Philosophy in Dialogue. Today one of the modalities of the pedagogical practice in college and high school is the use of Discussions with Philosophical Aim. In the following we would simply like to specify what kind of philosophy can be practiced in such contexts and what it can bring to pupils and high school students in terms of methods and content.

[Denis Vernant: Introduction a la logique standard].

Longtemps en linguistique, la sémantique a voulu reléguer la pragmatique au rang de discipline marginale. La pragmatique a enfin acquis droit de cité et consistance théorique, elle est un cadre général dans lequel les analyses traditionnelles du langage doivent être interprétées. Ainsi conçue, la pragmatique est un carrefour, point de rencontre des disciplines traitant du langage, approche actionnelle des phénomènes langagiers et communicationnels. Pages de début Prologue Chapitre Premier. Du discours à l'action Chapitre II. Genèse du concept d'assertion Chapitre III. (...) Classification des actes de discours et interactions langagières Chapitre IV. Pour une réévaluation pragmatique de l'assertion Chapitre V. Dialectique, forme dialogale et procès dialogique Chapitre VI. Modèle projectif du dialogue informatif Chapitre VII. L'intelligence de la machine et sa capacité dialogique Chapitre VIII. De l'action a la communication Épilogue Référencesbibliographiques Index des noms Index des concepts Pages de fin. (shrink)

RésuméLa question traditionnelle de ľexistence fait aujour?on;hui ľobjet ?on;un traitement logique rigoureux.Adoptant une perspective historique, nous proposons de rappeler les analyses inaugurales des Principia Mathematica qui, en plus de leur richesse intrinsèque, nous permettront ?on;apprécier la valeur de la doctrine quinéenne de 1'engagement ontologique.Ce faisant, nous montrerons que la théorie logique classique, loin de clore le débat, s'avère finalement tributaire de présupposés qui, tels ceux relatifs au rejet des entités possibles ou àľinterprétation de la signification, relèvent de choix philosophiques irréductibles.SummaryNowadays, (...) modern logic offers a formal treatement of the traditional question of existence.From a historical point of view, we propose to recall the original analyses of Principia Mathematica which, besides their intrinsic interest, will enable us to evaluate Quine's doctrine of ontological commitment.So, we shall point out that the classical logical theory, instead of settling the question, is finally subordinate to presuppositions which, like those about the rejection of possible entities or about interpretation of meaning, are a consequence of irreducible philosophical choices.ZusammenfassungDie traditionelle Frage nach der Existenz wird in der zeitgenössischen Philosophic aufgrund von logischen Techniken behandelt.Von einem historischen Gesichtspunkt ausgehend erinnert der Verfasser an die ursprünglichen Analysen in den Principia Mathematica, die uns, abgesehen von ihrem eigenen Wert, erlauben werden, Quines Lehre von den ontologischen Verpflichtungen zu beurteilen.Es erweist sich, dass die logische Behandlung in dieser Frage insofern nicht endgültig entscheiden kann, als die Theorie schliesslich von Voraussetzungen abhängt, die — wie diejenigen, die zur Verwerfung von bloss möglichen Entitäten oder zum Begriff der Bedeutung führen — selbst auf irreduziblen philosophischen Standpunkten beruhen. (shrink)

En mobilisant les outils analytiques de la logique et de la philosophie du langage contemporaine, D. Vernant propose de définir pragmatiquement divers actes véridictionnels, de construire une logique dialogique de la véridicité et de déterminer les conditions praxéologiques d'établissement du vrai propres aux différents registres de véridicité.

Résumé Procédant à une relecture de l’article de Jules Vuillemin « Difficultés logiques et problèmes philosophiques dans les Principia Mathematica de Russell », nous montrerons d’abord qu’effectivement la logique pure des Principia ne peut s’appliquer qu’à requérir des engagements existentiels sur des objets logico-mathématiques. Puis, en prolongeant les réflexions de Vuillemin, nous établirons que dans An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth Russell élabore une logique du langage ordinaire pour rendre compte à la fois de notre usage du langage et de (...) nos modes de connaissance empirique. (shrink)

L'AUTEUR PROCEDE EN TROIS ETAPES A UNE LECTURE HISTORIQUE DE LA PHILOSOPHIE MATHEMATIQUE DE RUSSELL. *LA PREMIERE PHASE - PRINCIPLES OF MATHEMATICS, 1903 - OPERE LA CONSTRUCTION DE LA LOGIQUE FORMELLE ET LA REDUCTION DES MATHEMATIQUES A CETTE NOUVELLE LOGIQUE. RUSSELL PREND POUR GUIDE LA GRAMMAIRE PHILOSOPHIQUE POUR ELABORER SA LOGIQUE, DEVELOPPE UNE CONCEPTION REFERENTIELLE DE LA SIGNIFICATION ET ADOPTE UNE PHILOSOPHIE REALISTE (RELATIONS EXTERNES, ATOMISME LOGIQUE...) *LA SECONDE PHASE -"ON DENOTING", 1905- MONTRE COMMENT LA NOUVELLE LOGIQUE, DEVENUE AUTONOME, PRODUIT, (...) EN RETOUR, UNE ANALYSE DU LANGAGE NATUREL. LA QUANTIFICATION AUTORISE UNE DEFINITION CONTEXTUELLE DES DESCRIPTIONS DEFINIES QUI DISPENSE DE TOUT ENGAGEMENT ONTOLOGIQUE. *LA TROISIEME PHASE -PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA, 1910-13- ACHEVE LA REALISATION DU PROJET LOGICISTE. LA THEORIE RAMIFIEE DES TYPES EVITE LES PARADOXES ET L'USAGE SYSTEMATIQUE DES DEFINITIONS CONTEXTUELLES REDUIT LES CLASSES, RELATIONS, NOMBRES... (RASOIR D'OCCAM). FORT DE CE SUCCES, RUSSELL REND COMPTE DE NOTRE CONNAISSANCE DES ELEMENTS IRREDUCTIBLES : DONNEES SENSIBLES, FAITS ET UNIVERSSAUX NON DEFINISSABLES. IL VA MEME JUSQU'A ETENDRE LA REDUCTION LOGICISTE A NOTRE CONNAISSANCE, COMMUNE ET SCIENTIFIQUE, DU MONDE EXTERIEUR. MAIS LA GIGANTESQUE CONSTRUCTION DES PRINCIPIA ECHOUE PARCE QUE RUSSELL ET WHITEHEAD DOIVENT, IN FINE, ADMETTRE TROIS ASSOMPTIONS NON LOGIQUES : LES AXIOMES MULTIPLICATIF, D'INFINI ET DE REDUCTIBILITE. EN 1925, RUSSELL ET RAMSEY SE DISPENSERONT DE L'AXIOME DE REDUCTIBILITE. (shrink)

RésuméL'interprétation substitutionnelle de la quantification impose une redéfinition des principaux concepts du calcul logique.Son intérêt majeur réside dans le fait qu'elle permet d'esquisser une théorie de l'intensionnalité qui lève les difficultés résultant du traitement logique des contextes de modalité, de croyance et de citation.Pour autant, on ne saurait éluder la traditionnelle question de la référence et de l'existence. Celle‐ci relève maintenant d'une construction sémantique de modèles.SummaryThe substitutional interpretation of quantification modifies the main concepts of logical calculus.Its principal interest lies in (...) that it permits to sketch a theory of intensionality which removes the difficulties rising from the logical treatment of the contexts of modality, belief and quotation.For all that, we cannot evade the traditional question of reference and existence. This now depends on a semantical construction of models.ZusammenfassungDie substitutionelle Interpretation der Quantifikation erfordert eine neue Definition der Grundbegriffe des Logikkalküls.Ihr Hauptinteresse besteht darin, dass sie den Entwurf einer Theorie der Intensionalität ermöglicht; dadurch werden die Schwierigkeiten behoben, die bei der Behandlung von Kontexten mit Modal‐ und Meinungswörtern und Zitaten entstehen.Die traditionelle Frage nach der Referenz und der Existenz wird dabei nicht umgangen, indem sie nunmehr vermittelst von semantischen Modellen behandelt wird. (shrink)

Par le terme de philosophie mathematique, Bertrand Russell designe une philosophie qui s'efforce d'expliquer les principes logiques sur lesquels reposent les mathematiques. Portant sur l'ensemble de l'oeuvre logico-mathematique de Russell, depuis les Principles of Mathematics jusqu'aux Principia Mathematica en passant par On Denoting, cette etude reconstitue la genese de la logique russellienne a partir d'une reflexion grammaticale et scrute l'analyse philosophique des concepts et propositions mathematiques qui gouverne leur reduction logiciste. L'auteur, adoptant une approche historique, souligne, a travers evolutions et (...) ruptures, la coherence d'une authentique pensee. (shrink)

La dynamique des sciences se deploie selon des temporalites multiples qui possedent leurs propres rythmes. De ce point de vue, l'exercice qui consiste a scander en decennies l'histoire de la logique et des sciences formelles est perilleux. Peut-on aller au-dela et tenter de donner sens a cette decennie des annees trente? La fin du logicisme, l'avenement de nouvelles logiques, le developpement du formalisme, ses limitations internes, sa critique externe et les approches formelles du langage sont six traits caracteristiques explores dans (...) ce recueil d'articles qui font apparaitre l'eloignement ainsi que la proximite des annees trente et de cette fin de siecle. (shrink)

La dynamique des sciences se deploie selon des temporalites multiples qui possedent leurs propres rythmes. De ce point de vue, l'exercice qui consiste a scander en decennies l'histoire de la logique et des sciences formelles est perilleux. Peut-on aller au-dela et tenter de donner sens a cette decennie des annees trente? La fin du logicisme, l'avenement de nouvelles logiques, le developpement du formalisme, ses limitations internes, sa critique externe et les approches formelles du langage sont six traits caracteristiques explores dans (...) ce recueil d'articles qui font apparaitre l'eloignement ainsi que la proximite des annees trente et de cette fin de siecle. (shrink)

Ce livre se propose de réaliser le projet ambitieux d'établir les fondements d'une épistémologie des nanotechnosciences. Il s'agit d'une analyse de philosophie des sciences portant sur cet objet nouveau et de grande importance scientifique, économique, politique et sociale. Cet ouvrage dresse un paysage détaillé des questions épistémologiques que posent les nanotechnosciences et cherche, chez les philosophes des sciences qui proposent des théories du changement scientifique, les moyens de répondre à ces questions. Compte tenu des conclusions de Guèye selon lesquelles aucune (...) des théories philosophiques actuelles ne répond vraiment aux questions épistémologiques soulevées par l'avènement des « nanotechnologies », il suggère quelques pistes pour dépasser les limites des épistémologies contemporaines, en s'appuyant sur la philosophie du langage d'Austin et sur la praxéologie de Denis Vernant. Dans cette contribution majeure au débat scientifique sur les nanotechnosciences, il procède à l'examen des principales théories philosophiques du changement scientifique dans le but de décider de leur capacité à prendre en charge les changements introduits par l'apparition des nouvelles technologies de « l'infiniment petit ». Ce projet philosophique tire son intérêt et sa pertinence du fait que l'apparition des « nanotechnologies » constitue un changement phénoménal, et qu'il est important de disposer d'une théorie du changement scientifique qui en rendît compte. Un autre thème majeur de ce livre est celui de la place de la recherche de la vérité dans les nanotechnosciences. Même s'il s'agit d'un thème trop vaste, Guèye l'affronte cependant sans détour dans ce livre. La problématique du rapport entre science et technologie y est abordée plus franchement. (shrink)

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Reviews 171 c:\users\ken\documents\type3402\rj 3402 050 red.docx 2015-02-04 9:19 PM REFLECTIONS FROM PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA Russell Wahl English and Philosophy / Idaho State U. Pocatello, id 83209 usa [email protected] Alexandre Guay, ed. Autour des Principia Mathematica de Russell et Whitehead. (Collection Histoire et Philosophie des Sciences.) Dijon: Editions Universitaires de Dijon, 2012. Pp. 168. isbn 978-2-36441-001-4. €20.00 (pb). his collection, by several distinguished French philosophers, is intended to be a work (...) on problems which are suggested by or perhaps stem from Whitehead and Russell’s Principia Mathematica. It turns out to be a somewhat eclectic collection. Some of the papers explicate points in Principia, some delve into issues from Principia or perhaps suggested by something in it, and q= 172 Reviews c:\users\ken\documents\type3402\rj 3402 050 red.docx 2015-02-04 9:19 PM some into issues suggested by later works of Russell’s. The collection was put together for the centenary of Principia, with the idea of focusing on “its posterity, the doors it has opened, the questions it has brought up, and the techniques it has initiated” (p. 5). The essays are all interesting, but in some of them the main focuses are only introduced and are not developed very much, appearing to explicate points already made in detail elsewhere and not adding a great deal that is new. The first essay, for example, gives an overview of the development of Russell’s logic, the theory of classes and the account of relations, the antinomies, the theory of descriptions and even the ramified theory of types. While the review is useful, there doesn’t seem to be here anything more than what would be found in the previous works of Denis Vernant, Jules Vuillemin, or Philippe de Rouilhan, on which the author draws. Hints of further issues are to be found in the discussion, but they are not developed because of the sheer number of points being reviewed. Denis Vernant, in the fifth essay, gives a thorough review of Russell’s account of similarity of relations and his use of this in relation-arithmetic, mostly from Chapter 6 of Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy. Vernant points out that Russell uses the terms “analogy” and “exactly analogous” in several places and thinks of these in terms of his definition of structure. At the end of the essay Vernant begins with Russell’s formal account of structure and seeks to give an account of analogy, and specifically metaphor, using the tools of similarity of structure. Again, the discussion of similarity relations is good, but does not really go beyond previous work, and the application to metaphor, while interesting, is very brief. The sixth essay, by Nadine Gessler and Denis Miéville, discusses Lesniewski ”s criticisms of Principia and gives some hint of Lesniewski’s own positions. Lesniewski’s work is very interesting and has probably not been given its due. These authors briefly mention Lesniewski’s concerns about classes, the assertion sign and definitions, and then give a short presentation of Lesniewski’s own views. This last part is again just sketched out. The authors do point out difficulties Lesniewski had with parts of Principia, including the sloppiness about use and mention, the requirement that definitions be non-creative and the theory of types. They also point out that Lesniewski had a view of logic (reminiscent of Arnauld and Nicod) as “the art of thinking”, and they discuss his suspicion of sets as abstract entities rather than mereological wholes of the kind which can be grounded in experience. Lesniewski apparently thought of mathematical logic as limiting and not encompassing the whole of thinking. This is curious, because often Russell and Whitehead are accused of expanding logic in order to capture all mathematics as part of logic. Gessler and Miéville accent the differences between Lesniewski ’s position and Principia, but in many ways Lesniewski’s views are actually Reviews 173 c:\users\ken\documents\type3402\rj 3402 050 red.docx 2015-02-04 9:19 PM closer to those of Whitehead and Russell than to, e.g., the views... (shrink)

ABSTRACT:In a series of reports the United Nations Special Representative on the issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations has emphasized a tripartite framework regarding business and human rights that includes the state “duty to protect,” the TNC “responsibility to respect,” and “appropriate remedies” for human rights violations. This article examines the recent history of UN initiatives regarding business and human rights and places the tripartite framework in historical context. Three approaches to human rights are distinguished: moral, political, and legal. (...) It is argued that the tripartite framework’s grounding of the responsibility of TNCs to respect human rights is properly understood as moral and not merely as a political or legal duty. A moral account of the duty of TNCs to respect basic human rights is defended and contrasted with a merely strategic approach. The main conclusion of the article is that only a moral account of the basic human rights duties of TNCs provides a sufficiently deep justification of “the corporate responsibility to respect human rights” feature of the tripartite framework. (shrink)

What is Life? To answer this question, Denis Noble argues that we must look beyond the gene's eye view. For modern 'systems biology' considers life on a variety of levels, as an intricate web of feedback between gene, cell, organ, body, and environment. He shows how it is both a biologically rigorous and richly rewarding way of understanding life.

Is an appropriate causal connection to the past experience it represents a necessary condition for a mental state to qualify as an episodic memory? For some years this issue has been the subject of an intense debate between the causalist theory of episodic memory (CTM) and the simulationist theory of episodic memory (STM). This paper aims at exploring the prospects for an embodied approach to episodic memory and assessing the potential case for causalism that could be founded on it. In (...) a critical section, it argues that the empirical data to which STM appeals are both incomplete and inconclusive, and on closer examination even provide support for a proceduralist version of CTM. In a constructive section, it elaborates on the notion of a necessary causal connection in terms of particular procedural patterns acquired at encoding and operative at retrieval, grounding this move on recent empirical data about eye movements in mnemonic mental imagery. (shrink)

How do individuals guide their activities towards some goal? Harry Frankfurt once identified the task of explaining guidance as the central problem in action theory. An explanation has proved to be elusive, however. In this paper, I show how we can marshal empirical research to make explanatory progress. I contend that human agents have a primitive capacity to guide visual attention, and that this capacity is actually constituted by a sub-individual psychological control-system: the executive system. I thus illustrate how we (...) can explain exercises of individual-level guidance by appeal to its sub-individual constitution. This opens up a new avenue for explicating agency. (shrink)

There are two general approaches to characterising biological functions. One originates with Cummins. According to this approach, the function of a part of a system is just its causal contribution to some specified activity of the system. Call this the ‘C-function’ concept. The other approach ties the function of a trait to some aspect of its evolutionary significance. Call this the ‘E-function’ concept. According to the latter view, a trait's function is determined by the forces of natural selection. The C-function (...) and E-function concepts are clearly quite different, but there is an important relation between them which heretofore has gone unnoticed. The purpose of this paper is to outline that relation.This is not the first paper to discuss the relation of C-function and E-function. Previous attempts all follow either one of two strategies. The first proposes that the two concepts are ‘unified.’ The other proposes that they are radically distinct and apply to wholly different fields within biology. (shrink)

April 15, 2024: This article published in Early View in error. The article will republish shortly.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest among philosophers of memory in the questions of how to characterize and to account for the temporal phenomenology of episodic memory. One prominent suggestion has been that episodic memory involves a feeling of pastness, the elaboration of which has given rise to two main approaches. On the intentionalist approach, the feeling of pastness is explained in terms of what episodic memory represents. In particular, Fernández has argued that it can be explained (...) in terms of memory representing itself as being caused by a past perceptual experience. On the metacognitive approach, which we have recently developed in, the feeling of pastness results from the monitoring and interpretation of the processing features of episodic remembering. In this paper, we show that the metacognitive approach should be preferred over the intentionalist approach. We argue that intentionalism, and Fernández’ causal self-referential view in particular, ultimately fail as accounts of the feeling of pastness. The difficulties faced by intentionalism allows us to single out three constraints that any satisfactory account of the temporal phenomenology of episodic remembering needs to meet. We conclude by arguing that the metacognitive view satisfies those constraints in a neat way, and as such, that it should be preferred over intentionalism. (shrink)

We review recent developments in ethical pluralism, ethical particularism, Kantian intuitionism, rights theory, and climate change ethics, and show the relevance of these developments in ethical theory to contemporary business ethics. This paper explains why pluralists think that ethical decisions should be guided by multiple standards and why particularists emphasize the crucial role of context in determining sound moral judgments. We explain why Kantian intuitionism emphasizes the discerning power of intuitive reason and seek to integrate that with the comprehensiveness of (...) Kant’s moral framework. And we show how human rights can be grounded in human agency, and explain the connections between human rights and climate change. (shrink)

Skilled action typically requires that individuals guide their activities toward some goal. In skilled action, individuals do so excellently. We do not understand well what this capacity to guide consists in. In this paper I provide a case study of how individuals shift visual attention. Their capacity to guide visual attention toward some goal (partly) consists in an empirically discovered sub-system – the executive system. I argue that we can explain how individuals guide by appealing to the operation of this (...) sub-system. Understanding skill and skilled action thus requires appreciating the role of the executive system. (shrink)

In This Paper, I Identify a Problem, which the project that I will refer to as the ‘Being and Time Project’ (or ‘BTP’ for short) aimed to solve; this is the project within which Heidegger reinterpreted his early thought—and which he unsuccessfully attempted to bring to fruition—in, roughly speaking, the years 1925–28. The problem in question presents several faces: viewed from one angle, it concerns the unity of the concept of “Being in general,” from another, the integrity of the notion (...) of “Dasein,” and from another, the possibility of the perspective from which the philosopher does her work. The solution that the BTP would have offered turns on the claim that time is “the possible horizon for any understanding .. (shrink)

This paper comprises a case study illustrating ethical and practical challenges for a Ugandan hospital-based social worker early in the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a commentary. The hospital was under-resourced, with staff and patients experiencing lack of information and panic. The social worker, Denis Adia, recounts his responses to new and ethically challenging situations, including persuading Muslim patients to stop fasting for the good of their health; deciding to keep a baby in hospital with parents although this was against (...) the rules; and supporting a stigmatised former patient in the face of intimidation by colleagues. He reflects on the importance of recognising each person’s unique needs and circumstances, seeing this as a vital role for social workers. The case is followed by a commentary from a UK academic (Sarah Banks), who notes the cognitive and emotional effort (‘ethics work’) undertaken by the social worker to: see the ethical aspects of particular situations; take account of patients’ specific needs; ensure they are treated with respect; promote their well-being; and perform as a good social worker. Banks draws attention to the key role of the virtue of courage in pandemic conditions, which involves working with new risks and facing fears with confidence. (shrink)

Emmet Gowin à la fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson (14 mai-27 juillet 2014) / Lewis Baltz au Bal (23 mai-24 août 2014) Depuis quelques semaines, les Parisiens ont la chance de pouvoir découvrir deux figures légendaires de la photographie américaine contemporaine, deux géants incontournables et pourtant peu exposés en France jusque-là : Lewis Baltz, au Bal, et Emmet Gowin à la fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson. De la même génération (ils sont nés dans les années 1940), ces deux artistes ont en commun (...) - (...) Arts plastiques et autres – GALERIE – Nouvel article. (shrink)

Comment penser la métaphysique en protestant? Le parent pauvre de la Réforme et de la modernité méritait qu'on s'y attarde. Pour la première fois, et de manière originale et profonde, Denis Müller, expert reconnu de l'éthique, vient lui donner ses lettres de noblesse. Cette pensée exhumée par le biographe intellectuel de Calvin et de Barth se découvre alors terrestre, proche de la création et de la vie pratique ; elle anime d'un feu nouveau les notions d'existence, de raison et (...) de transcendance. Ce sont elles qui, dans cette nouvelle approche, s'en trouvent explorées, questionnées et revisitées. Avec pour paradoxale pierre angulaire, la tristesse. Quel trésor cache en effet la mélancolie? Convoquant tour à tour les figures de Vincent Van Gogh, d'Arthur Rimbaud, de James Joyce, puisant dans les productions artistiques le ressort de cette métaphysique subversive, cet ouvrage est une invitation à l'introspection pour penser l'expérience universelle de l'existence. Et s'ouvrir à son secret. Un immense traité de vie."--Page 4 of cover. (shrink)