THE COUNCIL FOR RESEARCHIN VALUES AND PHILOSOPHY (RVP)

CONTEXT, PURPOSE AND RESEARCH PROJECTS

At the close of the Twentieth Century we live the truth of the statement that from mankind's greatest achievements arise its most serious problems. Fortunately, these generate, in turn, new dimensions of self-understanding and social achievement.

The geometric acceleration of scientific discovery, industrialization and technological sophistication has transformed cities and entire continents in ways that are swift and decisive. One cannot be part of this transformation of our world without adapting thereto and in that process being significantly transformed in one's self-understanding and life with others. To the degree that education succeeds in forming, e.g., an engineer or a business administrator, it forms that person to perceive things in a manner specifically related to the needs of his or her field. In turn, this specialized outlook and work pattern effects his or her family and other relations. In sum, contemporary life is pervasively shaped by the scientific, industrial, and technological revolutions from which it has arisen.

The resulting breakdowns in areas which range from family stability to worker productivity suggest that in the midst of great progress insufficient attention has been given to bringing forward the foundations of human values. These are deep in the experience of mankind and reflect the rich cultural heritages of the various parts of the world. They have not weathered well the transformations taking place, particularly where these intersect with the p erson's self-understanding and value system. This is greatly exacerbated in developing countries which, in but a few decades are passing through a process of educational and industrial development which in other continents extended over centuries.

These results have manifested themselves seemingly in all dimensions of public life in successive decades, from the post World War II independence movements which gave rise to many new countries in Africa, to the IInd Vatican Council, to the various movements of liberation in the Americas and to Peresroika as an intended process of rapid changes in Eastern Europe and China. All are expressions of an urgent need to attend to the nature and dignity of the person, to the quality of human life, to the purpose and goal of the physical transformation of our environment, and to the relation of all this to the development of social and political life. This, in turn, requires philosophic clarification of the basis upon which freedom is exercised, that is, of the values which provide stability and guidance to one's decisions.

Such studies must be able to reach deeply into the cultures of one's nation--and often of other parts of the world from which they derive--in order to uncover the roots of the dignity of persons and of the societies built upon their relations one with another. They must be able to identify the conceptual forms in terms of which modern industrial and technological developments are structured and how these impact human self-understanding. Above all, they must be able to bring these elements together in the creative understanding essential for setting our goals and determining our modes of our interaction. ln the present complex circumstances this is a condition for growing together with trust and justice, honest dedication and mutual concern.

The Council for Studies in Va lues and Philosophy--a not-for-profit organization incorporated in the District of Columbia --is a group of scholars who share the above concerns and are interested in the application thereto of existing capabilities in the field of philosophy and other disciplines. Its work is to identify areas in which study is needed, the intellectual resources which can be brought to bear thereupon, and the financial resources required. In bringing these together its goal is scientific discovery and publication which contributes to the promotion of human life in our times.

In sum, our times present both the need and the opportunity for deeper and ever more progressive understanding of the person and of the foundations of social life. The development of such understanding is the goal of the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy (RVP).

RESEARCH PROJECTS

A set of related research efforts are currently in process, some developed initially by the R VP and others now being carried forward either solely or conjointly.

1. Foundations of Moral Education and Character Development. A study in values and education which unites philosophers, psychologists and scholars in education in the elaboration of ways of enriching the moral content of education and character development. This was recommended by the I CR and has been realized by the RVP (see ch. XII below).

2. Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Life: Philosophical Foundations for Social Life. Sets of focused and mutually coordinated continuing seminars in university centers, each preparing a volume as part of an integrated philosophic search for self-understanding differentiated by continent. This work in the First, Second and Third Worlds focuses upon evolving a more adequate understanding of the person in society and looks to the cultural heritage of each for the resources to respond to its own specific contemporary issues. This has been developed against the background of the work of the International Society for Metaphysics (I SM) and the World Union of Catholic Philosophical Societies; it is being carried forward by the RVP (see ch. XIV below).

3. Seminars on Culture and Contemporary Issues. This series of 10 week seminars is being coordinated by the RVP in Washington (see ch. XV below).

4. Joint-Colloquia with institutes of philosophy of the national Academies of Science, philosophy departments or societies in Eastern Europe and China related to the place of the person in contemporary society. This work, developed in the IS M, is being carried forward by the RVP (see ch. XVI below).

5. The Mediation of Values to Social Life. The development of a four volume study on the mediation of values to social life is a corporate effort of philosophers throughout the world initiated by the World Union of Catholic Philosophical Societies (see ch. XI below).

The personnel for these projects consists of established scholars willing to contribute their time and research as part of their professional commitment to life in our society. The Council directly sponsors some projects and seeks support for projects sponsored by other organizations. For the resources to implement this work the Council, as a not-for-profit entity, looks to various private foundations, public programs, and enterprises.

PROJECT ON CULTURAL VALUES

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL LIFE IN THE XXIst CENTURY

A. Foundational Research on Moral Education and Character Development

Vol. I Philosophy

Vol. II Psychology

Vol. III Education

Vol. IV Social Context-Lat. Am.

Vol. V Love as Foundation-Lat.Am.

B. Cultural Values

Vol. VI Chinese Foundations

Cultural Heritage Relations Between Cultures

& Contemporary Life Urbanization and Values

& Moral Imagination Humanities & Moral Imagination

Africa Person and Society

Asia

Latin America

Europe and N. America

C. Education and Values

Educational Methods and Materials