It is undeniable that human beings seek happiness and have difficulty finding it. This is not a new phenomenon: ever since ancient times man has wondered about what happiness is, where it lies and how to achieve it. For the Greeks, a people of deep pessimism, the search for happiness (eudaimonia) was a traditional theme of philosophy and it was precisely in Greece where Epicurus ́ (341-270 BC) doctrine of happiness emerged. A cursed and manipulated author (just like his admirer (...) Nietzsche), Epicurus has probably been the thinker who has most lucidly approached the question of eudaimonia. Its doctrine seeks and promises its followers happiness through pleasure (hedoné), self-sufficiency (autarky), friendship (philía) and mental calm (ataraxia), offering itself as medicine against the pain of flesh and the sufferings of the mind. But Epicurean hedonism, which harmonizes well with the ancient Apollonian maxim that wisdom consists of moderation and the knowledge of limits, is totally removed from both the tyranny of the happycracy and from the noxious culture of unrestrained and vacuous desire of contemporary postmodernity. This is precisely why Epicurus's timeless proposal for authentic happiness deserves to be known for everyone: for constituting an effective therapy against the ills that afflict the nihilistic human being of the neoliberal era. (shrink)

En el presente artículo se pretende poner en relación la noción de kénosis, sobre la que se configura esencialmente la concepción hermenéutica de la religión en Gianni Vattimo, con la pretensión emancipatoria que surge del nihilismo hermenéutico. Para ello rastrearemos esa concepción hermenéutica de la verdad que ya no nos violenta, a partir de la cual se estructura la religión del pensamiento débil. Además, constataremos cómo la concepción hermenéutica de la metafísica, aparte de presentarse como clave de la secularización, permitirá (...) identificar la salvación con la interpretación. Sobre estos presupuestos generales de su filosofía Vattimo anuncia la venida de Jesús como fenómeno hermenéutico. Tendremos que preguntarnos finalmente si las posibilidades de este planteamiento trágico de la kénosis se llevan hasta sus últimas consecuencias con el anuncio sociopolítico de una emancipación de corte hermenéutico. (shrink)

Bullshit is a prevalent phenomenon in this info-crazy world of ours. With the help of Princeton philosopher Harry Frankfurt, I want to provide a brief philosophical account of this phenomenon, and offer some practical tips to how we could deal with it.Export citation.

This study analyzes the development of a culture of personal transformation in contemporary societies, showing its forms and orientations, and pointing to the factors that favor its development. This new culture unifies psychology and spirituality, emphasizes the transformational power of the experience of transcendence, and flourishes in an heterogeneous and loosely organized milieu driven by trends toward individualization and hybridization. The interpretative hypothesis is that this cultural development is a response to a societal change at the level of the individual: (...) the expansion of the self. The culture of personal transformation can be explained as a response to the existential turmoil that is inherent to the expansion of the self. (shrink)

The aim of this study was to test the effect of face cooling with cold water vs. face cooling with neutral water during high-intensity swimming training on both the core temperature and thermal perceptions in internationally ranked long-distance swimmers during 2 randomized swimming sessions. After a standardized warm-up of 1,200 m, the athletes performed a standardized training session that consisted of 2,000 m at a best velocity then 600 m of aerobic work. Heart rate was continuously monitored during 5 × (...) 400 m, whereas Tco, thermal comfort, and thermal sensation were measured before and after each 400 m. Before and after each 400 m, the swimmers were asked to flow 200 mL of cold water or neutral water packaged in standardized bottles on their face. The swimmers were asked don’t drink during exercise. The velocity was significantly different between cold water and neutral water. The Tco was increased by ±0.5°C at race pace, under both face cooling conditions with no significant difference. No significant changes were noted in mean HR. TC was higher with Cold Cooling than Neutral Cooling and TS was lower with Cold cooling compared with Neutral cooling. The changes in perceptual parameters caused by face cooling with cold water reflect the psychological impact on the physical parameters. The mean velocity was less important with face cooling whereas the heat rate and Tco were the same in the both conditions. The mechanism leading to these results seems to involve brain integration of signals from physiological and psychological sources. (shrink)

En el siguiente artículo tratamos de rastrear en la producción teórica y literaria del destacado médico y escritor zuliano Jesús Semprún (1882-1931), sus ideas fundamentales acerca de la literatura, el americanismo, y la organización social, así como la presencia de los diversos componentes humanistas en las reflexiones ofrecidas a lo largo y ancho de toda su trayectoria intelectual.

Language would exceed the limits of what is thought, by suggesting, letting be understood without ever making understandable [en laissant sous‐entendre, sans jamais faire entendre] an implication o...

Joaquín M. Fuster is an eminent cognitive neuroscientist whose research over the last five decades has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the neural structures underlying cognition and behaviour. This book provides his view on the eternal question of whether we have free will. Based on his seminal work on the functions of the prefrontal cortex in decision-making, planning, creativity, working memory, and language, Professor Fuster argues that the liberty or freedom to choose between alternatives is a function (...) of the cerebral cortex, under prefrontal control, in its reciprocal interaction with the environment. Freedom is therefore inseparable from that circular relationship. The Neuroscience of Freedom and Creativity is a fascinating inquiry into the cerebral foundation of our ability to choose between alternative actions and to freely lead creative plans to their goal. (shrink)

Este texto analiza el cambio en la noción de enfermedad que se produjo en el siglo V a.c. a través de la comparación entre _nosos, insania y peste_ en las tragedias de Sófocles con el nuevo proceso diagnóstico que se pone en marcha con el establecimiento del corpus hipocrático. Analizando las causas, la cura y el ser de la enfermedad en el Filoctetes, el Ayax y Edipo Rey, podremos observar las distancias con respecto a la concepción técnica y racional del (...) diagnóstico hipocrático y delimitar así los procesos de desarrollo técnico, democratización del saber y de pérdida de autoridad divina que posibilitarán una medicina liberada, en tanto saber, de sus ancestrales raíces religiosas. (shrink)

Qualsevol que es llegeixi aquest llibre s'adonarà que molts d'aquests mites amb els quals ens han promès la felicitat no són ni tan sòlids, ni tan certs, ni tan "progres" com sembla. Amb lúcida ironia, Ignasi Riera reflexiona sobre algunes de les qüestions que actualment saturen els mitjans de comunicació i que, com a polític i periodista, l'han preocupat al llarg de la seva vida: la idealització del món rural, l'obsessió per la salut, però també el maniqueisme de certes (...) actituds pseudodemocràtiques, les paradoxes de la societat del benestar o el fals esquerrisme. La crítica de fons és doblement interessant: marcada pel to satíric i desenfadat que el caracteritza, Riera ens proposa la deconstrucció d'un concepte viciat com és el de la felicitat, enganyós, mercantil i utilitari, i d'aquestes formes de pensament dirigit que, segons ens diuen alguns, són el camí per arribar-hi. La conclusió és clara: els que pretenem lluitar contra la felicitat, hem de canviar de sentit tota la nostra vida així com el conjunt de les nostres creences: tirar al foc moltes de les que semblen veritats eternes.IGNASI RIERA, escriptor, articulista, comentarista radiofònic i polític, ha conreat tots els gèneres literaris. Ha estat guardonat amb els premis Octubre, Ramon Llull i Pere Quart d'Humor i Sàtira. És autor de llibres de narrativa breu, de novel·les, de pamflets, dels llibres de no ficció: El meu oncle Pere Quart, Un patriota exemplar, Els catalans de Franco, Viatgers de Barcelona, Jordi Pujol. Llums i ombres ; de la biografia, Lluís Llach: companys no és això i de Llibre d'hores del ben menjar. A Edicions 62 ha publicat: Pàries, sindicalistes, demagogs, Diccionari de la Cuina Catalana i Un català a Madrid. (shrink)

The modern philosophy of science has not succeeded in defining conclusively what the scientific method consists in. On the contrary, scientific practice seems to consist in a methodological pluralism, a definition that connects with essential fragments of John Dewey's Logic, the Theory of Inquiry. For Dewey, even the forms of logic emerge from the problems defined in indeterminate situations. A historical example was the introduction of the notion of complementarity in physics, which allowed the interpretation of two confusingly paradoxical experiments (...) in a coherent way. Dewey's thought demonstrates its relevance by helping us to define the pattern of inquiry. Methodological pluralism and the dependence of logic on research problems is not something that will happen, it is something that has happened and does happen in scientific practices. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Klio Jahrgang: 99 Heft: 1 Seiten: 130-148.

Este texto analiza la formación del concepto de genealogía en _Teoría e Instituciones Penales_, donde aparece la primera aplicación práctica del método genealógico. La pregunta por el estatuto de la formación de la genealogía nos permitirá plantearnos, a su vez, los límites y los problemas implicados en su emergencia que poseen una relevancia específica para la actualidad del método. Por último, se planteará la actualidad de la genealogía a través de los desarrollos de la obra foucaultiana y las características posibilitadoras (...) y antirrepresentativas de la misma. Todo ello nos permitirá actualizar un método que posee profundas virtudes epistémicas y críticas para pensar nuestro presente. (shrink)

En el siguiente artículo analizaremos las nociones de angustia y desesperación desarrolladas por Sören Kierkegaard en El concepto de angustia y en el Tratado de la desesperación con el fin de resaltar la importancia de las mismas para el autor danés y, a su vez, vislumbraremos su papel determinante en las relaciones concretas con el prójimo descritas por Jean-Paul Sartre en El ser y la nada. Nuestra hipótesis de trabajo establece que Sartre sigue el cuadro de la desesperación kierkergaardiana y (...) que por ello condena al fracaso las relaciones con el prójimo. Nosotros consideramos que las nociones de angustia y desesperación de Kierkegaard analizadas en este artículo constituyen el meollo del problema en el autor francés, pues, sólo a partir del estudio de ellas, se podrá discutir e intervenir el concepto de mala fe en Sartre que determina el fracaso de las relaciones concretas con el prójimo en El ser y la nada. (shrink)

La ruptura del paradigma tradicional en la educación ecuatoriana emerge ante la imperiosa necesidad de la omnipresencia de la sociedad del conocimiento, las prescripciones de solución son variadas, mitigadas en su efectividad por el contexto; sin ser la panacea la presente propuesta ha legitimado la eficiencia y eficacia del proceso formativo académico de profesionales versátiles, competentes y competitivos que aportan al desarrollo sostenible, sustentable del país en concordancia con sus pares regionales enfocados a la competitividad internacional (escalada profesional). Se identifica (...) las habilidades de los estudiantes, se potencia sus destrezas, satisface sus necesidades personales, contribuye con la satisfacción de las necesidades del colectivo permeando relaciones humanas cálidas, comportamiento cooperativo asertivo maximizando logros a través de evidencia fáctica real. Los métodos, técnicas y estrategias varían en función del nivel que cursan los preprofesionales; un modelo estándar educativo con base en las competencias reales, la comunicación y la satisfacción de las necesidades humanas en concordancia con el ecosistema, legitima los procesos de formación en escenarios reales a través de la cooperación. (shrink)

SummaryThis article presents the development and current situation of the sociology of sport in Spain. It begins with a brief description of its origins and development as an academic field, which can be divided into three stages: birth, growth, and consolidation and internationalization. It then describes the theoretical and methodological traditions as well as the predominant topics (including the most representative research) in the social scientific studies on physical activity conducted so far in Spain. The main topics have been sports (...) in society, sports controversies, the social sports structure, sports identities and spaces for practicing sports, organization, management, and the job market. The article concludes with an analysis of the possible future challenges for the sociology of sport in Spain and the role that the journal Sociología del Deporte (Sociology of Sport) can play in view of these challenges. (shrink)

Dans cet article, j’essaie de montrer la pertinence de la Phénoménologie de la perception pour répondre aux défis de la philosophie dans un monde à la fois déchirée et globalisateur. Si on laisse de côté la dimension théorétique du monde, nous recupérons le fond obscure de l’existence, fond de tous les espaces. Il s’agirait d’un espace primigène dans lequel on trouve le lien affectif propre de l’expérience des enfants et des primitives. Mais le vécu de ces espaces implique une perte (...) du espace de jeu qui fait possible le monde comme ouverture et intersubjectivité. La réponse de Merleau-Ponty devant le psychologisme suppose un tournant envers la philosophie traditionnelle parce qu´il réussit à garder près de sa conscience les consciences «autres» du schizophrène ou de l’enfant. (shrink)

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:diacritics 34.2 (2006) 14-36 [Access article in PDF] "The Possibility of the Poetic Said" in Otherwise than Being (Allusion, or Blanchot in Lévinas) Gabriel Riera Language would exceed the limits of what is thought, by suggesting, letting be understood without ever making understandable [en laissant sous-entendre, sans jamais faire entendre] an implication of meaning distinct from that which comes to signs from the simultaneity of systems or the (...) logical definition of concepts. This possibility [vertu] is laid bare in the poetic said. [...] It is shown in the prophetic said. —Emmanuel Lévinas, Otherwise than Being [my emphasis] Writing, without placing itself above art, supposes that one not prefer art, but efface art as writing effaces itself. —Maurice Blanchot, Writing of the DisasterIn an effort to elucidate a more originary difference than Heidegger's ontological difference between Being and entities, as well as an ethicity of thinking able to respond to the trace of transcendence of the other's face, Lévinas's philosophy redefines language radically and does so in uneasy proximity to poetic language. In Otherwise than Being or Beyond Essence (1974), Lévinas deploys a constellation of terms—discourse, expression, communication, face, sincerity, witnessing, prophecy—in order to elucidate the ethical dimension of language, the ethicity of philosophical discourse. This constellation revolves around the crucial notion of signification and the two operative concepts of the said (le dit) and saying (le dire). By the former Lévinas understands the semantic content of an utterance or the giving of signs by a sender to an addressee, but also the different modalities by which a subject masters the world by assimilating it to the measure of consciousness (discourse, narration, history, manifestation, representation). Saying (le dire) refers to the way of signifying primarily that I am for the other, the expression of being-for-the-other that subjectivity "is" before positioned as the source of signs or comprehension: subjectivity as exposition. While the said expresses a content, the saying is expression without content.Language for Lévinas is the "structure" of both the retraction and the inscription of infinity (l'infini), and this "structure" is what Lévinas calls ethics. It is thus possible to affirm that in Lévinas there is no ethical turn without a certain linguistic turn, one in which the a priori of language is interrupted by an anteriority whose a priori character is enigmatic. But Lévinas's linguistic turn is turned inside out: for him language contains the other's call and thus harbors a form of exteriority within itself. This is because language is elevated to a metaphysical category (in the sense of Totality and Infinity [1961], where it means the breaching or interruption of totality) that exceeds the simple [End Page 14] "giving out of signs" [délivrance de signes] [AE 81/OB 48] or communication. Lévinas claims that "saying is communication, to be sure, but as a condition for all communication, as exposure [exposition]" [AE 82/OB 48]. Signification precedes and defines language as proximity and contact with the other and not as the "vicissitude [peripetia] of the thematizing intentionality" [AE 216/OB 137] of a subject whose main attribute is its ability to synchronize questions and answers, being and its manifestations, and by so doing leaves no margin for being exposed to the other. Further, signification also names an enigmatic pre-diction that challenges the primacy that language, understood as a system of signs, enjoys in other philosophies (structuralism and analytic philosophy, for example).Most critics agree that Lévinas's philosophy is inhospitable to aesthetic phenomena and ambivalent toward poetic language. His severe condemnation of the work of art in "Reality and Its Shadow" (1948) is still present in Totality and Infinity, Lévinas's first major work, where he establishes a relation with the other as face-to-face in discourse. And although in Otherwise than Being Lévinas finally acknowledges "poetic" language's ability to suggest significations that exceed the order of discourse and even endows it with a (quasi)-ethical force... (shrink)

In this paper, I address the problem about the role of academic philosophy for the feminist movement. I argue that the professionalization of feminism, especially within the sphere of academic philosophy, is detrimental to the stated goal of the feminist movement, which, as historically understood, is to procure women’s rights and liberties and to reassess the treatment of women by different social institutions. The thought is that if feminism were to reap the rewards of a socio-political change, feminists should stop (...) their fantastic theorizing and start bringing their advocacies to the proper forums. (shrink)

En las investigaciones sobre fisiología cardiovascular desarrolladas por William Harvey es posible distinguir entre dos teorías que responden a preguntas diferentes. La primera de ellas, que denominamos teoría del movimiento circular de la sangre, intenta dar una respuesta al problema sobre la cantidad de sangre que se mueve dentro del sistema. La segunda pretende dar cuenta de las causas de que la sangre se mueva y la denominamos teoría de las causas del movimiento de la sangre. En este trabajo, presentamos (...) una reconstrucción estructuralista de la primera de éstas, y mostramos que posee todos los componentes considerados esenciales para cualquier teoría, de acuerdo con la concepción estructuralista de la ciencia. (shrink)

In this paper, I offer a reconstruction of Wittgenstein's view of the happy life by sketching out three interconnected themes in his early works. The first theme is the distinction between a science of ethics and the ethical. The second is the idea of the willing subject. And finally, the third is the possibility of the happy life.

In this conceptual article, we argue that defining corporate social responsibility and corporate social irresponsibility as opposite constructs produces a lack of clarity between responsible and irresponsible acts. Furthermore, we contend that the treatment of the CSR and CSI concepts as opposites de-emphasizes the value of CSI as a stand-alone construct. Thus, we reorient the CSI discussion to include multiple aspects that current conceptualizations have not adequately accommodated. We provide an in-depth exploration of how researchers define CSI and both identify (...) and analyze three important gray zones between CSR and CSI: the role of harm and benefit, the role of the actor and intentionality, and the role of rectification. We offer these gray zones as factors contributing to the present lack of conceptual clarity of the term CSI, as a concept in its own right, leading to difficulties that researchers and managers experience in categorizing CSI acts as distinct from CSR. (shrink)

Da Ré and Szmuc argue that while there is a symmetry between ‘infectious’ and ‘immune’ logics, this symmetry fails w.r.t. extending an algebra with an immune or an infectious element. In this paper, I show that the symmetry also fails w.r.t. defining a new logical operation from a given set of primitive (Boolean) operations. I use the case of the material conditional to illustrate this point.

El estudio de los virus ha experimentado una gran transformación en las primeras décadas del siglo XXI. El descubrimiento de los virus gigantes ha hecho que la distinción entre algunos tipos de virus y de bacterias sea cada vez más difusa, lo que obliga a replantearse el estatus epistemológico y ontológico de estas entidades biológicas. Tanto la visión clásica de los virus por parte de la Biología, como las definiciones generales que las autoridades sanitarias, y las definiciones realizadas por virólogos (...) y microbiólogos necesitan ser revisadas para dar cabida a los conocimientos actuales sobre los virus, o más concretamente, sobre los procesos virales. En este proceso de nuevos descubrimientos aparecen nuevos términos, como virión, viroide, virobiota, viroma y virocélula que deben ser tenidos en cuenta e integrados en un nuevo marco ontológico y epistemológico general. Aunque aún estamos lejos de conseguir una definición generalmente aceptada que permita diferenciar nítidamente a los virus de otras entidades biológicas similares, al final del artículo se presenta una definición tentativa, que trata de evitar las limitaciones que presentaban las definiciones anteriores. (shrink)

Ballard et al.'s is a plausible and useful model. Leaving aside some unnecessary constraints, the model would probably be valid through a wider gamut of interactions between the self and the environment than the authors envision.