In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Creativity Belongs to the Person, not to DiseaseJuan J. López-Ibor Jr. (bio) and María-Inés López-Ibor (bio)Keywordscreativity, patho-biography, Saint Teresa, visionsIn the paper, “From the Visions of Saint Teresa of Jesus to the Voices of Schizophrenia,” Cangas, Sass, and Pérez-Álvarez (2008) take an original approach to patho-biography that is very welcome.The temptation to designate historical individuals or characters of fiction as suffering from mental disease has always produced (...) disagreeable feelings in me. This sort of abuse of psychiatry and of the people in question is parallel to the abuse by the media or lay citizens when they describe, say, an especially violent murderer as a schizophrenic—forgetting that the vast majority of people with schizophrenia are not in the least violent. Having read Santa Teresa’s writings during my adolescence, well before I even considered entering medicine, I reacted to comments about her alleged psychiatric illnesses with uneasiness, to put it mildly. The Santa Teresa of La Vida de la Santa Madre Teresa de Jesús (her autobiography), of the Camino de Perfección, and of the El Castillo Interior was surely not a mental patient, it seemed to me. The same would apply to San Juan de La Cruz, Jean D’Arc, Don Quijote, Sancho Panza, Edipus, and Clitemnestra, to mention a few. Even van Gogh’s paintings did not seem to me the productions of a patient with schizophrenia or epilepsy. Of course all of them may have suffered, at certain periods of life, symptoms attributable to a mental disorder, but their creativity rested elsewhere, and was often manifest during healthy periods of their lives. After years spent fighting the stigma of mental diseases, and after organizing several exhibitions of works of art of people with mental diseases, we came to the conclusion that creativity and singularity belong to the person, not to the illness. Some of the diseases of these individuals may have being accidents (van Gogh’s hallucinations and psychotic symptoms, for example, were most probably due to intoxications with absinthe, then rich in hallucinogenic alkaloids such as tujone), or, together with other life circumstances, may have had unspecific influences on the person’s condition. In contrast with many other psychiatric disorders that are represented in ancient Greek and Roman literature, there are no descriptions of individuals with schizophrenia in the Greek and Roman literature dating from the fifth century bc to the beginning of the second century Ad (Evans et al. 2003), and several authors have speculated that schizophrenia did not exist before the eighteenth century (Ellard 1987).Caution is important when dealing with mental health and religious issues in contrast with creativity. The creativity of people suffering from bipolar disorders is well recognized (Jamison 1993) and [End Page 277] the same applies to alcohol and drug intoxication. Tellenbach (1986) has also written on the creativity of depressed persons, although he refers more to the disposition of mood (Schwermut) than to clinical depression as such. The link between melancholia and genius put forward by Aristotle has often been misinterpreted. The philosopher was considering the melancholic temperament and not the melancholic illness as we would understand it today. Of the four temperaments, it is in his view only the melancholic that is gifted with creativity. The sanguine person seeks the immediate pleasures of life, the choleric one considers himself powerful and dedicates himself to manifesting this power, and the phlegmatic individual is disconnected from life and seeks to live without effort or pleasure. The melancholic temperament leads to creativity because of the predominance of doubt, reflection, and dissatisfaction with the miseries of life.Freud’s notion of religiosity as a collective obsessive neurosis is totally mistaken, in my view. The three main themes of obsessions are cleanliness, order, and guilt. In none of these cases is the theme the goal of the action; rather, it is a strategy to contain anxiety. As a consequence, patients with obsessions and compulsions about dirt and cleanliness tend to be dirty themselves, because the real purpose of their compulsions is not in fact to be clean but rather to satisfy a ritual. When order... (shrink)

RESUMENLa Carta de Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea contribuye a desarrollar la ciudadanía europea, basada en valores comunes, como la justicia y la dignidad. La Carta se refiere al consentimiento libre e informado en Medicina y Biología, prohibiendo la clonación reproductiva y las prácticas eugenesicas. El artículo considera el papel de los temas de Bioética en la expansión de los derechos de los ciudadanos; los debates recientes han demostrado que los derechos han de estar garantizados y, además, que las (...) buenas practicas profesionales sólo pueden desarrollarse dentro de buenas instituciones. El artículo analiza el papel de los principios de gobernanza (transparencia, eficiencia, participación, rendición de cuentas), así como la relación interna entre éstos y la integración de las políticas publicas: las cuestiones de Bioética ejemplifican el proceso de «europeanización».PALABRAS CLAVEBIOÉTICA, UNIÓN EUROPEA, GOBERNANZA, BUENAS PRACTICAS, EUROPEANIZACIÓNABSTRACTThe Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union contributes to develop European citizenship based on common values like justice and dignity. The Charter refers to free and informed consent in Medicine and Biology, and prohibits reproductive cloning and eugenic practices. This article considers the role of bioethical topics in the expansion of citizens’ rights; in fact, recent debates not only have proved that rights have to be guaranteed but that good professional practice could only develop within good institutions. The article also analyzes the role of the principles of governance (transparency, efficiency, participation, accountability), and the internal relationship between these principles and the integration of social policies; bioethical issues could exemplify the process of Europeanization.KEY WORDSBIOETHICS, EUROPEAN UNION, GOVERNANCE, GOOD PRACTICES, EUROPEANIZATION. (shrink)

This book highlights the powerful impact of some important Spanish Jesuits (Suárez, Acosta, Ribadeneira, Mariana) on some relevant English thinkers such as Locke, Bacon, and others, regarding politics, law and natural rights, an influence sometimes hidden and always controversial.

Positive Psychology has turned its attention to the study of emotions in a scientific and rigorous way. Particularly, to how emotions influence people’s health, performance, or their overall life satisfaction. Within this trend, Flow theory has established a theoretical framework that helps to promote the Flow experience. Flow state, or optimal experience, is a mental state of high concentration and enjoyment that, due to its characteristics, has been considered desirable for the development of the performing activity of performing musicians. Musicians (...) are a population prone to health problems, both psychological and physical, owing to different stressors of their training and professional activity. One of the most common problems is Musical Performance Anxiety. In this investigation, an electronic intervention program was carried out for the development of psychological self-regulation skills whose main objective was to trigger the Flow response in performing musicians and the coping mechanism for Musical Performance Anxiety. A quasi-experimental design was used with a control group in which pre- and post-measures of Flow State, Musical Performance Anxiety and, also, Social Skills were taken. Sixty-two performing musicians from different music colleges in Spain participated in the program. Results indicated that the intervention significantly improved Flow State, and Sense of Control, and decreased Music Performance Anxiety, and self-consciousness of the participants in the EG but not CG. The changes in the EG after the program showed the inverse relationship between Flow and Anxiety. Two important theoretical factors of both variables, such as worry and the feeling of lack of control, could be involved. The results are under discussion and future lines of research are proposed. (shrink)

El objetivo de este artículo es definir la concepción del acto involuntario de Francisco Suárez y mostrarla como un medio que permite comprender y profundizar en su teoría de la acción humana. En esta cuestión, el Doctor Eximio parte de presupuestos elaborados por Tomás de Aquino que amplía y adapta siguiendo sus propias tesis metafísicas y teológicas sobre la relación entre Dios y las creaturas. Mostraremos cómo Suárez vincula el verdadero involuntario con el _simpliciter_, lo forzado, necesario e indeseado, dejando (...) al _secundum quid_ como un acto mixto en el que la libertad y la voluntad, pese a las injerencias externas, no quedan anuladas. Por último, subrayaremos las consecuencias de la definición suareciana de lo involuntario sobre la noción de libertad, haciendo patente que tanto una como otra serían imposibles fuera del marco teórico que él sustenta, caracterizado por la eficiencia humana (y su dependencia de la divinidad) y no por la premoción física. (shrink)

RESUMENEl artículo analiza el papel desempeñado por los argumentos de pendiente resbaladiza en los debates prácticos. Por un lado, estos argumentos suelen ejemplificar una forma d razonamiento imperfecto o paradójico. De hecho, la Filosofía clásica griega ya identificó las principales dificultades del sorites, el argumento del «montón». Por otro lado, la pendiente resbaladiza llama de nuevo la atención de la Filosofía contemporánea, ya que ocupa un lugar destacado en determinadas cuestiones morales, como pueden ser la eutanasia, los límites de la (...) investigación biomédica, o las posibles consecuencias de la intervención humana sobre el medio ambiente natural y sobe otras especies, no humanas. De esta forma, la Ética aplicada examina los riesgos y efecto son deseables de decisiones que, el comienzo, eran o parecían perfectamente aceptables, y lo hace así a pesar de que la metáfora de la pendiente resbaladiza no pueda aportar suficientes evidencias para frenar aquellas decisiones que comportan riesgos. Aun así, la pendiente sirve para expresar el peligro, la tragedia, los efectos negativos que amenazarían nuestra existencia, o la de las generaciones futuras. Por lo tanto, imágenes como la «caja de Pandora», la «ruptura de los diques», el «alud», no solo transmiten que algunas acciones pueden poner en riesgo la vida sino que, además, ilustran el uso práctico de los argumentos imperfectos.PALABRAS CLAVEpendiente resbaladiza, argumentación práctica, Ética aplicada.ABSTRACTThe article would analyze the role of the slippery-slope arguments in practical debates. On the one hand, they usually exemplify the imperfect, paradoxical reasoning; in fact, the ancient Greek Philosophy already identified the central flaws of the sorites, the «heap» argument. On the other hand, the metaphor of the slippery-slope draws again the attention of contemporary Philosophy, since it has a central part in some ethical issues, as happens with questions like euthanasia, the limits of biomedical research, and the possible consequences of the human action on the natural environment, and on non-humans. So, applied Ethics considers risks and undesirable effects of decisions that, at the very beginning, are, or seem acceptable, in spite of the fact that the slippery-slope could not allege enough evidences to prevent from this risky decision. However, it expresses how danger, tragedy, negative outcome would intrude in our existence, or in the existence of the next generations. Therefore, images like the «Pandora’s box», the «broken docks», the «avalanche», etc, not only suggest that some actions could definitively endanger life, but they illustrate the practical use of imperfect arguments.KEY WORDSslippery- slope, practical argumentation, applied Ethics. (shrink)

RESUMENEl argumento indirecto en favor de la salud y el bienestar de los animales considera la analogía entre derechos humanos y derechos de los no humanos. En tal sentido, los “derechos” de los animales pueden ser considerados “deberes” o responsabilidades de los seres humanos; el artículo defiende entonces una perspectiva antropocéntrica moderada sobre este tema. De hecho, los avances en material de protección de otras especies y del medio ambiente suelen estar relacionados con el interés por proteger la salud de (...) los consumidores. Un análisis de la regulación autonómica, nacional y europea puede mostrar hasta que punto varía la consideración del bienestar animal en áreas como la investigación científica con no humanos, los animales de granja y las normas que regulan el transporte. Por tanto, la situación real de los derechos de los animales demostraría las limitaciones prácticas de actitudes compasivas hacia otras especies que no vayan acompañadas de responsabilidades claras y de deberes de los humanos.PALABRAS CLAVEDERECHOS DE LOS ANIMALES, BIENESTAR ANIMAL, éTICA DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN, DERECHOS HUMANOSABSTRACTThe indirect argument in favour of animal health and welfare explores the analogy between human rights and animal rights. In that sense, the “rights” of non-humans could be considered “duties” or responsibilities of human beings; so, the article defends an anthropocentric point of view; a moderate anthropocentric perspective. Indeed, the protection of other species and the environment is usually connected with the interest in health and consumers’ protection. The analysis of the regional, national, and European regulation regarding these issues would prove how different the consideration of animal welfare could be in areas like research on non-humans for scientific purposes, animals for production, and transport norms. Therefore, the present situation of animal rights would demonstrate the practical limitations of compassion towards other species without clear responsibilities and duties on the part of humans.KEYWORDSANIMAL RIGHTS, ANIMAL WELFARE, RESEARCH ETHICS, HUMAN RIGHTS. (shrink)

RESUMENEl argumento indirecto en favor de la salud y el bienestar de los animales considera la analogía entre derechos humanos y derechos de los no humanos. En tal sentido, los “derechos” de los animales pueden ser considerados “deberes” o responsabilidades de los seres humanos; el artículo defiende entonces una perspectiva antropocéntrica moderada sobre este tema. De hecho, los avances en material de protección de otras especies y del medio ambiente suelen estar relacionados con el interés por proteger la salud de (...) los consumidores. Un análisis de la regulación autonómica, nacional y europea puede mostrar hasta que punto varía la consideración del bienestar animal en áreas como la investigación científica con no humanos, los animales de granja y las normas que regulan el transporte. Por tanto, la situación real de los derechos de los animales demostraría las limitaciones prácticas de actitudes compasivas hacia otras especies que no vayan acompañadas de responsabilidades claras y de deberes de los humanos.PALABRAS CLAVEDERECHOS DE LOS ANIMALES, BIENESTAR ANIMAL, éTICA DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN, DERECHOS HUMANOSABSTRACTThe indirect argument in favour of animal health and welfare explores the analogy between human rights and animal rights. In that sense, the “rights” of non-humans could be considered “duties” or responsibilities of human beings; so, the article defends an anthropocentric point of view; a moderate anthropocentric perspective. Indeed, the protection of other species and the environment is usually connected with the interest in health and consumers’ protection. The analysis of the regional, national, and European regulation regarding these issues would prove how different the consideration of animal welfare could be in areas like research on non-humans for scientific purposes, animals for production, and transport norms. Therefore, the present situation of animal rights would demonstrate the practical limitations of compassion towards other species without clear responsibilities and duties on the part of humans.KEYWORDSANIMAL RIGHTS, ANIMAL WELFARE, RESEARCH ETHICS, HUMAN RIGHTS. (shrink)

El artículo procura mostrar las razones por las cuales no puede considerarse que la ética aristotélica sea determinista. De este modo, critica los argumentos de tres intérpretes que defienden el determinismo aristotélico: Alfredo Gómez-Muller, Theodor Gomperz y D.J. Furley, con el fi n de mostrar que la ética del Estagirita no está fundamentada en la necesidad sino en la convención, que el carácter no está totalmente determinado por naturaleza y que una vez éste se ha formado Aristóteles sí concibe la (...) posibilidad de cambio, si bien para ello se necesita mucho más que la mera intención. Con este análisis se pretende mostrar, entonces, más allá de la polémica particular con los intérpretes, que la ética aristotélica trata de explicar el mundo humano en su complejidad y riqueza y, por tanto, no puede considerarse determinista. (shrink)

Este trabajo analiza la intersección entre derecho y medicina que se produce en los dispositivos de normalización ante la transexualidad. Para ello, se realiza un análisis del discurso jurisprudencial y de la Ley 3/2007. A partir de este estudio, creemos que el Manual de Diagnóstico y Estadístico de Trastornos Mentales (DSM), empleado por la medicina y asumido por el derecho como requisito patologizador para el cambio registral del sexo, posee fuerza de ley, cumpliendo las funciones de los antiguos bestiarios e (...) inmunizando el binarismo sexual. (shrink)

Con el objetivo de estudiar algunos problemas de ética relacionados con situaciones clínicas que involucran a la familia, se presenta una revisión sistemática de este término para entenderla y definirla. Concebida como un cuerpo orgánico en su constitución, estructura y organización, en el presente artículo se analizan las variadas circunstancias en las que existe una relación entre la ética clínica y la familia, principalmente haciendo énfasis a la diferencia entre la autonomía individual y la autoridad familiar.

Sauquillo González, Julián. La reforma constitucional. Sujetos y límites del poder constituyente. Tecnos, Madrid, 2018, 406 páginas.