Franz Huber’s (2008a) attempt to unify inductivist and hypothetico-deductivist intuitions on confirmation by means of a single measure are examined and compared with previous work on the theory of verisimilitude or truthlikeness. The idea of connecting ‘the logic of confirmation’ with ‘the logic of acceptability’ is also critically discussed, and it is argued that ‘acceptability’ takes necessarily into account some pragmatic criteria, and that at least two normative senses of ‘acceptability’ must be distinguished: ‘acceptable’ in the sense of ‘being allowed (...) to accept’, and ‘acceptable’ in the sense of ‘being obliged to accept’. Lastly, some connections of confirmation theory with naturalism, intertheoretic reduction, and explanation vs. understanding are explored. (shrink)

Co-authorship of papers is very common in most areas of science, and it has increased as the complexity of research has strengthened the need for scientific collaboration. But the fact that papers have more than an author tends to complicate the attribution of merit to individual scientists. I argue that collaboration does not necessarily entail co-authorship, but that in many cases the latter is an option that individual authors might not choose, at least in principle: each author might publish in (...) a separate way her own contribution to the collaborative project in which she has taken part, or papers could explicitly state what the contribution of each individual author has been. I ask, hence, why it is that scientists prefer to ‘pool’ their contributions instead of keeping them separate, if what they pursue in their professional careers (besides epistemic goals) is individual recognition. My answer is based on the view of the scientific paper as a piece of argumentation, following an inferentialist approach to scientific knowledge. A few empirical predictions from the model presented here are suggested in the conclusions. (shrink)

The scientist’s decision of accepting a given proposition is assumed to be dependent on two factors: the scientist’s ‘private’ information about the value of that statement and the proportion of colleagues who also accept it. This interdependence is modelled in an economic fashion, and it is shown that it may lead to multiple equilibria. The main conclusions are that the evolution of scientific knowledge can be path-dependent, that scientific revolutions can be due to very small changes in the empirical evidence, (...) and that not all possible equilibria are necessarily efficient, neither in the economic nor in the epistemic sense. These inefficiencies, however, can be eliminated if scientists can form coalitions. (shrink)

A necessary condition for a group being taken as a rational agent is that its choices and judgements are ‘logically contestable’, but this can lead to problems of aggregation, as Arrow impossibility theorem or the discursive dilemma. This paper proposes a contractarian or constitutional approach: the relevant thing is what aggregation mechanisms would be preferred by the members of the group. Two distinctions need to be made: first, judgement aggregation is not aggregation of decisions, and judgement aggregation needs be distinguished (...) from the aggregation of information: we assume that every member of the group has already taken into account the opinions of the other members, by means of a process of public deliberation, but they may end having different opinions; we also assume that the members are rational, so that they have no reasons to accept further changes in their individual opinions. So, from the epistemic point of view, the collective judgment is not a 'better' opinion than those of the individual members. The collective judgement is better seen as a kind of compromise, the outcome of a ‘bargain’, so to say. Basically, we assume that individuals will have an interest in choosing a specific aggregation function by taking into account how are they affected by the collective actions carried out by the group, and grounded on the chosen collective judgement. (shrink)

Using the approach known as ‘Economics of Scientific Knowledge’, this paper defends the view of scientific norms as the result of a ‘social contract’, i.e., as an equilibrium in the game of selecting the norms under which to proceed to play the game of scientific research and publication. A categorisation of the relevant types of scientific norms is offered, as well as a discussion about the incentives of the researchers in choosing some or other alternative rules.

In this paper, it is argued that both the informer and the hearer in a testimonial situation deserve epistemic merit insofar as they contribute to the collaborative achievement of sharing knowledge. The paper introduces a distinction between the ideals of self-sufficiency and epistemic autonomy. The autonomous exercise of our epistemic agency is very often carried out under strong conditions of epistemic dependence. Testimony exhibits a kind of social dependence that does not threaten the autonomy of the subjects that need to (...) consider their own epistemic capacities. When involved in a testimonial situation, both speaker and hearer declare, at least implicitly, the standings they occupy in an epistemic space and are obliged to recognise certain epistemic requirements. (shrink)

Shared decision-making is a well-recognized model to guide decision-making in medical care. However, the shared decision-making concept can become exceedingly complex in adolescent patients with varying degrees of autonomy who have most of their medical decisions made by their parents or legal guardians. The complexity increases further in ethically difficult situations such as terminal illness. In contrast to the typical patient-physician dyad, shared decision-making in adolescents requires a decision-making triad that also includes the parents or guardians. The multifactorial nature of (...) these cases can overwhelm treatment teams, with minimal guidance on how to best approach the patient–parents–physician dynamic in an ethically appropriate manner. Estimated time left to live is the paramount ethical consideration for such cases with respect to shared decision-making. This paper offers a sliding scale to serve as a grounding reference for clinicians who care for terminally ill adolescents and hospital ethics committee members for initiating and guiding the ethical discussion for these patients. This paper also elucidates several other ethically salient features inherent to many of these cases, including quality of life, treatability of disease, cultural influences, among others. Yet how each of these variables is weighed is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each individual case. Ultimately, shared decision-making in adolescent patients with terminal illnesses must be a collaborative and ongoing process that thoughtfully weighs the values and ethical responsibilities of the patient, parents, and physician to ideally reconcile differences and come to a consensus on the best management option for each individual patient. (shrink)

Socially responsible consumption reflects a consumer's political and ethical act. Its measurement is dependent on the socio-economic and cultural context. Consequently, measurement instruments reflecting various behaviour profiles of global consumers have been developed. This study employs a Latin-American-specific measurement instrument to compare socially responsible consumption behaviours in Colombia, Mexico and Peru, countries with the same cultural cluster, that is they reflect a set of values shaped by religion, family, a sense of authority and a nationalist bias in their cultural pattern. (...) The empirical test included confirmatory factorial analysis exercise, factorial invariance analysis and a contrast analysis of variance. The results for the three Latin American countries show the following. (i) The Mexican consumer, compared to the Peruvian and Colombian one, exhibits a stronger tendency to evaluate external practices of corporate social responsibility as a criterion of consumption. (ii) The rationality of the Mexican consumer is better in terms of consumption volume of products, resources and services. Finally, (iii) Peruvian and Mexican consumers (vs. Colombian consumers) exhibit a tendency to assess the responsible practices of companies in labour matters more as a consumption criterion. This study provides empirical evidence of the context-dependent nature of measuring socially responsible consumption. For practitioners, identifying consumer profiles based on the market context enables them to customise goods and services. Moreover, policymakers should implement a sustainable consumption agenda with public policy guidelines tailored to the specific context. (shrink)

This is a Political Economy study on migrants-citizens relations management in the United States of America, with special attention to the religious factor and the pendulum effect. There is a model switch, from integration policies to official persecution, under a high social opportunity cost. Also, there is a split between the State and civil society, causing civil disobedience and sanctuary network across the country. The paper focuses on the development of the Sanctuary Movement, as a case of popular action against (...) to the power elite policies and their sanctions. There was a revival of this movement during the values crisis or 2008 recession, but at the same time there was a critical division into the movement, with higher tension for the migrants. (shrink)

Los procesos de industrialización provenientes de la primera Revolución Industrial alcanzaron a España y a Aragón con un importante retraso. Dentro del amplio abanico de sectores industriales, el de la generación energética resultó indispensable para acelerar los procesos productivos y promover mejoras tecnológicas. En Aragón, al igual que en otros lugares, las estructuras nacidas del sector energético modificaron paisajes y dinamizaron el territorio en el que se ubicaron, constituyendo una fuente de riqueza y modo de vida para sus gentes. Muchas (...) de esas estructuras generadoras de energía ya cerraron sus puertas, pero, en la actualidad, forman parte de un rico Patrimonio industrial estudiado por disciplinas como la Arqueología industrial. Lamentablemente, en Aragón, los poderes públicos encargados de su protección y reutilización mantienen sumido en un profundo abandono a los vestigios industriales relacionados con la generación energética a pesar de su evidente importancia histórica, económica y social. Palabras clave: industrialización, sector energético, patrimonio industrial, inventarios, protección patrimonial, abandono patrimonial.Industrialization processes from the first Industrial Revolution reached Spain and Aragon with a significant delay. Within the wide range of industrial sectors, energy generation was essential to accelerate production processes and promote technological improvements. In Aragon, as in other places, structures born from the energy sector modified landscapes and energized the territory in which they were located, constituting a source of wealth and way of life for its people. Many of these energy-generating structures have already closed their doors but, at present, they are part of a rich industrial heritage studied by disciplines such as industrial archeology. Unfortunately, in Aragon, the public authorities in charge of their protection and reuse keep industrial vestiges related to energy generation in deep abandonment despite their obvious historical, economic and social importance. Key words: industrialization, energy sector, industrial heritage, patrimonial inventory, patrimonial protection, patrimonial abandonment. (shrink)

En el neoplatonismo medieval el concepto de causalidad es asociado al de manifestación para dar razón de la creación divina de mundo como teofanía. El problema radical al que se enfrenta el pensar en los diversos autores estudiados, de Eriúgena a Eckhart, es el de explicar cómo el Absoluto —Ser, Bien y Unidad más allá de todo ente―podría comunicar el ser a la criatura y cuál sería entonces la condición metafísica de posibilidad de la alteridad.

El presente volumen retoma en la actualidad la doctrina medieval del Logos, que fundamenta el mundo en la inteligencia creadora de Dios, cimentando y superando a la vez dos horizontes temáticos en la antigüedad (platónico y aristotélico). La relación entre palabra creadora y mundo creado funda, por una parte, la inteligibilidad del ser finito en general; y por otra, el propio lenguaje de la persona humana y su acción moral.

The ‘principle of the best’ referred to the actually existing world is at the same time a ‘principle of contingency’ whenever the criterion of maximum compossibility is taken into account. As it is well known, this last criterion is that which governs God’s creative election. The paper explains this issue in the context of Leibniz’s modal ontology.

El título del presente artículo apunta a la investigación de una de las tesis centrales del pensamiento de Leonardo Polo referido a la creación, y que se encuentra explícitamente formulada en el Tomo I de su Antropología trascendental. Concretamente, la tesis poliana propone abordar el estudio de la criatura desde su carácter de acto de ser creado, distinto por ello del Ser increado.

Against the modern theory of representation, which makes the world opaque, Polo Suggests reviviting the classical theory of ilumination. Intentionality of knowledge, according to Polo, makes possibe the "deveiling" of reality, and shows its radical dependence from God.

This article focuses on the fourth question of Thomas Aquinas’ De veritate in order to analyse the ontological status of things in the divine Logos, or Word. To do this, and following Aquinas’ text, it first examines the analogy between the mental word and the divine word, explaining the meaning of exemplarity. It then traces the cognitive process which leads to intellectual conception. Finally, in a comprehensive manner, it examines issues surrounding the way of knowing a thing according to similitude (...) and exemplarity in the divine Logos. (shrink)

En este artículo se repasan algunas de las líneas de investigación más influyentes en el área de los estudios sobre biología y género y libros publicados al respecto por un grupo creciente de autoras. Como es habitual entre los estudios de género, en este caso los referentes a la biología cuentan con estudios sobre investigadoras en el área de la biología, mujeres que participaron activamente en la generación de saberes y prácticas de esta disciplina, por una parte, y con trabajos (...) sobre los sesgos epistémicos de género y sobre el androcentrismo en el conocimiento biológico, por otra. La genealogía se relaciona con la autoridad y ésta con el género como agencia en las ciencias y las experimentaciones contemporáneas. (shrink)

Dans un contexte de compréhension de l’être humain en tant que créé à l’image et à la ressemblance divine, Nicolas de Cues a considéré que la vision et l’union avec l’Absolu conduit, d’une part, au bonheur, et implique aussi, d’autre part, l’expression de la plus grande liberté que puisse atteindre l’humain, c’est-à-dire la pleine possession de soi. Cette conviction se présente dans son œuvre, le De visione Dei, dans une ambiance mesurée par l’attitude de la personne en prière, qui s’adresse (...) à Dieu dans la recherche de soi-même, et dans l’aspiration à accéder à ce qui est sciemment inaccessible. À la fin de la Renaissance, Giordano Bruno est l’auteur qui marquera indiscutablement le tournant anthropologique dans le sens d’une subjectivité ne prétendant plus à une union avec l’Absolu, mais qui se retourne vers elle-même. Cela se produit dans un système dans lequel l’être humain et le monde s’auto-impliquent dans une totalité dynamique qui ne laisse pas de place à un Absolu transcendant. (shrink)

El estudio del cine como medio para el análisis sociológico es poco frecuente todavía en nuestro país. Existen numerosos artículos analizando el cine desde diversos ángulos, también el femenino, especialmente roles como el de la mujer fatal en el cine negro. Pero es menos habitual emplear este formato como parte de un método analítico del que extraer un reflejo social de lo que las pantallas proyectan y, a un tiempo, contribuyen a legitimar como base de una sociedad futura. No obstante, (...) existen pocos medios que sean capaces de reflejar el gran cambio acaecido en la historia reciente de la sociedad española. Este interés documental incrementa su potencial al enfocar en primer plano a las mujeres. Este artículo es una contribución a estudiar un campo tan atractivo como es el cine de migraciones a través de la óptica de los imaginarios sociales. (shrink)

Autorka artykułu podejmuje temat mistyki spekulacyjnej dotyczącej tego, czy istoty ludzkie mogą osiągnąć pełną jedność z zasadą bytu w kontekście koncepcji imago repraesentationis Mikołaja z Kuzy. U Mikołaja z Kuzy to pytanie pojawia się w kontekście zachowania wolności człowieka,jako imago imitationis creata, dzięki unii personalnej z Absolutem.Dans cet article l’auteur traite un thème de la spéculation mystique qui concerne la question de savoir si l’etre humain peut atteindre une union complete avec l’origine ou principe de l’être dans le contexte de (...) la notion repraesentationis imago de Nicolas de Cues. Chez Nicolas de Cues cette question se pose en termes de déroulement de la liberté de l’être humain, comme imago imitationis creata, à travers cette union personnelle avec l’Absolu.In this article the author deals with a theme of mystical speculation that regards the question of whether the human being can reach a complete union with the origin or principle of being within the context of Nicholas of Cusa’s notion of imago repraesentationis. In Nicholas of Cusa, this question is posed in terms of the unfolding of the human being’s freedom, as imago imitationis creata, through that personal union with the Absolute. (shrink)

Público el centro de la participación política de los ciudadanos. Sin embargo, las diferencias materiales que existen entre los individuos pueden influir de una forma decisiva en el desarrollo del proceso deliberativo.En este artículo examino la forma en que desde esta teoría de la democracia se ha hecho frente a este problema. Aunque encontramos notables diferencias entre los autores, todos ellos defienden la necesidad de garantizar una igual influencia de los ciudadanos en el proceso político.

Science Bought and Sold collects a large portion of the most relevant works on the `economics of scientific knowledge production,' as well as other more recent and unpublished papers on the topic, and the long introductory essay by the editors is an illuminating guide to the field. In this critical notice, I argue that economic theorising about scientific research is providing a peaceful meeting point for many of the combatants in the `science wars,' one from which both epistemic and political (...) questions about science can be more rationally set forth. (shrink)

This paper wants to elucidate the meaning of "order of transcendentals". That matter has a preferential place in L. Polo's philosophy. This study is carried out through an analysis of concept of "meaning" and specially "the meaning of being".