د. زهير الخويلدي

The study examines how Edmund Husserl’s phenomenology shaped and was transformed by Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Paul Ricoeur. Husserl’s concepts of intentionality, phenomenological reduction, the transcendental ego, the lifeworld, and temporality provided the shared foundation. Heidegger redirected phenomenology from transcendental consciousness toward the ontology of Dasein and being-in-the-world; Sartre developed intentionality into an existential account of freedom, consciousness, nothingness, and responsibility; Merleau-Ponty placed the lived body and embodied perception at the center of experience; and Ricoeur extended phenomenology into hermeneutics, symbolism, narrative, and historical interpretation. The article concludes that Husserl’s influence was neither linear nor merely doctrinal: his project remained an open set of problems that enabled new approaches to being, consciousness, embodiment, meaning, and interpretation.

The article examines Syrian scholar Firas Al-Sawah’s approach to mythology and the history of religions. It explains his view that religion consists of belief, ritual, and sacred myth, and that diverse religions represent varying historical and cultural expressions of a common human spiritual experience. Al-Sawah traces belief systems from animism, magic, totemism, ancestor worship, and fertility cults through polytheism and dualism to monotheistic traditions, emphasizing their historical continuities and shared Near Eastern roots. Demythologization, in his framework, does not abolish spirituality or promote atheism; it interprets sacred narratives symbolically and historically rather than treating them as literal, immutable facts. The approach combines phenomenology, anthropology, and comparative analysis, aiming to free religious texts from rigid literalism while preserving their spiritual and cultural significance.

Mohammed Arkoun's project is presented as a post-Orientalist renewal of Islamic thought that combines Islamic intellectual heritage with history, anthropology, sociology, linguistics and psychology. His concept of applied Islamics seeks to expose the “unthought” in the tradition and challenge dogmatic closures. Through his theory of Quranic values, Arkoun interprets the Quran as a dynamic historical and ethical discourse rather than a fixed political constitution. The article distinguishes prophetic moral authority from historically contingent political power, arguing that later states often instrumentalized religion to legitimize authoritarian rule. It advocates a relative separation between religion, state and worldly social life, alongside a positive secularism, democracy, pluralism and a spiritually grounded humanism. Arkoun's approach is portrayed as a means of overcoming both Orientalist stereotypes and defensive Islamist traditionalism while reconnecting Islamic ethics with contemporary social and political challenges.

Explores Mohamed Abed al-Jabri’s philosophical project, emphasizing the intersection of epistemology and ideological critique in reassessing Arab-Islamic heritage. Identifies his division of traditional knowledge systems into linguistic, mystical, and rational modes and examines how these structures relate to historical power dynamics. Highlights his call for a renewed, rational, and future-oriented engagement with heritage, while noting challenges to his framework, including oversimplification and neglect of spiritual dimensions.

The text examines Taha Abderrahmane’s project to renew the philosophical method for understanding Arab‑Islamic civilization through a pragmatic, language‑centered approach influenced by analytical philosophy. It highlights his critique of Western modernity and proposes an ethical Islamic modernity rooted in responsibility, truthfulness and moral communication. Abderrahmane’s method reframes Islamic texts and intellectual traditions as dynamic communicative acts shaped by context, ethical purpose and dialogue. The article discusses applications of this approach in philosophy, jurisprudence, spirituality and historical interpretation, portraying it as a path toward an ethical civilizational renewal capable of addressing contemporary global challenges.

Explores Ernst Cassirer's anthropological theory, defining the human as a symbolic being whose cultural forms shape knowledge and experience. Reinterprets Enlightenment principles through the philosophy of symbolic forms, presenting reason, progress, freedom and humanity as dynamic symbolic functions rather than fixed doctrines. Highlights the limits of Enlightenment rationalism, the persistence of myth, and the dangers of symbolic structures becoming tools of domination. Emphasizes a renewed, critical and culturally plural vision of Enlightenment suited to contemporary challenges such as technology and digital symbolism.

Examines Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd's modern hermeneutical approach to the Qur’an as a linguistic, historical and cultural discourse open to ongoing interpretation. Compares his method with Mu'tazilite rational theology and Ibn Arabi’s mystical Akbarian tradition, highlighting shared elements such as non-literal readings and differing foundations in rational critique versus spiritual unveiling. Shows how Abu Zayd incorporates modern linguistic and interpretive theories while aiming for social and intellectual liberation, positioning his project as a contemporary synthesis balancing reason, spirituality and historical context to renew Islamic thought.

Tech companies increasingly seek philosophy graduates to address ethical, conceptual and societal challenges in artificial intelligence, recognizing that engineers alone cannot manage issues such as bias, interpretive justice and value alignment. Philosophical skills provide critical thinking, ethical framing and cultural insight needed to confront structural biases in AI systems, improve transparency and guide responsible development. The text argues that philosophy is essential for balancing technological power with human values and ensuring AI serves human-centered purposes rather than reinforcing existing inequalities.

Explores how the metaverse transforms human experience by turning the world into a programmable digital screen and enabling technological engineering of human intelligence. Highlights philosophical challenges related to existence, authenticity, identity, and ethics as virtual environments reshape concepts of time, space, embodiment, and cognition. Emphasizes risks such as detachment from physical reality, engineered consciousness, and potential misuse for economic or political control, while also presenting opportunities for philosophical experimentation and expanded understanding. Calls for a new critical and creative philosophy that guides metaverse technologies toward preserving human freedom, authenticity, and meaning.

The text analyzes Albert Camus' existential philosophy through the figure of Sisyphus as a symbol of conscious rebellion against the absurd. It explains how self-awareness initiates philosophical engagement, leading to recognition of the absurd and a refusal of both physical and philosophical escape. Rebellion emerges as an ethical and humanistic response grounded in solidarity, responsibility, and the creation of personal meaning. Through Sisyphus, Camus redefines freedom as acceptance of an indifferent universe and continued action despite futility. The study highlights how this model offers relevance for modern life in the face of routine, political tension, and global crises, emphasizing dignity, clarity, and persistent effort as foundations for a meaningful existence.