Topic of the issue: PHILOSOPHICAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS (https://doi.org/10.58945/NBXJ8983)
Issue editors: Nikolay Mihaylov
CONTENTS & Abstracts & Keywords & Authors in the issue
MORALITY AND SOCIETY
On the Origin and Nature of Evil
https://doi.org/10.58945/YNRG9551
Abstract: The aim of the paper is to present and critically analyze main religious and philosophical doctrines, trying to provide answers to the title question about the origin and the essence of evil.
Keywords: theodicy; human freedom; Jansenism; Apokatastasis; Russian religious philosophy
Radu Simion (Assoc. Prof., Dr. at the Faculty of History and Philosophy, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
Forms of Life, Not Functions: Ethics, Evaluation, and the Limits of Benchmarking in AI
https://doi.org/10.58945/HSPV4476
Abstract: Benchmark-driven approaches to AI ethics increasingly dominate efforts to evaluate artificial systems deployed in socially sensitive domains such as healthcare, education, and criminal justice. By translating complex moral values – like fairness, accountability, or transparency – into quantifiable proxies, benchmarking seeks to deliver clarity, standardization, and comparability. Yet this process risks reducing normativity to measurable outputs, stripping ethics of its contextual, interpretive, and contested character. In response, this paper offers a philosophical intervention grounded in the later work of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Rather than advancing a prescriptive ethical model, it pursues conceptual clarification, challenging the presumption that moral reasoning can be formalized, abstracted, and rendered computationally tractable. From a Wittgensteinian perspective, ethics is not reducible to algorithmic compliance or rule-following, but is best understood as a grammar of practice embedded in language, interaction, and institutional contexts. Benchmarking emerges here not merely as a limited tool, but as a symptom of deeper philosophical misapprehensions – attempts to impose formal closure on normative ambiguity. To move beyond this reductionism, the paper calls for a reorientation toward what it terms “ethical infrastructures”: situated, participatory, and reflexive processes that enable moral reflection and accountability across diverse sociotechnical settings. The central question thus shifts from how to measure ethical AI to how ethical meaning is negotiated, sustained, and challenged in practice. Reframed in this way, ethics becomes less about computational alignment and more about sustaining the conditions under which moral reasoning remains plural, situated, and publicly contestable.
Keywords: AI ethics; benchmarking; Wittgenstein; normativity; computational ethics; moral epistemology
Muhamet Kqiku (PhD Graduate Student at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”)
Building Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Practical Guide for Business Leaders
https://doi.org/10.58945/KJMB3982
Abstract: This analysis delves deeply into the crucial ethical considerations surrounding artificial intelligence, going beyond mere discussions of technological capabilities and strategic implementation. It meticulously examines the complex challenges posed by algorithmic bias, showing how pre-existing societal biases can be inadvertently encoded into AI systems, leading to discriminatory outcomes. It also examines the fundamental need for accountability in AI systems, emphasizing the need for clear lines of responsibility when AI decisions impact individuals and communities. The text also thoroughly examines the paramount importance of privacy in an increasingly AI-driven world, addressing the potential for extensive data collection and the risks associated with unauthorised access and misuse. It also addresses the potential for AI to exacerbate existing societal inequalities, highlighting the dangers of unequal access to the benefits of AI and the potential for widening the digital divide. The analysis makes a strong case for the responsible development and deployment of AI, highlighting the need for proactive measures to mitigate ethical risks. It calls for the establishment of robust ethical frameworks that provide concrete guidance for AI developers and users. It also emphasizes the importance of complying with evolving regulatory standards, recognizing the dynamic nature of AI technology and the need for adaptable governance. In addition, it promotes the democratization of AI technologies, advocating broader access to AI tools and knowledge to prevent the concentration of power and ensure the equitable distribution of benefits. These multifaceted measures are considered essential to ensure that advances in AI are not only technologically sound, but also fundamentally fair, safe, and contribute meaningfully to the betterment of society. By meticulously addressing these interrelated considerations, this analysis seeks to provide a comprehensive and detailed roadmap for navigating the complexities of AI adoption to ensure its sustained positive impact and mitigate potential harms in the years to come. In essence, this work presents a thorough examination of the ethical landscape of AI, going beyond superficial observations to provide a deep and nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities.
Keywords: accountability; AI adoption; algorithmic bias; automation; data strategy; democratization; ethical frameworks; governance; innovation; MLOps; privacy; regulatory standards; risk management; societal inequalities; transparency
Samira Dadashova (Senior research fellow at Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences)
AI’s Role in Promoting Ecocentric Values and Human-Nature Harmony
https://doi.org/10.58945/GYBV8483
Abstract: This paper explores the philosophical perspective on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting ecocentric values and cultivating a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural environment. It is argued that embedding environmental ethics into technological innovation can contribute more effectively to sustainable ecological outcomes and to achieving responsible development, understood as a form of social activity grounded in economic growth, moral responsibility, and ecological awareness. The study further examines various pathways for integrating environmentally responsible values through AI, with particular attention to the importance of building interconnected systems at the local, national, and regional levels, illustrated through the example of Azerbaijan. It is also emphasized that aligning technological development with long-term ecological well-being requires coordinated policy systems and ethically grounded regulatory principles. The author concludes that these principles stem from a coherent philosophical understanding of the nature of human and his place in the world, which is essential for social equity. Without such an understanding, AI-driven ecological strategies risk remaining fragmented, inadequately implemented, or misaligned with broader societal goals.
Keywords: AI technology; ecocentric values; Azerbaijan; environmental issues; moral responsibility
PROBLEMS OF KNOWLEDGE
The Power of Judgment in Its Specificity and Function as Connecting the Activity of Reason and Understanding
https://doi.org/10.58945/HHID9266Аbstract: The Critique of the Power of Judgment plays a uniquely important mediating role in the context of the first two critical Kantian investigations. This third critique examines the possibility of perceiving the world as systematically unified in terms of purposes, both regarding the world as a whole and individual realities within it. This systematic teleological perspective, grounded in the concept of purposiveness in general, is rooted to some extent in the principles established by the first two critiques.
Keywords: teleology; transcendental; reason; understanding; power of judgment; reflection; purposiveness; systematic unity; intelligible; morality
Radoslav Ovedenski (Dr., member of the scientific organizations Association for the Development of University Classical Education and the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria – branch Blagoevgrad, Section of Legal Sciences and History)
Philosophical Questions About the Schemе of Myth and the Schemе of Reality
https://doi.org/10.58945/NEJC7029
Abstract: The text only poses questions about the scheme of myth and the scheme of reality. It does not provide answers. Even the attempt to answer is a question. Even an unintentional answer is a subsequent question. The purpose of the questions is to outline a conceptual framework that will serve to decipher and understand these schemes.
Keywords: myth; reality; scheme; Plato, Sparta
Milan Z. Jovanović (PhD Graduate Student at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Niš, Serbia)
Simplification, Disjunction, and Conditional Reasoning
https://doi.org/10.58945/RDFK6955
Abstract: Conditionals, undoubtedly, plays an important role in contemporary analytic philosophy, yet their semantic analysis remains a point of persistent and wide-ranging philosophical disagreement. This paper examines the status of simplification of disjunctive antecedents (SDA) within the formal semantics of conditionals. Although SDA is strongly supported by intuitive judgments, it is invalidated by standard minimal change semantics (in the frameworks developed by Lewis and Stalnaker). The paper offers a systematic assessment of the main sources of resistance to SDA, focusing on alleged counterexamples from ordinary language and some related problems from the logical standpoint. It argues that the counterexamples commonly cited against SDA are problematic as decisive test cases, since they depart in important respects from the paradigmatic uses of conditionals targeted by formal semantic theories. At the same time, the paper highlights the role of disjunctive antecedents as an abbreviation device and situates SDA within a broader inferential landscape. Rather than defending a conclusive verdict, the paper clarifies how different possible assessments of SDA bear on the structure and commitments of a Unified theory of conditionals.
Keywords: conditionals; disjunctive antecedents; counterfactuals; formal semantics; inference patterns
Narmin S. Farajullayeva (PhD Graduate Student at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences)
Establishing Credibility of Literary Fiction in Social Epistemology
https://doi.org/10.58945/LKWC9167
Abstract: Literary fiction is typically denied epistemic credibility in analytic philosophy. However, the Social Turn in this tradition, particularly social epistemology’s focus on how knowledge is produced and transmitted within a society, paved the way for a new context in which traditional views on the epistemic status of fiction can be reassessed. In this article I examine the dominant objections of philosophy that prevent fiction from being recognized as a source of knowledge, and then I analyze how the evolution of knowledge challenges these objections. Finally, after exploring the link between literary fiction and the key concepts of social epistemology, I propose specific conditions under which literary fiction possesses social epistemological credibility. Analytic philosophy often employs narrative techniques in thought experiments, such as Mary’s Room or the Chinese Room; many important works of social epistemology, such as “Epistemic Injustice”, refer to famous 20th-century novels to illustrate their philosophical arguments. However, literary fiction is itself a powerful epistemic agent, not a mere illustrative tool. If social epistemology defines knowledge as not an isolated, purely rational phenomenon but a product of social interactions, then literary fiction, in its capacity to reflect collective understanding and challenge dominant epistemic paradigms, must be recognized as an active participant in knowledge production. The aim of this article is to take literary fiction beyond mere illustration of philosophical arguments and legitimize it as a necessary source of knowledge, essential for advancing philosophical inquiry.
Keywords: knowledge; literary fiction; social turn; literary turn; social epistemology; analytic philosophy
VALUES AND CULTURE
Word and Spirit, Is the Paraclete a Duty or a Reality? (Tertullian’s Montanism)
https://doi.org/10.58945/HAIT4481
Abstract: The article examines Tertullian's philosophical and theological views on the concept of the Paraclete and its connection with the Montanist movement in the 2nd century. The main Gospel texts from John are examined, which give rise to debates about the role of the Paraclete as God's ongoing revelation. It analyzes how Tertullian's views refute dogmatic theology, whose representative in the 20th century was Gilson. The article contrasts the Montanist idea of living, dynamic grace and God's unfailing revelation with neo-scholasticism. The philosophical categories of dueness and validity (according to Kant, Lotze, Habermas, and Apelles) are also touched upon in order to explain the transcendental conditions of religious knowledge. Through a historical-philosophical analysis, Tertullian is placed in a context between ancient thought, early Christianity, and later neo-scholastic interpretations, emphasizing the relevance of his teaching on the continuous action of the Holy Spirit and the possibility of new theophanies, including in modern times.
Keywords: Tertullian; Montanism; Paraclete; Holy Spirit; Neo-scholasticism
Miroslav Bachev (Assoc. Prof. Dr. at Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
Kantian Influences in the Philosophy of Religion: John Hick and Keith Ward
https://doi.org/10.58945/QBZI2223
Abstract: The article examines Kantian influences in contemporary philosophy of religion through John Hick’s pluralistic hypothesis and its interpretation and critique by Keith Ward. Drawing on Kant’s distinction between noumenon and phenomenon, Hick interprets religious traditions as diverse responses (phenomenon) to an ineffable absolute Reality (noumenon). Ward largely accepts this framework but criticizes its excessive indeterminacy, proposing instead a revisionary pluralism that re- evaluates religious doctrines within historical, cultural, and rational contexts.
Keywords: philosophy of religion; religious pluralism; Immanuel Kant; John Hick; Keith Ward; Ultimate Reality
Arthur David Ketzl (PhD Graduate Student at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”)
The Other Side of Woke Culture
https://doi.org/10.58945/VRJD5908
Abstract: This paper will argue that woke culture has, over time, become corrupted and now aids in enabling and proliferating some of the very issues and injustices it once sought to challenge. Originally, being woke meant staying aware of the racial oppression experienced by certain social groups. Today, however, the concept has expanded to include issues of gender, sexuality, and violence against women. In theory, woke culture aims to promote equality among people of different races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations; however, in practice, it often gives preferential treatment to minority groups and hands them a carte blanche to abuse and attack alleged offenders from majority groups. Some supporters of woke culture seek to rewrite established history, arguing that it has been distorted. Woke culture is also linked to canceling or restricting free expression to amplify the voices of minorities or the oppressed. In practice, discourse is often manipulated; for instance, the concept of inclusion—which should mean welcoming everyone—is frequently used to justify restrictions on speech. It's hard to include everyone when people are not allowed to speak freely for fear of offending others. By prioritizing the feelings of certain groups, the woke approach often encroaches on free speech.
Keywords: wokeism; wokeness; censorship; society; politics; free speech
EVENTS AND BOOKS
XI Conference on Aesthetics in Memory of Professor Isaac Passy “Philosophy of Music”
https://doi.org/10.58945/FTZG3045
Valentin Kanawrow (Professor DSc at South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Blagoevgrad)
Conceptual und Systematic Structure of Ethical Categories
https://doi.org/10.58945/YENN8148
Abstract: The review presents the newly published monograph by Dimitar Stankov, A New System of Ethical Categories.
Keywords: morality; ethics; metaethics; soul, heart; good; evil; virtues; freedom; nobility; wisdom; tolerance