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• Neo-Hobbesian democracy: The theory of modus vivendi and democratic legitimacy

  25-41

  Milán Pap

  Views:

  27

  In political theory, the criticism of Rawlsian constructivist liberalism has been articulated in
  theories of political realism. John Gray, one of the promoters of realist liberalism, recommends
  a neo-Hobbesian way of social coexistence which is based on the conflictual and antagonistic
  idea of political life. It takes social values and forms of life as incommensurable in modern
  multicultural societies. Taking value-pluralism and its conflicts seriously, a theory of modus
  vivendi has been articulated among realist political thinkers. Being a post-liberal (or post-Enlightenment) theory, modus vivendi is more a practice oriented and open-ended theory than
  philosophical constructions based on high morality. Modus vivendi theorists make an emphasis
  on the peaceful co-existence of social groups and a moral minimum of the political society. One of
  the deficiency of the theory is that it says not much about democracy, though it would be highly
  useful according to two contextual considerations.On the one hand, a modern political system
  would be impossible or outrageous without any form of democratic legitimacy. On the other
  hand, there is an exhaustion of the liberal project(s) and the societies featured by multicultural
  prosperity. Besides constitutional protection, defending democracy in this new context means
  balancing between cultural and other value-oriented groups in modern societies. In my paper,
  I make an attempt to examine the concept of democracy in the light of modus vivendi theory.

• The relationship between scientific philosophical theories and value research

  131-147

  Benedek Dudik

  Views:

  89

  The purpose of this study is to examine, in what extent the mainstream approaches of scientific
  theories can be applied on the field of the value-research. Therefore, I will examine these models
  through the lense of scientific philosophical approaches of 20th century. Of the three most
  significant philosophical theory (Popper’s falsification theory, Kuhn’s paradigm theory, and Imre
  Lakatos’s theory of scientific research programs), I apply Lakatos’s theory, since it fits the best
  to explain, how parallel research streams emerged on the field of value research. In this study I
  strive for conciliate Lakatos’s program and the three significant value models. In the scientific
  research program theory Lakatos found that many research programs coexist simultaneously.
  Each has a hard core or negative heuristic (as Lakatos calls it) of theories immune to any revision
  surrounded by a protective belt or positive heuristic of malleable theories. Every research
  program vies against others to be most progressive. In my opinion the core of the program is
  the value definition itself, which is used by the different researchers in the field of value studies.
  This value definition barely changed during the past few decades. On the other hand, there are
  numerous value models aimed to assess people’s value system. These models can be considered
  as the protective belt revolving around the hardcore definition. The aim of this paper is not to
  emphasize Lakatos’ theory from the philosophical approaches of science, but to examine value
  research through a philosophical eye. This approach also can ease the communication between
  the value research by exploring the common core of them.

• The slave trade and trust

  172-177.

  Edit Schranz

  Views:

  37

  Does culture have an impact on society, and if so, how? The study by Nathan Nunn and Leonard Wantchekon set out to examine the impact of the slave trade, which has left its mark on the African continent and its economy, but which ended some 100 years ago, on the cultural, norm-following, beliefs and values of individuals. Their aim is to explore the reasons that led to the historical disconnect within Africa between local governments or municipalities (politics), between the outlying communities (neighbours) and even within family relations, which may still influence economic development today. Nunn and Wantchekon's hypothesis is based on an earlier study by Nunn, which showed a causal link between the 400-year slave trade and the income conditions of the African population today, looking at the long-term economic effects of the slave trade.