Blasphemy in an Age of Corroding Secularity

‘Sacred’ may be defined in various ways, depending on one’s worldview. In a pluralistic society, a single perspective from which to decide what is sacred seems absent. Yet certain elements are taken to be sacred such that they transcend individual worldviews. Their inviolability entails blasphemy laws, where ‘blasphemy’ extends beyond what is traditionally considered religious, since ‘religion’ itself is not clearly demarcated either. The interests of the sacred may be protected by blasphemy laws, but the downside of such laws is that the freedom of expression is compromised. A balanced view is necessary to accommodate these conflicting interests

A Systematic Interpretation of Hobbes’s Practical Philosophy

Wetensch. publ. referee

Commanding and Obeying

Este artículo discute cuáles son las razones decisivas para actuar de acuerdo con los comandos divinos, y si estas pueden entenderse como razones morales: el énfasis descansa en la Cristiandad. Para ello, se expone la posición de Dios como un –básico– legislador, atendiendo particularmente al rol que ocupa su poder. Al analizar los fundamentos dados en la Biblia para obedecer a Dios, se traen a la luz los motivos egoístas a este respecto. Así, se pone en cuestión si otros elementos pueden discernirse, particularmente desde una perspectiva meta-ética.In this article, it is inquired which reasons are decisive for acting in accordance with divine commands, and whether these can be regarded as moral reasons; the emphasis lies on Christianity. To this effect, the position of God as a -basic- lawgiver is expounded, with special attention to the role His power plays. By means of an account of the grounds given (in the Bible) to obey God, the selfish motives in this respect are brought to light. It is questioned whether any other elements can be discerned, particularly from a meta-ethical perspective

The Artificial Intelligence Entity As a Legal Person

This article discusses the legal position of an Artificial Intelligence Entity (AIE) that is able to create something novel, like an artwork. Rather than examining a fictitious being, I inquire the position of human beings, comparing it with that of a conceivable AIE. The nature of an AIE in terms of matter and mind is compared with that of a human being, after which it is inquired whether it may, like a human being, be deemed a legal person. This analysis serves as a prelude to the question of whether an AIE may be a copyright owner

Covid-19: should eu states share the economic burden?

The Italian economy has been left in a particularly vulnerable position by the Covid-19 outbreak. Jasper Doomen examines how the EU could attempt to share the economic burden of the crisis. He argues that while there are grounds for some form of solidarity, attempts to bring the member states together could equally end up pushing them further apart

Radical Existentialist Exercise: Strongly Disincentivizing Procreation as a Hypothetical Climate Change Solution

The problem of climate change raises some important philosophical, existential questions. I propose a radical solution designed to provoke reflection on the role of humans in climate change. To push the theoretical limits of what measures people are willing to accept to combat it, an extreme population control tool is proposed: allowing people to reproduce only if they make a financial commitment guaranteeing a carbon-neutral upbringing. Solving the problem of climate change in the long run by halting the procreation of human beings is controversial. In the absence of human beings and consequent climate change, other animals and plant species would benefit from an atmosphere more conducive to prolonging their existence and even improving their ability to thrive. If someone were to invent something to reverse the effects of climate change and improve animals’ lives, then human beings’ presence would be justified by the invention. Whether the propagation of the human species is beneficial to anyone or anything but human beings themselves is difficult to answer. Perhaps human beings are unfit to tackle this issue, being unable to judge it objectively

Human freedom and the Christian faith

In this article, it is examined whether there is room for human freedom in a Christian perspective. Augustine’s and Luther’s views are illuminating in order to clarify this matter. The way they deal with the idea of predestination is an important issue. According to Augustine, man is, to a certain degree, able to grasp the way in which God governs man; this idea is not present in Luther’s thoughts. Their notions of ‘freedom’ differ considerably as well; here, too, Augustine has more confidence in human reason than Luther does. However, it is difficult for both Luther and Augustine to defend a notion of human freedom and at the same time maintain God’s foreknowledge. Still, even irrespective of that, human freedom is something which cannot easily be demonstrated. For both Christians and non-believers, the issue of human freedom remains an unresolved problem.http://www.hts.org.zanf201