What should judges do when faced with immoral laws? Should they apply them without exception, since “the law is the law?” Or can exceptions be made for grossly immoral laws, such as historically, Nazi law? Surveying laypeople (N = 167) and people with some legal training (N = 141) on these matters, we find a surprisingly strong, monotonic relationship between people's subjective moral evaluation of laws and their judgments that these laws should be applied in concrete cases. This tendency is (...) most pronounced among individuals who endorse natural law (i.e., the legal-philosophical view that immoral laws are not valid laws at all), and is attenuated when disagreement about the moral status of a law is considered reasonable. The relationship is equally strong for laypeople and for those with legal training. We situate our findings within the broader context of morality's influence on legal reasoning that experimental jurisprudence has uncovered in recent years, and consider normative implications. (shrink)

The distribution of competences between the national state, the communities and the regions is subject to criticism. The state reform laws f 1980 have admittedly led to many confiicts, due to a lack of clearnessof the terms of the law and to the incomplete character of the reform.A clear option is to be made between a federal regime as such, a regionalised state and separatism; so far this option has only been postponed, which leaves the actual state structure rather confused (...) and hardly workable.A series of conditions both of a politica! and a legal nature have to be fulfilled in order to clear the situations. (shrink)

Le concept du champ moléculaire a été introduit par Pierre Weiss en 1907 dans une théorie classique du ferromagnétisme. En 1928, Werner Heisenberg a donné une interprétation physique du champ moléculaire dans sa théorie quantique du ferromagnétisme. Louis Néel, héritier de Weiss, a mené à partir de 1928 une recherche d'un caractère particulier, à l'écart des modes. Sa démarche s'est révélée fructueuse dans le domaine de la théorie avec la découverte de l'antiferromagnétisme et du ferrimagnétisme. La théorie et la technique (...) ont eu partie liée dans la production de composés magnétiques hautement performants: les ferrites et les grenats ferrimagnétiques.Dans cet article, l'accent est mis sur la continuité d'une ligne de recherche, suivie pendant près d'un demi-siècle, à travers les bouleversements apportés par la théorie quantique dans les années vingt.The concept of the molecular field was put forward by Pierre Weiss in 1907, in a classical theory of ferromagnetism. In 1928, Werner Heisenberg gave the physical meaning of the molecular field in his quantum theory of ferromagnetism. Louis Néel, as heir to Weiss, developed research of a distinctive character, detached from current fashion. His approach has been fruitful in the theoretical field with the discovery of antiferromagnetism and ferrimagnetism. Theory and technique were strongly linked in the production of highly efficient magnetic compounds: ferrites and ferrimagnetic garnets.In this paper the author stresses the continuity of a line of research that was pursued over fifty years, despite the upset created by the quantum theory in the twenties. (shrink)

On the ethics of extending human life: healthy people have a right to carry on livingHumanity has long demonstrated a paradoxical ambivalence concerning the extension of a healthy human lifespan. Modest health extension has been universally sought, whereas extreme health extension has been regarded as a snare and delusion—a dream beyond all others at first blush, but actually something we are better off without. The prevailing pace of biotechnological progress is bringing ever closer the day when humanity will be able (...) to act on the latter view by rejecting a clear and present opportunity for much longer healthy lives. Indeed, some biogerontologists contend that that day has already arrived, to the extent that our hesitation in embarking on a vigorous “war on ageing” is already delaying the point at which a cure for ageing will be developed. Here I consider whether our present caution concerning the wisdom of truly curing ageing is likely to survive the increased scrutiny that it will receive in coming years as a result of these technical advances. I conclude that it will not, because of its irreconcilability with values that are more deeply held by the large majority of humanity than any values that argue against the quest for a cure. I further conclude that all the major current reasons given for not curing ageing are mere crutches to help us cope with the immutability of ageing that we have been brought up to accept. Our failure to set aside such irrationality is already shortening potential longevity—quite probably of those already alive today—to a staggering degree. Once we realise this, our determination to consign human ageing to history will be second …. (shrink)

Pero queda, a través de este devenir, la luz mosaica, las Tablas de la Ley, las sentencias del Talmud, las profecías de la Biblia. Este es el Tesoro del pueblo Judaico, el único que se ha conservado a través de los siglos; el que todavía suena en los momentos de la mayor angustia para la Humanidad y que vése conmovido por el impetuoso torrente de la vida contemporánea que exige nueva vitalidad en todos los aspectos de la existencia humana. DR. (...) ADALBERTO GARCÍA DE MENDOZA. (shrink)

Psychiatric disorders present distinct clinical challenges which are partly attributable to their multifactorial aetiology and the absence of laboratory tests that can be used to confirm diagnosis or predict risk. Psychiatric disorders are highly heritable, but also polygenic, with genetic risk conferred by interactions between thousands of variants of small effect that can be summarized in a polygenic risk score. We discuss four areas in which the use of polygenic risk scores in psychiatric research and clinical contexts could have ethical (...) implications. First, there is concern that clinical use of polygenic risk scores may exacerbate existing health inequities. Second, research findings regarding polygenic risk could be misinterpreted in stigmatising or discriminatory ways. Third, there are concerns associated with testing minors as well as eugenics concerns elicited by prenatal polygenic risk testing. Fourth, potential challenges that could arise with the feedback and interpretation of high polygenic risk for a psychiatric disorder would require consideration. While there would be extensive overlap with the challenges of feeding back genetic findings in general, the potential clinical use of polygenic risk scoring warrants discussion in its own right, given the recency of this possibility. To this end, we discuss how lay interpretations of risk and genetic information could intersect. Consideration of these factors would be necessary for ensuring effective and constructive communication and interpretation of polygenic risk information which, in turn, could have implications for the uptake of any therapeutic recommendations. Recent advances in polygenic risk scoring have major implications for its clinical potential, however, care should be taken to ensure that communication of polygenic risk does not feed into problematic assumptions regarding mental disorders or support reductive interpretations. (shrink)

Echte Freiheit läßt sich nach Leibniz nicht auf die Möglichkeit reduzieren, so zu handeln, wie man handeln will. Vielmehr muß echte Freiheit mit dem moralischen Verdienst in Verbindung gebracht werden. In diesem Zusammenhang erweist sich die Idee der logischen Kontingenz von besonderer Wichtigkeit. Eine Person hat kein moralisches Verdienst, wenn sie blindlings durch das Gute geleitet wird. Sie hat allein dann ein moralisches Verdienst, wenn sie das Schlechte zurückweist und bewußt das Gute wählt, das sich vom Schlechten abhebt. Insofern ist (...) derjenige, der moralisch richtig handelt, sich anderer Möglichkeiten bewußt. Leibniz trägt dieser Erfahrungstatsache durch den Gedanken Rechnung, daß eine freie Handlung logisch kontingent ist. Diesem Gedanken verleiht Leibniz einen metaphysischen Status: die möglichen Welten haben einen objektiven Gehalt. (shrink)

Resumo Neste artigo, será discutida a noção de “infinitude cardinal” – a qual seria predicada de um “conjunto” – e a noção de “infinitude ordinal” – a qual seria predicada de um “processo”. A partir dessa distinção conceitual, será abordado o principal problema desse artigo, i.e., o problema da possibilidade teórica de uma infinitude de estrelas tratado por Dummett em sua obra Elements of Intuitionism. O filósofo inglês sugere que, mesmo diante dessa possibilidade teórica, deveria ser possível predicar apenas infinitude (...) ordinal. A questão principal surge do fato de que parece ser problemático predicar ordinalmente infinitude de “estrelas”. Mesmo diante dessa possibilidade, Dummett sugere que o intuicionista poderia apenas reinterpretar infinitude cardinal como sendo infinitude ordinal. Ora, iremos mostrar que, se Dummett não fornece razões extras que sustentem essa posição, então será difícil interpretar um caso empírico infinitário como sendo também um caso ordinal ou potencial de infinitude. Para resolver esse problema de Dummett, em Brouwer se encontram alguns pressupostos idealistas necessários para argumentar em favor da ideia de que, mesmo em um contexto empírico, como o de uma infinitude de estrelas, poderíamos predicar infinitude ordinal. Então, depois de discutir as duas noções de “infinitude” e apresentar o problema de Dummett, será apresentada a abordagem idealista de Brouwer – a qual pelo menos explicaria de modo mais plausível as razões que poderiam motivar um intuicionista a predicar infinitude ordinal até mesmo de um caso empírico e espacial. (shrink)

Levinas' view on ethical commitment seems at first sight incompatible with the cultivation of particularistic ideals. The Other from whom the moral imperative originates, is also a Stranger: in submitting ourselves to his appeal, we obey a law radically transcending our autonomy. Therefore, our responsibility for the Other is not a loyalty based on personal sympathies, preferences or common interests. From Levinas' stern universalistic perspective, particularistic loyalty might appear as a form of moral self-indulgence. In this article we draw attention (...) to two forms of particularistic attachment which can paradoxically be seen as a confrontation with a radical moral heteronomy. The moral obligation imposed on us by nearness in space and relations of close kinship are in a sense arbitrary and contingent. Just because they are beyond rational justification, they also transcend the autonomy of our rational will. In this sense it seems to be true that some forms of particularistic commitment can make us aware of the radical heteronomy as it is meant by Levinas. (shrink)

El hombre crea su moral tomando en cuenta las aportaciones más íntimas de su espíritu. Así como la historia de la humanidad presenta una serie gradual y emocional de conquistas espirituales, así también la moral se ha logrado a través de la historia, pero siempre sobre el fundamento de la esencia humana, pues no cabe duda de que la jerarquía de los valores depende de cada ser humano. Ella orienta toda su conducta y señala sus grandes metas. El espíritu religioso (...) coloca, en primer término, a los valores de la religión, el moralista a los éticos, el pragmático a los útiles; el estético a las bellas artes, dando preferencia cada una a su valor favorito. (shrink)

Este artigo visa à mobilização de alguns aspectos da teoria mulherista africana e sua pertinência para a compreensão de experiências políticas de mulheres negras no Brasil. Para tanto, apresentar-se-ão importantes pressupostos que fundam o Mulherismo Africana, bem como algumas de suas filiações teórico-metodológicas; possíveis aproximações e distanciamentos em relação a outras teorias; e, por fim, algumas reflexões acerca das agências políticas femininas negras, especialmente em solo brasileiro.

DANS QUELLE MESURE LES CARACTERISTIQUES DE LA NOTION RENANIENNE DE LA SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT-ELLES D'UNE PART AU COURANT REDUCTIONNISTE, D'AUTRE PART A L'IDEE SYNTHETISANTE OU GLOBALISANTE QUI SE FORMULE EN TERMES D'INSATISFACTION ET D'EXIGENCES A RESONANCE ROMANTIQUE? VAUT-IL LA PEINE D'ETUDIER L'UVRE RENANIENNE DANS L'OPTIQUE DE NOS CONNAISSANCES SUR L'HISTOIRE DES IDEES AU XIXE SIECLE? PEUT-ON PARLER DE L'ACTUALITE DE LA PENSEE DE RENAN AUJOURD'HUI QUAND LES PREOCCUPATIONS EPISTEMOLOGIQUES CONTINUENT A DOMINER LA REFLEXION PHILOSOPHIQUE? LA PENSEE DE RENAN HESITE ENTRE L'EPISTEMOLOGIE (...) REDUCTIONNISTE, ALIMENTEE PAR LES RESULTATS DES SCIENCES EXPERIMENTALES, ET L'ATTITUDE GLOBALISANTE SOUHAITANT DONNER A LA CONNAISSANCE LA TOTALITE COMME OBJET. LA SCIENCE DE GALILEE, DE NEWTON ET DE LAPLACE A REDUIT LA RICHESSE INDIVIDUELLE DES PHENOMENES A DES CAS IDEALISES, PRIVES EN PREMIER LIEU DE LEUR HISTOIRE. C'EST LE TEMPS-DEVENIR QUI REVENDIQUE SES DROITS DANS CETTE CONCEPTION ETAYEE PAR LA PHILOSOPHIE ALLEMANDE. POSITIVISME ET ROMANTISME DESIGNENT CHEZ RENAN LES DEUX POLES D'UN CONFLIT D'ORDRE EPISTEMOLOGIQUE. IL SERAIT PREFERABLE DE REMPLACER DORENAVANT CES TERMES PAR REDUCTIONNISMEET GLOBALISME EPISTEMOLOGIQUES. LA METHODE DOUBLE SUGGEREE PAR RENAN, COMPOSEE DE RIGUEUR ET DE FINESSE SIGNIFIE QU'IL A PRIS CONSCIENCE DE LA CAUSE QUI PRESIDAIT A L'INSUFFISANCE DE LA DEMARCHE REDUCTIONNISTE : IL S'EST RENDU COMPTE QUE LE TEMPS-DEVENIR DEVAIT ENTRER DANS LA DEFINITION DE L'OBJET SCIENTIFIQUE. LA PENSEE DE RENAN, AVEC TOUT SON ATTACHEMENT A DES FORMULES QUI SEMBLENT AUJOURD'HUI AVOIR VECU, EST UNE PROMESSE NON TENUE : L'ELABORATION RIGOUREUSE DE SES IDEES AURAIT PU DONNER NAISSANCE A UN SYSTEME EPISTEMOLOGIQUE UNIFIE DE LA SCIENCE. L'UNIFICATION QUI SE PASSERAIT NEANMOINS SOUS L'EGIDE DES SCIENCES HUMAINES PUISQUE CELLES-CI SONT CAPABLES DE DEPASSER LE REDUCTIONNISME ETROIT DE LA METHODE PRATIQUEE PAR LES SCIENCES DE LA NATURE. (shrink)

O texto apresenta um mapeamento exploratório inicial da realidade do ensino de filosofia no ensino fundamental e médio na rede de ensino público e privado de Teresina/PI, realizado no ano de 2000, objetivando disponibilizar dados para a organização dessa área de saber como o campo de atuação dos profissionais de filosofia e servir de subsídios à projeção das atividades da universidade na formação desses profissionais e na formulação de políticas de atuação do Departamento de Filosofia/UFPI junto ao ensino básico. O (...) resultado da pesquisa se apresenta na forma de diagnóstico exploratório de natureza quantitativa, especificando aspectos capazes de configurar a realidade da prática pedagógica do ensino de filosofia, tais como: a presença da disciplina no currículo escolar, a carga-horária conferida ao trabalho didático-pedagógico de filosofia, a formação acadêmica dos professores e professoras que ministram a disciplina, os conteúdos programáticos que predominam nos programas da disciplina, a bibliografia básica utilizada como apoio ao trabalho docente, a metodologia deste ensino e a recepção da disciplina entre os estudantes. (shrink)

We consider the problem of measurement using the Lindblad equation, which allows the introduction of time in the interaction between the measured system and the measurement apparatus. We use analytic results, valid for weak system-environment coupling, obtained for a two-level system in contact with a measurer (Markovian interaction) and a thermal bath (non-Markovian interaction), where the measured observable may or may not commute with the system-environment interaction. Analysing the behavior of the coherence, which tends to a value asymptotically close to (...) zero, we obtain an expression for the time of measurement which depends only on the system-measurer coupling, and which does not depend on whether the observable commutes with the system-bath interaction. The behavior of the coherences in the case of strong system-environment coupling, found numerically, indicates that an increase in this coupling decreases the measurement time, thus allowing our expression to be considered the upper limit for the duration of the process. (shrink)