This article is an exploratory study that intends to present semantic interoperability initiatives in the area of information science and computer science. It discusses these initiatives, focusing on open science and eScience, aiming at pointing out similarities and differences in the methodologies used for an intelligent retrieval of data in heterogeneous environments that do not benefit a universal language. We will illustrate seminal initiatives regarding the compatibility of languages in information science and the alignment and semantic mapping in the area (...) of computer science, emphasizing what they have in common and their differences, showing that those seminal initiatives are still relevant nowadays. In this perspective, we want to bring up discussions about methodologies that supports a kind of “intermediate language” that allows the compatibility of research resources, semantically interconnecting their contents without forcing the use of a single language, but of a switching language, such as a metalanguage that guarantees to keep the differences of each community of speech. (shrink)

This book emphasizes the affinity between Foucault's and Nietzsche's thought. Both philosophers tried to give clarity to modernity's arbitrary nature. Following on from Foucault's diagnostic enquiries into a "History of Sexuality" and Nietzsche's appreciation of ancient culture, Nilson's study shows a practical consequence: the self-stylization of the individual. This esthetical attitude replaces a belief in metaphysical and even scientific meaning, thus leading to a philosophy of life.

Carl G. Hempel has expressed the view that explanation in history is of a kind with explanation in any other branch of empirical science. Historians, according to him, aim at showing that the events they describe are not matters of chance. In the author's opinion there is no necessary connection between these two statements. Historians often aim at showing that the events they describe are matters of chance. But this does not make explanation in history different from explanation in other (...) branches of empirical science. (shrink)

This paper contends that the dispute between Avery Dulles and Karl Rahner on the prospects for the unity of the churches is not fundamentally theological. Instead, their sharply contrasting perceptions of contemporary culture lead them to construe the ecumenical imperative quite differendy. If this analysis is correct, what may be most divisive between and within the churches is not faith or doctrine at all but different readings of “the signs of the times.” If so, ecumenists will have to undertake cultural (...) interpretation as an essential component of their work. Without careful cultural analyses, the goal of unity of the Christian churches may be held hostage to impressions stemming more from bias than reasoned judgments. (shrink)

The paper examines some doctrines of the Davidsonian Programme of truth conditional Semantics that relates truth to meaning using Tarski’s T-Convention, in relation to its efficacy in a semantic valuation of the EkeGusii proverb: Nda ’indongi ereta morogi ereta moibi which exemplifies a kind of complex sentence that a given system of Semantics is meant to account for. The coverage of Davidsonian truth-conditional notion of T-convention and that of compositionality are considered to have only a partial reach in accounting for (...) the meaning of the proverb by not incorporating pragmatic aspects. The failure of T-convention is not alleviated by the adoption of radical interpretation as posited by Davidson but is extended to consider aspects of pragmatic enrichment and dynamic Semantics. (shrink)

No presente ensaio, discute-se o impacto do negacionismo na Educação escolar. Essa ideologia é baseada em falsos argumentos, cujos protagonistas negam evidências cientificamente comprovadas, como forma de fortalecer seus anseios pelo poder. A narrativa negacionista atinge pessoas que aceitam acriticamente e replicam esses argumentos como se fossem verdades absolutas. Um dos resultados da disseminação e aceitação dessa ideologia é o estímulo a ações extremistas, como vimos acontecer recentemente no Brasil. A negação fomenta intencionalmente os analfabetismos histórico, social e científico. As (...) pessoas "contaminadas" por essa ideologia extremista ignoram os argumentos lógicos e permanecem alheias ao avanço da Ciência. Acreditam em disparates, como o chamado “terraplanismo”; são disseminadores de informações falsas; promovem “cruzadas” antivacinação; defendem o uso de medicamentos ineficazes; e fomentam o descrédito da democracia. As ideias de Paulo Freire, que estimulam o cultivo do pensamento crítico e emancipatório, é o aporte teóricometodológico que norteia este ensaio, contextualizado na prática docente dos autores, que consideram a Educação como uma prática de liberdade. (shrink)