We argue that a fashionable interpretation of the theory of natural selection as a claim exclusively about populations is mistaken. The interpretation rests on adopting an analysis of fitness as a probabilistic propensity which cannot be substantiated, draws parallels with thermodynamics which are without foundations, and fails to do justice to the fundamental distinction between drift and selection. This distinction requires a notion of fitness as a pairwise comparison between individuals taken two at a time, and so vitiates the interpretation (...) of the theory as one about populations exclusively. (shrink)

The idea that deep brain stimulation (DBS) induces changes to personality, identity, agency, authenticity, autonomy and self (PIAAAS) is so deeply entrenched within neuroethics discourses that it has become an unchallenged narrative. In this article, we critically assess evidence about putative effects of DBS on PIAAAS. We conducted a literature review of more than 1535 articles to investigate the prevalence of scientific evidence regarding these potential DBS-induced changes. While we observed an increase in the number of publications in theoretical neuroethics (...) that mention putative DBS-induced changes to patients’ postoperative PIAAAS, we found a critical lack of primary empirical studies corroborating these claims. Our findings strongly suggest that the theoretical neuroethics debate on putative effects of DBS relies on very limited empirical evidence and is, instead, reliant on unsubstantiated speculative assumptions probablyin lieuof robust evidence. As such, this may reflect the likelihood of a speculative neuroethics bubble that may need to be deflated. Nevertheless, despite the low number of first-hand primary studies and large number of marginal and single case reports, potential postoperative DBS changes experienced by patients remain a critical ethical concern. We recommend further empirical research in order to enhance theoretical neuroethics work in the area. In particular, we call for the development of better instruments capable of capturing potential postoperative variations of PIAAAS. (shrink)

The phenomenological effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on the self of the patient remains poorly understood and under described in the literature, despite growing evidence that a significant number of patients experience postoperative neuropsychiatric changes. To address this lack of phenomenological evidence, we conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 17 patients with Parkinson's disease who had undergone DBS. Exploring the subjective character specific to patients' experience of being implanted gives empirical and conceptual understanding of the potential phenomenon of DBS-induced self-estrangement. (...) Our study concluded that (1) the more patients preoperatively felt alienated by their illness, the more they experienced postoperative self-estrangement, and (2) the notion of self-estrangement seems to exist in association with certain common qualitative characters, namely, loss of control, which reflects a deteriorative estrangement, and distorted perception of capacities, which reveals a restorative estrangement. These findings indicate that subjective self-reports help us to understand some aspects of the potential phenomenon of DBS-induced self-estrangement. (shrink)

Ecological fitness has been suggested to provide a unifying definition of fitness. However, a metric for this notion of fitness was in most cases unavailable except by proxy with differential reproductive success. In this article, I show how differential persistence of lineages can be used as a way to assess ecological fitness. This view is inspired by a better understanding of the evolution of some clonal plants, colonial organisms, and ecosystems. Differential persistence shows the limitation of an ensemblist noncausal understanding (...) of evolution. Causal explanations are necessary to understand the evolution by natural selection of these biological systems. †To contact the author write to: Department of Philosophy, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128, Station Centre‐Ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7 Canada; e‐mail: f.bouchard@umontreal.ca. (shrink)

This book contributes to the environmental humanities field by offering an analysis of the Anthropocene fantasy: the idea that the Anthropocene is an opportunity to remake our terrestrial environment thanks to the power of technology. The author argues that the earth always escapes the human desire to remake and master it.

In this article, we explore the implications of a Rawlsian theory for intergenerational issues. First, we confront Rawls's way of locating his `just savings' principle in his Theory of Justice with an alternative way of doing so. We argue that both sides of his intergenerational principle, as they apply to the accumulation phase and the steady-state stage, can be dealt with on the bases, respectively, of the principle of equal liberty (and its priority) and of the difference principle. We then (...) proceed by focusing on the implications of applying maximin to his steady-state stage. One central claim is that, in principle, Rawlsians should consider not only generational dissavings, but also generational savings, as unfair. This principle suffers a series of exceptions on which we focus in the fourth section of the article. In some cases, growth can be maximin compatible. (shrink)

En s’appuyant sur les analyses goodmaniennes sur le style et l’expression, Frédéric Bisson montre, à l’encontre de Goodman et de Kripke, que le nom propre n’est pas seulement un signe dénotatif, mais peut fonctionner esthétiquement comme un prédicat stylistique. Le style n’est pas l’expression d’un foyer énergétique autonome que serait le sujet, mais une propriété objective de l’œuvre ou de la performance artistique. Lorsqu’il devient un prédicat stylistique, le nom n’est plus propre à une personne : la personne qui porte (...) ce nom n’en est qu’un cas paradigmatique. (shrink)

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Philosophy and Rhetoric 36.4 (2003) 301-329 [Access article in PDF] Toward a Skeptical Criticism of Transcendental Pragmatics Frédéric Cossutta CNRS, UMR "Savoirs et Textes" University of Lille III 1. How skeptical objections play a part in transcendental foundation The grounding task of a transcendental pragmatics according to K. O. Apel My subject is the contemporary attempts, and more precisely K. O. Apel's, that aim at the refoundation of rationality (...) within a communicational framework. 1 I want to show that this task, insofar as it aims at being radical, insofar as it is "transcendental pragmatics," is the target of criticisms that a skepticism always raises against the doctrines purporting to be built upon a foundation wholly devoid of presupposition. 2 It so happens that Apel's doctrine—in a manner more systematic than that of F. Jacques or Habermas—makes explicit the conditions of its own constitution. It does so through the overthrow of skeptical objections that aim at a refutation of its radical attempt at a transcendental foundation: in Apel's eyes, the objection of the relativist or of the skeptic, because it contains an inner contradiction (a "performative self-contradiction") a contrario ensures the absolute validity of his universal pragmatic principle. If this use of skepticism constitutes the spring of the argumentation and the cornerstone of the systematic edifice Apel built, a skeptical overthrow of his overthrow will demonstrate the fragile and unsteady nature of its transcendental ambitions. It will then become impossible to associate the communicative activity with a horizon of ethical presuppositions that guarantee the success of discussion and of negotiation. It is the legitimacy of this foundationalism that we propose to contest in order to undermine transcendental theories of discourse ethics.And yet, without reverting to a sociological empiricism or having recourse to a philosophy of intersubjectivity, by showing that philosophical skepticism is not as naive as its critiques would have it, the ethical [End Page 301] orientation of communicative activity can be suspended without giving up the quest for consensus. The latter is not originary; it is not presupposed by a speech act that is ethically neutral at its structural level, but it can at best be derived as can its contrary, disagreement. Thus, against the inflation of transcendental pragmatics, I shall oppose an ethical minimalism. The grounding device of transcendental pragmatics On the one hand, how is one to undertake a founding task without anchoring it in a philosophy of consciousness? On the other hand, how is one to protect oneself from the relativistic consequences of an empirical approach of intersubjectivity? Apel's aim is to show that communicative activity presupposes an a priori that is neither a social nor a linguistic fact but factum rationis in the sense that freedom is the condition of the possibility of moral experience in Kant. Thus, according to K. O. Apel, "it appears that even purely semantic-referential discourse presupposes a pragmatic-transcendental reflection on the communicative speech-acts' claim to validity" (Apel 1994, 54). In the same book, the author relies on the model that makes language into a mere tool of communication and of representation, the Aristotelian view of language as propositional understanding: "Among the historical effects of the Aristotelian understanding there is, to some extent, the Western concept of the common sense of language as a tool for communication and representation" (54). In the initial historical treatment (12-13), it is true that a reference to Plato occurs: "in Plato, it is true that the logos, with the aid of 'language' or 'discourse' is an organon making it possible to communicate something to the other; its realm is thus that of conversation (dialogos), and thought itself is conceived of as 'a silent conversation of the soul with itself' " (Theaetetus, 180e-190a).However, this concession is immediately withdrawn: "but, on the other hand, the significance of the logos is made precise at the very moment that it is expressed as an utterance or proposition that can be true or false; this is the import of definition, argument or rational deduction" (Apel 1994, 14). In this sense... (shrink)

By helping us recognize our historical moment as one of « over-exposure » - understood both in the sense of the vain images that blind us with their excess brilliance, and in the sense of bodies exposed without protection to the risk of hostile radiation - Frédéric Neyrat invites us to « bear the world’s emptiness » and to look to « letting-be » for a rampart against overflowing production. It’s time to invent an « ontopolitics of atopic subjects ».

This is the leading introduction 200to professional values and ethics in social work. Frederic G. Reamer provides social workers with a succinct and comprehensive overview of the most critical issues relating to professional values and ethics, including the nature of social work values, ethical dilemmas, and professional misconduct. Conceptually rich and attuned to the complexities of ethical decision making, Social Work Values and Ethics is unique in striking the right balance between history, theory, and practical application. For the third (...) edition, Reamer has updated the content and strengthened the relevance of the case material. Also new to the third edition: o Discussion of the moral dialogue between practitioner and cliento Coverage of virtue ethicso Practical discussion of concepts underlying social work ethicso Expanded application of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics to ethical dilemmas in the professiono A look at the historical evolution of ethical standards in social worko New vignettes, illustrating difficult ethical decisionso More guidance on informed consent and termination of serviceso Discussion questions at the end of each chaptero A section on how to conduct a social work ethics audit. (shrink)

This is an important new book about human motivation, about the reasons people have for their actions. What is distinctively new about it is its focus on how people see or understand their situations, options, and prospects. By taking account of people's understandings, Professor Schick is able to expand the current theory of decision and action. The author provides a perspective on the topic by outlining its history. He defends his new theory against criticism, considers its formal structure, and shows (...) at length how it resolves many currently debated problems: the problems of conflict and weakness of will, Allais' problem, Kahneman and Tversky's problems, Newcomb's problem, and others. The book will be of special interest to philosophers, psychologists, and economists. (shrink)

In this book Frederic Schick develops his challenge to standard decision theory. He argues that talk of the beliefs and desires of an agent is not sufficient to explain choices. To account for a given choice we need to take into consideration how the agent understands the problem, how he sees in a selective way the options open to him. The author applies his new logic to a host of common human predicaments. Why do people in choice experiments act (...) so often against expectations? Why do people cooperate in situations where textbook logic predicts that they won't? What exactly is weakness of will? What are people reporting when they say their lives have no meaning for them? This book questions the foundations of technical and philosophical decision theory and will appeal to all those who work in that field, be they philosophers, economists and psychologists. (shrink)

Propose une hypothèse originale sur les sources de la pensée de Bergson et sa portée profonde, sur le mouvement de son oeuvre et la méthode qui s'impose pour la lire, sur la place de sa philosophie dans l'histoire.

Selon une certaine tradition phénoménologique (Levinas, Marion, et Sartre en particulier), la relation sociale soumise à la convenance de la civilité et de la mondanité est considérée comme intrinsèquement intolérante par rapport à une expérience plus bouleversante et authentique de l’altérité. « Nous avons affaire à des êtres habillés », comme l’écrit Emmanuel Levinas dans De l’existence à l’existant (1947). Selon Levinas et Marion, la civilité et la mondanité reconduiraient phénoménologiquement le primat de l’individualisme et nous condamneraient à une intolérance (...) transcendantale (contrairement au mouvement de la « charité » selon Marion, dont la phénoménologie prolonge à cet égard la distance pascalienne entre civilité et charité). Ce texte a pour objet de montrer, en s’appuyant sur une réinterprétation phénoménologique de certaines dimensions de la civilité humaniste (telle qu’elle se déploie notamment dans l’œuvre de Baldassar Castiglione, Le Livre du courtisan ), qu’une autre phénoménologie de la civilité et de la mondanité est possible. Cette autre phénoménologie a pour objet de dépasser l’alternative entre une expérience « non-civile » de l’altérité (qui tend par ailleurs à prendre une forme théologique étrangère au champ de la civilité traditionnellement fondé sur une relation d’égalité) et un enfermement allergique dans la solitude du moi. Selon cette perspective, la mondanité n’est pas conçue comme une conjuration de l’altérité ou de l’extériorité matérielle, mais comme une dimension de l’existence et de la phénoménalité qui intègre le rapport à la transcendance et le dessaisissement de la subjectivité. (shrink)

This book, first published in 1997, is an introductory overview of decision theory. It is completely non-technical, without a single formula in the book. Written in a crisp and clear style it succinctly covers the full range of philosophical issues of rationality and decision theory, including game theory, social choice theory, prisoner's dilemma and much else. The book aims to expand the scope and enrich the foundations of decision theory. By addressing such issues as ambivalence, inner conflict, and the constraints (...) imposed upon us by our attachments to others, Frederic Schick reveals that our thinking is often more subtle than standard theories of rationality allow. Only a theory that respects that subtlety can illumine what is otherwise puzzling. The book contains many examples drawn from history and literature dealing with subjects such as love, war, friendship, and crime. (shrink)

En lisant l’œuvre de Lévy-Bruhl à travers le problème de la causalité mentale, on voit que le concept de participation, emprunté à la philosophie de Malebranche, lui permet de dépasser l’opposition entre deux conceptions : — d’une part, la « causalité naturelle », empruntée à Tylor et à l’associationnisme britannique, qui explique les opérations magiques par des erreurs intellectuelles ; — d’autre part, la « causalité sociale », élaborée par Durkheim et la sociologie française, qui explique les phénomènes moraux et (...) religieux par l’intervention de la « société » comme sujet collectif. Le concept de participation désigne un mode de causalité qui opère au niveau de l’expérience naturelle sans lui ajouter un niveau surnaturel et proprement social : « Cette analyse est comparable à celle de l’imagination chez Bergson et éclaire la réception ambivalente de Lévy-Bruhl dans la phénoménologie et dans le structuralisme. ». (shrink)

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been regarded as an efficient and safe treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD) since being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997. It is estimated that more than 150 000 patients have been implanted, with a forecasted rapid increase in uptake with population ageing. Recent longitudinal follow-up studies have reported a significant increase in postoperative survival rates of patients with PD implanted with DBS as compared with those not implanted with DBS. Although DBS (...) tends to increase life expectancy for most patients with PD, this medical benefit does not come without attendant negative consequences. For example, emerging forms of iatrogenic harms are sometimes induced—harms which were not initially expected when clinicians proposed neurosurgery and patients or their guardians consented to the treatment. We report and discuss the clinical case of a patient who was implanted with DBS more than 20 years ago (at the time of writing) and is now experiencing unexpected stages of PD. This case illustrates how extending the life span without improving quality of life may introduce a burden of harms for patients and families. As well, this case shows why we should prepare for the expanding numbers of PD-implanted patients experiencing a gain of longevity but with severe stages of disease leading to diminution in quality of life. This newly observed effect of DBS treatment requires us to explore ethical questions related to iatrogenic harms, informed consent, end of life and caregivers’ burden. (shrink)

The goal of this article is to shed light on Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) postoperative suicidality risk factors within Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) patients, in particular by focusing on the ethical concern of enrolling patient with history of self-estrangement, suicide attempts and impulsive–aggressive inclinations. In order to illustrate these ethical issues we report and review a clinical case associated with postoperative feelings of self-estrangement, self-harm behaviours and suicide attempt leading to the removal of DBS devices. Could prospectively identifying and excluding (...) patients with suicidality risk factors from DBS experimental trials—such as history of self-estrangement, suicide attempts and impulsive–aggressive inclinations—lead to minimizing the risk of suicidality harm? (shrink)

The intersection of AI and neurotechnology has resulted in an increasing number of medical and non-medical applications and has sparked debate over the need for new human rights, or “neurorights,”...

At the phenomenal level, consciousness can be described as a singular, unified field of recursive self-awareness, consistently coherent in a particualr way; that of a subject located both spatially and temporally in an egocentrically-extended domain, such that conscious self-awareness is explicitly characterized by I-ness, now-ness and here-ness. The psychological mechanism underwriting this spatiotemporal self-locatedness and its recursive processing style involves an evolutionary elaboration of the basic orientative reference frame which consistently structures ongoing spatiotemporal self-location computations as i-here-now. Cognition computes action-output (...) in the midst of ongoing movement, and consequently requires a constant self-locating spatiotemporal reference frame as basis for these computations. Over time, constant evolutionary pressures for energy efficiency have encouraged both the proliferation of anticipative feedforward processing mechansims, and the elaboration, at the apex of the sensorimotor processing hierarchy, of self-activating, highly attenuated recursively-feedforward circuitry processing the basic orientational schema independent of external action output. As the primary reference frame of active waking cognition, this recursive i-here-now processing generates a zone of subjective self-awareness in terms of which it feels like something to be oneself here and now. This is consciousness. (shrink)

. Computational chemistry grew in a new era of “desktop modeling,” which coincided with a growing demand for modeling software, especially from the pharmaceutical industry. Parameterization of models in computational chemistry is an arduous enterprise, and we argue that this activity leads, in this specific context, to tensions among scientists regarding the epistemic opacity transparency of parameterized methods and the software implementing them. We relate one flame war from the Computational Chemistry mailing List in order to assess in detail the (...) relationships between modeling methods, parameterization, software and the various forms of their enclosure or disclosure. Our claim is that parameterization issues are an important and often neglected source of epistemic opacity and that this opacity is entangled in methods and software alike. Models and software must be addressed together to understand the epistemological tensions at stake. (shrink)

Parmi les philosophies qui tentent de faire face à la crise de la rationalité, certaines, plus radicales que d’autres, en proposent une fondation reposant sur des principes qui se veulent exempts de toute présupposition. Ainsi K. O. Apel entend opérer une refondation de la rationalité éthique et cognitive en considérant les activités communicationnelles et argumentatives. Il s’agit d’élaborer une «pragmatique transcendantale» dont le processus d’étayage auto-réflexif s’appuie sur la «contradiction pragmatique» dans laquelle tombent ses éventuels contradicteurs. Une telle prétention n’est-elle (...) pas exorbitante ? Les sceptiques grecs ont élaboré une approche pragmatique du sens qui leur permet d’éviter la disqualification de leur énonciation, ce qui permet, en transposant leurs conceptions à la lumière des théories contemporaines du langage, d’échapper à la critique de Apel. On peut dès lors reconnaître le caractère constitutif de l’activité communicationnelle, sans prétendre en proposer une fondation ultime de type transcendantal, ni préjuger de son orientation éthique. Resterait à se demander s’il est possible de reconstruire une rationalité minimale compatible avec la posture sceptique. (shrink)

A historiografia neo-republicana de Cambridge estabeleceu uma franca distinção entre republicanismo e liberalismo que merece ser reexaminada. Este artigo busca contribuir para esse debate, propondo um estudo de caso dos commonwealthmen ou republicanos que apoiaram a revolução de 1688 na Inglaterra, mas que se opuseram à nova cultura política e à nova “economia de crédito” do reino de Guilherme III na década de 1690. Ao desviarmos nosso olhar do republicanismo enquanto linguagem para situá-lo sob o republicanismo enquanto cultura, bem como (...) modo de ação política, é possível constatar uma porosidade entre direitos naturais e virtude cívica, mas também entre liberdade negativa e liberdade positiva. (shrink)

Genre peu légitime du point de vue académique, la production d'essais économiques est pourtant un élément important dans la diffusion en France d'un sens commun politico-économique, plutôt planificateur et «keynésien» dans les années 1950-1970, néo-libéral depuis les années 1980. Après plusieurs décennies, ce genre s'est développé et transformé, mais sa position sur le marché éditorial reste, semble-t-il, relativement solide. Particulièrement mobilisé lors du changement de régime économique de 1982-1983, avec le basculement du Parti socialiste dans le «cercle de la raison» (...) libérale, ce genre est, précisément, une composante à part entière de la construction d'un ordre social libéral dans les années 1980 et 1990. Le succès, à partir de 1995, d'essais critiques est une manifestation de la crise de légitimité rencontrée aujourd'hui par les politiques libérales.Some kind of legitimate academic point of view, the production of economic tests is however an important element in the distribution in France of a political-economic common sense, rather planner and "Keynesian" in the years 1950-1970, the neo-liberal since the 1980s. After several decades, these grew and changed, but its position on the market remains editorial seems to be relatively strong. Mobilized especially when changing economic regime of 1982-1983, with the tilting of the Socialist Party in the "circle of reason" liberal, this kind is precisely one integral part of the construction of a liberal social order in 1980 and 1990. Success, from 1995, of critical essays is a manifestation of the crisis of legitimacy encountered today by liberal policies. (shrink)

La conquête de l'espace est terminée? Non, une nouvelle planète est apparue : la Terre. Une Terre post-naturelle qu'on pourrait refaire et piloter grâce aux prouesses d'une ingénierie absolue. Cet imaginaire accompagne la naissance d'un géopouvoir prenant la planète entière comme objet de gouvernement. Ce nouveau Grand récit est secondé par une pensée constructiviste aujourd'hui hégémonique. Celle-ci a remis en cause la coupure nature-culture ; mais sur les ruines de cette critique a été construite une nature 2-0, hybride, homogène au (...) réquisit d'un géocapitalisme prospère. Déniant toute altérité à la nature, cette pensée anaturaliste est incapable de s'opposer au projet géoconstructiviste de terraformation de la planète. Au mythe fusionnel de toute-puissance technologique, mais sans revenir à la coupure nature-culture, l'auteur oppose une écologie de la séparation qui insiste sur la capacité inconstructible de la nature. Ni objet constructible, ni effroyable Gaïa, la Terre est un devenir insubstituable, qui, traversant les milliards d'années, se retirant dans le passé le plus lointain et le futur le plus inaccessible, échappe à toute saisie. (shrink)