What is the computational notion of “implementation”? It is not individuation, instantiation, reduction, or supervenience. It is, I suggest, semantic interpretation.

Psychologists representing a broad spectrum of psychological specialties use the term "constructivist" to characterize their theories and underscore individuals' active participation in reality-making. In spite of consructivism's apparent widespread influence on psychology, however, significantly different forms of constructivist metatheory may be identified when constructivist assumptions about causal processess are contrasted. Both Pepper's worldview framework and Aristotle's four-fold classification of causation in natural phenomena are used to distinguish four forms of constructivism-material, efficient, formal, and final. Salient examples of each form as (...) evident in contemporary psychological theory are given with a discussion of implications of these distinctions for the development of a comprehensive conception of cognition and human knowing. (shrink)

The authors address problems with “compulsory” arbitration clauses in contracts. Specifically, they note that consumers are misguided about their rights in such cases. In addition, arbitration clauses do not allow the press to cover any proceedings that may result. The arbitration clauses in contracts are written in legalese that consumers do not understand. The authors found that even university students had difficulty understanding the information in such clauses. An example of an actual case is included.

In reviewing the Belgian policy towards Zaïre for the last two decades, one is struck by a certain politica! as well as economic withdrawal which has become more obvious since the end of the sixties. In the context of the «Mobutu Plan», the Marshall Plan for Zaïre, or in that of the two Shaba upheavals, Belgium, unlike France with respect to its former colonies, has choosen to align itself with big powers policies and international organizations, and to avoid taking too (...) strong stands in the rather confuse situation which prevails in Zaïre today. Although unanimity does no langer exist among the various Belgian pressures groups about what is tobe done in Zaïre, the official policy of the government is entrenched in a «wait and see» attitude which points to the deepening contradictions within Western states towards Africa in general and Zaïre in particular. (shrink)

The purpose of this article was to analyze the impact of work performance on companies in Latin America and the Caribbean. The methodology used was a qualitative approach, a literature review was carried out through the documentary analysis of scientific articles, triangulation was also used as a technique for the analysis of information. Among the main results are: Job performance has a significant impact on productivity, effectiveness of public management and work performance in the region, human resource management is fundamental (...) in the performance and productivity of workers; and motivation, satisfaction and commitment influence organizational performance. It was concluded that work performance impacts sustainable development and organizational growth in the region, likewise, selection, training, well-being, motivation and communication in human resources management optimize work performance. (shrink)

The implementation of a diplomacy that could put more emphasis on democracy and human rights was not an easy process in Belgium. Treatment of these matters have taken a different perspective in Zaïre, Rwanda and Burundi, Belgium 's three most important African partners. Reasons for that are twofold. Fore one thing, the Belgian foreign affairs service has always been overloaded by mercantile preoccupations. Secondly, knowledge on Africa has been limited to short circle diplomatic contacts while no instruments were ever implemented (...) that could have ensured some following up of the African civil society at large.In the future, the continuation for a slow process of disengagement might be foreseable. New "partners" might come to the forefront such as South Africa while the U.S. and international financial organisations will definitely try to impose "good governance" together with a reasonable dose of human rights. (shrink)

The authors address problems with “compulsory” arbitration clauses in contracts. Specifically, they note that consumers are misguided about their rights in such cases. In addition, arbitration clauses do not allow the press to cover any proceedings that may result. The arbitration clauses in contracts are written in legalese that consumers do not understand. The authors found that even university students had difficulty understanding the information in such clauses. An example of an actual case is included.

The Tindemans report on the European union and the decision to organize direct elections for the European Parliament have been two important events in European afjairs in 1976. This article analyses the origins, developments and bearing of these two events.Although his mandate was initiated and encouraged at the highest level - that of the European heads of state -, Mr. Tindemans' attempt to propose concrete steps in order to achieve a real political union in Europe did not get through. It (...) received a rather cold reception from several states who opposed some of his proposals on different grounds.At the Conference of The Hague, Mr. Tindemans was able to get a formal support to his ideas, but no decision was taken to implement any of them.The decision to organize direct elections for the European Parliament, which can be seen as a concrete step toward the implementation of the long awaited European union, is facing the same kind of resistance at the national level. Although the Nine have all agreed to do everything possible to organize these elections in the spring of 1978, there are still unsolved problems which are both technical and political. Moreover, even if they are taking place, it is not at all sure that they will bring about substantive changes in the role and functions of the European Parliament. (shrink)

The emergence of philosophical hermeneutics as the possible common language of contemporaneity forces us to reflect on the path of hermeneutics from its genesis and through its development. This article briefly covers this trajectory, in order to elucidate the close relationship between hermeneutics and nihilism, as well as place the ¨weak thinking” of the Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo as the expression of the nihilistic vocation of hermeneutics. Therefore, the article highlights the key role played by Gadamer in the emergence of (...) what is properly called philosophical hermeneutics. From these foundations, it is intended to demonstrate the extent to which philosophical hermeneutics, rended by Vattimo as the Ontology of Actuality, finds its roots in the Christian secularization process. Christian secularization contributes to form some of the traits of the Western culture. These traits allow both the reading and interpretation of reality as enable a proper understanding of the importance and centrality of the Christian tradition to contemporary philosophical reflection, especially with regards to hermeneutics and nihilism. (shrink)

Divergindo em pontos fundamentais do pensamento filosófico medieval, Descartes, na construção de sua filosofia do homem, terá em pensadores renascentistas sua principal fonte de inspiração, estabelecendo com estes pensadores uma continuidade de idéias, uma comunhão de pensamentos. Não obstante as divergências, mostraremos neste texto como Descartes irá buscar na Escolástica fórmulas e conceitos para melhor expor sua antropologia.

Dwellers in the Land focuses on the realistic development of these bioregionally focused communities and the places where they are established to create a ...

When society seems to demand confidence and certainty, how much courage does it take to admit doubt, especially self-doubt? In this personal essay, one of Australia's most respected journalists argues in favour of a doubtful mind.

Esse artigo tem como objetivo expor o motivo pelo qual Hobbes defende que o Estado, para manter a paz, deve ter sob seu domínio, necessariamente, o poder temporal e o espiritual. Para o filósofo inglês, enquanto o Estado possui o poder capaz de promover a paz, os discursos religiosos podem levar os homens à condição de guerra de todos contra todos mediante a diversidade de doutrinas que se contrapõem à obediência ao soberano. Para tanto, tomar-se-á como ponto de partida a (...) exposição em Behemoth, ou o Longo Parlamento, daqueles que Hobbes aponta como os causadores da guerra civil, sendo os principais atores da rebelião o clero presbiteriano e papista. (shrink)

Explores the impact of expert witnessing on the integrity of forensic scientific information. Complaints on the behavior of expert witnesses; Factors stimulating the susceptibility of experts to abandon their scientific integrity; Implications of the reliance of expert witnesses on ethics codes.

A Fenomenologia Material de Michel Henry nos desvela o imenso domínio da vida que nos supõe outro conceito de absoluto, a saber, essa vida originária em cada cogitatio enquanto auto-afecção, onde nem a vida e tampouco o desvelado por ela são meros conceitos abstratos, mas uma realidade carnalmente passível. Este saber da vida se abre contra-redutivamente, de modo que, na passibilidade radical da vida, a partir de um sentimento que sempre ocorre na ipseidade de sua carne patética, Verbo e carne (...) permanecem desde sempre unidos enquanto começo absoluto independente de representações. Nesta medida, ir à ‘coisa mesma’ desta fenomenologia não intencional implica em descobrir o ser na transparência de sua vinda a si, absolutamente autônoma, cujo processo de fenomenalidade dispensa uma distância. Assim, Henry insiste no pathos que ego sum sem nos obrigar a passar por uma representação, graças ao primado do aparecer em sua própria aparição, no entanto, nos permanece como questão latente entender em que consiste essa vida enquanto absoluto incondicionado. Como é possível falarmos desta vida que leva a cabo a experiência de si, identificando com tal movimento? Para tanto, este trabalho tem como base central L’Essence de la Manifestation de Michel Henry que, ao nosso ver, defende como tese o devir fenomênico do ser como pura afecção de si num corpo próprio e, nesta medida, apresentar-se-ia como um bom fundamento por converter da transcendência para uma imanência pura o desvelar do próprio ser. (shrink)

Rigorous attention has been paid to moral distress among healthcare professionals, largely in high-income settings. More obscure is the presence and impact of moral distress in contexts of chronic poverty and structural violence. Intercultural ethics research and dialogue can help reveal how the long-term presence of morally distressing conditions might influence the moral experience and agency of healthcare providers. This article discusses mixed-methods research at one nongovernmental social support agency and clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Chronic levels of moral (...) distress and perceptions of moral harm among clinicians in this setting were both violent, following Nancy Scheper-Hughes’ use of that term, and a source of exceptional and innovative care. Rather than glossing over the moral variables of work in such desperate extremes, ethnography in these settings reveals novel skills and strategies for managing moral distress. (shrink)

O estudo que se segue, tratar-se-á, a prima facie, de uma tentativa de justificar a necessidade de Michel Henry em radicalizar o método fenomenológico a fim de conceber a dualidade visível-invisível na Imanência absoluta de um sujeito patético sem, contudo, afastar-se do campo fenomenológico. No entanto, nos será preciso entender que suas considerações se tratam de um projeto onto-fenomenológico pois, segundo o autor, é apenas submetendo toda a ontologia à fenomenologia que o desvelar do Ser é suscetível de dar-se em (...) sua plenitude. Nesta medida, espera-se com esse artigo apresentar-lhes os argumentos principais da Onto-Fenomenologia Material de Michel Henry arguindo, por sua vez, que seu projeto filosófico não se trata de metafísica e, tampouco, de mística. Em sentido oposto, mostraremos em que medida a Filosofia Material de Michel Henry deve ser considerada ontologia e seu método fenomenológico. Para tal utilizaremos como base, em especial, L’essence de la Manifestation e Phenomenologie Materielle. (shrink)

Nesta reflexão sobre a concepção e a percepção de tempo e de temporalidade no antigo Egipto enfatizam-se as várias formas de encarar o tempo existentes entre os antigos Egípcios, as suas diferentes e operantes marcas, regulares e cadenciadas, aplicáveis ao Cosmos e ao indivíduo e o modo como afectavam, directa ou indirectamente, os comportamentos das diferentes camadas da sociedade egípcia.Além de, obviamente, conhecer os efeitos e a influência da passagem do(s) tempo(s), a sociedade egípcia destacou-se pela sua particular ânsia de (...) superação e anulação desses efeitos. O desejo de abolir o tempo e a ideia de uma apaziguadora eternidade no Além foram, durante muitos séculos, objectivos e ideias estruturantes dos seus modos de ser e de estar, quer no plano mental quer no material. (shrink)

Paneb foi um trabalhador da aldeia de Deir el-Medina que viria a ocupar uma posição de relativo destaque a partir do ano 5 de Seti II como «chefe da equipa do lado esquerdo do grupo» e que está associado a um caso judicial em que é acusado por Amennakht, seu tio adoptivo, de uma série de subornos, roubos, abusos de autoridade, ataques físicos, violações, adultério e até assassinato, cometidos na sua aldeia e no Vale dos Reis ao longo de um (...) quarto de século no final da XIX dinastia. Os crimes de que é acusado são conhecidos em detalhe através do Papiro Salt 124 (BM 10055), datado da XX dinastia (provavelmente do ano 6 de Ramsés III). Esta fonte é um documento extraordinário para se compreender o funcionamento da Administração e da Justiça no Império Novo, mas a sua análise permite detectar exageros e deformações dos factos que nos obrigam a reavaliar o seu verdadeiro significado. (shrink)

The example of the bees, as they appear in Plato’s Phaedo, taken up again in Aristotle’s Politics and in Hobbes’ commentary contained in Leviathan, shows the potential of the phenomenological reading of examples as a method of understanding the basis on which philosophical thought is determined. Sign and communication are peculiar to gregarious and political animal life. In seeking to embody the Aristotelian concept of lógos in the context of a living community, as the basis for interaction and co-existence, we (...) must be sure that our interpretation does not reduce it to what, according to Aristotle, is simply animal behaviour. The Platonic sequence “ass, wolf, bee, god” situates the model of political life between a life in injustice and a life in wisdom. The Aristotelian variationdetermines the lógos on what is just and what is unjust as a natural increment in lucidity, compared with the mere exercising of gregariousness and sociability. Hobbes’ inversion of the Aristotelian example considers a natural reality in the light of the distortions that complicate and make it impossible. Hobbes thus shifts human politics towards artificiality that renders it viable. In each case, the example holds up a different mirror to the same reality. (shrink)

O presente artigo pretende discutir os limites e contradições presentes no cotidiano dos refugiados residentes no município do Rio de Janeiro, tendo em vista que esta cidade concentra forte presença de africanos e latino americanos vítimas de conflitos internos em seus Países. Para tanto, destaca as formas de adaptação e sobrevivência dessa população, registrando o papel da variável política na formulação e definição do movimento migratório contemporâneo. Desse modo, pretende-se discutir quais os lugares ocupados pelos povos deslocados nessa nova territorialidade (...) em que se privilegia o fim das limitações econômicas e que asseguram livre fluxo de capitais, em detrimento do próprio fluxo da vida humana. (shrink)