Foundation for Philosophical Orientation

From Werner Stegmaier's "The Moral Challenges of Friedrich Nietzsche's Nihilism: 7 Theses" trans. Reinhard Mueller: 3. Moralities as Power Relations The greatest challenge for our orientation is orientating towards others who are equally able to orientate themselves, also within a certain leeway of different decidable options for behavior. Their behavior is the most difficult to anticipate. It continually poses new problems for orientation making it challenging to hold on to them. This is where moralities originate (Nietzsche uses the plural) – as a bundle of expectations of others to act in a way so that one is able to rely on them. If these expectations become familiar and lasting for those that can and have to live together, then “relations of supremacy” develop which soothe down and reassure the always restless orientations. Such power relations are the most persistent when they are internalized: when everyone on one’s accord believes in them that no more means of coercion or of violence are necessary in order for all or most of them to follow these expectations. For Nietzsche, also morality is to be understood through the perspective of power: if free of coercion and violence, then it is all the more powerful. The full essay is available for free on our website, under the publications tab! #philosophy

That something new comes, at all, into the world seems evident: the world obviously changes all the time. Every period believes that it perceives the world to change ever-more rapidly, and today we do so – with quite some right – even more. But it seems that it has never been easy for philosophers to perceive these changes and to also be perceived on its part. In any case, many philosophers, even the most famous ones, had obvious difficulties to be heard or, as it were, to assert themselves. For Kant’s Critique of Pure Judgment, it took a whole decade and a new, extensively revised edition to receive considerable attention; the breakthrough of Schopenhauer’s World as Will and Representation took 25 years and a supplementary volume; outside of Denmark, Kierkegaard’s work was, for over 50 years, considered exotic up until existential philosophy spread widely; Nietzsche, whose world-wide fame set in during his lifetime, no longer witnessed it with a clear mind. He had to, as is well known, largely fund the print of his books himself. Perhaps there are already some philosophies that face the current change in the world, but they have not yet reached us. And perhaps there are even insightful philosophies that will never reach us. Young people, who live now in the media world, confidently confess that they stopped reading books altogether. But so far, philosophies have, in the West, indeed come into the world in the form of books. --Werner Stegmaier #nietzsche #philosophy

Announcing a new seminar! This course will be taught by returning professor Hans-Georg Moeller, joined by professors Žarko Aleksić and Uroš Krčadinac. The seminar will begin December 6th, and meet on Fridays from 10:00-12:30 US Central Time. Social theorist Niklas Luhmann stated categorically: “It is no longer necessary to know how the world is, as long as we know how it is observed and as long as we find orientation at the level of second-order observation.” (Introduction to Systems Theory, page 100). This is to say that to orient oneself successfully in today’s society one needs to observe the observation of the world by oneself and by others. Without such expertise in second-order observation it is difficult, if not impossible, to make sense of and partake meaningfully in contemporary life. According to Luhmann one specific social system is particularly important for supplying us with the second-order observation reality within which we must orient ourselves “The reality of the mass media—this is the reality of second-order observation.” (The Reality of the Mass Media, page 153). Based on the idea that orientation today is mostly second-order orientation which, in turn, is fostered by mass and social media, Hans-Georg Moeller will take a critical look at major representatives of 20th century media theory and introduce Luhmann’s media theory as an alternative to them. The second part of the seminar, led by the two Serbian artists, Žarko Aleksić and Uroš Krčadinac, switches from media to art. Today, understanding art, too, must operate with second-order orientation. Referencing French philosopher Catherine Malabou, Žarko Aleksić will present various works from his practice to illustrate different aspects of second-order observation in relation to these and to contemporary art in general. Uroš Krčadinac will focus on generative, algorithmic, and data-related digital art in the context of the philosophy of orientation and the notion of second-order observation. Centered around case studies and personal art projects, these sessions will connect art, technology, and media. This seminar is discussion-based; this means that participants are expected to read the assigned passages before the sessions. The seminar is free, but seats may be limited. For more info, follow the link in our bio!

Neurophysiological brain research has begun to explain the conditions for the activities of human orientation. For a philosophy of orientation, it is particularly insightful. ⁠ ⁠ Even though human orientation cannot simply be reduced to brain functions, it can only work within their limits and the leeways they provide. However, brain research also inevitably operates within the circle of orientation, as the researchers are also subject to the conditions of orientation.⁠ ⁠ The current state of research (though still in its early stages) shows strong analogies between the analyses of the operating principles of the human brain and those of human orientation.⁠ ⁠ #philosophy

Announcing the winners of our most recent prize essay competition! Two years ago, we announced the theme of our second prize essay competition: "How to Orient in Times of Multiple Crises?" We had 15 qualified submissions, which we were able to narrow down to five finalists after an extremely careful selection process. We then invited our participants to participate in a live debate during our fifth anniversary celebration. Three came in person, and two were online. They each presented, and then were subject to questions first from each other and then the audience. After the debate, in which all five finalists performed admirably, the attendees spent an hour and a half discussing a ranking. Finally, the following winners were chosen. ➡️1st prize ($5000) to Yuri Di Liberto (Italy), for "“From Disorientation to Co-Orientation in the Age of Multiple Crises" ➡️2nd prize ($4000) to Dirk Stemper (Germany), for "Resisting the Cassandra Complex: The Power of Tentative Thinking in Times of Uncertainty" ➡️3rd prize ($3000) to Natalia Reva (Ukraine), for "The Multiple Crises of Orientation" Congratulations! And congratulations also to our runners-up, Tomáš Korda and Natalia Hartinger. Thank you to all who applied this year, and to all of our readers and those who participated in the ranking process. Our next prize competition question will be released soon. Keep an eye out!

Today, we are thrilled to celebrate the 5th birthday of the Foundation for Philosophical Orientation. 🎉🎉🎉 On this day, five years ago, on October 25, 2019, we inaugurated our foundation in Nashville’s Parthenon, marking the beginning of an incredible journey. On October 11-13, 2024, we had the honor of hosting our 5th anniversary meeting at the beautiful Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville, where we reflected on what we have accomplished in the past 5 years and explored exciting new directions for orientation research – together with our advisors, fellows, teachers, and guests from around the world. 🌎 After featuring the final rounds of our film and essay prize competitions, we concluded the event concluded with an anniversary speech by Professor Werner Stegmaier and the launch of his new publication: "Orientation in Philosophy: Courageous Beginnings in the History of Philosophy toward a Philosophy of Orientation." This new book is the augmented and now complete edition of his overview of the history of the philosophy from the viewpoint of the philosophy of orientation. You can find both his speech and his new book for free download on our website. We are grateful and honored that you have been part of our journey in the past five years and that we had the chance to celebrate this milestone in person at our 5th anniversary meeting in Nashville. It was wonderful to experience the in-person energy of a community of curious minds we’ve built together over the years. We would like to thank especially Tina and Mike Hodges for their generous support of this event as well as of the past five years of philosophical orientation. And we are grateful for Professor Werner Stegmaier, for his guidance in these years, insights, and all his work that continues to inspire philosophical curiosity and research on orientation. Check out our website for the publications, anniversary photos, and contest winners. Link in bio! Thank you to everyone who has been part of these five wonderful years – we look forward to continuing this journey with you and seeing where the next steps in ‘philosophizing-together’ (συμφιλοσοφεῖν) will take us!

New Seminar begins soon! Taught by Reinhard G Mueller, Ph.D..and Olga Faccani, PhD., on Thursdays 9:15-11:00 am, US Central Time, starting October 31st. Today we assume that change in all areas of life, including its most basic conditions, will continue to accelerate. How can we manage to continually reorient ourselves? Can philosophy understand how to keep up with the times? Orientation is, in principle, the achievement of finding one’s way in an unsurveyable and uncertain situation so that one can successfully master the situation. It involves finding paths both in the terrain and through all the circumstances of human life: not only our daily life but even our survival depends on the success of orientation. Orientation is ubiquitous today. But how, in fact, do we orient and reorient ourselves in our everyday lives? And how can we grasp this process philosophically? In this seminar, we will read the first half of the primary book of the philosophy of orientation, Werner Stegmaier’s What is Orientation? A Philosophical Investigation, which is also the elementary text of the Foundation for Philosophical Orientation. A second seminar will be offered in January – March 2025 to cover the second half of the book. The seminar is discussion-based; this means participants are expected to read the respective chapters before the meetings to be able to discuss them with the group during the seminar sessions. No prior philosophical or academic training is necessary to participate. Please apply by October 28, 2023. Link in bio! #seminar #philosophy

From "Fearless Findings: 25 Footholds for the Philosophy of Orientation" by Werner Stegmaier and Reinhard Mueller. This text, like other HFPO and Orientations Press publications, is available for free download on our website. Link in the bio! 24. The Initiation of the Philosophy of Orientation in the Modern Era The philosophy of orientation was gradually initiated in the course of the modern era. Michel de Montaigne, René Descartes, Baruch de Spinoza, and Blaise Pascal were distinct forerunners. From Moses Mendelssohn, Immanuel Kant adopted the term of orientation; he was the first to philosophically elaborate it. Since then, the term rapidly spread beyond its philosophical contexts. However, it has so far not been a subject of its own in a foundational philosophical investigation. But the most innovative philosophers since the end of the 19th century have contributed to it: Friedrich Nietzsche, Charles Sanders Peirce, the American Pragmatists, Alfred North Whitehead, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Emmanuel Levinas, Jacques Derrida, and, moreover, Niklas Luhmann with his systems theory.

Four days remain to submit! Since the invention of writing, fundamental reorientations of thinking and pursuing knowledge have often occurred hand in hand with innovative forms of writing: Parmenides created didactic poetry of the divine in order to teach his doctrine of true being; Plato used the dialogue to question established doctrines. Such innovative modes of inquiry represent more than literary shifts; they also embody reorientations of ethics and the search for knowledge. This tradition has carried forward into modern times with Nietzsche's questioning of truth and morality, Wittgenstein's redefinition of language and meaning, and Derrida's deconstruction of philosophical certainties. In our contemporary world, the explosion of digital media and AI technologies has revolutionized not only how we communicate but also how we conceptualize knowledge and ethical responsibility. FPO is organizing a seminar at the American Comparative Literature Association's annual meeting to investigate this topic, through the philosophy of orientation. How do different forms of writing orient us in different ways, and create different worlds of orientation across time and technological innovations? How do AI and digital technologies shape or challenge our understanding of truth and knowledge? How do global perspectives and the cross-pollination of knowledge across cultures influence ethical standards? We are seeking papers to fit the seminar, with potential topics including: ➡️innovations of the forms of writing or knowledge systems across time, including digital forms of communication and AI technologies ➡️how AI-generated texts and knowledge inform the ways we think, communicate, and interact with each other ➡️how different forms of writing and knowledge acquisition shape different ways of thinking and orientation Among other topics. For more information, and to submit an abstract, please visit the ACLA website (link in bio). Please note, also, that ACLA will be conducted online this year. All presentations will be on Zoom, and no travel is required. #philosophy #comparativeliterature #conference #academia

We are proud to announce a new member of our advisory council: George Ogata, Senior Agile Engagement Manager at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. George Ogata graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a B.S. in biology and a minor in music. He is currently a Senior Agile Engagement Manager at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, having been an Agile practitioner, coach, and promoter for nearly two decades. As a musician in the Greater Boston area, George founded the MIT Summer Philharmonic Orchestra in 1995 as Music Director and Conductor and is also Conductor of the Reading Symphony Orchestra. George came across the Foundation for Philosophical Orientation in 2020 via his interest in John Boyd’s OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop and found the philosophy of orientation to deeply resonate with his work and life. He has attended numerous seminars by the FPO and co-taught himself two seminars on leadership and orientation. Welcome to the team, George!