I derive a number of impressive analogies between the modifications of the elementary components of Matter, generated by an external source of interaction, and the analogous modifications of the elementary components of an Organism. I will consider the interaction between the elementary components of matter and a weak classic magnetic field. This interaction will be treated in the theoretical quantum field theory formalism.

For fifty years the philosophy of language has been experiencing a stalemating conflict between the old descriptive and internalist orthodoxy (advocated by philosophers such as Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Strawson, and Searle) and the new causal-referential and externalist orthodoxy (mainly endorsed by Kripke, Putnam, and Kaplan). Although the latter is dominant among specialists, the former retains a discomforting intuitive plausibility. The ultimate goal of this book is to overcome the stalemate by means of a non-naïve return to the old descriptivist-internalist orthodoxy. (...) Concerning proper names, this means introducing second-order description-rules capable of systemizing descriptions of the proper name’s cluster to provide us with the right changeable conditions of satisfaction for its application. Such rules can explain how a proper name can become a rigid designator while remaining descriptive, disarming Kripke's and Donnellan’s main objections. In the last chapter, this new perspective is extended to indexicals in a discussion of David Kaplan’s and John Perry’s views, and of general terms, in a discussion of Hilary Putnam’s externalism. (shrink)

According to Relational Quantum Mechanics the wave function \ is considered neither a concrete physical item evolving in spacetime, nor an object representing the absolute state of a certain quantum system. In this interpretative framework, \ is defined as a computational device encoding observers’ information; hence, RQM offers a somewhat epistemic view of the wave function. This perspective seems to be at odds with the PBR theorem, a formal result excluding that wave functions represent knowledge of an underlying reality described (...) by some ontic state. In this paper we argue that RQM is not affected by the conclusions of PBR’s argument; consequently, the alleged inconsistency can be dissolved. To do that, we will thoroughly discuss the very foundations of the PBR theorem, i.e. Harrigan and Spekkens’ categorization of ontological models, showing that their implicit assumptions about the nature of the ontic state are incompatible with the main tenets of RQM. Then, we will ask whether it is possible to derive a relational PBR-type result, answering in the negative. This conclusion shows some limitations of this theorem not yet discussed in the literature. (shrink)

This short piece is the introduction to the Special Issue on ‘Virtue and the Law’ published by Jurisprudence in March 2019 (vol 9, issue 1). It explains the scope of the project and its place in the unfolding of virtue jurisprudence that has occurred in the past few decades, as well as introducing the topics addressed in the volume. In the first couple of pages the authors/editors outline a very brief genealogy of virtue jurisprudence and of its relation to both (...) legal theory and virtue theory. The rest of the text presents the contributions to the volume in turn, identifying some of the substantive issues addressed by each of them and their place in the investigation of the interface between virtue theory and legal theory. (shrink)

The T lymphocyte receptor for antigen, which operates in conjunction with gene products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is a molecular complex comprised of five polypeptide chains. Both the 49 kDa alpha and 43 kDa beta chains are immunoglobulin‐like and thus contain variable domains responsible for ligand binding. In contrast, the 20–25 kDa T3 gamma, delta and epsilon chains are monomorphic structures presumably involved in transmembrane signalling. The alpha and beta subunits are disulfide bonded to each other and held (...) in noncovalent association with the T3 chains. T3‐Ti receptor crosslinking leads to conformational modification of a second T lineage specific molecule, termed the 50 kDa T11 structure which in turn leads to protein kinase C activation, elevation in intracytoplasmic free calcium and Na+/H+ antiport stimulation. (shrink)

Este trabajo se propone discutir el concepto kantiano de Ilustración en un triple aspecto: 1) la noción de saber implícita en el uso del lema sapere aude, referida no al conocimiento , sino a una noción de razón que culmina en la sabiduría (Weisheit.

Am 26. Dezember 2005, einen Tag vor seinem 74. Geburtstag, starb Silvestro Marcucci, Erster Vorsitzender der „Società Italiana di Studi Kantiani“, sowie Begründer und Herausgeber der Zeitschrift „Studi kantiani“. Sein Tod kam gänzlich unerwartet in einer Zeit, da er, seit dem 31. Oktober 2005 frei von akademischen Verpflichtungen, seine wissenschaftliche Tätigkeit fortsetzte, vielleicht mit noch größerer Freude und mehr Engagement als zuvor. Die letzten Wochen seines Lebens waren mit dem Gedanken an der Organisation des XI. Internationalen Kant-Kongresses 2010 erfüllt, der (...) nach dem Beschluss der Kant-Gesellschaft im Oktober 2005 von der Società di studi kantiani in Pisa veranstaltet werden wird. Marcucci trug wie kaum ein anderer dazu bei, der italienischen Kant-Forschung, die ohnehin schon lange internationale Anerkennung gewonnen hat, ein prägnantes Profil zu verleihen: er hatte die Fähigkeit, die zahlreichen italienischen Forscher einem intensiveren wissenschaftlichen Austausch und dadurch zu neuen Leistungen zuzuführen. (shrink)

A filosofia política de Rousseau sugere que há uma ligação íntima entre a garantia da liberdade e uma constituição radicalmente democrática da sociedade, especialmente no que se refere ao processo de tomada de decisões coletivas. Este texto procura explorar alguns aspectos dessa ligação entre igualitarismo e liberdade como não dominação, a partir da teoria da democracia proposta por Rousseau no Contrato social.

El objetivo principal de este artículo es defender, de acuerdo con A. John Simmons, un punto de vista que, normativamente, propone el consentimiento como condición necesaria de legitimidad y fundamento de la obligación política. Pero, descriptivamente, entiende que tal consentimiento, en tanto que autorización personal y voluntaria, todavía no ha tenido lugar en ninguna sociedad, ni siquiera democrática.

Este trabajo desarrolla una propuesta de análisis en torno a los repertorios de acción que pusieron en cuestión los símbolos de la nación moderna y al proyecto urbano neoliberal, como elementos civilizadores. Proponemos que la narrativa monumental ha sido tensionada por el despliegue de una producción estética que ha revelado sus violencias y exclusiones históricas. El centro de Santiago fue el escenario donde se desplegaron diversos repertorios que hablan de las múltiples temporalidades que habitamos, entre ellas la temporalidad colonial. En (...) este sentido, creemos que la Revuelta tuvo un carácter chi’xi, siguiendo las ideas de Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui, es decir, operaron repertorios y estéticas yuxtapuestas desde donde se impugnaron las políticas de identidad del estado chileno. Asimismo, como parte de este proceso, se desplegaron nuevos usos, significados y nombres en el espacio urbano, a modo de un quehacer insurgente cuya densidad retorica todavía nos desborda, sigue abierto y en disputa. (shrink)

The present article is devoted to a logical inquiry on the notions of permanence and termination, which play a central role in many areas of temporal reasoning. In the first part, we introduce a bimodal framework to represent these notions and provide a syntactic and semantic comparison with a monomodal framework representing the notion of future necessity. In the second part, we focus on the problem of defining synonymous logical systems over the two frameworks; as an example, we provide an (...) extended analysis of two systems, the monomodal K4 and the bimodal S4X. The third part of the article indicates possible developments of the proposed line of inquiry, such as finding a simple representation in the bimodal language of some interesting properties of time and identifying further pairs of synonymous systems. (shrink)

The paper begins by focusing the basic idea that Gestalt phenomena belong not only to the realm of perception but to the realm of inference. It is shown that Gestalt effects often occur both in counterfactual and in ampliative – i.e. inductive and abductive – reasoning. The main thesis of the paper is that the common feature of such forms of non-deductive reasoning is provided by a rational selection between incompatible conclusions, where rationality lies in the choice of the alternative (...) which preserves the maximum of background information. It is also stressed a distinction between a weak and a strong notion of incompatibility. Such distinction may help in giving account of some alleged Gestalt phenomena which have been recognized in theory construction and theory change. (shrink)

Charles S. Peirce’s philosophy of signs, generally construed as the foundation of current semiotic theory, offers a theory of general perception with significant implications for the notion of subjectivity in organisms. In this article, we will discuss Peirce’s primary claims in semiotic theory, particularly focusing on their relevance to biosemiotics. We argue that these claims align with certain areas of the philosophy of biology, specifically epistemological and ontological considerations, despite the limited formal interaction between disciplines. This article serves as a (...) general introduction to Peircean biosemiotics as a philosophical perspective on biological subjectivity. (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)

A leitura da obra de Dewey suscita reflexões que possuem – em alguma medida – relevância para o atual debate pedagógico e filosófico. Em sentido inverso, o estado atual das discussões filosóficas e pedagógicas implica novas indagações e formas de interpretar a obra desse pensador. Tomando como base essa interação dinâmica entre a obra deweyana e a situação experimentada por seus leitores na atualidade, é que se propôs o tema John Dewey: reflexões sobre sua obra filosófica e propostas educacionais, no (...) contexto atual. (shrink)

James procurou superar a cisão da personalidade por meio de uma antropologia da ação em que combinou vários materiais intelectuais que não respeitam fronteiras epistemológicas. Apropriou-se estrategicamente de diferentes fontes culturais e avanços da psicopatologia para pensar a liberação das possibilidades da consciência e da experiência. Entre eles, serão exploradas suas leituras de Giovanni Papini e Pierre Janet para dar conta do modo preciso como essas contribuições intelectuais atuam em sua antropologia da superação.

Cet article cherche à discuter certaines implications de la phénoménologie événémentiale de Romano afin d'en mésurer la fécondité pour la question - largement négligée par notre tradition philosophique - de la naissance. A travers la critique de la notion de "conscience interne du temps" proposée par Husserl dans les Leçons de 1905 et les Manuscrits de Bernau de 1918-19, Romano met au point sa conception de l'événement en tant que origine intemporelle de toute temporalité mondaine. La dernière partie de cet (...) article cherche justement à interpréter la naissance comme phénomène événementiel d'ouverture originaire de toute possibilité future pour l'advenant. (shrink)

In the following reflection Claudio Corradetti and Allen Wood engage in a controversy concerning the possibilities and the limits of textual interpretation. Should an interpreter still be authorized to call an author’s interpretation the logical stretch of text beyond its black printed letters? The authors offer two different standpoints on what can still be defined as textual interpretation. Whereas for Allen Wood a clear-cut separation must be kept between what a text shows and what an interpreter argues starting from (...) the text, for Claudio Corradetti such distinction remains internal to textual exegesis in so far as the interpreter’s conclusions follow a logical pattern of jus tification starting from evidential hints. (shrink)

The paper studies the relation between systems of modal logic and systems of consequential implication, a non-material form of implication satisfying "Aristotle's Thesis" (p does not imply not p) and "Weak Boethius' Thesis" (if p implies q, then p does not imply not q). Definitions are given of consequential implication in terms of modal operators and of modal operators in terms of consequential implication. The modal equivalent of "Strong Boethius' Thesis" (that p implies q implies that p does not imply (...) not q) is identified. (shrink)

We generalize a well-knownSmullyan's result, by showing that any two sets of the kindC a = {x/ xa} andC b = {x/ xb} are effectively inseparable (if I b). Then we investigate logical and recursive consequences of this fact (see Introduction).

The present article is framed within the biosemiotic glossary project as a way to address common terminology within biosemiotic research. The glossary integrates the view of the members of the biosemiotic community through a standard survey and a literature review. The concept of ‘semiotic threshold’ was first introduced by Umberto Eco, defining it as a boundary between semiotic and non-semiotic areas. We review here the concept of ‘semiotic threshold’, first describing its denotation within semiotics via an examination on the history (...) of the concept, its synonyms, antonyms, etymology, usage in other languages and context in which it is used. Then we present a general overview of the survey among researchers, analyzing the difference in responses for the concept of ‘lower semiotic threshold’ and related concepts. From the answers we also review the difference between the general usage of ‘semiotic threshold’ versus its specific use within biosemiotics, and attempt to make a general synthesis of the concept taking into account what we have learned from the survey and the literature review. (shrink)

On many currently live interpretations, quantum mechanics violates the classical supposition of value definiteness, according to which the properties of a given particle or system have precise values at all times. Here we consider whether either metaphysical supervaluationist or determinable-based approaches to metaphysical indeterminacy can accommodate quantum metaphysical indeterminacy (QMI). We start by discussing the standard theoretical indicator of QMI, and distinguishing three seemingly different sources of QMI (S1). We then show that previous arguments for the conclusion that metaphysical supervaluationism (...) cannot accommodate QMI, due to Darby 2010 and Skow 2010, are unsuccessful, in leaving open several supervaluationist responses. We go on to provide more comprehensive argumentation for the negative conclusion. Here, among other results, we establish that the problems for supervaluationism extend far beyond the concern that is the focus of Darby's and Skow's discussions (according to which a supervaluationist approach is incompatible with the orthodox interpretation, in light of the Kochen-Specker theorem) to also attach to common understandings of other interpretations on which there is QMI (S2). We then argue that a determinable-based account can successfully accommodate all three varieties of QMI (S3). We close by observing the positive mutual bearing of our results on the coherence and intelligibility of both quantum mechanics and metaphysical indeterminacy (S4). (shrink)

According to perspectival realism, reality is (at least partially) constituted by “purely perspectival” facts, that is, facts that appear to describe reality only from a given “perspective”. Fragmentalism is a form of perspectival realism that maintains both that no perspective is privileged and that perspectival facts constitute reality absolutely. Assuming that reality is sufficiently variegated, fragmentalism entails that reality is absolutely constituted by incompatible facts. Given that incompatible facts can never obtain together, reality must be divided into a plurality of (...) “fragments” that never compose a coherent, unitary whole. The main aim of this paper is to provide the first rigorous, detailed map of fragmentalism and its rivals. First, we will argue that fragmentalism is best construed as having two “unitist” (that is, non-fragmentalist) boundaries, which we will call ‘coherent’ and ‘incoherent unitism’. Second, we will present what we take to be the six main viable versions of fragmentalism and show how they can be categorized according to whether they take the logical operations of conjunction and negation to be either “local” or “global”. (shrink)