Notes

Deep dive on Human Nature - by Winnicott

MInima Moralia Full

Summary of Lake, B. M., Ullman, T. D., Tenenbaum, J. B., & Gershman, S. J. (2017). Building machines that learn and think like people. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 40, e253

The provided excerpts are from Thomas Nagel's 1986 philosophical work, "The View From Nowhere," which primarily grapples with the core problem of reconciling the subjective perspective of an individual within the world with an objective or detached view of that same world. The text, including parts of the table of contents and acknowledgments, focuses heavily on themes of mind and body, the limits of objectivity in reality, and the difficulty of achieving a coherent understanding when moving between these two standpoints in areas like morality, ethics, knowledge, and autonomy. Nagel explores how the tension between internal and external perspectives influences fundamental philosophical questions and suggests that attempting to achieve a purely objective view can lead to a misunderstanding or devaluation of personal and human experience. The sources indicate that the book grew out of lectures and contributions to other philosophical volumes, highlighting its engagement with existing academic debates.

The text provides excerpts from Theodor W. Adorno’s 1962 lecture, “Zur Bekämpfung des Antisemitismus heute”, in which the sociologist analyzes the persistence of anti-Jewish prejudice in post-war Germany, noting its transition into “secondary anti-Semitism” passed down through families. Adorno asserts that anti-Semitism is not an isolated flaw but a consistent part of the authoritarian, right-wing ideological platform, and he argues against facile counter-measures like positive propaganda or appeals to religion. His strategy proposes a duality of efforts: a long-term educational approach aimed at dismantling the authoritarian character structure in children, and a short-term program requiring authorities to confront established prejudices with shock and unwavering societal power. Adorno advises educators to be mindful of the social structures in schools, focusing on moments like the initial shock of school entry, and actively working to disrupt the formation of exclusionary cliques that mirror broader societal prejudices. Ultimately, he stresses that combating bigotry requires militant enlightenment that exposes the underlying mechanisms and falsehoods of anti-intellectual resentment.

The provided text, excerpts from a book by Peter Eli Gordon, offers a comprehensive examination of the philosophical relationship and shared intellectual horizon between Franz Rosenzweig and Martin Heidegger, particularly within the context of German-Jewish thought in the Weimar era. The discussion centers on the “new thinking” that emerged after the perceived collapse of idealism and metaphysics, arguing that both philosophers, despite their dramatic personal and political divergence (especially regarding Heidegger's Nazism), sought a new foundation for philosophy rooted in temporality, finitude, and authentic existence. Significant attention is paid to Rosenzweig’s major work, The Star of Redemption, positioning it not merely within a distinct Jewish canon but as a profound response to contemporary German philosophy, including the late work of Hermann Cohen and the critique of the German-Jewish dialogue. Furthermore, the text analyzes the linguistic and existential similarities in their thought, such as their shared emphasis on the constitutive role of language and the importance of being-toward-death.

The provided text is an excerpt from a 1987 article by Hans Jonas titled “The Concept of God after Auschwitz: A Jewish Voice,” originally a lecture delivered upon receiving an award. Jonas grapples with the theological challenge posed by the Holocaust, specifically Auschwitz, which he argues cannot be explained by traditional Jewish concepts of sin, punishment, or martyrdom. To address this unprecedented evil, Jonas proposes a speculative theology rooted in a myth of a self-limiting God, suggesting that the Divine renounced its omnipotence at creation. This reimagined God is suffering, becoming, and caring but is also endangered and powerless to intervene in the physical world, thus necessitating a rejection of the traditional idea of divine omnipotence to reconcile God’s goodness with the existence of evil.