: Midlife Crisis is a very popular concept describing middle adulthood. Faced with imminent death, people stop on the way to achieve their goals, to review their achievements and to assess what you already have and what you still want to achieve to fulfill their dreams. The theoretical part deals mainly with the definition of middle adulthood, midlife crisis, life satisfaction and personal well-being and also presents an overview of basic theories and research on these topics. Empirical part is focused on finding how this concept is understood and whether their own lives and the lives of their loved ones this stage recognize as life stage specific symptoms within the definition of midlife crisis and how this developmental stage experience. The work also deals with the psychological differences in experiencing developmental stages middle-aged men and women and ways of coping. Key words: middle age, crisis, adulthood, life span development, individuation, life review

Cette Dissertation porte sur deux problèmes théoriques concernant les modalités sensorielles. Le premier pose la question de savoir comment les sens sont individués (indépendamment de la façon dont on les conçoit communément). La stratégie consiste à tester la résistance des critères d'individuation proposés dans la littérature contre les objections qui leur ont été adressées. Je défends la thèse selon laquelle les sens sont individués par les propriétés environnementales auxquelles ils donnent accès, et je montre que ce critère résiste à toutes les objections qui lui ont été adressés. Le second problème concerne l'origine de notre croyance en exactement cinq sens. Sur la base d'observations issues de l'anthropologie et de la linguistique comparative, je défends que cette croyance résulte uniquement de ce qui nous a été enseigné. En outre, ce travail doctoral contient deux études supplémentaires. La première porte sur la question de savoir comment les gens distinguent ordinairement les sens. Je défends que nos concepts ordinaires des sens sont sensibles aux types de propriétés environnementales auxquelles les sens donnent accès ainsi qu'aux parties du corps auxquelles ils sont attachés. La seconde étude se concentre sur le phénomène de la substitution sensorielle, longtemps considéré comme un défi pour l'individuation des sens. Je défends que la substitution sensorielle n'est pas un défi de cet ordre parce que le type d'information environnementale traité par un outil de substitution sensorielle est métamodale, i.e. accessible par n'importe qu'elle modalité. / This Dissertation is concerned with two theoretical issues about the senses. The first issue focuses on the question how the senses are to be individuated (regardless of the way one commonly conceive of them). The strategy is to test the ability of the criteria of individuation available in the literature to withstand objections. I argue that the senses are to be individuated in terms of the environmental properties they give access to, and show that this criterion can withstand all of the objections it has received. The second issue is the question why do we believe in exactly five senses? On the basis of observations from anthropology and comparative linguistics, I argue that this belief result from what we been taught. In addition, this Dissertation contains two supplementary studies. The first study focuses on the question how people ordinarily distinguish among the senses. I argue that people are sensitive both to the types of environmental properties the senses give access to and to the body parts they are attached to. The second study is concerned with the phenomenon of sensory substitution that has long been considered as a challenge for the individuation of the senses. I argue that sensory substitution is not a challenge of this kink because the type of environmental information processed by a sensory substitution device is metamodal, i.e. accessible through any sensory modality

Keywords Gilbert Simondon, Bernard Stiegler, Mark B. N. Hansen, philosophy, media, technology, humanism, individuation, information Abstract This text has two parallel objectives. First, to introduce the original work of french philosopher Gilbert Simondon. Second, to show its potential of his philosophy in relation to our thinking about the current media-techno- logically conditioned environment in which we live and through which we understand the world. I have two motivations for the first objective. First, the work of Gilbert Simondon is still completely unknown in Czech Repub- lic, therefore I find it necessary to offer to the reader the introduction of his work. Second, without such introduction it would be very difficult to ope- rate with his crucial concepts in the work of his contemporary interpreters whose contributions I will discuss in the second part of the text. The se- cond objective is motivated with my interest in delimitation of speculative and materialistic line of thinking based on the work of Gilbert Simondon. Such thought with its description of the world is in clear opposition with anthropocentrism. Nevertheless, it cannot be considered as a part of object oriented ontology neither. I'm not going to show the importance of Gilbert Simondon for media theory in this text. Rather, I will...

This thesis explores the transformative potential of the co-authorship dynamic between game developers and players in The Squared Circle, an abstract video game designed to facilitate personality development. Drawing inspiration from existentialist philosophy, psychotherapy, and game design, the study examines the intricate interplay between gameplay mechanics, narrative depth, and psychological exploration. Employing a research-through-design methodology, the researcher analyzes The Squared Circle’s elements through psychological, philosophical, and ludological literature. The game's initial focus on engaging gameplay mechanics evolved to incorporate textual significance and symbolic play, inspired by Carl Jung's theory of Individuation. Through playtesting, observations, and interviews, the study investigates the psychological and philosophical effects of the game. Players engage in symbolic representation and journaling, delving into their unconscious aspects and exploring personal experiences within the game world. The co-authorship dynamic fosters introspection expands self-understanding, and invites transformative experiences. The findings highlight the significance of journaling and symbolic play as tools for personal growth and self-expression within the game. Players navigate the symbolic landscape, uncover hidden meanings, and co-create their own narrative, leading to increased self-awareness and psychological integration. This research contributes to understanding games as a medium for personal transformation and psychological exploration. The study underscores the importance of co-authorship, journaling, and symbolic representation in designing games that facilitate introspection, meaningful experiences, and the development of the player's personality.

La multiplication des crises rend imprévisible l'avenir du monde alors que la lourdeur du modèle productif entrave les possibilités d'imaginer un monde alternatif. Au plan individuel, le nombre de trajectoires de vie possible a explosé. À travers les concepts d'individualisation, de régime d'historicité et de temporalités sociales, ce mémoire étudie la projection individuelle des jeunes québécois(es) dans le futur individuel et l'avenir collectif. Pour la cerner, j'ai réalisé quinze entrevues qualitatives auprès de quinze jeunes de profils socio-économiques variés. À l'analyse apparaît une grande variation dans la longueur des projections des jeunes qui peuvent aller d'un an à une vie entière. De même, ce qui constitue le cœur de la projection varie considérablement : équilibre entre domaines de la vie ; expériences de vie ; famille ; engagement social ; travail. Les répondant(e)s partagent un optimisme généralisé quant à leur futur personnel et considèrent avoir toutes les cartes en main pour se forger un futur à leur convenance même si deux tiers n'ont pas de plan de vie arrêté. L'horizon de la projection dans l'avenir collectif ne dépasse pas la vie humaine. Certain(e)s jeunes identifient des dimensions clefs – environnement, économie, conflit armé – qui auront un impact sur les autres facettes de l'avenir tandis que d'autres les réfléchissent en silo et font abstraction de leur interdépendance : l'utilisation incivile du cellulaire étant aussi préoccupante que la corruption ou que les changements climatiques. Deux tiers des jeunes s'attendent à une détérioration du monde, mais considèrent les menaces collectives à venir comme trop distantes spatialement et temporellement pour s'en inquiéter outre mesure. Dans la société individualiste, la promotion à l'autoréalisation est source d'angoisse pour les jeunes qui doivent renoncer à une multitude de potentialités en choisissant un programme d'étude ou un emploi. L'optimisme devant le futur personnel et l'impression d'une identité fixe dans un monde en mouvement résultent d'un sentiment de séparation du monde qui se renforce dans la société individualiste. Cette permanence semble aussi appuyer la thèse du présentisme de François Hartog (2012) soit la propension de la société contemporaine à donner plus d'importance au présent qu'au passé ou au futur. / The proliferation of crises makes the future unpredictable while the cumbersome nature of the productive model hampers the possibility of imagining an alternative. At an individual level, the number of possible life trajectories has exploded. Through the concepts of individualization, regime of historicity and social temporalities, this thesis studies the individual projection of young Quebecers in the individual and the collective future. To identify it, I conducted fifteen qualitative interviews with young people of various socio-economic background. The analysis shows a great variation in the length of the projections of the young people which can go from one year to a whole life. Similarly, what constitutes the center of the projection varies considerably - balance between life dimensions ; life experiences ; family ; social engagement ; work. The young Quebecers share a general optimism and consider having everything needed to forge a personal future at their convenience even though ten of them do not yet have a detailed life plan. The horizon of projection into the common future does not go beyond the length of human life. Some young people identify key dimensions – environment, economy, armed conflict – that will impact the future while others reflect them separately and disregard their interdependence. For example, the uncivil use of the cell phone seems as worrying as political corruption or climate change. Two thirds of the participants expect a deterioration of the world, but consider the threats too distant spatially and temporally to worry about it beyond measure. In the individualistic society, promotion of self-realization is a source of anguish for young people who have to give up a multitude of potentialities presented to them during childhood when choosing a curriculum or a job. Secondly, optimism about personal future and the impression of a fixed identity in a world in motion are the result of a feeling of separation from the world which is strengthened in the individualistic society. The perceived permanence also seems to support the hypothesis of François Hartog's presentism (2012), namely the propensity of contemporary society to give more importance to the present than to the past or the future.

No description available.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The mother-daughter relationship and the feminine principle in the process of individuation are explored in this study. The mother-daughter relationship as the focus of the study is presented as the womb where the stories and experiences are in gestation. In presenting this research as a transpersonal exploration, the principles and practices of transpersonal psychology and transpersonal research are used as the lens through which the process of research is viewed. The study tells the stories of adolescent daughters and their menopausal mothers and their lives as girls and women in transitional life cycles. It also tells the stories of the author's mother and of herself, and offers their shared experiences of being daughters, and remembering that they are also the daughters of daughters, the mothers of whom have passed away a long time ago. The stories are presented in the mode of a narrative inquiry, becoming an exploration in itself. The author looks into the stories of what has been written by those who have mapped the territory of the transpersonal and narrative landscapes in psychology, education, research and psychotherapy. A research collage of the mother-daughter relationship, transitional life cycles, and also of aspects of the feminine and the process of individuation is created. Images of alchemy, archetypes, mythological figures and archetypal goddesses are added to allow this collage to become its own story. The study combines research methods used in transpersonal research and narrative inquiry. Data were gathered by making use of journal writing, mandala drawings, interviews, visual imagery and photographs, collage, writing letters, personal documentation, dreamwork, working with words and personal mythology. Transpersonal principles such as meditation, reflection, mandala drawings, intuitive listening and so forth were applied in working with the data. The researcher also used principles of narrative inquiry to assist in the process of processing the information and finding the stories. The research findings that emerged indicate that a mother and daughter can hold up a mirror to each other in order to see that there are experiences of abandonment and dependency in their relationship; another mother and daughter pair related to each other from a basis of limiting self-experience; and yet another mother and her daughter were seen to have a relationship that contains powerful potential for individuation through the process of growth and transformation. These findings may be relevant to the therapeutic and educational spheres of psychology, in training and in application. This research journey is an adventure that can be seen as symbolically walking the labyrinth, following the circular path towards the centre, and then back again, out into life. This journey is symbolic of the process of individuation as based on the mythology of the serpent Ouroboros that swallows its tail in order to become whole. The process of alchemy in psychology forms the container for this journey into wholeness. Like Theseus, beloved of Ariadne of antiquity, I took the golden thread in hand and stepped into the labyrinth. The journey could begin … / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken die moeder-dogter verhouding en die vroulike beginsel in die individuasieproses. Die moeder-dogterverhouding as die fokus van hierdie studie word voorgestel as 'n houer vir die bewaring van belangrike aspekte van die vroulike beginsel. Die modus van transpersoonlike sielkunde en navorsing is gebruik om as 'n lens te dien waardeur hierdie proses ondersoek is. Die narratiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik om die stories te vertel wat in hierdie studie aangebied word. Hierdie stories gaan oor die navorsingsreis, die reis van dogter-wees en moeder-wees, die reis van vrou-wording en vrou-wees in die oorgangsfases van vroue se lewens. Dit behels stories van adolessensie en die menopouse. Daarnaas geplaas is die stories van my moeder, van myself, en van ons verhouding. In hierdie vertelling oor die moeder skryf ek dit as die dogter van 'n dogter wie se moeder lank reeds oorlede is. Ek onderneem 'n reis deur die landskap van die literatuur en neem daaruit stories van aspekte van vrou-wees, van die vroulike beginsel, asook van transpersoonlike sielkunde en transpersoonlike navorsing. Dit gaan ook oor die narratiewe wyse van ondersoek en die waarde van stories in narratiewe terapie word bespreek. Hierdie navorsingsreis is 'n speurtog; soos in 'n labirint is dit 'n sirkelvormige reis, wat die mitologiese slang, Ouroboros, wat sy eie stert insluk om heel te word weerspieël. Die labirinte van die mitologie en argetipiese vroubeelde en godinne stem tot nadenke oor die sielkundige ervaring van individuasie. In die nadenke is daar, soos met die alchemiste van weleer, 'n soeke die goud in die lood en die bevindinge wat die navorsingsreis oplewer, word bekendgemaak. In hierdie reis is gebruik gemaak van transpersoonlike en narratiewe navorsingsmetodes en beginsels om die inligting te verkry waarmee die stories vertel kon word. Hierdie metodes maak onder meer gebruik van joernaalskryf, mandalas teken, onderhoude, visuele beelde en foto's, collage, briewe, persoonlike dokumente, droomwerk, woorde en woordassosiasie en persoonlike mitologie. Transpersoonlike werkswyses soos meditasie, refleksie, intuitiewe luister, joernaal skrywe en so meer is gekombineer met narratiewe werkswyses om die inligting te verwerk en die stories te ontgin. Die navorsingsbevindinge dui op ervaringe van afhanklikheid en vrese van verlating; van 'n moeder en dogter wat gebuk gaan onder beperkende ervaringe van selfvertwyfeling en die implikasie wat dit het vir hulle vrou-wees; van 'n moeder en haar dogter wat die potensiaal vir die proses van individuasie in hulle verhoudinge met hul vroueliggame vind. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindinge mag moontlik van belang wees vir sielkundiges en opvoedkundiges wat hulle in hierdie sfere van hulpverlening bevind. Soos Theseus, beminde van Ariadne van ouds, het ek die goue draad ter hand geneem en daarmee die ingang van die labirint betree. Die reis moes begin …

La filière viticole française subit une récession de longue période sur son marché domestique dont les raisons profondes sont autant d'ordre sociologique et culturelle qu'économique. Parallèlement, elle se doit de tenir son rang sur les marchés internationaux où l'on observe une croissance de la consommation et une compétition plus vive de la part d'acteurs du nouveau monde. Face ces évolutions, la compréhension du consommateur, des différents acteurs de la filière ainsi que des outils marketing qu'ils emploient doit être interrogée et revisitée. Le but de cette thèse sur travaux est de décrire des évolutions de la filière et de présenter une tendance à la dé-individuation économique de ce domaine. Le principe d'individuation, avant tout d'ordre psychologique et biologique, postule qu'un individu diffère de tout autre et le distingue. Dans un contexte managérial, l'individuation peut être perçue d'une part dans l'étude du consommateur au travers de ses attentes, de ses besoins et de son comportement lors d'expérience d'achat, d'autre part dans l'analyse du comportement des offreurs, ici essentiellement des industriels - négociants, dans leur comportement stratégique, leur structure financière et les outils de développement employés. Par ailleurs, les choix opérés dans la gouvernance de la filière par les pouvoirs publics et les Interprofessions peuvent, dans leurs objectifs influer sur cette individuation économique. A contrario, la dé-individuation exprime ici un comportement de l'ensemble des parties prenantes d'un domaine tendant à réduire le caractère unique et différencié de chacun pour aller vers des formes de standardisation. Afin de présenter la dé-individuation économique dans la filière viticole, notre recherche repose sur une série de publications antérieures faites dans trois domaines : tout d'abord l'analyse de l'acheteur et du consommateur de vin dans un contexte de postmodernité approché au travers de ses expériences de consommation et des représentations qu'il s'en fait. Puis auprès d'une population d'entreprises viticoles françaises en observant les disparités et les similarités de leur structure financière et de leur stratégie notamment pour expliquer leur performance à l'export. Enfin, en étudiant des outils marketing employés par la profession parmi lesquels la marque dont on connaît le pouvoir de standardisation des comportements. Nos contributions enrichissent le corps théorique sur le comportement du consommateur et des formes contemporaines de gouvernance des entreprises. Pour la profession viticole, nos recherches contribuent à une prospective du domaine pour élaborer des scénarios futurs, mais aussi pour les managers des entreprises concernées par des prises de décision plus opérationnelles.

This study is about the nature of persons and personal identity. It belongs to a tradition that maintains that in order to understand what it is to be a person we must clarify what personal identity consists in. In this pursuit, I differentiate between the problems (i) How do persons persist? and (ii) What facts, if any, does personal identity consist in? Concerning the first question, I argue that persons persist three-dimensionally (the endurance view), and not four-dimensionally (the perdurarne view), on the ground that objects must always fall under some substance sortal concept S (the sortal dependency of individuation), and that the concept person entails that objects falling under it are three-dimensional. Concerning the second question, I differentiate between Criterianists, who maintain that it is possible to specify a non-circular and informative criterion for personal identity, and Non-Criterianists, who deny that such a specification is possible. I argue against Criterianist accounts of personal identity on the ground that they are either (i) circular, (ii) violate the intrinsicality of identity or (iii) do not adequately represent what we are essentially. I further criticise three Psychological Non-Criterianist accounts of personal identity on the ground that they wrongly assume that 'person' refers to mental entities. Instead I formulate the Revised Animal Attribute View where person is understood as a basic sortal concept which picks out a biological sort of enduring animals. In this, I claim that the real essence of a person is determined by the real essence of the kind of animal he is, without thereby denying that persons have a real essence as persons. / digitalisering@umu

The thesis Otherness and Identity deals with the discourse of Gilles Deleuze (Différence et répétition, 1968) and Deleuze in cooperation with Félix Guattari (Capitalisme et schizophrénie: L'Anti-Oedipe, 1972, Mille plateaux, 1980, Qu'est-ce que la philosophie?, 1991). On the basis of their discourse the process of individuation is constructed, and is at first situated into deleuzean space-time. The process of individuation is based on the principle of inner difference that is understood as a generative principle which "makes the difference". In this sense, the concept of individuation represents a concept of otherness unlike the concept of identity. The first and the second part of the thesis present basic principles of thinking of Deleuze and Guattari. In the third part of the thesis the principle of identity is localized in the work of Deleuze and Guattari. This concept is understood as a consequence of illegitimate uses of the synthesis of unconsciousness. On this ground their critique of psychoanalytic reproduction of repressive Oedipal structures is presented. And the Oedipal structure in it's reproductive function is also presented as a construct of sexual identity. The fourth part of the thesis is devoted to confrontation of opinion motivations, views and strategies of Deleuze and Guattari...