We argue against the claim that the employment of diagrams in Euclidean geometry gives rise to gaps in the proofs. First, we argue that it is a mistake to evaluate its merits through the lenses of Hilbert’s formal reconstruction. Second, we elucidate the abilities employed in diagram-based inferences in the Elements and show that diagrams are mathematically reputable tools. Finally, we complement our analysis with a review of recent experimental results purporting to show that, not only is the Euclidean diagram-based (...) practice strictly regimented, it is rooted in cognitive abilities that are universally shared. (shrink)

We advance a theory of the representational role of Euclidean diagrams according to which they are samples of co-exact features. We contrast our theory with two other conceptions, the instantial conception and Macbeth’s iconic view, with respect to how well they accommodate three fundamental constraints on theories of the Euclidean diagrammatic practice— that Euclidean diagrams are used in proofs whose results are wholly general, that Euclidean diagrams indicate the co-exact features that the geometer is allowed to infer from them and (...) that Euclidean diagrams play the same role in both direct proofs and indirect proofs by reductio—and argue that our view is the one best suited to account for them. We conclude by illustrating the virtues of our conception of Euclidean diagrams as samples by means of an analysis of Saccheri’s quadrilateral. (shrink)

As teorias historicistas da racionalidade científica são produtos relativamente recentes da filosofia da ciência. Adequando-se aos dados extraídos da história da ciência, elas diferem de abordagens mais abstratas ou normativas da atividade científica que predominaram na primeira metade do século vinte. As teorias historicistas, contudo, são desafiadas pela dificuldade de conciliar a adequação empírica à história da ciência com a atribuição de racionalidade aos cientistas eles mesmos, especialmente quando escolhem entre hipóteses científicas rivais. Este artigo discute três influentes teorias historicistas (...) da racionalidade científica, devidas a Kuhn, Lakatos e Laudan, analisando como cada uma trata da racionalidade dessas escolhas, e argumenta em favor de análises de tipo kuhniana, que exploram o papel dos valores nas escolhas científicas e não as concebem como guiadas exclusivamente por regras de aplicação unívoca ou universal. Palavras-chave: Kuhn; valores; regras; teorias historicistas; racionalidade científica. (shrink)

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1808-1711.2012v16n2p345.

ABSTRACT We review Danielle Macbeth's book Realizing Reason, published by Oxford University Press in 2014. This extensive book is composed by nine chapters in which Macbeth critically presents the development of mathematical practices in the Western world - from its founding in Ancient Greece's diagrammatic practices to the apogee of mathematical logic in the nineteenth and twentieth-centuries - while offering a revaluation of its present stage by means of a reconsideration of Gottlob Frege's philosophical contributions. In this review, we present (...) a summary of each chapter's contents and make general considerations about them. (shrink)

O presente artigo parte da problemática: qual a forma de repressão estatal brasileira relativa às fake news? Como provável hipótese de pesquisa tem-se que o Estado brasileiro não tem sido eficiente em dirimir este problema, carecendo de regulamentação específica. O objetivo geral consiste em analisar a atuação do Estado em relação à contenção de fake news. Para tanto, utilizou-se o método de procedimento dedutivo e o de pesquisa bibliográfico. Como conclusão, percebe-se que o Estado brasileiro não consegue alcançar o fenômeno (...) das fake news e a repressão acaba ficando a cargo da iniciativa privada. (shrink)

Background: Organ donation and transplantation represent one of the most important scientific advances over the last decades. Due to the complexity of these procedures and related ethical–legal aspects, however, there are a lot of doubts and uncertainty about the brain death diagnosis and the maintenance of potential organ donor. Aim: To identify and discuss the different meanings and experiences of registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit in relation to the diagnosis of brain death and the maintenance (...) of potential organ donors for transplantation purposes. Study Design: Participants were registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit at a University Hospital from Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing Research Ethics Committee. Results: Two main categories emerged from the analysis: brain death diagnosis and its implications and maintenance of the potential organ donor and its repercussion in the donation–transplantation process. Six subcategories were also identified: understanding the brain death diagnosis as a tool to aid decision-making; diagnosis as guarantee of rights; difficulties encountered to establish the diagnosis; clinical criteria adopted in Brazil and related ethical–legal aspects; specificities of care to the brain dead person and outcomes; and nurse’s duties toward the brain dead person. Conclusion: Although the brain death diagnosis is scientifically and legally defined in Brazil and the maintenance of the potential organ donor for transplantation purposes has been addressed during the last years, there are still some doubts about the subject, as its understanding varies according to the personal beliefs, culture, and educational background of individuals, including those who work in this scenario. (shrink)

Cell membranes are now emerging as finely tuned molecular systems, signifying that re‐evaluation of our understanding of their structure is essential. Although the idea that cell membrane lipid bilayers do little more than give shape and form to cells and limit diffusion between cells and their environment is totally passé, the structural, compositional, and functional complexity of lipid bilayers often catches cell and molecular biologists by surprise. Models of lipid bilayer structure have developed considerably since the heyday of the fluid (...) mosaic model, principally by the discovery of the restricted diffusion of membrane proteins and lipids within the plane of the bilayer. In reviewing this field, we now suggest that further refinement of current models is necessary and propose that describing lipid bilayers as “finely‐tuned molecular assemblies” best portrays their complexity and function. Also see the video abstract here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddkP-QRZTl8. (shrink)

The functional neural mechanisms underlying the cognitive benefits of aerobic exercise have been a subject of ongoing research in recent years. However, while most neuroimaging studies to date which examined functional neural correlates of aerobic exercise have used simple stimuli in highly controlled and artificial experimental conditions, our everyday life experiences require a much more complex and dynamic neurocognitive processing. Therefore, we have used a naturalistic complex information processing fMRI paradigm of story comprehension to investigate the role of an aerobically (...) active lifestyle in the processing of real-life cognitive-demanding situations. By employing the inter-subject correlation approach, we have identified differences in reliable stimulus-induced neural responses between groups of aerobically active and non-active cognitively intact older adults. Since cardiorespiratory fitness has previously been suggested to play a key role in the neuroprotective potential of aerobic exercise, we have investigated its dose-response relationship with regional inter-subject neural responses. We found that aerobically active lifestyle and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with more synchronized inter-subject neural responses during story comprehension in higher order cognitive and linguistic brain regions in the prefrontal and temporo-parietal cortices. In addition, while higher regional inter-SC values were associated with higher performance on a post-listening memory task, this was not translated to a significant between-group difference in task performance. We, therefore, suggest that the modulatory potential of aerobic exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness on cognitive processing may extend beyond simple and highly controlled stimuli to situations in which the brain faces continuous real-life complex information. Additional studies incorporating other aspects of real-life situations such as naturalistic visual stimuli, everyday life decision making, and motor responses in these situations are desired to further validate the observed relationship between aerobic exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and complex naturalistic information processing. (shrink)

No texto ora apresentado, procuramos para além da discussão sobre o território e a territorialidade Pataxó, desenvolver uma contextualização breve sobre os povos Jê dos Sertões e como estes grupos foram categorizados ao longo da história, um esforço que contribui para entendermos a dinâmica da conquista da região aqui estudada e de como os grupos indígenas, dentre eles os Pataxó, foram ao longo da história da colonização sendo representados, categorizados e submetidos à situação de territorialização, ao ponto de se organizarem (...) e constituírem como etnia tal qual estudamos na atualidade, e, do mesmo modo, as mudanças ocorridas em seu território, os impactos da expansão das fronteiras, das Unidades de Conservação e do desenvolvimento das cidades ao longo do século XX e especialmente na segunda metade deste. (shrink)

O presente artigo tangencia o conceito de tensor esgueirando-se pelos platôs linguísticos de Mil platôs, agenciando o que Deleuze e Guattari potencializam em o que passou?, e que buscamos atualizar em o que passa? Nesse sentido, buscamos a articulação entre o que ambos os conceitos movimentam: isso, que acontece na relação entre dois ou mais estratos. Percebemos que o tensor transversa a obra de Deleuze e Guattari e, mesmo que não exerça um relevo, está lá, estrategicamente em funcionamento. Destarte, desejamos (...) articular com esses conceitos de partida, uma possibilidade para poder inventariar os deslocamentos imanentes de escrileitura, como forma de aproximar procedimentos didático-tradutórios, que possam vir a ser envolvidos em uma pesquisa, que deseja experimentarse em momentos de invenção. Para tanto, problematizamos uma tríade conceitual – tensor, o que passa?, e escrileitura, de modo a possibilitar perspectivas de composição e de funcionamentode uma máquina abstrata escrileitora de invenções. Com o Método Maquinatório de Pesquisa, afirmamos a busca por dar vez e voz a um processo de maquinações, que possam vir tensionar uma crítica sintomatológica, duplamente articulada a uma clínica maquinatória; um Plano de Organização tensionado por um Plano de Invenção; e, no intermezzo desses encontros, algo passa, algo pode passar; e, assim, persistem os rastros de uma escrileitura, envolta e revolta em um contínuo recursivo: escrever-ler-escrever. Nesse percurso, jogamos os dados em um tabuleiro desejante; procuramos abrir um caminho para a passagem de procedimentos escrileitores de invenção, e ensaiamos uma aposta: poder tensionar a transitividade atual-potencial do fazer linguístico, literário e escritureiro. Palavras-chave: Educação. Filosofia da diferença. Método Maquinatório de Pesquisa. Escrileitura. Tensor. (shrink)

"This is a most timely, intelligent, well-written, and absorbing essay on a central and painful social and political problem of out time."--Sir Isaiah Berlin"The major achievement of this remarkable book is a critical theory of nationalism, worked through historical and contemporary examples, explaining the value of national commitments and defining their moral limits. Tamir explores a set of problems that philosophers have been notably reluctant to take on, and leaves us all in her debt."--Michael WalzerIn this provocative work, Yael Tamir (...) urges liberals not to surrender the concept of nationalism to conservative, chauvinist, or racist ideologies. In her view, liberalism, with its respect for personal autonomy, reflection, and choice, and nationalism, with its emphasis on belonging, loyalty, and solidarity are not irreconcilable. Here she offers a new theory, "liberal nationalism," which allows each set of values to accommodate the other. Tamir sees nationalism as an affirmation of communal and cultural memberships and as a quest for recognition and self-respect. Persuasively she argues that national groups can enjoy these benefits through political arrangements other than the nation-state. While acknowledging that nationalism places members of national minorities at a disadvantage, the author offers guidelines for alleviating the problems involved using examples from currents conflicts in the Middle East and in Eastern Europe.Liberal Nationalismis an impressive attempt to tie together a wide range of issues often kept apart: personal autonomy, cultural membership, political obligations, particularity versus impartiality in moral duties, and global justice. Drawing on material from disparate fields--including political philosophy, ethics, law, and sociology--Tamir brings out important and previously unnoticed interconnections between them, offering a new perspective on the influence of nationalism on modern political philosophy. (shrink)

Practical ability manifested through robust and reliable task performance, as well as information relevance and well-structured representation, are key factors indicative of understanding in the philosophical literature. We explore these factors in the context of deep learning, identifying prominent patterns in how the results of these algorithms represent information. While the estimation applications of modern neural networks do not qualify as the mental activity of persons, we argue that coupling analyses from philosophical accounts with the empirical and theoretical basis for (...) identifying these factors in deep learning representations provides a framework for discussing and critically evaluating potential machine understanding given the continually improving task performance enabled by such algorithms. (shrink)

Geographical and geospatial ontologies are receiving a considerable attention in information technology, due to three different factors: the growing diffusion of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), their use in different applications and the impulse given by Semantic Web to this research area. The aim of these pages is to describe what a geo-information ontology is, in order to systematize the contemporary debate. In the first part, we delineate the domain of ontology of geography within the contemporary philosophical context. In the second (...) part, we define the meaning of ontology in the information technology domain. In the last two parts, finally, we analyze contemporary geo-information ontologies, suggesting a potential classification. (shrink)

For more than 25 years, research misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism —although other research misbehaviors have been also added in codes of cond...

If we are to understand the premises at the core of debates regarding the philosophy of technology, as in the works of several prominent figures such as Marcuse, Ellul, and Habermas, we must confront Heidegger's philosophical legacy. Based on a broad overview of early and later Heidegger, and some of his notable followers, we argue that Heidegger's philosophy of technology created a problematic intellectual legacy. This resulted not only from his well-known political involvement with the Nazi regime but arguably from (...) the philosophical structure that enables such political views to be grounded in his thought. We argue that Heidegger's understanding of technology as possessing an essence [Wesen], which arises from his interpretation of metaphysics as onto-theology, continues to serve as the point of departure for technological discourse. This article traces the infrastructure of ‘Heideggerian Intellectualism’ that accepts the totality of technology as a form of thinking and yet entails multiple fluctuations regarding how we are coerced to engage with metaphysics, making it difficult to evaluate its contributions or limits. In the framework of the rapid technological changes underway at present and the concerns regarding them, there is a tendency to once again delve into Heidegger's thought on this matter. This article attempts to demonstrate that such a tendency also entails a certain degree of danger. (shrink)

A partir de la collecte de ressources existantes, ce travail dresse un état des lieux permettant de retracer le déroulement chronologique des principaux faits et événements qui ont émaillé l’histoire d’un groupe d’ouvriers qui se sont réclamés de la doctrine sociale d’Auguste Comte. L’analyse permet de cerner l’action conduite par les principaux acteurs et d’en évaluer la contribution spécifique à la cause du mouvement ouvrier français.

En el artículo se presentan las novedades jurisprudenciales del Tribunal Supremo en la aplicación de la perspectiva de género. Con especial atención en el ámbito penal, el texto recorre la valoración de la declaración de la víctima en el juicio oral y la viabilidad de la prueba pericial en relación a la veracidad sobre la declaración de la víctima en materia de violencia de género.

Quand l’analyse de corpus réfute des idées reçues : le cas de l’interpolation dans des dialectes du portugais européenCet article analyse l’interpolation (c’est-à-dire la possibilité d’occurrence d’un proclitique séparé du verbe) comme un trait des dialectes du portugais européen (PE) contemporain, tel qu’il est montré par les données fournies par le Syntax-oriented Corpus of Portuguese Dialects – CORDIAL-SIN. Les objectifs de cet étude sont les suivants : (i) décrire les propriétés des constructions d’interpolation dans les dialectes contemporains du PE ; (...) (ii) comprendre la corrélation entre l’interpolation et les propriétés d’autres constructions avec clitiques dans les mêmes dialectes ; (iii) fournir une perspective diachronique sur l’interpolation non-standard en tenant compte de l’histoire générale de l’interpolation. La recherche sur ce thème, dont les résultats sont présentés en détail dans Magro (2007), montre que, dans beaucoup de dialectes contemporains du PE, l’interpolation actuelle est une construction très productive qui possède des traits particuliers, qui la différencient de l’interpolation du PE ancien. Cette étude montre que, contrairement à ce qu’on croit d’habitude, l’interpolation n’est pas un trait archaïque mais plutôt une innovation récente dans la grammaire du PE. L’analyse présentée adopte la structure de la grammaire définie dans le cadre de la Morphologie Distribuée (Distributed Morphology, Halle & Marantz 1993, 1994), en considérant l’interpolation comme une instance d’une opération de déplacement post-syntaxique qui a lieu au stade final d’une dérivation. (shrink)

Quand l’analyse de corpus réfute des idées reçues : le cas de l’interpolation dans des dialectes du portugais européenCet article analyse l’interpolation (c’est-à-dire la possibilité d’occurrence d’un proclitique séparé du verbe) comme un trait des dialectes du portugais européen (PE) contemporain, tel qu’il est montré par les données fournies par le Syntax-oriented Corpus of Portuguese Dialects – CORDIAL-SIN. Les objectifs de cet étude sont les suivants : (i) décrire les propriétés des constructions d’interpolation dans les dialectes contemporains du PE ; (...) (ii) comprendre la corrélation entre l’interpolation et les propriétés d’autres constructions avec clitiques dans les mêmes dialectes ; (iii) fournir une perspective diachronique sur l’interpolation non-standard en tenant compte de l’histoire générale de l’interpolation. La recherche sur ce thème, dont les résultats sont présentés en détail dans Magro (2007), montre que, dans beaucoup de dialectes contemporains du PE, l’interpolation actuelle est une construction très productive qui possède des traits particuliers, qui la différencient de l’interpolation du PE ancien. Cette étude montre que, contrairement à ce qu’on croit d’habitude, l’interpolation n’est pas un trait archaïque mais plutôt une innovation récente dans la grammaire du PE. L’analyse présentée adopte la structure de la grammaire définie dans le cadre de la Morphologie Distribuée (Distributed Morphology, Halle & Marantz 1993, 1994), en considérant l’interpolation comme une instance d’une opération de déplacement post-syntaxique qui a lieu au stade final d’une dérivation. (shrink)

Special relativity is based on the apparent contradiction between two postulates, namely, Galilean vs. c-invariance. We show that anomalies ensue by holding the former postulate alone. In order for Galilean invariance to be consistent, it must hold not only for bodies’ motions, but also for the signals and forces they exchange. If the latter ones do not obey the Galilean version of the Velocities Addition Law, invariance is violated. If, however, they do, causal anomalies, information loss and conservation laws’ violations (...) are bound to occur. These anomalies are largely remedied by introducing waves and fields that disobey Galilean invariance. Therefore, from these inconsistencies within classical mechanics, electromagnetism could be predicted before experiment proved its existence. Special relativity, it might be argued, would then follow naturally, either as a resolution of the resulting conflict or as an extrapolation of the path between the theories. We conclude with a review of earlier attempts to base SR on a single postulate, and point out the originality of the present work. (shrink)

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Growing Up: Seeing Myself for Who I Am and Loving ItKerry MagroLast weekend, I traveled to see my cousin. He had graduated from St Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and was being ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. The event was attended by many of my family members. Several of the littlest attendees struggled with all the commotion, some were said to be shy, some didn’t want to be crowded, (...) and parents and caregivers did what they could to make it easier on them. Watching those kids trying to cope with a family event, which was different and a bit confusing, brought back a flood of memories of my own childhood. Nothing was simple about my childhood.My life has been “interesting” for sure. As a young child I faced many challenges. Until the age of two and a half I was nonverbal. Even though later I would gain speech, my developmental delays and sensory integration dysfunction issues caused great [End Page 202] difficulty for myself and my parents. I was evaluated by professionals and was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder–pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD–NOS) at the age of four.Thoughts of that difficult time filled my head when watching the children at this family function. My uncles, aunts and cousins couldn’t possibly know my struggles in those years. They weren’t present for all the interventions and therapy sessions I endured. Today, they don’t see me as someone different or disabled. I still have some obstacles to overcome in my development but rather than bemoan where I am or where I have been I have chosen to accept myself as I am. Although some may say I have a disability I choose to embrace my abilities and to celebrate them. I’m glad I’ve stayed on a path that has led me to become an independent adult. I am now a national motivational speaker, a Master’s graduate, owner of a non–profit corporation and soon to be an author.But what about this word “disabled”? Since I was six years old I seemed to have been tagged with this word by those around me. They all considered autism as a disability. I didn’t even know I had autism until I was 11. But I was very aware of people defining me as being disabled. It had to be the reason I was being placed in Special Ed classes, for the hours I had to travel to doctors and therapies: occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy. I was being called disabled and I didn’t know why. Of course the signs were there for me that I had a problem. In daycare many things confused and frightened me: loud noises, wind, water, transitions. I cried constantly, a lot more than everyone else. I had terrible tantrums (lying on the floor kicking and screaming) to the confusion and consternation of the adults and caregivers around me. I attended two different daycare centers and was asked to leave both of them. I couldn’t even make the transition from the door of a daycare center to my parent’s car without fighting, screaming and crying uncontrollably.It’s now hard to believe that my difficulty with sensory integration dysfunction, transitions and social interactions lasted for almost 15 years of my life. During those years there were many confusing, frightening and painful episodes for me, my parents and others around us.Like most kids with these types of deficits, we tried to find splinter skills to help me compensate. I have hyper–mobility of the joints making buttoning and fine motor tasks almost impossible. I also have dysgraphia, which makes it difficult for me to hold a pen or pencil to write. Even with therapy I never learned to ride a bicycle. One bright side to the hyper–mobility was being able to learn to type 100 words per minute.My sensitivity to water, wind and loud sounds was extreme. I fought my parents each time they tried to get me into the bathtub. I hated going on the swings because I couldn’t feel my feet on the ground... (shrink)

The overall objective is to explore the question of why our DNA is encoded to actualize an aesthetic experience that is autonomic and cognizant. It is proposed that the aesthetic experience is an adaptation selected by providing relief form the psychophysiological disorders that can arise from life’s burdens. It is further proposed that our aesthetic response to human form is an adaptation brought about by selecting alleles that generate an avoidance of mating with closely related species thus reducing the risk (...) of having less fit offspring, sterile offspring or no offspring. It is noted that with regard to human form apomorphic anatomical traits are attractive and plesiomorphic anatomical traits are unattractive. The term for this attitude has been coined cross species avoidance. The issue were addressed by interfacing philosophical aesthetics with evolutionary principles. (shrink)

In this paper I critically review the long history of attempts to formulate and derive the geodesic principle, which claims that massive bodies follow geodesic paths in general relativity theory. I argue that if the principle is interpreted as a dynamical law of motion describing the actual evolution of gravitating bodies as endorsed by Einstein, then it is impossible to apply the law to massive bodies in a way that is coherent with his own field equations. Rejecting this canonical interpretation, (...) I propose an alternative interpretation of the geodesic principle as a type of universality thesis analogous to the universality behavior exhibited in thermal systems during phase transitions. (shrink)

In this paper I critically review the long history of attempts to formulate and derive the geodesic principle, which claims that massive bodies follow geodesic paths in general relativity theory. I argue that if the principle is interpreted as a dynamical law of motion describing the actual evolution of gravitating bodies as endorsed by Einstein, then it is impossible to apply the law to massive bodies in a way that is coherent with his own field equations. Rejecting this canonical interpretation, (...) I propose an alternative interpretation of the geodesic principle as a type of universality thesis analogous to the universality behavior exhibited in thermal systems during phase transitions. (shrink)