Exploring the concept of evil in Japanese anime: a multifaceted perspective 

Valentina-Andrada MINEA
 https://doi.org/10.56177/eon.5.3.2024.art.1

Abstract: Beyond its captivating narratives and stunning visuals, Japanese anime offers audiences worldwide a unique window into Japan's rich history, culture, philosophy and values. Within this vast and diverse universe, there exists a recurring and multifaceted thematic exploration — theodicy and the philosophy of 'evil'. This study aims to comprehensively deconstruct and examine the portrayal of 'evil' in Japanese anime emphasizing its substantial relevance within the broader discourse of Japan's soft power. Characters' behaviors, actions, curses, lability, suffering, natural disasters, wars, natural humanity, monsters are presented in a way that prompts viewers to question the true nature of evil, if there is any. Fundamental to this study is the notion that 'evil' in anime is not an absolute, fixed concept, but rather an ephemeral perspective. Moreover, sometimes anime delves into the unconventional portrayal of the supreme beings as evil, challenging traditional dichotomies of g(o)od and (d)evil, which from a certain reality-level do not exist anymore. In anime, the only things that exist are will and power, the way that they are used being a matter of perspective. What is the systematic cycle of evil in anime and how will it affect the next generation's mentality.

Keywords: cycle of evil in Japanese anime; God as power and will; postmodernism; non-dichotomous concept of evil; deconstructionism; Vos Viewer. 


The public's overwiev on the introduction of games, play, and gamification
in Romanian libraries

Paula-Grațiela CERNAMORIȚ
https://doi.org/10.56177/eon.5.3.2024.art.2   

Abstract: Games, play and gamification are essential for all ages because they allow players to develop useful 21st century skills such as digital literacy, critical and scientific thinking, problem solving, comprehension and communication skills, storytelling skills, etc. The new generation of digital natives requires a different approach in learning new things and libraries could take advantage of that by using gamification on learning content. In this way, libraries could become more welcoming spaces, more open to the public and much more interested in what the public wants. To find out what people think about the idea of playing games at the library, the idea of libraries using gamified activities or if the public would like to use gamified apps on the library websites, a questionnaire-based survey was administered on Facebook and WhatsApp between February 2 and February 8, 2024. Analysis of the answers obtained shows that the Romanian public is open to the idea of libraries where reading, communicating, socializing, acquiring knowledge in various fields such as literature, history, geography can be combined in a fun and enjoyable way with play, games and gamification. Respondents would also like to use gamification on library websites such as a book lending app.

Keywords: libraries; game; play; gamification; Romania; questionnaire-based survey. 


Transnationalism and mental spaces: a perspective on the global mind 

Emilia URSACHI (HASMAȚUCHI)
 https://doi.org/10.56177/eon.5.3.2024.art.3

Abstract: The concept of transnationalism has become increasingly relevant in today's globalized world, as people and ideas move across borders more freely than ever before, developing a unique mental space that is influenced by their diverse experiences and interactions with different cultures. Understanding transnationalism and mental spaces is crucial to comprehending the complexities of identities, as it sheds light on how individuals negotiate their multiple cultural identities, in a world that is constantly changing and interconnected.

Keywords: transnationalism; transnational space; transculturation; mental space; transcultural literature.  


Câteva aspecte dominante ale gândirii filosofice la omul contemporan

Teodor VIDAM 
 https://doi.org/10.56177/eon.5.3.2024.art.4

Abstract: The work systematizes several essential aspects of contemporary man. It reveals his trinitarian structure: body, soul, and spirit. His temporal trivalence - past, present, and future. The process of psycho-intellectual maturation. His essential dimension is ethical orientation. Its culmination is moral. The formation of belief and character are ethical values. Primarily, man is valued for who he is, not for what he has. He is what he is through communion, not through communication. Moral values define human personality. Through empathy, trust, and emotions, we define the human. Our objective is to stop precariousness, primarily the disorder of values.

Keywords: human being; body; soul; spirit; past; present; future.


Responsabilitatea socială și soluționarea dilemelor morale în organizațiile de afaceri

Daniela DUNCA
https://doi.org/10.56177/eon.5.3.2024.art.5 

Abstract: If in the first half of the 20th century, for business organizations, obtaining profit was the only purpose, the postmodern model of doing business related, at least as an aspiration, the two benchmarks - profit and moral values. Business ethics examines how economic concepts comply with ethical prescriptions, involves the empirical approach to business practices, looking at aspects of civil liberty, the well-being of individuals in industrial societies, the compatibility between economic activities and environmental policies. Starting from a meta-ethical approach, which aims at the moral status of corporations, business ethics pursues the ethical aspects of corporate management, the definition of corporate codes of conduct and equally, the social responsibility of companies and the consequences of their activity. The analysis of morality in the business environment has a different approach in schools and currents of thought regarding business ethics. From a critical perspective on the relationship between ethics and business, both the German, French and American schools, argue that in the post-industrial society business must be done only respecting moral values. In business, there are often unclear, dilemmatic situations, conflicts that are difficult to resolve, especially due to the desire to balance economic and social performances. When achieving this balance is particularly difficult (good or bad cannot be clearly specified and identified), a dilemma arises for decision-makers, considered one of the most demanding ethical problems. Regardless of the environment in which they appear (marketing, production, human resources) the solution of moral dilemmas must consider as the main criterion social responsibility and the social consequences and less the current economic results of the corporation.

Keywords: business ethics; ethical dilemma; post-industrial society; social responsibility.