In an instant classic paper ; 2002: 179–182) biologist Yuri Lazebnik deplores the poor effectiveness of the approach adopted by biologists to understand and “fix” biological systems. Lazebnik suggests that to remedy this state of things biologist should take inspiration from the approach used by engineers to design, understand, and troubleshoot technological systems. In the present paper I substantiate Lazebnik’s analysis by concretely showing how to apply the engineering approach to biological problems. I use an actual example of electronic circuit (...) troubleshooting to ground the thesis that, in engineering, the crucial phases of any non-trivial troubleshooting process are aimed at generating a mechanistic explanation of the functioning of the system, which makes extensive recourse to problem-driven qualitative reasoning possibly based on cognitive artifacts applied to systems that are known to have been designed for function. To show how to translate these findings into biological practice I consider a concrete example of biological model building and “troubleshooting”, aimed at the identification of a “fix” for the human immune system in presence of progressing cancer, autoimmune disease, and transplant rejection. The result is a novel immune system model—the danger model with regulatory cells— and new, original hypotheses concerning the development, prophylaxis, and therapy of these unwanted biological processes. Based on the manifest efficacy of the proposed approach, I suggest a refocusing of the activity of theoretical biologists along the engineering-inspired lines illustrated in the paper. (shrink)

In the Iambs of Gregory of Nazianzus occur many hiatuses: this might suggest that his verses had been composed with carelessness. In fact, if we examine the various kinds of hiatuses, we notice that some of them should not be considered as such, because they occur after words, or along with iuncturae, that usually admit them. There remains, however, a considerable number of hiatus in caesura. The article strives to demonstrate that these hiatuses are due to the imitation of the (...) well-known hiatus in trocaic caesura in the hexameter, which was allowed since Homer’s age. As a matter of fact, in some cases, the same words that produce a hiatus after a trochaic caesura in Homer show an identical one after a caesura in Gregory’s trimeters. Moreover, hexameter and iambic trimeter were frequently juxtaposed by the late ancient metric-grammatical tradition. The article further analyzes the occurence of the hiatus in caesura in the Byzantine dodecasyllables, which, among other reasons, might be due also to the influence of Gregory in Byzantine poetry. (shrink)

Resumen En este artículo se examina el papel de la enseñanza de la filosofía de la educación en la formación inicial docente, tomando como punto de partida la tensión que es posible notar entre, por un lado, el discurso de la mayoría de las facultades encargadas de preparar profesores, que rescatan la necesidad de formar docentes críticos y reflexivos, y, por otro lado, la praxis de la formación docente que parece tener un acento marcadamente técnico. Ante este escenario, se argumenta (...) para mostrar que la filosofía de la educación sí resulta atingente en el contexto de la formación inicial docente, que lejos de desempeñar una función meramente complementaria en dicha formación, ésta debe cumplir un papel fundamental y, por tanto, articulador de los diversos saberes y competencias propios de un profesor, y que de nada sirve defender el valor fundamental de la filosofía de la educación, si éste no es comprendido como tal por los futuros profesores, por lo que resulta vital pensar cuidadosamente los contenidos, metodologías y momentos adecuados para impartir esta materia.This paper examines the role of the teaching of the philosophy of education in the initial teacher training, taking as a starting point the tension that can be noted between, on the one hand, the discourse of most of the faculties in charge to prepare teachers, who rescue the need to train critical and reflective teachers, and, on the other hand, the praxis of teacher training that seems to have a markedly technical accent. Given this scenario, it is argued to show that the philosophy of education is relevant in the context of initial teacher training, far from playing a purely complementary role in such training, it must play a fundamental role that lets it organize the diverse knowledge and competences of a teacher, and that it is useless to defend the fundamental value of the philosophy of education, if it is not understood as such by prospective teachers, so that it is crucial to think carefully about the contents, methodologies and appropriate moments to impart this subject. (shrink)

This research note presents data concerning the community engagement activities of 2,096 Swiss companies as reported by a single company respondent in an online survey. Switzerland affords an interesting opportunity to compare engagement activities in a single country with multiple culture systems across companies varying in size from large to small and medium enterprises. Study results show that 78% of the surveyed firms pursue some community engagement activities. While engagement is mostly practiced in traditional forms, more active forms are not (...) uncommon. The main motivating factor is a concern for the communities in which the firms operate. Engagement activities are mostly employed independent of financial considerations and are conducted flexibly to serve personal interests of the firms’ decision makers. Swiss firms’ reported environmental assessment activities show no specific patterning. Perceiving engagement to be on the rise globally and in Switzerland is associated with a greater likelihood to be involved. Accordingly, knowing other engagement pursuing firms increases the individual firm engagement probability. The German speaking part of Switzerland is more active in engagement than the French and Italian speaking parts. Bigger companies pursue engagement activities more intensively and strategically than do SMEs. (shrink)

In this paper, I present and criticize a number of influential contemporary anti-skeptical strategies inspired by G.E. Moore’s “proof of an external world”. I argue that these accounts cannot represent a valid response to skeptical worries. Furthermore, drawing on Wittgenstein’s criticisms of Moore, I argue that Radical skeptical hypotheses should be considered nonsensical combinations of signs, excluded from our epistemic practices.

Recent aphasiological findings, not mentioned in the target article, have been accounted for by Levelt et al.'s theory and have, in turn, provided it with empirical support and new leads. This interaction is especially promising in the domain of complex word retrieval. Examples of particular categories of compounds are discussed.

A pesquisa foi desenvolvida considerando-se o debate sobre a especificidade da Pós-Graduação Profissional no âmbito da área Ciências da Religião e Teologia, da Capes, órgão que no Ministério da Educação brasileiro acompanha e avalia o Sistema Nacional de Pós-Graduação. O objetivo principal das análises feitas foi construir um panorama de questões em torno do trabalho realizado pelos cursos de mestrados profissionais, incluindo os resultados por eles alcançados, somado a um elenco de aspectos que têm sido identificados como desafiadores para o (...) aprofundamento e aprimoramento dessas práticas bem como as perspectivas que se abrem para essa modalidade de Pós-Graduação no Brasil. Metodologicamente, agrupamos a análise dos dados em dois momentos. O primeiro apresenta, em síntese, um histórico da Pós-Graduação Profissional na área Ciências da Religião e Teologia, com destaque para o conjunto de motivações e objetivos que levaram o Ministério da Educação e a CAPES a implementarem a modalidade de Programas Profissionais no país. Em especial, a reflexão se concentra na visão de uma prática profissional centrada em procedimentos e processos aplicados, visando a solução de problemas que emergem da realidade social. O segundo momento destaca aspectos conceituais sobre a importância da pesquisa aplicada, em especial a tarefa de decolonização a ser desenvolvida no meio acadêmico, a contribuição das áreas e subáreas da Árvore do Conhecimento, especialmente a “Ciência da Religião Aplicada” e a “Teologia Prática”, o valor da produção técnica e a especificidade dos Trabalhos de Conclusão de Curso para a Pós-Graduação Profissional, as potencialidades e limites da estrutura modular para o oferecimento dos créditos curriculares e o perfil do egresso nesta modalidade. (shrink)

Con el objetivo de contribuir al debate actual sobre la necesidad del esclarecimiento de los fundamentos filosóficos de la investigación científica y su declaración en el discurso que expone sus principales resultados, se valoró la forma en que se asume la perspectiva dialéctico-materialista y se precisó en torno a algunos enfoques polémicos sobre la necesidad de su empleo consecuente como referente cosmovisivo en la construcción de la ciencia y la legitimación de sus resultados. Se enfatizó en la necesidad de su (...) consecuente empleo en el proceso de investigación. In order to contribute to the current debate on the necessity for clarification of the philosophical foundations of scientific research and its interpretation in discourse that exposes its main results, it was assessed how dialectical materialistic perspective is assumed and it was clarified around some controversial approaches about the necessity of its consistent use as a comprehensive reference in building science and the legitimacy of its results. It was emphasized on the need of its consistent use in the research process. (shrink)

Resumen: Asociadamente a la complejización del sistema educacional, toman forma procedimientos que buscan su regulación y que, al mismo tiempo, van dando forma a las metas a lograr. En el caso de Chile, en los últimos 50 años se ha constituido un dispositivo de evaluación del sistema educacional de gran alcance, que incluye pruebas nacionales como el SIMCE y la PSU, el Sistema de Evaluación Docente, el Sistema de Acreditación Universitario, la evaluación de la productividad académica, pruebas internacionales como PISA (...) y TIMSS, y la elaboración de rankings de instituciones educacionales. Este dispositivo es una tecnología clave de gubernamentalidad que posibilita regular la conducta de la población. En su constitución se entretejen conocimientos, teóricos y técnicos, provenientes de las ciencias sociales, con preocupaciones y estrategias que buscan el gobierno de la población. Se combinan ciencia social y poder. El dispositivo constituye una tecnología político moral con poderosos efectos performativos que dan forma a lo que asumimos, para todos los efectos prácticos, como la calidad educacional de las diferentes entidades del sistema -estudiantes, escuelas, programas, profesores, universidades, etc.- y que las valoriza en términos de tal calidad. El texto busca articular conceptualmente las operaciones de este dispositivo y sus derivaciones.: Associated with the increasing complexity of the educational system, procedures that seek its regulation take form and, at the same time, shape the goals to be achieved. In the case of Chile, in the last 50 years, a powerful evaluation device for the educational system has been established, which includes national tests such as SIMCE and PSU, the Teacher Evaluation System, the System of University Accreditation, the evaluation of the academic productivity, international tests such as PISA and TIMSS, and the elaboration of rankings of educational institutions. This device is a key technology of governmentality that makes possible to regulate the behavior of the population. In its constitution are interwoven theoretical and technical knowledge from the social sciences and concerns and strategies for the government of the population. Social science and power are combined. The device constitutes a moral and political technology with powerful performative effects that shape what we assume, for all practical purposes, as the educational quality of the different entities of the system -students, schools, programs, professors, universities, etc.-, which are valued in terms of such quality. The paper seeks to articulate theoretically the operations of this device and its derivations. (shrink)

Resumen: Este artículo postula que el mejor modo de leer la Relectio de Indis de Francisco de Vitoria es considerar que no solo se trata de un texto que pertenece al género de análisis político. Para fundar esta hipótesis de lectura la investigación discurre en tres niveles: analiza el contexto de producción del texto; fija las características de los textos de análisis político y propone un autor y lector modelos de la Relectio. La conclusión de la investigación distingue entre interpretación (...) y uso del texto, y sostiene que la interpretación de la Relectio exige que el lector empírico conozca los tres niveles de análisis, mientras que el uso del texto exige considerar que él trata un conjunto de soluciones a problemas perennes en las sociedades: los dilemas interculturales.: This article postulates that the best way of reading Francisco Victoria’s Relectio of Indis is having in mind that it not only is about a text which belongs to the political analysis genre. To support this reading hypothesis, the investigation proceeds in three levels: First, it analyzes the context of production of the text; second, it sets the features of the texts of political analysis and; third, it proposes an author and model reader of the Relectio. The conclusion of the investigation distinguishes between interpretation and the use of text as well as it holds that the interpretation of the Relectio demands the empiric reader to know the three levels of analysis, whereas the use of the text demands him to deal with a set of solutions to perennial problems in societies: intercultural dilemmas. (shrink)

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar algumas possíveis relações entre ruminação e reflexão com sexo, Neuroticismo/ajustamento emocional e bem-estar subjetivo (BES), decorrentes de uma análise crítica da literatura científica da área. O pensamento ruminativo, cujo conteúdo é negativo e desadaptado à ..

We review the organization and contents of the 20th Gatherings in Biosemiotics. As the organizers, we share our insights from organizing a community research project in the year where the Covid-19 pandemic halted international travel. We try to describe the challenges of putting together the yearly conference on Biosemiotics and the main content that was presented by the research community.

Este artigo tem como objetico examinar a abordagem evolutiva do comportamento informacional e refletir acerca de algumas consequências trazidas por esta abordagem para as bases epistemológicas da biblioteconomia e ciência da informação (BCI) nos trabalhos de Amanda Spink e Armando Malheiro da Silva. Incorpora uma crítica de modelos de busca de conhecimento como o de Nicholas Belkin, por causa de seu resíduo tecnicista. Metodologia: Pesquisa bibliográfica e posterior análise das fontes recuperadas. Análise realizada através do exame argumentativo e conceitual de (...) textos considerados referenciais para cada parte do argumento. Resultados: Ressalta a distinção entre interpretações divergentes do termo “evolução”. Reconhece a exigência inevitável de uma atitude holística ou interdisciplinar para a compreensão do comportamento informacional. Destaca a valorização dos comportamentos humanos de caráter informal e lúdico em relação à informação. (shrink)

O texto apresenta uma perspectiva cristológica plural na relação interreligiosa, a partir da visão de que cada expressão religiosa tem a sua proposta salvífica e de fé que devem ser aceitas, respeitadas, valorizadas e aprimoradas a partir de um diálogo e aproximação mútuas. Tal perspectiva não anula nem diminui o valor das identidades religiosas - no caso da fé cristã, a importância de Cristo -, mas leva-as a um aprofundamento e amadurecimento, movidos pelo diálogo e pela confrontação justa, amável e (...) corresponsável. Assim, a fé cristã, por exemplo, seria reinterpretada a partir do confronto dialógico e criativo com as demais fés. O mesmo deve se dar com toda e qualquer tradição religiosa. Consideramos que tal visão, em certo sentido, supera outros modelos como aquele que considera Jesus Cristo e a Igreja como caminho exclusivo de salvação; o que considera Jesus Cristo como caminho de salvação para todos, ainda que implicitamente, o que se denominou inclusivismo; e a perspectiva relativista na qual Jesus é o caminho para os cristãos, enquanto para os outros o caminho é a sua própria tradição, sem maiores esforços de autocríticas, revisões e mútua interpelação. Na visão pluralista, os elementos chaves da vivência religiosa e humana em geral são alteridade, respeito à diferença e o diálogo e cooperação prática e ética em torno da busca da justiça, da paz e do bem-comum. A aproximação e o diálogo entre grupos de distintas expressões religiosas cooperam para que elas possam construir ou reconstruir suas identidades e princípios fundantes. Palavras-Chave : Teologia das religiões. Cristologia pluralista. Diálogo inter-religioso. Asbtract This essay presents a plural Christological perspective towards inter-religious relationships, from the perspective that every religious expression has its own faith and salvific proposal that should be accepted, respected, properly valued and improved through mutual approach and dialogue. Such perspective does not negate nor diminishes the value of religious identities – in the case of the Christian faith, the importance of Christ – but leads them to deepen and mature themselves, being moved by dialogue and fair confrontation, one that is loving and co-responsible. Thus, the Christian faith, for instance, would be reinterpreted by means of creative dialogical confrontation vis-a-vis other faiths. The same should take place with each and every religious tradition. We consider that this understanding, in a certain way, supersedes other models such as that which considers Jesus Christ and the Church as the only and exclusive means of salvation; the one that considers Jesus Christ as the way of salvation for everyone, even if implicitly stated, what has been termed as inclusivism; and the relativistic perspective, in which Jesus is the way for Christians, while for others the way is their own tradition, without greater efforts on self-criticism, self-revision and mutual interpellation. In the pluralist perspective, the key elements of religious life and human life in general are alterity, respect for differences, dialogue and mutual practical and ethical cooperation for justice and common well-being. The mutual approach and dialogue between groups belonging to distinct religious expressions cooperate in order for them to construct or reconstruct their identities and founding principles. Keywords: Theology of religions. Pluralist Christology. Inter-religious dialogue. (shrink)

Este trabalho discute a formação da mentalidade individual, por meio de uma reflexão comparativa entre Democracia e educação, de John Dewey, e Admirável mundo novo, de Aldous Huxley. O texto literário permite um diálogo e uma leitura em face do texto filosófico, que o caracteriza como campo para a realização de um experimento de pensamento. Esse experimento é a discussão do valor atribuído por Dewey ao crescimento individual e ao social, em contraposição ao valor encontrado na narrativa de Huxley, da (...) estabilidade. Confrontando as leituras dessas duas obras, se pode compreender mais profundamente e, em uma perspectiva diferenciada, a relevância das condições do crescimento na formação plena da mentalidade individual. (shrink)

Resumo Este artigo analisa a ocorrência cotidiana, nas redações de jornal, de inúmeras manifestações “laicas” da religiosidade (na concepção simmeliana, é uma capacidade humana que engloba a totalidade da existência e lhe confere sentido). O autor trabalhou, durante cinco anos, nas redações dos jornais Folha de S. Paulo e O Estado de S. Paulo. das observações, anotadas num diário de campo, entrevistas e levantamento de dados, resultou uma “repor-tese” – uma reportagem que virou doutorado. Não há no jornalismo um componente (...) religioso formal. Mas, por predisposição pessoal, ethos da profissão ou tradição, a religiosidade do jornalista secreta um sentido de promoção da verdade e da justiça. A empresa jornalística exerce uma peculiar onipotência ao selecionar acontecimentos que considera dignos de ser publicados. A ancoragem da imprensa no tempo lhe confere certa eternidade, pois a sucessão ininterrupta de edições configura um retorno ao eterno presente. Conclui-se que a característica “religiosa” do jornalismo se manifesta sob forma de rituais de lugar e tempo, de pessoas e falas e também como mística da vocação, da missão e do sofrimento. Essas condições também podem ser usadas como um disfarce “heróico” na exploração do trabalhador. Palavras-chave: Jornalismo; Fenômeno religioso; Ritual; Mística.This article analyses the daily occurrence of multiple secular manifestations of religiousness in newspapers editorial rooms (according to Georg Simmel, it is a human capacity that involves the whole existence and endows it with sense). The author worked for newspapers Folha de S. Paulo and O Estado de S. Paulo for five years. From his observations, written down in a diary, interviews and collected data, he wrote a “reporthesis” – a newspaper report that turned into a doctorate thesis. There is not a formal religious component in journalism. But, due to a personal disposition, professional ethos or tradition, the journalist’s religiousness comprises a sense of promotion of truth and justice. Journalists exercise a peculiar omnipotence when they select events that they consider worth publishing. The fundamental connection between the press and time confers a specific eternity on it, once the occurrence of non-stop editions points out a return to the eternal present. We conclude that the “religious” characteristic of journalism appears as rituals of place and time, of people and discourse, and also as a mystic of vocation, mission and suffering. Those conditions can also be a “heroic” disguise for the exploitation of workers. Key words: Journalism; Religious phenomenon; Ritual; Mystic. (shrink)

Este libro nace de la experiencia docente del autor, en donde él considera que la comprensión histórica de los orígenes del cristianismo comporta la necesidad de conocer los temas elementales del pensamiento judío. Sin embargo, esta obra no pretende ser una historia de Palestina, ni una historia de los pueblos circundantes de la civilización judía, quiere más bien ilustrar, enmarcar y discutir ciertos aspectos del pensamiento judío precristiano que pueden servir para mejorar nuestra comprensi..

Even though the link between perceived corporate social responsibility fit and corporate reputation has received much attention from scholars, this tradition has ignored that the underpinnings of this association vary depending on the particular characteristics of each industry under study. To delve into this matter, we investigate in the increasingly relevant context of controversial industries how PCSR-fit could enhance corporate reputation and which are the mediating mechanisms of this association. Our academic contribution is twofold. First, we find that controversial sectors (...) indeed can increase corporate reputation through CSR activities. However, we find that to achieve this goal, the nature of PCSR-fit should be different than what extant literature indicates, because companies in these settings should directly focus on avoiding or reducing their inherent controversial harm or impact. Second, we evidence that “CSR initiatives' legitimacy” and “situational skepticism” mediate the PCSR-fit and corporate reputation relationship in CIs. Therefore, we further unravel the underpinnings of this association to advance what we know on the matter and aid practitioners in this particular context. (shrink)

_ Source: _Volume 46, Issue 2, pp 157 - 183 This paper suggests interpreting Husserl’s thesis of the “fictional destruction of the world” in the light of the eidetic method of variation. After having reconstructed Husserl’s argument and shown how it relies on the methodologically regimented joint venture of free fantasy and bounded concepts, the author concludes that the a priori of a world, namely its empirical style, is tantamount to the a priori of a world that can be possibly (...) experienced by some conceivable form of consciousness. If consciousness is a priori bound to transcendence, such transcendence is not necessarily supposed to be the transcendence of a world, for a non-world would be enough to entertain the intentional directedness. This twofold claim allows for a novel interpretation of Husserl’s principle of the asymmetry between world and consciousness. (shrink)

What do we quantify when we attempt to quantify semiotic systems and theories? How sound are potential quantifications in terms of interpretive values within some varieties of semiotic theory? We will make a distinction between formalization and quantification in order to understand what to quantify, how to quantify it and why quantification may be a desirable outcome for semiotic theory. The implications of this stance may be relevant and philosophically interesting in light of the naturalized project of biosemiotics. In this (...) paper we will try to understand some ideas behind the rationale of formalizing and quantifying semiotic phenomena and discuss whether this possibility can or should map to functionalized descriptions of semiosis and the sign. (shrink)

Although we may find the concept of anomie in Greek thought, it is since Durkheim that the concept begins to be used specifically as a sociological concept. However, a theory of anomie only becomes consolidated since “Social Structure and Anomie” by Robert K. Merton (Merton 1938). The theory becomes important and conquers its space in the rest of the century as one of the most productive theories about deviance. In this study, based on a contemporary conception of scientific theory, that (...) of the structuralist metatheory, a reconstruction of Merton’s approach is proposed, allowing to make explicit the deep structure of the theory. (shrink)

There is empirical evidence suggesting a positive link between direct experiences in nature and people’s environmental attitudes (EA) and behaviors (EB). This has led researchers to encourage more frequent contact with nature, especially during childhood, as a way of increasing pro-environmentalism (i.e., pro-EA and pro-EB). However, the association between experiences in nature and EA/EB is complex, and specific guidelines for people’s everyday contact with nature cannot be provided. This article offers an overview of the research conducted until know about the (...) relation between experiences in nature and pro-environmentalism, and opens up new inquiries for future research. We begin with an introduction to people’s current tendency toward an alienation from the natural world and set out the objectives of the article. It is followed by three main sections. The first one reports on what experiences in nature refer to, how and where they occur. The second section describes the different approaches used to investigate and interpret the experiences in nature-EA and EB relation. The last section provides suggestions for future research. We close by making some final remarks about the importance of (re)stablishing a greater interaction with nature for people’s pro-EA and EB. (shrink)

Claudio Moreschini focuses on selected and as yet still understudied aspects of Boethius' life and works. He presents Boethius in the culture of the sixth century in Italy, outlines his great cultural project and discusses the problem of his Christian faith. The Consolatio Philosophiae is examined from the point of view of Latin Platonism, highlighting the aims of its poetry and its philosophical tenets. Moreschini also shows how Boethius combined Christian faith and philosophy in order to solve theological issues, (...) most notably the Christological debates of his times or the question of the Trinity. (shrink)