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AbstractIn this paper I argue that the concept of time-reversal invariance in physics suffers from metaphysical underdetermination, that is, that the concept may be understood differently depending on one's metaphysics about time, laws, and a theory's basic properties. This metaphysical under-determinacy also affects subsidiary debates in philosophy of physics that rely on the concept of time-reversal invariance, paradigmatically the problem of the arrow of time. I bring up three cases that, I believe, fairly illustrate my point. I conclude, on the one hand, that any formal representation of time reversal should be explicit about the metaphysical assumptions of the concept that it intends to represent; on the other, that philosophical arguments that rely on time reversal to argue against a direction of time require additional premises.

Signposts to Silence provides a theoretical map of what it terms 'metaphysical mysticism': the search for the furthest, most inclusive horizon, the domain of silence, which underlies the religious and metaphysical urge of humankind in its finest forms. Tracing the footsteps of pioneers of this exploration, the investigation also documents a number of historical pilgrimages from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. Such mountaineers of the spirit, who created paths trodden by groups of followers over centuries and in some cases millennia, include Lao-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu, Siddhattha and Jesus, Sankara and Fa-tsang, Plato and Plotinus, Isaac Luria and Ibn Arabi, Aquinas and Hegel. Such figures, teachings and traditions (including the religions of 'Judaism', 'Christianity' and 'Islam'; 'Hinduism', 'Buddhism' and 'Taoism') are understood as, at their most sublime, not final destiny and the end of the road, but signposts to a horizon of ultimate silence. The hermeneutical method employed in tracking such pioneers involves four steps: • sound historical-critical understanding of the context of the various traditions and figures • reconstruction of the subjective intentional structure of such persons and their teachings • design, by the author, of a theoretical map of the overall terrain of 'metaphysical mysticism', on which all such journeys of the spirit are to be located, while providing a theoretical context for understanding them tendentionally (i.e. taking the ultimate drift of their thinking essentially to transcend their subjective intentions) • drawing out, within the space available, some political (taken in a wide sense) implications from the above, such as religio-political stances as well as ecological and gender implications. Continuing the general direction of thought within what the author endorses to be the best in metaphysical mysticism in its historical manifestations, the book aims to contribute to peace amongst religions in the contemporary global cultural situation. It relativizes all claims to exclusive, absolute truth that might be proclaimed by any religious or metaphysical, mystical position, while providing space for not only tolerating, but also affirming the unique value and dignity of each. This orientation moves beyond the stances of enmity or indifference or syncretism or homogenisation of all, as well as that of mere friendly toleration. It investigates the seemingly daunting and inhospitable yet immensely significant Antarctica of the Spirit, the 'meta'-space of silence behind the various forms of wordy 'inter'-relationships. It affirms pars pro toto, totum pro parte, and pars pro parte: that each religious, mystical and metaphysical orientation in its relative singularity represents or contains the whole and derives value from that, and that each represents or contains every other. This homoversal solidarity stimulating individual uniqueness is different from and in fact implies criticism of the process of globalisation. While not taking part in a scientific argument as such, Signposts to Silence aims at promoting an understanding of science and metaphysical mysticism as mutual context for each other, and it listens to a number of voices from the domain of science that understand this.

Compared with the other sections of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, the Metaphysical Deduction is among the most obscure and it seems that the section has not received as much critical and interpretive attention as its cousin, the Transcendental Deduction. This is rather surprising because it is at the Metaphysical Deduction that Kant crucial in establishing his program of justifying empirical knowledge in the face of radical skepticism. It is argued in this paper that the connection between the two types of logic is as follows: the logical forms, which belong to formal logic, are the ratio cognoscendi of the Pure Concepts of Understanding, since they provide the key to knowing the latter. On the other hand, the categories are the ratio essendi of the Logical forms, for it is the former that are the condition of the possibility of the latter.

Preliminary Material -- INTRODUCTION -- THE FOUR-FOLD ART OF AVOIDING QUESTIONS /Paul Weiss -- THE PROBLEM OF THE ANALOGY OF BEING /George Klubertanz -- THE SELF AS SOURCE OF MEANING IN METAPHYSICS /W. Norris Clarke -- REALITY AND METAPHYSICS /Joseph Owens -- MERLEAU-PONTY AND THE RENEWAL OF ONTOLOGY /Marjorie Grene -- METAPHYSICS, CRITIQUE, AND UTOPIA /Richard J. Bernstein -- THE QUESTION OF BEING /Robert Sokolowski -- IS METAPHYSICS POSSIBLE? /Stanley Rosen -- THE SCIENCE WE ARE SEEKING /Ralph McInerny -- THE PRACTICALITY OF METAPHYSICS /Frederick Ferré -- TWO FACES OF SCIENCE /Ernan McMullin -- ARE CATEGORIES INVENTED OR DISCOVERED? A RESPONSE TO FOUCAULT /Jorge J. E. Gracia -- TEXTUALITY, REALITY, AND THE LIMITS OF KNOWLEDGE /Nicholas Rescher -- METAPHYSICS AND LANGUAGE /John Herman Randall -- BEING, IMMEDIACY, AND ARTICULATION /John E. Smith -- STRIVING TO SPEAK IN A HUMAN VOICE: A PEIRCEAN CONTRIBUTION TO METAPHYSICAL DISCOURSE /Vincent Colapietro -- THE METAPHYSICS OF THE GOOD /Ivor Leclerc -- PERISHABLE GOODS /George Allan -- THE GENEROSITY OF THE GOOD /Joseph Grange -- THE LEGACY AND FUTURE /Robert C. Neville -- BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES OF THE METAPHYSICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 1952–2010 /Brian G. Henning and David Kovacs -- INDEX /Brian G. Henning and David Kovacs -- VIBS /Brian G. Henning and David Kovacs.

Who carries the burden of proof in analytic philosophical debates, and how can this burden be satisfied? As it turns out, the answer to this joint question yields a fundamental challenge to the very conduct of metaphysics in analytic philosophy. Empirical research presented in this book indicates that the vastly predominant goal pursued in analytic philosophical dialogues lies not in discovering truths or generating knowledge, but merely in prevailing over ones opponents. Given this goal, the book examines how most effectively to allocate and discharge the burden of proof. It focuses on premises that must prudently be avoided because a burden of proof on them could never be satisfied, and in particular discusses unsupportable bridge premises across inference barriers, like Humes barrier between is and ought, or the barrier between the content of our talk or thought, and the world beyond such content. Employing this content/world barrier for a critical assessment of mainstream analytic philosophical methods, this book argues that we must prudently avoid invoking intuitions or other content of thought or talk in support of claims about the world beyond content, that is, metaphysically significant claims. Yet as content-located evidence is practically indispensable to metaphysical debates throughout analytic philosophy, from ethics to the philosophy of mathematics, this book reaches the startling conclusion that all such metaphysical debates must, prudently, be terminated. Conny Rhodes research at the University of York focused on philosophical methodology and argumentation theory, beside forays into the philosophy of science, post-Kantian philosophy, and political and moral philosophy, often employing a feminist perspective. In light of the conclusion derived in this book, Rhode has left academic philosophy and now insists on appropriate evidence in accountancy instead

The theory of bureaucratic (bur) organization (org) has tended to be surrounded by a metaphysical pathos of pessimism & fatalism. This is particularly noticeable in current explanations of bur'cy which stress the role of 'large size' or of 'human nature'. The pessimistic character of bur theory is as evident in the work of American structural-functionalists such as T. Parsons & P. Selznick, as it was in the analyses of earlier theorists such as M. Weber & R. Michels. The pessimism of org'al theory has obscured the fundamental instability of authoritarian & our org & has focused almost exclusively on the weaknesses of democratic org. Insofar, however, as the stability of any type of org requires that followers give their leaders some measure of consent, then authoritarian org's generate their own internal sources of instability. (AA - IPSA).

The analysis of the article focuses on the consideration of the essentiality of human nature. We are talking about the foundations of individual development that directly affect the formation of human existence and society. As the above aspects are considered the spiritual nature of the individual and the ethical universals that affect it - spiritual knowledge. It is with the soul that man as a microcosm concentrates in himself all the elements and manifests all the properties of the "great world". And it is the internalization of spiritual knowledge in the human experience that forms virtues - activities that create good in the world. In particular, it is emphasized that the harmony of soul and body, the orderliness of their relationship, is formed directly under the influence of "whole knowledge". This is what reproduces the monolithicity, the integrity of the human personality, ensures its mental and physical health. Conversely, the violation of this balance leads directly to the loss of the vital connection between the spiritual and physiological principles of human nature, causes the destruction, splitting of the individual, his spiritual and physical degradation.
In this regard, it was found that the possibility of harmonious human development is healing, that is "reproduction of the monolithic nature of the spiritual and physiological nature." It is achieved only when the individual conforms to the conditions of the integrity of the higher, transcendent order - the spiritual laws. The latter provide the principles and potential for the development of human coexistence. Thus, the study of the meaning and influence of spiritual knowledge on human life, makes it possible to note that no materialist knowledge aimed at the development of technological and economic progress is able to solve its existential problems. Only the knowledge that satisfies the essential needs of the individual, the aspirations of the soul, which carry values, and the understanding of the very essence of human life are able to restore that natural (in the sense given) state of harmony, health of soul and body.