We show that the E + -class can be decided by resolution using a liftable order, when the order is applied a posteriori. This is a surprising result, because the decision procedure for the E + -class was one of the motivations for the study of non-liftable orders. Also surprising is the behaviour of the resolution process. Initially the maximal depth at which a variable occurs can increase, but it will not increase more than a certain bound. We do not (...) make use of any type of saturation rule in our resolution strategy. (shrink)

We provide a simple translation of the satisfiability problem for regular grammar logics with converse into GF2, which is the intersection of the guarded fragment and the 2-variable fragment of first-order logic. The translation is theoretically interesting because it translates modal logics with certain frame conditions into first-order logic, without explicitly expressing the frame conditions. It is practically relevant because it makes it possible to use a decision procedure for the guarded fragment in order to decide regular grammar logics with (...) converse. The class of regular grammar logics includes numerous logics from various application domains. A consequence of the translation is that the general satisfiability problem for every regular grammar logics with converse is in EXPTIME. This extends a previous result of the first author for grammar logics without converse. Other logics that can be translated into GF2 include nominal tense logics and intuitionistic logic. In our view, the results in this paper show that the natural first-order fragment corresponding to regular grammar logics is simply GF2 without extra machinery such as fixed-point operators. (shrink)

O presente trabalho não visa uma mera reconstrução da Filosofia do Direito de Hegel, mas, antes, busca explorar o potencial argumentativo inerente a esta obra-mestra da moderna filosofia política, investigando se o pensamento hegeliano pode ajudar-nos a compreender melhor o que, desde sua implantação, o espírito liberal vem desencadeando, tanto em nível político-institucional, quanto em termos econômico-sociais.

Segundo o presente artigo, a crise ecológica tornou dramaticamente claw que a evolução social não deve ser apenas entendida como uma emancipação das limitações derivadas da natureza e das amarras da sociabilidade humana e ainda menos deve ser aferida pela capacidade de transformar a natureza num mew repositório de recursos naturais capazes de garantir a sobrevivência do género humano. O artigo pretende assim mostrar até que ponto o progresso social está intimamente associado com a capacidade de se manter o metabolismo (...) social com a natureza a um nível regenerativo. Precisamente neste contexto é que deve ser entendida a exigência de se associar intimamente os sistemas funcionais da economia e da técnica na rede natural que os suporta e dessa forma condicionar a direcção estàvel da evolugdo social á capacidade de resistencia, sempre em mudança, dos sistemas ecológicos. Nesse sentido, o autor define a tarefa de uma "ética social ecológica" como sendo a de contribuir para a clarificação da necessária e, diante da razão prática, responsdvel articulagdo mutua dos factores económicos, sócio-culturais e ecológicos. Essa "ética social ecólogica", diz ainda o autor, parte da constatação de que com a modernidade se alcançou um estádio da história da cultura em que a dependência do ser humano em relação a natureza está ligada com uma dependência de muitos ecosistemas, até então deixados em seu estado natural, em relação ao ser humano, de cuja integridade, por sua vez, também o ser humano depende. Porfim, o artigo interroga-se sobre até que ponto numa natureza de tal maneira "socializada" ainda se podem encontrar pressupostos para uma praxis social capaz de apontar um caminho racionalmente induzido em que se garanta ofuturo dos sistemas sociais, e mostra como esta questão conduz ao problema ético-ecológico fundamental relativo á existência de aspectos normativos no relacionamento com a natureza nas sociedades modernas. /// In the view of the present article, the ecological crisis has dramatically demonstrated that social evolution ought not be understood merely in terms of an emancipation of natural and social limitations. Even less, ought it be thought that such an emancipation implies the transformation of nature into just a reserve of natural resources for the survival of humankind. The article hopes to show the degree to which social progress is intimately associated with the capacity of maintaining the social metabolism with nature at the level at which regeneration is possible. One must come to understand the exigency of bringing functional systems of economy and technology within the natural network nature that supports them such that an equilibrium in social evolution may be established in relation to the ecological systems. In this sense, the author sees the task of an "ecological social ethics" as contributing to the clarification of the necessary articulation between economic, socio-cultural, and ecological factors. Such an ethics is conceived against the background of a modernity that reflects a stage in the history of culture in which human beings were seen as depending on many ecosystems left in their natural state. Finally, the question is raised concerning the degree to which it is still possible to find principles for a social praxis capable of opening a rational path for the social systems of the future and how this question raises a further one about the normative aspects of the relationship with nature in modern societies. (shrink)

El presente estudio propone una lectura de la novela de José Saramago O Evangelo segundo Jesus Cristo a la luz de aquellos textos antiguos judíos y cristianos de temática bíblica que han sido excluidos de los correspondientes cánones sagrados de los judíos, protestantes y católicos. El análisis de la obra del escritor portugués revela un alto nivel de lo que se podría denominar intertextualidad inversa. Para reconstruir la vida de Jesús, Saramago se apropia de episodios, personajes y símbolos tanto de (...) la Biblia como de esos apócrifos antiguos y los transforma de tal manera que adquieren un significado opuesto al que poseen en sus respectivas fuentes textuales. De esta forma, Saramago lleva a cabo una exégesis personal particularmente osada que tergiversa o desmonta ciertos presupuestos que se consideran parte esencial de la tradición bíblica. Para lograr su propósito, el novelista pone en práctica una serie de técnicas literarias y hermenéuticas afines a las que se usaban en los textos apócrifos de la Antigüedad. Al igual que en un midrás hebreo, Saramago vuelve a contar una historia sagrada desde una perspectiva distinta, en este caso la de los débiles y desposeídos. Igualmente, su deseo de rellenar los huecos que quedaron sin explicación en los Evangelios canónicos hace eco de la técnica judía del derás. A través de un análisis detallado de los personajes principales y de algunos símbolos recurrentes que aparecen en la novela se descubre una glorificación de lo pequeño y de los marginados como focos de resistencia contra las fuerzas poderosas que desean dominarlos y silenciarlos. En el centro de esta lucha se encuentra un Jesús profundamente humano que busca inútilmente la respuesta a algunas de las interrogantes fundamentales que siguen atormentando a la humanidad: ¿Por qué entraron al mundo el mal y el dolor? ¿Por qué castiga Dios a los seres humanos? ¿Por qué tiene que sufrir el hombre la angustia de la culpa? (shrink)

A partial ordering in the class of observables (∼ positive operator-valued measures, introduced by Davies and by Ludwig) is explored. The ordering is interpreted as a form of nonideality, and it allows one to compare ideal and nonideal versions of the same observable. Optimality is defined as maximality in the sense of the ordering. The framework gives a generalization of the usual (implicit) definition of self-adjoint operators as optimal observables (von Neumann), but it can, in contrast to this latter definition, (...) be justified operationally. The nonideality notion is compared to other quantum estimation theoretic methods. Measures for the amount of nonideality are derived from information theory. (shrink)

Tras señalar que la actual política indígena divide a la sociedad chilena en posiciones antagónicas, el artículo plantea una mirada de superación quienes la ven como una amenaza al orden institucional y a la unidad de la nación chilena, y quienes la consideran meras modificaciones cosméticas al modelo etnocida del Estado chileno. Se señala que los compromisos del Pacto de Nueva Imperial tienen niveles parciales de cumplimiento que dejan a Chile por debajo en estas materias en el concierto latinoamericano, lo (...) que ha llevado a que la relación entre el gobierno y la CONADI con el movimiento indígena está atravesada por contradicciones y conflictos difíciles de solucionar. (shrink)

The problem of joint measurement of incompatible observables is investigated. Measurements are represented by positive operator-valued measures. A quantitative notion of inaccuracy is defined. It is shown that within this framework joint inaccurate measurements are possible for arbitrary maximal projection-valued measures on finite-dimensional spaces. The accuracy of such measurements is limited, as is shown by an inaccuracy inequality we derive. This new type of uncertainty relation can be unambiguously interpreted as referring to measurement precision rather than preparative quality. Several recent (...) experiments are seen to be realizations of such joint measurements. (shrink)

Resumo: A inclusão no Ensino Superior é uma premissa de âmbito social, educacional e político. Muitos passos têm sido trilhados para que os discursos sobre equidade e igualdade possam ser proferidos e perspectivados, reconhecendo que o ajustamento dos estudantes com Necessidades Educativas Especiais (NEE) precede-se de inúmeros fatores, entre eles, das políticas educativas. Para possibilitar algumas reflexões, o presente estudo, de natureza qualitativa, objetivou conhecer as percepções de colaboradores (n=85) de Instituições de Ensino Superior portuguesas sobre o papel das políticas (...) educativas em prol da inclusão. Os dados, provenientes de um questionário online, foram tratados sob a técnica de análise de conteúdo, com apoio do software webQDA. Os resultados evidenciaram 60 referências na categoria de potencialidades, refletidas na garantia da efetivação do percurso acadêmico de estudantes com NEE no Ensino Superior e concretização dos seus direitos. Verificou-se que 91,7% dos participantes compreendem que as políticas educativas são importantes para o seu país, pelo que 88,2% dos colaboradores acreditam que estas políticas potenciam a inclusão e a permanência de estudantes com NEE no Ensino Superior, na qual 40,7% verificaram ações de apoio e incentivo, ao nível político, em prol da inclusão em Portugal. Palavras-chave: Políticas Educativas; Inclusão; Ensino Superior; Portugal; Necessidades Educativas Especiais. Educational policies and inclusion in Higher Education: perceptions about the Portuguese context Abstract: Inclusion in Higher Education is a social, educational and political premise. Many steps have been taken so that the discourses on equity and equality can be delivered and envisaged, recognizing that the adjustment of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is preceded by numerous factors, among them, educational policies. To enable some reflections, the present study, of a qualitative nature, aimed to know the perceptions of employees (n = 85) of Portuguese Higher Education Institutions about the role of educational policies on behalf of inclusion. The data, from an online survey, were treated using the content analysis technique, with the support of the webQDA software. The results revealed 60 references in the potentialities category, reflected in the guarantee of the effectiveness of the academic path of students with SEN in Higher Education and the realization of their rights. It was found that 91.7% of participants understand that educational policies are important for their country, so 88.2% of employees believe that these policies enhance the inclusion and permanence of students with SEN in Higher Education, in which 40.7% verified support and incentive actions, at the political level, in favor of inclusion in Portugal. Keywords: Educational Policies; Inclusion; Higher Education; Portugal; Special Educational Needs. Políticas educativas e inclusión en la educación superior: percepciones sobre el contexto portugués Resumen: La inclusión en la Educación Superior es una premisa en el marco social, educativo y político. Se han dado muchos pasos para que los discursos sobre equidad e igualdad puedan ser pronunciados y verificados, reconociendo que la adaptación de los estudiantes con Necesidades Educativas Especiales (NEE) está precedida por numerosos factores, entre ellos, las políticas educativas. Para posibilitar algunas reflexiones, el presente estudio, de carácter cualitativo, tuvo como objetivo conocer las percepciones de los colaboradores (n = 85) de las Instituciones de Educación Superior portuguesas sobre la función de las políticas educativas a favor de la inclusión. Los datos, provenientes de una encuesta online, fueron tratados mediante la técnica de análisis de contenido, con el apoyo del software webQDA. Los resultados evidenciaron 60 referencias en la categoría de potencialidades, reflejadas en la garantía de la efectividad de la trayectoria académica de los estudiantes con NEE en la Educación Superior y la realización de sus derechos. Se constató que el 91,7% de los participantes entiende que las políticas educativas son importantes para su país, por lo que el 88,2% de los empleados cree que estas políticas potencian la inclusión y permanencia de los estudiantes con NEE en la Educación Superior, en la que el 40,7% verificó acciones de apoyo e incentivo, a nivel político, a favor de la inclusión en Portugal. Palabras clave: Políticas Educativas; Inclusión; Educación superior; Portugal; Necesidades Educativas Especiales. Data de registro: 16/04/2021 Data de aceite: 01/12/2021. (shrink)

This article raises the issue of the foundation of ethics in the situation of the pluralism of modern and contemporary society. Then , two types of answers to these problems are analyzed: comunitarism as the identitary ethics of an 'ourselves', and contractualism as the ethics of the partners' interests, which present themselves as rival theories in opposition to the universalism of kantian morality. It is however shown , how Kant himself had already worked at different levels of human integration with (...) both models: that of social contract and that of ethical community, and had articulated them in his system. The universal principle of morality , on the other hand, places itself at the meta-level of the profound grammar of the ethos of communities and contracts . Finally, it is observed that Kant´s fundamental ethical texts have not explicitly dealt with the hermeneutical problem of moral judgment in contexts of action. However, some passages of the Grundlegung are analyzed, as well as the Second Part of the Critique of Practical Reason, in which we find precise indications on this issue. It is maintained, that the observed lack of treatment may be bridged by means of widening the scope of the doctrine of reflexive judgment of aesthetic taste of the Third Critique's first part, which appears relevant, not for the foundation of the principle of morality, but for its application, i.e., for moral life.Este artículo plantea el problema de la fundamentación de la ética en la situación del pluralismo de la sociedad moderna y contemporánea. Se analizan luego dos tipos de respuesta a este problema: el comunitarismo como la ética identitaria de un nosotros, y el contractualismo como la ética de los intereses de los socios, los cuales se presentan como teorías rivales frente al universalismo de la moralidad kantiana. Se muestra sin embargo cómo el propio Kant había trabajado ya en distintos planos de la integración humana con los dos modelos del contrato social y de la comunidad ética, y los había articulado en su sistema. El principio universal de la moralidad se ubica en cambio en el meta-nivel de la gramática profunda del ethos de las comunidades y de los contratos . Se observa finalmente que los textos éticos fundamentales de Kant no han tratado de manera explícita el problema hermenéutico del juicio moral en los contextos de acción. Se analizan no obstante algunos pasajes de la Grundlegung y la Segunda Parte de la Crítica de la Razón Práctica, en los que hay indicaciones precisas sobre este problema. Se sostiene que la observada laguna se puede sortear mediante la ampliación de los alcances de la doctrina del juicio reflexivo del gusto estético de la primera parte de la Tercera Crítica, la cual parece relevante, no para la fundación del principio de la moralidad, pero sí para su aplicación, es decir: para la vida moral. (shrink)

Sobre a continuidade metodológica em Michel Foucault: da fundamentação de uma teoria do enunciado para o cuidado de si Resumo: Uma das dificuldades em se compreender a categoria de enunciado no pensamento de Michel Foucault está relacionada com múltiplas definições tautológicas dessa categoria no livro A arqueologia do saber. O primeiro objetivo deste artigo é oferecer uma descrição do enunciado e sua íntima dependência do nível referencial no pensamento arqueológico de Michel Foucault. O segundo objetivo, interrelacionado ao primeiro objetivo, será (...) mostrar o quanto as reflexões que desembocaram na concepção “cuidado de si”, vieram à tona porque o fim da análise arqueológica é a reconstituição das práticas concretas de uma época que definiram as condições do dizer e evidenciavam os modos de saber, pois o nível referencial é o nível de maior relevância para a reconstituição histórica das práticas discursivas por fontes discursivas. Esse método trouxe à luz, a ideia de que o trabalho fundamental da arte, de que temos de cuidar, a área principal à qual se deve aplicar valores estéticos, é a si próprio, à própria existência. Consequentemente, para esse pesquisador, não temos que escolher entre o nosso mundo e o mundo grego, desde que se possa ver que alguns dos princípios mais importantes de nossa ética têm sido relacionados num certo momento a uma estética da existência. Palavras-chave: Enunciado; Referencial; Formação dos objetos; Cuidado de si; Foucault. On the methodological continuity in Michel Foucault: from the foundation of a theory of the statement to the care of the self Abstract: One of the difficulties in understanding the category of enunciation in Michel Foucault's thought is related to multiple tautological definitions of this category in the book The archeology of knowledge. The first objective of this article is to offer a description of the statement and its intimate dependence on the referential level in Michel Foucault's archaeological thought. The second objective, interrelated to the first objective, will show how the reflections that led to the concept of “self-care”, came to light because the end of the archaeological analysis is the reconstitution of the concrete practices of an era that defined the conditions of saying and evidenced the ways of knowing, because the referential level is the most relevant level for the historical reconstruction of discursive practices by discursive sources. This method brought to light, the idea that the fundamental work of art, that we have to take care of, the main area to which aesthetic values ​​must be applied, is itself, to existence itself. Consequently, for this researcher, we do not have to choose between our world and the Greek world, as long as it can be seen that some of the most important principles of our ethics have been related at a certain moment to an aesthetics of existence. Key-words: Statement; Referential; Formation of objects; Self-care; Foucault. Sobre la continuidad metodológica en Michel Foucault: de la fundación de una teoría del enunciado al cuidado del yo Resumen: Una de las dificultades para comprender la categoría de enunciaciado en el pensamiento de Michel Foucault está relacionada con las múltiples definiciones tautológicas de esta categoría en el libro La arqueología del saber. El primer objetivo de este artículo es ofrecer una descripción del enunciado y su íntima dependencia del nivel referencial en el pensamiento arqueológico de Michel Foucault. El segundo objetivo, interrelacionado con el primero, será mostrar cómo las reflexiones que llevaron al concepto de “cuidado de sií”, salieron a la luz porque el fin del análisis arqueológico es la reconstitución de las prácticas concretas de una época que definió las condiciones del decir y evidenció las formas de conocer, porque el nivel referencial es el nivel más relevante para la reconstrucción histórica de prácticas discursivas por fuentes discursivas. Este método sacó a la luz la idea de que la obra de arte fundamental, que tenemos que cuidar, el ámbito principal al que se deben aplicar los valores estéticos, es ella misma, la existencia misma. En consecuencia, para este investigador, no tenemos que elegir entre nuestro mundo y el mundo griego, siempre y cuando se pueda constatar que algunos de los principios más importantes de nuestra ética se han relacionado en un momento determinado con una estética de la existencia. Palabra clave: Enunciado; Referencial; Formación de objetos; Cuidado de sí; Foucault. Data de registro: 24/02/2021 Data de aceite: 01/12/2021. (shrink)

El artículo tiene como finalidad justificar por qué es importante incluir las pedagogías propias de los pueblos originarios en los programas de formación docente de educación básica a nivel nacional, como valores compartidos de su patrimonio cultural tangible e intangible. Este patrimonio cultural es el pilar histórico de México, que por supuesto no se encuentra sólo en los pueblos originarios, sino que responde a un proceso histórico social determinado de la nación y que, a pesar de la conquista europea, siguió (...) prevaleciendo en las pedagogías y valores propios de los pueblos originarios. Proponemos cristalizar estos patrimonios culturales de los pueblos originarios para ser considerados como pedagogías propias en los programas de formación docente y desde este campo de formación compartir los valores culturales a través de sus saberes, sabidurías y prácticas culturales que han prevalecido a lo largo de la historia y que den cuenta en los planes y programas de estudio con igualdad y equidad cultural en el Sistema Educativo Nacional. Asimismo, se exponen los procesos de contradicción que los pueblos originarios han vivido y han asumido a lo largo de las políticas educativas dirigidas a la educación indígena. Finalmente, se plantean algunas consideraciones para estos programas de formación docente. (shrink)

Trata das possibilidades de uma teologia ecumênica das religiões tendo como eixo articulador a preocupação pela paz, pela justiça e pela integridade da criação. O objetivo é analisar temas de destaque para o cenário das análises sociais e teológicas como: a) O valor do humano e da ética social para o diálogo interreligioso, b) As possibilidades de uma unidade aberta, convidativa e integradora no âmbito das religiões; c) A importância pública das religiões; d) As religiões como códigos de comunicação; e) (...) O poder do império e o poder do diálogo das religiões. Para isso, vamos contar com as contribuições de Hans Küng, Jürgen Moltmann, Julio de Santa Ana, Xavier Pikaza e José Comblin respectivamente. A proposição é que a perspectiva ecumênica, uma vez articulada com as dimensões sociais, políticas, econômicas e culturais, dentro dos variados contextos históricos, pode oferecer densidade e amplitude para a reflexão teológica. Os esforços que valorizam a capacidade de diálogo e de sensibilidade ecumênica e aqueles que destacam a importância pública das religiões partem da concepção de que a perspectiva ecumênica, tanto em nível prático quanto em nível teórico-metodológico, requer e possibilita uma compreensão mais apurada da realidade, um aperfeiçoamento de visões dialógicas e o cultivo de maior sensibilidade para a valorização da vida e para a promoção da paz e da justiça. Palavras-chave: Teologia das religiões. Ecoteologia. Paz e justiça. Ecumenismo.This paper focus on the possibilities of an ecumenical theology of religions, having as a its principal concern peace, justice and integrity of creation. It aims to analyze some central issues for the social and theological scenario, such as: a) humanity and social ethics for interreligious dialogue; b) the possibilities for an open, engaging and inviting interreligious unity; c) the public relevance of religions; d) religions as communicating codes; e) the imperial powers and the power of religious dialogue. We will take into account the contributions of Hans Küng, Jürgen Moltmann, Julio de Santa Ana, Xavier Pikaza and José Comblin. The study affirms that the ecumenical perspective, once articulated to social, political, economic and cultural dimensions, within the various theological contexts, can offer density and extension for the theological reflection. Efforts that value the capacity for dialogue and ecumenical sensibility and those that highlight the public importance of religions start from the conception that the ecumenical perspective, both in the practical and in the theoretical-methodological levels, requests and makes it possible for a deeper comprehension of the reality, an improvement of dialogic visions and the cultivation of more expressions of sensibility for the valorization of life and for the promotion of peace and justice. Key-words: Theology of religions. Ecotheology. Peace and justice. (shrink)

Several models of narrative persuasion posit that a reader's phenomenological experience of a narrative plays a mediating role in the persuasive effects of the narrative. Because the narrative reading experience is multi-dimensional, this experiment investigates which dimensions of this experience – referred to here as narrative engagement – mediate between reading a story and the persuasive effects of the story. Narrative engagement was manipulated by giving participants a selection task to carry out while reading or by adding language errors to (...) the story. Results showed that the task decreased the engagement dimension Being in Narrative World and the language errors decreased the dimension Attentional Focus. No corresponding effects on attitudes were found. However, comparisons with a control group showed that reading the story rendered attitudes more consistent with the story. Regression analysis indicated that this effect may be explained by readers' emotions regarding the characters. (shrink)

Instituciones como el Consejo de Europa o el Instituto Cervantes y expertos como Byram o Deardorff han desarrollado modelos y bases educativas que dan luz a los docentes para ejecutar programas para el desarrollo de una ciudadanía pluricultural, que se comunica y está inmersa en la diversidad.Este estudio analiza si dichos modelos permiten establecer unos descriptores que definan la competencia intercultural desde una perspectiva procedimental. De esta manera, se pretende establecer un análisis de las bases teóricas y prácticas de la (...) competencia intercultural, tanto en el nivel del marco teórico como en el nivel de actuación del alumnado. (shrink)

P.F. Strawson and his Philosophical Legacy aims to bring out the continuing relevance of Sir Peter Frederick Strawson’s (1919–2006) work for current philosophical debates. It is the first collection of essays published after Strawson’s death that covers the full range of his work. The focus in contemporary work on Strawson is often on his relation to Kant or his paper ‘Freedom and Resentment’. While this volume gives due attention to these topics, it also includes essays on Strawson’s lasting contributions to (...) the philosophy of language, metaphysics, epistemology, perception, moral philosophy, and philosophical methodology. The authors of this volume seek a balance between exegesis of Strawson’s work, critical engagement, and the study of subsequent developments. (shrink)

We provide a simple translation of the satisfiability problem for regular grammar logics with converse into GF2, which is the intersection of the guarded fragment and the 2-variable fragment of first-order logic. The translation is theoretically interesting because it translates modal logics with certain frame conditions into first-order logic, without explicitly expressing the frame conditions. It is practically relevant because it makes it possible to use a decision procedure for the guarded fragment in order to decide regular grammar logics with (...) converse. The class of regular grammar logics includes numerous logics from various application domains. A consequence of the translation is that the general satisfiability problem for every regular grammar logics with converse is in EXPTIME. This extends a previous result of the first author for grammar logics without converse. Other logics that can be translated into GF2 include nominal tense logics and intuitionistic logic. In our view, the results in this paper show that the natural first-order fragment corresponding to regular grammar logics is simply GF2 without extra machinery such as fixed-point operators. (shrink)

although mostly known to specialists nowadays, Kenelm Digby was a remarkable figure on the intellectual scene of the early seventeenth century. He has been described as “one of the most influential natural philosophers” of his time,1 and corresponded with many of the great scholars of his days, including Descartes, and the French pioneer of atomism, Pierre Gassendi. In the later years of his life, Digby, alongside men like Robert Boyle, became one of the founding members of the Royal Society.2Digby authored (...) one major work of philosophy: the Two Treatises of 1644. This work consisted of a long First Treatise on bodies, and a shorter, Second Treatise on the human soul. In the First Treatise, Digby argued... (shrink)

What is the future of science and technology? Will academic research become a commodity like so much else? Will technology and science become ever more intertwined? Such questions concern anyone to whom science and technology matter. A philosophical approach can shed light on them, as Hans Radder has amply shown. This volume contains essays by colleagues and friends that highlight the wide variety of topics he has addressed in his work. Whether it is the interaction between science, technology and (...) society, the nature of scientific experimentation, or the scientific realism question, Radder's approach is always acute and committed. 0With contributions by Henk van den Belt, James Robert Brown, Kai Eigner, Andrew Feenberg, Steve Fuller, Makoto Katsumori, Peter Kirschenmann, Christian Krijnen, Peter Kroes, Chunglin Kwa, Sabina Leonelli, Loet Leydesdorff, Alfred Nordmann, Pieter Pekelharing, Arthur Petersen, Henk de Regt, Angela Roothaan, László Ropolyi, Frits Schipper, and Astrid Schwarz. (shrink)

We invite systematic consideration of the metaphors of cycles and circulation as a long-term theme in the history of the life and environmental sciences and medicine. Ubiquitous in ancient religious and philosophical traditions, especially in representing the seasons and the motions of celestial bodies, circles once symbolized perfection. Over the centuries cyclic images in western medicine, natural philosophy, natural history and eventually biology gained independence from cosmology and theology and came to depend less on strictly circular forms. As potent ‘canonical (...) icons’, cycles also interacted with representations of linear and irreversible change, including arrows, arcs, scales, series and trees, as in theories of the Earth and of evolution. In modern times life cycles and reproductive cycles have often been held to characterize life, in some cases especially female life, while human efforts selectively to foster and disrupt these cycles have harnessed their productivity in medicine and agriculture. But strong cyclic metaphors have continued to link physiology and climatology, medicine and economics, and biology and manufacturing, notably through the relations between land, food and population. From the grand nineteenth-century transformations of matter to systems ecology, the circulation of molecules through organic and inorganic compartments has posed the problem of maintaining identity in the face of flux and highlights the seductive ability of cyclic schemes to imply closure where no original state was in fact restored. More concerted attention to cycles and circulation will enrich analyses of the power of metaphors to naturalize understandings of life and their shaping by practical interests and political imaginations. (shrink)

In many countries patient involvement is high on the healthcare policy agenda, which includes patient representation in collective decision-making. Patient organizations are generally considered to be important representatives of patients. Other actors also claim to represent patients in decision-making, such as politicians, healthcare professionals, and client advisory councils. In this paper we take a broad view of patient representation, examining all the actors claiming to represent patients in the Dutch debate on the decentralization of care. We conclude that variety in (...) forms of representation could help do justice to the variety of patient preferences. In addition we conclude that in order to ensure the democratic quality of patient representation, actors making representative claims have to reflect on how their claims relate to each other and how they can ensure authorization and accountability in the representative relationship with those they claim to represent. (shrink)

In the Netherlands, consent from relatives is obligatory for post mortal donation. This study explored the perspectives of relatives regarding the request for consent for donation in cases without donor registration. A content analysis of narratives of 24 bereaved relatives of unregistered, eligible, brain-dead donors was performed. Relatives of unregistered, brain-dead patients usually refuse consent for donation, even if they harbour pro-donation attitudes themselves, or knew that the deceased favoured organ donation. Half of those who refused consent for donation mentioned (...) afterwards that it could have been an option. The decision not to consent to donation is attributed to contextual factors, such as feeling overwhelmed by the notification of death immediately followed by the request; not being accustomed to speaking about death; inadequate support from other relatives or healthcare professionals, and lengthy procedures. Healthcare professionals could provide better support to relatives prior to donation requests, address their informational needs and adapt their message to individual circumstances. It is anticipated that the number of consenting families could be enlarged by examining the experience of decoupling and offering the possibility of consent for donation after circulatory death if families refuse consent for donation after brain-death. (shrink)

This article uses the Swedish example to illustrate how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is understood and interpreted when it enters a welfare state context where social issues have traditionally been the domains of the state and of politicians. Among the implications one finds a relative scepticism of traditionally strong actors on the labour market, such as the state, trade unions and employers. This relative scepticism is primarily explained by an enduring idea of the role of business in society which stands (...) in contradistinction to the idea expressed in the corporate centred idea of CSR. Still, CSR gains a foothold in the welfare state context, mainly because of the flexibility of the concept which allows for 'escape routes' — an understanding of CSR that focusses on issues at arm's length from the traditional welfare context. CSR also benefits from being codified in soft regulation, thereby becoming a legitimate super-national point of reference for all relevant actors. The possibility of developing new global arenas for espousing ideals partly in conflict with traditional ones also explains why CSR has become an established concept. In Sweden, such arenas have been created through the activities of multinational corporations, NGOs, investors, the media, consultants and other actors. (shrink)

The Pythagorean Life is the most extensive surviving source on Pythagoreanism, and has wider interest as an account of the religious aspirations of late antiquity. "...admirably clear translation and sensible introduction"--The Classical...

One of the most significant changes in modern healthcare delivery has been the evolution of the paper record to the electronic health record (EHR). In this paper we argue that the primary change has been a shift in the focus of documentation from monitoring individual patient progress to recording data pertinent to Institutional Priorities (IPs). The specific IPs to which we refer include: finance/reimbursement; risk management/legal considerations; quality improvement/safety initiatives; meeting regulatory and accreditation standards; and patient care delivery/evidence based practice. (...) Following a brief history of the transition from the paper record to the EHR, the authors discuss unintended or contested consequences resulting from this change. These changes primarily reflect changes in the organization and amount of clinician work and clinician‐patient relationships. The paper is not a research report but was informed by an institutional ethnography the aim of which was to understand how the EHR impacted clinicians and administrators in a large, urban hospital in the United States. The paper was also informed by other sources, including the philosophies of Jacques Ellul, Don Idhe, and Langdon Winner. (shrink)

Ethical approval must be obtained before medical research can start. We describe the differences in EA for an pseudonymous, non-interventional, observational European study. Sixteen European national coordinators of the international study on very old intensive care patients answered an online questionnaire concerning their experience getting EA. N = 8/16 of the NCs could apply at one single national ethical committee, while the others had to apply to various regional ECs and/or individual hospital institutional research boards. The time between applying for (...) EA and the first decision varied between 7 days and 300 days. In 9/16 informed consent from the patient was not deemed necessary; in 7/16 informed consent was required from the patient or relatives. The upload of coded data to a central database required additional information in 14/16. In 4/16 the NCs had to ask separate approval to keep a subject identification code list to de-pseudonymize the patients if questions would occur. Only 2/16 of the NCs agreed that informed consent was necessary for this observational study. Overall, 6/16 of the NCs were satisfied with the entire process and 8/16 were unsatisfied. 11/16 would welcome a European central EC that would judge observational studies for all European countries. Variations in the process and prolonged time needed to get EA for observational studies hampers inclusion of patients in some European countries. This might have a negative influence on the external validity. Further harmonization of ethical approval process across Europe is welcomed for low-risk observational studies. Getting ethical approval for low-risk, non-interventional, observational studies varies enormously across European countries. (shrink)

This article contributes to the contemporary debate on land and water grabbing through a detailed, qualitative case study of horticultural agribusinesses which have settled in Tanzania, disrupting patterns of land and water use. In this paper we analyse how capitalist settler farms and their upstream and downstream peasant neighbours along the Nduruma river, Tanzania, expand and defend their water use. The paper is based on 3 months of qualitative field work in Tanzania. We use the echelons of rights analysis framework (...) combined with the concept of institutional bricolage to show how this contestation takes place over the full spectrum of actual abstractions, governance and discourses. We emphasise the role different (inter)national development narratives play in shaping day-to-day contestations over water shares and rule-making. Ultimately, we emphasise that water grabbing is not a one-time event, but rather an on-going struggle over different water resources. In addition, we show how a perceived beneficial development of agribusinesses switching to groundwater allows them to avoid peasant-controlled institutions, avoiding further negotiation between the different actors and improving their image among neighbouring communities. This development illustrates how complex and obscured processes of water re-allocation can be without becoming illegal per se. (shrink)

Deep neural networks (DNNs) provide a unique opportunity to move towards a generic modelling framework in psychology. The high representational capacity of these models combined with the possibility for further extensions has already allowed us to investigate the forest, namely the complex landscape of representations and processes that underlie human cognition, without forgetting about the trees, which include individual psychological phenomena.