El último, quizás, de los Antiguos y uno de los primeros entre los Modernos, Leibniz (1646-1716) concibió arriesgadamente el universo, y la ciencia que lo describe, como una explanada infinita, aquella ciudad simbólica, llena de calles y de plazas, desde las que se puede salir y a las que se puede acceder desde cualquier rincón, una ciudad bulliciosa, poliédrica, poblada de vibraciones, resonancias y ecos producidos por sujetos únicos, irrepetibles e inviolables. Para ello, formuló técnicamente la imposible noción de lo (...) infinito en términos finitos manejables, elaboró una potente ontología de las correspondencias entre sistemas, su ley de la continuidad, que hace operativamente idénticos los contrarios, y describió el inagotable e indiferenciado caudal de energía que conforma la secreta esencia de este mundo estallando o expresándose de las formas concretas más variadas, que a nuestra inteligencia es dado medir en los fenómenos que observamos. Analogías de analogías# in infinitum. (shrink)

En trabajos anteriores he tratado de mostrar que la lectura que hemos de hacer de la ciencia natural de Leibniz ha de ser una lectura holística, esto es, un recorrido transversal por todos los niveles ontológicos del ser y por todos los caminos epistémicos del pensar, de manera que puede argumentarse de unos a otros con perfecta legitimidad siempre que, guiados por la forma lógica de la razón, podamos encontrar alguna estructura común que los anude. En este escrito ofrezco un (...) primer ejemplo de este modo de razonar. En el prefacio de los NE Leibniz reconstruye todo su sistema científico y metafísico a partir de las “petites perceptions” (GP V, 46-53). El texto principal de mi escrito será el discurso de Leibniz, que comentaré en notas a pie de página. (shrink)

A partir de 1695-96 la monadología de Leibniz adquiere un fuerte carácter energético y biológico que lleva al filósofo hasta extremos nunca alcanzados por otros autores. En esta metafísica biológica, la doctrina de los archei de J. B. Van Helmont y sus sucesores, F. M. Van Helmont y Lady Conway, juega un papel mucho más profundo de lo que el filósofo nunca quiso admitir: donde materia y espíritu se encuentran.

In their recent article, Brownet alanalyse several ethical aspects around immunity passports and put forward some recommendations for implementing them. Although they offer a comprehensive perspective, they overlook two essential aspects. First, while the authors consider the possibility that immunological passports may appear to discriminate against those who do not possess them, the opposite viewpoint of immune people is underdeveloped. We argue that if a person has been tested positive for and recovered from COVID-19, becoming immune to it, she cannot (...) be considered a hazard to public health and, therefore, the curtailment of her fundamental rights (eg, the right to freedom of movement) is not legitimate. Second, they omit that vaccine distribution will create similar problems related to immunity-based licenses. Vaccine certificates will de facto generate a sort of immunity passport. In the next phases of the pandemic, different immunity statuses will be at stake, because the need to identify who can spread COVID-19 is unavoidable. If a person does not pose a threat to public health because she cannot spread the infection, then her right to freedom of movement should be respected, regardless of how she acquired that immunity. (shrink)

This paper aims to analyse how the discourse of CEO letters and other factors influence community involvement and Social Licence to Operate (SLO) in the mining industry. The analysis is based on qualitative information disclosed in sustainability reports and CEO letters from 32 mining firms. Content analysis was undertaken to obtain data for the study, and then a regression analysis and a multiple correspondence analysis were used to test the hypotheses defined in the study. The results indicate that the CEO (...) discourse influences how a firm expresses the importance of gaining its SLO, the philanthropic activities in which companies become involved and the destinations of the investments in the communities in which they operate. The results also show changes in the discourse between 2011 and 2015, which are, in part, explained by the difficult situation experienced by the sector during this period. The paper contributes to the Corporate Social Responsibility literature by integrating different theories from this field into the SLO framework. The analysis carried out and the results obtained are useful for both CEOs and Sustainability Managers, especially in managing their relationships with the communities where they operate or intend to operate. (shrink)

This paper aims to analyse how the discourse of CEO letters and other factors influence community involvement and Social Licence to Operate (SLO) in the mining industry. The analysis is based on qualitative information disclosed in sustainability reports and CEO letters from 32 mining firms. Content analysis was undertaken to obtain data for the study, and then a regression analysis and a multiple correspondence analysis were used to test the hypotheses defined in the study. The results indicate that the CEO (...) discourse influences how a firm expresses the importance of gaining its SLO, the philanthropic activities in which companies become involved and the destinations of the investments in the communities in which they operate. The results also show changes in the discourse between 2011 and 2015, which are, in part, explained by the difficult situation experienced by the sector during this period. The paper contributes to the Corporate Social Responsibility literature by integrating different theories from this field into the SLO framework. The analysis carried out and the results obtained are useful for both CEOs and Sustainability Managers, especially in managing their relationships with the communities where they operate or intend to operate. (shrink)

Es tan sorprendente, concorde con la naturaleza humana, útil y profunda la doctrina de Vitoria sobre la organización universal de los pueblos que aparece como repentinamente en el s. XVI, sin una aparente fuente de continuidad, que cualquier persona con un poco de mentalidad científica no puede dejar de preguntarse: ¿de dónde la ha sacado? ¿De dónde ha extraído esa comprensión tan profunda del mundo, y ese pensamiento tan hermoso? Cualquiera puede pensar que, pensamiento político o jurídico semejante había de (...) derivarse de algún manuscrito empolvado y escondido en algún lugar, como un tesoro, cuya influencia hubiera ejercido, de manera latente, y a este investigador le hubiera tocado descubrir. Pero veremos que no: que el verdadero tesoro escondido es la simple idea de amistad, entendida en su sentido más pleno. (shrink)

El artículo trata acerca de la contribución del pensamiento último de Julio De Zan a la filosofía de la democracia y el cosmopolitismo. Las perspectivas abordadas se refieren al rol de la sociedad civil, a la legitimación del poder político y al cosmopolitismo democrático. Todas ellas son interpretadas en torno a la concepción de la sociedad civil contemporánea como el espacio público de construcción del poder democrático. Se destaca la defensa de De Zan de un orden político global no centrado (...) en el Estado tradicional y sustentado en el progreso hacia una comunidad ética de tipo kantiano, como así también su vigorosa invocación de la soberanía como idea desustancializada. (shrink)

Should we use human germline genome modification (HGGM) only when serious diseases are involved? This belief is the underlying factor in the article written by Kleiderman, Ravitsky and Knoppers to which I now respond. In my opinion, the answer to this question should be negative. In this paper, I attempt to show that there are no good reasons to think that this technology should be limited to serious diseases once it is sufficiently proven to be safe and efficient. In fact, (...) opting otherwise would negatively harm human beings’ right to the highest standard of health that unmodified embryos could promote. Therefore, the issue should not be so much to define adequately what a serious disease is, but rather to elucidate whether this concept should play any role beyond the context of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). This paper argues that we should not accept the similarity between technologies such as PGT and HGGM because they face different challenges and offer totally different possibilities. Therefore, we are in urgent need to build a completely new ethical architecture that covers the application of germline editing in human embryos. As a part of that process, a much deeper debate on the necessity of distinguishing different disease types is required. (shrink)

La enseñanza de las confrontaciones producidas a lo largo del siglo XX, y en especial durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial sigue siendo un tema controvertido en la didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales. Tomando como referencia el currículo de cuarto de la ESO, y en especial el bloque décimo de la materia de Geografía e Historia, esta comunicación selecciona una serie de materiales didácticos cartográficos de indudable utilidad en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje de la relación entre el pasado, el presente y (...) la proyección al futuro a través de estas dos disciplinas referentes. Además del estándar de aprendizaje referido al Holocausto, esta propuesta didáctica –fundamentada en los proyectos europeos Youthmetre y EuropeanValuesStudy- procura dar cumplimiento a la comprensión de las causas por las que una Europa en guerra durante el siglo XX ha podido llegar a una unión económica y política en el siglo XXI. (shrink)

Últimamente se han desarrollado nuevos y estimulantes enfoques teóricos sobre los movimientos sociales. Este artículo se basa en las teorías que investigan el papel de los movimientos sociales como creadores de marcos de interpretación, de nuevos «marcos de injusticia» desde los que reinterpretar la realidad y subvertir los códigos culturales dominantes. Estas teorías se aplican a la reconstrucción del actual proceso de deslegitimación de la violencia contra las mujeres. Es posible objetivar tres momentos clave en la redefinición de un hecho (...) tan arraigado y casi universal como la violencia contra las mujeres. Partimos de la interpretación patriarcal de la violencia contra las mujeres para después reconstruir los tres pasos seguidos en la construcción de un nuevo marco interpretativo, el de la denominada violencia de género. (shrink)

Should we be allowed to refuse any involvement of artificial intelligence technology in diagnosis and treatment planning? This is the relevant question posed by Ploug and Holm in a recent article in Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy. In this article, I adhere to their conclusions, but not necessarily to the rationale that supports them. First, I argue that the idea that we should recognize this right on the basis of a rational interest defence is not plausible, unless we are willing (...) to judge each patient’s ideology or religion. Instead, I consider that the right must be recognized by virtue of values such as social pluralism or individual autonomy. Second, I point out that the scope of such a right should be limited at least under three circumstances: if it is against a physician’s obligation to not cause unnecessary harm to a patient or to not provide futile treatment, in cases where the costs of implementing this right are too high, or if recognizing the right would deprive other patients of their own rights to adequate health care. (shrink)

Este libro no es solo una ética para chicas, es también una llamada a los chicos para que se atrevan a transgredir de verdad: para que dejen de ponerse en el lugar de sus deseos y se pongan en el lugar de las demás. La filosofía nos enseña que lo importante son las preguntas que nos hacemos, siempre que formulemos bien nuestros interrogantes y nos preguntemos por el fundamento de nuestros proyectos. La ética, por su parte es una invitación a (...) ponerse en el lugar de los demás, y sucede que hasta ahora los hombres no se han puesto en el lugar de las mujeres. Con ellas ha valido casi todo: desde borrar su nombre y su historia hasta la violencia sexual. La filosofía y, con ella, la ética puede ayudarnos a comprender las enormes contradicciones a las que tienen que enfrentarse las mujeres en un mundo patriarcal al que los filósofos, aun sin haber estado a la altura, sí aportaron una manera de pensar crítica que nos ha llevado a ser conscientes de las desigualdades y a cuestionar el sistema. Ética para Celia nos invita a mirar de frente la realidad, el hecho de que nuestra vida se ha levantado sobre una doble verdad, con normas morales y fines vitales distintos para mujeres y hombres. Esta doble verdad se ha ido transformando, pero no ha desaparecido. A las jóvenes ya no se las socializa con idea de que sean para los demás, pero sí para ser deseables, que no deja de ser otra forma de ser para los otros. (shrink)

BackgroundSome persons conceived with donor gametes react negatively when they found their birth via donor conception. They request access to information about and seek to communicate with the donor. However, some countries mandate donor anonymity. Other countries allow donor-conceived persons to access donor information, but they can only use this access if their parents have disclosed donor conception to them. We investigated a thorny issue of donor conception: whether donor conception should be shifted from an anonymous basis to a non-anonymous (...) basis.MethodsWe review the issues and concerns regarding donor conception. We then consider the impact of direct-to-consumer genetic testing on donor conception, as well as the influence of donor conception on offspring’s identity and the potential of different types of donors. To discuss the future policy of donor conception, the policies on the anonymity of gamete donors were investigated using publicly-available documents in 15 countries.ResultsThe aim of mandating donor anonymity is to protect the privacy of the donor and intended parents. However, the diffusion of direct-to-consumer genetic testing may make it impossible to maintain anonymity. Birth via donor conception shapes the offspring’s identity, and the donor may further influence the development of offspring’s identity through communications. It remains important to disclose donor conception to donor-conceived offspring and to provide them with donor information. However, that information might be insufficient for some donor-conceived persons. Here are benefits to having open-identity donors and known donors. Such donors can make an agreement with the parents regarding future communication with the offspring, although both sides should respect privacy. Subsequent counseling for all parties involved can result in better tripartite communication agreements.ConclusionsIn sum, ethical and practical issues that complicate donor anonymity are driving a shift to non-anonymous donor conception, in which all parties come to a communication agreement. To pave the way for such a donor conception system, transitional measures can be put into place. For countries that already adopted non-anonymous donor conception, ensuring the communication agreements is important to protect the rights of parents, donor, and offspring. (shrink)

El artículo analiza las ideas filosóficas de Lisandro de la Torre, dirigente político y destacado legislador argentino de vasta trayectoria pública entre 1890 y 1937, a partir de algunas conferencias y escritos de sus últimos años. En el enfoque de su cosmovisión se toman en cuenta, por un lado, la relación entre filosofía, ciencia y religión, y, por otro, la concepción antropológica, mostrando la influencia de perspectivas filosóficas como el panteísmo y el positivismo. El estudio somete a crítica la desvinculación (...) entre política y filosofía que hacía el propio de la Torre. Antes bien, concluye en que ambas esferas se encuentran conectadas y constituyen una raíz fundante del pensamiento latorrista.The article analyses Lisandro de la Torre's philosophical ideas. He was an important Argentinian politician, who had an active public life, mainly, as a legislator, between 1890 and 1937. The study is based upon some lectures and writings from his last years. His cosmological view is examined through the relation among philosophy, science and religion, on one hand, and through his anthropological account, on the other hand. The influence of pantheism and positivism is pointed out in both perspectives. It is criticised de la Torre's claim about politics as an anti-philosophical activity by arguing that philosophy and politics may be considered as foundations of his thought. (shrink)

Digital COVID certificates are a novel public health policy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. These immunity certificates aim to incentivize vaccination and to deny international travel or access to essential spaces to those who are unable to prove that they are not infectious. In this article, we start by describing immunity certificates and highlighting their differences from vaccination certificates. Then, we focus on the ethical, legal, and social issues involved in their use, namely autonomy and consent, data protection, equity, and (...) international mobility from a global fairness perspective. The main conclusion of our analysis is that digital COVID certificates are only acceptable if they meet certain conditions: that they should not process personal data beyond what is strictly necessary for the aimed goals, that equal access to them should be guaranteed, and that they should not restrict people’s autonomy to access places where contagion is unlikely. We conclude that, if such conditions are guaranteed, digital COVID certificates could contribute to mitigating some of the most severe socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic. (shrink)

The notion of the human embryo is not immutable. Various scientific and technological breakthroughs in reproductive biology have compelled us to revisit the definition of the human embryo during the past 2 decades. Somatic cell nuclear transfer, oocyte haploidisation and, more recently, human stem cell-derived embryo models have challenged this scientific term, which has both ethical and legal repercussions. Here, we offer a legal perspective to identify a universally accepted definition of ‘embryo’ which could help to ease and unify the (...) regulation of such entities in different countries. (shrink)

El trabajo confronta la postura de Charles Taylor y de Isaiah Berlin en torno a la cuestión de la libertad y sus sentidos negativo y positivo. El cotejo de ambas posiciones muestra las diferencias entre los autores en la concepción del liberalismo y la democracia. Las críticas que Taylor dirigió a B..

The seat belt analogy argument is aimed at furthering the success of coercive vaccination efforts on the basis that the latter is similar to compulsory use of seat belts. However, this article demonstrated that this argument does not work so well in practice due to several reasons. The possibility of saving resources in health care does not usually apply in our societies, and the paternalist mentality that contributed to the implementation of seat belt–wearing obligation was predominant 30 years ago, but (...) it does not apply at this moment. Furthermore, the risk/benefit analysis is totally different in both scenarios. In the case of seat belts, there is no way to discriminate between the users. In the case of vaccines, individuals present with unique circumstances that may differ substantially from those of another and might be foreseen a priori. This means that an analysis must be performed individually before vaccination is imposed. Finally, one must keep in mind that seat belts are often the only way in which we can protect third parties against a tragic hit by the occupant of another vehicle and are very efficient tools for this purpose. Vaccines, in contrast, do not always create sterilising immunity and are definitely not the only way by which we can avoid spreading a virus; immunity certificates, isolation, or even confinement may also serve as viable methods to achieve this purpose. (shrink)