The four dimensions of embodiment and the experience of Illness

Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Centre for Philosophical Research.In this paper I will try to systematically lay out and describe the multiple dimensions of the embodied experience of illness, which until recently has been the main focus within the field of the phenomenology of medicine. In order to do this, I will turn to analysis of the nature of embodiment in Husserl's phenomenology. I will argue that based on Husserl's phenomenology of the body, one can distinguish four ways of experiencing one's body, or four dimensions of embodiment. I will distinguish between experience of one's body as 1) a bearer of sensations (the affective dimension of embodiment); 2) a seat of free movement, characterized by the faculty of "I can" (the functional dimension of embodiment); 3) a material thing in a causal relationship with the material world (the material dimension of embodiment); 4) a material thing embedded in a social context (the social dimension of embodiment). I will then apply the proposed classification of dimen-sions of embodiment to the experience of illness, focusing on the various ways these dimensions have been used within the phenomenology of medicine. This serves two pur-poses. Firstly, it provides a framework for classification of the existing interpretations of the experience of illness; secondly, it opens up a way for a comprehensive analysis of the experience of illness which includes both individual and social aspects of embodiment as well as their mutual intertwining.publishersversionPeer reviewe

The Transition from Song to Poetry in Latvian Literature in the Second Half of the 19th Century

The Latvian nation is a singing nation. The Singing Revolution and similar song- and singing-related references are traditionally associated with the image of Latvians. The origins of written Latvian are also related to song: the oldest known Christian song in Latvian, dating from 1530, is also one of the oldest examples of Latvian-language text. In the second half of the 18th century, as a result of transferring from a German to a Latvian cultural space, a new genre of song was created by the German pastor Gotthard Friedrich Stender, the secular, didactic and sentimental ziņģe (a term coined from the German verb singen, ‘to sing’). As the level of education among Latvians was low and most information spread by word of mouth, the German pastors and the first generation of Latvian poets made use of ziņges as an informative tool. Around the middle of the 19th century, the Latvian national revival began. Without denying the importance of Latvian folk songs in the creation of national culture, the main focus of this article is on the secular ziņģes that were adopted from the German literary tradition, which up until the second half of the 19th century were a favourite tool for entertainment (singing) and spreading information orally. As the level of literacy among Latvians rose, the ziņģes receded to the periphery of the literary landscape, paving the way for a new concept for denoting a rhythmic text that was for the first time not melody-bound: dzeja, or ‘poetry’. The emergence of the new concept in 1869, which was related to the Latvian national revival and the formation of a national literary culture, at the same time also marked a turning point from orality to literacy in Latvian society

Face-to-Face with the Doctor Online: Phenomenological Analysis of Patient Experience of Teleconsultation

The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has considerably accelerated the adoption of teleconsultation—a form of consultation between patient and health care professional that occurs via videoconferencing platforms. For this reason, it is important to investigate the way in which this form of interaction modifies the nature of the clinical encounter and the extent to which this modification impacts the healing process. For this purpose, I will refer to insights into the clinical encounter as a face-to-face encounter drawn from the phenomenology of medicine (R. Zaner, K. Toombs, E. Pellegrino). I will also take into account a criticism that has been expressed by various contemporary phenomenologists (H. Dreyfus, T. Fuchs, L. Dolezal, H. Carel), namely, that due to the lack of physical proximity to the other in all types of online encounters, such encounters lack significant features that are present in face-to-face encounters, with the most important of these being the possibility of attaining an empathetic perception of the other and a sense of embodied risk. As these elements are essential features of the clinical encounter, the aim of this paper is to determine whether teleconsultation exhibits these features. To do that, I will integrate phenomenological philosophy with qualitative research drawing materials from both the philosophical tradition, particularly with respect to the concepts of the face-to-face encounter and embodied risk (A. Schutz and H. Dreyfus), and qualitative research study regarding patient experiences of teleconsultation. I will argue that teleconsultation does involve both the possibility of perceiving the other empathetically and the possibility of experiencing a sense of embodied risk.This research is funded by European Regional Development Fund, University of Latvia and the State budget/Post-Doctoral Research Aid, 4th Stage/1.1.1.2/VIAA/4/20/622/Healing at a distance: phenomenological analysis of patient experience of clinical encounter in telemedicine. Finansējuma Nr.: S381-ESS394-ZF-N-90

Ethnic cleavage in politics and mnemonic tensions: an analysis of World War II commemorative practices in Latvia

In Latvia, history and remembrance of World War II is a source of contestation between the ethnic Latvian majority and the Russian speaking minority. However, despite this prevailing idea of two conflicting positions, several studies on public opinion, suggest that the memory of Latvians and non-Latvians is more nuanced and different positons on 20th century history exist also within both ethnolinguistic groups. This thesis looks at commemorative rituals of the so called Legionnaire day on March 16, and the commemoration of end of World War II on May 8 and May 9 that represent mnemonic cleavages between Latvians and the country’s Russian speaking minority. Using Bernhard and Kubik’s (2014) theoretical framework of mnemonic actors and memory regimes, this study seeks to answer how the diversity of mnemonic positions within both ethno-linguistic groups is reflected in the political discourse. Next to that, opportunities of mnemonic reconciliation exist are examined. The overall conclusion is that both March 16 and May 9 present a fractured memory regime in Latvia. The mnemonic cleavages are drawn along ethnic lines but within the ethnolinguistic groups different positions were found as well. While May 9 is becoming a point of more intense mnemonic contestation and it is gaining more prominence, March 16 is increasingly abnegated by major political actors.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4684698*es

LATVIEŠU LATGALIEŠU UN BRAZĪLIEŠU FILOZOFA JEZUĪTA STAŅISLAVA LADUSĀNA DAUDZPUSĪGAIS HUMĀNISMS

Referātā, izmantojot vairāku gadu garumā veiktā pētījuma atziņas, ir analizēta latviešu latgaliešu un brazīliešu izcilā jezuītu tēva filozofa Staņislava Ladusāna (1912–1993) daudzpusīgā humānisma filozofija. Tēva Staņislava Ladusāna metafiziskā domāšanas avots ir Latgales katolicisma tradīcija, ko būtiski ir ietekmējis Jēzus sadraudzības ordeņa garīgums, kurā augstākās reliģiskās patiesības un ikdienas dzīve ir ļoti cieši savstarpēji saistītas. Tēva Staņislava Ladusāna, tāpat kā citu pirmo latviešu jezuītu dzīves gājums un darbs, var tikt vērtēts arī Latgales kongresa kontekstā – kā to kultūras un personas izaugsmes iespēju atklāšanās, ko pavēra kongresa vēsturisko lēmumu īstenošana. Taču diemžēl S. Ladusāns, visā pasaulē pazīstamais oriģinālais kristīgais domātājs, tomisma filozofijas atjaunotājs Latīņamerikā, Amerikas Katoliskās Filozofijas Asociācijas un kristīgās filozofijas pasaules kongresu prezidents, Latgales un Latvijas patriots, nav tik pazīstams paša dzimtenē, kā to būtu pelnījis. Tagad, vairāk nekā 20 gadus pēc viņa aiziešanas mūžībā Riodežaneiro, viņa atstātais filozofiskais mantojums ir kļuvis sevišķi aktuāls. Vispirms, tā ir daudzpusīgā humānisma filozofija, kas aicina raudzīties uz cilvēka personu kā daudzdimensionālu būtni. S. Ladusāna filozofijas sākumpunkts ir „bads“ un „slāpes“ pēc laimes, kas cilvēkā skar visu, kas ir cilvēcisks, un ir izšķirīgais spēks, kas ierosina patiesības izziņu. S. Ladusāns parāda, ka cilvēka galvenās attiecības ir attiecības ar Dievu, ar apkārtējo pasauli, ar citiem cilvēkiem un ar sevi. Šīs attiecības veido esamības vērtīborientācijas pamatu, jo cilvēks it visam, ar ko sastopas, piešķir noteiktu vērtību. Taču, no otras puses, vērtību sakārtošana un audzināšana ir tā, kas var mainīt cilvēku un līdz ar to padarīt labāku pasauli, kurā dzīvojam. Šīs filozofijas pamatā ir daudzpusīgā gnozeoloģija jeb izziņas teorija, kas piedāvā risinājumu jautājumam par cilvēka iekšējās, garīgās dzīves pieredzes izpratni un pašvadību. Proti, S. Ladusāns, sintezējot mūsdienu fenomenoloģijas un tomisma filozofijas pieejas, cilvēkam atklāj ceļu uz iekšējās dzīvs pieredzi kā racionāli saprotamu un īstenojamu realitāti. Pēc 60 gadu piespiedu prombūtnes atkal atgriežoties Latvijā, S. Ladusāns asredzīgi novērtēja to antropoloģisko postu, ko vairākām paaudzēm bija nodarījis padomju okupācijas laiks. Tāpēc viņš uzsvēra filozofijas nozīmi nācijas audzināšanā, pārvarot sinkrētisma, eklektisma un materiālisma vienpusīgo domāšanu. Otrkārt, tā ir S. Ladusāna veiktā ideoloģiju kritika, kas atklāj jebkuru ideoloģiju kā fragmentētu un sašaurinātu domāšanas veidu pretstatā realitātes visaptverošam tvērumam, kāds iespējams filozofijā. Jau 20. gadsimta 70. gados S. Ladusāns saskatīja ideoloģiju pieaugošo lomu Rietumu kultūrā, paredzot to aizvien lielāku izplatību un apdraudējumu cilvēciskumam. Tādējādi S. Ladusāna veiktā ideoloģiju kritika ir izmantojama mūsdienu situācijā, rūpējoties par kultūras identitātes saglabāšanu un attīstību. Profesors S. Ladusāns māca, ka mūsdienu cilvēces krīzes pārvarēšanā filozofijai ir īpaša nozīme, jo tā augsti vērtē prāta spējas, rosina iedziļināties realitātē, rāda ceļus un māca izvēlēties līdzekļus ētiskai rīcībai. S. Ladusāns, runājot par filozofijas īpašo nozīmi pasaules tautu atjaunotnē, ir nepiekāpīgs – modernā Vakareiropas filozofija ir jāatjauno pašos pamatos, lai pārvarētu pārlieko subjektīvismu, racionālismu un empīrismu. S. Ladusānu filozofiskajos pētījumos vada pārliecība par filozofijas racionalitātes spēku un spēju tvert nemateriālās pasaules jeb garīgās dzīves realitāti, ko var izteikt ar iekšējās pieredzes jēdzienu. S. Ladusāns ne vienreiz vien uzsver, ka garīgās pasaules pastāvēšana prasa pēc izskaidrojuma. Ja tiktu attīstīta tāda virziena filozofija, tā iezīmētu izeju no krīzes un Rietumu filozofijas pamatu pārveidi. Tā izceltu tautu atjaunotnes perspektīvu jauna humānisma strāvojumā, kas veidotu kritiski reālistisku skatījumu uz cilvēku. Treškārt, mūsdienu kultūras kritikas jomā S. Ladusāns iesaistās, piedāvājot racionālu mācību par cilvēku kā jaunas un humānākas kultūras veidotāju. Mūsdienu novecojošās Eiropas kultūra ir tiktāl attālinājusies no savām kristīgajām saknēm, ka to būtu grūti izlabot vai uzlabot. Drīzāk jau runa ir par nepieciešamību radīt jaunu eiropeisko kultūru, kas izaugtu no pārdabiskā avota. Šai kontekstā jaunu aktualitāti iegūst S. Ladusāna pēdējos dzīves gados veiktie pētījumi par kultūras dabu un cilvēka radošo spēku. Ceturtkārt, S. Ladusāna pārdomas par vērtību krīzi trimdā, par latviskā un vispārcilvēciskā attiecībām, viņa pētījumi par Latgales kultūrmantojumu un pūles tā saglabāšanā un attīstībā ir kā ceļa norādes Latgales identitātes izkopšanai arī mūsdienu situācijā

Body objectified? Phenomenological perspective on patient objectification in teleconsultation

The global crisis of COVID-19 pandemic has considerably accelerated the use of teleconsultation (consultation between the patient and the doctor via video platforms). While it has some obvious benefits and drawbacks for both the patient and the doctor, it is important to consider—how teleconsultation impacts the quality of the patient-doctor relationship? I will approach this question through the lens of phenomenology of the body, focusing on the question—what happens to the patient objectification in teleconsultation? To answer this question I will adopt a phenomenological approach combining both insights drawn from the phenomenological tradition, i.e., the concepts of the lived body and the object body, and the results from the phenomenologically informed qualitative research study on the patient experience of teleconsultation. The theoretical background against which I have developed this study comprises discussions within the field of phenomenology of medicine regarding the different sources of patient objectification within clinical encounter and the arguments concerning the negative impact that objectification has on the quality of care. I will argue that a factor that has frequently been identified within phenomenology of medicine as the main source of patient objectification in clinical encounters, namely, the internalized gaze of the clinician, is diminished during teleconsultation, increasing patient’s sense of agency, decreasing her sense of alienation and opening up the possibility for a closer relationship between the patient and the health care provider, all of which lead to the transformation of the hierarchical patient-health care professional relationship.This research is funded by European Regional Development Fund, University of Latvia and the State budget/Post-Doctoral Research Aid, 4th Stage/1.1.1.2/VIAA/4/20/622/Healing at a distance: phenomenological analysis of patient experience of clinical encounter in telemedicin

The Integrative Approach in the Process of Studying Conducting

Many-sided activity of a conductor requires not only wide knowledge and skills in different areas of music, but also knowledge in interaction and management, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, skills in choir management, that determines the necessity to use an integrative approach in the study process of conducting. The aim of the study is to research the peculiarities of integrated approach used in study process of conducting, to work out the criteria for evaluation of conductor’s professional readiness and the ideal model of conductor. The methods used in the study are the analisis of literature, modelling, questionnaire and acquirement. The purposfullness in the choice of study content is promoted by criteria of conductors professional readiness: the self-acknowledgment for a conductor as a musician, communicative skills for conductor as a personality in interaction, self-management for a conductor as a choir manager

SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE FACTORS OF YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT STRATEGY

Thepresent article analyses the subjective and objective factors of youthachievement strategies associated with youth purposefulness development. TheMethodology is based on a conclusion drawn in the result of concept and studyanalysis that youth achievement strategy is formed by purposeful actions whichcommence with the realisation of a goal and necessity. A readiness to achievethe goal is formed via means of a specific psychic activity and successfulimplementation of it generates youth achievements (Phinney, Baumann, Blanton,2001; Sirin et al., 2004; Leontev, 2007; Yeager, Bundick, 2009; Hirschi, 2010).The goal of the article is to provide a theoretical basis for the subjectiveand objective factors of youth achievement strategies and to analyse empiricalresults on the formation of achievement strategy among the youth of 9th and12th grades. Thereby Author presents the empirical results of the conductedstudy on the youth sample from Riga, Latvia in 2008and 2011, providing a comparison which outlines the subjective factors of theyouth – with behaviour, belief on purposefulness related factors as well ithighlights school’s role as the objective factor in the process of achievementstrategy formation.KEYWORDS: purpose, purposefulness, achievements, achievement strategy

THE MANY-SIDED HUMANISM OF LATVIAN LATGALIAN AND BRASILIAN JESUIT PHILOSOPHER STAŅISLAVS LADUSĀNS

The famous Latvian born Brasilian philosopher Staņislavs Ladusāns (1913-1993) due to the Soviet occupation could not return to Latvia any more, – as it had been envisaged – to take up a post in the Catholic Faculty of Theology at the University of Latvia. Thus he started his mission in Brazil (1946), where he became a Christian philosopher, known all over the world, especially because of his work “Many-sided gnoseology”, in which he synthesizes phenomenology and Thomism. Specialists in the history of philosophy of Brazil point out that activities initiated by S. Ladusāns brought a profound change in the development of the intellectual culture in Brazil. During the seventies of the 20th century Ladusāns was tackling the philosophical problematics of many-sided humanism. This notion clearly indicates that human understanding is based on a plurality of principles. Thus, in order to describe a human being, one has to illuminate several dimensions, or to perform various types of measurements. Father Ladusāns distinguishes the following dimensions that are of importance for the investigation of the human being: first of all it is gnoseology or the theory of the human capacity for cognition. Above that a human being is to be considered as possessing of immortal soul that determines personal self-esteem. A human being obtains intrinsic value amidst all the other values of economic or technological character. A human being exists in the community; a human being is to be viewed through a vertical dimension revealing the existence of God as the highest being, and through a supra-natural dimension that connects philosophical humanism with the Christian faith, thus providing for spiritual renewal of people. Human beings obtain wishes that go beyond the possibilities offered by the material world; these may be realized only through intensive spiritual life. Such life praxes are accessible only in Christianity; these correspond to the existence of the soul as an immortal spiritual substance encompassed by space and time. The starting point of metaphysics is the thirst of the human being for happiness. The further argumentation of Ladusāns, based on the openness of reason towards Revelation, postulates that God as the Highest Good reveals Himself as love, thus providing our need for inner peace, as it is testified by our inner experience. A person reaches out for infinite Goodness, for the Highest Good, which is the Reality, transcending all other realities. The result of the question of happiness is a practical one – by following the voice of conscience the human being performs choices and acts to deepen the unity with the Highest Good. In doing good things a human being acquires peace. Ladusāns points out that the notion of culture is analogical – that “culture” is equivocally formed and subjectively experienced act of the inner spiritual culture of the person. Equivocal designation means that the inner culture, the spiritual life is attributively used with reference to various manifestations of spirit, forms of artistic expression, etc. – which bear the name of “culture”. By cultivating one’s inner life and the immortal life of the soul, a person reaches such a level of critical competency, which allows to evaluate and to produce new forms of culture. The many-sided spiritual culture provides for personal and national elevation to a much higher level of fullness – reaching the status of love. However, a person is incapable of reaching such a task on his own; one needs cooperation with God. The individual person and a nation has to open up within the spiritual self-identity in the culture of love, so as to reach an increasing pulsation of culture, in order to take a stand against the inhuman ideology – saturated philosophy of modernity and post-modernity

Detection of TGF-β1, HGF, IGF-1 and IGF-1R in cleft affected mucosa of the lip

Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Sidhom and Pilmane.Background: Orofacial clefts are one of the most common birth defects with multifactorial and only partly understood morphopathogenesis. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of TGF-β1, HGF, IGF-1 and IGF-1R in cleft affected mucosa of the lip. Methods: Lip mucosa tissue samples were obtained during surgical cleft correction from seven 2 to 6 months old children. Prepared tissue sections were stained by immunohistochemistry for TGF-β1, HGF, IGF-1 and IGF-1R. The intensity of staining was graded semiquantitatively. Results: We found numerous TGF-β1 and HGF-containing epithelial and connective tissue cells, moderate number of IGF-1 immunoreactive cells and even less pronounced presence of IGF-1R-positive cells. Conclusion: TGF-β1 and HGF are present in defective epithelia and soft tissue in cleft affected lip. Expressions of IGF-1 and IGF-1R show significant differences, and both factors play a role in the morphopathogenesis of clefts.publishersversionPeer reviewe