Phenomena as immigration or refugee flows are usually present in the media agenda in a globalized world. The processes to get the integration between personal and social believes depend on the collective imaginary created through social media in an audience society. Journalistic photography characterized by spectacularization and drama provoke punctual informative increases and structural unfocused informative treatment on the immigration and refugees question. The turning point about the way journalism addresses these questions is conditioned by the phenomena of spectacularization and (...) emotivism. As a example, it can be seen in the information about the Syrian conflict that has caused the biggest refugees crisis in the XXI century. The information about the evolution of the conflict had a daily basis presence in the social media. (shrink)

Vulnerability, understood as a negative aspect of criminalization under immune considerations, constitutes itself as a creative and transformative force that makes it possible to think about a life in common sustained through care and affirmative protection of life. The development of this idea requires three specific stages: in the first, it is described the current democracy as a government technique whose management depends on vulnerable populations; in the second, it is reviewed criminalization as a specific form of immune control; and (...) finally, it is recognized vulnerability as the basis of a new way of democratic life, departing from the attention of certain social groups that have been criminalized due to their precariousness. (shrink)

The COVID‐19 pandemic triggered an unprecedented health crisis that impacted healthcare systems worldwide. This study explores how Spanish healthcare workers learned, internalised and integrated values and work behaviours during the COVID‐19 pandemic and their impact on the personal sphere. This documentary research, using images, narratives and audiovisual content, was framed within the interpretative hermeneutic paradigm. Categories and subcategories emerged after a final theoretical sampling that focused on the analysis. Data triangulation between researchers favoured theoretical saturation. A total of 117 images (...) and 27 texts were selected. The analysis identified three stages: bewilderment, seeking functionality in the chaos and integrating chaos into care. The data reflects how the need for security and knowledge, and the exhaustion and frustration caused by the initial working conditions, prompted adaptive responses. These responses involved focusing on problem‐solving and strengthening group sentiments and solidarity. Subsequently, the data indicates the acceptance of new structural, organisational and communication aspects. The findings of the analysis will contribute towards finding a framework that can help understand community health crisis events. (shrink)

The evaluation of study habits as determinant factors in academic performance is a concern for educational agents because they determine the academic opportunities of students. However, a problem encountered is the accessibility of valid and reliable instruments to evaluate study habits from the students' point of view. In this sense, this paper analyzes the internal structure, reliability, and rating of the study habits perception questionnaire. The results and the practical contribution to the educational community in guiding intervention to improve students' (...) academic opportunities are discussed. (shrink)

In The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, published in 1868, Darwin used the metaphor of the architect to argue in favor of natural autonomy and to clarify the role of chance in his theory of adaptive change by variation and natural selection. In this article, I trace the history of this important heuristic instrument in Darwin's writings and letters and suggest that this metaphor was important to Darwin because it helps him to explain the role of chance, and (...) gives an argument in favor of the free will. (shrink)

Una larga tradición le atribuye a Sócrates la preocupación por transformar la vida de quienes dialogan con él; atribución que se opone a la imagen, rastreable en los Diálogos de Platón, de su fracaso al momento de influir en la vida de sus interlocutores más recalcitrantes. Para disminuir esta tensión y, con ello, disolver la impresión de dicho fracaso, se examinan elementos de la representación platónica del élenchos en favor de la idea de que Sócrates no busca convertir a los (...) demás. Al final, se añade una crítica al optimismo con que Pierre Hadot sí le adjudica la función de agente de conversión. (shrink)

Las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) han ganado gran relevancia derivado de la situación de salud producida por el Covid-19, por lo que se plantean nuevas dinámicas en la formación docente. El estudio es de corte cualitativo descriptivo y se utilizó el estudio de casos, el análisis de contenido y del discurso. Los docentes exponen la adaptación del diseño tecnopedagógico, motivándolos al autoaprendizaje proactivo de sus estudiantes. El sentido pedagógico del uso de TIC propició un escenario de (...) aprendizaje para favorecer el enriquecimiento de las prácticas de los docentes, donde se logra la democratización del conocimiento. (shrink)

The following paper proposes an analysis of cartoons published between 1900-1930, featured in over a dozen Costa Rican magazines and papers that comment on socio-political events of the time. Over a hundred cartoons created by Costa Rican intellectuals portray the tumultuous tensions between Central American nations and the United States of America, especially through the iconic figure of Uncle Sam. This paper analyses the complex depiction of anti-imperialistic notions conveyed through cartoons on Costa Rican newspapers and magazines of important circulation. (...) This paper analyses the context that surround the creation of this images and the characteristics that define this corpus of anti-imperialistic images. These cartoons not only register the convulsive times Central America faced at the beginning of the 20th century, they also manifest and urge a sense of resistance through the satirical streak that characterizes these drawings. These are testimonies of the complicated relationship, and veritable love-hate saga, between Central Americans fascination with American culture, but utter disgust towards American foreign policy towards Costa Rica and its neighbouring nations. (shrink)

El siguiente artículo plantea una reflexión sobre la historiografía del arte centroamericano y latinoamericano, para establecer algunas tendencias en cómo se han estudiado y qué aportes han realizado estos campos de conocimiento al entendimiento de las artes visuales regionales y la historia cultural centroamericana. Adicionalmente, en contraste con este estado de la cuestión, se plantean las contribuciones que realiza la tesis doctoral “Hacer exportable a Centroamérica: activación de circuitos artísticos internacionales y su impacto en la consolidación de los museos de (...) arte moderno y sus colecciones en Guatemala y Costa Rica, 1950-1996”, al conocimiento de esta historiografía. Se analizan dos aportes puntuales que realiza la tesis: por un lado, la investigación evidencia contundentemente que determinados/as artistas centroamericanos/as participaron con vigor de las redes artísticas internacionales en la segunda mitad del siglo XX; esto se logra reconstruir mediante un mapeo de los eventos en los que participaron. Seguidamente, se abarca otro aporte, en el que la investigación problematiza lo que se ha dicho sobre las características del arte moderno centroamericano mediante un análisis de las colecciones de tres museos regionales. (shrink)

An important historical relation that has hardly been addressed is the influence of Prosper Lucas's Treatise on Natural Inheritance on the development of Charles Darwin's concepts related to inheritance. In this article we trace this historical connection. Darwin read Lucas's Treatise in 1856. His reading coincided with many changes concerning his prior ideas on the transmission and expression of characters. We consider that this reading led him to propose a group of principles regarding prepotency, hereditary diseases, morbid tendencies and atavism; (...) following Lucas, he called these principles: laws of inheritance. (shrink)

Resumen: La teoría de probabilidad rara vez diferencia su concepto de su determinabilidad cuantitativa. Para definir su objeto, ésta comienza por la exposición abstracta de la probabilidad y sus determinaciones o bien referidas a la esfera del ser, o bien a la esfera del pensar. Este estudio pretende, siguiendo el automovimiento de estas determinaciones en la Lógica, criticar la limitación de ambas proposiciones y presentar una concepción especulativa del fenómeno probabilístico.

En este escrito revisamos la forma en la que Darwin interpretó algunas nociones del problema de la herencia. Primero describimos como utiliza las categorías de la herencia del siglo XIX: atavismo, constitución, genealogía, prepotencia y tendencia mórbida. Después, identificando en sus escritos el uso de esas categorías se muestra que su investigación sobre la transformación de las especies estaba conceptualmente ligada a la problemática de la herencia, pero su interpretación difirió de la corriente hereditarista, versión hegemónica a partir de la (...) cual se ha escrito la historia de las investigaciones de la herencia. (shrink)

En el contexto del conflicto armado interno en Colombia, la atrocidad en las acciones violentas también se transmite a los conflictos familiares y comunitarios, y aumenta el desplazamiento político forzado, que provoca fuertes choques culturales al generar debilitamiento en la estructura familiar patriarcal, en los roles de los géneros y en las prácticas de la sexualidad. El artículo destaca el apoyo brindado por organizaciones no gubernamentales y agencias de cooperación internacional a este fenómeno, presentando los casos de tres núcleos de (...) mujeres desplazadas. (shrink)

This paper seeks to propose the peacebuilding as an activity that favors and facilitates interreligious dialogue in Colombia. The eradication of symbolic violence requires the collaborative work of all citizens and institutions, particularly the religious institution. Religions and their organizations have legal constitutional conditions, which recognize, respect and promote freedom of religion and worship, against which they are expected to continue making a significant contribution to peacebuilding. The golden rule, which is part of the reservation of meaning, present in each (...) of them, can serve as an inspiration to take decisions that lead to the social transformation that peacebuilding requires. (shrink)

El escrito busca argumentar la postulación de san Basilio como un relato de Dios para la Iglesia de todos los tiempos. Se recoge información de las obras del mismo personaje y de aquellos que compartieron con él, además, se apela a comentarios de especialistas que se destacan por el conocimiento del personaje y sus obras. La exposición aborda la experiencia familiar, algunos hechos significativos de su proceso formativo, su incursión en la vida monacal, su ejercicio pastoral como presbítero y obispo (...) de Cesarea, y el carácter contextual de sus escritos. (shrink)

El presente artículo busca dar razón de la categoría paideia como estructura fundamental del quehacer teológico de Gregorio de Nisa. En función de este propósito se hace un acercamiento a la noción de paideia propia de los griegos y, posteriormente se señala la manera como el Niseno apropió dicha categoría configurando la paideia cristiana, apelando a ejemplos de su obra De Vita Moysis. This article seeks to give reason for the category paideia as a fundamental structure of the theological enterprise (...) of Gregory of Nyssa. According to this purpose is made an approach to the concept of paideia own of the Greeks and subsequently notes how the bishop of Nyssa appropriated that category by configuring the Christian paideia, appealing to examples of his work De Vita Moysis. (shrink)

Embryonic development in a given species is orchestrated by genes regulating growth and differentiation in a stereotyped and conserved manner, resulting in embryos of consistent size and shape. Several signaling pathways, including that of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), have been implicated in these processes. Recent experiments with Gas1 indicate that it may act as a growth-inducing gene, challenging its previous function as a gene specifically involved in growth arrest. Moreover, GAS1, a GPI-linked membrane protein, can bind SHH, suggesting an interacting link (...) between growth and patterning through SHH and GAS1.(1-4) BioEssays 24:22–26, 2002. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (shrink)

Body image has been associated with self-care and the assumption of either healthy habits or poor diets and eating disorders. As a vital element in the formation of a positive body image, the role of the family in childhood has been highlighted by a few studies. This study aimed to assess whether children’s body dissatisfaction could be predicted by their parents’ body dissatisfaction, body mass index, and approach to change. The sample consisted of 581 participants. The following instruments were used: (...) anthropometric data, the Brief Scale of Body Dissatisfaction for Children, the IMAGE questionnaire, and the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. The results indicated that 19% of children, 22.8% of mothers, and 70.2% of fathers were overweight or obese. The multiple regression models developed for boys and girls explained 60 and 57% of the variance in body dissatisfaction, respectively. Several variables attributable to the mother and to the boys themselves predicted a higher level of body dissatisfaction. For girls, only variables regarding themselves explained their body dissatisfaction. Relationships with the traits of the father were not detected for both models. The influence of sociocultural factors on the construction of gender and the negative consequences of mothers’ dieting for aesthetic purposes, on the development of children’s body image, are discussed. (shrink)

A partir de la crítica que Franz Hinkelammert emite al pensamiento trascendental-abstracto, el cual ostenta y soporta a la modernidad iluminista-capitalista a través de sus ciencias empíricas: derecho, economía, sociología, se ha realizado este texto. Éste resalta las repercusiones del pensamiento en la realidad histórica, de ahí que junto a Hinkelammert y la tradición del pensamiento crítico se considera que pensamiento-contexto social e histórico se implican e influyen entre sí. Por otro lado, el pensamiento trascendental-abstracto de la modernidad iluminista-capitalista ha (...) encubierto la realidad histórica, por ello sólo expone y mienta lo que le permite sostenerse y reproducirse en la historia. Asimismo, la crítica al pensamiento trascendental-abstracto no supone la renuncia respecto a la razón, sino preponderantemente la superación de una de sus formas, o sea, la versión científica-tecnológica. Así pues, criticar y superar la razón moderna iluminista-capitalista tiene por objetivo vislumbrar-proponer otras formas de reproducir la vida, mismas que no requieran la explotación y la violencia sistemática para persistir históricamente. (shrink)

Background: Several authors have focused on the aesthetics of nursing care from diverse perspectives; however, there are few studies about the sublime and the beautiful in nursing. Aim: To identify beautiful and sublime moments in the context of the aesthetics of nursing care. Methods: A theoretical reflection has been contemplated about sublime and beautiful values in the context of the aesthetics of nursing care from the cultural history perspective. For that purpose, a revision of this issue has been completed. The (...) terms ‘beautiful’ and ‘sublime’ have been analysed to identify the characteristics of both in the context of nursing care. Ethical consideration: We have followed all ethical requirements regarding the sources, conducting research and authorship. There is no conflict of interest in this paper. Results: With aesthetic knowledge, the nurse expresses the artistic nature of nursing care by appreciating the act of caring for individuals. The sublime is a complex phenomenon, since apparently contrary feelings are interwoven. Nursing care is an art with an anthropological object-subject on which the ‘artist’ applies their prior knowledge and skills. Feelings and emotions that develop during the clinical nursing practice – especially at times sublime and beautiful, aesthetic – constitute experiences which are professionally significant. (shrink)

Background: Several authors have focused on the aesthetics of nursing care from diverse perspectives; however, there are few studies about the sublime and the beautiful in nursing. Aim: To identify beautiful and sublime moments in the context of the aesthetics of nursing care. Methods: A theoretical reflection has been contemplated about sublime and beautiful values in the context of the aesthetics of nursing care from the cultural history perspective. For that purpose, a revision of this issue has been completed. The (...) terms ‘beautiful’ and ‘sublime’ have been analysed to identify the characteristics of both in the context of nursing care. Ethical consideration: We have followed all ethical requirements regarding the sources, conducting research and authorship. There is no conflict of interest in this paper. Results: With aesthetic knowledge, the nurse expresses the artistic nature of nursing care by appreciating the act of caring for individuals. The sublime is a complex phenomenon, since apparently contrary feelings are interwoven. Nursing care is an art with an anthropological object-subject on which the ‘artist’ applies their prior knowledge and skills. Feelings and emotions that develop during the clinical nursing practice – especially at times sublime and beautiful, aesthetic – constitute experiences which are professionally significant. (shrink)

The desire for human enhancement has interested humanity throughout history. Myths contain a significant portion of these aspirations, evolving and taking on new nuances. In this work, we demonstrate how elements linked to the desires for immortality from the ancient Sumerian myth of the Epic of Gilgamesh are reborn in the new desires constructed around crispr/Cas9. This successful tool of molecular biology is evident in the reflections of transhumanism related to the longing for amortality, eternal youth, dying young, and eradicating (...) human diseases. (shrink)

Resumen En el presente artículo se abordará la medicina espiritual de San Gregorio de Nisa como un aporte para los retos de una Iglesia en salida. Para ello se partirá de una aproximación a la Iglesia en salida misionera, para luego abordar al Niseno y examinar en sus textos la importancia de la medicina en su reflexión especulativa, mística y pastoral, así como para la comprensión de su quehacer teológico como medicina espiritual. Finalmente, se recogerán algunos aportes para los desafíos (...) de una Iglesia en salida.This article will analyze the approach to the spiritual medicine of Saint Gregory of Nyssa, like a contribution for the challenges of an outgoing Church. For this purpose, it will start with an approach to the Church in a missionary outing, to then approach Gregory’s life and examined in his texts the importance of medicine and his speculative, mystical and pastoral reflection, as well as for the understanding of its theological work as spiritual medicine. Finally, some contributions will be collected for the challenges of an outgoing Church. (shrink)

En las últimas décadas, el espacio caribeño y la figura del afrocostarricense se han convertido en germen propulsor creativo que bien se podría interpretar como una celebración de los símbolos de un espacio y etnicidad oprimidos. Sin embargo, una lectura detallada muestra que sus propuestas podrían no pasar de lo anecdótico, estereotípico y exótico. Esta supuesta inserción del Caribe y los sujetos afrocostarricenses logran más bien, marginar y eliminar cualquier posibilidad deinserción, así como consolidar los discursos hegemónicos tradicionales, en los (...) que se refuerza un nacionalismo del Valle Central, presentando los otros espacios como ajenos. Bajo esta impronta se inscribe Caribe (2004) de Esteban Ramírez. Este filme muestra al Caribe como un espacio exótico en donde los sujetos que conviven no pasan de ser forasteros, foráneos a cualquier discurso nacional verdadero e inclusivo. El ensayo reflexiona cómo a través de la introducción del Caribe y los sujetos afrocostarricenses, dentro de una problemática que les involucre como parte de la patria y una disyuntiva del Caribe como idilio o barbarie, reconstruye un sentido de exotismo que demuestra una contemporaneidad fragmentada. Es mediante una fetichización de la imagen del Caribe lo que permite que las líneas de la hegemonía relacionadas con el debate de la etnicidad y la identidad nacional sean reposicionadas para crear lo que el crítico Jerome Branche (1999) llama “nuevo consensus o ‘definición’ de la realidad, dirigida en última instancia a mantener el status quo” de la clase dominante. (shrink)

Desde el surgimiento del cine, la filosofía ha estado presente en la creación de las películas como un elemento imprescindible que acompaña a la expresión audiovisual y el lenguaje narrativo de los films. Sin embargo, el cine ecuatoriano no cuenta con un método específico de análisis filosófico de las problemáticas que tratan las películas. Es por ello que, en este estudio, se estableció el objetivo de desarrollar una propuesta metodológica de análisis filosófico mediante una revisión bibliográfica y cinematográfica para conocer (...) las incidencias filosóficas en el cine ecuatoriano/contemporáneo. Para lo cual, se implementó una metodología cualitativa, basada en una teoría fundamentada y una revisión bibliográfica, teórica y cinematográfica sobre la constitución del método de análisis y la relación entre filosofía y cine. En este sentido, se llegó a concluir que el cine ecuatoriano contemporáneo necesita de una propuesta metodológica para su análisis filosófico, debido a que, las problemáticas abordadas tienen fundamental importancia para conocer las condiciones sociales, económicas, políticas, psicológicas, éticas y morales que atañan a los individuos de la sociedad ecuatoriana. (shrink)

O presente artigo discute o conceito de cidadania e sua relação com as questões educacionais, sobretudo, as relacionadas ao campo da Educação de Jovens e Adultos. Constitui-se como resultado de pesquisa intitulada “Cidadania e EJA: concepções e desafios que marcam a escola pública brasileira” no âmbito do Núcleo de Estudos sobre Trabalho e Educação da Faculdade de Educação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora. O texto destaca como o conceito de cidadania se desenvolveu historicamente, buscando seus fundamentos ideológicos e (...) políticos no liberalismo, correlacionando-o com a perspectiva de Estado e de educação defendida por essa corrente. Demonstra que a concepção burguesa de cidadania se desdobra sobre o campo educacional, expondo sua relação com a acumulação flexível de cunho capitalista. A concepção marxista de educação rompe com essa unilateralidade, apresentando a universalização do trabalho e da educação como expressão do humano, da pluralidade cultural e das concepções de mundo que marcam as experiências coletivas e individuais. Nesse modelo, as exigências educacionais para jovens e adultos são direcionadas a tornar esses sujeitos capazes de enfrentar, mesmo que minimamente, o mercado globalizado e assumir projetos de vida pautados no mérito das ações econômicas – por meio de uma educação ao longo da vida, com o objetivo de se manterem na condição de empregáveis. Portanto, o texto que se segue visa contribuir com as reflexões de educadores que almejam a construção de uma educação socialista e democrática. Esse processo, que se estabelece nos âmbitos coletivo e social – possível apenas com o rompimento e a superação do modelo social de capital e com a instauração de uma sociedade com novas formas de sentir, pensar e agir no mundo. Palavras-chave: Cidadania. Liberalismo. Educação. Jovens. Adultos. (shrink)

During the last few months, several pioneer genome‐wide transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic studies have revolutionised the understanding of bacterial biological processes, leading to a picture that resembles eukaryotic complexity. Technological advances such as next‐generation high‐throughput sequencing and high‐density oligonucleotide microarrays have allowed the determination, in several bacteria, of the entire boundaries of all expressed transcripts. Consequently, novel RNA‐mediated regulatory mechanisms have been discovered including multifunctional RNAs. Moreover, resolution of bacterial proteome organisation (interactome) and global protein localisation (localizome) have unveiled an (...) unanticipated complexity that highlights the significance of protein multifunctionality and localisation in the cell. Also, analysis of a complete bacterial metabolic network has again revealed a high fraction of multifunctional enzymes and an unexpectedly high level of metabolic responses and adaptation. Altogether, these novel approaches have permitted the deciphering of the entire physiological landscape of one of the smallest bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Here, we summarise and discuss recent findings aimed at defining the blueprint of any prokaryote. (shrink)

The main objective of this article is to provide a critique of the pandemic strategy suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) and implemented by various countries from March 2020 onwards in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. Based on the theories of Michel Foucault, this critique aims to show that, in the first instance, the pandemic may be understood in terms of the art of governing human beings at the point of interaction between politics and medicine; (...) secondly, in Foucauldian terminology, such interaction may be referred to as ‘noso-politics’, that is, a mechanism used to control the body of the population via authoritarian measures exercised in the name of the health of the population; thirdly, such a mechanism exercises its power by invoking a mechanistic truth about the SARS-CoV-2 virus which may be countered by an argument that takes a historical perspective on the virus; fourthly, the pandemic strategy may be opposed by a syndemic approach that takes into account interactions between emerging diseases such as COVID-19 and non-communicable illnesses, as well as the biological and socio-economic conditions that the well-being of the population depends on. In short, by providing a critique of the politics of truth about the pandemic, the virus, and health measures, the article aims to encourage a critical attitude that will challenge both the authorities and the truth they invoke to prevent the pandemic strategy being used as a mechanism for governing, given the predictions of the recurrent emergence of new viruses. (shrink)

El pensamiento está relacionado con un modo de ser. La forma de pensar que privilegia la ciencia pasa por alto el contexto, pareciera que eso es irrelevante, pues se cree que el pensamiento está alejado de la realidad natural e histórica. Sin embargo, el cómo se piensa incide en la relación que los sujetos mantienen con las cosas, los objetos, las situaciones y también entre sí. La razón moderna en cuanto científica y dominante, no sólo ha permitido el desarrollo técnico, (...) también objetualiza lo diferente a sí misma, ese es el punto desde el cual filosofa Esther Díaz, dicho filosofar es recuperado e interpretado en este documento. La crítica a la ciencia en cuanto dominante y unívoca no invalida a los conocimientos dados a partir de ella, no se aboga por una clausura de la razón, sino que se confía en ella, siempre y cuando, sea capaz de abrirse a las distintas perspectivas. La apertura repercutiría a nivel político, en el sentido de que los sujetos se curarían del delirio de la dominación. El filosofar de Esther invita a ser libres, afrontar la vida con lucidez y pasión. (shrink)

In 1969 Harry Frankfurt published his hugely influential paper 'Alternate Possibilities and Moral Responsibility' in which he claimed to present a counterexample to the so-called 'Principle of Alternate Possibilities' ('a person is morally responsible for what he has done only if he could have done otherwise'). The success of Frankfurt-style cases as counterexamples to the Principle has been much debated since. I present an objection to these cases that, in questioning their conceptual cogency, undercuts many of those debates. Such cases (...) all require a counterfactual mechanism that could cause an agent to perform an action that he cannot avoid performing. I argue that, given our concept of what it is for someone to act, this requirement is inconsistent. Frankfurt-style alleged counterexamples are cases where an agent is morally responsible for an action he performs even though, the claim goes, he could not have avoided performing that action. However, it has recently been argued, e.g. by John Fischer, that a counterexample to the Principle could be a 'Fischer-style case', i.e. a case where the agent can either perform the action or do nothing else. I argue that, although Fischer-style cases do not share the conceptual flaw common to all Frankfurt-style cases, they also fail as counterexamples to the Principle. The paper finishes with a brief discussion of the significance of the Principle of Alternate Possibilities. (shrink)

It is generally agreed that for blame to be appropriate the wrongdoer must be blameworthy. However, blameworthiness is not sufficient for appropriate blame. It has been argued that for blame to be appropriate the blamer must have standing to blame. Philosophers writing on the topic have distinguished several considerations that might defeat someone’s standing to blame. This paper examines the underexplored consideration of how personal relationships can influence who has the standing to express blame. We seem to assume that if (...) we do not stand in the right relation to the wrongdoer, it is not our business to blame them. I identify three challenges to this view. First, we do not know what is wrong with meddling (whether it is morally or prudentially wrong). Second, there are cases where we have no close relation to the wrongdoer, but where we seem to have standing nonetheless – murder and other serious moral offences are examples of this. Third, we don’t seem to have a clear conception of what ‘standing’ means, and this makes it hard to see how discussion on standing can help us determine the propriety of blame. This paper defends the notion of standing as a propriety condition on blame in cases of meddling. I argue that personal relationships influence who has the standing to blame through constitution of relationship-specific norms; and that the role these norms play in developing and regulating our relationships can explain why meddlesome blame is morally wrong. (shrink)

This paper focuses on negative exemplarity-related emotions (NEREs) and on their educational implications. In this paper, we will first argue for the nonexpendability of negative emotions broadly conceived (section 2) by defending their instrumental and intrinsic role in a good and flourishing life. In section 3, we will make the claim more specific by focusing on the narrower domain of NEREs and argue for their moral and educational significance by evaluating whether they fit the arguments provided in the previous section. (...) In section 4, we will propose three educational strategies to foster NEREs’ positive moral role. In conclusion, we will point out that an exemplarist approach to character education would greatly benefit from a more fine-grained account of the emotions involved in the educational process and from a broader perspective on which of these emotions should be taken as valuable for educational purposes. (shrink)

Once upon a time, Aesop says, there was a donkey who wanted to be a pet dog. The pet dog was given many treats by the master and the household servants, and the donkey was envious of him. Hence, the donkey began emulating the pet dog. What happened next? The story ends up with the donkey beaten senseless, chased off to the stables, exhausted and barely alive. Who is to blame for the poor donkey’s unfortunate fate? Well, there could be (...) disagreement upon this, but we think emulation is to blame. And it’s on the kinds of envy-related emulation that we focus in this chapter. More analytically, we aim at vindicating the role of envy for moral exemplars within an exemplarist character educational framework. In the first section, we recall the central tenets of an exemplarist account of moral progress, and highlight how negative emotions, in general, have suffered a bad press within character education, with exemplarism being no exception. Then we provide a brief outline of standard strategies of defending envy by appealing to useful taxonomies of envy (e.g., Taylor 1988; Protasi 2016; Fussi 2018). After that, we put forward our 'Donkey Objection' by recalling Aesop’s fable on "foolish imitation", so as to show that when envy triggers mere emulation, it can bear devastating effects such as conformism and a lack of self-worth and personal integrity. In response to this objection, we bring into play a distinction between two rival forms of imitation—emulation and inspiration—and we coin the label of "inspired envy" for those forms of imitation by inspiration triggered by envy that lead to self-improvement avoiding morally detrimental consequences. (shrink)

Rooth & Partee (1982) and Rooth (1985) have shown that the English-specific rule-by-rule system of PTQ can be factored out into function application plus two transformations for resolving type mismatch (type lifting and variable binding). Building on these insights, this article proposes a universal system for type-driven translation, by adding two more innovations: local type determination for gaps (generalizing Montague 1973) and a set of semantic filters (extending Cooper 1983). This system, dubbed Cross-Linguistic Semantics (XLS), is shown to account for (...) various phenomena — including scope relations in English and Greenlandic Eskimo, internally headed relative clauses in Lakhota, serial verbs in Yoruba and VP ellipsis in English. (shrink)

The aim of this chapter is to explore the relationship between metaphor and reasoning, by claiming that argumentation might act as a bridge between metaphor and reasoning. Firstly, the chapter introduces metaphor as a framing strategy through which some relevant properties of a source domain are selected to understand a target domain. The mapping of properties from the source to the target domain implicitly forces the interpreter to consider the target from a specific perspective. Secondly, the chapter presents metaphor as (...) an implicit argument where some inferences can be drawn from the comparison between the source and the target domain. In particular, this chapter aims to understand whether and to what extent such an argument might be linked to analogical reasoning. The chapter argues that, in case of faulty analogy, this kind of argument might have the form of a quaternio terminorum, where metaphor is the middle term. Finally, the chapter presents the results of an experimental study, aiming to test the effect of the linguistic nature of the middle term on the detection of such faulty analogy. The chapter concludes that a wider context is needed to make sense of an analogical argument with novel metaphors, whilst in a narrow context, a lexicalised metaphor might be extended and the overall argument might be interpreted as metaphoric. (shrink)