Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 22 The term contradiction has acquired different meanings in different philosophical traditions. Unless these meanings are distinguished, discussions of dialectic and philosophical method can easily become confused. In formal logic, a contradiction is stronger than a mere opposition or distinction. Two propositions are contradictory when they cannotContinue reading “Excursus 110 – On the Meaning of Contradiction”
Author Archives: Hossein Jorjani
Excursus 109 – Reality, Knowledge, and Epistemic Mediation
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 08 Every newspaper reports yesterday’s events. Every photograph shows a moment that has already passed. Even looking across a room takes a small amount of time for light to travel from the object to our eyes. Scientific knowledge is built upon observations that are obtained, interpreted, andContinue reading “Excursus 109 – Reality, Knowledge, and Epistemic Mediation”
Excursus 108 – On the Culture of Intellectual Disagreement
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 08 One of the defining characteristics of successful scientific communities is not the absence of disagreement but the manner in which disagreement is conducted. Scientific knowledge advances through criticism. Hypotheses are questioned, assumptions challenged, methods scrutinized, and conclusions re-examined. Vigorous intellectual disagreement is therefore not an obstacleContinue reading “Excursus 108 – On the Culture of Intellectual Disagreement”
Excursus 107 – Continuity, Rupture, and Conflict in the History of Ideas
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 07 Readers familiar with both the history of philosophy and the history of science often notice a striking difference in the way these disciplines are commonly presented. Histories of philosophy frequently appear as continuous conversations extending across centuries. Plato proposes an idea; Aristotle develops or criticizes it;Continue reading “Excursus 107 – Continuity, Rupture, and Conflict in the History of Ideas”
Excursus 106 – Platonic and Aristotelian Essentialism in the Light of Continuous Variation
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 20 Modern discussions of essentialism often blur an important distinction between Plato and Aristotle. Although both philosophers are commonly described as essentialists, they understood the location and nature of essences in fundamentally different ways. For Plato, the essence of a thing does not belong to the individualContinue reading “Excursus 106 – Platonic and Aristotelian Essentialism in the Light of Continuous Variation”
Excursus 105 – On the Epistemological Function of Examples in Plato’s Dialogues
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 05 Readers approaching Plato for the first time are often struck by the kinds of questions that dominate his dialogues. Contrary to modern expectations, Socrates rarely investigates material objects or natural phenomena. Instead, his discussions almost invariably concern concepts: justice, courage, temperance, piety, friendship, beauty, knowledge, virtue,Continue reading “Excursus 105 – On the Epistemological Function of Examples in Plato’s Dialogues”
Excursus 104– Rethinking Plato’s Academy: Dialectic as Philosophical Apprenticeship
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 05 Modern readers are often struck by an apparent paradox in Plato’s educational program. In the Republic, dialectic occupies the highest stage of philosophical education. After approximately ten years of mathematical preparation, those selected for advanced study are expected to devote an additional five years to dialecticContinue reading “Excursus 104– Rethinking Plato’s Academy: Dialectic as Philosophical Apprenticeship”
Excursus 103 – The Moral Responsibility of Scholarly Communities
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 05 The twentieth century profoundly altered the relationship between scholarship, politics, and society. The unprecedented destructive capacity demonstrated during the two World Wars—culminating in genocide, strategic bombing, and nuclear weapons—led many intellectuals to question whether scientific and scholarly activity could be regarded as morally neutral. Organized knowledgeContinue reading “Excursus 103 – The Moral Responsibility of Scholarly Communities”
Excursus 069 – On Observer Effects and Scale
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 19 One of the recurring themes in twentieth-century philosophy and sociology is the claim that the act of observation affects the object being observed. This idea appears in a variety of forms, ranging from discussions of quantum mechanics to debates in the social sciences. Yet these examplesContinue reading “Excursus 069 – On Observer Effects and Scale”
Excursus 102 – The Afterlife of the Allegory of the Cave
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 20 Few philosophical images have exercised a greater influence on Western thought than Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. Yet its historical significance lies not only in Plato’s original doctrine, but also in the successive reinterpretations it has inspired. The history of the Cave illustrates how powerful philosophicalContinue reading “Excursus 102 – The Afterlife of the Allegory of the Cave”
