Slurs have become a big topic of discussion both in philosophy and in linguistics. Slurs are usually characterised as pejorative terms, co-extensional with other, neutral, terms referring to ethnic or social groups. However, slurs are not the only ethnic/social words with pejorative senses. Our aim in this paper is to introduce a different kind of pejoratives, which we will call “ethnic/social terms used as insults”, as exemplified in Spanish, though present in many other languages and mostly absent in English. These (...) are ethnic terms like gitano, ‘Romani’, which can have an extensional and neutral use, but also a pejorative meaning building on a negative stereotypical representation of the Romani community. (shrink)

Various sources in the literature claim that the deduction theorem does not hold for normal modal or epistemic logic, whereas others present versions of the deduction theorem for several normal modal systems. It is shown here that the apparent problem arises from an objectionable notion of derivability from assumptions in an axiomatic system. When a traditional Hilbert-type system of axiomatic logic is generalized into a system for derivations from assumptions, the necessitation rule has to be modified in a way that (...) restricts its use to cases in which the premiss does not depend on assumptions. This restriction is entirely analogous to the restriction of the rule of universal generalization of first-order logic. A necessitation rule with this restriction permits a proof of the deduction theorem in its usual formulation. Other suggestions presented in the literature to deal with the problem are reviewed, and the present solution is argued to be preferable to the other alternatives. A contraction-and cut-free sequent calculus equivalent to the Hubert system for basic modal logic shows the standard failure argument untenable by proving the underivability of DA from A. (shrink)

This paper reports an experiment that investigates interpretive distinctions between two different expressions of generalization in Spanish. In particular, our aim was to find out when the distinction between generic statements (GS) such as Tigers have stripes and universally quantified statements (UQS) such as All tigers have stripes was acquired in Spanish-speaking children of two different age groups (4/5-year-olds and 8/9-year-olds), and then compare these results with those of adults. The starting point of this research was the semantic distinction between (...) GS and UQS in that the former admit exceptions, unlike the latter. On the other hand, several authors have observed a Generic overgeneralization effect (GOG) consisting in allowing for UQS to be felicitous in the face of exceptions, thus proposing that this “error” stems from GS being defaults (simpler, more easily learned and processed). In the current paper we aimed to test the “Generics as Default” (GaD) hypothesis by comparing GS and UQS in three different age ranges. Our data show that, overall, the accuracy of GS is greater than the accuracy of UQS. Moreover, we also confirm a hypothesized interaction between age and NP type (GS vs UQS). Further, we present several data points that are not predicted by the GaD, including an observed decline in the accuracy of GS in the older group of children as well as in adults, and that children fail at rejecting statements that are not considered to be true generalizations. (shrink)

Epistemic justification of non-summative group beliefs is studied in this paper. Such group beliefs are understood to be voluntary acceptances, the justification of which differs from that of involuntary beliefs. It is argued that whereas epistemic evaluation of involuntary beliefs can be seen not to require reasons, justification of voluntary acceptance of a proposition as true requires that the agent, a group or an individual, can provide reasons for the accepted view. This basic idea is studied in relation to theories (...) of dialectical justification in which justification is taken to require ability to justify. Since the reasons offered can in principle always be challenged, there is no ultimate end to the dialectical chain of justification. This makes justification of acceptance, and thus group belief, social and, in a way, contextual, but this does not seem to entail strong forms of epistemic relativism. (shrink)

This chapter argues that from a particularly weak recombination principle and plausible assumptions about the nature of parthood and location, it follows that it is possible that the mereological structure of the material world and that of space-time fail to correspond to one another in very radical ways. The chapter suggests, moreover, that rejecting the possibility of such failures of correspondence leaves us with a choice of no less unappealing alternatives. It also discusses a few ways in which their possibility (...) is relevant to various important debates in metaphysics. (shrink)

Este texto intenta reflexionar sobre algunas construcciones que se han realizado de los jóvenes chilenos respecto de la participación política. Se señala, que más que un desencanto con ella, hay un desencanto con una cierta forma de construir la política en Chile, la cual no tiene conexiones con la ..

This volume is the first to focus specifically on experimental studies of the semantics of gradability, scale structure and vagueness. It presents support for and challenges to current formal analyses of these phenomena in view of experimentally collected data, highlighting the ways semantic and pragmatic theory can benefit from experimental methodologies. The papers in the volume contribute to an explicit and detailed account of the use, representation, and online processing of gradable and vague expressions using various kinds of controlled speaker (...) judgment tasks, eye tracking, and ERP. The aim is to strengthen the foundations of experimental semantics and promote interaction between linguists, psycholinguists, psychologists, and philosophers who are interested in the semantics of natural language. Using data representing different languages and a variety of nominal and adjectival constructions, including degree modification and comparatives, the contributions address scale-based classifications of gradable predicates, such as the absolute vs. relative distinction; the nature of the standards for applicability of gradable expressions and the ways in which standards are determined; the nature of dimensions and multidimensionality in the meaning of scalar expressions; and the role of embodiment, subjectivity, and sociolinguistic considerations in the use and understanding of gradable expressions. (shrink)

¿Cómo podríamos caracterizar un criterio distintivo que permita identificar la naturaleza de la investigación social? Mi apuesta apunta a considerar a la ciencia social como un ámbito en donde la empatía y la interpretación son elementos determinantes para los procesos de investigación. Bajo esta consideración, el trabajo del investigador social se analiza desde un compromiso ético desde el que puede ser definido como una actividad social. Considero que la investigación social no solamente puede ser considerada como un procedimiento técnico, sino (...) que debe admitir una reflexión e identificación de los valores involucrados en su formulación en función de resguardar los derechos de su campo de estudio. De esta manera, el punto de vista de los investigadores acerca de la humanidad y la sociedad constituyen un factor decisivo para promover los componentes éticos del conjunto de prácticas representadas por la investigación social. (shrink)

Page 1. Economics and Philosophy, 26 291--320 Copyright C Cambridge University Press doi: 10.1017 / S0266267110000386 TWO KINDS OF WE-REASONING RAUL HAKLI, KAARLO MILLER AND RAIMO TUOMELA University of Helsinki.

I argue that from a very weak recombination principle and plausible assumptions about the nature of parthood and location it follows that it's possible that the mereological structure of the material world and that of spacetime fail to correspond to one another in very radical ways. I defend, moreover, that rejecting the possibility of such failures of correspondence leaves us with a choice of equally radical alternatives. I also discuss a few ways in which their possibility is relevant to various (...) debates in metaphysics. (shrink)

We study whether robots can satisfy the conditions of an agent fit to be held morally responsible, with a focus on autonomy and self-control. An analogy between robots and human groups enables us to modify arguments concerning collective responsibility for studying questions of robot responsibility. We employ Mele’s history-sensitive account of autonomy and responsibility to argue that even if robots were to have all the capacities required of moral agency, their history would deprive them from autonomy in a responsibility-undermining way. (...) We will also study whether humans and technological artifacts like robots can form hybrid collective agents that could be morally responsible for their actions and give an argument against such a possibility. (shrink)

In this paper, we examine some basic linguistic abilities in a small sample of adults with minimal receptive vocabulary, whose receptive mental verbal age ranges from 1;2 to 3;10. In particular, we examine whether the participants in our study understand noun phrases consisting of a noun modified by an adjective. We use stimuli that they can recognise by name. Except for one participant, we find that, while all of them understand the noun and adjective in isolation, none seems to understand (...) these noun phrases, which means that they seem to not do linguistic composition. In order to test whether the difficulty is linguistic or conceptual, we ran two other studies, one on concept composition, and the other on iconic symbolic composition (composition of pictograms). Results suggest that linguistic composition is particularly difficult in this population, and that vocabulary breadth may not predict compositional abilities. (shrink)

Understanding Transhumanism as a particular turn of contemporary reflection that maintains the current state of humanity is not the final but just a transitional one, which can and should be scientific and technologically enhanced, the bioethical and biopolitical implications of such situation will be examined in this paper. Here it will be explored the transhumanist ideas related to the indissoluble link that in modern times have been established between the development of technologies and politics and strategies of neoliberal governmentality. This (...) is expected to pose a set of questions about the risks associated to the unsuspected modes of production, management and biopolitical control of subjectivity that may be allegedly linked to the transhumanist idea. (shrink)

I give shape to a neglected debate in metaphysics, the debate over the ontological priority between individuality and collectivity. I distinguish the debate from more familiar ones in the recent literature and articulate what I call ontological collectivism, the view that collectivity is prior to individuality. I defend the in-principle intelligibility of the view from forceful general objections and argue that not only is it coherent but also of significant interest to the literature: it allows for overlooked alternatives on a (...) variety of central discussions. (shrink)

Stagirite's important disciples should also be mentioned. Other philosophers belonging to the Peripatetic school were: Aristoxenus, Dikaiarchos, Phanias, Straton, Duris, Chamaeleon, Lycon, Hieronymus, Ariston, Critolaus, Phormio, Sotion, Hermippus, Satyrus and others. Straton even succeeded Theophrastus as director of the Lyceum but his name and those of the other Peripatetics of Aristotle's old school should not be considered in a history of logic as they were mainly concerned with history and the natural sciences.

The accurate measurement of the level of consciousness of a creature remains a major scientific challenge, nevertheless a number of new accounts that attempt to address this problem have been proposed recently. In this paper we analyze the principles of these new measures of consciousness along with other classical approaches focusing on their applicability to Machine Consciousness (MC). Furthermore, we propose a set of requirements of what we think a suitable measure for MC should be, discussing the associated theoretical and (...) practical issues. Using the proposed requirements as a framework for the design of an integrative measure of consciousness, we explore the possibility of designing such a measure in the context of current state of the art in consciousness studies. (shrink)

Se ofrece una interpretación del enfoque estructural, fenomenológico y ontológico del mito a partir de una productividad filosófica abierta en Ricoeur por ciertos elementos tomados de Kant, los cuales explican por qué el mito es analizado por la constitución de su forma, por su intención significativa y por su revelación ontológica.

Se trata de analizar la cuestión del estatuto que tiene la existencia de Dios en el pensamiento de Ricoeur. La cuestión se origina en la centralidad de la idea de la lingüisticidad de la experiencia religiosa y de la referencia a Dios en la hermenéutica ricoeuriana. Se examina la posibilidad de afirmar que en Ricoeur Dios tiene una existencia discursiva. Como esta hipótesis debe manejar el supuesto de que no hay lugar para el silencio en el origen de la palabra, (...) porque la existencia de Dios está siempre vinculada con el lenguaje, también se examina este supuesto. Se trata de apoyar la idea de que el silencio siempre se da en y por el lenguaje, por lo cual también se argumenta en favor de la existencia discursiva de Dios en la hermenéutica del discurso religioso de Ricoeur. (shrink)

Se trata de mostrar que la“hermenéutica del testimonio” deRicoeur, a pesar de darle la dimensiónde la contingencia histórica que le faltaal concepto de “mundo del texto” y deintroducir la mediación histórica de laconciencia, no rompe con loslineamientos kantianos desde loscuales Ricoeur ha concebido suhermenéutica filosófica, ya que eltestimonio es pensado desde la relaciónkantiana entre las ideas y supresentación sensible.This paper intends to show that in spiteof the fact that Ricoeur’s “Hermeneuticsof Testimony” provides the historic dimension that is missing in the (...) conceptof “world of text” and introduces thehistoric conditioning of consciousness, inno way interrupts connection with the Kantian influence within which Ricoeur conceives his philosophical hermeneutics,since the notion of Testimony has been thought from the point of view of the Kantian relation between ideas and their perceptible presentation. (shrink)

El presente artículo indaga en los alcances teóricos y el impacto de las diversas concepciones del fenómeno del desarrollo. Atiende, en primer lugar, a la reflexión acerca de los fines y los medios del desarrollo que ha sido denominada “Ética del Desarrollo”. Estima que el examen de esta visión es necesario establecerlo en concomitancia con la reflexión sobre la democracia participativa . El trabajo teórico que se ha venido haciendo con miras a la ampliación de la noción tradicional y restringida (...) de “ciudadanía” política, le otorga un importante elemento de juicio para el examen de la democracia. Le permite entender de mejor manera el modo como se podría pensar en una confluencia de desarrollo y democracia participativa , mediando un ejercicio activo de la ciudadanía, entendida en un sentido ampliado, una de cuyas expresiones se encontraría en el concepto de “Ciudadanía biológica”, que examina desde un enfoque de biopolítica afirmativa. (shrink)

El presente artículo indaga en los alcances teóricos y el impacto de las diversas concepciones del fenómeno del desarrollo. Atiende, en primer lugar, a la reflexión acerca de los fines y los medios del desarrollo que ha sido denominada “Ética del Desarrollo”. Estima que el examen de esta visión es necesario establecerlo en concomitancia con la reflexión sobre la democracia participativa (deliberativa). El trabajo teórico que se ha venido haciendo con miras a la ampliación de la noción tradicional y restringida (...) de “ciudadanía” política, le otorga un importante elemento de juicio para el examen de la democracia. Le permite entender de mejor manera el modo como se podría pensar en una confluencia de desarrollo y democracia participativa (deliberativa), mediando un ejercicio activo de la ciudadanía, entendida en un sentido ampliado, una de cuyas expresiones se encontraría en el concepto de “Ciudadanía biológica”, que examina desde un enfoque de biopolítica afirmativa. (shrink)

Fulfilling the "unmet need for contraceptives" in Latin America is still a contested rallying cry for local activists, policymakers, and physicians. It evokes both the consumerist aspiration to choose birth control methods, as well as implies the existence of health and welfare institutions that ought to guarantee a human right. In the 1940s, however, the "unmet need for contraceptives" was a fledgling notion that a group of experts had only begun to popularize through the use of a crucial population-making technology: (...) the fertility survey. This paper analyzes the role fertility surveyors played in the mid-twentieth century, framing Latin American populations as rapidly growing and likely... (shrink)

Raúl Arrabales, Int. J. Mach. Conscious., 06, 1 (2014). DOI: 10.1142/S1793843014400010.

Reseña de ‘Pólemos y Stásis. Vestigios y bordes trágicos de lo bélico y lo político’, realizada por Raúl Villarroel Soto, Dr. en Filosofía, Decano de la Facultad de Filosofía, Universidad de Chile. Juan Pablo Arancibia Pólemos y Stásis. Vestigios y bordes trágicos de lo bélico y lo político La Cebra y Palinodia 2023 Santiago 394 páginas ISBN: 9789878956176.

Purpose: To determine the relative value that patients place on consent for procedures in the emergency department (ED) and to define a set of procedures that fall in the realm of implied consent. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample 134 of 174 patients who were seen in the ED of a Midwestern teaching hospital. The questionnaire asked how much time they believed was necessary to give consent for various procedures. Procedures ranged from simple (venipuncture) to complex (procedural (...) sedation). Results: Participants valued a simple blood draw at a low mean of 1.02 minutes of extra time and a lumbar puncture at a high mean of 7.78 minutes. Of all participants 52% and 48% noted a time-value of ?0? time on blood draw and intravenous line starts, respectively, indicating that they desire no additional consent for these procedures. Conclusion: Defining a set of ED procedures covered under implied consent will be difficult because many patients value formal consent for even the simplest procedure. (shrink)

Endorsing the idea of group knowledge seems to entail the possibility of group belief as well, because it is usually held that knowledge entails belief. It is here studied whether it would be possible to grant that groups can have knowledge without being committed to the controversial view that groups can have beliefs. The answer is positive on the assumption that knowledge can be based on acceptance as well as belief. The distinction between belief and acceptance can be seen as (...) a refinement of the ordinary language concept of belief, and it may be useful in understanding the nature of epistemic justification and classifying various types of epistemic subjects. (shrink)

Four-dimensionalists claim that their take on the temporal versions of the puzzles of coincidence favors their view over three-dimensionalism. In this paper I argue otherwise. In particular, I argue that the four-dimensionalist’s treatment of such puzzles doesn’t give her an edge over so-called `standard theorists’, i.e. three-dimensionalists according to whom there are distinct material objects that coincide at some time. I look at two ways in which the dispute between four-dimensionalists and standard theorists might be construed. First, as an issue (...) about commitment to distinct coincident material objects: the purported advantage of the four-dimensionalist’s approach is supposed to lie in its being compatible with there being no such things. Second, as an issue about explanation of such objects: the alleged superiority of the four-dimensionalist’s view is supposed to lie in its being able to provide a better account of how distinct material things manage to share their parts and exact location at some time. I argue that four-dimensionalism falls short of expectations in either case: the existence of distinct overlapping worms requires the existence of distinct coincident material objects, and temporal parts do not afford any better an explanation of such things than is available to the standard theorist. (shrink)