Transcendental Aspects, Ontological Commitments and Naturalistic Elements in Nietzsche's Thought

Nietzsche's views on knowledge have been interpreted in at least three incompatible ways - as transcendental, naturalistic or proto-deconstructionist. While the first two share a commitment to the possibility of objective truth, the third reading denies this by highlighting Nietzsche's claims about the necessarily falsifying character of human knowledge (his so-called error theory). This paper examines the ways in which his work can be construed as seeking ways of overcoming the strict opposition between naturalism and transcendental philosophy whilst fully taking into account the error theory (interpreted non-literally, as a hyperbolic warning against uncritical forms of realism). In doing so, it clarifies the nature of Nietzsche's ontological commitments, both in the early and the later work, and shows that his relation to transcendental idealism is more subtle than is allowed by naturalistic interpreters while conversely accounting for the impossibility of conceiving the conditions of the possibility of knowledge as genuinely a priori

Methodological bricolage: What does it tell us about design?

This paper explores an approach to design research that is becoming more prevalent in practice-based doctoral studies and examines what it tells us about the current state of design research. A previous examination of design PhD case studies has shown that the bricolage approach is evident in a majority of contemporary practice-based design PhDs [1]. The usual academic norm of using an established method or methodology is often discarded in favour of a ‘pick and mix’ approach to select and apply the most appropriate methods. Does it suggest a discipline in crisis, where existing methods are unfit for purpose? Or does this suggest that design as a discipline is maturing and developing a distinct research model? Is design undisciplined? The paper answers these questions by proposing that design researchers navigate a complex, indeterminate and temporal framework where the bricoleur is the best operative

Epistemological vs. Ontological Relationalism in Quantum Mechanics: Relativism or Realism?

In this paper we investigate the history of relationalism and its present use in some interpretations of quantum mechanics. In the first part of this article we will provide a conceptual analysis of the relation between substantivalism, relationalism and relativism in the history of both physics and philosophy. In the second part, we will address some relational interpretations of quantum mechanics, namely, Bohr's relational approach, the modal interpretation by Kochen, the perspectival modal version by Bene and Dieks and the relational interpretation by Rovelli. We will argue that all these interpretations ground their understanding of relations in epistemological terms. By taking into account the analysis on the first part of our work, we intend to highlight the fact that there is a different possibility for understanding quantum mechanics in relational terms which has not been yet considered within the foundational literature. This possibility is to consider relations in (non-relativist) ontological terms. We will argue that such an understanding might be capable of providing a novel approach to the problem of representing what quantum mechanics is really talking about.Comment: Welcome

Finding Common Ground towards Progressive Transformation in Student Residence Spaces: Residence Committee Members as Bricoleuric Brokers

This article stemmed from discussions related to residence committee members and their role as leaders within their communities. The ideas  presented during these conversations gave rise to a research interest for a conceptual exploration of collaborative and progressive social  transformative brokering within a complex context. In particular, the identified interest within this context relates to finding common ground, between, inter alia, student affairs management, and residence committee (RC) management in residence spaces. The specific focus is the RC leadership team as strategists who are positioned to deal with potential conflict resolution in policy interpretation and enactment. The argument presented here has to do with the extent to which they can do this in a manner that facilitates the collegial and amicable interpretation of policy in residence communities. Inherent within this is the notion of managing the potential disjuncture between policy formulation and policy  implementation. The primary question about this concern finds expression in how RCs move from being part of active cultural residence spaces to critical participants in dialogic conversations as part of a multi-perspectival progressive transformation strategy. Indeed, while bringing about  transformation, the dynamic issues of brokering cohesion within a context of ideological and political complexity remain. Given the inherent situational complexities, the article adopts a bricoleuric theoretical thread that requires a multiperspectival orientation. In this regard, appropriate components of critical complexity theory, critical system theories, transformative learning, and hope theory account for this theoretical approach. A  further consideration is that of a positionality of finding progressive and transformative common ground. In this regard, the argument revolves around examining the systemic factors that bear relevance for actualising the envisaged intention, that is, common ground in the interests of the  common good. At stake in this argument is the notion of RC identity and their role in building a values-based residence system of policy interpretation and enactment, while bridging the ideological divide and finding common ground between the expectations of student affairs  management and the residence community. Keywords: bricoleuric approaches; common ground; complexity theory; dialogic; hope theory; identity; management; progressive; student transformation; system theories; transformative learnin

Finding Common Ground towards Progressive Transformation in Student Residence Spaces: Residence Committee Members as Bricoleuric Brokers

This article stemmed from discussions related to residence committee members and their role as leaders within their communities. The ideas presented during these conversations gave rise to a research interest for a conceptual exploration of collaborative and progressive social transformative brokering within a complex context. In particular, the identified interest within this context relates to finding common ground, between, inter alia, student affairs management, and residence committee (RC) management in residence spaces. The specific focus is the RC leadership team as strategists who are positioned to deal with potential conflict resolution in policy interpretation and enactment. The argument presented here has to do with the extent to which they can do this in a manner that facilitates the collegial and amicable interpretation of policy in residence communities. Inherent within this is the notion of managing the potential disjuncture between policy formulation and policy implementation. The primary question about this concern finds expression in how RCs move from being part of active cultural residence spaces to critical participants in dialogic conversations as part of a multi-perspectival progressive transformation strategy. Indeed, while bringing about transformation, the dynamic issues of brokering cohesion within a context of ideological and political complexity remain. Given the inherent situational complexities, the article adopts a bricoleuric theoretical thread that requires a multiperspectival orientation. In this regard, appropriate components of critical complexity theory, critical system theories, transformative learning, and hope theory account for this theoretical approach. A further consideration is that of a positionality of finding progressive and transformative common ground. In this regard, the argument revolves around examining the systemic factors that bear relevance for actualising the envisaged intention, that is, common ground in the interests of the common good. At stake in this argument is the notion of RC identity and their role in building a values-based residence system of policy interpretation and enactment, while bridging the ideological divide and finding common ground between the expectations of student affairs management and the residence community

Sustainability assessment and complementarity

Sustainability assessments bring together different perspectives that pertain to sustainability in order to produce overall assessments and a wealth of approaches and tools have been developed in the past decades. But two major problematics remain. The problem of integration concerns the surplus of possibilities for integration; different tools produce different assessments. The problem of implementation concerns the barrier between assessment and transformation; assessments do not lead to the expected changes in practice. This paper aims to analyze issues of complementarity in sustainability assessment and transformation as a key to better handling the problems of integration and implementation. Based on a generalization of Niels Bohr’s complementarity from quantum mechanics, we have identified two forms of complementarity in sustainability assessment, observer stance complementarity and value complementarity. Unlike many other problems of sustainability assessment, complementarity is of a fundamental character connected to the very conditions for observation. Therefore complementarity cannot be overcome methodologically; only handled better or worse. Science is essential to the societal goal of sustainability, but these issues of complementarity impede the constructive role of science in the transition to more sustainable structures and practices in food systems. The agencies of sustainability assessment and transformation need to be acutely aware of the importance of different perspectives and values and the complementarities that may be connected to these differences. An improved understanding of complementarity can help to better recognize and handle issues of complementarity. These deliberations have relevance not only for sustainability assessment, but more generally for transdisciplinary research on wicked problems

Topology of spatial texture in the acousmatic medium

This research explores the dynamic fabric of experienced space in acousmatic music. The topology of spatial texture is a network of concepts treating music as a flexible, textural space, which deforms, shapes, and transforms in time. A comprehensive terminology is introduced, along with five fixed-media electroacoustic compositions, which exemplify a manifestation of spatial texture in composition and musical thinking. The theory draws from research on the cross-modality of texture perception, philosophical discourse on embodied meaning, physics, psychology of visual art, and discourse on space in acousmatic music. Several different structural perspectives are discussed, which reveal how spatial texture incorporates lower sound-structural levels, materiality, states and processes, motion, global networks and terrains, and relationships between space and time. Emphasis is put on visual and physical connections with spatiality in the acousmatic experience: cogency in spatial structure and dynamics reinforces links among modalities. The concepts and terminology are intended as a contribution to theory in the acousmatic medium, relevant to composition, analysis, and listening. The music represents an aesthetic orientation which emphasises materiality and morphology in texture, transformative processes, spatial design, and spatiotemporal polyvalence

HealthyGrowth - From niche to volume with integrity and trust

Die Märkte für ökologisch erzeugte Nahrungsmittel unterscheiden sich zwar in den europäischen Ländern. In allen aber ist eine Steigerung des ökologischen Handelsvolumens erwünscht, wobei kleine wie große Vermarkter mit spezifischen Problemen konfrontiert sind. Während kleine Unternehmen oder Initiativen oft an der Verfügbarkeit großer Mengen scheitern, müssen sich große Unternehmen der Herausforderung stellen, den umfassenden Qualitätsanforderungen gerecht zu werden und dem Kunden die Werte ökologisch produzierter Nahrungsmittel glaubhaft zu vermitteln. Das Projekt HEALTHYGROWTH beruht auf der Kooperation von elf Partnern. Das deutsche Team leistet einen Beitrag zu den Arbeitspaketen WP2 bis WP6 und ist verantwortlich für WP7. Die deutschen Fallstudien von mittelgroßen ökologischen Wertschöpfungsketten werden in unterschiedlichen Unternehmen oder Initiativen jeweils mit spezifischen Untersuchungsschwerpunkten stattfinden. Die vergleichende Auswertung der Fallstudien wird thematisch nach Themenfeldern aufgefächert. Diese mehrdimensionale Analyse soll beim Verständnis der Mechanismen wachsender organischer Wertschöpfungsketten helfen. Eine Aufgabe des HNEE-Teams besteht in der Koordination des Transfers von Ergebnissen in Wissenschaft und Praxis. Schlüsselpersonen der Branche werden von Beginn an konsequent eingebunden, um die Praxisrelevanz des Ansatzes und eine effektive Verbreitung der Ergebnisse durch Veröffentlichungen, Seminare usw. zu gewährleisten. Hauptbestandteil der Projektarbeit ist neben den Veröffentlichungen die konsequente Einbindung von Vertretern ökologischer Wertschöpfungsketten. Wissenstransfer und gemeinsame Lernprozesse auf nationaler Ebene und über Ländergrenzen hinweg sind Schwerpunkte im Arbeitspaket WP7, das das deutsche Team leitet. Das deutsche Teilprojekt zielt, ebenso wie das Gesamtprojekt, insbesondere auf den Wissens- und Erfahrungsaustausch ab. Die Verwertung der Ergebnisse besteht vor allem in der Verbreitung von Informationen zu Besonderheiten der Wachstumsprozesse innerhalb der Wertschöpfungskette. Hierzu trägt auch der BLE-Ergebnisflyer bei. HEALTHYGROWTH will Erkenntnisse aus verschiedenen Ländern und Unternehmen bündeln und an die Akteure und ihre Netzwerke weitergeben. Zielgruppen sind nicht nur mittelgroße Bio-Nahrungsmittelhändler, sondern auch Kleinerzeuger und Unternehmen, die sich für neue Formen von Partnerschaften und Kooperationen im ökologischen Nahrungsmittelsektor interessieren. Angaben zur Finanzierung des Projekts finden Sie im Förderkatalog des Bundes unter http://foerderportal.bund.de/foekat/jsp/StartAction.do. Bitte geben Sie in das Suchfeld eine 28 plus das Förderkennzeichen (FKZ) des BÖL-Projektes ein, z.B. 2808OE212 für das BÖL-Projekt mit der FKZ 08OE212

Deliberation and global civil society : agency, arena, affect

The article provides a critical analysis of the role and function of global civil society within deliberative approaches to global governance. It critiques a common view that global civil society can/should act as an agent for democratising global governance and seeks to explore the importance of global civil society as an arena of deliberation. This more reconstructive aim is supplemented by an empirically focused discussion of the affective dimensions of global civil society, in general, and the increasingly important use of film, in particular. Ultimately, this then yields an image of the deliberative politics of global civil society that is more reflective of the differences, ambiguities and contests that pervade its discourses about global governance. This is presented as a quality that debates about deliberative global governance might learn from as well as speak to

The Scan. Prototyping a post-human scenography

In our digital age, the human eye has lost its privileged positon as the sole and central audience of an unfolding perspectval world as it fnds itself challenged by a plethora of post-human eyes. Emerging technologies of vision such as 3D laser scanning—regarded as less faulty, faster and more accurate than the human eye— fnd an ever more central role in producton, analytcs, control and decision making. Architecture and scenography, practces that are both frmly shaped around the centrality of vision of the human subject, are challenged to fnd novel ways to address a hybrid audience of human and non-human modes of vision. How do we perform and build facing this new audience? How do we deceive or delight these new eyes? How do we infltrate and inhabit the parallel digital data space they create? How can we uncover their shadows, their glitches and fallacies and subvert the realism of their representaton? How can we design an architecture or scenography for the post-human eye