This review examines “În căutarea esenței umane în epoca hiper-individualismului – Antropologie filosofică, culturală și medicala [In Search of the Human Essence in the Age of Hyper-Individualism. Philosophical, Cultural and Medical Anthropology] by Marius Dumitrescu and Anca Sava, a significant interdisciplinary work bridging philosophical and biomedical anthropology. The volume introduces the concept of anthropological singularity—a critical threshold where traditional frameworks of human development become insufficient for predicting societal evolution. The authors analyze hyper-individualism as a symptom of profound alienation within hypervisual culture, where algorithms increasingly shape identity and social interaction. Through balanced critique, they articulate possibilities for preserving essential humanity amid technological transformation, avoiding both technophobic rejection and naive celebration of progress. This work offers a crucial conceptual framework for navigating contemporary challenges of transhumanism, artificial intelligence, and human-machine interfaces while maintaining continuity with fundamental human values. The book addresses academics and general readers concerned with authenticity, community, and human dignity in the twenty-first century.
Background: Virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly integrated into education, rehabilitation, and performance training, largely due to its improved accessibility and affordability. Beyond providing sensory stimulation, VR offers immersive and interactive environments capable of engaging cognitive processes and facilitating motor learning and reaction speed across both pediatric and adult populations. Within sport and movement science, agility and reaction time are widely recognized as key indicators of neuromuscular coordination and cognitive-motor integration. The emergence of light-based assessment systems, such as BlazePod™, has enabled these capacities to be evaluated in a dynamic and engaging manner. However, despite the growing interest in VR-based exercise, the long-term effects of combining virtual exergaming with structured sport training on reaction-related performance in children remain insufficiently explored. In the present study, BlazePod performance was defined as the number of correct responses completed within a 30-second trial, with higher scores reflecting superior visuomotor performance. Purpose: To investigate the effects of a six-month VR exergaming program combined with basketball training on visuomotor reaction time in children aged 10–12 years, compared with basketball training alone and a no intervention control group. Methods: Sixty-four healthy children were allocated into three groups: VR + Basketball (n = 22), Basketball-Only (n = 22), and Control (n = 20). The intervention lasted six months (three sessions per week). The VR group completed 30 minutes of Beat Saber VR training plus 60 minutes of basketball per session; the basketball group completed 60 minutes of basketball only. Reaction time was assessed pre and post-intervention using the BlazePod system. Repeated-measures ANOVA, Bayesian ANOVA, and paired-samples t-tests were used to evaluate changes over time. Results: A significant improvement in reaction time was observed only in the VR + Basketball group, t(21) = −3.069, p = .006, with mean scores increasing from 17.50 to 19.27. In the BlazePod assessment used in this study, higher scores indicate better performance. Bayesian analysis provided strong evidence for a pre–post effect in this group (BF₁₀ = 14.40). No significant changes were observed in the Basketball-only (p = .204) or Control groups (p = .330). Variability decreased notably in the VR group, indicating more consistent performance following training. Conclusion: Six months of VR exergaming combined with basketball training produced significant improvements in visuomotor reaction time in children, outperforming traditional sport training alone. VR-based exercise may serve as an effective, engaging tool for enhancing cognitive-motor performance in youth.
The doctoral thesis entitled “Aplicații etice în publicitate: reinterpretări ale filosofiei sacrului [Ethical Applications in Advertising: Reinterpretations of the Philosophy of the Sacred]”, developed by Mr. Cășvean Ioan Emanuel under the supervision of Ph.D. Prof. Mihaela Frunză at "Babeș Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca, represents a scholarly endeavor of remarkable complexity and pressing relevance. The chosen topic, though considered somewhat unconventional for a philosopher or theologian in a profoundly secularized and hypertechnologized era, is fully justified as a natural extension and in-depth continuation of the doctoral candidate's initial research - focused on the analysis of the sacred – sacrum - in postmodernism.
This paper brings into discussion a new approach concerning the evaluation of the pupils. It is widely known that education’s purpose is to help children to access knowledge, an assumption met in most educational systems. Pupils are facing the curricula that often has little interest on them, and they are examined on their ability to reproduce what teachers are teaching. Education places relationships on a small scale, children are learning from a young age to compare themselves, to be competitive, to be rewarded only if they know the right answers. Drawing from a social constructionism perspective, the paper explores children’s experiences regarding the evaluation within school setting. Data are coming from four focus groups with children organized between November and December 2020. Findings suggest that a relational evaluation emphasizes the process of constructing knowledge through relationships, aiming to increase school participation.
Aim: This research aims to analyze and compare the perspectives of high school teachers and students regarding the physical education class, as well as the impact of the introduction of non-specific equipment on their interest and involvement. Methods: The responses were automatically centralized by Google Forms, then exported and processed using Microsoft Excel. The questionnaire was completed between May 15 and June 15, 2022 by 143 teachers and 1357 high school students in Romania. The questionnaire included 4 demographic questions and 14 questions covering the topic studied. The questions addressed to teachers and students focus on the perception of physical education classes and their perspective on the implementation of new equipment during the physical education lesson. Results: The results of the questionnaire indicate a significant interest on the part of both teachers and students in the new methods and means introduced in physical education classes. According to the data collected, 65% of the interviewed teachers believe that the introduction of modern fitness equipment increases students' interest and involvement during classes. Also, 43.7% of students appreciate that the use of new equipment considerably amplifies their interest in physical education classes. Conclusions: The analysis of the answers obtained from physical education teachers and high school students reveals the consensus on the importance of physical education classes in the harmonious development of students. Both teachers and students believe that one hour a week is insufficient to meet this need. In order to achieve the objectives of the physical education class, it is essential to allocate additional time dedicated to the development of the motor qualities necessary to meet the standards specific to high school age. In addition, the introduction of modern and non-specific equipment during physical education classes can significantly increase the involvement and attractiveness of these activities, thus contributing to a more enjoyable and effective educational experience for students.
