Natural languages vary in their quantity expressions, but the variation seems to be constrained by general properties, so-calleduniversals. Their explanations have been sought among constraints of human cognition, communication, complexity, and pragmatics. In this article, we apply a state-of-the-art language coordination model to the semantic domain of quantities to examine whether two quantity universals—monotonicity and convexity—arise as a result of coordination. Assuming precise number perception by the agents, we evolve communicatively usable quantity terminologies in two separate conditions: a numeric-based condition (...) in which agents communicate about a number of objects and a quotient-based condition in which agents communicate about the proportions. We find out that both universals take off in all conditions but only convexity almost entirely dominates the emergent languages. Additionally, we examine whether the perceptual constraints of the agents can contribute to the further development of universals. We compare the degrees of convexity and monotonicity of languages evolving in populations of agents with precise and approximate number sense. The results suggest that approximate number sense significantly reinforces monotonicity and leads to further enhancement of convexity. Last but not least, we show that the properties of the evolved quantifiers match certain invariance properties from generalized quantifier theory. (shrink)

Ronald Dworkin claims in Life's Dominion that our tradition of religious toleration shields decisions to abort a pregnancy and to end one's life with the assistance of others because they pivot on judgements about the value of human life that are essentially spiritual. He further maintains that the state may regulate these decisions to ensure that they honour appropriately life's sacred or intrinsic value. This article disputes the first of Dworkin's claims. Tolerating other people's religious practices does not entail acquiescing (...) in conduct that is not religiously motivated but springs instead from normal moral judgements. This article also questions whether governments justifiably may protect entities or processes simply because some citizens deem them intrinsically valuable. If, despite these doubts, one concludes that the state may assume this protective role, I argue that it probably can enact tighter constraints on abortion and assisted suicide than Dworkin thinks permissible. (shrink)

Contemporary concepts of development (the process of globalization, sustainable development) can be diversified according to their relation to axioms, natural law, values and paradigms. The subcategories obtained constitute the ground for business ethics. Ethics in business is always needed, however, it can be implemented at-source (as a component of management) or as an end-of-pipe measure. In Poland, constitutional regulations guarantee, indirectly at least, business ethics as a component of management.

(1990). “Mitteleuropa”—Does it still exist, or Is it a mere geopolitical abstraction? World Futures: Vol. 29, The Future of European Integration, pp. 218-226.

The core of this book is a novel theory of distributive justice premised on the fundamental moral equality of persons. In the light of this theory, Rakowski considers three types of problems which urgently require solutions-- the distribution of resources, property rights, and the saving of life--and provides challenging and unconventional answers. Further, he criticizes the economic analysis of law as a normative theory, and develops an alternative account of tort and property law.

II secolo XX, chiamato secolo delle Ideologie, e - per quanto riguarda il nostro punto di vista - un secolo di particolari tensioni fra la religione e l a cultura. II modelio della cultura dominante da alcune decine di anni cerca ispirazione concentrandosi sul mondo materiale, riducendo il campo di conoscenza alle dimensioni strettamente meccanicistiche, imponendo gli orizzonti puramente positivistici. Le conseguenze di qoesta tendenza - scrive Z. Zdybicka - si sono fatte sentire in tutti i campi dell'attività dell'uomo. E (...) stata infatti escogitata un'utopia tecnica che mirava a trasformare il volto del mondo, a crearlo in qualche senso da capo. Secondo questa visione ideale la nuova realta sarebbe esclusivamente temporale, misurabile, totalmente percettibile attraverso l'esperienza sensibile dell'uomo. La scienza formata sul modelio proposto dalle scienze matematico-naturali dovrebbe garantire agli uomini una sapienza profonda e universale e, grazie alla loro capacita di dominare le forze della natura e alla loro conoscenza delle leggi che regolano la vita sociale e alla sapiente applicazione delle stnitture tecnico-legali - farii diventare persino onnipotenti. (shrink)

II secolo XX, chiamato secolo delle Ideologie, e - per quanto riguarda il nostro punto di vista - un secolo di particolari tensioni fra la religione e l a cultura. II modelio della cultura dominante da alcune decine di anni cerca ispirazione concentrandosi sul mondo materiale, riducendo il campo di conoscenza alle dimensioni strettamente meccanicistiche, imponendo gli orizzonti puramente positivistici. Le conseguenze di qoesta tendenza - scrive Z. Zdybicka - si sono fatte sentire in tutti i campi dell'attività dell'uomo. E (...) stata infatti escogitata un'utopia tecnica che mirava a trasformare il volto del mondo, a crearlo in qualche senso da capo. Secondo questa visione ideale la nuova realta sarebbe esclusivamente temporale, misurabile, totalmente percettibile attraverso l'esperienza sensibile dell'uomo. La scienza formata sul modelio proposto dalle scienze matematico-naturali dovrebbe garantire agli uomini una sapienza profonda e universale e, grazie alla loro capacita di dominare le forze della natura e alla loro conoscenza delle leggi che regolano la vita sociale e alla sapiente applicazione delle stnitture tecnico-legali - farii diventare persino onnipotenti. (shrink)

This book sets forth a novel theory of distributive justice premised on the fundamental moral equality of persons. It argues that, subject to certain limitations on personal sacrifice, no one should have less valuable resources and opportunities available to him than anyone else, simply invirtue of some chance occurrence the risk of which he did not choose to incur. Applying this principle to the distribution of wealth and income, the specification of property rights, and the allocation of scarce medical resources, (...) Professor Rakowski reaches challenging, often unconventional,conclusions. He further criticizes the economic analysis of law as a normative theory, and develops an alternative account of tort law.Among the topics discussed are the principles by which earnings, wealth, and gifts should be taxed; whether the compulsory removal of organs for transplantation can be justified; how doctors and public officials should make life-or-death decisions when all those endangered cannot be saved; and themorality of killing human beings and nonhuman animals. (shrink)

The hole argument concludes that substantivalism about spacetime entails the radical indeterminism of the general theory of relativity (GR). In this paper, I amend and defend a response to the hole argument first proposed by Butterfield (1989) that relies on the idea of counterpart substantivalism. My amendment clarifies and develops the metaphysical presuppositions of counterpart substantivalism and its relation to various definitions of determinism. My defence consists of two claims. First, contra Weatherall (2018) and others: the hole argument is not (...) a blunder resulting from a mistaken view on how mathematical physics works, and requires a developed (meta)metaphysical response. Second, contra Melia (1999) and others: one can be content with a notion of determinism for GR which is not sensitive to merely haecceitistic differences. (shrink)