Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716) was a remarkable man. During his life, he made seminal contributions to a wide variety of fields of study, including mathematics, physics, technology, philosophy, theology, philology, politics, library science, and others. Alongside Sir Isaac Newton, he is credited with the invention of calculus, in addition to statistics and binary …
Introduction The Greek polis and the Roman civitas represent some of the most distinctive forms of political and social organization in history. Yet, they are often misunderstood when examined through the lens of the modern state. Modern conceptions of the state—centralized, bureaucratic, and sovereign—emerged from the intellectual revolutions of the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Thinkers like …
The doctrine of agape expanded ethical concern beyond immediate kinship groups to encompass all humanity, advocating for a universal sense of brotherhood and care. This shift significantly departed from the exclusive, honor-centric values of earlier pagan traditions, focusing instead on compassion and communal support.
Ferenc Hörcher is a political philosopher, historian of political thought and philosopher of art. He studied in Budapest (Hungary) and Brussels/Leuven (Belgium). He is director of the Research Institute of Politics and Government at Ludovika - the University of Public Service, in Budapest, and a senior researcher at the Institute of Philosophy of the Hungarian …
In The Third Man, community commitment takes on vital importance, being a key pillar of civic virtue that gives the individual the ability to act according to a strict moral compass and in favour of the common good, of which they are both a participant and a recipient. To prioritize universalism over personalism in the …
Fragility is inherent in rigidity, as even the most rigid structures are always fragile—yet fragility transcends conceptual rigidity. It embraces an irreducible ontological excess, challenging dominant discourses with its bold closeness to nothingness.
For Lefort, writing and language are not neutral communication tools but are imbued with political significance. They are symbolic practices that both reflect and shape the social order. In democratic societies, writing is of special importance because it embodies the principles of openness, debate, and contestation that define democratic life. In this context, writing becomes …
Those who aspire to live in the macro realm and seek transcendence must allow this higher reality to permeate their micro world. We can’t expect a higher power to operate solely on an abstract level, detached from our everyday existence. Yet, in our earthly dwelling, many prefer to believe that their lives aren’t contained within …
The intricate connection between the body and brain ensures our adaptive responses to the ever-changing environmental landscape. At the heart of this dynamic relationship lies psychophysiology, a field devoted to uncovering how our physiological processes underpin emotional and social experiences. Through the lens of psychophysiological methods, we gain profound insights into the symbiotic relationship between …
Since his rise to power and a certain part of his reign coincided with the Fascist rule in Italy, and soon also the Nazi rule in Germany, as well as the reign of Francisco Franco in neighboring Spain (often also suspected of the same thing, albeit with some more justification), the perception of the Salazar’s …
