Following the guiding thread given by the metaphors used in the title of this paper and which are recurrent in the texts of the philosopher Immanuel Kant himself as well as in most of his commentators’, I selected some themes that the Critique of the Power of Judgment offers us to think about and which remain relevant today: system, critique, reflection, the sublime, and a certain concept of humanity. I have prioritized both Portuguese and Brazilian interpreters without disregarding French authors, (...) everlasting allies, who inspire me since the beginning of my studies. (shrink)

This article addresses two issues: the first is the philosopher's fear of a lawless freedom of nature. I quote Deleuze and Guattari, who explain our terror before chaos and the consequent call for help and protection. My hypothesis was that this threat of chaos has affected also the enlightened mind of Kant. Facing the possibility of chaos, the objective Kant did not exactly fear delusion and madness, which affect only fragile subjectivities, but was terrified with the chance that nature does (...) not behave regularly, i.e., that _ knowledge _ becomes impossible. The second issue is a harder and more difficult question, and it is related to the _modern_ artist’s (or genius) anguish. It is a technical or an artistical complaint. He/She finds no more given rules to create his/her artworks. Differently from the philosopher, the genius fears the silence and the absolute muteness of nature. I try to deal with these two issues by taking into account Kant’s concept of purposiveness of nature as a regulative principle. I realize that, although this sufficed to calm down the philosopher’s anxiety, it proved to be insufficient to guide the artist. The delusion and madness that threaten the genius are deeper and more extreme than those of the philosopher. In order to treat the artist’s pain, without having to abandon the connection between art and nature, that constitutes one of the most fruitful reading keys of Kant’s Aesthetics, I resort to other ideas I found reading Lacoue-Labarthe and Hannah Arendt. (shrink)

O presente artigo é uma homenagem ao filósofo e professor brasileiro Benedito Nunes. Como foi escrito num período histórico de profunda crise sanitária (pandemia da Covid-19), política (ascensão ao poder do neofascismo no Brasil), social (preponderância do sentimento de ódio entre as classes, as pessoas e até dentro das famílias), econômica (aumento da miséria, reingresso do país no Mapa da Fome), numa palavra: crise humanitária, reuni algumas tentativas de definição de homem, ser humano ou essência humana. Não me restringi às (...) definições estritamente filosóficas, recorri também e, propositalmente, àquelas outras, designadas “poéticas” ou “literárias”. Tentei discorrer e meditar um pouco sobre essas várias definições, inclusive, sobre a noção heideggeriana de Dasein. (shrink)

Como o próprio título indica, este ensaio pretende dialogar com a recepção do sublime kantiano pela fi losofi a francesa contemporânea, sobretudo com Jean-François Lyotard. Dessa forma,ao invés de ressaltar as consequências inevitável ou sistematicamente morais do sublime kantiano, como fez, de um modo geral, o comentário mais tradicional da fi losofi a crítica de Kant, este ensaio tenta interpretar o sublime como sendo essencialmente uma experiência da arte, seguindo assim de perto aquela tradição francesa. Mas, ao mesmo tempo, tomando (...) alguma distância, este texto quer fazer uma objeção ao fundamento exclusivamente burkiano da concepção de sublime de Lyotard. Em suma, quero defender que é possível privilegiar o tempo (aspecto central do sublime de Edmund Burke, segundo Lyotard) também na experiência do sublime kantiano. (shrink)

Por que muitos estudantes aderiram com tanto entusiasmo às jornadas de 2013, ocupando as ruas pelo país afora, e agora, diante da perigosíssima, dangerosíssima ascensão do neonazismo no Brasil, mantêm-se apáticos, indiferentes e até, ousaria dizer, passivos? Talvez, possamos comparar as Jornadas de 2013 com o Maio 68 na França. Aventei a possibilidade de os/as jovens estarem à procura de novos modos de existência, tentando “aplicar” esse conceito deleuziano (com uma admirável posteridade) ao movimento cuja característica mais notável e, aliás, (...) a mais criticada, foi a sua pauta múltipla, sua incontrolável diversidade! (shrink)

In the last few decades, the ethics of care as a feminist ethic has given rise to extensive literature, and has affected moral inquiries in many areas. It offers a distinctive challenge to the dominant moral theories: Kantian moral theory, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics. This chapter outlines the distinctive features and promising possibilities of the ethics of care, and the criticisms that have been made against it. It then examines the ethics of care’s recognition of human dependency and of the (...) importance of responding to needs; its interpretation of the roles of emotion and reason in moral understanding; and its critique of liberal individualism and development of a conception of the person as relational. The ethics of care contrasts care with justice, tries to integrate them, and reconceptualizes public and private life and morality. (shrink)

The book explores the impact of manuscript remarks during the year 1929 on the development of Wittgenstein’s thought. Although its intention is to put the focus specifically on the manuscripts, the book is not purely exegetical. The contributors generate important new insights for understanding Wittgenstein’s philosophy and his place in the history of analytic philosophy. -/- Wittgenstein’s writings from the years 1929-1930 are valuable, not simply because they marked Wittgenstein’s return to academic philosophy after a seven-year absence, but because these (...) works indicate several changes in his philosophical thinking. The chapters in this volume clarify the significance of Wittgenstein’s return to philosophy in 1929. In Part 1, the contributors address different issues in the philosophy of mathematics, e.g. Wittgenstein's understanding of certain aspects of intuitionism and his commitment to verificationism, as well as his idea of "a new system". Part 2 examines Wittgenstein's philosophical development and his understanding of philosophical method. Here the contributors examine particular problems Wittgenstein dealt with in 1929, e.g. the colour-exclusion problem, and the use of thought experiments as well as his relationship to Frank Ramsey and philosophical pragmatism. Part 3 features essays on phenomenological language. These chapters address the role of spatial analogies and the structure of visual space. Finally, Part 4 includes one chapter on Wittgenstein’s few manuscript remarks about ethics and religion and relates it to his Lecture on Ethics. -/- Wittgenstein’s Philosophy in 1929 will be of great interest to scholars and advanced students working on Wittgenstein and the history of analytic philosophy. (shrink)

The book explores the impact of manuscript remarks during the year 1929 on the development of Wittgenstein's thought. Although its intention is to put the focus specifically on the manuscripts, the book is not purely exegetical. The contributors generate important new insights for understanding Wittgenstein's philosophy and his place in the history of analytic philosophy. Wittgenstein's writings from the years 1929-1930 are valuable, not simply because they marked Wittgenstein's return to academic philosophy after a seven-year absence, but because these works (...) indicate several changes in his philosophical thinking. The chapters in this volume clarify the significance of Wittgenstein's return to philosophy in 1929. In Part 1, the contributors address different issues in the philosophy of mathematics, e.g. Wittgenstein's understanding of certain aspects of intuitionism and his commitment to verificationism, as well as his idea of "a new system". Part 2 examines Wittgenstein's philosophical development and his understanding of philosophical method. Here the contributors examine particular problems Wittgenstein dealt with in 1929, e.g. the colour-exclusion problem, and the use of thought experiments as well as his relationship to Frank Ramsey and philosophical pragmatism. Part 3 features essays on phenomenological language. These chapters address the role of spatial analogies and the structure of visual space. Finally, Part 4 includes one chapter on Wittgenstein's few manuscript remarks about ethics and religion and relates it to his Lecture on Ethics. Wittgenstein's Philosophy in 1929 will be of great interest to scholars and advanced students working on Wittgenstein and the history of analytic philosophy. (shrink)

Blank Verse é uma web série que retrata William Shakespeare e outras figuras históricas do período elisabetano reimaginados como estudantes e professores universitários nos dias atuais. Através de vídeos curtos e postagens em redes sociais, acompanhamos os personagens em suas jornadas como escritores iniciantes num contexto altamente mediado pela tecnologia. A mescla criativa de elementos históricos, biográficos e ficcionais provocaram as reflexões apresentadas neste artigo. A partir do pensamento de teóricos da literatura como Josefina Ludmer e Flora Süssekind; História, como (...) Pierre Nora e Hayden White; e Filosofia, tal qual Roland Barthes e Friedrich Nietzsche, este texto explora o desmantelamento das fronteiras entre verdade e ficção, real e virtual, todos eles produtos da mesma ferramenta: a linguagem.Palavras-chave: William Shakespeare. Literatura. História. Biografia. Ficção. (shrink)

In this paper, I explore Wittgenstein’s conception of a hypothesis as articulated in Chapters XII and XXII of ‘Philosophical Remarks’. First, I argue that in Chapter XII, Wittgenstein draws on his account of infinity to begin to challenge the view that all hypotheses can be proven by empirical evidence. I then argue that in Chapter XXII that Wittgenstein sharpens this conception of hypotheses claiming that no hypotheses can be verified. Finally, I suggest that Wittgenstein’s conception of a hypothesis relates to (...) his practical view of how language functions. (shrink)

BackgroundOrgan transplantation represents the most effective and acceptable therapy for end-stage organ failure. However, its frequent practice often leads to a shortage of organs worldwide. To solve this dilemma, some countries, such as Portugal, have switched from an opt-in to an opt-out system, which has raised concerns about respect for individual autonomy. We aimed to evaluate whether young university students are aware of this opt-out system so that they can make informed, autonomous and conscious decisions, as well as to identify (...) the factors that determine a positive attitude toward post-mortem organ donation.MethodsAn observational, cross-sectional study was developed and a questionnaire was administered to first-year students from six faculties of the University of Porto.ResultsOf the 841 participants, 60% were unaware that Portugal had adopted an opt-out system. Among the informed individuals, their main sources of information included social media, internet, and family. Furthermore, only 48% of all participants agreed with the current opt-out system. Female sex (p = 0.049; OR 1.393), knowledge of the law (p < 0.001; OR 4.749) and family being the primary source of information (p < 0.001; OR 2.855) were independent factors associated with a positive attitude toward post-mortem organ donation law.ConclusionsThere is a significant lack of knowledge among young university students regarding the presumed post-mortem organ donation law and how it works. Female sex, having family as a primary source of information and being aware of the presumed post-mortem organ donation law are the strongest independent factors that determine a positive attitude toward the opt-out system. (shrink)

Elements of Moral Experience in Clinical Ethics Training and Practice: Sharing Stories with Strangers is a philosophical and professional memoir of the education, training, and professional development of becoming a clinical ethics consultant. Utilizing a phenomenological and narrative lens, this book offers a fresh and energizing window into the field of healthcare ethics by pairing compelling clinical narratives of what it is like to do clinical ethics consultation with clear reflections and accessible introductions to key philosophical, professional, and humanistic roots (...) for responsible practice. (shrink)

Wie gelangen wir in einen Zustand des Strafrechts, den viele Spezialisten mit guten Grunden fur unmoglich halten? Das Buch <I>Zur Moglichkeit des unmoglichen Strafrechts beschaftigt sich mit dieser Frage und versucht auf sie anhand einer vergleichenden Analyse eine Antwort zu geben: Die Krisis des Strafrechts aus der Perspektive der sogenannten Frankfurter Schule des Strafrechts steht dabei der Kritischen Theorie gegenuber. Ausgewahlte Beispiele aus der deutschen sowie der brasilianischen Geschichte, wie Sklaverei, Diktatur, Imperialismus und Nationalsozialismus, sprechen dafur, dass Wissenschaft und Barbarei (...) oft Hand in Hand gehen konnen. Die ublichen Erklarungen uber diesen Zustand verdeutlichen die Notwendigkeit einer radikalen Selbstkritik.". (shrink)

Este artículo nos adentra en el estudio del problema del “jansenismo español” durante el siglo de Ilustración. En la primera parte se presenta el origen del jansenismo teológico, moral y disciplinar. Se indican sus representantes y sus obras. Más tarde se convierte en jansenismo político, también llamado jansenismo histórico. La influencia del pensamiento de los jansenistas franceses, holandeses e italianos sobre los jansenistas españoles es evidente y fehaciente. La historiografía sobre el particular es abundante. Se presentan las características más importantes (...) del jansenismo español, en relación con el despotismo ilustrado, el regalismo y el reformismo, además de un gran interés por la Biblia, el Derecho y la Historia. (shrink)

Este artículo nos adentra en el estudio de la figura de san Martín de Tours, el apóstol de la Galia, cuya influencia se deja sentir en toda Europa, especialmente en España. Se trata del primer santo no mártir después de la paz de Constantino. Resultó ser soldado por fuerza, obispo por obligación, monje por gusto. Representa un nuevo modelo de santidad. De eremita evoluciona a la vida cenobítica, como padre de monjes; y como obispo es el defensor civitatis además del (...) gran evangelizador del mundo rural de la Galia. A su alrededor se generan otros santos. Por otra parte, Tours es la ciudad en que comienza la via turonensis del célebre Camino de Santiago. El Apóstol Santiago y Martín de Tours comparten culto y compiten en santidad como grandes taumaturgos. (shrink)

Our objective in this paper is twofold: first, we intend to address the tenability of the enactivist middle way between realism and idealism, as it is proposed in The Embodied Mind. We do so by taking the enactivist conception of bringing forth a world literally in three conceptual levels: enaction, niche construction and social construction. Based on this proposal, we claim that enactivism is compatible with the idea of an independent reality without committing to the claim that organisms have cognitive (...) access to a world composed of properties specified prior to any cognitive activity. Our second goal is to show that our literal interpretation of bringing forth a world not only sustains the legitimacy of the middle way, but it also allows us to revive the conception of evolution as natural drift—which is perhaps the least examined aspect of the original enactivist theory and is central to the understanding of cognition in an enactive way. Natural drift focuses on how structural couplings between organism and environment trigger viable pathways of maintenance and reproduction, instead of selecting the most adapted trait to a pregiven environment. Thus, although enactivists typically do not explore the consequences of their views regarding evolutionary dynamics, we show how natural drift provides a suitable starting point. (shrink)

In this book, the author examines the ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence systems as they integrate and replace traditional social structures in new sociocognitive-technological environments. She discusses issues related to the integrity of researchers, technologists, and manufacturers as they design, construct, use, and manage artificially intelligent systems; formalisms for reasoning about moral decisions as part of the behavior of artificial autonomous systems such as agents and robots; and design methodologies for social agents based on societal, moral, and legal values. Throughout (...) the book the author discusses related work, conscious of both classical, philosophical treatments of ethical issues and the implications in modern, algorithmic systems, and she combines regular references and footnotes with suggestions for further reading. This short overview is suitable for undergraduate students, in both technical and non-technical courses, and for interested and concerned researchers, practitioners, and citizens. (shrink)

The main argument of the article regards Aristotle’s anti-realistic account, which presents a different viewpoint from that which simply fulfils or negates the truth-values of our statements on Mixed Constitutions. In modern times, the idea of a Constitution of many minds or of many individuals is proposed by Sunstein and by Hart, who maintain that neither intentions in juridical procedure nor Constitutional provisions can produce an ideal Constitution. Thus any interpretative procedure assigning to legal reality any definite, once-and-for-all meaning is (...) precarious, according to Aristotle who asks whether we can gain epistemic access to the real essences of Constitutions and their structure. These ideas respond to a challenge in the Works of Contiades, who will help us to turn the ideal Constitution into a realisable model in the situation in which we live nowadays. This is the main challenge to be met by the institutions of Europe in order to safeguard the nature of historical and intellectual values. (shrink)

Praktische Gründe dienen uns Menschen dazu, unser Handeln verständlich zu machen. Philosophen sind fasziniert vom Wesen praktischer Gründe. Auf was für einen Gegenstand beziehen wir uns, wenn wir unser Handeln erklären? Sind praktische Gründe als psychologische Zustände der handelnden Person aufzufassen, etwa als deren Wünsche oder Überzeugungen? Oder sind sie identisch mit den sich in der Welt befindenden Tatsachen, also unabhängig vom Geist der Akteure? Verursachen Gründe unser Handeln? Diese und andere Fragen sind aktueller Gegenstand einer vielschichtigen Diskussion in der (...) analytisch geprägten Handlungstheorie. Dieses Buch bietet eine einschneidende Veränderung in der Sicht auf diese Fragen an. Überlegungen Wittgensteins folgend, werden praktische Gründe nicht als ontologischer Gegenstand, sondern als sprachliche Instrumente aufgefasst, die mit Funktionen und Zwecken verbunden sind. Auf diese Weise gelingt es, einen frischen Blick auf die normativen Bedingungen des Gebrauchs von Gründen, ihre Rolle in praktischen Überlegungsprozessen und ihre Bedeutung für die Motivation und Moral menschlichen Handelns in einer gemeinsam geteilten Praxis zu gewinnen. (shrink)

Developmental psychologists have argued for the view that understanding one’s own intentions and the intentions of others consists in the performance of a psychological mechanism and moreover that the ability to understand intentions depends on the ontogenetic development of this mechanism. In this paper, I refer to Michael Tomasello as the most notable proponent of this view and present arguments against it. I argue that understanding intentions results from social agreement in practice rather than from psychological processes transpiring in the (...) minds of intentional agents. In my defence, I will appeal to the later Wittgenstein, who expounds the view I proffer here. First, I shall expose the key differences in each of their views, particularly in terms of how the ability to understand intentions is related to language acquisition. In the second section, I employ an argument from Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations to reject the claim that children in their first year of life develop an understanding of intentions ontogenetically. Finally, in the third section I argue that the understanding of an intention requires the ability to form an intention autonomously. In the process of forming an intention, the child creates its own understanding, namely one that is socially accepted if it is in agreement with established usage, customs, and institutions as part of everyday practice. On the basis of this view, I suggest that understanding intentions depends on the agreement of behaviour in certain practical contexts rather than as the accordance of mental states with a psychological mechanism. (shrink)

It is common in the cognitive and computational sciences to regard virtual reality (VR) as composed of illusory experiences, given its immersive character. In this paper, we adopt an ecological-enactive perspective on cognition (Sect. 3) to evaluate the nature of VR and one’s engagement with it. Based on a post-cognitivist conception of illusion, we reject the commonly held assumption that virtual reality experiences (VREs) are illusory (Sect. 4). Our positive take on this issue is that VR devices, like other technological (...) devices, can be embodied during use, which is why they can be the source of experiences (Sect. 5). We then propose a new concept to interpret VREs, namely, _allusion_, which means that the subject acts _as if_ the virtual experiences are real (Sect. 6). This kind of engagement has a volitional aspect, which is evident in the onboarding of VR devices and which allows us to distinguish VREs from other experiences. We conclude that, even though we have experiences that afford certain interactions in VR, the strong continuity between cognitive and biological processes is not sustained therein. This characterizes a difference of kind—given the current state of technology—between VREs and fully fledged cognitive states, which nevertheless allows for constrained experimentation in cognitive science. (shrink)

Investigating Animal Abuse Crime Scenes: A Field Guide is designed for first responders-such as animal control officers and police officers-as well as forensic scientists and other criminal justice professionals who are who are tasked with processing and analyzing animal crime scenes and evidence. The book serves equally as a useful resource for those in the field and laboratory, in addition to those professionals who are further along in the investigative and judicial process.