Neste trabalho, procuro explorar o significado filosófico da chamada hipótese do continuum de Darwin e a possibilidade de atribuir mente ou mentalidade a criaturas não-humanas: de um lado, temos o chamado problema de ‘distribuição dos fenômenos mentais’ na recente Etologia Cognitiva; e, de outro, o problema filosófico ‘outras mentes’. Assim, o trabalho procurar indicar uma possível ponte conceitual entre problemas em Filosofia da Mente e estudos em Etologia Cognitiva. Esta é, portanto, uma abordagem interdisciplinar entre filosofia e biologia tendo em (...) vista uma concepção ampla de mente ou mentalidade. (shrink)

Esta investigação, partindo do diagnóstico da modernidade empreendido por Alasdair MacIntyre, destina-se a avaliar a possibilidade de conciliação entre o discurso universalizante dos direitos humanos e a ética particularista sustentada pelo autor citado a partir do referencial ético aristotélico. A convergência entre os bens individuais, consubstanciados em direitos, e o bem comum, componente essencial da prática e do pensamento éticos, pode representar relevante contribuição teórica no campo de estudos dos direitos humanos. Neste trabalho, dada a limitação da sua natureza, intentou-se (...) analisar os três problemas intrínsecos à concepção de direitos, conforme a perspectiva de MacIntyre: a) a ideia de que sujeitos de direitos são indivíduos morais autônomos e plenamente independentes; b) a separação do bem individual do bem comum; c) a deflação da razão prática comunitária, em relação à racionalidade individual. O trabalho empreendido teve como resultado uma exposição analítica dos pontos de contraste entre a perspectiva dos direitos humanos e a ética conforme compreendida por MacIntyre, necessária para preparar bases de uma possível reconciliação entre ambas. (shrink)

A crise sanitária global provocada pela Covid-19 impôs um cenário crítico de escassez de recursos médicos. As pessoas com deficiência, nessas circunstâncias, são sujeitadas a maior vulnerabilidade do que ocorreria em circunstâncias normais. À luz dessa realidade, nos propomos a apresentar alguns critérios de alocação de recursos empregados durante a crise, destacando seu caráter nocivo para às pessoas com deficiência, e analisar de que forma o princípio da não-discriminação pode, se tomado como referência, contribuir para a reflexão ética e política (...) sobre os protocolos de racionamento. (shrink)

USO MEDICINAL DA MACONHA: UMA ALTERNATIVA AO DIREITO À SAÚDE.

For the epic journey of autumn migration, long-distance migratory birds use innate and learned information and follow strict schedules imposed by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, the details of which remain largely unknown. In addition, bird migration requires integrated action of different multisensory systems for learning and memory, and the hippocampus appears to be the integration center for this task. In previous studies we found that contrasting long-distance migratory flights differentially affected the morphological complexity of two types of hippocampus astrocytes. Recently, (...) a significant association was found between the latitude of the reproductive site and the size of the ADCYAP1 allele in long distance migratory birds. We tested for correlations between astrocyte morphological complexity, migratory distances, and size of the ADCYAP1 allele in three long-distance migrant species of shorebird and one non-migrant. Significant differences among species were found in the number and morphological complexity of the astrocytes, as well as in the size of the microsatellites of the ADCYAP1 gene. We found significant associations between the size of the ADCYAP1 microsatellites, the migratory distances, and the degree of morphological complexity of the astrocytes. We suggest that associations between astrocyte number and morphological complexity, ADCYAP1 microsatellite size, and migratory behavior may be part of the adaptive response to the migratory process of shorebirds. (shrink)

Iris Murdoch, Philosopher Meets Novelist aims to gather some of the worlds present experts on Iris Murdoch, in an effort to promote dialogue between philosophy and literature. This is due not only to the nature of Iris Murdochs work itself, but also to our belief that within Humanistic Studies there is a constant need for breaking down disciplinarian barriers and reaching a deeper, fuller awareness of human thinking. Thus, the book brings together scholars from a variety of fields and placesBrazil, (...) England, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Taiwan, and the United Statesand testifies to the interest that the work of Murdoch continues to inspire. The book is divided into two major sections: Part A, Reading Philosophies in Literature, includes articles focusing on Iris Murdochs philosophical concerns and their general influence in her work; Part B, Reading Literature through Philosophy, is intended as a sort of application ground, a series of case-studies wherein authors depart from novels to retrieve the underlying philosophical thinking. (shrink)

In 2000 “Literatura e Utopia”, a research group led by Ildney Cavalcanti, started working at the Federal University of Alagoas, including members from three other institutions. Despite its namesake, the group focuses extensively on cultural as well as literary aspects of utopian thinking, with special regard for the colonial and postcolonial viewpoints of Latin America. The group has been responsible for two issues of the university’s language and literature journal Leitura. They also penned the 2006 volume Fábulas da Iminência. Ensaios (...) sobre literatura e... (shrink)

A TRIBUTAÇÃO INDUTORA E A IMUNIDADE TRIBUTÁRIA DOS PARTIDOS POLÍTICOS.

RESUMO No segundo capítulo de "Word and Object", Quine procura mostrar o quanto da linguagem pode ser esclarecida em termos estimulantes, bem como a limitação da tradução a partir de diferentes esquemas conceituais. O autor apresenta a tese de indeterminação da tradução por meio de uma situação de tradução radical. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar de que modo Quine desenvolve a tradução radical e destacar os conceitos de informações colaterais, significado estimulativo e esquema conceitual. Em seguida, procuraremos mostrar que (...) a teoria do significado de Jakob Von Uexküll é um caso exemplar da tese de indeterminação da tradução: os processos de significação entre diferentes organismos vivos correspondem a um processo de tradução radical que se depara com dificuldades semelhantes àquelas que levam à indeterminação da tradução segundo Quine. ABSTRACT In the second chapter of "Word and Object", Quine seeks to show how much of language can be elucidated in stimulatory terms as well as the limitation of translating from different conceptual schemas. He introduces the thesis of indeterminacy of translation by means of a radical translation situation. This paper aims to present the way in which Quine develops the radical translation and to point out the concepts of collateral information, stimulus meaning and conceptual schema. Following that, we will seek to show that Jakob von Uexküll's theory of meaning is an exemplary case of the thesis of indeterminacy of translation: the processes of meaning by different living organisms correspond to a radical translation process that faces the difficulties similar to those that lead to the indeterminacy of the translation, according to Quine. (shrink)

Purpose: To analyze how individual characteristics and the social context are associated with mental distress symptoms in the Brazilian population.Method: A multilevel cross-sectional study with data from the 2013 National Health Survey. There were two dependent variables: decreased vital energy and somatic symptoms, the presence of depressive thoughts. The independent variables were biological characteristics, education and income, habits and lifestyle, and context variables. Bivariate analysis was performed, and Prevalence Ratios calculated in a Poisson Regression. A multilevel Poisson Regression was performed (...) to verify the effect of individual and contextual variables.Results: Regarding depressive thoughts, young and middle-aged individuals, low education, women, absence of partner, smokers or former smokers, and absence of health insurance were the categories at highest risk; belonging to classes D-E and living in states with lower expected years of schooling proved to be protective factors. Similar results were found for the second outcome.Conclusions: Symptoms of mental distress were associated with the individual characteristics and contextual aspects of the federation unit. These findings indicate the importance of strengthening psychosocial care aimed at vulnerable groups. (shrink)

Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a qualidade de vida em pessoas com câncer que buscam assistência em casas de apoio. A amostra foi composta por mulheres (82,5%) e homens (17,5%), (N=57). A metodologia foi quanti-qualitativa. Utilizou-se um questionário sócio demográfico, a escala de qualida..

Este estudo discute a possibilidade de o Serviço Social construir conhecimentos a partir da realidade em que atua. Conclui-se que, embora aplicando conhecimentos oriundos de outras ciências, o Serviço Social produz conhecimentos em sua área específica. As dissertações de mestrado produzidas no período de 1981 a 1995 desvelam esses conhecimentos, sua relevância social, trazendo aportes para a solução dos problemas sociais da sociedade brasileira. Sua contribuição teórica situa-se, sobretudo, no campo das demandas e políticas sociais, embora também seja significativa sua (...) contribuição no aprofundamento das questões teórico-metodológicas do Serviço Social. Verificou-se, nos últimos anos, na produção estudada, a tendência de discussão dos novos paradigmas das ciências humanas e as novas exigências que serão impostas à profissão face às mudanças e avanços científico-tecnológicos do século XXI. (shrink)

Tendo como fundo uma concepção pragmática de memória como fazer sem representar, o artigo explora a interseção entre Merleau-Ponty e Varela na qual a noção de condição corporal assume uma função distintiva. A ideia é que a memória depende da condição corporal como um todo e, por consequência, nada tem a ver com representação. O objetivo do artigo pode ser resumido nos seguintes termos: para um organismo, pragmaticamente, é vital saber como fazer coisas com suas memórias mais do que torná-las (...) representações internas do mundo. (shrink)

Este artigo apresenta a proposta de abordar o problema da lacuna explicativa na filosofia da mente. De modo alternativo às abordagens tradicionais, analiso o significado da lacuna explicativa segundo o pragmatismo de James em consonância com a perspectiva da filosofia da linguagem comum de Ryle, Austin e Wittgenstein. Como estratégia de desenvolvimento da proposta do artigo, procuro mostrar que a lacuna explicativa resulta de uma má compreensão dos usos dos termos psicológicos. O resultado é uma obsessiva insistência em entificar o (...) significado de ‘mente’ e a crença de que alguns termos psicológicos significam um tipo de entidade existindo além dos nossos usos dos termos psicológicos. Tal crença assume a forma de uma compreensão da visão fundacionalista do mental. O que procuro mostrar finalmente, e também em consonância com as recentes perspectivas enativistas, é que o significado dos termos psicológicos nada tem a ver com a existência de entidades. A crença em tais entidades, como condição de significação dos termos psicológicos, revela um mito filosófico derivado da aceitação da lacuna explicativa. A proposta do artigo é a desmitificação filosófica da lacuna explicativa. (shrink)

A partir do texto do físico alemão E.Schroedinger, O que é vida? (1943), analisam-se os possíveis limites de demarcação conceitual entre física e biologia. Há um limite possível entre física e biologia? Ou a biologia pode ser reduzida à física? Avaliam-se diferentes pontos de vista entre cientistas e filósofos.

O problema das representações mentais tem sido alvo de várias teorias filosóficas, psicológicas e científicas. Apresento aqui o perfil do problema e algumas tentativas de solução que têm sido mais relevantes historicamente.

considerando o debate nos contextos moderno e contemporâneo da filosofia, exploro a resposta pragmática ao dualismo fato-valor. Nesse sentido, levando em conta que o pragmatismo considera mente e mundo como partes de um continuum experiencial e os humanos como seres sociais, chamo a atenção para a “exigência” de significação e valor nas práticas de vida. Traçando um paralelo entre William James e Wolfgang Köhler relação à noção de “interesse”, como forma de exigência, a ideia central que desenvolvo neste artigo é (...) que “interesse” faz diferença em alguns contextos de experiência e então abre espaço para significação e valor em múltiplos níveis da vida. Em termos do pragmatismo de James, como alternativa aos dualismos tradicionais (fato-valor, teoria- prática, conhecimento-realidade etc.), essa visão pluralista supõe que cada forma de interesse representa condição e gênese de sentido e valor nas práticas humanas. (shrink)

Este artigo trata de alguns recentes avanços epistemológicos em filosofia da mente.Particularmente enfoca os modelos de processos mentais e as teorias filosóficas subjacentes.

From the German physicist Erwin Schrödinger's text, What is life , the possible limits of conceptual division between physics and biology are analyzed. Is there a limit between physics and biology? Or can biology be reduced to physics? Different views will be analyzed among scientists and philosophers.A partir do texto do físico alemão E.Schroedinger, O que é vida? , analisam-se os possíveis limites de demarcação conceitual entre física e biologia. Há um limite possível entre física e biologia? Ou a biologia (...) pode ser reduzida à física? Avaliam-se diferentes pontos de vista entre cientistas e filósofos. (shrink)

O artigo apresenta uma releitura do problema da lacuna explicativa partindo do empirismo de William James e Alfred N. Whitehead. Segundo as respectivas noções de experiência e processo de James e Whitehead, o artigo procura mostrar que a lacuna explicativa é um mito filosófico na medida em que sustenta uma continuidade ontológica ao mesmo tempo conjugada com uma descontinuidade epistemológica entre mente e mundo ou mente e cérebro – em particular, como ilustração dessa incongruência entre continuidade e descontinuidade, o núcleo (...) do artigo se concentra em torno da revisão do chamado problema dos qualia. Partindo do empirismo de James e Whitehead, e tendo em vista a noção de continuidade, o artigo indica uma alternativa ao déficit epistemológico da lacuna explicativa assim como à visão internalista de mente que ela inspira – a ideia de que a mente está enclausurada no cérebro. Como resultado final, o artigo indica a atualidade do empirismo de James e Whitehead em consonância com as crescentes abordagens não-internalistas de mente e cognição em termos de continuidade que as noções respectivas de James e Whitehead de experiência e processo sugerem. (shrink)

Procuro explorar uma possível base biológica que tenha relevância explicativa entre elementos da ética e o comportamento humano.

De 1964 a 1985 o Brasil viveu sob um regime de governo ditatorial que de acordo com a historiografia mais recente foi sustentado, em grande parte, pela própria sociedade civil (MELO, 2012; COMISSÃO, 2014). Mais recentemente, a partir dos anos 1980, cresce o movimento de criação de espaços de memória corporativos com o objetivo de tornar pública a trajetória histórica das empresas (COSTA; SARAIVA, 2011). Dentre estes espaços, adquire relevância os Centros de Memória e documentação como lugares de armazenamento (...) e lembrança de memória organizacional, que ajudam a construir simbolicamente a imagem organizacional e a fornecer um senso de coerência e trajetória linear (RIBEIRO; BARBOSA, 2007). Neste contexto, e com base na documentação disponibilizada pela Comissão Nacional da Verdade, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo identificar como o Museu Histórico da Fundação Bradesco retrata (ou deixa de retratar) o relacionamento da empresa Bradesco com o governo brasileiro no período da ditadura civil-militar. FIRMS, BRAZILIAN CIVIL-MILITARE DICTATORSHIP, AND MEMORY AND CORPORATIVE DOCUMENTATION CENTERS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY From 1964 to 1985, Brazil lived under a dictatorial system of government that according to the latest historiography was sustained largely by civil society (MELO, 2012; COMISSÃO, 2014). More recently, since the 1980s, it is possible to be noticed the growing movement of creation of corporate memory spaces in order to make public the historical trajectory of the companies (COSTA and SARAIVA, 2011). Among these spaces, acquires relevance the Corporate Documentation and Memory Centers, which help to symbolically build the organizational image and to provide a sense of consistency and linear trajectory (RIBEIRO and BARBOSA, 2007). In this context, and based on documentation provided by the National Commission of Truth, this research aims to identify how the History Museum of Bradesco Foundation portrays (or does not portray) the relationship between Bradesco company and the Brazilian government in the period of civil-military dictatorship. (shrink)

The therapeutic misconception has been seen as presenting an ethical problem because failure to distinguish the aims of research participation from those receiving ordinary treatment may seriously undermine the informed consent of research subjects. Hence, most theoretical and empirical work on the problems of the therapeutic misconception has been directed to evaluate whether, and to what degree, this confusion invalidates the consent of subjects. We argue here that this focus on the understanding component of informed consent, while important, might be (...) too narrow to capture the ethical complexity of the therapeutic misconception. We show that concerns about misplaced trust and exploitation of such trust are also relevant, and ought to be taken into account, when considering why the therapeutic misconception matters ethically. (shrink)

It is argued here that bioethicists might inadvertently be promoting genetic determinism: the idea that genes alone determine human traits and behaviours. Discussions about genetic testing are used to exemplify how they might be doing so. Quite often bioethicists use clinical cases to support particular moral obligations or rights as if these cases were representative of the kind of information we can acquire about human diseases through genetic testing, when they are not. On other occasions, the clinical cases are presented (...) in simplistic ways that portray genetic testing as yielding information more accurate than it actually is. It is concluded that, because of the problematic implications that the ideology of genetic determinism might have for individuals’ wellbeing and for our public policies, bioethicists should be careful to present these issues in ways that do not promote questionable ideas about the causal role of genes in human diseases and behaviours. (shrink)

While various definitions of moral distress have been proposed, some agreement exists that it results from illegitimate constraints in clinical practice affecting healthcare professionals’ moral agency. If we are to reduce moral distress, instruments measuring it should provide relevant information about such illegitimate constraints. Unfortunately, existing instruments fail to do so. We discuss here several shortcomings of major instruments in use: their inability to determine whether reports of moral distress involve an accurate assessment of the requisite clinical and logistical facts (...) in play, whether the distress in question is aptly characterized as moral, and whether the moral distress reported is an appropriate target of elimination. Such failures seriously limit the ability of empirical work on moral distress to foster appropriate change. (shrink)

Over the turn of the 21st century, the use of data from large electronic corpora has changed research on Spanish historical syntax, spurring interest in long-range evolutions and the shape of the correspondent diachronic curves. However, general reflections on diffusion and the factors that drive and influence it are still pretty much lacking. In this paper, I reflect on the research possibilities laid open by the availability of such large masses of data, focusing particularly on new knowledge on syntactic change (...) brought about by the study of low-frequency phenomena and of recessive changes, as well as on the exploration of changes conditioned by dialect contact and textual traditions. I conclude with some remarks on the general typology of diffusion in syntactic change. (shrink)

The aim of this paper is to show that critics of biological explanations of human nature may be granting too much to those who propose such explanations when they argue that the truth of genetic determinism implies an end to critical evaluation and reform of our social institutions. This is the case because when we argue that biological determinism exempts us from social critique we are erroneously presupposing that our social values, practices, and institutions have nothing to do with what (...) makes biological explanations troublesome. My argument is that what constitutes a problem for those who are concerned with social justice is not the fact that particular behaviours may be genetically determined, but the fact that our value system and social institutions create the conditions that make such behaviours problematic. Thus, I will argue that even if genetic determinism were correct, the requirement of assessing and transforming our social practices and institutions would be far from superfluous. Biology is rarely destiny for human beings and the institutions they create. (shrink)

Este artigo está inserido na área de concentração de educação intercultural, etnofilosofia e estudos de gênero, com ênfase nas pressuposições teóricas pós-identitárias advindas com os estudos queer. Assim, o presente artigo tem como objetivo geral promover um estudo histórico-descritivo sobre a efabulação e o enclausuramento do espírito “queer” na comunidade religiosa yorùbá em territorialidades nigerianas, bem como, se propõem a revistar as representações sociais dos modelos heteronormativos de depredação, de submissão e de abjeção de indivíduos de orientação sexual ou de (...) identidade sexual não heterossexual nas práticas e iniciações religiosas de sacerdócio do Ifá no Brasil. A análise que se segue busca demonstrar, através de fragmentos históricos, como se deu a construção do moralismo e da discriminação LGBTfóbica pelo cristianismo e pelo islão nas comunidades étnicas de matriz ancestral yorùbá em tempos de colonização e pós-colonização na Nigéria. Além da revisão de literatura, trabalhamos com o método de abordagem de pesquisa qualitativa sobre o DAFA - análise de documentos e análise de discursos, complementando estes com alguns nuances da pesquisa etnográfica de natureza virtual. A cultura e a matriz ancestral africana yorùbá é algo muito distante, apesar de estar, ao mesmo tempo, tão próxima, dentro da cultura religiosa afrodescendente brasileira. Muito se tem sido debatido, ressignificado, reconstruído e analisado dentro do Brasil sobre a realidade e a história da cultura africana e afrodescendente. Todavia, este artigo demonstra a possibilidade de reinventarmos o que ainda não foi pensado, de quebrarmos as nossas próprias barreiras e de nos aproximarmos, nós afrodescendentes, de nossas origens, de nossa cultura griot, de nossas pretagogias, de nossos Arché, de nosso Àşé, ou seja, de toda uma cosmovisão que nos separam do espírito da pureza, e respectivamente, que nos distanciam de Eèlà. (shrink)

It might come as a surprise to many that Spain, a country with a strong Catholic tradition that officially banned contraceptive technologies until 1978, has some of the most liberal regulations in assisted reproduction in the world. Law No. 35/1988 was one of the first and most detailed acts of legislation undertaken on the subject of assisted-conception procedures. Indeed, not only did the law permit research on nonviable embryos, it made assisted reproductive technologies available to any woman, whether married or (...) not, through the national healthcare system. (shrink)

Em que pese uma tradição já consolidada dos estudos discursivos na América Latina, com posição destacada nos programas de pós-graduação da área de Linguística e um pulsante calendário de eventos an...

The lack of public support for climate change policies and refusals to vaccinate children are just two alarming illustrations of the impacts of dissent about scientific claims. Dissent can lead to confusion, false beliefs, and widespread public doubt about highly justified scientific evidence. Even more dangerously, it has begun to corrode the very authority of scientific consensus and knowledge. Deployed aggressively and to political ends, some dissent can intimidate scientists, stymie research, and lead both the public and policymakers to oppose (...) important public policies firmly rooted in science. -/- To criticize dissent is, however, a fraught exercise. Skepticism and fearless debate are key to the scientific process, making it both vital and incredibly difficult to characterize and identify dissent that is problematic in its approach and consequences. Indeed, as de Melo-Martín and Intemann show, the criteria commonly proposed as means of identifying inappropriate dissent are flawed and the strategies generally recommended to tackle such dissent are not only ineffective but could even make the situation worse. -/- The Fight Against Doubt proposes that progress on this front can best be achieved by enhancing the trustworthiness of the scientific community and by being more realistic about the limits of science when it comes to policymaking. It shows that a richer understanding of the context in which science operates is needed to disarm problematic dissent and those who deploy it. This, the authors argue, is the best way forward, rather than diagnosing the many instances of wrong-headed dissent. (shrink)

An increase in global violence has forced the displacement of more than 70 million people, including 26 million refugees and 3.5 asylum seekers. Refugees and asylum seekers face serious socioeconomic and healthcare barriers and are therefore particularly vulnerable to physical and mental health risks, which are sometimes exacerbated by immigration policies and local social discriminations. Calls for a strong evidence base for humanitarian action have encouraged conducting research to address the barriers and needs of refugees and asylum seekers. Given the (...) role of epigenetics factors to mediate the effect of psychological and environmental exposures, epigenetic modifications have been used as biomarkers for life adversity and disease states. Therefore, epigenetic research can be potentially beneficial to address some of the issues associated with refugees and asylum seekers. Here, we review the value of previous and ongoing epigenetic studies with traumatized populations, explore some of the ethical challenges associated with epigenetic research with refugees and asylees and offer suggestions to address or mitigate some of these challenges. Researchers have an ethical responsibility to implement strategies to minimize the harms and maximize the short and long-term benefits to refugee and asylee participants. (shrink)

Several feminist philosophers of science have argued that social and political values are compatible with, and may even enhance, scientific objectivity. A variety of normative recommendations have emerged regarding how to identify, manage, and critically evaluate social values in science. In particular, several feminist theorists have argued that scientific communities ought to: 1) include researchers with diverse experiences, interests, and values, with equal opportunity and authority to scrutinize research; 2) investigate or "study up" scientific phenomena from the perspectives, interests, and (...) conditions of marginalized stakeholders potentially affected by the research; and 3) make gender, ethnicity, class, and geographical location "visible," or use them as categories of analysis when appropriate. Yet, more work is needed to determine what exactly these recommendations would require, and the benefits they would yield, in specific research contexts. Using the recent development of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, we examine how these three feminist recommendations would have applied. We argue that these principles would have yielded several epistemic and social benefits in the HPV case, as well as in biomedical research more generally. That is, biomedical research guided by these principles would not only be epistemically superior, but also more socially responsible. (shrink)

Several have argued that the aims of scientific research are not always independent of social and ethical values. Yet this is often assumed only to have implications for decisions about what is studied, or which research projects are funded, and not for methodological decisions or standards of evidence. Using the case of the recently developed HPV vaccines, we argue that the social aims of research can also play important roles in justifying decisions about (1) how research problems are defined in (...) drug development, (2) evidentiary standards used in testing drug “success”, and (3) clinical trial methodology. As a result, attending to the social aims at stake in particular research contexts will produce more rational methodological decisions as well as more socially relevant science. (shrink)

Reprogenetic technologies, which combine the power of reproductive techniques with the tools of genetic science and technology, promise prospective parents a remarkable degree of control to pick and choose the likely characteristics of their offspring. Not only can they select embryos with or without particular genetically-related diseases and disabilities but also choose embryos with non-disease related traits such as sex. -/- Prominent authors such as Agar, Buchanan, DeGrazia, Green, Harris, Robertson, Savulescu, and Silver have flocked to the banner of reprogenetics. (...) For them, increased reproductive choice and reduced suffering through the elimination of genetic disease and disability are just the first step. They advocate use of these technologies to create beings who enjoy longer and healthier lives, possess greater intellectual capacities, and are capable of more refined emotional experiences. Indeed, Harris and Savulescu in particular take reprogenetic technologies to be so valuable to human beings that they have insisted that their use is not only morally permissible but morally required. -/- Rethinking Reprogenetics challenges this mainstream view with a contextualised, gender-attentive philosophical perspective. De Melo-Martín demonstrates that you do not have to be a Luddite, social conservative, or religious zealot to resist the siren song of reprogenetics. Pointing out the flawed nature of the arguments put forward by the technologies' proponents, Rethinking Reprogenetics reveals the problematic nature of the assumptions underpinning current evaluations of these technologies and offers a framework for a more critical and skeptical assessment. (shrink)

Dissent is thought to play a valuable role in science, so that scientific communities ought to create opportunities for receiving critical feedback and take dissenting views seriously. There is concern, however, that some dissent does more harm than good. Dissent on climate change and evolutionary theory, for example, has confused the public, created doubt about existing consensus, derailed public policy, and forced scientists to devote resources to respond. Are there limits to the extent to which scientific communities have obligations to (...) seek and engage dissenting views? We consider the two main criteria that have been offered for what constitutes “normatively appropriate dissent” or the sort of dissent that ought to have the opportunity to be heard and taken seriously. Many have argued that dissenters must (1) engage in uptake of criticism against their own views and (2) share some standards for theory appraisal. We argue these criteria ultimately are unsuccessful. (shrink)

The argument from inductive risk has been embraced by many as a successful account of the role of values in science that challenges the value-free ideal. We argue that it is not obvious that the argument from inductive risk actually undermines the value-free ideal. This is because the inductive risk argument endorses an assumption held by proponents of the value-free ideal: that contextual values never play an appropriate role in determining evidence. We show that challenging the value-free ideal ultimately requires (...) rejecting this assumption. (shrink)

Philosophers of science, particularly those working on science and values, often talk about the need for science to be socially responsible. However, what this means is not clear. In this paper, we review the contributions of philosophers of science to the debate over socially responsible science and explore the dimensions that a fruitful account of socially responsible science should address. Our review shows that offering a comprehensive account is difficult. We contend that broad calls for socially responsible science that fail (...) to attend to relevant dimensions are not the solution, as they preclude meaningful changes to research institutions and practices. We conclude that narrower, more explicit accounts are more likely to lead to substantive transformation. (shrink)

Although there is increased recognition of the inevitable--and perhaps sometimes beneficial-- role of values in scientific inquiry, there are also growing concerns about the potential for commercial values to lead to bias. This is particularly evident in biomedical research. There is a concern that conflicts of interest created by commercialization may lead to biased reasoning or methodological choices in testing drugs and medical interventions. In addition, such interests may lead research in directions that are unresponsive to pressing social needs, when (...) it is profitable to do so. Feminist philosophy of science seems particularly well situated to provide resources to help address such concerns because this literature has both 1) theorized about how to minimize biases in science, e.g., sexist or androcentric biases, and 2) generated accounts of objectivity that do not require individual scientists to be value-neutral or disinterested. Two such accounts are assessed in relation to concerns about commercial bias: those offered by feminist empiricism and standpoint feminism. We argue that standpoint feminism is more promising because it has resources to address, not just the epistemological, but also the inescapably ethical dimensions of commercial bias. (shrink)