A future for the humanities?

The future of the humanities is an extremely complex question as it bears upon the status of a particular form of knowledge in society, the flexibility of a set of academic disciplines and institutions, the openness of political leaders to changing conceptions of education, and a host of other difficult issues. In order to illuminate these problems, it is necessary to focus upon the peculiar character of humanistic knowledge, why such insight is indispensable to individual and collective self-understanding, how the humanities as they are conventionally practised contribute to their own malaise and why the humanities must be accorded pride of place among the studies of human action. There is, in fact, a considerable demand for humanistic knowledge and the fruit of humanistic scholarship in our technological culture, especially in the area of adult education. The discussion ends with several examples of various ways in which that demand is being met.     

Revisiting the “Myth” of Feminine Masochism

Masochism, an enigmatic concept and clinical entity, has long posed one of the most difficult therapeutic challenges. Clinical observation supports the view that both men and women can exhibit masochistic traits. However, by virtue of their gender specific developmental paths, men and women may differ in their respective masochistic manifestations. Female patients often report a tendency to inhibit aggression which can lead to its somatic expression. Women also tend to be more prone to certain types of self-defeating behaviors and affective states, such as eating disorders, depression, and victimization. Factors contributing to the development of masochism in women include the influence of pre-oedipal and oedipal relations with the parents, narcissistic needs, and the internalization of societal attitudes toward women.     

“古哲”胜“今哲”!——“自涉悖论”漫谈

三个古国早已发现"自涉加否定"(P)偶发的"矛盾性";随后其一又把P"强化"为"本语句假"(Q),响应"亦此亦彼"悖论(R),携手挑战"不矛盾律".这两个"悖论之冠"Q、R,迄今仍然"扑朔迷离",被誉为"千古之谜".在20世纪初,由于"罗素悖论"的猛烈冲击,惊醒了沉睡数世纪的Q、R,即时引发西方众多"今哲"奋力解悖."今哲"经历百年挫败,在迷惘和绝望之余,竟然认Q为"无意义"而拒斥Q为"矛盾",比"古哲"倒退了一大步!