In March 2016, DeepMind's computer programme AlphaGo surprised the world by defeating the world‐champion Go player, Lee Sedol. AlphaGo exhibits a novel, surprising and valuable style of play and has been recognised as “creative” by the artificial intelligence (AI) and Go communities. This article examines whether AlphaGo engages in creative problem solving according to the standards of comparative psychology. I argue that AlphaGo displays one important aspect of creative problem solving (namely mental scenario building in the form of Monte Carlo (...) tree search), while lacking another (domain generality). This analysis has consequences for how we think about creativity in humans and AI. (shrink)

Legal concepts and notions are deeply affected by religions, ethics, philosophy and the culture of a particular nation. As Friedman Comparing legal cultures, Dartmouth, Aldershot, 1997, p. 34) highlights, understanding legal culture is a crucial factor as it both affects their translation and interpretation and consequently has an impact on the application of law. This increases in importance, for example, in the context of the principle of mutual trust and recognition of judgments assumed by the European Union as the cornerstone (...) of judicial co-operation in the European Union, which would not be possible without the trust in each other’s justice system and the respect for the different legal systems and traditions of the Member States. In that vein, ‘the Third Space’, where legal concepts and notions of multiple origins meet and where their meanings are negotiated, transformed, translated and integrated into various socio-political and cultural contexts has acquired an immense significance. Although there may be natural similarities between legal professions in the European Union, they could differ quite substantially as they are deeply rooted in the history and societal evolution of a country; therefore, they are generally regulated at a national, not a European level. In light of the above, the author intends to perform an in-depth analysis of key terminology in the field of names of legal professions which exist in the Member States of the European Union. The author focuses on the terms which refer to the legal profession of lawyers as they might pose obstacles in translation and interpretation due to different functions and roles these legal professionals play in their legal systems or due to the lack of their equivalents in other legal systems. The terminology is compared to present similarities and differences in their meaning, particularly putting some emphasis on socio-political and cultural contexts. The research methods encompass the analysis of relevant literature and the terminological analysis of the research material, which includes the information on legal professions provided by particular Member States on the European e-Justice portal and relevant national regulations in that respect. Finally, the author draws the conclusion that a thorough analysis of the functions and roles of a particular legal profession in socio-political and cultural contexts is required before the translation and interpretation of the term is provided as it helps to avoid ambiguity and makes legal communication precise. (shrink)

Danse Macabre and Other Stories: A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Global Dynamics examines the world using a systemic and psychoanalytic lens, including concepts of splitting, separation, projection, displacement, and the return of the repressed. They consider what impact the disappearance of some iconic and psychic containers has on individuals' functioning and why we choose populist leaders to shore up our own social defences. They question why the world feels so threatening to the twenty-first-century linked-in citizens when the objective facts suggest that (...) overall much is improving for the global citizen. Building on their previous work, Halina Brunning and Olya Khaleelee have created a coherent framework in order to conceptualise global dynamics within a matrix form. The matrix contains dialectic dynamic forces for both good and evil, love and hate, creation and destruction. They take a closer look at the plethora of phenomena which they see arising therein. Whilst the matrix holds steady, inside it is a world in constant flux, reconfiguring and rearranging itself, as if in a kaleidoscope, with inevitable and unavoidable turbulence, but - Brunning and Khaleelee hypothesise - with an underlying pattern that is available to be discerned and studied. Aware of this turbulence, Brunning and Khaleelee wish to share their view of the world in the hope of offering a containing reflection, capable of calming the nerves of the readers as well as their own. (shrink)

Despite the intention for precision and accuracy, legal discourse is oftentimes complex, archaic and ambiguous - which gives rise to contentious interpretation. Moreover, little or no attention is paid to the cultural dimension of legal discourse, which plays a critical role in the translation and interpretation of legal texts, as well as in the application of law. This paper endeavours to illustrate the impact the culture, or, more precisely, legal culture has on the way legal texts are construed or translated (...) and to present problems which arise in the interpretation, translation and application of law as a result of cultural diversities. (shrink)

Celem artykułu jest pokazanie możliwości zastosowania J.M. Bocheńskiego koncepcji zabobonu filozoficznego (pogląd fałszywy stwarzający pozory prawdziwości) w analizie etycznych ocen i argumentacji. Dla osiągnięcia tego celu koncepcja Bocheńskiego jest najpierw omówiona, następnie wskazane są cechy myślenia etycznego sprzyjające jego podatności na zabobony filozoficzne oraz podjęty jest problem możliwości rozpoznawania i ograniczania zabobonów w refleksji nad moralnością.

There is currently a consensus among comparative psychologists that nonhuman animals are capable of some forms of mindreading. Several philosophers and psychologists have criticized this consensus, however, arguing that there is a “logical problem” with the experimental approach used to test for mindreading in nonhuman animals. I argue that the logical problem is no more than a version of the general skeptical problem known as the theoretician’s dilemma. As such, it is not a problem that comparative psychologists must solve before (...) providing evidence for mindreading. (shrink)

Strnad, Halina The death penalty for homosexual acts between men was imposed in ancient Jewish sex codes. The rationale for these biblical injunctions was to prohibit sexual acts that did not produce offspring. In ancient tribal groups survival depended on population supply and growth.

This paper examines the transformation of environmental regulatory system in Poland during the 1990s. It is a case of institutional transplantation from the past into the present: the place remained constant but the economic and political context rapidly changed over time. Drawing on five case studies of privatized firms, a mailed questionnaire, and policy and institutional analysis, it investigates how Poland developed an effective system for managing industrial pollution while also achieving considerable socioeconomic progress. One key lesson is that considerable (...) and effective evolution of policies can take place during radical shifts in the political-economic context, as long as certain conditions are fulfilled. These include a good “fit” between the approaches taken and the existing modes of conducting societal transactions; wide sharing of certain values among the key societal actors; and continuity in policies and institutions. It also appears that a broad support for the rule of law and due process are crucial. The case of Poland also suggests that, while the developing countries do not necessarily need to reenact the evolution that has taken place among the developed countries during the past three decades, neither can they expect to leapfrog from a highly polluting “dirty” economy to a sustainable economy. The study also suggests that success in the first phase of regulatory system’s transformation—centered around reducing pollution from the energy and manufacturing sectors—is not a predictor of its success in next phase, centered around sustainability issues. The types of institutions, political circumstances, and national capabilities are different for each phase. (shrink)

(2013). Mindreading Animals: The Debate over What Animals Know about Other Minds. Philosophical Psychology. ???aop.label???. doi: 10.1080/09515089.2012.746630.

Os movimentos feministas negros impelem à busca de mudanças e de liberação e de superação do sexismo, racismo e classismo presentes em distintos campos da sociedade, inclusive no campo filosófico. Nesses termos, olhares críticos são lançados à filosofia e questionamentos surgem: A filosofia tal como apreendida em sua história reserva algum lugar para o não-homem, para o não-branco? A filosofia reserva algum lugar para as mulheres negras? Quando direcionamos o nosso olhar para a filosofia e para o feminismos negros brasileiros, (...) qual é a situação? A partir dessas e de outras questões, chegamos a uma das principais filósofas e feministas negras brasileiras: Lélia Gonzalez. Seu trabalho possui profunda riqueza filosófica e conceitual e desenvolve uma análise refinada do cânone ao propor a subversão deste, com a criação de novos conceitos e linguagens que expressam experiências diversas às impostas pela filosofia tradicional. Ainda que seja filósofa de formação, Lélia é lida muito mais a partir de suas outras formações nas áreas de Antropologia, Geografia, História e Sociologia, por exemplo, do que como filósofa. Nesse contexto, o presente artigo tem, por um lado, o objetivo de situar Lélia Gonzalez como feminista negra brasileira e filósofa, apontando seus argumentos acerca dos lugares das mulheres negras brasileiras em movimentos feministas e negros e seus argumentos filosóficos contra a opressão cultural e linguística. Por outro lado, visa problematizar a invisibilidade e o silenciamento de Lélia Gonzalez no contexto filosófico. (shrink)

Self-regulation initiatives are undertaken by many lobbing circles in various countries. The key element of those initiatives are codes of ethics including a postulated model of lobbying activities, a specific pattern of ethical standards of lobbying. The aim of the article is a reconstruction of this pattern on the basis of the analysis of eight codes representing American, Polish, British, European and German lobbying. The analysis leads to the following conclusions. An axiological base of the lobbyist profession is created by (...) such values as honesty, reliability, integrity, trust, professionalism, civil responsibility, openness, transparency, loyalty, respect, courtesy. Norms included in the codes are concentrated on the following issues: legality, transparency of actions, care of reputation and dignity of profession, avoiding corruption, conflict o f interest, customer relationship, duties toward society, public relations. A weak element of lobbying self-regulation is a system of norm execution. (shrink)

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the ethical side of whistleblowing and to identify the main dilemmas generated by its practice. In the first part, the social dimension of whistleblowing has been outlined, and the defining features of reporting misconduct internally have been identified through contrasting them with those of external whistleblowing. This is followed by an attempt at an ethical evaluation of whistleblowing. The second part of this paper has been devoted to the analysis of two important (...) questions raised by the consideration of whistleblowing as a managerial instrument. Should whistleblowing be rewarded financially? Is whistleblowing not only an employee’s right, but also duty? (shrink)

The idea of Corporate Social Responsibility is a priority for the European economy because CSR is promoted by the European Commission as an instrument of European strategy for sustainable development. The paper presents the basic assumptions of this strategy. Although the debate on the European shape of CSR was initiated almost ten years ago some important questions are still under discussion. The paper considers some of them.

Easy and cheap access to the Internet and a wide array of new technologies, such as smartphones, have multiplied opportunities for online informal learning of English. Yet, despite sizeable research, few studies have examined the issue of OILE in the context of university students of different disciplines. The aim of this research study was to examine the role of online language use through smartphones among students of various disciplines and its possible effects on enhancement of their foreign language skills. The (...) study assumed both qualitative and quantitative methodology encompassing three research instruments: an online survey, the self-assessment language competence grid of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and a semi-structured interview. Data were collected with 377 students from two universities: University of Białystok, Poland and University of Osijek, Croatia. The research outcomes indicate that both Croatian and Polish students of different disciplines use their smartphones chiefly for receptive activities with infrequent use for language learning purposes and the predominant use of the mother tongue or English for the listed online activities through smartphones do not significantly affect the self-assessed level of their communicative competence in English. However, it can be stated that the choice of the preponderant language for online use through smartphones, especially for study-related issues, is conditioned by the students’ discipline of study. (shrink)

Wagowska, Halina I don't remember when I first heard about William Cooper, but I recall my amazement and then a kind of elation. He was an Aborigine, a leader fighting for basic human rights denied to his people. And he was a lone voice in Australia protesting against the Nazi persecution of Jews in Germany and Austria. I saw it as an affirmation of the brotherhood of the oppressed and persecuted.

Animal minds are complex and diverse, making them difficult to study. This Element focuses on a question that has received much attention in the field of comparative cognition: 'Do animals reason about unobservable variables like force and mental states?' The Element shows how researchers design studies and gather evidence to address this question. Despite the many virtues of current methods, hypotheses in comparative cognition are often underdetermined by the empirical evidence. Given this, philosophers and scientists have recently called for additional (...) behavioral constraints on theorizing in the field. The Element endorses this proposal (known as 'signature testing'), while also arguing that studies on animal minds would benefit from drawing more heavily on neuroscience and biology. (shrink)

A financial crisis of 2008 showed a global meaning of ethical dimension of the credit institution because lack of financial subjects’ responsibility is regarded as one of the causes of the world breakdown. The author attempts to reconstruct the role of credit in the society and economy, especially an evolution of its ethical aspects is analysed. It is aimed to catch and understand the phenomenon of responsibility for the effects of this institution activity which proved dramatic more and more often (...) both for individuals and for the whole society. (shrink)

The article points out the currently progressing integration of psychology, medicine, and ethics. The origins of this process can be discovered in progressing from narrow conceptions of etiology of an illness which are related to one factor only, and of human behaviour to conceptions of multidimensional man. They can also be discovered in the tendency to make ethics a science by implying from the knowledge of human nature a justification for norms of human behaviour. The concept of mental health is (...) a symbol of the integration of these disciplines. A model of psychoanalytical ethics, based on the primary value of the mental health, has been used by the author in order to show some coincidence of moral values and scientific description of laws governing the mental development of man. (shrink)