die besagten Begriffe zunachst als synonyme Bezeichnungen fUr die Methode der Philosophie betrachtet werden konnen. Erst am Ende der Abhandlung zeichnet sich die Moglichkeit einer Bedeutungstren nung zwischen EpocM und Reduktion ab - allerdings nicht mehr ganz im Sinne HusserIs. Die Aufgabe, Philosophie als absolute Wissenschaft zu begriinden, ist fUr HusserI im Grunde das Problem der Gewinnung eines Ver fahrens, durch das der sich philosophisch Besinnende die absolute Ge wiBheit erIangt, daB er im Gang seiner Besinnungen keine ungepriif ten, unkritisch (...) hingenommenen Erkenntnisse voraussetzt, kein Vorur teil mitgelten laBt, das die wissenschaftliche Reinheit des gedanklichen Gebaudes zerstOren wiirde. DaB die Philosophie es bisher nicht fertig gebracht hat, sich als solche absolut gerechtfertigte Wissenschaft zu konstituieren, bezeugt fUr HusserI ihre Unfahigkeit, in voller Radika litat alle Voraussetzungen aus dem Wege zu raumen, die der Voraus setzungslosigkeit einer absoluten Wissenschaft im Wege stehen. Ihrem eingeborenen Telos der Letztverantwortung hat die Philosophie nie gerecht werden konnen, obschon in ihrer Geschichte zu alIer Zeit ein Streben, eine intentio auf dieses ihr Ziel der absoluten Reinheit hin wirksam war. Diese intentio war stets die "Motivation", der "Ent wicklungstrieb" des philosophischen Denkens: "In einigen Philoso phien zeitweilig relativ befriedigt, und doch nie letztbefriedigt, wird die Philosophie zu immer neuen methodischen Besinnungen fortgetrieben; sie nimmt immer neue methodische Gestalten an und kommt dabei doch nie zu Ende. (shrink)

In the past several years, observational entropy has been developed as both a quantum generalization of Boltzmann entropy, and as a rather general framework to encompass classical and quantum equilibrium and non-equilibrium coarse-grained entropy. In this paper we review the construction, interpretation, most important properties, and some applications of this framework. The treatment is self-contained and relatively pedagogical, aimed at a broad class of researchers.

There is a paradox in the standard model of cosmology. How can matter in the early universe have been in thermal equilibrium, indicating maximum entropy, but the initial state also have been low entropy (the “past hypothesis"), so as to underpin the second law of thermodynamics? The problem has been highly contested, with the only consensus being that gravity plays a role in the story, but with the exact mechanism undecided. In this paper, we construct a well-defined mechanical model to (...) study this paradox. We show how it reproduces the salient features of standard big-bang cosmology with surprising success, and we use it to produce novel results on the statistical mechanics of a gas in an expanding universe. We conclude with a discussion of potential uses of the model, including the explicit computation of the time-dependent coarse-grained entropies needed to investigate the past hypothesis. (shrink)

Cosmological boundary conditions for particles and fields are often discussed as a Cauchy problem, in which configurations and conjugate momenta are specified on an “initial” time slice. But this is not the only way to specify boundary conditions, and indeed in action-principle formulations we often specify configurations at two times and consider trajectories joining them. Here, we consider a classical system of particles interacting with short range two body interactions, with boundary conditions on the particles’ positions for an initial and (...) a final time. For a large number of particles that are randomly arranged into a dilute gas, we find that a typical system trajectory will spontaneously collapse into a small region of space, close to the maximum density that is obtainable, before expanding out again. If generalizeable, this has important implications for the cosmological arrow of time, potentially allowing a scenario in which both boundary conditions are generic and also a low-entropy state “initial” state of the universe naturally occurs. (shrink)

El pensamiento de Derrida sobre el amor no suele ser estudiado porque, al parecer, el mismo autor no ha sido tan claro al respecto. Este artículo pretende aportar a este vacío usando como documento de estudio el libro Éperons del autor, que pretende ser una ponencia sobre Nietzsche. A partir de una interpretación de los pasajes en los que Derrida se refiere al amor, encontramos casi siempre se trata de una cita de Nietzsche. Esto parece caracterizar un acto de ventriloquia (...) que subyace a la estrategia del autor. El problema surge cuando nos percatamos de que Derrida no da cuenta de la intromisión del amor en las citas que usa. Derrida prefiere evadir el problema del amor porque está en el núcleo de su propuesta de deconstrucción. (shrink)

As its title indicates, our work deals with two motifs which, in the end, flow together. The first has to do with the confrontation (long a subject of philosophical discussion) between the Lebenswelt and its mathematization at the hands of the sciences. Mathematics, according to Husserl, is a science whose contents – axioms, laws, geometric solids – are ideas. Idealization, as practiced by Husserl, consists in adopting and adapting Kant’s interpretation of ‘the idea’, and in designating both mathematical exactitude and (...) the thing in its totality as ‘ideas in the Kantian sense’. The second motif examines Husserl’s attempt to identify the Lebenswelt with Plato’s ‘mere opinion’ (doxa as opposed to episteme). Husserl mounts a defense of doxa, granting it a value as high as, or even higher than, that of episteme. We want to show what this higher value of doxa consists in. Thus, we enter into the problem of measurement, a phenomenon which, beginning as an estimative, pre-geometrical operation, leads to exactitude. In this context, we propose the following thesis: measurement, thanks to the idealization of ‘the thing’ which makes it possible, is the foundation of mathematical exactitude. However, things themselves are given only in gradations, fragments, sides – in other words, they are given perspectivally. Hence, propositions about them can at first only be subjective, private opinions (in the sense of doxa). (shrink)

Los trabajos reunidos en este volumen pertenecen a pensadoras y pensadores de varios países, todos ellos a su vez conocedores profundos tanto de la obra de Husserl como de la de los representantes máximos del movimiento fenomenológico -Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty. De lo sartículos hemos elegido seis para nuestro trabajo de presentación crítica.

The fourteen award-winning essays in this volume discuss a range of novel ideas and controversial topics that could decisively influence the course of human life on Earth. Their authors address, in accessible language, issues as diverse as: enabling our social systems to learn; research in biological engineering and artificial intelligence; mending and enhancing minds; improving the way we do, and teach, science; living in the here and now; and the value of play. The essays are enhanced versions of the prize-winning (...) entries submitted to the Foundational Questions Institute (FQXi) essay competition in 2014. FQXi, catalyzes, supports, and disseminates research on questions at the foundations of physics and cosmology, particularly new frontiers and innovative ideas integral to a deep understanding of reality, but unlikely to be supported by conventional funding sources. (shrink)

Are there truly fundamental entities in nature? Or are the things that we regard as fundamental in our theories – for example space, time or the masses of elementary particles – merely awaiting a derivation from a new, yet to be discovered theory based on elements that are more fundamental? This was the central question posed in the 2018 FQXi essay competition, which drew more than 200 entries from professional physicists, philosophers, and other scholars. This volume presents enhanced versions of (...) the fifteen award-winning essays, giving a spectrum of views and insights on this fascinating topic. From a prescription for “when to stop digging” to the case for strong emergence, the reader will find here a plethora of stimulating and challenging ideas - presented in a largely non-technical manner - on which to sharpen their understanding of the language of physics and even the nature of reality. (shrink)

This collection of prize-winning essays addresses the controversial question of how meaning and goals can emerge in a physical world governed by mathematical laws. What are the prerequisites for a system to have goals? What makes a physical process into a signal? Does eliminating the homunculus solve the problem? The three first-prize winners, Larissa Albantakis, Carlo Rovelli and Jochen Szangolies tackle exactly these challenges, while many other aspects feature in the other award winning contributions. All contributions are accessible to non-specialists. (...) These seventeen stimulating and often entertaining essays are enhanced versions of the prize-winning entries to the FQXi essay competition in 2017.The Foundational Questions Institute, FQXi, catalyzes, supports, and disseminates research on questions at the foundations of physics and cosmology, particularly new frontiers and innovative ideas integral to a deep understanding of reality, but unlikely to be supported by conventional funding sources. (shrink)

Reseña de Vicente Ovalle, Camilo. (2019). [Tiempo suspendido]: una historia de la desaparición forzada en México, 1940-1980. México: Bonilla Artigas. 394 pp.