Volum 72 Nr. 1 (2023): The Annals of the University of Bucharest, Philosophy Series

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In my contribution, I analyse some aspects of Aristotle’s interpretation of the organisation of ontology. Aristotle, in many of his works, is looking for a new ontology: through his investigation, Aristotle aims to discover the correct components of the ontology and to put them in the right place. Aristotle’s way of proceeding consists in a progressive opening of the curtains of ontology: concepts such as categories, one, being this something, such, this such, quality, universals and so on are clarified, step by step, in the different works of Aristotle.

In the present analysis, I concentrate my attention on the two districts of entities and on the four levels of entities present in Aristotle’s ontology. The two-district scheme is the structure of reality composed of individual and universal entities; the four-level scheme consists in the structure of reality composed of individual substantial entities, individual non-substantial entities, universal substantial properties, and universal nonsubstantial properties. In both schemes, entities should be put in the due ontological places and, conversely, they should not be assigned to false ontological places.

Individual entities are instances of properties (or: instantiated properties); universal properties are programmes / dispositions instantiated by individual entities. The field of the instances is always constituted by individuals (by individual entities), while the whole field of existence is constituted both by individuals (by individual entities) and by universal properties (in the case of the universals connected to biological properties, universals are deputies for properties inscribed in the reality). 

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Critical thinking has been a buzzword in both business and academic environments, as it represents the one of the greatest skillsets to possess for succeeding on a professional and personal level. This text argues for the idea that critical thinking today is a limited endeavor and that it is shaped by three philosophical assumptions that escape critical investigation: aporia allergy, part-time thinking, and Eurocentric  Promethean thinking. The text highlights the importance of redesigning critical thinking without relying on
these assumptions. 

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If we accept that Kandinsky developed a systematic theory of the fundamentals of painting, we must ask what is the central concept underlying this attempt. This paper argues for the thesis that objectless  vibration plays a central role in the reconstruction proposed Kandinsky’s first book, On the Spiritual in Art. This kind of vibration includes as a virtual field both shapes, sounds and colors. All these “fall” in an  organized way from the virtual vibrations, and the purpose of abstract painting is to lift the mind
beyond the specific distinctions of the visible world of objects to the abstract level of primordial vibrations. The article examines the origin, functions, and the effect this concept has on color theory. 

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By applying Bourdieu’s theory of capital on the relational art and participatory practices, the following essay aims to explore the issue of autonomy of arts as introduced by Theodor Adorno while determining the social mechanism under which these practices operate. The purpose of this particular research  represents an attempt to achieve an understanding of the relations of power under which relational art practices operate by applying Bourdieu’s theory of capital while at the same time examining the idea of “autonomy of arts” as it was introduced by Theodor Adorno in the late 90’s. As the research is conducted by an artist, it will inevitably be influenced by the empirical as well as the theoretical references applied to the artistic field. However, it is clear that from a disciplinary angle, relational art is directly engaging with society hence it does not only imply terms related to aesthetics, history and theory of arts. The research
borrows notions from human sciences such as political philosophy, sociology and anthropology. It is also important to note that one of the main objectives of this research represents a nuanced and sincere clarification of the position from which relational art operates as well as an analytical exercise of the practices as well as its mechanism of infiltration and interaction in the world. Given the neo liberal capitalist structure, can arts gain at least relative autonomy? As I find myself working in the field of socially engaged art, I find it very important as a practitioner to be able to step outside my own field and acquire the role of the observer while analysing as objectively as possible my own position. The research applies the qualitative method as it examines a particular case study while it imports concepts from different fields. The first part of the article indicates the potential of the relational arts in acquiring a relative autonomy,  while the second part contests its intentions and set of positions in realising its promise by applying Bourdieu’s theory of capital. The scope of the research is far from comprehensive as several theories that intersect with the field, as well as projects, are not being analysed while a lot of Bourdieu’s writings are left outside. Still, the essay recognises the influence of authors like Claire Bishop, Roland Barthes, Walter  Benjamin, Guy Debord, Theodor Adorno, Hannah Arendt, Giorgio Agamben, Terry Smith, Michel Foucault, Jean Baudrillard as well as other historians and art theoreticians. 

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The aim of this paper is to integrate competing notions of trustworthiness in the literature on trust under a common framework. I defend a notion of trustworthiness around three criteria: competence, predictability, and responsiveness. These are both necessary and sufficient conditions for trustworthiness assessments. Competence means having the required abilities to fulfill one’s trust in a certain matter, but also the  capacity to understand, assess, and choose the best way to apply those abilities in that matter.
Predictability means both reliability and having the relevant reasons to fulfill one’s trust in that respective matter. Responsiveness captures the trustee’s intentionality about or directed at the trustor, her willingness to fulfill her trust. The three criteria are not fixed characteristics of the trustee; assessments of each will reflect aspects that are relevant under specific trust situations. The criteria seek to establish a common ground for trust research to reconcile different perspectives, while recognizing that trust is a highly contextual and relational notion. 

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The aim of this paper is to examine Robert Nozick’s experience machine, assess where his thought experiment could have been framed differently or where it failed to consider other relevant aspects people view as important, such as their values and duties. Additionally, I provide what I consider to be a more fair test, still based on Nozick’s initial thought experiment, primarily changing the duration spent in the
experience machine and adding the option to lengthen the sessions according to one’s desires, together with preserving one’s memory of their actual lives, so as to accommodate the issues identified in Nozick’s original setting. In the second half of the paper, I correlate these findings with emerging AI technologies, which promise users companionship and constant support. Finally, the paper concludes that what matters is not what people think or say they will choose, but what they actually choose, calling for a need to lower one’s potentially deluded sense of self-control in relation to the kind of content we consume, especially online.