• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• v.147
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• pp.117-146
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• 2018

This paper discusses, whether religion is possible even in the age of artificial intelligence, and whether humans alone are the subject of religious faith or ultra intelligent machines with human minds can be also subjects of faith. In order for ultra intelligent machines to be subjects of faith in the same conditions as humans, they must be able to have unique characteristics such as emotion, will, and self-consciousness. With the advent of ultra intelligent machines with the same level of cognitive and emotional abilities as human beings, the religious actions of artificial intelligence will be inevitable. The ultra intelligent machines after 'singularity' will go beyond the subject of religious belief and reign as God who can rule humans, nature and the world. This is also the common view of Morabeck, Kurzweil and Harari. Leonhart also reminds us that technological advances should make us used to the fact that we are now 'gods'. But we fear we may face distopia despite the general affluence of the 'Star Trec' economy. For this reason, even if a man says he has learned the religious truth, one can't help but wonder if it is true. Kant and Bloch are thinkers who critically reflected on our religious ideals and highest concept in different world-view premises. Kant's concept of God as 'idea of pure reason' and 'postulate of practical reason', can seem like a 'god of gap' as Jesse Bering said earlier. Kant recognized the need for religious faith only on a strict basis of moral necessity. The subjects of religious faith should always strive to do the moral good, but such efforts themselves were not enough to reach perfection and so postulated immortality of the soul. But if an ultra intelligent machines that has emerged above a singularity is given a new status in an intellectual explosion, it can reach its morality by blocking evil tendencies and by the infinite evolution of super intelligence. So it will no longer need Kant's 'Postulate for continuous progress towards greater goodness', 'Postulate for divine grace' and 'Postulate for infinite expansion of the kingdom of God on earth.' Artificial intelligence robots would not necessarily consider religious performance in the Kant's meaning, and therefore religion will also have to be abolished. Ernst Bloch transforms Kant's postulate to be Persian dualism. Therefore, in Bloch, even though the ultra intelligent machines is a divine being, one must critically ask whether it is a wicked or a good God. Artificial intelligence experts warn that ultra intellectual machine as Pandora's gift will bring disaster to mankind. In the Kant's Matrix, a ultra intelligent machines, which is the completion of morality and God itself, may fall into a bad god in Bloch's Matrix. Therefore, despite the myth of singularity, we still believe that ultra intelligent machines, whether as God leads us to the completion of one of our only religious beliefs, or as bad god to the collapse of mankind through complete denial of existence.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.35
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• pp.255-293
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• 2020

This study examines the God, Jiutian Yingyuan Leisheng Puhua Tianzun (九天應元雷聲普化天尊, 'The Supreme God of the Ninth Heaven, Celestial Worthy of Universal Creation through His Thunderbolt, the Originator with Whom All Beings Resonate' in Daesoon Jinrihoe), in terms of narrative imagination, by investigating the narrative of Wen Zhong (聞仲) in Investiture of the Gods (Fengshenyanyi 封神演義) and the narrative of Kang Jeungsan (姜甑山) in The Canonical Scripture (Jeongyeong 典經). This examination occurs along three dimensions: Firstly, I look into the cultural contexts of the image of the Thunder God (雷神) in Gojoseon (古朝鮮) mythology and the Korean seondo (仙道) tradition both of which are reflected in the narrative of Wen Zhong. At the same time, I also argue that the cultural contexts examined above are able to be found in the narrative of Kang Jeungsan. Secondly, I consider the essential meaning of the concept of "deifying" (封神) in the narrative of Wen Zhong and its connection to "the resolution of grievances" (haewon 解冤) in the narrative of Kang Jeungsan. Thirdly, I consider the traits of embracing heterogeneous things (異類) in the religious group "Jiejiao" (截敎) that Wen Zhong belonged to in relation to the values of "mutual beneficence" (sangsaeng 相生) that Kang Jeungsan pursued. In this study's conclusion, I posit that the "mentalité" of Dong-yi (東夷) culture and tales including Yin (殷) is identifiable in narrative imagination applied to the God, Jiutian Yingyuan Leisheng Puhua Tianzun. This means that the nature of Jiutian Yingyuan Leisheng Puhua Tianzun is closely related to the tradition of Korean seondo and Korean Daoism.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• no.96
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• pp.39-70
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• 2012

In order to locate Kant's concept of the highest good within ethics and the theory of moral religion, it needs to be approached with some qualifications: there are two rough ways to be suggested. The first way is to focus on the concept of the highest good that is explained in terms of the happiness in proportion to a rational being's virtue or to his/her worthiness to be happy. But the happiness determined in the sense outlined above would be (increasingly or decreasingly) changeable according to each one's individual morality-this is what is meant by each one's 'worthiness' here-, and would not be seen as the perfect one. It might even be said that this kind of happiness is possible in a sensible world generally taken, if the existence of God thought of as harmonizing natural phenomena and the moral order is successfully presupposed. The other way is to understand the concept of the highest good literally: in this view, the highest good shows that a rational being's character is completely appropriate to the moral law and for him/her, its corresponding idea, i.e., the perfect happiness, is considered with full justification. But the highest good in the sense sketched above-along with the existence of God and the immortality of the soul-is expected to be realized only in an intelligible world generally taken. This means that it should be appraised as an ideal of the highest good that includes the so-called 'physical happiness' specified in terms of the first way as its element. In this regard, it is seen to be somewhat restricted. Between the two concepts of the highest good already touched upon, the highest good of the possible world would be the one established in terms of the first way. In other words, it is not the highest good in an intelligible world, but the highest good in this world. Of course, it is true that we cannot help but assume the existence of God-a being as higher, as moral, as most holy, and as omnipotent-in order to explain the highest good in this world (namely, in order to establish the possibility of the combination of the happiness and the worthiness). For as long as both morally good acts and the happiness are considered to happen in a natural world, the cause of the nature (i.e., the existence of its creator), that is, God, must be able to be presupposed. In this vein, Kant interprets that most people view that the key of the Bible is to show that the best world which is characterized by an intelligible or heavenly kingdom is also actually feasible in this world. The wish of the people who have the morally good character is that God's kingdom comes and his will is properly achieved in this world. But we cannot know what God really does in order to realize his world in this world. Nonetheless, we are fully aware of what we should do in order to make ourselves a member of his world. It is specified like this: we should do our ethical duties and further proceed to establish an ethical community. Viewed this manner, it is concluded that an ethical community is not a merely ideal thing like the kingdom of the ends, but a human apparatus or institution that exists in this world.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.638-647
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• 2020

This study reflects on suffering, a theme of anthropology, from a Christian theological point of hope. It suggests that suffering is not a negative experience, rather a medium of hope that can be a positive driving force in life and an opportunity to reach personal maturity. It aims to deepen the content of anthropology regarding the meaning of suffering by discovering a new harmony within the relationship between pain and hope. The book of Job denies the theodicical concept that justifies suffering as punishment for human sins and opens a new horizon of understanding the suffering as a space of hope, where men can experience the Love of God in the relationship with God. In his theology of suffering, Moltmann broadens and deepens the horizon of understanding as the book of Job discovered. First, he interprets the history in the hope of an eschatological future when the resurrected Jesus Christ will bring the final victory over evil and suffering. Then he invites men to proactively resist the absurdity and suffering revealed through this interpretation. Second, Moltmann reflects on the problem of suffering in the concept of the Trinity of God who endures active suffering with love for men shown in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He offers another hope that enables men to overcome the suffering in God's love. Therefore, the Christian faith can confess that we can hope in suffering.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.32
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• pp.175-199
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• 2019

This paper aims to define Kang Jeungsan's Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth through the Hegelian concept of 'labor (arbeit),' which is the fundamental medium in which humans substantialize their own absoluteness in an existentialist context. The Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth performed by Jeungsan enabled Heaven, Earth, and Humanity to communicate with each other through the harmony of Sangsaeng (Mutual Beneficence). As Hegel found the possibility of freedom and emancipation of human subjects through labor and Jeungsan exercised His will to free and emancipate human beings, comparative thinkers are led to recognize a relationship between His Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth and the Hegelian concept of labor. The key point of this paper centers around articulating the meaning of the precise situation wherein labor occurs for the Supreme Being. Labor is a concept that occurs for real-live humans. Human beings can be said to exist between the ideological world and the natural world, or between Heaven and Earth, and this dichotomy creates a specific product given the interplay of infinitude and finitude that it entails. In other words, labor is not a passive deployment but is instead a subjective development. From the point wherein this labor occurs for the Supreme Being, a paradigm shift towards unity begins throughout the universe. The occurrence of God's labor happens at a time of great transformation. These occurrences of God's labor form the communication among Heaven, Earth and Humanity and form a qualitative equality. In other words, the fact that God is far from the world of ideology and has come into the world of finitude means that God conveys His absoluteness to the world of finitude. Therefore, the work of God on Earth builds the world of Heaven on Earth. This can also be seen as the Sangsaeng of Heaven, Earth and Humanity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Interior Design Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.207-208
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• 2005

This plan is to express a Image and Symbol in the Church Architecture by analogy and metaphor. The Church was spiritual sympathy of the god and a human being. So, symbolic image is important in church architecture at present. These symbolize express to wishful message, persecution, miracle and Noah's Ark. In this project, meaning is transmitted to through with analogy.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.21
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• pp.99-156
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• 2013

This paper is to indicate research tendencies of faith in Daesoonjinrihoe and controversial points of those, and to consider the outlook on Sangje after defining it as theological understanding and explanation for Gu-Cheon-Sang-Je (High-est ruling Entity that is the object of devotion in Daesoon-jinrihoe). As the first introduction to the work, various descriptions for Sangje are arranged and the meanings of those are analyzed. In brief, first, the name of Gu-Cheon-Eung-Won-Nweh-Seong-Bo-Hwa-Cheon-Jon, expresses the fact that the authority of Sangje (the Supreme Entity) is exposed by spatial concept Sangje dwells in Ninth Heaven. This fact can be compared with the doctrines Allah in Islam and Jehovah in Christianity each are dwelled in Seventh Heaven. And the name shows Sangje is the ruler who reigns over the universe by using yin and yang. Second, the name, Gu-Cheon-Eung-Won-Nweh-Seong-BoHwa-Cheon-Jon, is imported from China Taoism because it has been in Ok-Chu-Gyeong (the Gaoshang shenlei yushu). But in fact it's root is in Korea because Buyeo and Goguryeo, the ancient Korean nations, have the source of the name. While the name is not the Supreme Entity in China Taoism, it is the Supreme Entity in Daesoonjinrihoe. This fact is a important difference. Third, arbitrarily or not, the name, Gu-Cheon-Eung-Won-Nweh-Seong-Bo-Hwa-Cheon-Jon, is put on the image of 'resolution of grievances'. The reason is that many peoples in Korea and China has called the name for about 1,000 years ago to help their fortunes and escape predicaments. Forth, not only Gu-Cheon-Eung-Won-Nweh-Seong-Bo-Hwa-Cheon-Jon but also the name, Three Pure Ones and Ok-Cheon-Jin-Wang (Yuqingzhenwang) in China Taoism used as the Highest ruling Entity in Daesoonjinrihoe. But the relations between three Pure Ones and Ok-Cheon-Jin-Wang and Gu-Cheon-Eung-Won-Nweh-Seong-Bo-Hwa-Cheon-Jon in Dae-soonjinrihoe are different from that in China Taoism. Fifth, Sangje is associated with the Polaris divinity of Tae-Eul, view on God in Oriental Cosmology. The description Tae-Eul as well as Gu-Cheon-Eung-Won-Nweh-Seong-Bo-Hwa-Cheon-Jon is indicated Sangje is linked to the faith of Buyeo and Goguryeo. Sixth, Sangje is not only Mugeuk-Sin (The God of The Endless) who supervise the Endless but also Taegeuk-Ji-Cheon-Jon (The God of The Ultimate Reality) who supervise the Ultimate Reality. These descriptions directly display the fact Sangje is a creator. Seventh, in case explaining Sangje, the point of view is necessary that grasps the whole viewpoints Sangje 'was' Hidden God(deus otiosus) and 'is' Unhidden God after Incarnation. Eighth, Sangje is Cheon-Ju in Donghak, but different from that. Cheon-Ju in Donghak has both transcendence and immanence in tightrope tension, but Cheon-Ju in Daesoonjinrihoe emphasize transcendence than immanence. That difference is the result of the fact Cheon-Ju in Donghak was a being having revealed a man and Cheon-Ju in Daesoonjinrihoe was a being having incarnated after revealing a man. Ninth, Sangje is Gae-Byeok-Jang who is the manager of the transforming and ordering the Three Realms of the World by the Great Do which is the mutual beneficence of all life and Hae-Won-Sin who is the God of resolution of grievances.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.14
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• pp.159-186
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• 2012

Julio Romano decorated the facade of his house in Mantua with a statue of Mercury to give expressions to his ideas on painting. Hereby the painter from Rome could show his home to the world as that of a painter. To be concrete, Mercury was the planet god to which visual artists belonged, and so was basically related to visual arts. In his role to deliver diverse features of art works Mercury could also convey concepts and emotions expressed in a picture to the viewer. The power of a painting to arouse certain emotions or move the mind of the viewer was further connected to the role of Mercury as the guide of the human soul. This function again related the Roman god to the characteristic of a portrait to present absent persons to the viewer. Above the statue of Mercury, a Lucian head of the god is seen, so that they together form the central axis of the facade. This seems to emphasize that the theme of the facade decoration was the powerful persuasive forces of eloquence. The two masks on the left could then refer to sources of eloquence, I.e. various beautiful expressions of a language and its generative process. On the other hand, the masks on the right could represent consequences of eloquence, for instance, prudence, evil effects which come about to imprudent listeners, and other influences on listeners. Finally, it would be useful to remind us of a line from On Architecture by Leon Battista Alberti. According to the humanist architect parts of a building which are seen from the outside, like a facade, should be appropriately designed, since the decoration of a house could play a significant role to enhance the fame and honor of the family and its fatherland. This theory of Alberti could have provided the foundation to the facade decoration of the Casa Pippi which proudly presented the profession of painting to the public in visual form.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.37
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• pp.191-227
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• 2021

In this study, values of truth and good are expressed in the form of beauty, and truth and good are analyzed from an aesthetic point of view. This enables an assessment of how truth is expressed and presented as an "aesthetic" in Daesoon Thought. Therefore, an approach to faith in Daesoon Jinrihoe (大巡眞理會) can be presented via traditional aesthetics or theological aesthetics that reflect on sense experience, feelings, and beauty. The concept of beauty in Daesoon Thought which focuses on The Canonical Scripture appears in keywords used in Daesoon Thought such as divine nature (神性), the pattern of Dao (道理), the singularly-focused mind (一心), and relationships (關係). Therein, one can find sublimation, symmetry, moderation, and harmony. The aesthetic features of Daesoon Thought, when considered as an aesthetic system can formulate thinking regarding the aesthetics of 'Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth' (天地公事), the aesthetics of Mutual Beneficence (相生), and the aesthetics of healing. The Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth contain a record of the Supreme God visiting the world as a human being. The realization that the human figure, Kang Jeungsan (1871-1909), is the Supreme God, Sangje (上帝), is the shocking aesthetic motif and theological starting point of the Reordering Works of Heaven and Earth. Mutual Beneficence can be seen aesthetically as indicating the sociality of mutual relations, and there is an aesthetic structure of Mutual Beneficence in the harmony and unification of those relations. Healing can be said to contain the sacred sublimation of Sangje, and moderation is a form of beauty that makes humans move toward Quieting the mind and Quieting the body (安心·安身), the Dharma of Presiding over Cures (醫統), and the ultimate value of healing, which is the end point of the Cultivation (修道) wherein one realizes that the ideals of humankind and the aesthetics of healing bestow the spiritual pleasures of a beautiful and valuable life. The aesthetic characteristics of Daesoon Thought demonstrate an aesthetic attitude that leads to healing through Sangje's Holy Works and the practice of Mutual Beneficence (相生) which were performed when He stayed with us to vastly save all beings throughout the Three Realms that teetered on the brink of extinction. It is not uncommon to see a beautiful woman and remark she is like a goddess (女神) or female immortal (仙女). Likewise, beautiful music is often praised as "the sound of heaven." That which fills us with joy is spoken of as "divine beings (神明)" of God. God is a symbol of beauty, and the world of God can be said to be the archetype of beauty. Experience of beauty guides our souls to God. The aesthetic experience of Daesoon Thought is a religious experience that culminates in emotional, intellectual, and spiritual joy, and it is an aesthetic experience that recognizes transcendent beauty.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.858-874
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• 2020

This study attempts to analyze the social and cultural meanings of the ethnic groups to which different types of shamans belong in Siberia from the appearance characteristics in terms of clothing through Roland Barthes's semiotic theory. The research method here is to analyze three types of shaman costume classified by Holmberg, which are bird-type, deer-type, and bear-type, through theoretical research and to investigate the analysis process of Roland Barthes's semiotics theory. Roland Barthes's approach to semiotics presents an analysis model that can explore the sociocultural meaning of the Siberian shaman costume. The research results are as follows. In the first type, to be closer to the god of the upperworld, shamans transform themselves into birds by decorating their costumes with the characteristic elements of birds such as feathers and wings. In the second type, the shamans' costumes are made of deerskin, and the headdress is shown in the shape of antlers to make it easier to receive messages from the upperworld and run fast in the underworld. In the third type, the shaman's costume is made of bearskin, the head is covered with bearskin, and the body is decorated with bear pendants. Through the power of the bear, the shaman is sent to the underworld to defeat evil gods and remove diseases. Shamans can show their particularity of being a demigod and non-binary gender through clothing. They use this to reflect their authority as a medium of communication between man and god.