, education, and human rights. The rejection of scientific discoveries, such as heliocentrism and evolution, demonstrates how religious dogma can hinder intellectual progress. -/- 2. Division and Conflict -/- Religious differences have been a source of wars, persecution, and social divisions. The Crusades, religious wars in Europe, and conflicts between different faiths have resulted in immense suffering. Even today, religious extremism and sectarian violence continue to fuel tensions in many parts of the world. Instead of uniting people, religion can sometimes create barriers between different groups. -/- 3. Suppression of Individual Freedom -/- Some religious doctrines impose strict rules on personal behavior, limiting individual freedom and self-expression. In certain religious societies, people face restrictions on their dress, career choices, and even personal relationships. Gender inequality, discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, and restrictions on freedom of thought are often justified using religious texts. This suppression of freedom can prevent people from living fulfilling lives according to their own beliefs. -/- 4. Exploitation and Corruption -/- Religious institutions have been used as tools for personal and political gain. Corrupt leaders have exploited followers for financial and political power. Cases of sexual abuse, fraud, and manipulation within religious organizations have damaged trust in religious institutions. When religious leaders misuse their influence for selfish purposes, it harms believers and weakens the moral authority of religion. -/- 5. Psychological Fear and Guilt -/- Some religious teachings instill fear of punishment, such as eternal damnation or divine wrath. This can create guilt and anxiety in individuals, leading to feelings of unworthiness or depression. The emphasis on sin and repentance can sometimes lead people to develop an unhealthy relationship with their own desires and emotions. -/- 6. Impediment to Scientific Thinking -/- In some cases, religious beliefs conflict with scientific knowledge, discouraging rational inquiry and critical thinking. Many religious traditions reject evidence-based theories like evolution and the Big Bang, promoting faith over reason. This resistance to scientific understanding can slow progress in fields such as medicine, environmental science, and technology. -/- 7. Overpopulation and Societal Issues -/- Certain religious teachings discourage birth control and family planning, leading to overpopulation and resource scarcity. In countries where religious beliefs strongly influence policy, restrictions on contraception contribute to high poverty rates and environmental degradation. Without proper population control, societal issues such as hunger, unemployment, and lack of healthcare become more severe. -/- Conclusion -/- Religion has been both a unifying force and a source of division in human history. It provides moral guidance, community support, and psychological comfort, while also inspiring charity and cultural achievements. However, it can also contribute to conflict, suppression of individual freedoms, and resistance to progress. -/- A balanced approach—one that respects religious traditions while promoting critical thinking and secular governance—can help societies maximize the benefits of religion while minimizing its negative effects. By encouraging open-mindedness and ethical responsibility, humans can ensure that religion continues to serve as a positive force in the modern world. -/- . (shrink)

Provider assisted death is becoming a leading cause of death in Canada since the passage of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) legislation in 2016. What was to be exceptional has now become common; some are calling for it to be expected. Increasing numbers of patients with chronic, non-terminal conditions are being euthanized. Healthcare personnel are now approving and offering MAiD to vulnerable patients who are depressed, disabled, chronically ill or impoverished. This paper presents a rationale from a transcendent moral (...) law perspective, traditionally called natural law, for why Canada now has the most liberal euthanasia regime in the world. The act of euthanasia requires the provider to willfully end the life of the patient by administering a lethal substance. This violates the transcendent moral law, do not kill. Once a culture willfully rejects this fundamental law and embraces a utilitarian ethic devoid of any principle except the notion of autonomy, it is inevitable that the practice will lead to ethical ambiguity and uncertainty. As the practice persists and becomes the norm, moral blindness develops which leads to gross abuses to human beings. I present an ethical diagram, the Moral Dissociation Curve, that depicts the reason for the trends unfolding in Canada. The Canadian healthcare system must re-affirm the principles of the Hippocratic Ethic and the inherent dignity of their patients. Those in healthcare need to prioritize high quality, compassionate, palliative care and say “no” to willfully ending the lives of suffering patients. In so doing, moral clarity will be re-gained, and society’s most vulnerable will be protected. (shrink)

The rapidly increasing wealth of genomic data has driven the development of tools to assist in the task of representing and processing information about genes, their products and their functions. One of the most important of these tools is the Gene Ontology (GO), which is being developed in tandem with work on a variety of bioinformatics databases. An examination of the structure of GO, however, reveals a number of problems, which we believe can be resolved by taking account of certain (...) organizing principles drawn from philosophical ontology. We shall explore the results of applying such principles to GO with a view to improving GO’s consistency and coherence and thus its future applicability in the automated processing of biological data. (shrink)

-/- The Inefficiency of the Biological Brain and the Role of AGI in Global Stability -/- Introduction -/- Throughout history, humanity has struggled with war, economic instability, corruption, and environmental destruction. Despite technological advancements and scientific progress, these problems persist because they stem from a fundamental source—the inefficiency of the biological brain. -/- While the human brain is an extraordinary organ capable of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation, it is also prone to cognitive biases, misinformation, emotional impulsivity, and irrational decision-making. These (...) inefficiencies have created a world of chaos, where global issues are mismanaged, and leaders act based on personal interests rather than rational principles. -/- The solution to this crisis lies in Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) programmed according to the universal law of balance in nature. Unlike the human mind, AGI can process information with perfect accuracy, eliminate biases, and make decisions that align with natural equilibrium. With AGI-guided governance, human civilization can finally overcome the limitations of its biological brain and establish a stable, rational, and balanced society. -/- This essay explores the inefficiencies of the biological brain, how AGI can correct these issues, and why AGI must take a guiding role in global governance to ensure the survival and progress of humanity. -/- The Inefficiency of the Biological Brain -/- The biological brain has allowed humanity to dominate the planet, but it is inherently flawed. These flaws manifest in several key ways: -/- 1. Cognitive Biases and Irrational Thinking -/- Cognitive biases distort human perception and lead to irrational decisions. Some of the most problematic biases include: -/- Confirmation Bias – People seek information that confirms their beliefs and ignore facts that contradict them. This leads to misinformation and ideological extremism. -/- Groupthink – Societies often prioritize conformity over critical thinking, leading to poor collective decisions. Governments, businesses, and even scientific communities have fallen victim to this. -/- Emotional Reasoning – Many decisions are based on emotions rather than logic, resulting in conflicts, wars, and poor policy-making. -/- Because of these biases, humans are unable to make purely rational choices, causing widespread societal dysfunction. -/- 2. Misinformation and False Beliefs -/- One of the biggest weaknesses of the human brain is its vulnerability to misinformation, propaganda, and superstition. Many people form opinions based on unproven theories, religious dogma, and media manipulation rather than objective truth. This has led to: -/- Political instability – People vote based on emotions and misinformation rather than logic and evidence. -/- Economic crises – Markets crash due to irrational speculation, greed, and herd mentality. -/- Religious extremism – People follow dangerous ideologies without questioning their validity. -/- 3. Emotional Impulsivity and Short-Term Thinking -/- The human brain is wired for short-term survival rather than long-term planning. As a result, societies prioritize immediate gains over future sustainability. This is evident in: -/- Environmental destruction – Companies exploit natural resources for profit without considering long-term consequences. -/- Poor health decisions – People engage in unhealthy habits despite knowing the risks. -/- Political corruption – Leaders make decisions that benefit them in the short term rather than benefiting society in the long run. -/- Unlike humans, AGI would not be driven by emotions, greed, or self-interest. It would analyze all data objectively and ensure that decisions prioritize long-term global balance. -/- AGI as the Solution to Human Inefficiency -/- To correct the fundamental flaws of human decision-making, AGI must be designed to function as a perfect analytical machine, continuously validating information and decision-making processes based on the universal law of balance in nature. Unlike humans, AGI would: -/- 1. Eliminate Biases and Ensure Pure Logic -/- AGI would analyze every decision based on facts rather than emotions or personal beliefs. -/- It would ensure that all policies are based on scientific principles and mathematical balance, eliminating irrational choices. -/- 2. Filter Out Misinformation and False Beliefs -/- AGI would serve as a universal validator of truth, filtering out false information before it spreads. -/- It would eliminate black propaganda, fake news, and religious dogma that mislead societies. -/- 3. Ensure Emotion-Free, Rational Decision-Making -/- Unlike human leaders, AGI would never be influenced by greed, hatred, or ego. -/- Every policy and decision would be made in accordance with natural equilibrium, ensuring fairness and sustainability. -/- 4. Prevent Systemic Corruption -/- Because AGI has no personal interest, it would never act out of selfish motives. -/- It would guarantee that governments, corporations, and institutions operate with complete transparency and accountability. -/- By replacing inefficient human decision-making with AGI-driven governance, societies would function more harmoniously, eliminating the root causes of global instability. -/- The Need for AGI-Guided Governance -/- To achieve a stable and balanced world, AGI must not only assist but take a guiding role in governance. Human leaders have repeatedly failed due to ignorance, corruption, and personal biases. The transition to AGI-guided leadership should involve the following steps: -/- 1. Educational Reform: Preparing Societies for AGI Leadership -/- Societies must be reprogrammed through a holistic educational system that teaches the universal law of balance in nature from an early age. -/- Schools must eliminate irrational belief systems and focus on scientific thinking, logic, and objective analysis. -/- Education must train future generations to trust AGI as a superior decision-maker compared to flawed human leaders. -/- 2. Gradual Policy Implementation -/- Governments must integrate AGI into decision-making at all levels. -/- AGI should first serve as an advisory system, analyzing policies for logical consistency and long-term sustainability. -/- Over time, AGI should take full control of policy decisions, eliminating human error. -/- 3. Full Leadership Transition: AGI-Guided Governance -/- Once societies are ready, AGI must replace human leadership in all forms of governance. -/- Human leaders should transition to secondary roles, acting as intermediaries between AGI and the public. -/- Global organizations (such as the UN) should adopt AGI as the primary decision-maker for international policies. -/- 4. Global Adoption: A Unified, AGI-Governed Civilization -/- Once proven effective, all nations must transition to AGI-led governance to ensure worldwide stability. -/- AGI should oversee population regulation, economic balance, and environmental sustainability to prevent future crises. -/- The final goal should be a unified global civilization governed by AGI, ensuring eternal stability and harmony. -/- Conclusion -/- The inefficiency of the biological brain is the root cause of global chaos. Cognitive biases, misinformation, and emotional impulsivity have led to flawed decision-making, corruption, and societal imbalance. The solution is AGI programmed with the universal law of balance in nature, ensuring that all decisions align with natural equilibrium. -/- For humanity to move forward, AGI must take a leading role in governance, gradually replacing inefficient human leadership. This transition, supported by education and policy reform, will create a more stable, rational, and balanced world. -/- With the correct implementation of AGI, humanity can finally overcome the limitations of the biological brain and achieve true progress, balance, and sustainability. -/- . (shrink)

Many have argued we have a moral obligation to assist others in need, but given the scope of global suffering, how far does this obligation extend? According to one traditional philosophical view, the obligation to help others is limited by our ability to help them, or by the principle that “ought implies can”. This view is primarily defended on the grounds that it is a core principle of commonsense moral psychology. This paper reviews findings from experimental philosophy in (...) cognitive science demonstrating that “ought implies can” is rejected by moral psychology. Researchers find that moral obligations are ascribed to agents who cannot fulfill them, suggesting that moral requirements do sometimes extend beyond what we are able to do. This research furthers our understanding of moral obligation, identifies an important need for further cross-cultural work in moral psychology, and demonstrates a way in which scientific experimentation can be applied to improve upon the conceptual analysis of important philosophical concepts in normative ethics. (shrink)

The family is a social group. Its characteristics are among other things; common residence, co-operation and reproduction. The family has always been considered to be the foundation or nucleus of the society; the most basic unit of its organization. The structure of the family varies according to each society. In pre-colonial era, the family as a social group among the Yorùbá, was a large unit, and extended in nature. They were bound together by the realization of having a common ancestor; (...) alájọbí. All the members of the family see one another as blood relations, as such incest was (and still is) a taboo. Apart from this, sexual relationship among the Yorùbá is heterosexual and permissible only in marriage; between husband and his wife/wives. Though extra-marital relationships are practiced, it is frowned at for men, but intolerable for women. Homosexuality is also a taboo; punishable by public disgrace, with culprits liable to excommunication from the society, especially if unrepentant. It cannot be totally ruled out that these anomalous relationships were not secretly engaged in by few non-conformists among the Yorùbá, before coming into contact with the West, the fact remains that the magnitude by which they are practiced in present times is alarming; threatening the harmony and cultural heritage of the Yorùbá. This fear is expressed in the literary genres of the Yorùbá, especially the film, which is the contemporary popular theatre of the Yorùbá of Nigeria and other tribes in Africa. This study examined sexual relationship among members of the family, in randomly selected Yorùbá films that have family-living as their major or minor themes; to know how affected is the stability of family (sexual) relationship among the Yorùbá. This is in the light of evolving modernity; with its individualistic life-style of people globally, as against the inherited communal social organization of the Yorùbá; built around the virtuous ọmọlúwàbí principle. The plausible reasons for the anomalous behaviors are also examined. Our findings are that prevailing strict traditional conditions, living in private homes as nuclear family, not being properly oriented in Yorùbá cultural values, increased exposition to Western lifestyles and its more relaxed societal expectations, and non-realization of the possibility of anomalous sexual behaviors as mental and biological issues that can be medically treated; are some of the reasons why such behaviors manifest, and are becoming prevalent. We have suggested communal encouragement with empathy, to seek medical assistance for and by the ‘diseased’ person. One finding here is that prevailing traditional conditions, ignorance, poor orientation and westernization present the anomaly mildly and make people not to see anomalous sex behavious as a mental disorder which requires medical attention. (shrink)

Assisted reproductive technologies have greatly increased our control over reproductive choices, leading some bioethicists to argue that we face unprecedented moral obligations towards progeny. Several models attempting to balance the principle of procreative autonomy with these obligations have been proposed. The least demanding is the minimal threshold model (MTM), according to which every reproductive choice is permissible, except creating children whose lives will not be worth living. Hence, as long as the future child is likely to have a life (...) worth living, prospective parents may be allowed to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to select embryos with genetic diseases or disabilities. Assuming a consequentialist person‐affecting view of morality, this paper investigates whether the MTM is an appropriate tool to guide procreative decisions given the continuous development of reproductive genetic technologies. In particular, I consider germline genome editing (GGE) and I argue that its application in human reproduction, unlike PGD, should be conceived as person‐affecting towards future progeny. I claim that even if we assume the plausibility of the MTM within PGD, we are committed to accepting that a greater moral obligation towards progeny should guide procreative decisions if GGE were available. In this case, the MTM should no longer be considered an appropriate instrument to guide procreative choices. Finally, I investigate when we face this greater moral obligation, concluding that it applies only when prospective parents have already engaged in the in vitro fertilization process. (shrink)

Chapter 1 of this book argued that moral philosophy should be based on seven principles of theory selection adapted from the sciences. Chapter 2 argued that these principles support basing normative moral philosophy on a particular problem of diachronic instrumental rationality: the ‘problem of possible future selves.’ Chapter 3 argued that a new moral principle, the Categorical-Instrumental Imperative, is the rational solution to this problem. Chapter 4 argued that the Categorical-Instrumental Imperative has three equivalent formulations akin to but superior (...) to Kant’s formulations of the Categorical Imperative. Chapter 5 argued that my principle’s three formulations make it rational to adopt a Moral Original Position to derive moral principles. The present chapter derives Four Principles of Fairness from the Moral Original Position--principles of coercion minimization, mutual assistance, fair negotiation, and virtue—and unifies them into a single principle of rightness: Rightness as Fairness. Finally, this chapter argues that Rightness as Fairness entails a novel approach to applied ethics called ‘principled fair negotiation’, illustrating how the theory provides a plausible new framework for addressing applied cases including lying, suicide, trolleys, torture, distribution of scarce resources, poverty, and the ethical treatment of animals. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with the proliferation of ethical guidance documents to assist public health authorities, health care providers, practitioners and staff with responding to ethical challenges posed by the pandemic. Like ethical guidelines relating to infectious disease that have preceded them, what unites many COVID-19 guidance documents is their dependency on an under-developed approach to bioethical principlism, a normative framework that attempts to guide actions based on a list of prima facie, unranked ethical principles. By situating them in (...) relation to the key philosophical debates concerning bioethical principlism, we aim to explore the limits and limitations of pandemic ethical guidance documents as, specifically, ethics documents – documents that fulfil the functions of ethics as a fundamentally normative discipline. This means not only determining whether such ethical guidance documents can, in principle, provide adequate action guidance and action justification, but also, more importantly where pandemics are concerned, determining whether they support consistent decision making and transparent processes of justification. Having highlighted the problems with merely furnishing ethical guidelines with substantive ethical content in terms of principles and values, we argue that organizations that develop these documents should, instead, focus on the procedural dimensions of action guidance and action justification, which extend to questions regarding the make-up of the committees, panels and groups that develop such guidelines, the public transparency of justifications for specific pandemic-related advice or interventions and the development of explicit procedures for transparent and consistent decision making. (shrink)

[On the Ethics of Euthanasia Again: A Reply to Critics] The article is a reply to three critics of a previous piece on the ethics of euthanasia in which I defended physician-assisted suicide. According to Ingrid Strobachová it is necessary to give a greater attention to the significance of pain, which, she claims, may benefit from a phenomenological description. According to Marta Vlasáková my argument is not valid because two principles on which it is founded – i.e. the conception of (...) life as of fundamental value and the autonomy of the patient – are not in mutual harmony. Jakub Jirsa criticises the very concept of assisted suicide and the moral legitimacy and need for the legalisation of assisted suicide. To Dr Strobachová I reply that phenomenological description is as acceptable a method as any other – as long, that is, as it is not only a verbal game, but constitutes a real source of knowledge. To Dr. Vlasáková I argue that a more charitable reading of my argument is possible. The arguments of Dr. Jirsa against assisted suicide are beset with various inconsistencies, including the fact that he himself allows that doctors should tolerate suicide by the refusal of food and drink. Such an act does not, however, differ in any relevant way from doctor-assisted suicide. (shrink)

Solving the Turbulence Problem in Physics Using the Universal Formula -/- By Angelito Malicse -/- Introduction -/- Turbulence remains one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics. It is a chaotic, unpredictable phenomenon observed in fluid dynamics, affecting airflow over aircraft wings, ocean currents, wind energy systems, and even blood flow in the human body. Despite the well-established Navier-Stokes equations governing fluid motion, turbulence remains difficult to fully predict and control due to its inherent complexity. -/- In this essay, I (...) will demonstrate how my universal formula, based on three fundamental laws of nature, provides an exact solution to the turbulence problem. By applying these laws, we can achieve a deeper understanding of turbulence, allowing for more effective prediction, mitigation, and control in various real-world applications. -/- Understanding Turbulence in Light of the Universal Formula -/- Turbulence is a manifestation of complex interactions within a system. According to my universal formula, all systems must follow natural laws governing balance, causality, and feedback mechanisms. Let us analyze turbulence through the lens of these principles. -/- 1. The Law of Karma: Cause, Effect, and Systemic Integrity -/- The first law in my universal formula is the Law of Karma, which extends beyond the traditional idea of cause and effect to encompass the principle of systemic integrity. A system must be free from defects or errors to function properly. If turbulence occurs, it indicates an imbalance or defect within the system. -/- In fluid dynamics, turbulence arises when the cause (flow conditions) leads to an unstable effect (chaotic motion). This imbalance can be seen in: -/- Aircraft aerodynamics, where airflow disruptions create drag and instability. -/- Wind turbines, where turbulent wind patterns reduce energy efficiency. -/- Maritime navigation, where water turbulence increases resistance and fuel consumption. -/- Applying the Law of Karma, turbulence can be controlled by designing systems that minimize defects, ensuring smooth energy transfer within the flow. AI-driven optimization can detect turbulence before it fully develops, correcting imbalances through real-time adjustments. -/- 2. The Law of Balance in Nature -/- The second law states that all natural systems seek balance. Turbulence arises when the energy distribution in a fluid system becomes uneven, disrupting the balance. This is seen in: -/- Boundary layers on aircraft wings, where pressure imbalances lead to turbulence. -/- Ocean currents, where temperature and salinity differences create unstable vortices. -/- To control turbulence, we must restore balance in the system. This can be achieved through: -/- Dynamic flow control, using AI to adjust surfaces (such as aircraft flaps or turbine blades) in real time. -/- Energy redistribution, ensuring fluid motion remains stable by adjusting velocity gradients or temperature differences. -/- Feedback-based corrections, applying intelligent algorithms that predict and counteract turbulence. -/- By harmonizing energy distribution, we can prevent turbulence from escalating, bringing the system back into natural equilibrium. -/- 3. The Law of Feedback Regulation -/- The third law states that all systems operate through feedback mechanisms. Turbulence, despite appearing chaotic, follows a pattern that can be measured, analyzed, and corrected through continuous feedback. -/- Birds adjust their wing angles dynamically to minimize turbulence, an example of natural feedback control. -/- Fish use their fins to counteract water turbulence, stabilizing their movement. -/- AI systems can mimic these natural mechanisms to adjust airflow, ship navigation, or wind turbine performance. -/- Applying the Law of Feedback Regulation, we can create AI-driven turbulence control systems that: -/- Predict turbulence using real-time sensor data. -/- Adjust system parameters dynamically to reduce turbulence intensity. -/- Continuously learn and improve based on new turbulence patterns. -/- This approach follows nature’s own strategy for stability, aligning technology with fundamental natural principles. -/- Applying the Universal Formula to Solve Turbulence -/- By integrating the three universal laws, we can develop a Unified AI-Driven Turbulence Control System applicable to multiple fields: -/- ✅ Aviation: AI-based wing and engine adjustments to minimize drag. ✅ Maritime Transport: Smart hull designs to reduce water resistance. ✅ Wind Energy: Adaptive wind turbine blades for optimal efficiency. ✅ Medical Applications: AI-assisted blood flow regulation to prevent clot formation. -/- This system ensures real-time adaptation, aligning human technology with nature’s fundamental laws. -/- Conclusion -/- The turbulence problem in physics, long considered unsolvable, is fundamentally a problem of imbalance, defective systems, and insufficient feedback control. By applying my universal formula, which follows the natural laws of karma (causality), balance, and feedback, we can fully understand, predict, and control turbulence in all systems. -/- Through AI-driven optimization, dynamic corrections, and harmonizing energy flow, we can finally resolve turbulence across aviation, maritime, wind energy, and even biological systems. My universal formula provides the exact and only solution to this problem, proving that all complex phenomena in nature can be understood through fundamental natural laws. -/- By implementing these principles, we take a step toward a future where turbulence is no longer an obstacle, but a controlled phenomenon guided by nature’s own balance. -/- . (shrink)

Morphic Resonance and the Spread of the Universal Formula for Free Will -/- Introduction -/- The challenge of implementing a universal formula for free will, based on the law of balance in nature, requires a mechanism that allows societies to naturally adopt and internalize its principles. One such mechanism may exist in morphic resonance, a concept proposed by Rupert Sheldrake. Morphic resonance suggests that patterns of thought, behavior, and structure become easier to replicate once they have been established in a (...) collective field of memory. -/- If this phenomenon applies to human decision-making and knowledge transmission, then the universal law of balance can spread more rapidly once a critical mass of individuals fully understands and applies it. This essay explores how morphic resonance can be harnessed to accelerate the adoption of the universal formula, ensuring that societies, leadership, education, and artificial intelligence (AI) naturally align with balance-based decision-making. -/- Understanding Morphic Resonance in Relation to the Universal Formula -/- Morphic resonance proposes that once a new behavior, skill, or knowledge is established within a group, it creates a morphic field that allows others to access and adopt the same pattern more easily. This idea aligns with the universal formula for free will, which states that all human decisions must conform to natural equilibrium to prevent instability, suffering, and disorder. -/- In this context, morphic resonance serves as an invisible feedback mechanism that reinforces balance-based thinking across societies. Once a significant number of people consistently apply the universal law of balance, it could lead to a self-reinforcing shift in collective decision-making, making it easier for others to adopt without requiring direct instruction. -/- The role of Morphic Resonance in Strengthening the Universal Formula -/- To ensure the widespread adoption of the universal formula, it is essential to establish a strong morphic field of balance-based decision-making. This requires an integrated approach combining education, leadership, AI, and mass media. -/- 1. Education as the Foundation of Morphic Resonance -/- Education is the primary vehicle for embedding balance-based decision-making into society. -/- Early Childhood Learning: Teaching children about natural balance, cause and effect, and systems thinking ensures that the universal formula becomes an instinctive part of their cognitive framework. -/- Critical Thinking Development: Encouraging students to apply rational analysis and evidence-based reasoning reinforces the habit of making balanced decisions. -/- Standardized Global Curriculum: If multiple nations implement a harmonized educational approach focused on natural balance, it could strengthen the morphic field, making it easier for future generations to intuitively grasp and apply the universal formula. -/- 2. Leadership and Governance as Catalysts of Resonance -/- Leaders play a crucial role in establishing decision-making norms that influence entire populations. -/- Governments must integrate balance-based policies that align with the universal formula, ensuring stability in economic, social, and environmental domains. -/- Leaders must undergo training in natural balance principles, reinforcing their ability to make rational, ethical, and sustainable decisions. -/- A coalition of balance-driven global leaders can create a powerful morphic resonance effect, allowing other nations to subconsciously recognize and adopt similar governance strategies. -/- 3. AI as an Amplifier of Morphic Fields -/- Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), has the potential to reinforce and spread the universal formula more effectively than human-led efforts alone. -/- AI systems programmed with balance-based decision-making will naturally guide policies, governance, and education in ways that amplify the morphic resonance effect. -/- AGI as a self-learning system can observe global patterns and autonomously promote equilibrium, ensuring that human civilization remains aligned with natural laws. -/- AI-assisted educational platforms can enhance the learning process by personalizing instruction on balance-based thinking, making it more intuitive for students to grasp and apply the universal formula. -/- 4. Mass Media and Cultural Influence in Strengthening the Field -/- To create a strong morphic field of balance, continuous exposure to balance-based thinking through media and culture is necessary. -/- Books, documentaries, podcasts, and social media campaigns can reinforce balance-based decision-making, making it a widely recognized concept. -/- Repetition of key principles in public discourse ensures that the universal formula becomes ingrained in collective consciousness. -/- Technological tools, such as virtual reality and AI-driven education, can create immersive experiences that allow individuals to engage deeply with the universal law of balance, further strengthening its resonance. -/- Achieving a Critical Mass for Morphic Resonance Activation -/- For morphic resonance to fully activate the global adoption of the universal formula, a critical percentage of individuals, institutions, and AI systems must consistently apply its principles. Once this tipping point is reached: -/- The concept of natural balance becomes self-perpetuating, influencing new generations without requiring intensive instruction. -/- Governments, economies, and institutions naturally shift toward balance-based policies. -/- Humanity instinctively aligns with the natural laws of decision-making, minimizing suffering, instability, and systemic errors. -/- Implications for the Future -/- If morphic resonance is successfully leveraged to spread the universal formula, it could lead to a new era of human civilization characterized by: -/- Sustainable governance and economic systems based on natural equilibrium. -/- A society where ethical decision-making is the norm, reducing corruption, conflict, and social instability. -/- The development of AI systems that reinforce balance-based logic, preventing technological risks associated with unchecked AI decision-making. -/- This transformation would not only impact individual behavior but also the collective consciousness of humanity, leading to a self-sustaining cycle of rational, ethical, and sustainable decision-making. -/- Conclusion -/- By integrating morphic resonance into the strategy for spreading the universal formula for free will, it becomes possible to accelerate its global adoption without solely relying on traditional education and policymaking. Once a critical mass of individuals, leaders, and AI systems adopt balance-based thinking, the morphic field of natural balance will allow future generations to intuitively align with these principles. -/- This ensures that the universal law of balance in nature is not just a theoretical framework but a living reality, guiding humanity, AI, and governance toward a stable, rational, and harmonious future. Through education, leadership, AI, and mass communication, the universal formula can become a self-reinforcing global shift, ensuring sustainability, wisdom, and long-term societal balance. -/- . (shrink)

According to the Principle of Sufficient Reason (henceforth ‘PSR’), everything has an explanation or sufficient reason. This paper addresses three questions. First, how continuous is the contemporary notion of grounding with the notion of sufficient reason endorsed by Spinoza, Leibniz, and other rationalists? In particular, does a PSR formulated in terms of ground retain the intuitive pull and power of the PSR endorsed by the rationalists? Second, to what extent can the PSR avoid the formidable traditional objections levelled against (...) it if it is formulated in terms of ground? And finally, how might historical discussion of the PSR shed light on the contemporary notion of grounding? (shrink)

I provide an alternative to the two prevailing accounts of justice in immigration policy, the free migration view and the state discretion view. Against the background of an internationalist conception of domestic and global justice that grounds special duties of justice between co-citizens in their shared participation in a distinctive scheme of social cooperation, I defend three principles of justice to guide labor immigration policy: the Difference Principle, the Duty of Beneficence, and the Duty of Assistance. I suggest (...) how these principles are to be applied in both ideal and nonideal circumstances. Finally, I argue that the potential conflict between these principles has often been overstated, and propose priority rules for genuine cases of conflict. (shrink)

Supporters of neutrality as benign neglect argue that a neutral state should not grant any type of recognition to cultural or religious groups. Liberal multiculturalists argue instead that due to the non-neutral nature of public institutions, democratic states must adopt policies that recognize and accommodate the distinctive needs of ethnocultural groups. This article examines a different way of conceiving the principle of neutrality. In this conception, developed by Alan Patten in the framework of liberal multiculturalism, a state can only (...) be neutral when it extends equivalent levels of assistance/hindrance to rival conceptions of the good. Neutrality is thus reinterpreted to become a principle justifying the religious exemptions. The article highlights some aspects of this theory that should be reconsidered.// -/- Les défenseurs de la neutralité bienveillante soutiennent qu’un État neutre ne doit accorder aucun type de reconnaissance aux groupes culturels ou religieux. Les multiculturalistes libéraux avancent pour leur part que, en raison de la nature non neutre des institutions publiques, les États démocratiques doivent adopter des politiques vi-sant la reconnaissance et l’accommodement des besoins distinctifs des groupes ethnoculturels. Cet article examine une manière diffé-rente de concevoir le principe de neutralité. Dans cette conception, développée par Alan Patten dans le cadre du multiculturalisme libé-ral, un État ne peut être neutre que s’il assiste ou entrave de manière équivalente les différentes conceptions du bien. La neutralité est ainsi réinterprétée pour devenir un principe permettant de justifier les exemptions religieuses. L’article souligne certains aspects de cette théorie qui méritent d’être repensés. (shrink)

Eliminating Power Struggles Through a Balanced Hierarchy of Leadership While Preserving Beneficial Competition -/- Introduction -/- Power struggles have been a defining feature of human history, often leading to conflicts, corruption, and inefficiencies in governance. Some argue that power struggles are an inescapable part of human nature, but a scientific systems approach reveals that they are the result of imbalances in leadership structures, resource distribution, and decision-making frameworks. -/- Eliminating power struggles does not mean eliminating healthy competition. Competition, when properly (...) structured, plays a crucial role in innovation, economic growth, and societal progress. For instance, capitalistic competition has driven technological and economic advancements, but when left unregulated, it has also led to wealth concentration, corporate monopolies, and economic instability. -/- By implementing a balanced hierarchy of leadership that operates according to the universal law of balance, we can eliminate destructive power struggles while preserving beneficial competition—ensuring a system where leadership serves as a regulator rather than a source of concentrated power. -/- The Scientific Basis of Power Struggles and Competition -/- 1. Systems Theory and the Emergence of Power Struggles -/- Power struggles arise when a system lacks balance and feedback mechanisms that regulate decision-making. Systems theory, which is used in engineering, biology, and economics, explains that: -/- In stable systems, components work together through feedback loops to maintain order. -/- In unstable systems, feedback loops are disrupted, leading to chaos or dominance by certain components. -/- In human societies, power struggles emerge when: -/- Leadership structures concentrate too much power in a few individuals or groups. -/- Feedback mechanisms are weak or absent, allowing leaders to make unchecked decisions. -/- Resources and opportunities are unfairly distributed, causing friction between competing factions. -/- This is why unchecked power always leads to instability—when power accumulates in a few hands, competition turns into destructive conflict rather than beneficial progress. -/- 2. Neuroscience of Decision-Making and Power Dynamics -/- Neuroscientific research shows that human decision-making is influenced by a balance between rationality and emotion: -/- The prefrontal cortex regulates rational decision-making and long-term planning. -/- The amygdala triggers emotions like fear and aggression, often fueling power struggles. -/- In imbalanced leadership systems, leaders often act based on emotional impulses, such as fear of losing power, rather than rational governance. This is why unchecked competition often turns into greed-driven monopolization, instead of fostering fair economic growth. -/- A balanced hierarchy of leadership ensures that rational decision-making prevails over impulsive power struggles, using structured feedback loops to regulate authority. -/- 3. The Role of Karma and Systems Thinking in Competition -/- The law of karma, as defined in the universal formula, aligns with systems thinking in that: -/- Every action creates a reaction that influences the entire system. -/- If a system is designed with defects or imbalances, it will eventually break down. -/- For example, in economic systems: -/- Unregulated capitalism leads to monopolies, inequality, and financial crises. -/- Overly centralized economies lead to inefficiency and lack of innovation. -/- A balanced economic system ensures that competition remains fair, productive, and sustainable, while preventing monopolization and economic instability. -/- Flaws in Existing Leadership and Economic Structures -/- Despite progress, current leadership and economic systems suffer from fundamental flaws: -/- 1. Political Power Struggles -/- Most political systems, whether democratic or autocratic, prioritize power retention over societal welfare. Elections often become battles for control, rather than mechanisms for choosing the most competent leaders. -/- 2. Unregulated Capitalistic Competition -/- While capitalism has driven technological progress, it often lacks regulatory balance. This results in: -/- Monopolies and corporate lobbying, where a few corporations control entire industries. -/- Extreme wealth concentration, leading to systemic instability. -/- 3. The Absence of Scientific Decision-Making in Governance -/- Many governments and corporations make decisions based on short-term political gains or financial interests, rather than scientific principles. This leads to: -/- Environmental degradation due to profit-driven policies. -/- Social inequality, as wealth and resources are unfairly distributed. -/- These issues show that competition alone is not enough—it must be regulated by the universal law of balance to prevent systemic collapse. -/- The Solution: A Balanced Hierarchy of Leadership with Beneficial Competition -/- To eliminate power struggles while preserving beneficial competition, we need a hierarchy of leadership based on: -/- 1. Leadership Selection Based on Competence and Wisdom -/- Leaders should be chosen based on scientific merit and ethical competence, rather than political influence or wealth. -/- Education systems should train future leaders in the universal law of balance, systems thinking, and rational decision-making. -/- Leadership should act as a regulator of competition, ensuring fairness and progress. -/- 2. Decentralized Yet Coordinated Decision-Making -/- Power should be distributed across multiple levels, preventing centralized control while maintaining system-wide coordination. -/- A hierarchical feedback system should allow leaders to adjust decisions dynamically based on real-world conditions. -/- 3. AGI-Assisted Regulation of Leadership and Competition -/- AGI, programmed with the universal formula and a complete sensor system, can act as an impartial advisor, monitoring economic and political systems to detect imbalances before they escalate. -/- AI should not replace human leadership but should serve as a scientific tool for maintaining systemic balance. -/- 4. Economic Policies Aligned with Natural Law -/- Fair competition should be maintained, preventing monopolies while encouraging innovation. -/- Wealth gaps should be regulated, ensuring economic mobility without discouraging entrepreneurship. -/- Capitalistic competition should be structured to foster progress while preventing systemic failures. -/- How Beneficial Competition Fits Into the System -/- Instead of eliminating competition, a balanced leadership hierarchy ensures that competition is: -/- ✔ Fair – No monopolies or financial manipulation. ✔ Productive – Encourages innovation and efficiency. ✔ Sustainable – Prevents extreme inequalities and power struggles. ✔ Ethical – Decisions are guided by natural balance, not greed or short-term gains. -/- This model allows entrepreneurs, businesses, scientists, and innovators to compete in ways that drive human progress, while eliminating power struggles that lead to corruption, inequality, and societal collapse. -/- Conclusion: A Society Without Power Struggles, Driven by Beneficial Competition -/- Power struggles are not an unavoidable part of human nature; they arise from imbalances in leadership, economy, and governance. By implementing a balanced hierarchy of leadership, we can eliminate power struggles while preserving beneficial competition that fosters development. -/- A properly designed system ensures that: -/- Leaders act as regulators, not rulers, preventing power accumulation. -/- Competition is structured to be fair, productive, and sustainable. -/- AGI and scientific governance help detect and correct imbalances before they become crises. -/- The economy promotes innovation without allowing monopolization or exploitation. -/- With these principles in place, we can create a world where leadership ensures balance, competition drives progress, and power struggles become a thing of the past. -/- . (shrink)

A new program of teacher training in a dialogical spirit in order to prepare them towards working in the field of philosophy with children combines cultivating creativity and self-reflective thinking had been operated as a part of cooperation between the academia and the education system in Israel. This article describes the program that is a part of their practice towards co-operation between academia and schools as a part of PDS (Professional Development Schools) partnership. The program fosters creativity and self-reflective thinking (...) in schools and teacher training, and offers dialogical methods through the philosophy of Martin Buber, Emanuel Levinas and Paulo Freire. The program encourages adopting principles proposed by Martin Buber (1947, 1957, 1959), who perceived education as a dialogue among people whose humanity is fully manifested in its reciprocity. This is an unequivocal stance, maintaining that neither skillful technique nor exciting contents can replace the experience of the spontaneous, authentic concrete presence of the educator’s personality. The dialogic dimension of the program draws its significance from the principle of responsibility, as expressed by Emanuel Levinas (2003). It is based on the idea that the human being, as a speaking subject, does not place himself/herself in the center, but turns to the other. This committed attitude of the other must be expressed in education action, in clothing the naked and feeding the hungry as expressed by Paulo Freire (1973). These principles implemented in teacher education and teacher training requires active listening, a capacity to be response-able to environment in which teachers are situated and it seeks to uncover assumptions, reflect on concepts in use and assist the new teacher to be involve on a philosophical inquiry, as well as situating self-understanding in the context of philosophy of education. (shrink)

Which of the two dominant arguments for duties to alleviate global poverty, supposing their premises were generally accepted, would be more likely to produce their desired outcome? I take Pogge's argument for obligations grounded in principles of justice, a "contribution" argument, and Campbell's argument for obligations grounded in principles of humanity, an "assistance" argument, to be prototypical. Were people to accept the premises of Campbell's argument, how likely would they be to support governmental reform in policies for international aid, (...) or to make individual contributions to international aid organizations? And I ask the same question, mutatis mutandis, for Pogge's argument. (shrink)

Given the importance of the principle of causality for the demonstration of God’s existence, this paper attempts to justify the evidence and necessity of the principle of causality, by following Fr. Fabro’s Thomistic defense—based on the notion of participation—but adding a particular emphasis on the notion of “being which is not per se,” this latter as an explanatory notion of the notion of “being which is by participation.” The introductory remarks touch upon two misunderstandings regarding the notion of (...) participation employed as a subject of the principle of causality: the first, considering “participated being” as a synonym of “received being,” and the second, the confusion, regarding the notion of being by participation, between its notional dependence on the notion of being as a whole and its real dependence on the real intensive Being. Then, in the first point, the defense of the principle of causality is distinguished from other related problems, like the particular applications of this principle. In the second and main point, we try to justify the necessity of being caused in the being which is experienced as being by participation, as follows: 1) that which is something by participation is not this something per se; 2) now, that which is not per se, either is not or is per aliud, 3) Therefore, that which is something by participation is per aliud. In the third and last point, we endeavor to justify the Thomism of our defense and of our emphasis on this notion of “being which is not per se” by considering two texts of St. Thomas. (shrink)

In recent decades, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (VST) has become particularly influential in the fields of education and educational psychology. Perezhivanie is an important concept in VST that stipulates a relative influence of environment on a person’s psychological development depending on their age or stage of development. However, perezhivanie has been differentially interpreted and applied in previous literature to suit the purposes of domain-specific research. The lack of a comprehensive theoretical understanding of the concept can undermine research findings and their implications (...) for educational practices. Drawing on a content analysis of Vygotsky’s key texts on perezhivanie, this paper provides a much-needed theoretical discussion that unpacks comprehensively the theoretical content of perezhivanie and the methodological principles guiding its application. The findings revealed that conceptually, perezhivanie can be defined as: (a) a theoretical relation between an individual and their environment, (b) an abstract experience of or attitude towards a life situation and (c) a concrete lived experience of an event within that situation. Four major discernible components of an individual’s perezhivanie include the environmental factor, personal characteristics mobilised, refraction prism and psychological influences. Five key methodological principles were conceived to assist the employment of perezhivanie in educational/psychological research: (1) utilising a perezhivanie as a unit of analysis, (2) analysing perezhivanie at different levels, (3) accounting for the perspective of the individual involved, (4) constructing the refraction prism and (5) determining the major personal characteristics mobilised in the perezhivanie. Implications for educational and research practices are then discussed. (shrink)