Forum for Philosophical Studies

Embracing the “other” tongue as the quickest path to harmony

2024-02-22T16:27:57+00:00

The rise of English as a lingua franca has undeniably facilitated communication in global contexts and within multilingual societies. Yet, it has paradoxically given rise to social disparities and divisions, invoking profound ethical and philosophical inquiries. Simultaneously, the rise of English has posed a formidable challenge to language programs dedicated to teaching languages other than English (LOTE). This paper elucidates the pivotal role of LOTE instruction in mitigating linguistic discrimination while concurrently forging pathways toward diversity and inclusion.

Qualiomics: The metaphysics of consciousness

2024-04-07T06:29:01+00:00

Assuming that conscious experience happens in the first-person perspective the study of its contents cannot be made by using the methods of empirical and formal quantitative sciences, since singular qualitative personal experiences remain outside their scope. Departing from the concept of Sentient Consciousness advanced in the ontology of Triple-Aspect Monism, I propose that lived experiences of qualitative states (‘qualia’) are subject to a new, non-scientific field of study, Qualiomics, corresponding to the Metaphysics of Consciousness. The main thesis of Qualiomics is that personal direct experiences of ‘qualia’ are experiences of the being of reality, not epiphenomena. The method of Qualiomics is knowing by means of lived experiences of feeling, instead of learning from revealed truth or from representations of experiences. In this paper I review some philosophical precursors, arguing that it has an affinity with Post-Modern Metaphysics, to be distinguished from Pre-Modern (Onto-Teo-Logical) and Modern (apriori thinking, focused on representations and clarification of concepts) Metaphysics. The being of reality is conceived as the Aristotelian Katholou that makes itself present when we have direct experiences of the Form of individual substances. Qualiomics is close to Existential Phenomenology, but not a revival of Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty, because it is necessary to take into consideration that scientific and technological achievements impact on our lives and expand the repertoire of ‘qualia’ that we can experience. It is also close to J. J. Gibson’s Theory of Direct Perception, as well as Pragmatist and Enactivist approaches to consciousness.

Exploring the impact of response option sequences/order on survey rating scale responses

2024-04-12T05:36:17+00:00

In the realm of survey data quality, inaccuracies and nonresponses pose significant challenges. One significant factor affecting this is the order in which response options are presented, leading to what is known as response order effects. This research delves into the extensive studies conducted on how the sequence of answer options influences respondents’ ratings in survey questions. Specifically, we focus on analyzing previous research to understand how the arrangement of scale points on a rating scale impacts the cognitive processes and reaction strategies of respondents. By synthesizing existing studies, this investigation aims to provide insights into the critical role that presentation sequence plays in shaping survey outcomes, thereby offering valuable perspectives for enhancing data quality in future survey designs.

Technological innovation and public value creation: A multidisciplinary evaluation

2024-02-22T16:27:57+00:00

Innovation (e.g., technological, sustainable, social, etc.) should be able to create value. The key objective of this paper is to evaluate public value creation and improvement via technological innovations and present a general position. This paper adopts a simple evaluation strategy by exploring viewpoints/positions, dimensions, realities, and pieces of evidence in some selected relevant literature, documents, and reports. The multidisciplinary evaluation of how technological innovations help to create or improve public value shows a relatively similar outlook from the dimensions of objectives, strategies, limitations, and outcomes/successes. One of the key discoveries from this paper relating to the objective dimension in the disciplines of social sciences is that tech innovation mainly focuses on enhancing well-being, dignity, human rights, and prosperity for all (individuals, societies, the environment, and the world). Concerning the objective dimension in the disciplines of the humanities, tech innovation focuses on promoting cultural diversity, inclusion, and responsible communication. Regarding the objective dimension in disciplines of physical and natural sciences, tech innovation focuses on reducing/eradicating dehumanization, social, economic, psychological, and environmental challenges (e.g., climate change and biodiversity depletion). The originality of this paper is premised on the fact that presently very little attention is given to this kind of topic, especially from a multidisciplinary perspective. Therefore, this paper attempts to contribute to the multidisciplinary evaluation gap that exists between technological innovation and public value creation. The general position of this multidisciplinary evaluation is that public value creation is the key goal of tech innovation across many disciplines.