E! artículo analiza e! tema de larelación de! hombre con la naturaleza en e!Hexaemeron de Grossetesste, tratado de teologiabíblica en el que, a partir de la exégesís dei relatode la creación, plantea los principales temas de lafe cristiana procurando concordarlos con losconocimientos científicos de su tiempo. Los ejesfundamentales son: 1. Todas las cosas fueroncreadas por Dios; 2. Las cosas fueron creadosordenadamente según la relativa perfección desus naturalezas; 3. La creación es un sístema"cerrado" y todo lo que en ella se contiene (...) puedeser explicado a la vez por la fe y la razón; 4. E!universo es finito temporal, espacial ycualitativamente. Con estos postulados se fundamentala dignidad dei hombre contenida en sucarácter de "imagen de Dios", que se trasuntaen: aser imagen de Dios Uno y Trino; b. ser un"microcosmos" o compendio de todo lo creado; c.ser necesariamente una sola especie y d. ser elsefiomatural de todas las cosas. (shrink)

Al intentar la caracterización del modus operandi más propio de la Escolástica, la articulación teórica de la quaestio parece ser un elemento decisivo, tanto en sí misma (siendo un eje articular de un “problema atómico” o unidad mínima de tratamiento) cuanto en la constitución de la disputatio, forma también ligada a la caracterización de la Escolástica. Un punto signifi cativo de profundización, es examinar si y en qué medida el uso de determinados recursos lógicos se relaciona significativamente a la constitución (...) de la quaestio y por ende, de la disputatio. En este trabajo me propongo explorar el uso del método derivativo en formas típicamente escolásticas a partir de las siguientes hipótesis: a) el método derivativo más funcional a la quaestio y la disputatio, la argumentación silogística, fue el modelo preferente y a cuya aplicación estricta se tendía; b) esto implica la asunción (tácita o explícita) de la epistemología aristotélica; c) por la misma razón, se privilegia el silogismo categórico simple y se tiende a reducir a él las otras formas derivativas, especialmente en el momento disputativo; d) esta exigencia determina un estereotipo disputativo que, si bien gana en sencillez y claridad, reduce seriamente las posibilidades de ampliación del discurso. El trabajo se articula en tres partes. En la primera se analizan las estrategias reduccionistas en la forma de quaestio. En la segunda, se hace lo propio en los géneros expositivos o comentarios a autoridades. En la tercera, se analiza el reduccionismo en la estructuración de la quaestio, la disputatio y la collatio. (shrink)

We expose the main ideas, concepts and results about Jaśkowski's discussive logic, and apply that logic to the concept of pragmatic truth and to the Dalla Chiara-di Francia view of the foundations of physics.

Background: In Switzerland, non-medical right-to-die organisations such as Exit Deutsche Schweiz and Dignitas offer suicide assistance to members suffering from incurable diseases.Objectives: First, to determine whether differences exist between the members who received assistance in suicide from Exit Deutsche Schweiz and Dignitas. Second, to investigate whether the practices of Exit Deutsche Schweiz have changed since the 1990s.Methods: This study analysed all cases of assisted suicide facilitated by Exit Deutsche Schweiz and Dignitas between 2001 and 2004 and investigated by the University (...) of Zurich’s Institute of Legal Medicine. Furthermore, data from the Exit Deutsche Schweiz study which investigated all cases of assisted suicide during the period 1990–2000 were compared with the data of the present study.Results: More women than men were assisted in both organisations. Dignitas provided more assistance to non-residents, younger persons : D: 64.5 ; E: 76.6 ; p = 0.001), and people suffering from fatal diseases such as multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Lethal medications were more often taken orally in cases assisted by Dignitas. The number of women and the proportion of older people suffering from non-fatal diseases among suicides assisted by Exit Deutsche Schweiz has increased since the 1990s : 69.3 to 76.9, p = 0.000), non-fatal diseases: 22% to 34%, p = 0.026).Conclusions: Weariness of life rather than a fatal or hopeless medical condition may be a more common reason for older members of Exit Deutsche Schweiz to commit suicide. The strong over-representation of women in both Exit Deutsche Schweiz and Dignitas suicides is an important phenomenon so far largely overlooked and in need of further study. (shrink)

Schrödinger logics are logical systems in which the principle of identity is not true in general. The intuitive motivation for these logics is both Erwin Schrödinger's thesis (which has been advanced by other authors) that identity lacks sense for elementary particles of modern physics, and the way which physicists deal with this concept; normally, they understandidentity as meaningindistinguishability (agreemment with respect to attributes). Observing that these concepts are equivalent in classical logic and mathematics, which underly the usual physical theories, we (...) present a higher-order logical system in which these concepts are systematically separated. A classical semantics for the system is presented and some philosophical related questions are mentioned. One of the main characteristics of our system is that Leibniz' Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles cannot be derived. This fact is in accordance with some authors who maintain that quantum mechanics violates this principle. Furthermore, our system may be viewed as a way of making sense some of Schrödinger's logical intuitions about the nature of elementary particles. (shrink)

Trois sortes de définitions sont présentées et discutées: les définitions nominales, les définitions contextuelles et les définitions amplificatrices. On insiste sur le fait que I’elimination des definitions n’est pas forcement un procede automatique en particulier dans le cas de la logique paraconsistante. Finalement on s’int’resse à la théorie des objets de Meinong et l’on montre comment elle peut êrre considéréecomme une théorie des descripteurs.Three kinds of definitions are presented and discussed: nominal definitions, contextual definitions, amplifying definitions. It is emphasized that (...) the elimination of definitions is not necessarily straightforward in particular in the case of paraconsistent logic. Finally we have a look at Meinong’s theory objects and we show how it can be considered as a theory of descriptors. (shrink)

Most philosophers of science now believe that scientific data are theory laden, i.e., the evaluation of data is influenced by prior theoretical beliefs. Although there is historical and psychological evidence that is consistent with the theory-laden position, experimental evidence is needed to directly test whether prior beliefs influence the evaluation of scientific data. In a fully counterbalanced design, one group of subjects received evidence that dinosaurs were cold-blooded, and another group of subjects received evidence that dinosaurs were warm-blooded. The subjects (...) reported a strong belief in whichever theory they had read about. Then subjects were presented with a piece of data that supported one theory and contradicted the other theory. The identical piece of data was rated as more believable when it was consistent with the subject's theory than when it was inconsistent. These results provide clear support for the position that scientific data are theory laden. (shrink)

The complexity of biobank research raises concerns about individuals’ understanding of the information conveyed in the consent process for such research.. We report the results of a qualitative, cognitive interview study with an ethnically, linguistically, and educationally diverse sample of 43 respondents to assess the clarity and utility of a multimedia tool developed for a biobank. Using weighted randomization, respondents were assigned to either view the multimedia tool or read a written consent document . The study illustrates the utility of (...) cognitive interviews for gaining insights from prospective research participants about the clarity of informed consent tools. Findings suggest that a multimedia tool is useful for communicating key messages but should be combined with a written consent document and personal interaction with the study staff. We recommend that the potential value of multimedia tools should be more rigorously tested in a randomized controlled trial. (shrink)

Recent controversy over philosophical advocacy of infanticide (or the comically-styled euphemism ‘postnatal abortion’) reveals a surprisingly common premise uniting many of the opponents and supporters of the practice. This is the belief that the moral status of the early fetus or embryo with respect to a right to life is identical to that of a newly born or even very young baby. From this premise, infanticidists and strong anti-abortionists draw opposite conclusions, the former that the healthy newly born have no (...) inherent right to life and the latter that minute embryos and the very early fetus have the same right to life as young babies. (Indeed strong anti-abortionists tend to regard this right to life as identical to that possessed by adult humans.) This paper argues that these opposed conclusions are both deeply implausible and that the implausibility resides in the common premise. The argument requires some attention to the structure of the philosophical case underpinning the supposed vice of speciesism that has been given intellectual currency by many philosophers, most notably Peter Singer, and also to the reasoning behind the strong anti-abortionist adoption of the common premise. (shrink)

The structure of natural languages is usually studied from three major different but interconnected points of view: syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. If we consider that the main purpose of natural languages is communication, we should consider another dimension for languages, which deals with the influence of internal states of communicating individuals on meanings. Such a dimension we refer to as internalism. Within this context, internalism cannot be confused with psycholinguistics, in the same way pragmatics cannot be confused with sociolinguistics. In (...) particular, we argue, language is tied to its systematic use. This view leads us to a non-realist perspective on linguistics. We analyze the role of natural languages into dialogues, by comparing our proposal to the dialogical approach to logic, which considers a dialogue as a game. Within our approach, there is no way to guarantee that two parties involved in a dialogue are playing the same game, due to unavoidable differences in their respective internal states. Another contribution of this paper is to argue that semantics plays a more fundamental role than syntax in the cognitive acquisition of languages. (shrink)

La filosofia natural ha sido una disciplina de larga tradición académica en las universidades medievales y modernas, ligada sobre todo al escolasticismo aristotélico, aunque se fue diluyendo desde fines del s. XVIII Durante et s. XIX y buena parte del XX fue sólo una presencia habitual en el curriculum de las facultades católicas y de los seminarios. Entre los aos 30 y 60 hubo intentos de resurgimiento desde el tomismo, pensândola en relación con la epistemologia y la filosofia de la (...) ciencia. Pero estos intentos casi no trascendieron fuera de la escuela. En los últimos 20 afios se está produciendo otro intento de refundación de la filosofia natural, de la mano de algunos tomistas que intentan poner en práctica el programa que Jacques Maritain habia enunciado varias décadas antes. En el trabajo se analizan estos dos momentos, en relación con el pensamiento personal del Aquinate, mostrando que el primero estuvo más ligado a una relectura de los grados de abstracción y tuvo en vista sobre todo la delimitación y justificación de la especificidad e irreductibilidad de la metafísica, mientras que el segundo se orienta hacia una visión más cercana al aristotelismo, privilegiando los textos tomistas que comentan y completan al Estagirita. (shrink)

The Three Papers comprising this series, together with my earlier [34] also published in this journal, constitute an attempt to set out the major issues in the theoretical domain of reduction and to develop a general theory of theory reduction. The fourth paper, [34], though published separately from this trio, is integral to the presentation and should be read in conjunction with these papers. Even so, the presentation is limited in scope – roughly, to intertheoretic reduction among empirical theories – (...) and informal in presentation – not least because a satisfying formal account of theories has yet to be offered. And despite the length, the treatment is still condensed; often corroborating and/or intuitively helpful detail has had to be consigned to footnotes or omitted. I approach the problem from within my own naturalistic realist philosophy of science and formal analysis of abstract hierarchy in theory. The sources for the former are [25], [29], [31], and [32] and those for the latter essentially [27] and [30]. Hierarchical notions played a significant role in the already published [34]. (shrink)

The role of interaction in learning is essential and profound: it must provide the means to solve open problems (those only vaguely specified in advance), but cannot be captured using our familiar formal cognitive tools. This presents an impasse to those confined to present formalisms; but interaction is fundamentally dynamical, not formal, and with its importance thus underlined it invites the development of a distinctively interactivist account of life and mind. This account is provided, from its roots in the interactivist (...) biological constitution of life, through the evolution of the dual internal regulatory capacities expressed as intentionality and intelligence, to its expression in self-directed anticipative learning in persons and in science. (shrink)

I argue that beliefs about what appears possible are justified in much the same way as beliefs about what appears actual. I do so by chisholming, and then modalizing, the epistemic principle associated with phenomenal conservatism. The principle is tested against a number of examples, and it gives the intuitively correct results. I conclude by considering how it can be used to defend two controversial modal arguments, a Cartesian argument for dualism and an ontological argument for the existence of God.

The intoduccion of the Aristotelian Analytica Posteriora in the Middle Ages and their diffusion all through 13th century caused significant changes in the conception of the scientific knowledges, including those of the Theology.This one was clearly distinguished from the Philosophy. In this work I show Grosseteste’s main theological ideas and the lineaments of its epistemological justification: the object and the method of the Theology.

All the major inter-theoretic relations of fundamental science are asymptotic ones, e.g. quantum theory as Planck's constant h 0, yielding (roughly) Newtonian mechanics. Thus asymptotics ultimately grounds claims about inter-theoretic explanation, reduction and emergence. This paper examines four recent, central claims by Batterman concerning asymptotics and reduction. While these claims are criticised, the discussion is used to develop an enriched, dynamically-based account of reduction and emergence, to show its capacity to illuminate the complex variety of inter-theory relationships in physics, and (...) to provide a principled resolution to such persistent philosophical problems as multiple realisability and the nature of the special sciences. Introduction Exposition Examination I: Claims (1) and (2), asymptotic explanation and reference Examination II: Claim (3), reduction and singular asymptotics Examination III: Claim (4), emergence and multiple realisability Conclusion. (shrink)

It is now commonly accepted that N. Goodman's predicate "grue" presents the theory of confirmation of C. G. Hempel (and other such theories) with grave difficulties. The precise nature and status of these "difficulties" has, however, never been made clear. In this paper it is argued that it is very unlikely that "grue" raises any formal difficulties for Hempel and appearances to the contrary are examined, rejected and an explanation of their intuitive appeal offered. However "grue" is shown to raise (...) an informal, "over-arching" difficulty of great magnitude for all theories of confirmation, including Hempel's theory. (shrink)

This book seeks to examine the mutual interplay between existentialism and Christian belief as seen through the work of three existentialist thinkers who were also committed Christians - a Spaniard, a Russian, and a Frenchman. They are compared with each other and with leading non-religious existentialists. The major themes studied include reason, freedom, the self, belief, hope, love, suffering, and immortality.

C A Wringe; Pupils’ Rights, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Volume 7, Issue 1, 30 May 2006, Pages 103–115, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9752.1973.tb00475.

This essay outlines the moral dilemma of funding orphan drug research and development. To date, ethical aspects of priority setting for research funding have not been an issue of discussion in the bioethics debate. Conflicting moral obligations of beneficence and distributive justice appear to demand very different levels of funding for orphan drug research. The two types of orphan disease, rare diseases and tropical diseases, however, present very different ethical challenges to questions about allocation of research funds. The dilemma is (...) analysed considering utilitarian and rights based theories of justice and moral obligations of non-abandonment and a professional obligation to advance medical science. The limitations of standard economic evaluation tools and other priority setting tools used to inform health policy decision makers on research funding decisions are outlined. (shrink)

El trabajo se propone analizar el límite irreductible del aristotelismo tomasiano en la noción de creatio ex nihilo, en su Comentario a la Física, Libros VII y VIII, pero tratando de salvar la teoría aristotélica todo lo posible. Su estrategia consiste en separar hermenéuticamente la teoría del movimiento eterno de la teoría causal del primer motor, considerando que se trata de dos argumentaciones independientes y por tanto ordenables a la inversa, concluyendo que el movimiento es eterno porque es causado por (...) un primer motor eterno. De este modo habilita más fácilmente el pasaje del nivel cosmológico al metafísico. Se hace uso de las categorías hermenéuticas de Lakatos, considerando estas exposiciones como heurística positiva. (shrink)