Tag: philosophy

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Presentation of thought

The introduction of the Venice exhibition catalog summarizes the artistic approach by Joseph Kosuth as a form of presentation of thought. The title of the exhibition “The-exchange-value-of-language-has-fallen-to-zero” is a provocative critic of the use of language. The experience of AI’s use of language as data points and machine-human interface in form of chatbots makes any topic related to language even more interesting. The embeddedness of language and the context of content become intelligible through visualization(s). We owe to Kosuth the view that the modus operandi of art is to raise questions and enter into meaningful debates with people. Site-specific installations and the uniqueness of the conceptual idea distinguish his works of art. Language and image enter into a kind of symbiosis embedded into a local context. This is taking Wittgenstein’s philosophy seriously. 

Kosuth inspired Where do you stand? (2026-9)

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Images about facts

The philosophical writings of Ludwig Wittgenstein are a bit sturdy and and rather complex. 100 years after the first publication we realize that the meticulous order of the “Tractatus logico-philosophicus” follows a logical order of top-down and horizontal lines, which almost resemble algorithmic thinking. In section (1) he defines the smallest unit of analysis, a case, and (2) the existence of settings, which constitute such cases with almost mathematical precision. Already in 2.1 he states “we construct images out of facts” (own translations). In a kind of inductive approach we tend to generalize based on (single) cases or realizations in form of an image of facts. At the same time we have to be aware that an image makes a statement about the relationship of objects contained in the image. But it is just one possible option out of a whole group of potential relationships. Based on this reasoning a true as well as false realization of facts are possible.
In the 21st century the technological possibilities have grown rather exponentially (use of AI) allowing to give false testimony of facts and relationships of objects to each other. Wittgenstein challenges my own versions and daily combinations of text and images as approaches towards reality. (Image: excerpt from Ludwig Wittgenstein Tractatus logico-philosophicus, p. 14 edition suhrkamp)

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Emotions in Politics

Rage or even hate count among the high emotional states in psychology. The presence in politics of these more extreme emotional states has been on the rise since the times of Covid-19 due to the necessary restrictions of the fundamental right of free mobility. A cost of living crisis might lead to similar emotional states as “Angst” about homes, commuting and heating put many people in existential crises. The rise of extreme right parties has gained on the basis of this basic social mechanism using hate speech and a continued rage as driving force. Established political parties across Europe and the Americas have been very slow to react to this. Just providing accurate information and correcting fake news is not enough. More emotions are called upon to counter such aggressive strategies used by political opponents, unfortunately. In the podcast “The 2nd thought” (Der zweite Gedanke in German!) Natscha Freundel together with Justus Bender and Heike Klüver we learn that an emotional response to rise of the extreme right is asked for. It is interesting to witness that 144 years after “Die fröhliche Wissenschaft” we still have not learned the lesson from Book 1 entry 38 by Friedrich Nietzsche: “with reason alone, thou shalt not convince those explosive minds” (own interpretative translation).

Quotation from Nietzsche Book1 Nr.38: Mit Gründen gewinnt man diese Pulverfässer nicht!

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Gay science 2026

This is an intended test of the translation and contextual interpretation competence of various AI-systems in the year 2026. The Anglo-American translation of the “Fröhliche Wissenschaft“ with Gay science could nicely be interpreted as being in line with the original intention by Nietzsche of ambiguity in his aphorisms. Langer (2010) had chosen this translation knowing that in the 21st century the term gay as adjective had shifted from primarily being meaning cheerful, showy, bright or careless to the noun of gay ( mostly men) as a community. In her introduction Langer (2010) discusses the Aphorisms of gay science beyond the simple view of “postcard-like” ephemeral thoughts of a traveler. Whereas Allison (2001) reads the aphorisms as a “dynamic play of multiple and continually changing appearances”. Langer is more inclined to follow Schacht’s (1988) perspective that “we have much more than the disjointed collection of reflections and aphorisms which it may at first glance appear to be”. The art in Nietzsche’s writing is the “surface disorderliness” which “conceals its fundamental coherence” (cited after Langer 2010, pp. xiii-xiv). The contextual interpretation à la Stegmaier (2012) of only the 5th book of the Gay science spans 646 pages in text plus very informative name and concept registers as a blending of mind maps of Nietzsche’s as well as Stegmaier’s contextual and conceptual thinking. Both Stegmaier and Krochmalnik (1997) have contributed individually and jointly to a “rehabilitation” attempt of Nietzsche towards the end of the 20th century and a lasting continuation of “gay science”.

Reading on Nietzsche in 2026 to better understand Gay science

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“what” and “how” in consulting

The scope of both “what” and “how” to consult have been considerably enlarged in the 2020s. The rise of the internet and digital formats in consulting have put an indigestible amount of mostly well-intended advice to the public at large. Language barriers are coming down in the digestion of ever broader as well as more interdisciplinary forms of knowledge. The “what” in consulting seems to be endless and yet the expectations on advanced expertise have risen as well. The calls for easy language summaries, as provided and popular with generative AI, pose a challenge to consulting on more interrelated or “messy” problems. The broad availability of AI in our pockets, watches or glasses amplify the potential to address really tough issues in consulting leaving the easy advice to the machines repairing other machines. Consulting may then focus on human interaction which needs to fix norms and guidelines in moral and practical matters. Consulting might take much more the form of interpretation and contextualization of information beyond simple information gathering. The “how” in consulting is conditional on “what” is the issue in question. From the antique dialog over (medieval) confessions (Stegmaier, Fuerst 1993) and book writing, we have moved to digital formats with textual, vocal and visual formats (Image and video). Hybrid formats enrich the consulting experience for the persons asking for advice as well as those offering it. (Image: Consulting on what and how to plant in city streets 2026-8 Paris)

Consulting on what and how to plant in city streets 2026-8 Paris

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Philosophy in consulting

What has consulting to do with philosophy? How much philosophy in consulting? If we think of business consulting, there is very little philosophy in most of it. Some ethical considerations might enter the consulting with respect to mass lay-offs, ethical considerations in supply chains or handling waste. The philosophy of consulting, however, deals with one of the oldest philosophical practices (Stegmaier 1993). Since Plato and Socrates the dialogue of persons is at the foundation of philosophy. Throughout the history of philosophy the dialogue as the basis of exchanging ideas and controversies can be regarded as a philosophical practice particularly if it deals with topics beyond daily concerns. The consulting by philosophers has taken the form of speeches as well as book publications. Marc Aurel or Montaigne have written famous accounts of their consulting advice to political leaders. Rousseau for education or Kuhn for science have been influential with their philosophy intended as consulting beyond the inter-individual, dialogue-oriented form. The dialogue with a reader used to be rather exclusive until the invention of the printed press. Apelt introduced the “ethics of discourse” followed by a theory of communicative action (Habermas). Even modern governance structures “incorporate” committees as institutionalized consulting to advice with multiple and at best diverse perspectives as guidelines to persons in leadership positions. In order to counterbalance individual leadership of prime ministers, judges or university presidents, institutionalized internal consulting has been implemented (Stegmaier 1993). Consulting resistant leaders probably had some of the worst fates if we think of Julius Caesar. Seeking advice is only one side of the coin. Giving advice is the other one. Now we leave the “why” of philosophy in consulting and move to the questions of “what” and “how” to consult.

Paris start-up 2026 Station

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La gaya sienza

Nietzsche published his 1st version of “Die fröhliche Wissenschaft“ in1882. Ever since a controversy over the translation and interpretation of the title broke out. The publication in English referred to the title as “Joyful Wisdom”. A major question remains: is the opus a piece about science in the sense of philosophy, or less rigorous in method and therefore more a kind of general contribution to a perspective on wisdom? 12 x 12 years later of the 1st publication the “Motto” on the opening page should be taken more seriously. “Dem Dichter und Weisen sind alle Dinge befreundet und geweiht, alle Erlebnisse nützlich, alle Tage heilig, alle Menschen göttlich.“ Such a  radical Version of enlightenment as scientific method announced his attempts to demystify everything from religious beliefs to also science as well. The Motto of the 2nd edition in 1887 goes beyond the original one to include himself into this demystification. “Ich wohne in meinem eigenen Haus, Hab Niemanden nie nichts nachgemacht Und – lachte noch jeden Meister aus, Der nicht sich selbst ausgelacht. In a nutshell, mock yourself as much as you mock about anyone else. Can this science be science, intelligence, artificial intelligence or is this already the precursor of „super intelligence“ of the 21st century AI hype? 

Marc Bloch Library ENS Paris

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Autonomy as Happiness

The French philosopher Émile-Auguste Chartier, better known as Alain, is a proponent of a rational approach towards fundamental issues. Therefore, we should expect from the reading of “Propos sur le bonheur” a thought-based conception of happiness. In his propositions on happiness, autonomous decision-making and autonomous actions play a decisive role. Rather than writing a voluminous “treatise” on happiness, he had chosen in the 1920s, the form of 93 about 2-page long propositions about happiness. These propositions are a bit more explicit than, for example, Nietzsche’s aphorisms, but they remain short without much literary context to the kind of rational analysis based on observations and anecdotal supporting evidence.
In propositions 42 “Agir” and 44 “Diogène” he deals with autonomy as subject. “on veut agir, on ne veut pas subir” (in short, “act, not endure”, own translation), that is his quintessence. “Tous les métiers plaisent autant que l’on y gouverne, et déplaisent autant que l’on y obéit.” (44). (All professions are pleasant if you govern, and are unpleasant if you have to obey). More than 100 years later, empirical studies on job quality, job satisfaction and happiness still build on this rationale.

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History as Science

There are persons entering history and there is the science of history. Whereas the former persons may sometimes enter for very dubious reasons into history, responsible for killing people, the science of history draws on a whole lot of evidence, social, economic or demographic, to evaluate a person’s legacy or the merits of an epochal change. In the development of this scientific approach towards history, rather than a purely chronological, family structure or narrative-oriented approach, Marc Bloch has been a central figure. His research and exemplary own biography as student of history at the ENS in Paris, teacher and later Member of “La Résistance” is honored by an exhibition on his life and time at this formidable French institution of teacher training. In an exhibition in the ENS library you can even inspect a list of the books taken out by Marc Bloch as a student as well as his experiences as a student in London or Berlin before the 1st World War. A strictly science-based approach to history made him an influential historian and social scientist beyond his lifetime. (Image: Salle Marc Bloch at ENS Library Paris 2026-5) 

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Individualism and beyond

For many social and political scientists it is interesting to look into the origins of our present day individualism. In a permanent drive to learn more about ourselves, millions of persons on social media try to visualize primarily themselves in different roles and life situations. Saint Augustine was the first philosopher who exposed his own personality and past choices of pleasures on earth in a journal like fashion named “Confessions”. Isn’t this what every person is somehow doing on facebook, tiktok or instagram? Thousands of entries deal with persons succumbing to earthly pleasures. Saint Augustine writes about his own very personal experiences and this invention of “the individual path” to philosophical, spiritual, religious ideas and convictions makes him a milestone in the history of ideas.
Maybe the original version of the text is further advanced than the Christian AI chatbot that has recently been released, because Saint Augustine proposes in the last paragraph of the Confessions 3 questions and finally 2 sentences to close his journey into his philosophical and religious mind.
(Image: Saint Augustin & Saint Monique, by Jean Boedts on Confessions Book 9, Ch. 10 on his mother dying, Church Saint Augustin, Brussels Altitude 100)