The objective of this paper is to investigate, through a qualitative study based on 38 semi-structured interviews with agents who provide assurance of sustainability reports, how they perceive and manage ethical issues underlying the verification of sustainability reports. Most of the ethical issues observed involve four interconnected aspects: the commercialism underlying sustainability assurance, the symbolic nature of the verification process, interdependency between auditing and consulting activities, and familiarity with the audited companies. The findings shed light on the reflexivity of assurance (...) providers on these issues and the legitimation strategies used to explain how they reconcile the independence and impartiality required for auditing activities with commercial aspects related to client–provider relationships. The study also shows the role of contextual variables in the ethics of assurance services. The paper contributes to the literature on the legitimacy of sustainability assurance and commercialism of the audit function. Practical implications and avenues for future research are also developed. (shrink)

This book investigates Hermann Weyl’s work on the problem of space from the early 1920s onwards. It presents new material and opens the philosophical problem of space anew, crossing the disciplines of mathematics, history of science and philosophy. With a Kantian starting point Weyl asks: among all the infinitely many conceivable metrical spaces, which one applies to the physical world? In agreement with general relativity, Weyl acknowledges that the metric can quantitatively vary with the physical situation. Despite this freedom, Weyl (...) “deduces”, with group-theoretical technicalities, that there is only one “kind” of legitimate metric. This construction was then decisive for the development of gauge theories. Nevertheless, the question of the foundations of the metric of physical theories is only a piece of a wider epistemological problem. Contributing authors mark out the double trajectory that goes through Weyl’s texts, from natural science to philosophy and conversely, always through the mediation of mathematics. Readers may trace the philosophical tradition to which Weyl refers and by which he is inspired, and explore the mathematical tradition that permitted Weyl to elaborate and solve his mathematical problem of space. Furthermore, this volume analyzes the role of the interlocutors with whom Weyl discussed the nature of physical space. This volume features the work of top specialists and will appeal to postgraduates and scholars in philosophy, the history of science, mathematics, or physics. (shrink)

La 4e de couverture indique : "Face aux impasses de la politique contemporaine, nombre d'explications avancées par les sciences humaines, politiques et économiques sont éclairantes, mais manifestent aussi leurs limites. C'est qu'un élément essentiel de la condition politique est aujourd'hui oublié ou occulté : la réalité du droit naturel comme fondement de tout édifice communautaire. Cet essai montre d'une plume remarquable, à la fois concise et pertinente, que l'on a toujours pensé avec ou contre mais jamais sans se référer à (...) loi naturelle. Pour ce faire, il nous guide dans la lecture des « classiques » de la philosophie politique, accomplissant une synthèse originale du rapport à la loi naturelle. Alors que l'on pense que la science a désormais permis de dépasser, et donc de se passer d'un recours à la loi naturelle, M. Bernard retourne l'argument en démontrant qu'une lecture informée et généreuse des travaux des sociologues ou des anthropologues révèle au contraire les limites d'un « culturalisme intégral » et redonne ainsi une chance à l'idée de nature humaine et, avec elle, à la « loi naturelle ». Face à la distorsion croissante entre le sens commun et les élites intellectuelles qui, penseurs, professeurs et journalistes confondus, professent scepticisme ou relativisme absolu de la morale, voici un ouvrage à lire d'urgence pour, comme le dit l'auteur, sortir de « cette contradiction qui fait de nous les bourreaux de nous-mêmes ».". (shrink)

Dans le Continu, Hermann Weyl donne une nouvelle assise aux notions d’ensemble et de fonction, pour assurer aux mathématiques leur applicabilité à la physique, et résoudre ainsi le problème du continu. Les notions introduites, éloignées de la théorie des ensembles, prêtent à confusion et à multiples interprétations.Nous nous proposons d’éclairer le sens du déplacement que Weyl opère dans ces notions. Nous présentons une synthèse des thèses épistémologiques soutenues dans Le Continu et résolvons certains problèmes interprétatifs. Par une approche comparative, nous (...) soulignons l’écart entre les principes logico-mathématiques du Continu et ceux de la théorie des ensembles. Nous nous centrons sur la distinction entre intension et extension, et sur la place attribuée aux entiers naturels pour le fondement des mathématiques. (shrink)

Dans le Continu, Hermann Weyl donne une nouvelle assise aux notions d’ensemble et de fonction, pour assurer aux mathématiques leur applicabilité à la physique, et résoudre ainsi le problème du continu. Les notions introduites, éloignées de la théorie des ensembles, prêtent à confusion et à multiples interprétations.Nous nous proposons d’éclairer le sens du déplacement que Weyl opère dans ces notions. Nous présentons une synthèse des thèses épistémologiques soutenues dans Le Continu et résolvons certains problèmes interprétatifs. Par une approche comparative, nous (...) soulignons l’écart entre les principes logico-mathématiques du Continu et ceux de la théorie des ensembles. Nous nous centrons sur la distinction entre intension et extension, et sur la place attribuée aux entiers naturels pour le fondement des mathématiques. (shrink)

Introduction, Machiavelli in his time -- The secretary -- Machiavelli as political philosopher -- Machiavelli and republican virtue -- Machiavelli and the realm of fortune -- Machiavelli the writer -- Conclusion why Machiavelli matters.

This article is devoted to the analysis of the remarks of Gödel's Maxims and Philosophical remarks (Max Phil) that present a solution to the paradoxes of set theory, and to the analysis of the context. It is divided in two parts. The first part contains two remarks from the notebook IX, (pp. 48b, 51) on the question of the strategies for the solution of paradoxes. They clearly show Gödel’s preference for the strategy of limited ranges of significance. The reasons why (...) Gödel was also interested in the other strategies suggested by Russell is explained through two remarks of Max Phil IX (pp.69 and 72b) The second part presents a remark from Max Phil X (p. 28-29), and explains it from the perspective of Gödel analysis of concepts in the early 1943. (shrink)

This article is extracted from a discussion between Camel Gupta, Jay Bernard and Sita Balani. We took as our starting point ‘Becoming visible: Black lesbian discussions’ (Carmen et al, 1984), featured in the 1984 special issue of Feminist Review on black feminism. Here, we reflect on the political, cultural and technological transformations of queer life since the publication of ‘Becoming visible’. The original discussion focused on questions of identity, safety, the public and the private, and the tensions between race and (...) sexuality. The discussants took personal and political risks to be active organisers. As the beneficiaries of that activism, we interrogate not only the broader ideas of race, sexuality and feminism, but critique some of the discussions circulating within our own ranks. We also consider our responsibility to follow our predecessors and to learn from their mistakes. We are more visible than ever, but at what price? What has been gained and lost? Beyond visibility, what is our responsibility? In an attempt to understand these questions we cover contemporary notions such as QTIPOC, monolithic whiteness and online activism. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain (...) in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)