Resumen Recientemente la ciencia cognitiva de la religión ha permitido desarrollar argumentos evolutivos desacreditadores, los cuales buscan poner en entredicho no solo la racionalidad sino la verdad del teísmo. Dado que hay dos formas de concebir la racionalidad y la justificación epistémicas, a saber, la internalista y la externalista, cabe preguntarse ¿de qué modo tales argumentos afectan al teísmo? El objetivo de este artículo es responder a esta cuestión mediante una reconstrucción y evaluación de tres argumentos evolutivos desacreditadores subproductistas contra (...) la racionalidad del teísmo que Dennett sostendría. Sostendré que solo uno de los tres argumentos de Dennett es posiblemente válido. igualmente, mostraré que el argumento adicional del sesgo cognitivo es probablemente exitoso en socavar la justificación internalista y externalista del teísmo. Finalmente, mostraré que estos argumentos evolutivos desacreditadores pueden ser invalidados indirectamente a partir del argumento evolutivo desacreditador en contra del naturalismo desarrollado por Plantinga, al cual se le puede contraponer el argumento lógico cancelador de la epistemología reformada.Recently, the cognitive science of religion has allowed the development of evolutionary debunking arguments, which seek to challenge not only rationality but the truth of theism. Since there are two ways of conceiving epistemic rationality and justification, viz., the internalist and the externalist, one may wonder ¿how such arguments affect theism? The purpose of this article is to answer this question through a reconstruction and evaluation of three evolutionary debunking arguments against the rationality of theism that Dennett would hold. I will argue that only one of the three Dennett's evolutionary debunking arguments is possibly valid. I will also show that the argument of cognitive bias is probably successful in undermining both the internalist and externalist justification of theism, under certain conditions. Finally, I will show that this arguments can be indirectly disproved from evolutionary argument against naturalism developped by Plantinga, argument to which one can counterpose logical defeater argument against the reformed epistemology. (shrink)

Uma das principais preocupações de Ludwig Wittgenstein, presente já desde as suas primeiras observações, é a autonomia do pensamento próprio. Nosso objetivo neste texto é indicar alguns aspectos metodológicos do diagnóstico e da crítica que o filósofo vienense opera em relação à tradição filosófica ocidental com vistas a possibilitar a obtenção de resultados seguros e pacíficos no universo polêmico da filosofia. Para tanto, indicaremos a importância de recuperar o papel que a tradição filosófica desempenha para o pensamento próprio, assim como (...) a importância de conscientizar-se de que a principal dificuldade da filosofia é estar diante dos conceitos sem pré-conceitos. Além disso, ressaltaremos a necessidade de superação das dificuldades humanas como a da vontade mostrando na filosofia de Wittgenstein a presença da atividade destruidora dos vícios, adornos e ídolos herdados bem como a sua importância para a averiguação das condições lingüísticas do próprio pensar. (shrink)

Cinema is commonly hailed as "the universal language," but how does it communicate so effortlessly across cultural and linguistic borders? Drawing on a lifetime's worth of viewing an reviewing, influential critic Gilberto Perez invokes a dizzying array of masters past and present includin Chaplin, Ford, Kiarostami, Eisenstein, Malick, Mizoguchi, Haneke, Hitchcock, and Godard--to explore the transaction between filmmaker and audience. The Eloquent Screen shows how cinema, as the consummate contemporary art form, establishes a thoroughly modern rhetoric in which different (...) points of view are brought into clear focus.". (shrink)

El objetivo general es describir las principales características de las fuentes informativas empleadas para la cobertura de la trata de seres humanos en tres diarios digitales españoles y su evolución. Para ello, se describe las fuentes, su naturaleza, origen, modo de atribución, y su relación con la temática y los medios de comunicación. A partir de un análisis de contenido, los resultados de este estudio demuestran el predominio de las fuentes físicas frente a las documentales, en concreto, las institucionales dominan (...) las agendas. Asimismo, se descubre que algunos criterios de calidad, como la pluralidad de las fuentes, no se cumplen. (shrink)

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar os temas do “novo método” filosófico e da “Filosofia da Psicologia”, nos escritos tardios de Ludwig Wittgenstein, como relacionados prática e necessariamente. Para o proposto, a estratégia expositiva segue a seguinte ordem: analisam-se os pressupostos filosóficos relativamente irrefletidos que determinam a visão que o jovem Wittgenstein tinha do “método correto da Filosofia” e da “Filosofia da Psicologia”; interpreta-se a volta filosófica de 1929 como comprometida em apresentar o rosto ainda informe do “novo método” (...) e retomar criticamente os alvos do TLP, sob essa nova perspectiva metodológica; e considera-se a Filosofia da psicologia de Wittgenstein inserida numa perspectiva diferente da perspectiva da ciência psicológica do fim do século XIX e início do século XX, fundamentada em investigações empíricas. Essas observações constituem propriamente uma prática do “novo método” de apresentação perspícua e se caracteriza como um aspecto-chave e necessário, um filtro, para a compreensão das observações do filósofo em torno da psicologia e de seu objetivo em dissolver os problemas metafísicos ali presentes.The main purpose of this article is to present the themes of the philosophical “new method” and the “philosophy of psychology” in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s late writings as practically and necessarily related. For the proposed, our expository strategy follows the following order: we analyzed the relatively unreasonable philosophical presuppositions that determine the young Ludwig’s view of the “correct method of philosophy” and of “philosophy of psychology”; we interpreted the philosophical turn of 1929 as committed to presenting the still-informed face of the “new method” and to critically revisiting the TLP targets under this new methodological perspective; and we considered Wittgenstein’s philosophy of psychology inserted in a different perspective from the perspective of the psychological science of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century based on empirical investigations. These observations are properly a practice of the “new method” of perspicuous presentation and they are characterized as a key and necessary aspect, a filter, for the understanding of the philosopher’s observations about psychology, and his goal in dissolving the metaphysical problems present there. (shrink)

This paper investigates whether 'even if A, B' is pragmatically polysemic, so that a nonconcessive conditional may have 'even if', and whether concessive conditionals, pragmatically defined, can fail to have 'even if' or a non-temporal 'still'. Different paraphrases are used to help elucidate pragmatic meanings. A theory of the pragmatic meanings of concessive and implicative conditionals is presented. The semantic meaning of 'even if' and the question of whether concessive conditionals imply the truth of their consequents are also discussed.

O presente ensaio se empenha em problematizar elementos contidos nos conceitos de illness e disease proposto pelo Dr. Arthur Kleinman ; especificamente no capítulo II do seu livro “The illness narratives: surfering, healing and the human condition. Nesta obra Kleinman vai dissecar o fenômeno da enfermidade e suas aflições tendo reflexos nas reações psicológicas e sociais. Ou seja, a disease tendo desdobramento na illness. A questão fundamental a que esse ensaio propõe é pensar uma inversão e refletir se illness altera (...) disease? Minha proposta é adentrar neste caminho pela via das reações emocionais e homeostasia. (shrink)

Este artigo tem o objetivo de desvelar o núcleo da forma das relações socioeconômicas no sistema capitalista de exploração para acumulação de propriedade privada. Referido núcleo deriva nos sujeitos de direito, no Estado e nas demais instituições que derivam do modo de produção posto pela classe socioeconômica dominante que detém a propriedade privada dos meios de produção. Por meio do método materialismo histórico-dialética em Karl Marx e sob a ótica da interpretação filosófica e científica de Evguiéni Bronislavovitch Pachukanis e especialistas (...) contemporâneos. A derivação do modo de produção interpela a forma das relações socioeconômicas. A forma direito forjada com a ideologia capitalista trata formalmente todos os sujeitos como se fossem iguais, equivalendo-os como sujeitos de direito, com a autorização ideológica da forma Estado, em que ambas as formas conformam-se ao poder político da burguesia. O núcleo das relações socioeconômicas tem como átomo a mercadoria, as mercadorias não possuem valor de uso, mas sim valor de troca. Ninguém tem o direito de usar um bem necessário para sua vida, mas somente se puder contratar essa mercadoria. Logo, não somos sujeitos de direito, somos sujeitos pelo direito, ou seja, somos uma mercadoria no sistema capitalista a ser explorada pela classe proprietária dos meios de produção. (shrink)

An extended examination of Libet's works led to a comprehensive reinterpretation of his results. According to this reinterpretation, the Minimum Train Duration of electrical brain stimulation should be considered as the time needed to create a brain stimulus efficient for producing conscious sensation and not as a basis for inferring the latency for conscious sensation of peripheral origin. Latency for conscious sensation with brain stimulation may occurafterthe Minimum Train Duration. Backward masking with cortical stimuli suggests a 125-300 ms minimum value (...) for the latency for conscious sensation of threshold skin stimuli. Backward enhancement is not suitable for inferring this latency. For determining temporal relations between stimuli that correspond to subjects' reports, theendof cerebral Minimum Train Duration should be used as reference, rather than its onset. Results of coupling peripheral and cortical stimuli are explained by a latency after the cortical Minimum Train Duration, having roughly the same duration as the latency for supraliminal skin stimuli. Results of coupling peripheral stimuli and stimuli to medial lemniscus (LM) are explained by a shorter LM latency and/or a longer peripheral latency. This interpretation suggests a 230 ms minimum value for the latency for conscious sensation of somatosensory near-threshold stimuli. The backward referral hypothesis, as formulated by Libet, should not be retained. Long readiness potentials preceding spontaneous conscious or nonconscious movements suggest that both kinds of movement are nonconsciously initiated. The validity of Libet's measures of W and M moments (Libet et al., 1983a) is questionable due to problems involving latencies, training, and introspective distinction of W and M. Veto of intended actions may be initially nonconscious but dependent on conscious awareness. (shrink)

"Tough, smart, superbly engaging, The Material Ghost is a terrific book." -- Edward W. Said In The Material Ghost , Gilberto Perez draws on his lifelong love of the movies as well as his work as a film scholar to write a lively, wide-ranging, penetrating study of films and filmmakers and the nature of the art form. For Perez, film is complex and richly contradictory, lifelike and dreamlike at once, a peculiar mix of reality and imagination. "The images on (...) the screen," he writes, "carry in them something of the world itself, something material, and yet something transposed, transformed into another world: the material ghost." "Dazzling... The sheer intelligence at work in these lucid pages is exhilarating." -- Alfred Guzzetti, Boston Book Review "A pleasure. Gilberto Perez is one of the smartest film critics writing anywhere." -- Jonathan Rosenbaum "Strikes an ideal balance between insightful analysis and graceful writing... A model of thoughtful criticism." -- David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor "Brilliantly polemical in his critique of cynical reason ('the official philosophy of late capitalism'), no less passionate in defending the truth-value of cinema, Perez seems to be the clearest heir to the great humanist critic André Bazin." -- Sight & amp Sound "The chapters on Keaton and Renoir are stunning, full of perceptive remarks the chapter on Godard is a persuasive rehabilitation none of the chapters is without memorable insights." -- Michael Wood, London Review of Books "Gilberto Perez's ambitious, abundant, and cultivated book--the fruit of decades of thinking and teaching -- accompanies readers on a journey of discovery into the wonder of film." -- Stanley Cavell "Few books of film criticism in the past twenty-five years have been so enjoyable or instructive... [Perez] has excellent things to say about authorship, about documentaries, about popular genres, about cinematic point of view and narrative technique, about actors, and above all about camera style... He makes us want to look once more at the remarkable pictures he discusses." -- James Naremore, Cineaste. (shrink)

It is argued that contraposition is valid for a class of natural language conditionals, if some modifications are allowed to preserve the meaning of the original conditional. In many cases, implicit temporal indices must be considered, making a change in verb tense necessary. A suitable contrapositive for implicative counterfactual conditionals can also usually be found. In some cases, the addition of certain words is necessary to preserve meaning that is present in the original sentence and would be lost or changed (...) in the contrapositive without them. A distinction is made between adding new meaning and adding new words to preserve existing meaning. For concessive conditionals and relevance conditionals, however, no valid contrapositive can be found. They do not belong to the class of contraposable conditionals, which can be independently defined. Difficult cases are also discussed in which the contradictory of the consequent semantically entails the truth of the antecedent. In such cases the content of the antecedent is implicit in the meaning of the consequent. Contraposition becomes possible if what is implicit in the original consequent is made explicit in the contrapositive antecedent. (shrink)

1. Introduction The readiness potential was found to precede voluntary acts by about half a second or more (Kornhuber & Deecke, 1965). Kornhuber (1984) discussed the readiness potential in terms of volition, arguing that it is not the manifestation of an attentional processes. Libet discussed it in relation to consciousness and to free will (Libet et al. 1983a; 1983b; Libet, 1985, 1992, 1993). Libet asked the following questions. Are voluntary acts initiated by a conscious decision to act? Are the physiological (...) facts compatible with the belief that free will determines our voluntary acts? What is the role of consciousness in voluntary action? In this paper I will discuss these questions and the answers that Libet gave to them. (shrink)

In the Poetics of Aristotle there is a definition of the human being that perhaps has not yet been well considered in educational theory and practice. This definition calls into question a dynamism that according to Plato was unavoidable for an appropriate understanding of the educational process that turns a human being into a beautiful, good and just citizen: mimesis. The paper's intent is to reconsider the definition of the human being, centred on mimesis, presented by Aristotle in the Poetics (...) to demonstrate if, and how, it might establish new paradigms for human coexistence. Aristotle's anthropological statement is included in a much wider discourse concerning philosophy of art; but if isolated from the context, it is an essential definition of human beings that can be synthesised as follows: human beings are the mimetic animal par excellence, and their process of understanding has a fundamental connection with such excellence. Ignorance and/or negligence of how relevant mimesis might be in the educational process may have decisively contributed to separate human beings from this core aspect of their humanity and therefore produced painful consequences in human coexistence. As long as education does not pay attention to the pedagogical implications of the definition taken from the Poetics, how can human flourishing be safeguarded? I argue that recognition of the centrality of mimesis in the educational process allows human edification to proceed devoid of ideological basis, be it secular or confessional; and overcomes the risk of relativism. Mimesis, formerly recognised by Plato as a link between what is expressed and what really is, is masterfully reinterpreted by Aristotle. Aristotle recognised its positive pedagogic value in the Poetics, and nowadays we can recognise how it offers existential dynamics that restore the vital human relationship between self and other. The sense of this proposal lies in giving mimesis the role it deserves in education, by raising the significance of how coexistence might benefit from a vast human dimension, capable of recognising our humanity beyond our rational capacity. (shrink)

Claims that necessary and sufficient conditions are not converse relations are discussed, as well as the related claim that If A, then B is not equivalent to A only if B . The analysis of alleged counterexamples has shown, among other things, how necessary and sufficient conditions should be understood, especially in the case of causal conditions, and the importance of distinguishing sufficient-cause conditionals from necessary-cause conditionals. It is concluded that necessary and sufficient conditions, adequately interpreted, are converse relations in (...) all cases. (shrink)

This paper investigates the implicative conditional, a connective intended to describe the logical behavior of an empirically defined class of natural language conditionals, also named implicative conditionals, which excludes concessive and some other conditionals. The implicative conditional strengthens the strict conditional with the possibility of the antecedent and of the contradictory of the consequent. $${p\Rightarrow q}$$ p ⇒ q is thus defined as $${\lnot } \Diamond {(p \wedge \lnot q) \wedge } \Diamond {p \wedge } \Diamond {\lnot q}$$ ¬ ◊ (...) ( p ∧ ¬ q ) ∧ ◊ p ∧ ◊ ¬ q. We explore the logical properties of this conditional in a reflexive normal Kripke semantics, provide an axiomatic system and prove it to be sound and complete for our semantics. The implicative conditional validates transitivity and contraposition, which we take to be integral parts of reasoning and communication. But it only validates restricted versions of strengthening the antecedent, right weakening, simplification, and rational monotonicity. Apparent counterexamples to some of these properties are explained as due to contextual factors. Finally, the implicative conditional avoids the paradoxes of material and strict implication, and validates some connexive principles such as Aristotle’s theses and weak Boethius’ thesis, as well as some highly entrenched principles of conditionals, such as conjunction of consequents, disjunction of antecedents, modus ponens, cautious monotonicity and cut. (shrink)

Libet's (2000) arguments in defense of his interpretation of his experimental results are insufficient. The claims of my critical review (Gomes, 2008) do not suffer with his new statements.

O autor apresenta alguns princípios da clínica winnicottiana através da discussão do artigo de Winnicott de 1941 intitulado "A observação de bebês em uma situação estabelecida". Enfatiza a dimensão do tempo como fator fundamental na situação clínica. A situação clínica organiza-se ao redor do gesto, da ação, do acontecer do self. Por essa razão a intervenção do analista aborda fundamentalmente a ação no mundo. Desde as primeiras sessões é importante permitir que o gesto do paciente crie o final da sessão, (...) para que haja um trabalho de construção da finalização da análise e do morrer, como parte da saúde.The author presents some of the principles of the winnicottian clinic through the discussion of Winnicott's article of 1941 "The observation of Infants in a Set Situation". It is stressed the dimension of time as a fundamental factor in the clinical situation. The clinical situation organizes itself around the gesture, the action, the happening of the self. For this reason the analyst's intervention fundamentally approaches the action in the world. From the first sessions it is important to allow the patient's gesture that creates the end of the session this permits that a work of the ending of analysis of dying as part of health. (shrink)

Eutanasia, matar y dejar morir. Desambiguación del concepto de eutanasia y consideraciones bioéticas esenciales Eutanásia, matar e deixar morrer. Desambiguação do conceito de eutanásia e considerações bioéticas essenciais The purpose of this original paper is to clarify the term “euthanasia”, describing the varied conducts wrongly associated with it and distinguishing those that are not euthanasia from the only one that certainly is. Additionally, basic bioethical considerations are presented regarding the terms “euthanasia,” “killing” and “letting die,” and discussed in relation to (...) conscious and unconscious patients. Para citar este artículo / To reference this article / Para citar este artigo Merchán-Price J. Eutanasia, matar y dejar morir. Desambiguación del concepto de eutanasia y consideraciones bioéticas esenciales. Pers Bioet. 2019;23: 207-223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5294/pebi.2019.23.2.4 Recibido: 23/08/2019 Aceptado: 18/10/2019. (shrink)

A commentary on articles by Klein, Pockett, and Trevena and Miller, in this issue, is given. Average shift in the point of subjective equality , calculated by Klein on Libet's data, and corresponding change in mean shift, calculated by Libet et al. , may be “corrected,” taking as a reference point the end of the minimum train duration. Values obtained, if significant, indicate a latency for conscious sensation of the skin stimulus of at least 230 ms. Pockett's main conclusions are (...) favored, but her explanation of peripheral–lemniscal couplings is found to be unconvincing. Trevena and Miller's article unsuccessfully tries to rescue a dualist interactionist view. Libet's method of timing intentions is thoroughly criticized. (shrink)

El presente trabajo se propone rescatar la resistencia y la crítica al poder imperial romano del libro del Apocalipsis como una fuente fundamental para la teología moral cristiana, que lo convirtieron en un foco de luz que ilumina el camino de la conducta humana hacia un mundo mejor. Al mismo tiempo, ofrece pautas para la defensa de la vida en un entorno donde los totalitarismos políticos, económicos y religiosos atentan contra ella. Además, quiere destacar dicha resistencia y crítica como uno (...) de los factores generadores, y por tanto centrales, de la teología del Apocalipsis. Para ello se utilizarán los principios metodológicos de la lectura contextual que parten de la convicción según la cual el texto es una expresión de las vivencias comunitarias del hagiógrafo y de su actitud ante las circunstancias sociales que lo provocaron. El libro busca afectar el entorno, pero este también configura el contenido de la obra escrita. En un segundo momento, con el método se indaga qué de ese momento histórico puede iluminar el presente del lector. En el caso del Apocalipsis, se elegirán los textos en los que el autor presente los temas y actores principales de la trama, a saber: el ser supremo sentado en el trono, el cordero y el mal —simbolizado específicamente en el tercer jinete—, ya que en ellos se juega el mensaje del libro, la soberanía divina que humaniza o la soberanía diabólica deshumanizante. (shrink)

A theory of necessary and sufficient conditions is presented, as well as a theory of necessary and sufficient causes and effects, viewed as a particular case of the former. Ambiguities of the terms 'condition' and 'necessary condition' are explored, and a neutral meaning for 'condition' is favoured. The relation between necessary and sufficient conditions and implicative conditionals (including counterfactuals) is also discussed. Two problems of counterfactual theories of causal explanation are indicated, concerning (i) how to account for causes that are (...) not necessary and (ii) how to interpret the counterfactual from the negation of the effect to the negation of the cause. Application of the theory of necessary and sufficient conditions to Euler’s explanation of the Königsberg bridge problem is discussed. The theory of necessary and sufficient causes and effects is then applied to the flagpole shadow explanation and to two biological explanations, one involving a sufficient but not necessary cause and the other a necessary but not sufficient cause. Causes that are neither sufficient nor necessary are also recognized. Finally, a probabilistic approach to causes that are either not sufficient or not necessary is explored, including its application to examples of such cases. (shrink)

The analysis is restricted to the architectural aspect. It puts in evidence a dialectical procedure which makes the gnoseological importance of the verb to look stand out clearly. The pharisee's knowledge is based on religious convictions ; that of the blind man on his experience.

Los últimos avances de la ciencia invitan a pensar en la posibilidad práctica del transhumanismo. Pero quizá es pertinente estudiar una pregunta a la que todavía ni la ciencia ni la filosofía han sabido dar respuesta. En concreto, la naturaleza de la consciencia fenoménica de Ned Block o del concepto de vigilancia de Stanislas Dehaene. Pese a los últimos avances en neurociencia y en inteligencia artificial, seguimos sin pistas para responder a la pregunta del problema fuerte de la consciencia de (...) David Chalmers, del como y por qué estamos aquí. Somos capaces de discriminar de que información somos conscientes, pero no hemos conseguido averiguar por qué somos conscientes o como se genera esa consciencia. El problema es mas grave de lo que parece, ya que no somos capaces de medir, definir ni replicar la consciencia fenoménica. Sin medición, si el objeto de estudio es subjetivo y cualitativo, no se puede aplicar el método científico. Luego, pese a que podríamos replicar la información de nuestro cerebro en un artefacto mecánico, nada garantiza que nuestra consciencia fenoménica se replique ahí, ya que no podemos medir la consciencia fenoménica. Este artefacto hecho a imitación nuestra podría no ser mas que un zombie filosófico, en palabras de David Chalmers, un ser sin consciencia fenoménica, un ser sin alma. Ante esta realidad, cabe preguntarnos: ¿es seguro explorar la alternativa de trascender en un sistema independiente de nuestro cerebro biológico, como un ordenador, sino tenemos ninguna herramienta para medir si ese sistema puede ser consciente de si mismo o producir consciencia fenoménica como un epifenómeno? Si la respuesta, como se defiende en este trabajo, es negativa, una alternativa mas segura para el transhumanismo es explorar la ingeniería genética, los implantes artificiales o embeber el cerebro en sistemas artificiales. (shrink)

The free will problem is defined and three solutions are discussed: no-freedom theory, libertarianism, and compatibilism. Strict determinism is often assumed in arguing for libertarianism or no-freedom theory. It assumes that the history of the universe is fixed, but modern physics admits a certain degree of randomness in the determination of events. However, this is not enough for a compatibilist position—which is favored here—since freedom is not randomness. It is the I that chooses what to do. It is argued that (...) the core of the free will problem is what this I is. A materialist view is favored: The I is an activity of the brain. In addition to absence of external and internal compulsion, freedom involves absence of causal sufficiency of influences acting on the I. A more elaborate compatibilist view is proposed, according to which causal determination is complete when we add events occurring in the I (of which the subject is not conscious). Contrary to what several authors have argued, the onset of the readiness potential before the decision to act is no problem here. The experience of agency is incomplete and fallible, rather than illusory. Some consequences of different views about freedom for the ascription of responsibility are discussed. (shrink)

This book discusses the impact of brain researches on different domains, not only on biological and medical/health ones, but more generally on social ones. A decade ago, neuroscience and neurotechnology gave official birth to a new field of inquiry called “neuroethics”. This term is usually referred to both the analysis of ethical implications of research and clinical practice in theneuroscientific area, and to the understanding of how brain processes moral judgements. After historically reconstructing the origins of neuroethics, the authors show (...) main issues related to the spreading of neuroimaging, the technology with which neuroscientific advancements and applications are identified. The book faces principal neuroethical questions, from the impact of neuroscientific theories and technologies on the explanation and treatment of psychiatric disorders, to the controversial argument of the enhancement of cognitive capacities (the possibility of using drugs, implants and other neurotechnological devices to intervene on the brain in order to improve cognitive performances). Moreover, staring off with some Italian legal cases, a debate on the relevance of neuroscientific data and arguments in legal proceedings will be develop all along the book. This book has the ambition to present neuroethical and bioethical issues in a coherent philosophical framework, in order to go beyond the usual polarizations, which have alimented confusion and misunderstandings within the debate. (shrink)

An examination of conditionals in di¤erent languages leads to a distinction of three types of conditionals instead of the usual two (indicative and subjunctive). The three types can be explained by the degree of acceptance or as-if acceptance of the truth of the antecedent. The labels subjunctive and indicative are shown to be inadequate. So-called indicative conditionals comprise two classes, the very frequent uncertain-fact conditionals and the quite rare accepted-fact conditionals. Uncertain-fact conditionals may have a time shift in contemporary English (...) and the future subjunctive in Portuguese (though not all of them do). Moreover, paraphrases of if with in case or supposing are usually possible with approximately the same meaning. Accepted-fact conditionals never have these features. (shrink)

The blogosphere’s heterogeneity has significantly increased in recent years. Thus, the blog-as-diary approach has shown its limitations. Viewing blogs as a genre is also misleading, as it confuses medium and genre. Considering that the studies of blog genres still need further theoretical and empirical investigations, we propose a method to assess blog posts, understood as utterances, the minimal unit of a blog. We then conduct an analysis of two large datasets from 100 Brazilian blogs. Three reviewers read and judged 5218 (...) posts from 50 A-list blogs and 1527 posts from 50 non-A-list blogs, captured in a 30-day period. Posts’ compositional form, theme and style were cross-analyzed in and between datasets. Our findings lead to the conclusion that blogs in the A-list group tend to post more and stick to themes that attract audiences. Non-A-list blogs post less and focus on themes of interest to bloggers themselves, not necessarily hype topics. (shrink)