About
Māris Kūlis, doctor of philosophy, is a researcher and a member of scientific council at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology University of Latvia. His research fields and interests are philosophy (hermeneutics, philosophy of communication, social philosophy), political science, as well as intercultural relations, migration of cultures and contemporary Islamism and terrorism. He has published a highly acclaimed and best selling book on the Islamic State terrorist organization (In the crossfire of terrorism. Islamic state). He has published scientific articles and multiple articles in the press on this subject. The author has received official recognition from the University of Latvia on the excellence of his book. He has given both academic and non-scientific lectures on terrorism and particularly the Islamic State, and has been an expert in a court-proceeding.
Maris Kulis presented his doctoral thesis “Changes in the Understanding of Truth: Historically Communicative Model” on the concept of truth and the role of society and sensus communis in understanding the truth (2015). During the recent years he has worked on projects financed both by Latvia and European funds, notably, interactive digital project “Latvian philosopher: a virtual model” and scientific project in collaboration of 4 scientific institutes – “Latvia: Migration of Cultures”, etc.
BookS
Finis veritatis?
On truth and lies
Truth is a word. What follows from this statement is that truth is more than just a characteristic. Its meaning, its inherent value, its history of use and connotation is like that of any other word — diverse. Over its long history truth has intertwined with a wide range of ideas on what constitutes reality and illusion, what matters and what is trivial, who we are as humans and as a society and how can any sense be made of it all. The aim of this book is to survey the history of thought in order to comprehend how we can assess truth today and where to look for it.
In the Crossfire of Terrorism:
Islamic State
The book “In the Crossfire of Terrorism: Islamic State” investigates context, creation and existence of the terroristic organization known as the Islamic State or ISIS, Daesh etc. The extreme violence and bloodshed in the Middle East has shocked the Western world. Meanwhile activities of the Islamic State have brought into the daylight philosophical reflections about ourselves and our place in the future. The emergence of the Islamic State is closely related to the events and ideas (philosophy, culture, politics, economics etc.) in the last few decades in both the Middle East and the whole globalized world. The author of this book tries not only to present overview of the Islamic State, it’s history and main ideas but also to describe it in the context of philosophical, political, social, cultural movements in the whole world.
In media
The inflation of truth that characterises these times
The inflation of truth that characterises these times. A conversation with philosopher Māris Kūlis. Brīvības bulvāris, Rīta Panorāma, Latvijas sabiedriskais medijs, lsm.lv
On truth and lies today
Par patiesību un meliem mūsdienās – filozofs Māris Kūlis veicis apjomīgu pētījumu, Rīta Panorāma, Latvijas sabiedriskais medijs, Replay.lv
The truth in a hybrid state
Laganovskis, Guntars. “Patiesība hibrīdstāvoklī”, intervija ar Māri Kūli, LV portāls, 2021. gada 13. septembrī. lvportals.lv
Publications
Monographs
- Finis veritatis? On truth and lies.
Riga: The University of Latvia Press, 2021, 432 lpp. ISBN 9789934186479 - In the Crossfire of Terrorism: Islamic Statem, 2nd edition
Rīga: LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, 2018, 523 lpp.
ISBN 9789934506536 (1st ed. – 2018, 515 lpp., ISBN 9789934506499)
Journals
- Māris Kūlis, Kaspars Kļaviņš. Korea in the dialogue between the European philosophical tradition and east asian spiritual teachings, Reliģiski-filozofiski raksti, XXVI, Rīga: LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, pp. 21–41.
- Māris Kūlis, Kitija Mirončuka. A Man and Terrorism: Critical Research of Terrorism, Just War Theory and Humanism, Acta Universitatis Latviensis, Orientālistika, 819, Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2021, 56.–79. lpp.; https://doi.org/10.22364/luraksti.os.819.04
- Philosophical challenges of Western philosophy and values in face of modern terrorism (Islamic State and al-Qaeda), Reliģiski-filozofiski raksti, XXVI, Rīga: LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, 2019, pp. 282–296.
- Propaganda of Islamic state in the Digital Age, Reliģiski-filozofiski raksti, XX, Rīga: LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, 2016, pp. 98–114.
- The Role of Language in Formation of Culture – Philosophical Ideas of Giambattista Vico
Valodas loma kultūras tapšanā – Džambatistas Viko filosofiskās idejas, Linguistica Lettica, Nr. 23., Rīga: LU Latviešu valodas institūts, 2015., 50.–67. lpp. ISSN 1407-1932 - Ist die Wahrheit absolut oder optimal? Fromm Forum, 2014, Nr. 18. S. 56-57. ISSN 1437-0956
Articles in Edited Volumes
- Critical thinking enthralled by the search for truth and in the political games
Kritiskā domāšana patiesības meklējumos un iespējamos politiskās inženierijas valgos. Secinājumu un rekomendāciju krājumā: M. Kūle. (sast.) Kritiskā domāšana: izglītība, medijpratība, spriestspēja. Rīga: LU FSI, 2018, 45.–49. lpp. ISBN 9789934506543 - The role of experience in the scientific truth of philosophy of the early modenity
Роль опыта в ориентации философии Нового времени на научную истину. // [ред.] О. Д. Маслобоева. Поиск истины и правда жизни в пространстве современной культуры: сборник научных статей. Санкт-Петербург: Издательство Санкт-Петербургского государственного экономического университета, 2018, стр. 97–107. ISBN 9785731044165 - Sensus communis and common values
Sensus communis un kopējās vērtības. Grām.: Maija Kūle [sast. un zin. red.]. Vērtības: Latvija un Eiropa. Vērtību pētījumi – filosofiskie aspekti. Rīga : LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, 2016, Sēj. 1, 285.–296. lpp. ISBN 9789934506383 - Communicative truth and the process of linguisticity
Коммуникативнось истины и ее реализация в языковом процессе. // [ред.] О. Д. Маслобоева. Поиск истины в пространстве современной культуры. Санкт-Петербург : Издательство Санкт-Петербургского государственного экономического университета, 2015, стр. 36–45. - The Possibility of Sensus Communis. Variations on Kant’s Philosophical Investigations
Sensus communis iespējamība – variācijas par Kanta filosofiskajiem meklējumiem. Grām.: Bičevskis, R. (sast.). Kants, Heidegers un dzīvespasaule. Rīga: FSI, 2015. 85.–100. lpp.