La philosophie de Spinoza cherche à concilier et réunir trois horizons philosophiques fondamentaux : l’émanation néo-platonicienne (l’expression), le mécanisme cartésien (cause efficiente), et les catégories aristotéliciennes (Substance, attribut, mode). Ce premier point est pris pour acquis. Nous expliquerons que cette tentative sera rendue possible grâce à la conception nouvelle, au 17e siècle, de l’actualité de l’infini. Nous examinerons ensuite les conséquences de cette nouvelle interprétation, qui permet de rendre l’individu transparent à lui-même sur un plan d’immanence, expressif par rapport à une éminence qui le diffuse, mais déterminé dans une substantialité fictive entre objets finis. En proposant le pouvoir de l’imagination et des prophètes comme point de départ et principe actif du conatus, nous montrerons que la distinction, chez Spinoza, demeure toujours une fiction. Pour conclure, nous serons en mesure de signaler en quoi le Zarathoustra de Nietzsche relève d’une volonté de poursuivre le travail entrepris par Spinoza. / Spinoza’s philosophy is an attempt to reconcile three fundamental perspectives : neo-platonician emanation (expression), Cartesian mechanism (efficient cause), and Aristotelian categories (Substance, attribute, mode). This first point is taken for granted. We will argue that this attempt is made possible by the new modernist conception of an actual infinite. We will then examine the consequences of this new interpretation, viz. to allow self-transparency by internal immanence of an individual who is expressive of an eminence that diffuses him, while at the sime time being substantially determined in the knot of finite objects. We will then propose imagination and prophets as a starting point and active principle of the conatus’ effort, in order to show that all distinctions, in Spinoza’s philosophy, rely on a power to forge fictions. In conclusion, we will argue that Nietzsche’s Zarathoustra is an attempt to catch and pursue Spinoza’s intuitions.

La philosophie de Spinoza cherche à concilier et réunir trois horizons philosophiques fondamentaux : l’émanation néo-platonicienne (l’expression), le mécanisme cartésien (cause efficiente), et les catégories aristotéliciennes (Substance, attribut, mode). Ce premier point est pris pour acquis. Nous expliquerons que cette tentative sera rendue possible grâce à la conception nouvelle, au 17e siècle, de l’actualité de l’infini. Nous examinerons ensuite les conséquences de cette nouvelle interprétation, qui permet de rendre l’individu transparent à lui-même sur un plan d’immanence, expressif par rapport à une éminence qui le diffuse, mais déterminé dans une substantialité fictive entre objets finis. En proposant le pouvoir de l’imagination et des prophètes comme point de départ et principe actif du conatus, nous montrerons que la distinction, chez Spinoza, demeure toujours une fiction. Pour conclure, nous serons en mesure de signaler en quoi le Zarathoustra de Nietzsche relève d’une volonté de poursuivre le travail entrepris par Spinoza. / Spinoza’s philosophy is an attempt to reconcile three fundamental perspectives : neo-platonician emanation (expression), Cartesian mechanism (efficient cause), and Aristotelian categories (Substance, attribute, mode). This first point is taken for granted. We will argue that this attempt is made possible by the new modernist conception of an actual infinite. We will then examine the consequences of this new interpretation, viz. to allow self-transparency by internal immanence of an individual who is expressive of an eminence that diffuses him, while at the sime time being substantially determined in the knot of finite objects. We will then propose imagination and prophets as a starting point and active principle of the conatus’ effort, in order to show that all distinctions, in Spinoza’s philosophy, rely on a power to forge fictions. In conclusion, we will argue that Nietzsche’s Zarathoustra is an attempt to catch and pursue Spinoza’s intuitions.

In the present study, the Electromechanical Therapeutic Apparatus was examined to determine the extent to which its repeated use can influence intellectual performance and mood state. The Electromechanical Therapeutic Apparatus is a device designed to mildly stimulate the body and brain, while facilitating relaxation. Its three components include a rotating platform-bed; a weak, extremely-low-frequency, external-electric field; and music. In the present study, three groups were contrasted, a music-only group which served as a placebo; a group which combined motion-vestibular stimulation and music; and a group which combined motion-vestibular stimulation and music with an externalelectric field. The sample included 33 randomly selected men and women whose average age was 34.6 years.

Cette thèse vise à mener une étude détaillée sur la manière dont les penseurs du XIIIème siècle ont appréhendé et utilisé le fameux dictum d’Aristote du De anima II : « l’âme est l’acte premier du corps organique qui est potentiellement en vie » En effet, nous examinons les modalités philosophiques qui ont poussé Bonaventure et Thomas d’Aquin à proposer chacun une lecture originale de ce passage tout en admettant tous les deux que l’âme humaine et le corps ne sont pas à prendre comme deux substances distinctes, mais comme deux parties qui constituent l’essence d’une personne humaine. Nous tentons ainsi de décrire, dans leur processus d’élaboration et de mise en œuvre, ces théories qui visent à nous démontrer l’unité naturelle de l’être humain, ce qui constitue au final des solutions aux problèmes issus de la « two substances view », c'est-à-dire celui du dualisme des substances. / The objective of this thesis is to understand how 13th century thinkers have adopted the famous dictum of Aristotle's De anima II that “the soul is the first act of the organic body potentially having life”. In this perspective, this thesis examines the way in which Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas, each with his own creativity, elaborated to establish the unity of human being that consist in their claim that the human soul and body are not two distinct substances, but two essential parts of the human nature or a human person. In so doing, this thesis analyses the concepts like “substance”, “hoc aliquid”, “intellective soul” “intellect” etc and their meaning in respective contexts where Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas give us relevant solutions that can deal with problems arising from the "two substances view", or substance dualism.

Le chiisme est contrairement au sunnisme, s’appuie sur une théorie ésotérique qui met en avant la question de l’imamat en islam, alors que le sunnisme s’appuie essentiellement sur les textes et la tradition prophétique. Selon des critères historiques, le chiisme comprend d’autres branches qui ont finalement imposé deux grandes écoles chiites ; la duodécimaine (chiisme de l’Iran actuel), et l’ismaélisme. Ce dernier présente une pensée fondée non seulement sur l’imamat, mais aussi sur la charia sunnite avec une interprétation ésotérique. Cela a contribué à mettre en place une pensée qui dépasse les limites de la religion en tant que telle. L’ismaélisme se présente alors, dès son apparition intellectuelle « physique », avec les Épîtres des Frères de la Pureté, vers le début du Xème siècle, comme un courant de pensée philosophique ésotérique « bāṭinīya ». Ce courant tente de comprendre l’existence dans sa relation avec la religion. De ce point de vue, plusieurs questions, auxquelles nous avons tenté d’y répondre tout au long de ce travail de recherche, se posent : quelle est la place des événements historiques dans l’interprétation ésotérique ? Quelle est la place de l’Homme par rapport à tout ce qui l’entoure comme phénomènes matériels et spirituels ? En effet, selon cette pensée, rien n’échappe à un système cyclique construit divinement. Ainsi, partant de l’histoire ismaélienne et de sa signification, d’après cette pensée elle-même, l’Homme prend la place principale et devient le but de tout développement matériel et spirituel. La première partie de ce travail donne un panorama historique afin de situer l’Ismaélisme au sein des différentes branches et écoles, et par rapport aux autres religions. Ensuite, la deuxième partie, tend à comprendre cette pensée en essayant de suivre ce qui a été préconisé par les émissaires ismaéliens tout en développant une réflexion personnelle sur l’influence de cette méthode sur les individus. Enfin, la dernière partie montre le dynamisme de cette pensée qui n’est ni figée ni immobilière du point de vue exotérique. En effet, l’existence d’un imam vivant permet de guider les adeptes selon le changement du monde tout en continuant à interpréter la foi. En somme, l’histoire a une interprétation qui dépasse les faits historiques eux-mêmes pour une compréhension d’un système céleste construit d’une manière très rigide et ponctuelle. Ce système complexe est le miroir du corps humain. Partant de cette idée, toute science pourrait être abordée et interprétée selon ce système. / Shiism, unlike Sunnism, is based on an esoteric philosophy placing primary importance on the role of Imamat in Islam, while Sunnism is based primarily on texts and prophetic tradition. Shiism also includes other branches - according to historical criteria - that eventually prompted two major Shiite schools; Twelver (Shi'ism of Iran today), and Ismailism. The latter is a school of thought based not only on the Imamat, but also on the Sunni Sharia with an esoteric interpretation. This helped put in place thought beyond the limits of religion as such. Ismailism appears from its intellectual “physical”, appearance, by the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity, around the beginning of the tenth century, as a stream of esoteric philosophical thought "bāṭinīya". This thought attempts to understand existence in its relationship with religion. From this perspective, several questions arise: what is the place of historical events in the esoteric interpretation? What is the place of mankind in relation to everything that surrounds it as material and spiritual phenomena? According to this thinking, nothing escapes a cyclical system that has been divinely built. Thus, starting from Ismaili history and its meaning, according to this thinking, mankind takes the “main stage” and becomes the purpose of all material and spiritual development. The first part of this work provides a historical overview to locate Ismailism within different branches and schools, and in relation to other religions. Then the second part, attempts to understand Ismaili thought, following what was recommended by the Ismaili emissaries while developing a personal reflection on the influence of this framework on individuals. Finally, the last part demonstrates the dynamism of this thought that is neither frozen nor inflexible, from an exoteric point of view. Indeed, the existence of a living Imam helps guide followers, according to changes in the world while continuing to interpret the faith. To conclude, history provides an interpretation that goes beyond the historical facts alone, for an understanding of a celestial system constructed in a very rigid manner and at a very particular point in time. This complex system is a mirror of the human body. Starting from this idea, science can be addressed and interpreted according to this system.

Darbe atlikta teorinė darbo analizė ir iškelta hipotezė: inovatyvių metodų taikymas muzikinio ugdymo procese sudaro tinkamas prielaidas sutrikusio intelekto (SI) vaikų gebėjimų lavinimui ir savivertės plėtotei. Anketinės apklausos metodu atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas – nustatyti 8-10 metų SI mokinių inkliuzijos galimybes muzikinio ugdymo procese. Tyrime dalyvavo tėvai, auginantys sutrikusio intelekto vaikus, pedagogai ir mokiniai. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjamas SI mokinių muzikinis ugdymas namuose, pamokose ir popamokinėje veikloje. Atlikus tyrimą nustatyta, kad šiuo metu vykdoma neįgaliųjų integracija pilnai neišnaudoja galimybių, kurias švietimo kaitos dokumentų kontekste galėtų teikti SUP turinčių vaikų muzikinis ugdymas. Lieka dar daug neišnaudotų rezervų, kuriuos deramai pasitelkus būtų sudarytos prielaidos neįgaliesiems išreikšti save, didžiuotis, kad yra tokia sritis, kurioje ir jie gali save realizuoti. Ugdomojo proceso metu praktikoje buvo patvirtintas Asmeninės prasmės (APM, autorius A. Piličiauskas) ir Emocinio imitavimo (EIM, autorė L. Navickienė) metodų taikymo SI vaikų muzikinio ugdymo procese galimybės. Tyrimo metu įgyvendinta siekiamybė – skatinti ugdytinių tarpasmeninį bendravimą muzikinio ugdymo procese kaip svarbią jų asmenybės tapsmo prielaidą. Sėkmingas užsibrėžtų uždavinių įgyvendinimas leidžia teigti, kad tyrimo Įvade numatyta hipotezė pasitvirtino. / In this paper work the theoretical analysis has been carried out and the hypothesis has been raised: the application of innovative methods in the process of teaching music forms appropriate conditions for mentally disordered children to develop their skills and self value. The research has been carried out using the questionnaire to define the possibilities of inclusion in the process of teaching music of 8-10-year-old mentally disordered children. In this research have taken parents who raise mentally disordered children, also teachers and students. In the empirical part the author researches teaching mentally disordered children music at home, during the lessons and in after school activities. The research has shown, that the integration of disordered people has not used all the possibilities, which can be given by teaching music children with special needs in the context of educational changes. Still, a lot of reserves remain, which can be effectively used to give the possibility for disabled to express themselves and to be proud of having the sphere they can realize themselves. During the teaching process it has been practically proved the possibilities of application of Personal sense (author A.Piliciauskas) Emotional imitation (author L.Navickiene) methods in the process of teaching music mentally disordered children. During the research the aim has been achieved – to encourage the inter-relationship of students in the process of teaching music as an important... [to full text]

The immediate catalyst for having taken up this study was the violent outbreak of weeks of public unrest in the Paris banlieus in the wake of the shooting of young man on the run from the police on October 27 2005. The obvious inability of local municipalities and police forces to explain, let alone to anticipate the swelling discontent with a system which is generally assumed to work effectively and to benefit all has led me to the assumption that we have entered a stage where the concept of representational democracy is seriously compromised. The sheer scale or projected growth rates of urban agglomerations worldwide is certainly a strong, if not the only indicator for the radical change of ‘lived experience’ in the wake of globalized economies, politics and communication networks. If once the lack of a ‘unitary theory’ was attributed to the field of urbanism (Lefebvre, 1991 [1974]), from a contemporary point of view the range of issues and problems at stake far exceed the boundaries of any discipline in particular. Furthermore, to start the inquiry by reasserting the importance of the human condition will allow us to delve into the process of individuation, the diverse realities of individuals, their gathering in groups, their dialogue amongst each other and with their environment in its totality in order to account for the complex interrelations within a highly dynamic network of associations, since the emergence of a fully emancipated Many – as opposed to the One of the state – requires more than the flawed promise of representational democracy to act for the ‘common good,’ or ‘general will’ (Rousseau, 2009 [1762]) of all. Clearly this task is ambitious, for we have to bridge the gap between the needs, aspirations, emotions, anxieties and dreams of individuals on the one hand, and the temporal emergence of collective co-operation on the other. ‘Official’ knowledge, incorporated by endless columns of statistical data, gathered and administered meticulously thanks to the firm grip of institutionalised observation, is of little help though, for we have become increasingly conscious that the representations thereof are a poor match for the complexity of networked realities ‘on the ground’. My artistic practice conducted together with Alexandra Berlinger under the name of Tat ort is precisely aimed at looking into “matters of concern” as opposed to “matters of fact” (Latour, 2005) in order to gain a genuine insight into the workings of existing settings, where we introduce ourselves as intermediaries for the initiation of a process of active participation by means of interventional apparatuses, conceived specifically for the context in question. Our respective experience has led me to the conclusion that instead of providing alternative representations based on presumed universal identity, the full-blown heterogeneity of the multitude thrives on the general intellect and the activity of the speaker. To speak is to act, and to act is the predominant trait of political praxis. It is through our acts and deeds that we disclose ourselves in public in the presence of others (Arendt, 1998 [1958]). And it is through acting that we start anew and leave our mark in a situation the moment we intervene in the circulation of empty signifiers upon which we assign a name, the name of an event. It is through our interventional participation that we allow for novelty to emerge in time, as a process without representation and based on sustained fidelity. My research is centred around two questions: First of all, is it possible to devise an interventional apparatus (physical infrastructure) which would work independent of contextual factors, and secondly, is it possible to retain the site-specificity through a process of dynamically mapping the amalgamation of existing information and the data obtained by participants based on face to face communication in order to draw up the ‘portraits’ of existing communities beyond the scope of institutionalised representation. Emancipating the Many therefore is a statement about difference marked as intervention. This intervention requires the presence of others and the intention to act. It is the emergence of a ‘constitution of time’.

Learning communities have emerged as an efficient and effective paradigm for improving undergraduate education, especially for entering freshmen. The academy has become increasingly interested in learning outcomes and student retention, especially as they are related to the assessment of various approaches to educating the whole student. Learning community pedagogy has developed through rigorous research. However, little is known about the impact of this pedagogy upon college students' cognitive development and writing aptitude. Cognitive development theory has been most significantly influenced by the work of William G. Perry, Jr. Though no theory exists which would address the stages of writing development in university students, many composition theorists suggest a correlation between cognitive development and writing aptitude. This study measured cognitive development and writing aptitude in learning community students and non-learning community students, matching them for SAT scores, high school grade point averages, gender, and ethnicity. The research questions of interest were: 1) How does participation in a learning community affect students' cognitive development; and 2) How does participation in a learning community affect students' writing aptitude? The participants were pre- and post-assessed for cognitive development, using the Measure of Intellectual Development (MID). Additionally, participants were preand post-assessed for writing aptitude, using a diagnostic essay and exit exam. Results of this study indicate no statistically significant differences in cognitive development and writing aptitude for learning community students and non-learning community students as measured by the Measure of Intellectual Development (MID) and the diagnostic essay and exit exam. These findings may have been influenced by the small sample size. It is suggested that this research be replicated, ensuring a larger sample size, to determine the efficacy of this pedagogy on these variable sets.

La présente étude est une analyse et une reconstruction interprétative de la centurie de Calliste Cataphygiotès, intitulée De l'union avec Dieu et de la vie contemplative, chapitres syllogistiques et hauts. Notre approche à ce texte pluridisciplinaire est prioritairement philosophique. Dans le but de mettre en valeur l'intérêt philosophique qu'il représente, nous avons concentré notre analyse sur les problèmes liés au rapport de l'intellect avec l'Un, sur l'étude du concept de l'infini, sur son rôle dans la contemplation et sur la méthode dialectique dont Calliste Cataphygiotès s'en sert. Nous avons reconstruit la doctrine de la contemplation, implicite au texte de Calliste et nous avons tenté une reconstruction globale de la centurie qui permettra au lecteur d'apprécier les qualités spéculatives et l'esprit synthétique de ce mystique byzantin presque inconnu. / The present study is an analysis and an interpretative reconstruction of Callistus Cataphygiotes's syllogistic chapters, entitled The union with God and the contemplative life. Our approach to this multidisciplinary text is primarily philosophical. In order to emphasize the philosophical aspect of the text we focused our analysis on issues related to the concept of infinity, its role in contemplation, the relation of the intellect with the One, as well as the dialectical method used by Callistus Cataphygiotes. We rebuilt the doctrine of contemplation, implied in the text of Callistus and we tried to do a complete reconstruction of the text that will allow the reader to appreciate the speculative and the synthetic spirit of this almost unknown Byzantine mystic.

This study attempted to explore the strength and nature of relationships between specific intellectual information processing skills included in a multi-dimensional model conceived by Guilford, and measured by Meeker's Structure of Intellect - Learning Abilities Test, and specific musical aural discrimination skills as measured by Gordon's Musical Aptitude Profile. Three research questions were posed, which involved determining the strength and the nature of the relationship between MAP melodic, rhythmic, and aesthetic discrimination abilities and the intellectual information processing skills comprising the SOI - LA. Both instruments were administered to 387 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders from schools in the Dallas area. After a pilot study established the feasibility of the study and reliability estimates of the test instruments, multiple regression analysis determined that 10% to 15% of the variance between intellectual information-processing skills and the individual musical aural discrimination abilities was in common (r = +.32 to r = +.39). It was further determined that only six specific SOI intellectual dimensions, all involving the skills of "Cognition" and "Evaluation", were significantly related to the musical aural discrimination abilities. Through the use of the Coefficient of Partial Correlation, the strength of each individual information-processing skill's unique contribution to that covariance was determined. The study indicated that "Semantic" mental information processing skills, involving the ability to recall an abstract meaning or procedure given an external stimulus, play an extremely important part within this relationship. Skills of a "Figural" nature, which involve comprehending either a physical object or an non-physical idea and separating it from other impinging stimuli also enter into the relationship, although not to so high an extent. Finally, it was observed that the dimensions involving an understanding of "Systems", those mental skills which deal with groupings of figures, symbols, or semantic relationships, also was important to the relationship.