Resumo: A educação, a superior em particular, tem sido uma questão central nas políticas do Estado em Angola. E como compromisso, o Estado angolano tem-na definida como bem-público, o que implica uma série de medidas relacionadas ao seu acesso, seus processos de gestão e também os mecanismos de financiamento. Como resultado das disputas ideológicas na esfera do Estado, e também a emergência da economia de mercado em Angola, a condição de bem-público da educação é capturada pelos agentes do mercado que (...) adentram a esfera da educação. A emergência dos empresários da educação, bem como as demandas do mercado de trabalho e as políticas de carreiras transformaram a educação numa questão que supera as agendas públicas dos governos. Neste texto, vamos relatar a realidade proporcionada pelas políticas da educação superior na esfera do Estado. Compreendemos que o Estado é colocado diante do desafio de salvaguardar a condição de bem público através da regulação do sector e seus processos, por outro lado, é impelido pelas dinâmicas dos grupos hegemónicos nas esferas políticas e económicas, a condescender com a privatização da educação. Palavras-chave: Educação Superior; Bem-Público; Ideologia; Mercado. Higher Education in Angola: education as public good and the market challenges Abstract: Education, higher education in particular, has been at the core of the Angolan State policies. As a state commitment, education is defined as public good, which implies a set of measures related to its access, management processes, and financing mechanisms. Due to the ideological disputes within the state, as well as the emergence of the market, the ideal of education as public good is captured by the market agents who entered the education sphere. The emerge of the education entrepreneurship, also the labor market demands, and job career policies turned education into an issue beyond the government agenda. In this text, we relate the reality set up by the government education policies. It is our understanding that the state faces the challenge of safeguarding the public-good by regulating the sector, on the other hand, is impelled by the hegemonic groups to consent the privatization of education. Key-Words: Higher Education; Commoonweal; Public Good; Ideology; Market. L´ Enseignement supérieur angolais : l'éducation en tant que bien public face aux défis du marché Résumé : L'éducation, l'enseignement supérieur en particulier, a longtemps été au cœur des politiques de l'État angolais. En tant qu'engagement, l'État angolais définit l´éducation comme un bien public, ce qui implique la mise en place d´un ensemble de mesures liées à son accès, à ses processus de gestion ainsi qu´à ses mécanismes de financement. En raison des conflits idéologiques au sein de l'État ainsi que de l'émergence de l´économie de marché en Angola, l'idéal de l'éducation en tant que bien public est pris en compte par les agents du marché qui investissent dans le domaine. L'émergence de l'entrepreneuriat dans l'éducation, ainsi que les exigences du marché du travail et les politiques de carrière professionnelle ont fait de l'éducation une question qui va au-delà de l'agenda du gouvernement. Dans ce texte, nous présenterons la réalité proporcionnée par les politiques éducatives gouvernementales puisque, nous comprenons que l'État est confronté au défi de sauvegarder le bien public en réglementant le secteur d´une part et de l'autre, il est poussé par les groupes hégémoniques appartenant à la sphère politique et économique à consentir à la privatisation de l'éducation. Mots-clés: Enseignement Supérieur; Bien Public; Idéologie; Marché. Data de registro: 29/05/2023 Data de aceite: 26/10/2023. (shrink)

Information Retrieval systems benefit from the use of long queries containing a large volume of search-relevant information. This situation is not common, as users of such systems tend to use very short and precise queries with few keywords. In this work we propose a modification of the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) technique using data from the document collection and its vocabulary for a better representation of short queries. Additionally, a study is carried out on how the modification of the proposed (...) LDA weighted vectors increase the performance using relevant documents as feedback. The work shown in this paper is tested using three biomedical corpora (TREC Genomics 2004, TREC Genomics 2005 and OHSUMED) and one legal corpus (FIRE 2017). Results prove that the application of the proposed representation technique, as well as the feedback adjustment, clearly outperforms the baseline methods (BM25 and non-modified LDA). (shrink)

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo explicar os mecanismos básicos da linguagem no século XVI, a partir da arqueologia de Michel Foucault. Para tanto, o itinerário a ser percorrido parte de uma breve introdução ao pensamento do autor e do panorama geral do livro, de sua autoria, “As palavras e as coisas: uma arqueologia das ciências humanas”, bem como de suas questões fundamentais. Após, analisar-se-á o capítulo que trata sobre a filosofia do Renascimento, intitulado “A prosa do mundo”, de modo (...) a elucidar a visão que os renascentistas tinham acerca da linguagem e o que a caracterizava. Também é premente verificar qual a relevância de tal período para Foucault em sua pesquisa sobre a linguagem, a concepção desta como autônoma, independente, dissociada das ideias. Por fim, é feita uma retomada crítica dos pontos abordados neste trabalho. A pesquisa foi bibliográfica e teve como principal referência o livro “As palavras e as coisas” (2000), do mesmo autor. (shrink)

Brain–machine interfaces combining visual, auditory, and tactile feedback have been previously used to generate embodiment experiences during spinal cord injury rehabilitation. It is not known if adding temperature to these modalities can result in discomfort with embodiment experiences. Here, comfort levels with the embodiment experiences were investigated in an intervention that required a chronic pain SCI patient to generate lower limb motor imagery commands in an immersive environment combining visual, auditory, tactile, and thermal feedback. Assessments were made pre-/ post-, throughout (...) the intervention, and at 7 weeks follow up. Overall, high levels of embodiment in the adapted three-domain scale of embodiment were found throughout the sessions. No significant adverse effects of VR were reported. Although sessions induced only a modest reduction in pain levels, an overall reduction occurred in all pain scales at follow up. A high degree of comfort in the comfort scale for the thermal-tactile sleeve, in both the thermal and tactile feedback components of the sleeve was reported. This study supports the feasibility of combining multimodal stimulation involving visual, auditory, tactile, and thermal feedback to generate embodiment experiences in neurorehabilitation programs. (shrink)

O presente artigo explora as manifestações básicas do conceito de justiça em Jr. 1-25, atendendo à interacção entre justiça social, realeza e profetismo no contexto do Próximo Oriente antigo. É contextualmente analisado o principal léxico pertencente aos campos semânticos da justiça e da injustiça, em sentido estrito, incluindo as categorias sociais directamente envolvidas (estrangeiro, viúva, órfão, pobre, oprimido, necessitado, etc.). Nos termos do iaveísmo hierosolimita e da ideologia régia davídica, Jeremias desenvolve um discurso de denúncia social relativamente genérico sobretudo direccionado (...) para a realeza, exortando-a a cumprir o seu papel de garante do funcionamento e implementação da justiça na sociedade. É contra Joaquim que a polémica jeremiana atinge o seu auge, criando uma imagem de anti-rei que inverte totalmente o paradigma de realeza humana e divina exemplarmente retratada nos salmos reais. O direito consuetudinário do Código da Aliança, e sobretudo a tradição profética (Amós, Miqueias e Isaías) e sapiencial (Salmos e Provérbios), e não o Deuteronómio, devem fornecer o quadro interpretativo preferencial para o conceito de justiça social em Jeremias. (shrink)

Investiga a temática competência em informação sob a ótica da Filosofia e da Ciência da Informação. Tem como diretriz a seguinte indagação: como é possível abordar a competência em informação no âmbito da dimensão técnica por meio de um diálogo integrado entre a Filosofia e a Ciência da Informação? As respostas a esta pergunta norteadora, bem como as reflexões resultantes destas, baseiam-se numa investigação de natureza exploratória e bibliográfica, conduzida em artigos e livros nestas áreas do conhecimento. Trata sobre a (...) dimensão técnica, teoricamente constituída por conceitos sobre a “técnica” (Filosofia) e sobre a competência em informação (Ciência da Informação). Resgata conceitos de Aristóteles de Hannah Arendt e de outros filósofos contemporâneos, relacionando-os aos conceitos de competência em informação. A inter-relação conceitual revela que a dimensão técnica da competência em informação abrange habilidades sustentadas por julgamentos e decisões durante as etapas de busca, avaliação e uso da informação. AbstractThe aim of this article is to investigate the issue of Information Literacy under the light of Philosophy and Information Science. The article’s basis lies in the following inquiry: how is it possible to approach Information Literacy in the technical dimension through a dialogue between Philosophy and Information Science? The answers to this guiding question, as well as the deliberations that arise as an outcome, are based on a research that is both exploratory and bibliographical, carried out through the reading of articles and books in the field of study. This study addresses the technical dimension, supported by theoretical concepts dealing with Technique (Philosophy) and Information Literacy (Information Science). This research goes back to notions proposed by Aristotle, Hannah Arendt and other contemporary philosophers, relating these concepts to Information Literacy. The conceptual interrelation reveals that the technical dimension of Information Literacy tackles skills grounded on judgments and decisions made during the steps of location, evaluation and use of information. (shrink)

Resumo: A literatura disponível a respeito do currículo cultural da Educação Física denota a necessidade de expandir o conceito de “mapeamento” enquanto operador fundamental ao trabalho pedagógico. O último trabalho dedicado à questão – O mapeamento no currículo cultural da Educação Física: cartografia e vadiagem, publicado em 2022 na revista Educação e Filosofia, pontua a dificuldade de delimitação do mapeamento, assim como abre caminho para uma relação inédita com a cartografia, do modo imaginado por Gilles Deleuze e Félix Guattari. Partimos (...) do pressuposto que tal dificuldade provém do próprio funcionamento do mapeamento. O artigo desconsidera que o mapeamento só acontece de maneira articulada em dois movimentos concomitantes: o primeiro, que chamamos genealógico; e o segundo, que arriscamos nomear como geomorfológico. Neste estudo, apoiamo-nos no pensamento deleuze-guattariano para desenvolver esse raciocínio. Argumentamos que o mapeamento toma como inspiração a cartografia ressignificada, o que levará o professore ou a professora a posicionar-se como inventor ou inventora da correlação entre as forças e os poderes de um território em particular, qual seja, a escola. Para tanto, baseamo-nos em três noções principais: 1) mapeamento e genealogia; 2) mapeamento e geomorfologia; e a 3) ressignificação da cartografia. Palavras-chave: Educação Física; Currículo Cultural; Mapeamento; Geomorfologia; Cartografia. Mapping in the cultural curriculum of Physical Education: the double movement Abstract: The literature on the cultural curriculum of physical education makes it clear that we must expand the concept of "mapping" as a fundamental operator in pedagogical work. The last job dedicated to the issue, "Mapping in the Cultural Curriculum of Physical Education: Cartography and Wandering," published in 2022 in the journal Educação e Filosofia, definitively points out the difficulty of delimiting mapping. It also opens the way for an unprecedented relationship with cartography, as envisioned by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. We are certain that this difficulty stems from the very functioning of mapping. The article fails to acknowledge that mapping occurs in two distinct, simultaneous movements: the first, which we refer to as genealogical, and the second, which we propose to call geomorphological. This study is based on Deleuze-Guattarian thinking. We assert that mapping is inspired by re-signified cartography, which positions teachers as inventors of the correlation between the forces and powers of a particular territory, namely the school. To do this, we base ourselves on three main notions: 1) mapping and genealogy; 2) mapping and geomorphology; and 3) the re-signification of cartography. Keywords: Physical Education; Cultural Curriculum; Mapping; Geomorphology; Cartography. Mapeo en el currículo cultural de la Educación Física: el doble movimiento Resumen: La literatura disponible sobre el currículo cultural de Educación Física indica la necesidad de ampliar el concepto de «cartografía» como operación fundamental en el trabajo pedagógico. El último trabajo dedicado al tema, Mapping in the cultural curriculum of Physical Education: cartography and wanderings, publicado en 2022 en la revista Educación e Filosofia, señala la dificultad de delimitar el mapeo y abre el camino a una relación sin precedentes con la cartografía, tal como la concibieron Gilles Deleuze y Félix Guattari. Partimos de la suposición de que esta dificultad se debe al propio funcionamiento del mapeo. El artículo obvia el hecho de que el mapeo solo ocurre de forma articulada mediante dos movimientos concomitantes: el primero, al que llamamos genealógico, y el segundo, que podríamos llamar geomorfológico. En este estudio, partimos del pensamiento de Deleuze y Guattari para desarrollar este razonamiento. Afirmamos que el mapeo está inspirado en una cartografía reinterpretada, que llevará a los docentes a posicionarse como creadores de la correlación entre las fuerzas y los poderes de un territorio en particular: la escuela. Para ello, nos basamos en tres conceptos principales: 1) el mapeo y la genealogía; 2) el mapeo y la geomorfología; y 3) la reinterpretación de la cartografía. Palabras clave: Educación Física; Currículo Cultural; Mapeo; Geomorfología; Cartografía. Data de registro: 10/08/2024 Data de aceite: 19/03/2025. (shrink)

Introduction: The aim of this review was to systematically synthesize the published literature describing the psychological and behavioral correlates of recreational running in adults, defined as running for leisure, with or without a competitive component.Methods: Quantitative research published in peer-reviewed journals until January 2021 were included. Studies were identified through MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science and were included in this review if they were aimed at recreational running, included general adult samples, and assessed psychological or behavioral correlates of (...) recreational running.Results: Fifty-six articles reporting 58 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included. There were 27 cross-sectional studies, 12 longitudinal studies, and 19 trials. Twenty-eight studies assessed antecedents of running behavior, and 25 studies used running behavior as treatment or predictor of a given effect or outcome. Four studies examined both predictors and outcomes of running. Thirty-one studies showed poor quality, while 20 had fair and 7 good quality. Motives were the most frequently studied antecedent of running behavior, and results suggest that the highest-ranked or more prevalent motives were physical health, psychological motives, and personal achievement. Additionally, perceived control, attitude toward running, intention and subjective norms, self-efficacy, and social support may have also played a role in the adoption of recreational running. Moreover, improvements in mood and well-being were the most frequently reported positive outcomes of running. Reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress were also reported in included studies.Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on this topic. The identification of behavioral and psychological correlates of recreational running across populations can contribute to inform and guide a public policy agenda, focused on helping people sustain regular physical activity, through a modality they have chosen and appear to enjoy.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=68954, identifier: CRD42017068954. (shrink)

Around the world, many schools were closed as one of the measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. School closure brought about important challenges to the students' learning process. This context requires strong self-regulatory competences and agency for autonomous learning. Moreover, online remote learning was the main alternative response to classroom learning, which increased the inequalities between students with and without access to technological resources or for those with low digital literacy. All considered, to level the playing field (...) for students without digital resources, there is an urgent need to promote self-regulatory competences through offline intervention solutions. The current paper describes a project with this purpose, using radio broadcasting and letters to reach elementary students without digital resources. Moreover, potential reach and participants' perspectives of the project implementation are presented and discussed. The project draws on a prior evidence-based story-tool intervention grounded on a self-regulated learning framework. The original intervention was set previous to the COVID-19 pandemic and was implemented in the classroom context (N= 1,103 students). Once the schools had been closed down, the mode of intervention was adapted with the collaboration of the community. Alternative solutions were developed as follows: (i) story chapters were read on the radio and students received to their homes a printed script, prompting reflection, and suggesting related activities; (ii) students were provided with the story-tool to read autonomously and received letters from the main characters of the story which included, for example, suggestions for activities and reflection. These two alternative modes of intervention delivery potentially reached 394 elementary students, including students with digital resources. Interviews conducted with a group of students were provided information about the positive aspects of these two modes of intervention delivery, perceived learning (e.g., planning), constraints, and suggestions to improve the project. The current work is likely to merit attention from researchers and educational practitioners, given the need to use offline alternatives to provide support for students without digital resources to engage in autonomous learning during the pandemic period. This project may also be used as an alternative or a complementary solution to online modality. (shrink)

IntroductionRegular exercise has long been shown to positively impact the immune system responsiveness and improve mental well-being. However, the putative links between biomarkers of mental health and immune efficiency in exercising subjects have been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of a 14-week combined chair-based exercise program on salivary steroid hormones and anti-microbial proteins, functional fitness, and MWB indexes in pre-frail older women.MethodsThe participant women were randomly divided into the exercising group and the non-exercising (...) control group. The pre/post assessment included: salivary anti-microbial proteins lysozyme; and immunoglobulin-A ; salivary steroid hormones of testosterone and cortisol ; functional fitness ; MWB questionnaires.ResultsSignificant differences with large Cohen’s effect sizes were found on increased salivary TT after exercise intervention. The results revealed a decrease in IgA levels after CEP. The increase in subjective happiness levels and decrease of stress perception and depressive state were found after intervention in the CEP group. Robust statistical differences in gait speed and balance tests were also found in the CEP group. In control, COR increased moderately while no changes were found for the other indicators. Correlation analyses showed inter-dependence between pre–post variations of MWB, biochemical indexes, and fitness function.ConclusionThe CEP program was able to improve functional-fitness performance, decrease feelings of stress, and increase happiness. The CEP also induced clinically relevant hormonal and immune responses, which suggests that chair exercises that combine muscular strength, balance, and gait speed training are promising interventions to improve physical and mental health of older pre-frail adults. (shrink)

Neste estudo, a história mundial, tal como concebida por Hegel, é analisada a partir dos §§ 330-360 da Filosofia do Direito. Em seguida, procura-se coordenar estes parágrafos com as teses de Kant sobre a guerra e a paz. Finalmente, as abordagens de Kant e de Hegel são retomadas à luz do estudo de Hobsbawm sobre o cenário político internacional nos séculos 20 e 21. PALAVRAS-CHAVE – Hegel. Filosofia do direito. História mundial. ABSTRACT In this study, the history of the world (...) as conceived by Hegel is investigated on the basis of §§ 330-360 of his Philosophy of Law. Hegel’s theory is afterwards linked to Kant’s theses concerning the pax perpetua. Finally, Kant’s and Hegel’s approaches on war and peace shall be assessed by comparing them to Hobsbawm’s views on the political international scene of the 20th. and 21st. Centuries. KEY WORDS – Hegel. Philosophy of law. World history. (shrink)

Estuda-se. neste artigo. a tensão existente entre o mundo estável dos princípios éticos. a que a política. para o cristianismo. se deve subordinar. e o complexo e labiríntico mundo da experiência. que converterá a política. na expressão de António Vieira. na "arte das artes". Sem negar nunca a subordinação da política à ética. sem infirmar a origem divina do poder, o seu fundamento ético e a sua finalidade espiritual, Vieira. no quadro da mundividência barroca. acentua a complexidade da (...) política como expressão da própria complexidade do mundo. sujeito à inconstância do movimento. á alteração dos papéis, ao jogo dos interesses. e às suas surpreendentes contraditórias. Trata-se, no fundo, de compreender a expressão que utilizou para qualificar as virtudes de D. João IV como estadista: "Sabia reinar porque sabia dissimular: e reinou, porque não dissimulou". /// This essay deals, on the one hand, with the existing tension between the stable world of ethical principles, to which politics must be subordinated, according to the Christian teaching: and. on the other hand, with the labirinthiform world of experience, which, in the words of António Vieira. will transform politics into "the art of arts". Without ever denying the subordination of politics to ethics, or the spiritual origin of power, its ethical foundations and its spiritual purpose. Vieira stresses, in the context of baroque worldview, the complexity of politics as an expression of the complexity of the world itself, since it is exposed to the uncertainty of circunstances. to role change, to interests games, and to its surprising contradictions. We aim basically to understand the words of Vieira. as he characterized the political virtues of King John IV: "He knew how to reign, because he knew how to dissimulate: and he reigned, because he did not dissimulate". (shrink)

Resenha a partir de: VIEIRA, José Álvaro Campos. Aurora de uma espiritualidade sem religião: análise dos sem religião a partir da concepção de espiritualidade não religiosa de Marià Corbi. 2014. Dissertação , Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Religião, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte.

This paper discusses the logical space of alternative conceptual engineering projects, with a specific focus on (1) the processes, (2) the targets and goals, and (3) the methods of such projects. We present an overview of how these three aspects interact in the contemporary literature and discuss those alternative projects that have yet to be explored based on our suggested typology. We show how choices about each element in a conceptual engineering project constrain the possibilities for the others, thereby giving (...) rise to distinct groupings of possible projects under the banner of conceptual engineering. We conclude with a critical reflection on the potential ethical issues that arise as a result of effectively putting conceptual engineering into practice. (shrink)

Reproduces the text of Newton's dissertation on the nature and properties of light.

CADERNOS DE FILOSOFIA EXTRAVAGANTE - ANTÓNIO TELMO Vários Autores Um dos sinais do Quinto Império é que ainda há andorinhas O provérbio diz que uma andorinha não faz a Primavera Mas eu acho que faz Enquanto houver um homem onde resida a espiritualidade há sempre um princípio do Quinto Império António Telmo Este terceiro volume dos Cadernos de Filosofia Extravagante é o primeiro que se publica após a partida de António Telmo, que os imaginou, concebeu e fundou Constitui por isso, (...) na íntegra, um preito de homenagem ao autor da História Secreta de Portugal, nele se inserindo, bem a propósito, as actas do Colóquio A Obra e o Pensamento de António Telmo, realizado em 14 e 15 de Fevereiro de 2011, no Palácio da Independência, em Lisboa, por iniciativa do Instituto de Filosofia Luso-Brasileira, documento a que acrescem alguns testemunhos de amigos que, por uma ou outra razão, não puderam participar naquela comemoração, e duas entrevistas, uma das quais se encontrava por publicar, pelo filósofo concedidas na última década Por outro lado, nestas páginas o leitor poderá ainda encontrar dois escritos do autor de O Bateleur – um poema e um conto – nunca antes dados ao papel em letra de forma E, o que talvez seja mais, uma série significativa de correspondência epistolar até agora mantida inédita, tendo o filósofo por destinatário São missivas de Álvaro Ribeiro, José Marinho, Agostinho da Silva, Dalila Pereira da Costa e António Quadros, definindo um arco temporal que vai da publicação de Arte Poética, em 1963, à de Filosofia e Kabbalah, em 1990 Quase trinta anos de uma vida filosófica singular em que, a cada passo, são bem notórias a admiração e a amizade que mestres e condiscípulos lhe dedicam Autores- António Telmo, Pedro Martins, Renato Epifânio, Américo Rodrigues, Helena Estriga, António Braz Teixeira, Joaquim Domingues, Abel de Lacerda Botelho, Roque N Brás de Oliveira, M N Vieira, Luís Paixão, António Carlos Carvalho, Cynthia Guimarães Taveira, Rui Lopo, António Quadros Ferro, Carlos Aurélio, António Cândido Franco, Rodrigo Sobral Cunha, Carlos Vargas, Manuel Ferreira Patrício, Pedro Sinde, Paulo Santos, Pedro Paquim Ribeiro, Maurícia Teles da Silva, J Pinharanda Gomes, António Quadros, Avelino de Sousa, Elísio Gala, José Paulo Ribeiro Albuquerque, Helder Cortes, Eduardo Aroso, Isabel Xavier, Jesus Carlos, Álvaro Ribeiro, José Marinho, Agostinho da Silva, Dalila Pereira da Costa. (shrink)

This book by one of the world's foremost philosophers in the fields of epistemology and logic offers an account of suppositional reasoning relevant to practical deliberation, explanation, prediction and hypothesis testing. Suppositions made 'for the sake of argument' sometimes conflict with our beliefs, and when they do, some beliefs are rejected and others retained. Thanks to such belief contravention, adding content to a supposition can undermine conclusions reached without it. Subversion can also arise because suppositional reasoning is ampliative. These two (...) types of nonmonotonic logic are the focus of this book. A detailed comparison of nonmonotonicity appropriate to both belief contravening and ampliative suppositional reasoning reveals important differences that have been overlooked. (shrink)

Typicality is routinely invoked in everyday contexts: bobcats are typically short-tailed; people are typically less than seven feet tall. Typicality is invoked in scientific contexts as well: typical gases expand; typical quantum systems exhibit probabilistic behaviour. And typicality facts like these support many explanations, both quotidian and scientific. But what is it for something to be typical? And how do typicality facts explain? In this paper, I propose a general theory of typicality. I analyse the notion of a typical property. (...) I provide a formalism for typicality explanations, and I give an account of why typicality explanations are explanatory. Along the way, I show how typicality facts explain a variety of phenomena, from everyday phenomena to the statistical mechanical behaviour of gases. Finally, I argue that typicality is not the same thing as probability. (shrink)

I propose an account of probability in the Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics. According to the account, probabilities are objective chances of centered propositions. As I show, the account solves a number of problems concerning the role of probability in the Everett interpretation. It also challenges an implicit assumption, concerning the aim and scope of fundamental physical theories, that is made throughout the philosophy of physics literature.

The claim that similarity plays a role in representation has been philosophically discredited. Psychologists, however, routinely analyse the success of mental representations for guiding behaviour in terms of a similarity between representation and the world. I provide a foundation for this practice by developing a philosophically responsible account of the relationship between similarity and representation in natural systems. I analyse similarity in terms of the existence of a suitable homomorphism between two structures. The key insight is that by restricting attention (...) to only those homomorphisms induced by causal processes, we can solve two philosophical problems with a single assumption. First, causal structure provides an adequate source for the bias required to ensure the similarity relation is non-trivial; second, it provides an adequate source for the directionality required to move from similarity to representation. I defend this account against objections by Goodman and van Fraassen and demonstrate that it is indeed the account of similarity’s role in representation assumed by psychological practice. (shrink)

There has recently been increasing interest in the possibility and ethics of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), which would combine sophisticated AI with machinery capable of deadly force. One objection to LAWS is that their use will create a troubling responsibility gap, where no human agent can properly be held accountable for the outcomes that they create. While some authors have attempted to show that individual agents can, in fact, be responsible for the behaviour of LAWS in various circumstances, this (...) will not be possible in all cases. This article argues, however, that by assigning responsibilities to group agents operating within the military‐industrial complex, as well as the military‐industrial complex as a whole, we may be able to close the responsibility gap, or at least reduce its costs. Insofar as the potential for responsibility gaps poses an ethical barrier to the development and deployment of LAWS, this argument, if sound, may show their use to be morally permissible in a greater range of cases. (shrink)

I show that standard grounding conditions contradict standard conditions for the identities of propositions.