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Self-efficacy and perfectionism are important variables in the high-performance discipline of dance. This study aims to analyze the relationship between these constructs and resilient behaviours in dance students. The research design was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 147 dance students who have studied for more than three years in public conservatories or private academies; 75.5% of whom were female, with a Mage = 28.34 (SD = 11.42). Resilient behaviours were assessed using the Resilience Scale, self-efficacy using the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and perfectionism using the short version of the Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sport During Competition. Our findings show that high-resilience students report significantly higher self-efficacy scores (t = 3.397, p = .001) than their low-resilience counterparts. No differences were reported between the high and low resilience groups on total perfectionism scores or the striving for perfection and negative reaction to imperfection subscales. The constructs of perfectionism, resilient behaviour and self-efficacy are important for the careers of dancers due to the role they play in motor execution and performance, along with their susceptibility to modification through intervention approaches. The findings are discussed concerning the significance of these constructs for dance pedagogy and teacher performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the moral philosophy of Taiiku, a Japanese concept that integrates physical activity, sport and physical education to promote lifelong physical well-being. This research redefines Taiiku not merely as a pedagogical discipline but also as an ongoing commitment to physical well-being. By examining the UNESCO Charter and documents from the Japan Science Council, the study highlights the philosophies of moral perfectionism and spiritual exercise aligning with the core principles of Taiiku. The findings indicate that engaging in Taiiku encompasses a continual pursuit of self-improvement and well-being through physical activities, reinforcing the role of Taiiku in fostering a holistic approach to lifelong health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Spanish Journal of Comparative Education / Revista Española de Educación Comparada is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper is a study of Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, a novella which dramatizes the function of the experience of beauty in the main character’s struggle to ward off impending self-disintegration. It reinterprets Von Achenbach’s erotic infatuation, the dramatic focus of the work, as his effort to maintain self-cohesion through the experience of an archaic, sexualized idealization of the beautiful boy Tadzio. Aschenbach’s obsession rather than being a symptom of self-disintegration, is in fact a restorative effort, the boy’s beauty offering Aschenbach an experience of perfection, in other words an opportunity for a transcendent self-object experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collectors are essential in flotation, and evaluating their performance is key for optimizing production and guiding collector development. However, existing evaluation systems, such as the conventional flotation improvement index, have limitations in accuracy and applicability. To address these shortcomings, a new flotation index (FI) has been developed. This index considers two primary performance factors: collecting ability and selectivity. First, the natural floatability of coal slime is defined using flotation indices (${R_{nj}}$Rnj, ${A_{nj}}$Anj, ${R_{nw}}$Rnw, ${A_{nw}}$Anw) without collectors. The actual recovery rate is then calculated as the difference between clean coal yield with and without collectors, providing a more accurate assessment of the collector’s performance. The disparity in ash content between clean coal and tailings further improves the precision of selectivity measurements. By integrating collecting ability (R) and selectivity (A), the FI is derived and normalized to a range of 0 to 1. This allows for an easier comparison of collector performance across various flotation systems. The FI provides a more comprehensive and practical evaluation, with its standardized and dimensionless design enhancing its applicability across different types of coal slime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generalise two facts about finite‐dimensional algebras to finite‐dimensional differential graded algebras. The first is the Nakayama lemma and the second is that the simples can detect finite projective dimension. We prove two dual versions which relate to Gorenstein differential graded algebras and Koszul duality, respectively. As an application, we prove a corepresentability result for finite‐dimensional differential graded algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the metaphor of death in Qing 清 Dynasty Daoist inner alchemy (neidan 內丹) scriptures, which require practitioners to consider themselves dead or living dead, and argues that this metaphor of death can be traced back to the connotation of the "living dead" proposed by the founder of Complete Perfection (Quanzhen 全真), Wang Chongyang 王重陽, in the Jin 金 Dynasty, who demonstrated his desire for the return of Dao by digging a grave for himself and referring to himself as a living dead man. In addition, this paper also analyzes the psychological connotations represented by the living dead, pointing out that it contains a profound theme of death and rebirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights Thomas Aquinas' vision of the human being as someone who is made to contemplate beauty and who is moved throughout his existence by the love and desire to contemplate it. The appreciation of beauty, of its integrity, proportion and clarity, generates in the contemplator the experience of joy, happiness and also allows him to see a purpose and order in the universe, which communicates an experience of peace in the contemplator, who inevitably increases his longing to find perfection and ideal beauty, which he will not fully find in this world, but which unites us as brothers in the outflow of a common love of the ideal with a view to the great common works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, editing is a type of knowledge with a defined framework. In the process of editing, someone other than the author or the poet edits the created text from the linguistic and technical aspects and makes changes to it. The type of editing this research is concerned with is different from editing in the contemporary era. In this kind of editing, the poet manipulates and modifies his work and, according to his style and attitude, he makes changes during and after composition. In fact, the poem which is the result of inspiration and intuition, is manipulated. In Persian poetry, there have been poets such as Sanā'ī and Attār or Hafez, par excellence, who were not satisfied with their poetry in its original form and worked for its perfection. Nezāmi Ganjavi is one of the other poets who believed in the literary editing of the text, and himself applied edits to his poetry and coined the term Ghalat Kāri (working on the falsity) for it. This type of editing also includes alteration of stories for reasons such as aesthetic preferences, moral considerations and avoiding repetition in the form of expression. There is another reason behind avoiding repetition, which relates to commonalities between a number of Nezāmi Ganjavi's stories and other poets and writers such as Ferdowsi. In addition to the poets, whose views are very important about this, writers have also expressed their views in this regard. Some writers have agreed with manipulation in poetry and some are against any kind of manipulation. These theories are sometimes expressed directly and sometimes are indirectly implied and should be understood through the principles and rules expressed for poetry. In this research, the editing in poetry has been investigated by emphasizing Nezāmi Ganjavi's works and his views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of KADEM Journal of Women's Studies is the property of Women & Justice Association / Kadin & Demokrasi Dernegi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Ilahiyat Researches / Ilahiyat Tetkikleri Dergisi is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Antalya Bilim University Law Review is the property of Antalya International University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Beytulhikme: An International Journal of Philosophy is the property of Beytulhikme: An International Journal of Philosophy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The main aim of this article is to reconstruct and comment on Bernard Suits' argument concerning the paradoxicality of the perfectly played game and explain how the argument might contribute to the game vs. performance distinction. The argument was mentioned by Suits in 'Tricky Triad: Games, Play and Sport' in the course of argumentation for the distinction between games and performances but it has not been presented in any of Suits' works published during his lifetime. However, Suits' fonds deposited in the Special Collections and Archive of the University of Waterloo contains two texts that were nevertheless meant for publication: 'A Perfectly Played Game' (recently published as Appendix III to Suits' Return of the Grasshopper) and unpublished 'The Search for a Perfectly Fair Game'. The latter is a modified version of the former; there is an overlapping core in both texts, but there are also some essential differences between them. To provide a formula capable of embracing Suits' ideas from both texts and remove the tension between the ideas of a perfectly played and perfectly fair game, I introduce the concept of a perfect game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Julian S. Huxley's role in the Eugenics Society is well known, the ways in which his scientific research program intimately intertwined with his broader social views is sometimes overlooked. This paper analyzes Huxley's earlier and later research centering Individual (1912) and Modern Synthesis (1942) as two case studies in the context of his larger body of work. There currently exists much exceptional literature on Huxley, which is incorporated and reviewed as much as possible. That literature explores the connection between Huxley's biological views and social views, but there is more to say about the nature of that connection warranting a return to the details of his research program. Huxley aimed to establish the biologist's role for engineering human evolution towards sets of ideals conceived by the educated elite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kant’s account of moral autocracy as the strength of will to impose inner self-constraint is usually interpreted as being strengthened and promoted by the pursuit of the obligatory ends of perfection and holiness. In this context, moral autocracy is seen as something that can be achieved through one’s self-activity guided and encouraged by the ideals of perfection and holiness. In this paper, I argue that, in addition to the moral ends of perfection and holiness, moral autocracy also requires moral belief or faith as a guide to achieve a lifestyle that is peculiar to the highest good, i.e. a life conduct that is well-pleasing to God. In view of this, I argue that moral autocracy in conjunction with moral belief or faith leads to a morally pure and refined way of living directed towards the purity of the moral law. Finally, I conclude that the morally refined and elevated form of lifestyle achieved by morally autocratic activity opens the ground for happiness that does not only refer to the satisfaction of one’s needs and desires but is also inclusive of the elements of enduring contentment, well-being, and bliss, which leads me to interpret Kant’s account of happiness as encapsulating a eudaimonistic dimension in it.

In an era still plagued by popularized skepticism toward utopian thought, Marge Piercy’s 1976 novel Woman on the Edge of Time remains a compelling exploration of potential futures. This essay juxtaposes anti-utopian critiques of perfection, violence, and instrumental rationalism with Piercy’s portrayal of both utopian and dystopian worlds. By examining these critiques alongside the novel, this essay argues for a reinterpretation of utopia beyond the assumptions of promised perfection. Rather, this essay embraces the flawed nature of the human condition and claims imperfection as a central feature of utopia itself.

This article compares the underlying themes in the narrative of Ahreman's assault on Ohrmazd's creation and the narratives surrounding Alexander's invasion of Iran, as found in Pahlavi sources. The creation narrative initially presents a state of perfection characterized by purity, unity, order, and peace. Disrupted by Ahreman's assault, it deteriorates into an imperfect state marked by impurity, flawed multiplicity, chaos, and conflict. Ultimately, the perfection is restored completely at the final stage of cosmic history. Analyzing Alexander's narratives, the study unveils a theme of initial perfection of the Zoroastrian religion, its sacred texts and the kingdom, violated through the invasion of Alexander, resulting in destruction, bloodshed, chaos, and, significantly, the dispersal of the Avesta and Zand, as well as the division of the kingdom among regional rulers. Key figures, such as Ardaxšīr and Tansar, play pivotal roles in restoring the perfection of both the religion and the kingdom. The findings demonstrate a thematic alignment between Ahreman's assault and the invasion of Alexander, who is portrayed as an embodiment of evil in Pahlavi sources, described using daēvic terminology. Furthermore, efforts for religious restoration involve revival of faith, forgotten customs, and particularly recompiling the Avesta. The sources vary in their treatment of outcomes, ranging from complete to partial restoration, while ultimately the kingdom is perfectly restored. In conclusion, the examined sources reflect a belief system wherein the historical events of the mixed era, gumēzišn , oscillates between catastrophes and the restoration of what has been lost, culminating in the final complete restoration of cosmos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is not to clarify the authenticity and various features of Pythagoreanism, but to trace whether it has an influence on different philosophical currents on how the human being is perceived as two incompatible alternatives-as a transitory form of the animal or as a divine creature. The fact is that there is no clear and consensual definition of what constitutes a person. The separation of soul and body in man as two separate entities belonging to different dimensions is also a concept inherited from antiquity. Matter as evil and soul as good has been a philosophical maxim since the time of Pythagoras. Thus, the human being remains outside the unity of nature as torn into two different entities. They relate to the being, matter and time differently. They express his different natures - the low and the high, the small and the large, matter and ether. The interpretation that soul and body are connected only indirectly and that this makes man imperfect is the root of an erroneous but established notion. In this sense, it is important to rethink from a modern perspective where human perfection lies, such as the right to choose and freedom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the parts of the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna (AFM) quoted in the Huayanjing tanxuanji (Tanxuanji) and sheds light on how Fazang, as a Huayan master, understood and utilized the AFM in the Tanxuanji. In the Tanxuanji, the AFM is quoted 36 times, and the arousal of the thought of enlightenment is most frequently mentioned. Therefore, this study focuses on the arousal of the thought of enlightenment and reveals Fazang's unique understanding of this concept within Huayan thought. First, Fazang understood the stage of the aspiration to awakening through the perfection of faith as corresponding to the first abode. Second, Fazang explains several chapters of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra beyond the first stage of abode in the Tanxuanji by quoting the aspiration to awakening through the perfection of faith, which stems from his theory of becoming buddha by the completion of faith. Third, while Fazang categorized the AFM within the final teaching in terms of its concept of arousal of the thought of enlightenment, he may have recognized the AFM as aligning with either the same teaching of the one vehicle or the distinct teaching of the one vehicle. Fourth, Fazang's view on the arousal of the thought of enlightenment in the Tanxuanji reflects his distinctive perspective evident in the Fazangshu. This understanding of Fazang explains why the arousal of the thought of enlightenment was quoted most frequently in the Tanxuanji. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the course of their long history in Aegean societies, seals acquired a polyvalent significance that arose from their active 'participation' in different social spheres and manifested itself in a superb level of technique and virtuosity. This paper examines the role of Minoan and Mycenaean seals as status symbols, highlighting not their creation but rather the practices of wearing, displaying, using, and perceiving them. The discussion spans two main chronological periods: the Second Palace Period (mid-17th to mid-15th century BCE) and the Third Palace Period (14th-13th century BCE), during which seals served different functions as status mediators. In the earlier period, a notable tension in the social significance of seals is evident when comparing evidence from Crete and the Greek Mainland. While Minoan seals were used as sphragistic tools, Mycenaean seals were not. In the later period, the use of seals in Mainland Greece was driven by their role as administrative tools within the palatial sphere. This dynamic analysis sheds light on the evolving roles and transformations of seals, influenced by varying social environments and demonstrating the multiple ways these artifacts embodied and mediated power. Additionally, it shows how their symbolic potential could express individual or collective identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rhetorik is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This essay (written in response to Steven Nadler's article in this issue) seeks to interrogate the promise of Spinoza's perfectionism for education. It does so by first establishing Spinoza's perfectionism as a striving toward the intellectual love of God, occasioning an investigation of the relation Nadler sets up between Spinoza's and Maimonides' perfectionist schemes, and then evaluating the educational currency of such a striving. It is argued that while Spinoza's highest good is difficult to construe as a widely attainable educational aim, it allows for two different educational pathways, where one focuses on the reeducation of passions via narratives adjusted to the ingenia of students and the other on attaining the highest good. At a glance, these two pathways come across as radically different in their setup, but they are aligned insofar as the stability of the community (agreeability) is a precondition for the striving for intellectual perfection. In parallel, this tracks how a pedagogical relation – being necessarily asymmetrical from the outset – can evolve into a relation of mutual friendship once the striving for perfection is identified and accepted as a common goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steven Nadler has written an insightful paper on 'Spinoza and Maimonides on Human Perfection and the Love of God', in which he analyses the differences and similarities between Spinoza and Maimonides related to the suggested themes, and he argues that becoming blessed is possible. Nadler does not, however, say much about whether blessedness is possible for a few or the whole human species. I argue, though, that pursuing blessedness is hard work and that only a few, if any, seem to engage or are being enabled to engage in the pursuit of becoming blessed, that is, in striving for the highest possible good, namely, the intellectual love of God or Nature. I begin by showing what humans' typical potentials and limitations are with respect to achieving perfection, according to Spinoza. I also show that that we cannot achieve perfection: at least not in the same sense as God or Nature. In the second part I show what we as human beings have to do in order to engage ourselves in the pursuit of becoming blessed. In the final part I discuss some current conditions for education which does not in-themselves make it possible to become blessed in education, and put forward some ideas of what can be done in education in order for those concerned to strive to become blessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article's question is whether Spinoza understands the highest human perfection – which he equates with both our highest good and the love of God – as a theoretical state, consisting in having knowledge and the perfection of beliefs, or as a practical state, consisting in having virtue and the perfection of action. Consequently, the article is also partly about how Spinoza understands moral education, that is, whether the education necessary for achieving the highest human perfection is fundamentally theoretical or practical in nature. The article answers this question by considering Spinoza's view of the highest good in the context of Maimonides and Crescas. The article argues that Spinoza adopts elements of both philosopher's views, including Crescas's view that the highest good must also be a practical state of virtue, which means that Spinoza must understand moral education as resulting in the perfection of action as well as knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In building his account of human blessedness in Ethics 5, Spinoza offers two closely related conceptions of the love of God: the love toward God and the intellectual love of God. While Steven Nadler maintains that these loves are different affects, I argue that these are different descriptions of the same thing: any instance of the active affect that is a love toward God is at the same time an instance of the intellectual love of God. Spinoza's views about society and its importance for education and human perfection are, I argue, nicely compatible with this account of the love of God, which suggests that all human beings possess, albeit in different degrees, the same sort of knowledge of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part Five of Spinoza's Ethics includes a notoriously challenging set of propositions about human perfection. Part of the difficulty in interpreting these elements of the work arises from neglecting important philosophical background for the relevant propositions, namely, medieval Jewish rationalism and Maimonides in particular. Spinoza was well acquainted with Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexted as well as his halakhic or legal writings. For both Spinoza and Maimonides (who, in turn, is a good Aristotelian on this matter), human perfection is essentially a cognitive matter, albeit one with an affective component, whereby the highest good for a human being consists in the superb and joyful intellectual condition that is the knowledge and love of God. My goal in this essay, then, is to see whether any light can be thrown on Spinoza's views on this topic by considering them through a Maimonidean lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: T2‐weighted DANTE‐SPACE (Delay Alternating with Nutation for Tailored Excitation — Sampling Perfection with Application optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolution) sequences facilitate non‐invasive intracranial vessel wall imaging at 7T through simultaneous suppression of blood and CSF. However, the achieved vessel wall delineation depends closely on the selected sequence parameters, and little information is available about the performance of the sequence using more widely available 3T MRI. Therefore, in this paper a comprehensive DANTE‐SPACE simulation framework is used for the optimization and quantitative comparison of T2‐weighted DANTE‐SPACE at both 7T and 3T. Methods: Simulations are used to propose optimized sequence parameters at both 3T and 7T. At 7T, an additional protocol which uses a parallel transmission (pTx) shim during the DANTE preparation for improved suppression of inflowing blood is also proposed. Data at both field strengths using optimized and literature protocols are acquired and quantitatively compared in six healthy volunteers. Results: At 7T, more vessel wall signal can be retained while still achieving sufficient CSF suppression by using fewer DANTE pulses than described in previous implementations. The use of a pTx shim during DANTE at 7T provides a modest further improvement to the inner vessel wall delineation. At 3T, aggressive DANTE preparation is required to achieve CSF suppression, resulting in reduced vessel wall signal. As a result, the achievable vessel wall definition at 3T is around half that of 7T. Conclusion: Simulation‐based optimization of DANTE parameters facilitates improved T2‐weighted DANTE‐SPACE contrasts at 7T. The improved vessel definition of T2‐weighted DANTE‐SPACE at 7T makes DANTE preparation more suitable for T2‐weighted VWI at 7T than at 3T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Nicomachean Ethics 2.4 Aristotle distinguishes between virtuous action and acting virtuously: a virtuous action counts as virtuously performed if done with knowledge, chosen for its own sake, and from a stable character. Since the ‘same’ action can be performed virtuously or non-virtuously, interpreters have concluded that these ‘agential conditions’ are indifferent incidental features with no bearing on the virtuous character of the action. I propose that they are instead ‘perfections,’ i.e., constitutive features of virtuous action as such, admitting of degrees. Unlike the alternative interpretation, my proposal fully harmonizes with three important Aristotelian doctrines: that action from virtue is prior to action merely in conformity with virtue; that character virtue is a perfection of human beings; and that practical life is not properly characterized in transitive, productive terms. My proposal still allows for a generic sense of ‘sameness’ in which the ‘same’ action may be virtuously or non-virtuously performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines how preachers at the Islamic Information Center in Dubai use rational proofs based on Shamāʾil (the characteristics of Prophet Muhammad) and Dalāʾil An-Nubuwah (proofs of his prophethood) to engage non-Muslims and new Muslims. The objective was to identify the most effective proofs within these approaches and evaluate the need for structured daʾwah methodologies. Using Creswell's qualitative methodology, the study involved analyzing interviews with preachers through open coding, axial coding, and thematic analysis. The findings highlight that moral perfection (Shamāʾil) and the Qurʾan's linguistic and scientific miracles (Dalāʾil) are the most impactful proofs for daʾwah. Preachers emphasized the importance of tailoring their approach – using moral arguments for general audiences and intellectual proofs for educated ones. The research also revealed a strong need for structured methodologies to enhance daʾwah effectiveness. These insights provide a clear framework for improving daʾwah by focusing on key rational proofs and audience-specific strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses how Ps 40 reflects a widely attested and complex discourse on how legalities relate to the human self—a discourse involving matters such as law's relation to human flourishing and perfectibility (e.g., Deut 30:6–14; Jer 31:31–34; Ps 19; Wis 6 and 9; Philo; for others views of perfectibility, cf. Gen 6:5; 8:21; Qoh 9:3). Psalm 40 combines praise and lament, with divine law as a key factor in this liturgical text's logic. After clarifying literary-historical and form-critical issues in studies of Ps 40, it will be argued that whether or not there is a literary relationship to Jer 31, these texts display divergent logic on law's relationship to human flourishing. The paper contributes to scholarly understanding of legal discourse and lament in Jewish antiquity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical analysis of diffraction patterns was performed for two representatives of layered perovskite‐type tetragonal phases of the Ruddlesden–Popper series (RP) with the general formula An+1BnO3n+1 (n = 1, 2), which contain RP faults (layer alternation defects) in a wide range of concentrations. The results of theoretical calculations can be used in the future for correct interpretation of X‐ray powder diffraction experimental data and for quantitative estimation of the deviation from stoichiometry and structural perfection of this type of compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the vision of human perfection and spiritual individualism in Western Sufism, focusing on Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri's literary works and teachings. It argues that, despite some similarities with New Age concepts that imply minimal transcendence, Shaykh Fadhlalla's teachings are deeply rooted in the classical Sufi tradition and based on otherworldly transcendence, but articulated through the lens of reflexive spirituality. While contemporary Sufi communities in Western Europe navigate the opposing trends of "re-Islamisation" and the development of "post- tariqa " Sufism, this article posits that Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri's vision of post- tariqa Sufism is shaped by his ideas on human perfection and the ways to attain it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is interested in how apocalyptic imaginaries establish borderlines as it reconsider the manners in which Abū Ya'qūb al-Sijistānī's discussions of the End Time resisted the messianic sovereignties implicit in 10th-century Fāṭimid Ismā'īlī thought, in particular, as he introduces a Qā'im-ology without specific reference to the Ismā'īlī imām. To do so, this study first takes a broad theoretical perspective on the aesthetics and anesthesia of the destruction and violence of the End Time, giving careful consideration to apocalyptic imaginaries in calibrated political and soteriological landscapes, turning then to Sijistānī's theories of the barzakh, the cyclical resurrection of the soul, the perfection of the human form (ba'th), and the Qā'im as a process of istishfāf, or rendering transparent the human form as the nafs zakiyyah (pure soul). The coded symbolism of a messianism that questions time's time-line points to how the political and historical horizon event of the Qā'im's rising remains obscure in select works of Sijistānī. In Sijistānī's subtle staging of Fāṭimid Ismā'īlī doctrines of messianism and divine guidance, the apocalyptic plot line of returning to an original unity is suspended. As well, the images of the End Time's cataclysmic events are displaced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Babylon Center for Humanities Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This essay explores the figure of the 'virtuoso', as theorized by Paolo Virno, Isabell Lorey and others, as the contemporary contrarian par excellence. In particular, the essay looks at the role of language for virtuosity, and what analytical purchase might be offered by the notion of contrarian speech. Through a close reading of Peter Greenaway's Goltzius and the Pelican Company (2012), we will analyse the virtuoso's relationship with freedom, politics and power in connection with themes of creative enterprise and the public realm. The film permits us to explore virtuosity as contrarianism, that is to say: it helps us see how both mediate between freedom and servility, between ideas of self-grounding agency and a subjugating governmental logic and between different notions and practices of publicness in relation to symbolic forms of authority and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern times we see the members of almost all divine societies seem to be suffering from many social crises. The biggest crisis for them is the existence of contradiction in their basic beliefs and practical life; as their heart and mind are inclined elsewhere but social pressure forces them to do something else. And this intellectual and practical contradiction have a negative impact on their lives and thus the dynamism and freshness in the society is lost and that is a prominent factor of their anxiety. On the other hand, the role of human sciences being actionoriented is to meet the various individual and collective humane needs and disasters. Therefore, it is necessary for human sciences to be dominated by theological rationality so that harmony can be created in the thoughts and actions of the members of society. And any social, political and economic activities can be carried out and human relations can be filled with life only if this harmony is guaranteed. The contention of this paper is that the above-mentioned harmony of thought and action in any human society can be invented only when human sciences are based on the "Acquired Intellect". In this paper, it has been proved that the acquired intellect subordinate its other 3 levels and as a result, they play a better role in the society. Also, such rationality, being connected to its origin, motivates all members of the Divine society to adhere to religious, moral, spiritual values and leads them to human happiness and perfection. This level of the rationality is connected with the human perfection, which is considered as the horizon and balance of human actions and it can bring revival in human relations and connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmony is a crucial value for resolving conflicts. Discussions on harmony in the Zhuangzi primarily focus on harmonizing ‘right and wrong’ (shifei 是非). However, it represents only a superficial understanding of Zhuangzian harmony. To explore a fundamental form of harmony would be beneficial: harmonizing ‘virtuosities’ (de 德), which can prevent conflicts and avoid domination. This paper begins by illustrating the discombobulated (zhili 支离) characteristic of virtuosities in the Zhuangzi. By comparison with harmonizing virtues in Five Conducts, we can better understand the distinctive characteristic of harmonizing virtuositiesin the Zhuangzi. Moreover, a metaphor of perfectly still water suggests that in this process, virtuosities can be internally preserved and externally unshaken. This suggests to maintain one’s own virtuosities in the transformations of eventsand avoidacquiring specific names or reputations that can lead to interpersonal conflicts and domination. These two characteristics can fundamentally avoid disputes over ‘right and wrong’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers an Aristotelian-Thomistic response to the question whether AI is capable of developing virtue. On the one hand, it could be argued that this is possible on the assumption of the minimalist (thin) definition of virtue as a stable (permanent) and reliable disposition toward an actualization of a given power in the agent (in various circumstances), which effects that agent's growth in perfection. On the other hand, a closer inquiry into Aquinas's understanding of both moral and intellectual virtues, and a more detailed analysis of the ontological status of AI, show that it is highly unlikely to envision the design of specifically human-like reason-based and/or behavioral-based ("strong") AI that would possess properly human virtues. Still, virtuous "weak AI" might be possible, although a question ought to be asked whether we should classify artifacts' virtues using categories developed in reference to specifically human dispositions and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great Azerbaijani poet NizamiGanjavi had a purpose of bringing up a mature man. The poet, however, saw that only the word can influence the evil deeds that shadow the human mind. According to the poet, perfection of human is a complex and difficult process. Therefore, everyone must seek out their own strength. The poet has created perfect human characters in his works. One of them is Majnun's character in the poem “Leyli and Majnun” and the other is the character of Alexander in his last poem, which elevated him to perfection. The character of Majnun is a perfect example of a mature human being who has set out to reach the divine truth and has reached the highest point in the face of all difficulties. The mature person that the poet praised, most importantly was free fromall the sins of the soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After decades of research and debates about whether perfectionism is healthy or unhealthy, the Model of Excellencism and Perfectionism (MEP) recently differentiated between people striving for high standards (excellence strivers) and those pursuing perfectionistic standards (perfection strivers). In this study, we devised and tested an interpretational framework of nine scenarios to help determine whether perfectionism is beneficial, unneeded, or harmful by comparing the outcomes of excellence and perfection strivers. In a cross-sectional study with university students (N = 271; Study 1), we found that perfection strivers savor positive school events less and have greater dropout intentions than excellence strivers. In a prospective/longitudinal design with college-aged athletes (N = 296; Study 2), perfectionism was associated with higher athletic achievement. However, perfection strivers who failed to attain their goals experienced lower savoring and enjoyment than excellence strivers. Our findings highlighted the value of our interpretational scenarios as a hub to facilitate the comparison of MEP findings, while showing how to test MEP hypotheses with five popular statistical analyses. Furthermore, the MEP Shiny App is a valuable contribution to expedite the process of comparing the outcomes of excellence and perfection strivers. Overall, this research forged a substantive-methodological pathway that strengthens and enhances the practicality of the MEP. Plain language summary: Many people aspire to achieve excellence without ever trying to attain perfection. Excellence and perfection are different endpoints that set the tone for distinct aiming, striving, phenomenological experiences, and outcomes. A recent theory introduced the concept of excellencism in order to differentiate individuals striving for high yet flexible standards (referred to as excellence strivers) from those who relentlessly and inflexibly chase perfection (known as perfection strivers). In the current research, our overarching goal was to enhance theory with a new framework that would make it easier for researchers to use the Model of Excellencism and Perfectionism (MEP). To achieve our goal, we conducted two studies with cross-sectional and longitudinal methods with university students (Study 1, N = 271) and college-aged athletes (Study 2, N = 296). We created the online MEP Shiny App (https://model-of-excellencism-and-perfectionism.shinyapps.io/Shiny%5fVersion2/) to simplify the process of testing and interpreting the differences between excellence and perfection strivers. Our findings underscored the importance of separating excellencism and perfectionism. In Study 1, perfection strivers savored positive school events less and had greater dropout intentions than excellence strivers. In Study 2, perfectionism was associated with higher goal attainment in sports. However, perfection strivers who failed to attain their goals experienced less savoring and enjoyment than excellence strivers. The positive sports experiences of perfection strivers depended on whether or not they attained their goals. Perfectionism is tricky and can be interpreted as a double-edged sword. It can be seen as beneficial, unneeded, or harmful depending on which outcomes and contexts researchers are looking at. Our findings highlighted the value of our newly proposed interpretational scenarios to make the MEP more accessible to other researchers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The world system is a longitudinal system sent down from the divine treasures of the Unseen: " Here is not a thing but that its sources are with Us, and We do not send it down except in a known measure.” And He holds the key to the sending down: “With Him are the treasures of the Unseen; no one knows them except Him.” And the Best Names are the key to the sending down: “Say, ‘Invoke ‘‘Allah’’ or invoke ‘‘the All-beneficent.’’ Whichever [of His Names] you may invoke, to Him belong the Best Names.” Using the descriptive- analytical method, this article aims to answer this question: From the viewpoint of Ibn Arabi, how are the multiplicities of multiple worlds sent down from the treasures of the unseen without His containing any kind of multiplicity? Various theories have been put forward in this regard. According to Ibn Arabi and his followers, God's essence is an absolute existence that has no manifestation. All perfections are integrated in the divine essence. The first manifestation of the essence of the Almighty God is the knowledge of the truth in its own essence, referred to as the first determination. The next level of manifestation of the divine essence in the station of essence is for essence with all the details of fixed names and essences, referred to as second determination. Divine names and fixed essences are manifested in the divine essence, and finally, these essences are realized with the most sacred effusion outside and form the process of the sending down of the levels of existence from the world of intellects with all its concomitances, the imaginal world and the world of nature with all its length and breadth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about the immanence between architecture and mathematics. At the peak of the use of digital design tools, the aim of this paper is to explain the definition of “parametric architect”, which is thought to be known by everyone. In this study, where the definition of parametric architecture is sought in the relationship that architecture establishes with mathematics, firstly, a historical projection is cast to explain the derivation of the concept of “parametric architect” through different concepts, from the platonic dimensions of mathematics to architecture's search for perfection; the need for precision and accuracy; and the transformation of geometric and graphic intuition into representation. The virtuosity of “parametric architects” is then discussed through the representations of virtuoso architects such as Zaha Hadid and Antoni Gaudí. This is followed by a discussion of the mathematical transformation required of the “parametric architect” working to meet the materialist demands of architectural manipulations as a field of computational thinking. Instead of compressing it into power-producing positions such as the starchitect and God's architect, the discussion of virtuosity, which this paper seeks to underline, gives place to the recreation of the “parametric architect” through Patrik Schumacher and Mark Burry. As a result, the insights gained from this research define “parametric architecture”, which seems to be a way to overcome the architectural practice trapped in the limits of descriptive geometrical thinking, as a new and evolving virtual ground shift/joining through the creativity-oriented relationship established with mathematics. Thus, it offers implications for architectural practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The bulk of the LiNa5Mo9O30 (LNM) crystals were successfully grown in the [010] and [001] directions without internal inclusions and cracks, using the Czochralski method with a low temperature gradient. The crystal grown in the [010] direction showed a tendency to twinning. The crystal grown in the [001] direction demonstrated high structural perfection (FWHM = 13″) for the (001) plane and high optical quality Δn ≈ 2 × 10−5. The laser-induced damage threshold was measured along a, b and c axes and was 12.2, 27.0 and 27.5 J/cm2, respectively. The thermo-optical coefficient dn/dT was measured for the main crystallographic axes, which was −5.75 × 10−6, −20.2 × 10−6 and 3.65 × 10−6 K−1 along the a, b and c axes, respectively. The second harmonic generation (SHG) was conducted in the crystalline LNM sample. The maximum efficiency value of 3.5% at a pump power of 12 W was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I focus on how the meritorious dimension (or latitude, Spielraum) involved in the promotion of the highest good is closely related to the constitution of an ethical community as a free, open and progressive moral society. I argue that since moral perfection and moral belief/faith as the grounding elements for the promotion of the highest good (synthesis of virtue and happiness) are not objective duties that must be promoted to a definite extent but involve a certain latitude in their employment, the ethical community that emerges out of the pursuit of the highest good does not prove to be a uniform society in terms of the degrees of the pursuit of moral perfection and moral commitment of its citizens. Rather, I point out that the latitude involved in the pursuit of moral perfection and the adoption of moral belief leads to the establishment of an ethical community that emerges as an open and free society entered by its citizens freely and willfully as part of their inner self-constraint. I thus hold that in such an ethical society agents can pursue and promote the highest good not in a strictly prescribed and uniform manner but in various forms and degrees as long as they constantly progress towards a higher form of moral perfection and purer form of religious (or rational) belief/faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the integration of Islamic principles with modern educational theories to develop an understanding of Islamic education as a transformative platform to achieve human perfection. Based on the principles of Maqasid al-Sharia, which includes basic human rights such as Faith, Life, Intelligence, Heredity, and Wealth, Islamic education focuses on a holistic approach that includes spiritual, moral, and intellectual dimensions. The method used in this study is qualitative, with literature review as the main approach to analyzing diverse sources from Islamic teachings, Muslim philosophers, and Western thinkers. This research identifies trends and commonalities of concepts related to human development and perfection through different philosophical and religious perspectives. The study results show that Islamic education not only aims to provide knowledge but also to encourage spiritual, moral, and intellectual development that is in harmony with the universal principles of human dignity and perfection. The conclusion of this study suggests that Islamic education with a holistic approach can empower individuals to contribute meaningfully to society while achieving personal fulfillment. The implications of this research can enrich educational practices by integrating Islamic values into human development toward perfection, both at the individual and community levels.

The Ghent Altarpiece, a jewel of Gothic art painted by the van Eyck brothers in the fifteenth century, is particularly noteworthy for its use of an innovative dilution of oil, giving it a realistic scope that is particularly conducive to iconodiagnostic hypotheses. For the first time in the literature, we are taking a medical look at this masterpiece, and more specifically at the representation of its patron, whose identity is well known: Joos Vijd, a powerful notable from the town of Ghent, in modern-day Belgium. A vascular turgidity of the temporal artery, which can be suggestive of temporal arteritis, Hertoghe's sign and a slight ear crease were observed. These signs might be vascular lesions accentuated by Vijd's age and attest to van Eyck's virtuosity and anatomic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]