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)

Le but de cet article est d’éclairer l’interprétation par Maimon des Catégories d’Aristote et de montrer comment elle vise à défendre le traité aristotélicien contre les objections émises par Kant dans la Critique de la raison pure. De plus, au travers d’une analyse de cette interprétation, nous tentons de clarifier l’entreprise de réforme de la philosophie transcendantale que Maimon développe dans son Essai d’une nouvelle logique ou théorie de la pensée.

The History of Philosophy as a Problem: Four Fundamental Views in the German Debate and Heidegger’s Hermeneutical Dissolution Resumen: El artículo pretende introducir el problema que supone el estudio de la historia de la filosofía, especialmente hoy cuando esta práctica se ha establecido como elemento indisociable de la formación en la materia. Con el fin de plantear de manera más concreta dicho problema, el artículo trata la legitimidad del enfoque hermenéutico, pues este parece consistir en identificar el estudio histórico de (...) la filosofía con el propio filosofar. Para lograr una evaluación precisa de este enfoque, se lleva a cabo un recorrido por las cuatro posiciones cardinales del debate alemán en torno al sentido, el método y la función de la historia de la filosofía. Mediante la contraposición de la propuesta de Heidegger frente a estas cuatro posiciones cardinales, se espera aclarar cuáles son los fundamentos del pensamiento hermenéutico y sacar a la luz las razones por las que el estudio del pasado filosófico podría ser considerado esencial para la formación en filosofía.: The article aims to introduce the problem that represents the study of the history of philosophy, especially today when this practice has established as the model in the academic formation of the field. In order to raise this problem more specifically, the article focuses on the legitimacy of the hermeneutic approach, as it consists in the affirmation of the necessity of the study of the past for philosophy. The evaluation of this approach is carried out in the light of a description of the four cardinal positions of the German debate about the meaning, method and function of the history of philosophy. By contrasting Heidegger’s proposal with these four cardinal positions, it is hoped to clarify the foundations of hermeneutic thought and to bring to light the reasons because the study of philosophical past can be considered essential for philosophy. Palabras clave: hermenéutica, función de la historia, métodos historiográficos, comprensión, interpretación. Keywords: hermeneutics, function of history, historiographical methods, understanding, interpretation. (shrink)

At least since Burnyeat’s “Aristotle on Learning to Be Good,” one of the most popular ways of explaining moral development in Aristotle is by appealing to mechanisms of pleasure and pain. Aristotle himself suggests this kind of explanation when he says that “in educating the young we steer them by the rudders of pleasure and pain” (Nicomachean Ethics X.1, 1172a21). However, I argue that, contrary to the dominant view, Aristotle’s view on moral development in the Nicomachean Ethics is not mainly (...) about learning to feel pleasures and pains in relation to the right kinds of objects and activities. I show that given Aristotle’s account of the relationships between pleasure and virtuous actions, on the one hand, and between pleasure and virtuous dispositions, on the other, pleasure can only have a supporting role in our learning to be good, and not a guiding one. (shrink)

This paper aims to differentiate between lying and irony, typically addressed independently by philosophers and linguists, as well as to discuss the cases when deception co-occurs with, and capitalises on, irony or metaphor. It is argued that the focal distinction can be made with reference to Grice’s first maxim of Quality, whose floutings lead to overt untruthfulness, and whose violations result in covert untruthfulness. Both types of untruthfulness are divided into explicit and implicit subtypes depending on the level of meaning (...) on which they are manifest. Further, it is shown that deception may be based on irony or metaphor, which either promote deceptive implicatures or are deployed covertly. Finally, some argumentation is provided in favour of why these cases of deceiving can be conceptualised as lying. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Nietzsche-Studien Jahrgang: 46 Heft: 1 Seiten: 82-104.

BackgroundThis study aims to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the activities of a Bioethics Unit (BU) 5 years since its implementation (2016–2020). The BU is a research unit providing empirical research on ethical issues related to clinical practice, clinical ethics consultation, and ethical education for health care professionals (HPS).MethodsWe performed an explanatory, sequential, mixed-method, observational study, using the subsequent qualitative data to explain the initial quantitative findings. Quantitative data were collected from an internal database and analyzed by descriptive analysis. Qualitative evaluation (...) was performed by semi-structured interviews with 18 HPs who were differently involved in the BU’s activities and analyzed by framework analysis.ResultsQuantitative results showed an extensive increment of the number of BU research projects over the years and the number of work collaborations with other units and wards. Qualitative findings revealed four main themes, concerning: 1. the reasons for contacting the BU and the type of collaboration; 2. the role of the bioethicist; 3. the impact of BU activities on HPs, in terms of developing deeper and more mature thinking; 4. the need to extend ethics support to other settings. Overall, our results showed that performing both empirical bioethics research and more traditional clinical ethics activities at the same unit would produce an impetus to increase collaboration and spread an 'ethical culture' among local HPs.ConclusionsOur findings contribute to a growing body of literature on the models of clinical ethics support services and the role of empirical research in bioethics internationally. They also prepare the ground for the implementation of a multidisciplinary Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC) that aims to support the BU’s ethics consultation service within the local context. (shrink)

Langerhans cells (LCs), residing in the epidermis, are able to induce potent immunogenic responses and also to mediate immune tolerance. We propose that tolerogenic and immunogenic responses of LCs are directed by signaling from the epidermis and involve counter‐acting gene circuits that are coupled to a core maturation gene module. We base our analysis on recent genetic and genomic findings facilitating the understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling these divergent immune functions. Comparing gene regulatory network (GRN) analyses of various types (...) of dendritic cells (DCs) including LCs we integrate signaling‐dependent (TGFβ, EpCAM, β‐Catenin) and transcription factor (IRF4, IRF1, NFκB) regulated gene circuits that appear to orchestrate the distinctive LC functional states. Our model proposes, that while epidermal signaling in the steady‐state promotes LC tolerogenic function, the disruption of cell‐cell contacts coupled with inflammatory signaling induces LC immunogenic programing. The conceptual framework emphasizes the sensing of discrete epidermal and inflammatory cues by resident LCs in dictating their genomic programing and cell state dynamics. (shrink)

No Aggression, Only Teasing: The Pragmatics of Teasing and Banter A bone of contention among researchers is whether the primary function of humour is the expression of aggression against the hearer or the promotion of solidarity between the interlocutors. It is commonly averred that teasing boasts a dichotomous nature, i.e. malignant and benevolent. The former coincides with the potential for criticising, mocking and ostracising the interlocutor, whereas the latter accounts for playfulness and bonding capacity.The overriding goal of the paper is (...) to expound the rapport-building function, which is here postulated to be inherent to teasing. First and foremost, I will determine the scope of interest differentiating between putdown humour and teases, which may assume the form of retorts and develop into multi-turn teases, i.e. banter. Subtypes of teasing will be discussed with a view to proving that it is inherently devoid of genuine aggressiveness. The underlying premise is that teases, even if ostensibly aggressive, i.e. face-threatening, are geared towards solidarity, in conformity with the framework of politeness, including mock impoliteness, holding between intimates. Also, teases fulfil a few subordinate functions such as defunctionalisation or mitigation of face-threatening messages they may carry. (shrink)

The distinction between theory and practice, as well as their specific role, function, and relevance within philosophy is at the core of most metaphilosophical discussions of philosophy as a way of life (PWL). At the same time, Hadot’s emphasis on the practical dimension of ancient philosophy and its alleged privilege of practice over theory is one of the most polemic and controversial aspects of his account of PWL. In this paper I will discuss three alternative ways of interpreting Hadot’s characterization (...) of PWL and the roles and functions of theory and practice in his account: John Cooper’s, Miranda Vilchi’s and Matthew Sharpe’s. After critically evaluating each one of these readings, I will present my own view on the matter and conclude with some reflections on the relevance (or irrelevance) of maintaining the opposition between theory and practice in our account of PWL. -/- . (shrink)

Plato's Republic VII suggests that if we ask someone to philosophize when they are too young, they can become corrupted (537e–539d). Republic VII also suggests that to avoid this corruption, we must not expose youth to argument (539a–b). This is not a reasonable option outside of Kallipolis, so a question arises: does Plato describe how to correct corruption if we do not manage to prevent it? This paper shows that a parallel between this passage from Republic VII and a passage (...) from Laws X suggests that he does. Laws X describes an impious man who is corrupted in the same way as the youth exposed to philosophy prematurely in Republic VII. While we leave the youth to his corruption in Republic, the impious man is helped to overcome his corruption in Laws with a refutation followed by a myth (also called a charm). This paper analyses these steps in terms of Plato's psychology, showing that both corruption and correction require a destabilization of the soul, which in these passages is brought about through refutation. This destabilization allows for a reconfiguration, which, with something that can restabilize the soul (for example with myth), can be a reconfiguration for the better. (shrink)

There Is Method in the Humorous Speaker's Madness: Humour and Grice's Model The interdependence between humour and the Cooperative Principle appears to be a bone of contention in pragmatic studies on verbal humour. The wellentrenched approach advocated by Raskin and Attardo is that jokes constitute the non-bona-fide mode of communication standing vis-à-vis the Gricean model and governed by a humour-CP, and that they violate, not merely flout, the maxims and even the CP. The aim of the article is to shed (...) new light on the interdependence between humour and the CP with a view to substantiating that the authors who regard humour as an independent communicative mode and as an intrinsic violation of maxims and the CP appear to labour under a serious misapprehension. It will be argued that the Gricean model of cooperative rationality does allow for humorous verbalisations, which normally rely on maxim flouts. (shrink)

En el artículo se retoma el problema de la “identidad personal” con el fin de mostrar que la forma como ha sido planteado conduce a un callejón sin salida o a una antinomia insoluble: o se acepta el “yo” como una entidad metafísica, una sustancia permanente, una cosa, una sustancia consciente o “un yo” inmaterial alojado en el cuerpo, o, por el contrario, se niega una entidad de ese tipo y se rechaza como un fantasma metafísico. Además, se pretende demostrar (...) que el dilema se origina en un planteamiento equivocado del problema apoyado en presupuestos falsos muy arraigados en la filosofía y aceptados desde la Modernidad. Tales presupuestos son El sustancialismo y la cosificación, el paralelismo psicofísico y la perspectiva egocéntrica. Finalmente, se plantea y se analiza la salida que ofrece Ricoeur a través de la “identidad narrativa”. (shrink)

Główną tezą artykułu jest próba udowodnienia istnienia zapomnianego ogniwa kryminału retro w dobie PRL na przykładzie opowiadań Sławomira Siereckiego. W tym kontekście autorka interpretuje utwory, które ukazały się pod wspólnym tytułem Jutro przed północą. Znajdujemy w nich intertekstualny dyskurs z twórczością Conan Doyle’a, Arsena Lupina i kryminału amerykańskiego. Sierecki nawiązuje w ich obrębie do trzech odmian powieści detektywistycznej, prezentując kryminalne historie od końca XIX wieku aż po rok 1929. Analizowane opowiadania łączy formuła pastiszowych odniesień do wspomnianych twórców oraz towarzysząca im (...) sceneria Trójmiasta (Gdańska, Sopotu i Gdyni). Historia nie tylko jest tu dekoracją, ale poddana zostaje ideologizacji w ramach prezentacji polityki historycznej, najbardziej widocznej w Szkatułce z Hongkongu. Autorka w swojej interpretacji opowiadań skupia się przede wszystkim na odczytaniu charakteru kryminalnego dyskursu, gdyż jest on głównym wyznacznikiem tej retropowieści i to dzięki niemu można uznać opowiadania Siereckiego za początkowe ogniwo kryminału retro w polskiej literaturze. Nieprzypadkowo ta ucieczka w przeszłość wiąże się z kryzysem powieści milicyjnej w schyłkowym okresie PRL. (shrink)

La tecnología posee sesgos y está inserta en redes discursivas y metafóricas que influyen en su propio sentido y en el de los actores participantes. Los elementos que forman parte de estos tejidos tecnológicos y generan asociaciones no son accidentales, son solidarios con la ciencia moderna y están mediados por cuestiones como la idea de objetividad o neutralidad. Reconsiderar las relaciones entre los humanos y la tecnología permite adoptar una nueva perspectiva ontológica que cuestione la tradicional separación entre sujeto y (...) objeto y las identidades históricamente establecidas para, así, comprender al ser humano como un ente situado y performático. En este artículo se tratará de desentrañar qué vínculos, similitudes o simetrías se dan entre lo humano y lo no humano, centrándose en el ámbito tecnológico y, concretamente, en la IA. Para ello se emplea un marco solidario con la teoría del actor-red y se exploran las asociaciones humano-IA y la agencia de la IA sobre la delimitación del sujeto. (shrink)

Psychiatry and the sciences of mental health are currently in search of new methodological and conceptual foundations, and philosophy is actively involved in the quest, as the recent increase of interdisciplinary research initiatives and publications testifies (see eg. Fulford, this volume for a review). Among the different philosophical schools, phenomenology is a long-term ally for psychiatry. In the past, the work of authors such as Karl Jaspers have provided the very foundations of the di...

1. Introduction Dans son livre Désaturer l’Esprit. Usages du pragmatisme (2019), Pierre Steiner explore certains usages possibles du pragmatisme dans la philosophie de l’esprit et dans les sciences cognitives contemporaines. Les principales thèses de Steiner sont les suivantes: le pragmatisme peut (i) clarifier la façon dont les philosophes utilisent le concept d’esprit dans leurs pratiques de recherche et (ii) proposer une approche théorique et méthodologique de l’esprit qui pourrait dépass...

Una nueva aproximación a la reconstrucción filogenética basada en la geometría algebraica está ganando fuerza en los últimos años. Fijado un modelo evolutivo para un conjunto de especies, las distribuciones teóricas de los nucleótidos de estas especies satisfacen ciertas relaciones algebraicas que llamamos invariantes. Estos invariantes son de interés teórico y práctico dado que se pueden utilizar para inferir filogenias. En este artículo, explicamos cómo usar los invariantes para implementar algoritmos de reconstrucción filogenética y mostramos cómo el uso de técnicas (...) y resultados teóricos procedentes del álgebra conmutativa y la geometría algebraica puede contribuir en la mejora en la eficacia y la eficiencia de estos algoritmos. (shrink)

Introduction to Special Issue on Humour: A Modest Attempt at Presenting Contemporary Linguistic Approaches to Humour Studies.

On "Revolutionary Road": A Proposal for Extending the Gricean Model of Communication to Cover Multiple Hearers The paper addresses the problem of multiple hearers in the context of the Gricean model of communication, which is based on speaker meaning and the Cooperative Principle, together with its subordinate maxims, legitimately flouted to yield implicatures. Grice appears to have conceived of the communicative process as taking place between two interlocutors, assuming that the speaker communicates meanings, while the hearer makes compatible inferences. A (...) thesis propounded here is that this dyadic account must undergo a number of fundamental modifications to cover a variety of hearer types, both ratified and unratified, partaking in polylogic interactions. (shrink)

This paper examines how The Gangster of Love (1996), the second novel by Filipino American artist and writer Jessica Hagedorn, dismantles ready-made assumptions about the construction of minority and mainstream cultures. Spanning the period from the 1970s to the early 1990s, Gangster depicts the life of Rocky Rivera, a Filipina American young artist. As it portrays Rocky's family and friends, the novel examines the drastic re-articulation of the US's self-image brought about by Filipino Americans and other groups marginalized as minorities (...) by virtue of their ethnic, socio–cultural, and/or sexual identities. The narrative challenges dominant notions of who and what makes history, juxtaposing historical references with fictionalizations of real episodes and completely fictional incidents, and making a constant use of parody, irony, jokes and clichés. This paper studies Rocky's reworks of her multiple ethnic and sociocultural allegiances in connection with her passion for music and popular culture, placing these reworks in the context of the Philippines’ colonial and neo–colonial background and multi-cultural US history. It also considers succinctly how Gangster's postcolonial dimensions intersect with a feminist and postmodern consciousness in a gendered strategy of socio–cultural resistance and critique. (shrink)

La diffusione, la presenza, la lettura di Francis Bacon negli ambienti libertini francesi della prima metà del secolo XVII è molto più ampia di quanto non sia stato finora sottolineato: in particolare, negli ambienti libertini, oltre al Novum Organum e al De augmentis scientiarum, venivano letti e ricercati i Saggi e capitoli non secondari del De sapientia veterum e della Historia vita et mortis. La Mothe La Vayer, i fratelli Dupuy, Gassend, tra gli altri, ma anche Mersenne, Descartes, Pascal conoscono (...) e usano gli scritti del Lord Cancelliere, come dimostra la loro circolazione sia pubblica che clandestina. La critica al principio di autorità, al consensum gentium, l’importanza della storia, la riapproprazione della filosofia antica di tradizione atomistica, spesso usata in funzione antiaristotelica, l’uso delle favole antiche come ratio docendi, l’uso costante e maturo di Machiavelli e soprattutto la critica incessante alla superstizione sono tutti temi che spiegano non solo la diffusione del filosofo inglese in Franciam ma anche le molteplici e precoci traduzioni in francese delle sue opere. (shrink)

Preview: /Commentary: Richard Shusterman, Ars Erotica: Sex and Somaesthetics in the Classical Arts of Love, 436 pages./ Richard Shusterman’s Ars Erotica: Sex and Somaesthetics in the Classical Arts of Love is a masterpiece in a number of respects. With its focus on erotic love and the aesthetics of lovemaking, the book is to be admired for having the audacity to broach a topic that tends to be neglected – if not repressed – in contemporary academic scholarship. But Ars Erotica is (...) far from being “simply” about sex and different arts of love. In exploring classical erotic theories and ideals in Western, Chinese, Indian, Islamic and Japanese cultures, it reveals an impressive amount of knowledge and erudition when analyzing, documenting, and contextualizing the various ars erotica in their different social, cultural, political, philosophical, and religious milieus. Moreover, although Shusterman’s guiding thread is the aesthetic dimension of classic ars erotica, the book also has an important ethical and spiritual dimension, as it compellingly demonstrates how the cultivation of physical beauty and sensual pleasures was – at least in classical ancient traditions – indissociable from a wider concern with the cultivation of one’s character and virtue, that is, with an art of living in which sexual practices and attitudes were strongly embedded and from which they ultimately derived their deep symbolic meaning and relevance. (shrink)