Science and scientists in his dark materials by Philip Pullman

The aim of this article is to analyse the vision of science and scientists presented in his dark materials by Philip Pullman. In the first part of the text, the author concerns on the relations between science and the Church in the mentioned trilogy, focusing on the difference in technological development between Lyra’s and Will’s worlds. The second part of the paper focuses on the scientists themselves and the explorers described in His Dark Materials: unethical characters represented by Marisa Coulter and Lord Asriel, who are portrayed in contrary to ’noble scientists’– John Parry and Dr. Mary Malone. In the last part of the text the ideas of multiverse and Dust are analysed. The whole article focuses especially on the topic of how Pullman unites the typical scientific issues with the elements of philosophical and theological nature

Those who cannot speak : animals as others in ancient Greek thought

The essay is concerned with the topic of the difference between humans and animals in ancient Greek thought. Starting with the lexical problems in studying ancient terms indicating animals, the author presents various definitions of man formulated in contrast to animals, treated as inferior beings. She focuses on the term logos, understood both as reason and ability to speak, which the animals were deprived of according to most of Greek thinkers. The author shows also how the idea of man uniqueness has changed from the archaic period to the classical one. At the end of the essay several reasons why the ancient philosophers define man in opposition to animals are suggested

Bird communication in ancient Greek and Roman thought

The aim of the article is to analyse ancient Greek and Roman theories on bird communication. The author observes that the examples of bird communication were often used by ancient philosophers as arguments against the prevailing conception that only humans possessed reason. The article focuses mostly on the thought of Aristotle, Stoics, Plutarch, Sextus Empiricus, and Porphyry. It indicates strategies used by those thinkers when describing bird communication, the main themes connected with this topic, and the main consequences of the discussion on animal rationality in antiquity

Greek and Roman elements in His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

The article focuses on the topic of Greek and Roman influences on His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. The author presents the ancient origins of several motifs of the trilogy, for example compares the daemon from His Dark Materials to the ancient daimon, Lyra’s dream in a cave to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the Pullman’s vision of the Underworld to Greek Hades, and the Subtle Knife to the golden bough. She also tries to understand the function of the Greek and Roman elements in the trilogy. Finally, the author ponders if the vision of ancient culture in His Dark Materials can influence its reception in the future

Shamanic elements in "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman

The purpose of this paper is to analyze five themes of the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman in the light of their similarity to shamanic motifs. Firstly, I focus on the idea of daemons as similar to the shamanic concept of the helpful spirits that have the form of animals. Secondly, I describe Pullman’s idea of Dust as a kind of spiritual concept and I present Lyra as the mediator who communicates with Dust by means of her alethiometer which resembles a shamanic drum. Thirdly, I show the character of John Parry, the only shaman in the novels, and some other characters who have similar skills. Fourthly, I analyze Lyra’s dream in a cave as an initiation rite and the introduction to the motif of the descent to the underworld. This descent is the last motif I focus on, and the most similar to the shamanic ones. In conclusion, I try to explain why the shamanic motifs are used in the trilogy and why they are still vivid in modern culture

ROLA CULTURAL DEFENCE W WYMIARZE SPRAWIEDLIWOŚCI KARNEJ

The phenomenon of multiculturalism has its reflection in the growing importance of the concept of ‘cultural defence’ which is present in criminal jurisdiction. It means that a court will take into account the defendant’s cultural roots that might have influenced his behaviour. The debate in a courtroom regarding such cultural arguments touches upon the dogmatic as well as practical issues. While deliberating matters in which the ‘cultural defence’ appears, courts should first and foremost rule if the defendant can refer to such motivation of his actions at all. Next, the court must decide how to account for the cultural factor: whether as the cause for insanity, error facti, or error concerning the ignorance of law, etc. Agreeing upon both the facts of the case and fair assessment of the action may be a difficult task under the present legal system. It is also important not to allow to use ‘cultural defence’ against women’s rights. Codifying crimes with cultural basis may turn out impossible to achieve. Therefore, when carrying out proceedings, organs of the administration of justice should remember about the cultural background of certain crimes.W związku ze zjawiskiem wielokulturowości coraz większe znaczenie zyskuje koncepcja cultural defence, czyli uwzględniania przez sąd kulturowych korzeni oskarżonego, które miały wpływ na popełnione przestępstwo. Debata, która toczy się nad takimi „kulturowymi argumentami” na sali sądowej, dotyka problemów zarówno dogmatycznych, jak i praktycznych. Sądy, rozpatrując sprawy, w których pojawia się cultural defence, muszą przede wszystkim rozstrzygnąć, czy oskarżony może w ogóle powołać się na taką motywację swoich czynów. W dalszej kolejności sąd powinien zdecydować, jak uwzględnić czynnik kulturowy: czy jako przyczynę niepoczytalności, błędu w zakresie nieświadomości czynu, błędu co do faktów i tak dalej. Pogodzenie stanu faktycznego sprawy i sprawiedliwej oceny czynu może w świetle obowiązującego prawa okazać się bardzo trudne. Ważne jest też, żeby nie pozwolić na korzystanie z cultural defence wbrew prawom kobiet. Skodyfikowanie przestępstw o podłożu kulturowym może okazać się niemożliwe do zrealizowania, dlatego to organy wymiaru sprawiedliwości powinny w toku stosowania prawa pamiętać o kulturowym tle przestępstw

When ‘the Use of Force’ is Prohibited? –Article 2 (4) and the ‘Threshold’ of the Use of Force

This article advances the thesis that there is no threshold of the use of force. i.e. no level of the use of force which decides whether and which forcible actions undertaken by States are prohibited. The examples of actions discussed in the doctrine of law which supposedly would be ‘below’ such a threshold in fact either are regulated by other prin-ciples of international law, are not considered as regulated by ius ad bellum, or States deliberately resign from calling them a use of force for both legal and extra-legal reasons. Thus, the existence of such a threshold is not confirmed by States’ practice. This thesis will be explored using three examples: the cases of the evacuation of nationals, the extra-territorial and the Falklands/Malvinas Islands invasion of 2 April 1982. The article starts with a brief discussion of the opinions expressed in the doctrine of international law on the threshold, as well as the applicable case law.This article advances the thesis that there is no threshold of the use of force. i.e. no level of the use of force which decides whether and which forcible actions undertaken by States are prohibited. The examples of actions discussed in the doctrine of law which supposedly would be ‘below’ such a threshold in fact either are regulated by other prin-ciples of international law, are not considered as regulated by ius ad bellum, or States deliberately resign from calling them a use of force for both legal and extra-legal reasons. Thus, the existence of such a threshold is not confirmed by States’ practice. This thesis will be explored using three examples: the cases of the evacuation of nationals, the extra-territorial and the Falklands/Malvinas Islands invasion of 2 April 1982. The article starts with a brief discussion of the opinions expressed in the doctrine of international law on the threshold, as well as the applicable case law