Pessimism

O objetivo do presente trabalho é expor criticamente os traços principais da doutrina da alma tripartida tal como Platão os apresenta em República. Para isto se estudarão: (i) o Princípio de Partição e os “casos” que o filósofo trás para defender o caráter composto da psique; (ii) a concepção de “parte” da alma e a natureza de cada uma das mesmas e (iii) os modos nos quais as partes se vinculam entre si no interior da psique. Procurar-se-á por em relação a psicologia assim desenhada com a filosofia moral e a concepção da felicidade expostas no mesmo diálogo. Neste contexto, se prestará especial atenção a certos fatores que parecem impedir a realização da unidade interna do sujeito, e, com ela, a consecução da felicidade e o exercício da ação verdadeiramente moral. Entre tais fatores se tratarão, em particular, as “falhas” plausíveis de afetar a cada uma das partes e o fenômeno do conflito psíquico (stasis). Perguntar-se-á se estes fatores constituem, respectivamente, condições imodificáveis e iniludíveis. Na proximidade de uma resposta afirmativa se vislumbrará, por fim, um “espírito pessimista” subjacente à psicologia platônica de República e, a partir dela, ao âmbito moral e eudeimonológico

The Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) is the most intensively used instrument for the assessment of optimism, but empirical evidence of its psychometric quality in Latin America is lacking. The aim of this study was to test psychometric properties of this questionnaire based on a representative sample of the general population of Colombia (N = 1,500). Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the bi-dimensionality of the questionnaire with two factors, namely Optimism and Pessimism. The sum scores of the optimism and pessimism subscale correlated with r = −.12. Convergent validity aspects were studied by correlating LOT-R values with anxiety, depression, quality of life, fatigue, mental health, hopelessness, and self-efficacy. Optimism was more strongly correlated with these variables than pessimism. Normative data and mean values for both genders and different age groups are given. Generally, there were only small age and gender effects. Compared to the German norm data, the Colombian participants scored on average one scale point higher in the dimension of optimism. In summary, the LOT-R in its Spanish version is an appropriate and practical tool for screening purposes in individual diagnostics and epidemiological research in Latin American samples

Edited by Edia Connole, Paul J. Ennis and Nicola Masciandaro. Schism, 2014: 272 pages, illus. ISBN-13: 978-0692277379. In print: paperbound/8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: I. Black Stars, Gary J. Shipley – Monster at the End: Pessimism’s Locked Rooms and Impossible Crimes// Edia Connole – Contemplating the Crucifixion: Cohle and Divine Gloom// Nicola Masciandaro – I Am Not Supposed To Be Here: Birth and Mystical Detection// II. Separate From Itself, Fintan Neylan – The Labour of the Pessimist: Detecting Expiration’s Artifice// Paul J. Ennis – The Atmospherics of Consciousness// Ben Woodard – Nothing Grows in the Right Direction: Scaling the Life of the Negative// III. There Was A Videotape, Niall McCann – True Detective, Jean-Luc Godard and Our Image Culture: ‘This May Well be Heaven, this Hell Smells the Same’// Daniel Fitzpatrick – ‘True Dick’ . . . The Accelerated Acceptance and Premature Canonisation of True Detective// IV. It’s Just One Story, Scott Wilson – The Nonsense of Detection: Truth Between Science and the Real// Erin K. Stapleton – The Corpse is the Territory: The Body of Dora Kelly Lange in True Detective// Caoimhe Doyle & Katherine Foyle – The Flat Devil Net: Mapping Quantum Narratives in True Detective// Daniel Colucciello Barber – Affect Has No Story// V. And Closure–No, No, No, Dominic Fox – koyntly bigyled// Charlie Blake, Daniel Colucciello Barber, Edia Connole, Paul J. Ennis, Gary J. Shipley – Bird Trap// Edge to Edge, Caoimhe Doyle & Katherine Foyle – The Chole Story.

Schopenhauer argues, strikingly, that it would have been better if life had not come into existence. In this essay I consider this pessimistic judgment from a philosophical perspective. I take on the following three tasks. First, I consider whether such judgments, apparently products of temperament rather than reason, can be the subject of productive philosophical analysis. I argue that they can be, since, importantly, we can separate arguments for such judgments that establish them as plausible from those that do not. Second, I evaluate Schopenhauer’s arguments for pessimism. I argue that although we must reject Schopenhauer’s main argument for
pessimism, he has another, more plausible argument for pessimism that hitherto has been neglected by scholars. Finally, I argue that although pessimism can be established as the correct judgment about life in some possible worlds, in our world the question of pessimism or optimism cannot be definitively answered.

This paper discusses the interpretation according to which, by way of analyzing Plato’s theory about the embodied soul as it is exposed in the Republic, it is possible to identify a certain “pessimistic spirit” lying behind the Moral, Gnoseological and Eudaimonological conceptions related to it. We will attend fundamentally to (i) the central role attributed to motivational conflict (stasis) on psychic life; (ii) the several difficulties associated with the realization of reason’s proper function (érgon) and (iii) the conception of the appetitive part of the soul (epithumetikós) as an extremely powerful brute that draws the soul naturally to excess. Finally, we will point out (iv) in which ways these characteristics prevent the mass (oi polloi) from achieving knowledge (episteme), exercising truly moral action and, thus, from being actually happy

En El Nacimiento de la Tragedia Nietzsche indica que en el pensamiento socrático están presentes tres axiomas del  espíritu  optimista:  “la  sabiduría  es  la  virtud;  se  peca  solo  por  ignorancia; el  hombre  virtuoso  es  el  hombre feliz”. Existe  una  difundida  valoración  según la cual  la  filosofía  platónica constituye también un “ejemplo de optimismo difícilmente  superado  históricamente,  ni  incluso  por  las  interpretaciones  más  favorables  de  la  teología  cristiana”.  Sin  embargo, existen múltiples dimensiones en las que la postura platónica se inclina al pesimismo. Pretendemos mostrar  que, mientras  en  diálogos  como  la  República Platón entiende que la razón  es  lo  más  noble  del  alma,  que  la  virtud  está  relacionada al conocimiento y que solo a partir de éste es posible una vida feliz, al mismo tiempo, en notable contraste con su maestro, adjudica  importantes  limitaciones a la parte racional y no parece creer en su capacidad de alterar el fondo moral del individuo. Con fundamento en esta  “desconfianza”,  defenderemos  que  Platón  pregona  una  posición  que, si  no  merece  ser  denominada  pesimista,  por  lo  menos  es  digna de ser excluida del ámbito del optimismo ingenuo.

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Abstract: In The birth of Tragedy Nietzsche indicates that in Socrates´ thought we can find three basic axioms of the optimistic spirit: that knowledge is virtue, that no one does wrong willingly and that the virtuous man is the happy man. There is a common interpretation according to which Plato´s philosophy adhere to these maxims, constituting  “a system of optimism which has hardly been surpassed - even by the most favourable interpretations of Christian theology”. However, there are multiple dimensions in which the platonic position inclines to pessimism. We intend to show that even if we accept that in dialogs like Republic Plato understands, like Socrates, that reason is the noblest element in the soul, that virtue is intrinsically related to knowledge and that it´s only due to knowledge that a happy life is possible to human being, we will have to accept, as well, that in great contrast to his master he points out several limitations to the rational capacity and doesn´t seem to believe in its capability to change the moral background of individuals. We will state that this “mistrust” is enough to exclude Plato´s position from the field of ingenuous optimism.

"The article represents а clarification and an addition to the translation about one of the principals of conservatism in post-liberal epoch, which ware eхplained by Kaltenbrunner. He considered pessimism - not only tragic attitude, but a consequence from the certain ontological foundation. He brought new arguments for pessimism substantiation: experience, humanity and depth.
Герд-Клаус Кальтенбруннер (1939-2011) - приватный ученый, философ, один из ведущих теоретиков просвещенного консерватизма ХХ века в Германии. В восьмидесятые - девяностые - редактор книжной серии «Initiative». В статье представлено уточнение и дополнение перевода об одном из принципов консерватизма в пост-либеральную эпоху ( Пессимизм), обоснованных Кальтенбруннером. Он считает, что пессимизм - не только трагическое мировосприятие, но следствие из определенных онтологических оснований, приводит для обоснования пессимизма новые аргументы: опыта, гуманности и глубины."