There have been few empirical studies into what non-medical factors influence physicians and nurses when deciding about admission and discharge of ICU patients. Information about the attitudes of healthcare professionals about this process can be used to improve decision-making about resource allocation in intensive care. To provide insight into ethical problems that influence the ICU admission and discharge process, we aimed to identify and explore ethical dilemmas healthcare professionals are faced with.

This paper analyses the use of strategies and instruments for organising ethics by small and large business in the Netherlands. We find that large firms mostly prefer an integrity strategy to foster ethical behaviour in the organisation, whereas small enterprises prefer a dialogue strategy. Both large and small firms make least use of a compliance strategy that focuses on controlling and sanctioning the ethical behaviour of workers. The size of the business is found to have a positive impact on the (...) use of several instruments, like code of conduct, ISO certification, social reporting, social handbook and confidential person. Also being a subsidiary of a larger firm has a significant positive influence on the use of instruments. The most popular instrument used by small firms is to let one member of the board be answerable for ethical questions, which fits the informal culture of most small firms. With respect to sectorial differences, we find that firms in the metal manufacturing and construction sectors are more actively using formal instruments than firms in the financial service sector and retail sector. The distinction between family and non-family firms hardly affects the use of instruments. (shrink)

This paper analyses the use of strategies and instruments for organising ethics by small and large business in the Netherlands. We find that large firms mostly prefer an integrity strategy to foster ethical behaviour in the organisation, whereas small enterprises prefer a dialogue strategy. Both large and small firms make least use of a compliance strategy that focuses on controlling and sanctioning the ethical behaviour of workers. The size of the business is found to have a positive impact on the (...) use of several instruments, like code of conduct, ISO certification, social reporting, social handbook and confidential person. Also being a subsidiary of a larger firm has a significant positive influence on the use of instruments. The most popular instrument used by small firms is to let one member of the board be answerable for ethical questions, which fits the informal culture of most small firms. With respect to sectorial differences, we find that firms in the metal manufacturing and construction sectors are more actively using formal instruments than firms in the financial service sector and retail sector. The distinction between family and non-family firms hardly affects the use of instruments. (shrink)

This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic (...) and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this.;This book is a good example of the contribution a clear conceptual analysis can make to highlighting and clarifying problematic thinking about real issues in education. In the literature there are different claims of varying strength and plausibility which require very careful sorting. David Carr demonstrates such careful sorting in the difficult field of ethics and maps some paths for fruitful thinking about professionalism in teaching. &lsquoThe distinctions of Peters and others between education and teaching, theory and practice, and intrinsic and instrumental value, stand in need of more careful mapping and refinement&rsquo which could enable us to steer clear of &lsquoeducationally pernicious conclusions&rsquo . Carr succeeds in doing just this. (shrink)

Dynamic Epistemic Logic This article tells the story of the rise of dynamic epistemic logic, which began with epistemic logic, the logic of knowledge, in the 1960s. Then, in the late 1980s, came dynamic epistemic logic, the logic of change of knowledge. Much of it was motivated by puzzles and paradoxes. The number … Continue reading Dynamic Epistemic Logic →.

Dynamic Epistemic Logic This article tells the story of the rise of dynamic epistemic logic, which began with epistemic logic, the logic of knowledge, in the 1960s. Then, in the late 1980s, came dynamic epistemic logic, the logic of change of knowledge. Much of it was motivated by puzzles and paradoxes. The number … Continue reading Dynamic Epistemic Logic →.

Most models of patient-physician communication take decision-making as a central concept. However, we found that often the treatment course of metastatic cancer patients is not easy to describe in straightforward terms used in decision-making models but is instead frequently more erratic. Our aim was to analyse these processes as trajectories. We used a longitudinal case study of 13 patients with metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer for whom palliative chemotherapy was a treatment option, and analysed 65 semi-structured interviews. We analysed three (...) characteristics of the treatment course that contributed to the ‘erraticness’ of the course: (1) The treatment (with or without chemotherapy) contained many options; (2) these options were not stable entities to be decided upon, but changed identity over the course of treatment, and (3) contrary to the closure (option X means no option Y, Z, etc.) a decision implies, the treatment course was a continuous process in which options instead remained open. When the treatment course is characterised by these many and changeable options that do not result in closure, the shared decision-making model should take these into account. More attention needs to be paid to the erratic character of the process in which the doctor has to provide continuous information that is related to the changing situation of the patient; also, flexibility in dealing with protocols is warranted, as is vigilance about the overall direction of the process. (shrink)

The logics considered here are the propositional Linear Logic and propositional Intuitionistic Linear Logic extended by a knotted structural rule: γ, xn → y / γ, xm → y. It is proved that the class of algebraic models for such a logic has the finite embeddability property, meaning that every finite partial subalgebra of an algebra in the class can be embedded into a finite full algebra in the class. It follows that each such logic has the finite model property (...) with respect to its algebraic semantics and hence that the logic is decidable. (shrink)

Theoretical models for physician-patient communication in clinical practice are described in literature, but none of them seems adequate for solving the communication problem in clinical practice that emerges in case of factitious disorder. Theoretical models generally imply open communication and respect for the autonomy of the patient. In factitious disorder, the physician is confronted by lies and (self)destructive behaviour of the patient, who in one way or another tries to involve the physician in this behaviour. It is no longer controversial (...) that the physician should communicate his consideration of a factitious disorder without insistence that the patient accepts this diagnosis. However, the balance between patient autonomy and open communication on the one hand, and the preservation of the patient's health, physician integrity and of a constructive physician-patient relationship on the other is easily disrupted. In this article, an epistemological model is described to facilitate a positive outcome of confrontation in treatment of factitious disorder. Analysing the problem in terms of systems theory will help the physician to assess what information is appropriate to use in which phase of the patient's treatment, while preserving the physician-patient relationship. (shrink)

Modal Logic Modal notions go beyond the merely true or false by embedding what we say or think in a larger conceptual space referring to what might be or might have been, should be or should have been, or can still come to be. Modal expressions occur in a remarkably wide … Continue reading Modal Logic →.

In this essay I present what is, I contend, the free-will problem properly thought through, or at least presented in a form in which it is possible to think about it without being constantly led astray by bad terminology and confused ideas. Bad terminology and confused ideas are not uncommon in current discussions of the problem. The worst such pieces of terminology are "libertarian free will" and "compatibilist free will." The essay consists partly of a defense of the thesis that (...) the use of these phrases by writers on the problem of free will can only generate conceptual confusion and partly of a formulation of the problem that does not make use of them. I contend that this formulation is neutral with respect to the historically important positions on free will (e. g., compatibilism and incompatibilism). (shrink)

Jill de Villiers has argued that children's mastery of sentential complements plays a crucial role in enabling them to succeed at false-belief tasks. Josef Perner has disputed that and has argued that mastery of false-belief tasks requires an understanding of the multiplicity of perspectives. This paper attempts to resolve the debate by explicating attributions of desires and beliefs as extensions of the linguistic practices of making commands and assertions, respectively. In terms of these linguistic practices one can explain why desire-talk (...) will precede belief-talk and why even older children will have difficulty attributing incompatible desires. (shrink)

There is widespread understanding of the close connection between religion and the ecological crisis, and that in order to amend this crisis, theological resources are needed. This monograph seeks to contribute to this endeavor by engaging the theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His theology is particularly suitable in this context, due to its open-ended nature, and to the prophetic and radical nature of the questions he was prepared to ask--that is why there are many other attempts to contextualize Bonhoeffer's theology in (...) areas that he himself has not directly written about. In this monograph, Steven van den Heuvel first of all addresses the question of how to translate Bonhoeffer's theology in a methodologically sound way. He settles on a modified form of the general method of correlation. Then, secondly, van den Heuvel sets out to describe five major concepts in Bonhoeffer's work, bringing these into critical interplay with discussions in environmental ethics and eco-theology. In making the correlations he thoroughly describes each concept, situating it in the historic and intellectual background of Bonhoeffer's time. He then transposes these concepts to contemporary environmental ethics, describing what contribution Bonhoeffer's theology can make. - back of book. (shrink)

In an earlier issue, I argue (2014) that psychology and epistemology should distinguish religious credence from factual belief. These are distinct cognitive attitudes. Levy (2017) rejects this distinction, arguing that both religious and factual “beliefs” are subject to “shifting” on the basis of fluency and “intuitiveness.” Levy’s theory, however, (1) is out of keeping with much research in cognitive science of religion and (2) misrepresents the notion of factual belief employed in my theory. So his claims don’t undermine my distinction. (...) I conclude by suggesting some approaches to empirically testing our views. (shrink)

Slow euthanasia or a good palliative intervention?There are many ways in which doctors influence the circumstances and/or the timing of a patient’s death. Some of these are accepted as normal medical practice—for instance, when a disproportional treatment is forgone, others are considered tolerable only under strict conditions or even intolerable, such as non-voluntary active euthanasia. A relatively new phenomenon in the ethical discussion on end-of-life decisions is terminal sedation. Terminal sedation is used in patients with terminal illnesses where normal medical (...) treatments cannot relieve severe symptoms such as pain and agitation, and no option is left but to take away the perception of these symptoms. Often, the decision to start terminal sedation is accompanied by the decision to forgo the provision of artificial nutrition and hydration in these patients. In The Netherlands, terminal sedation was estimated to be applied in 4–10% of all deaths in 2001.1 The combination of these two decisions have made the moral status of terminal sedation the subject of fierce ethical debates. Is it slow euthanasia2,3 or is it a good palliative intervention that should be sharply distinguished from euthanasia?4,5 One of the characteristics of this debate is that it is a very confused one: people disagree about the meaning of the term, the appropriateness of it and, of course, about the conditions under which it would be morally justified. As a matter of fact, these three discussions are deeply connected: as is often the case, a discussion about terms is a discussion about norms in disguise.The first observation to be made is that many seemingly descriptive definitions of terminal sedation contain normative claims. Examples of this are definitions of terminal sedation in which only …. (shrink)

This paper contains a novel and coherent reading of Weberian ideal type construction, based on recent philosophical approaches to conceptual engineering. This reading makes transparent the dialectics of Weber's approach, resulting in a more nuanced interpretation of his methodological work. It will become apparent that Weber, when introducing his notion of an ideal type, did not merely summarize his views on methodology in the social sciences, but, rather, presented a two-step argument in favor of these views. The reconstruction will directly (...) bear on issues in the methodology of the social sciences. Weber not only presented a methodology that is, at some level of abstraction, strikingly similar to Carnapian explication (the canonical point of reference in the contemporary debate on conceptual engineering). He also diagnosed, in a systematic fashion, types of problems we face when dealing with ordinary and scientific concepts that play a key role in the description of social reality, and he foreshadowed what is today sometimes described as “debunking” projects. From a philosophy of science perspective, I propose Weber's view (on the reconstruction proposed here) as a serious candidate for an adequate theory of concept replacement in the social sciences. (shrink)

The recent discovery of an indeterministic system in classical mechanics, the Norton dome, has shown that answering the question whether classical mechanics is deterministic can be a complicated matter. In this paper I show that indeterministic systems similar to the Norton dome were already known in the nineteenth century: I discuss four nineteenth century authors who wrote about such systems, namely Poisson, Duhamel, Boussinesq and Bertrand. However, I argue that their discussion of such systems was very different from the contemporary (...) discussion about the Norton dome, because physicists in the nineteenth century conceived of determinism in essentially different ways: whereas in the contemporary literature on determinism in classical physics, determinism is usually taken to be a property of the equations of physics, in the nineteenth century determinism was primarily taken to be a presupposition of theories in physics, and as such it was not necessarily affected by the possible existence of systems such as the Norton dome. (shrink)

Ideals (or ideal values) help people to navigate in social life. They indicate at a very fundamental level what people are concerned about, what they strive for, and what they want to be affiliated with. Transferring this to a leader-follower analysis, our first study (n = 306) confirms that followers' identification and satisfaction with their leaders are stronger, the more leaders match followers' ideal leader values. Study 2 (n = 244) extends the perspective by introducing the novel concept of counterideals (...) (i. e., how an ideal leader should not be) as a second, non-redundant point of reference. Results confirm that a leader's match on ideal and on counter-ideal values have independent effects in that both explain unique variance in followers' identification and satisfaction with their leader. Study 3 (n = 136) replicates the previous results in an experimental scenario study and provides evidence for the proposed causal direction of the underlying process. We conclude that counter-ideal values might be an additional point of reference that people use to triangulate targets above and beyond ideal values and discuss the implications of our findings for value research and management. (shrink)

In this article, we develop a bimodal perspective on possibility semantics, a framework allowing partiality of states that provides an alternative modelling for classical propositional and modal logics. In particular, we define a full and faithful translation of the basic modal logic K over possibility models into a bimodal logic of partial functions over partial orders, and we show how to modulate this analysis by varying across logics and model classes that have independent topological motivations. This relates the two realms (...) under comparison both semantically and syntactically at the level of derivations. Moreover, our analysis clarifies the interplay between the complexity of translations and axiomatizations of the corresponding logics: adding axioms to the target bimodal logic simplifies translations, or vice versa, complex translations can simplify frame conditions. We also investigate a transfer of first-order correspondence theory between possibility semantics and its bimodal counterpart. Finally, we discuss the conceptual trade-off between giving translations and giving new semantics for logical systems, and we identify a number of further research directions to which our analysis gives rise. (shrink)