Este trabalho versa sobre o conceito de potência natural em Espinosa, sua amplitude e abrangência e seus reflexos no direito natural e na política. Procura revelar a originalidade do conceito de direito natural em Espinosa, muito diferente dos pontos de vista de Grotius, de Hobbes e de todos os demais filósofos e doutrinadores, levando-o, também, a uma visão diferente sobre a formação do Estado; e, finalmente, a sua doutrina sobre o Estado e suas diversas instituições políticas, enfatizando sempre a liberdade e a dignidade humanas como a razão de ser da criação desse mesmo Estado. Procuramos também revelar neste modesto trabalho o avanço, a novidade e a contribuição de Espinosa à ciência jurídica contemporânea. / This paper deals with the concept of natural power in Spinoza, its breadth and scope and its effects on natural law and politics. Seeks to reveal the originality of the concept of natural law in Spinoza, very different from the views of Grotius, Hobbes and all other philosophers and scholars, too, leading him to a different view of state formation; and finally, his teaching on the State and its various political institutions, always emphasizing freedom and human dignity as the reason for the creation of that State. We also seek to reveal in this modest work the advance, the novelty and contribution of Spinoza to contemporary legal science.

The aim of this study is to examine the meaning and the morality of suicide through the history of philosophy. To this aim, firstly, the historical evaluation of the concept of suicide is explained in detail. The effects of sociological and the religious transformations on the meaning of suicide are analyzed. Afterwards, the moral theories about suicide are discussed. The anti-suicide arguments about suicide in the history of philosophy are classified under three parts mainly. These anti-suicide arguments &mdash / that suicide is a violation of our duties to God, to the society and to the self &mdash / are handled and explained in detail with their counter arguments. Then, the problem of the permissibility of suicide is analyzed and whether suicide is morally permitted under some conditions or it is absolutely forbidden is discussed. Next, the philosophical meaning of suicide in literature is investigated by analyzing the meanings that are given to suicide by Dante iv and Dostoevsky. In the conclusion, a brief summary is given, and the moral theories about suicide are criticized. ,

Este trabalho versa sobre o conceito de potência natural em Espinosa, sua amplitude e abrangência e seus reflexos no direito natural e na política. Procura revelar a originalidade do conceito de direito natural em Espinosa, muito diferente dos pontos de vista de Grotius, de Hobbes e de todos os demais filósofos e doutrinadores, levando-o, também, a uma visão diferente sobre a formação do Estado; e, finalmente, a sua doutrina sobre o Estado e suas diversas instituições políticas, enfatizando sempre a liberdade e a dignidade humanas como a razão de ser da criação desse mesmo Estado. Procuramos também revelar neste modesto trabalho o avanço, a novidade e a contribuição de Espinosa à ciência jurídica contemporânea. / This paper deals with the concept of natural power in Spinoza, its breadth and scope and its effects on natural law and politics. Seeks to reveal the originality of the concept of natural law in Spinoza, very different from the views of Grotius, Hobbes and all other philosophers and scholars, too, leading him to a different view of state formation; and finally, his teaching on the State and its various political institutions, always emphasizing freedom and human dignity as the reason for the creation of that State. We also seek to reveal in this modest work the advance, the novelty and contribution of Spinoza to contemporary legal science.

The research on "The healing touch of Nature in the context of pastoral therapy" illustrated the role of Nature in bringing healing to individual people in an urban context in South Africa. The role Nature plays in connecting the participants with God and how this positively affects their daily lives, has been central in the research. Through their interaction with Nature, the participants lead richer, more meaningful lives and experience a greater sense of well-being. Nature stimulates and elicits response as the digital world is set against the calm energy and "warmth of the earth". Through connection with God in Nature, the participants translate the healing metaphor into more tangible "language" – the "beautifying effect" of Nature. It is not the words that captivate, but the thoughts which the words carry. Mostly the research tells the story of the experiential knowledge of living in the intimate presence of God and the healing power of God‘s presence. This narrative is about a kind of knowing that can only come through Nature. The research offers a way of seeing Nature that could influence pastoral care today. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.

The research on "The healing touch of Nature in the context of pastoral therapy" illustrated the role of Nature in bringing healing to individual people in an urban context in South Africa. The role Nature plays in connecting the participants with God and how this positively affects their daily lives, has been central in the research. Through their interaction with Nature, the participants lead richer, more meaningful lives and experience a greater sense of well-being. Nature stimulates and elicits response as the digital world is set against the calm energy and "warmth of the earth". Through connection with God in Nature, the participants translate the healing metaphor into more tangible "language" – the "beautifying effect" of Nature. It is not the words that captivate, but the thoughts which the words carry. Mostly the research tells the story of the experiential knowledge of living in the intimate presence of God and the healing power of God‘s presence. This narrative is about a kind of knowing that can only come through Nature. The research offers a way of seeing Nature that could influence pastoral care today. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)