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All religions should develop convincing responses to emerging bioethical problems stemming from medical and technological advancements. Additionally, believers need to know their faiths' interpretations of bioethical issues to be able to make medical decisions in line with their religious values. Therefore, Islamic bioethics should provide Muslims with conclusive and credible answers regarding newly rising problems in health care by revisiting the religious norms and decrees. However, the diversity in the Islamic denominations, the traditionalist aspect of the Sunni jurisprudence demanding strict compliance with the scriptural texts, the lack of unanimously accepted authority, and the limited number of academic works in Islamic bioethics (at least in English) complicate exploring new standards or rules for new ethical matters. In this view, the present paper aims to delineate two primary Islamic theological schools and propose al-Ghazali's maslaha as a general framework to analyze bioethical issues in the Sunni tradition. Maslaha allows exercising discretion in light of the protection of five fundamental values: religion, life, reason, lineage, and property. Maslaha has the potential to enable Sunni Muslims to appraise contemporary ethical questions, concerns, and dilemmas through an Islamic view and make more autonomous decisions by having religious guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines suicide prevalence among Nigerian youth struggling to find meaning in life. Frustrated by unattainable ideals, they experience despair. The study explores religion's role in providing support for meaning-seeking individuals. Utilizing an explorative approach, the paper highlights how religion can play a role in offering solidarity, morality, and hope as vital resources for creating a meaningful life. It introduces "Pastrotherapy" as a pastoral care approach to addressing existential questions. Findings emphasize the importance of religious communities and leaders in promoting resilience and addressing underlying causes of despair. This study reveals how religious beliefs and practices support Nigerian youth facing existential challenges, shedding light on the intersection of religion, meaning-making, and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to introduce a constructivist narrative intervention for Narrative Identity Reconstruction (NIR) in working with clients with a history of stressful life events (SLE). This intervention is based on a proposed conceptual framework explaining how SLE affects narrative identity. First, we provide a conceptual model to show the theoretical links between SLE and narrative identity through the three functions of making meaning, unity, and purpose. The present conceptualization proposes that concepts of meaning-making, self-concept clarity, and agency should improve for narrative identity reconstruction. For designing therapy steps, we were inspired by the procedure of the Life Design process for reconstructing narrative identity. We defined the following steps: (a) construct self-story through small stories, (b) deconstruct these stories, (c) reconstruct them into an identity narrative or life portrait, and (d) co-construct intentions that lead to the next action episode in the real world. We hope NIR can help clients construct a robust self-narrative in which the SLE is not a confusing and distressing experience leading to a broken narrative; instead, it can make sense and integrate into the bigger picture of self-narrative. It is suggested that future research empirically examine the NIR to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention in mental health settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum physics is a linear theory, so it is somewhat puzzling that it can underlie very complex systems such as digital computers and life. This paper investigates how this is possible. Physically, such complex systems are necessarily modular hierarchical structures, with a number of key features. Firstly, they cannot be described by a single wave function: only local wave functions can exist, rather than a single wave function for a living cell, a cat, or a brain. Secondly, the quantum to classical transition is characterised by contextual wave-function collapse shaped by macroscopic elements that can be described classically. Thirdly, downward causation occurs in the physical hierarchy in two key ways: by the downward influence of time dependent constraints, and by creation, modification, or deletion of lower level elements. Fourthly, there are also logical modular hierarchical structures supported by the physical ones, such as algorithms and computer programs, They are able to support arbitrary logical operations, which can influence physical outcomes as in computer aided design and 3-d printing. Finally, complex systems are necessarily open systems, with heat baths playing a key role in their dynamics and providing local arrows of time that agree with the cosmological direction of time that is established by the evolution of the universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over 70 years, studies have reported lower rates of completed suicide in Muslim-majority countries and individuals who identify as Muslim. To this point, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Islam and lower risk of suicide remain understudied. In an effort to advance our understanding, we convened a bilingual international interdisciplinary panel of experts for a discussion of the current state and future directions of the field. In this paper, we present an exploratory qualitative analysis of the core themes that emerged from the group interviews. We also derive a general theoretical model of the association between Islam and suicide risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Michael Marder in Dump Philosophy claims that that there has been so much dumping with modern civilization that we now live in a dump, with those parts of our environment not contaminated by dumping, now rare. The growth of the dump is portrayed as the triumph of nihilism, predicted by Nietzsche as the outcome of life denying Neoplatonist metaphysics. Marder's proposed solution, characterized as "undumping", is to accept the dump and to promote reinterpretations and informal communities within the dump. It is argued here that Marder provides great insight into our current situation and its causes; however, his proposed solution is too weak. To respond to the situation described, it is argued, it is necessary to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy dumping, or more broadly, healthy and unhealthy participation in nature. To make this distinction, it is necessary see humans as ecosystems and components of ecosystems, including the global ecosystem, as these have been characterized by anti-reductionist ecologists. Ecosystems can be healthy or unhealthy. Dumping and dumps should be identified as problematic outputs when they damage the health of ecosystems. The products of human activity not destined to be consumed or used for further productive activity, can then be identified and judged according to whether they augment or damage ecosystems' health. Dumping should be severely restricted. This should be associated with making a commitment to life and its value, and living to augment life, developing the social and economic forms and institutions that facilitate living in this way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural bridging may alleviate and catalyze the therapeutic process and help to match therapeutic interventions and patient preferences. In this article, we propose to enhance Western-originated prevention and treatment of depression (behavioral activation) with an Eastern-originated cultural concept of the purpose of living (ikigai). Behavioral activation (BA) is an effective standard method (within cognitive-behavior therapy) to treat depression, whereas ikigai is a Japanese life philosophy attitude. Both approaches share the fundamental idea that the reflection of personal values guides the individual's everyday decisions. In the present narrative review, we try to explain and systematically compare both approaches to explore the possibilities of their meaningful integration. While the literature underscored the striking similarity between the fundamental ideas of both concepts, the main difference is that ikigai, as a traditional, non-psychotherapeutic approach, refers more to intuition and metaphorical heuristics. We introduce when and how the practice of ikigai could enhance behavioral activation interventions in psychotherapy and its transfer into everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Two Perspectives," explores the themes of life, medicine, relationships, and conversation. It is written in the form of two chapters, each presenting a different perspective. The first chapter reflects on the beauty and gratitude of existence, even in the face of limitations and the inability to fully experience the world. The second chapter contemplates the transience of life and the act of sparing someone from the burdens and inevitable disappointments of existence. The article concludes by stating that the data mentioned in the article is available within the article itself or its supplementary materials. [Extracted from the article]