Reestablishing feelings of control after experiencing uncertainty has long been considered a fundamental motive for human behavior. We propose that rituals (i.e., socially stipulated, causally opaque practices) provide a means for coping with the aversive feelings associated with randomness due to the perception of a connection between ritual action and a desired outcome. Two experiments were conducted (one in Brazil [n = 40] and another in the United States [n = 94]) to evaluate how the perceived efficacy of rituals is (...) affected by feelings of randomness. In a between-subjects design, the Scramble Sentence Task was used as a priming procedure in three conditions (i.e., randomness, negativity, and neutral) and participants were then asked to rate the efficacy of rituals used for problem-solving purposes. The results demonstrate that priming randomness increased participants' perception of ritual efficacy relative to negativity and neutral conditions. Implications for increasing our understanding of the relationship between perceived control and ritualistic behavior are discussed. (shrink)

To solve the probability problem of the Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, D. Wallace has presented a formal proof of the Born rule via decision theory, as proposed by D. Deutsch. The idea is to get subjective probabilities from rational decisions related to quantum measurements, showing the non-probabilistic parts of the quantum formalism, plus some rational constraints, ensure the squared modulus of quantum amplitudes play the role of such probabilities. We provide a new presentation of Wallace’s proof, reorganized to (...) simplify some arguments, and analyze it from a formal perspective. Similarities with classical decision theory are made explicit, to clarify its structure and main ideas. A simpler notation is used, and details are filled in, making it easier to follow and verify. Some problems have been identified, and we suggest possible corrections. (shrink)

RESUMEN La teleosemántica es el intento de naturalizar el contenido mental mediante el recurso al concepto de función biológica. En el presente artículo se argumenta que la teleosemántica carece de los recursos necesarios para hacer frente a tres problemas: la indeterminación del contenido, el carácter abstracto de este y la inutilidad biológica de algunas de las representaciones que pueden albergar organismos como los humanos. ABSTRACT Teleosemantics is the attempt to naturalize mental content by resorting to the concept of biological function. (...) The article argues that teleosemantics lacks the necessary resources to solve three problems: the indeterminacy of content, its abstract nature, and the biological uselessness of some of the representations of certain organisms such as human beings. (shrink)

El presente artículo examina los argumentos aristotélicos en favor de la teleología para poner de manifiesto su estructura argumentativa que, a juicio del autor, es una inferencia a la mejor explicación. Finalmente se intenta relacionar la estrategia aristotélica con el tratamiento actual que se ha hecho de la finalidad desde la Filosofía de la Ciencia.

RESUMENEl presente artículo analiza las diferentes teorías que sobre el concepto de función se han vertido en los últimos cuarenta años y sus problemas. Respecto de los dos grandes enfoques (histórico-etiológico y sistémico) se sostiene que el primero, pese a su hegemonía histórica, presenta considerables dificultades y que la reflexión actual se centra cada vez más en la perspectiva sistémica. Esta última puede enfrentarse mejor a los diversos problemas que genera el concepto de función biológica y es siempre preferible.PALABRAS CLAVEFUNCIÓN (...) BIOLÓGICA, FUNCIÓN SISTéMICA, EXPLICACIÓN FUNCIONAL, EXPLICACIÓN BASADA EN MECANISMOS, TELEOLOGíAABSTRACTThis paper analyzes the different theories on biological function and the problems they brought up over the last forty years. Concerning the two most important points of view on functions (aetiological theory and systemic theory) I hold that the aetiological theory, despite its historical hegemony, presents substantial difficulties and that the present philosophical thinking is centred on systemic theories. Systemic theories are capable of solving the various problems generated by the biological function concept which is preferable.KEYWORDSBIOLOGICAL FUNCTION, SySTEMIC FUNCTION, FUNCTIONAL EXPLANATION, MECHANISTIC EXPLANATION TELEOLOGY. (shrink)

RESUMENEl presente artículo analiza las diferentes teorías que sobre el concepto de función se han vertido en los últimos cuarenta años y sus problemas. Respecto de los dos grandes enfoques (histórico-etiológico y sistémico) se sostiene que el primero, pese a su hegemonía histórica, presenta considerables dificultades y que la reflexión actual se centra cada vez más en la perspectiva sistémica. Esta última puede enfrentarse mejor a los diversos problemas que genera el concepto de función biológica y es siempre preferible.PALABRAS CLAVEFUNCIÓN (...) BIOLÓGICA, FUNCIÓN SISTéMICA, EXPLICACIÓN FUNCIONAL, EXPLICACIÓN BASADA EN MECANISMOS, TELEOLOGíAABSTRACTThis paper analyzes the different theories on biological function and the problems they brought up over the last forty years. Concerning the two most important points of view on functions (aetiological theory and systemic theory) I hold that the aetiological theory, despite its historical hegemony, presents substantial difficulties and that the present philosophical thinking is centred on systemic theories. Systemic theories are capable of solving the various problems generated by the biological function concept which is preferable.KEYWORDSBIOLOGICAL FUNCTION, SySTEMIC FUNCTION, FUNCTIONAL EXPLANATION, MECHANISTIC EXPLANATION TELEOLOGY. (shrink)

Teleosemantic theories of content constitute a mixed family of different proposals and accounts about what consists mental content. In the present paper, I would like examine the scope and limits of a particular and well defined teleosemantic theory such as Millikan’s account. My aim entails presenting arguments in order to show how her theory of mental content is unnable of giving a complete account of the whole mental life almost for adult human agents without commiting certain adaptationist assumptions. I am (...) going to present my arguments in the following order. In section 1 I present an outline of the Millikan’s theory of mental content. In section 2, after defining useless content I pay attention to her treatment of it. In section 3 I set out my queries concerning to the fixation of useless content defended by Millikan. Finally, I conclude that the theory about useless content doesn’t identify content in terms of sufficient and necessary conditions. (shrink)

Elefantes y linternas: sobre Martin sobre Raz El ensayo responde a algunas de las críticas de Margaret Martin a la teoría jurídica de Joseph Raz, en su libro Judging Positivism, especialmente la alegación de que Raz cambió su teoría de la aplicación del derecho y de que este cambio produjo un impacto negativo en la teoría del derecho de Raz. Para fornecer estas respuestas, se adopta una perspectiva que trata las teorías jurídicas como análisis hipotéticos que buscan comprender el derecho (...) exclusivamente bajo un entre múltiplos aspectos, ignorando los demás. De modo comparable con los planteamientos de ciegos que tocan un elefante en una conocida parábola indiana, se adopta una metáfora de una lanterna con la cual el elefante es examinado en cada teoría. (shrink)

Having analyzed the formal aspects of Wallace’s proof of the Born rule, we now discuss the concepts and axioms upon which it is built. Justification for most axioms is shown to be problematic, and at times contradictory. Some of the problems are caused by ambiguities in the concepts used. We conclude the axioms are not reasonable enough to be taken as mandates of rationality in Everettian Quantum Mechanics. This invalidates the interpretation of Wallace’s result as meaning it would be rational (...) for Everettian agents to decide using the Born rule. (shrink)

Presentación del rector -- El habla de los historiadores -- Discurso de recepción de Andrés L. Mateo en la Academia Dominicana de la Lengua, por Diógenes Céspedes -- La dominicanidad en los Apuntes de un viaje, de José Martí -- Una lectura diferente de la quintilla del Padre Vásquez -- ¿Por qué vino Pedro Henríquez Ureña en 1931? -- Anexos al ensayo : ¿Por qué vino Pedro Henríquez Ureña en 1931?

This paper is part of a series in which we had worked in the last 6 months, and, specifically, intend to investigate the notion of timbre through the ecological perspective proposed by James Gibson in his Theory of Direct Perception. First of all, we discussed the traditional approach to timbre, mainly as developed in acoustics and psychoacoustics. Later, we proposed a new conception of timbre that was born in concepts of ecological approach. The ecological approach to perception proposed by Gibson (...) (1966, 1979) presupposes a level of analysis of perceptual stimulated that includes, but is quite broader than the usual physical aspect. Gibson suggests as focus the relationship between the perceiver and his environment. At the core of this approach, is the notion of affordances, invariant combinations of properties at the ecological level, taken with reference to the anatomy and action systems of species or individual, and also with reference to its biological and social needs. Objects and events are understood as relates to a perceiving organism by the meaning of structured information, thus affording possibilities of action by the organism. Event perception aims at identifying properties of events to specify changes of the environment that are relevant to the organism. The perception of form is understood as a special instance of event perception, which is the identity of an object depends on the nature of the events in which is involved and what remains invariant over time. From this perspective, perception is not in any sense created by the brain, but is a part of the world where information can be found. Consequently, an ecological approach represents a form of direct realism that opposes the indirect realist based on predominant approaches to perception borrowed from psychoacoustics and computational approach. (shrink)

In their commentaries on Peter of Spain’s texts, two professors at the University of Cracow, John of Glogovia and Michael of Biestrzykowa, provided interpretations of consequences and conditional propositions which either rejected the paradoxes of strict implication or placed on them such restrictions as to challenge traditional views about the relation between antecedent and consequent. Nicholas Copernicus may have been inflenced by those discussions.

Background and ObjectivesUp to 10% of fathers experience perinatal depression, often accompanied by anxiety, with a detrimental impact on the emotional and behavioural development of infants. Yet, few evidence-based interventions specifically for paternal perinatal depression or anxiety exist, and few depressed or anxious fathers engage with support. This mini-review aims to build on the evidence base set by other recent systematic reviews by synthesising more recently available studies on interventions for paternal perinatal depression and anxiety. Secondarily, we also aimed to (...) identify useful information on key implementation strategies, if any, that increase the engagement of men.MethodsWe drew upon three major previous systematic reviews and performed an updated search of PubMed/Medline; Psycinfo; Cochrane Database; Embase and Cinahl. The search was limited to trials, feasibility studies or pilot studies of interventions published between 2015 and 2020 that reported on fathers' perinatal mental health. We included psychological, educational, psychosocial, paternal, couple-focused, or group therapies, delivered face-to-face, via telephone and/or online that reported on either paternal depression, anxiety or both.ResultsEleven studies satisfied search criteria. The majority were randomised controlled trials. Most interventions incorporated counselling, therapy or psychoeducation and took an indirect approach to perinatal mental health through antenatal or postnatal education and were couple-focused. No studies reported a presence of diagnosed depression or anxiety at baseline, although five studies reported a positive effect on sub-threshold symptoms.DiscussionThere was some evidence that these approaches may be useful in the initial engagement of fathers with perinatal supports and improve depression and anxiety scores. No studies targeted the explicit treatment of clinically depressed or anxious men, and this remains the most substantial gap in the peer-reviewed evidence base. Our results highlight the need to deliver perinatal interventions specifically designed for men and evaluate them in populations with clinical levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology. (shrink)

This is a review of Kazutaka Inamura's book "Justice and Reciprocity in Aristotle's Political Philosophy" (Cambridge University Press, 2017).

El presente artículo expone y analiza las principales ideas epistemológicas abordadas por Comenius en su Prodromus pansophiae. En primer lugar, se subraya el valor e interés filosófico de la obra de Comenius y se relaciona con la problemática intelectual y filosófica de su momento. En segundo lugar, se procede a un análisis del texto destacando su concepción antropológica y la dependencia de una determinada concepción metafísica para el desarrollo de sus ideas epistemológicas. En tercer lugar, se analiza la pansofía como (...) logro metafísico y epistemológico de Comenius. Finalmente, se concluye con un análisis acerca del método presente en el proyecto epistemológico elaborado en el Prodromus. (shrink)

Diversität ist eines der zentralen Themen unserer Zeit. Sie durchdringt alle Lebensbereiche unserer Gesellschaften. Das Nachdenken über Diversität reicht von den Naturwissenschaften über die Geschichtswissenschaften, die Gesellschaftswissenschaften, die Philosophie bis zu den Künsten. Diversität ist zudem politisch und emotional beladen. Man denke an gesellschaftliche Minderheiten und ihre Rechte oder an das massive Artensterben unserer Tage. In diesem Buch wird nicht nur über Einzelaspekte von Diversität berichtet, es wird auch eine Synthese versucht. Drei einleitende Kapitel der HerausgeberInnen führen verständlich in komplexe (...) interdisziplinäre Problemzusammenhänge ein. Der Band versammelt 17 Beiträge namhafter Autorinnen und Autoren aus den Bereichen Kunst-, Kultur- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Medizin und Gesellschaftstheorie.00. (shrink)

Forschungen zur verkörperten Intelligenz und zu den symbolischen Vermittlungen des menschlichen Geistes werden bislang zumeist in getrennten Disziplinen betrieben. Die aus der Kulturphilosophie, Kunst- und Bildwissenschaft, Theologie, Medizin, Psychiatrie, Psychologie und Kognitionswissenschaft stammenden Beiträge des Bandes vereint jedoch das gemeinsame Ziel, einen umfassenden Begriff von Verkörperung zu entwickeln, der die Grenzziehung zwischen kulturalistischen und naturalistischen Ansätzen überwindet.

Plagiarism is a serious, yet widespread type of research misconduct, and is often neglected in developing countries. Despite its far-reaching implications, plagiarism is poorly acknowledged and discussed in the academic setting, and insufficient evidence exists in Latin America and developing countries to inform the development of preventive strategies. In this context, we present a longitudinal case study of seven instances of plagiarism and cheating arising in four consecutive classes of an Epidemiology Masters program in Lima, Peru, and describes the implementation (...) and outcomes of a multifaceted, “zero-tolerance” policy aimed at introducing research integrity. Two cases involved cheating in graded assignments, and five cases correspond to plagiarism in the thesis protocol. Cases revealed poor awareness of high tolerance to plagiarism, poor academic performance, and widespread writing deficiencies, compensated with patchwriting and copy-pasting. Depending on the events’ severity, penalties included course failure and separation from the program. Students at fault did not engage in further plagiarism. Between 2011 and 2013, the Masters program sequentially introduced a preventive policy consisting of: intensified research integrity and scientific writing education, a stepwise, cumulative writing process; honor codes; active search for plagiarism in all academic products; and a “zero-tolerance” policy in response to documented cases. No cases were detected in 2014. In conclusion, plagiarism seems to be widespread in resource-limited settings and a greater response with educational and zero-tolerance components is needed to prevent it. (shrink)

I argue that Samantha Vice understates the moral resources white people have available to them to minimize their falling into distorted ways of perceiving and responding to the world caused by bare white advantage. In doing so, she paints an unjustifiably pessimistic picture of white civic involvement in South Africa, and anywhere where white people are unjustly advantaged, such as the United States. I delineate two similar but distinct antiracist moral identities the 'white ally' and the 'person committed to racial (...) justice'-that can guide civic engagement, as well as provide a counterweight to the distortions of whiteness. I argue that Vice's recommendation of withdrawal from public engagement in humble silence is not the most morally appropriate response to white privilege. (shrink)

The T lymphocyte receptor for antigen, which operates in conjunction with gene products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is a molecular complex comprised of five polypeptide chains. Both the 49 kDa alpha and 43 kDa beta chains are immunoglobulin‐like and thus contain variable domains responsible for ligand binding. In contrast, the 20–25 kDa T3 gamma, delta and epsilon chains are monomorphic structures presumably involved in transmembrane signalling. The alpha and beta subunits are disulfide bonded to each other and held (...) in noncovalent association with the T3 chains. T3‐Ti receptor crosslinking leads to conformational modification of a second T lineage specific molecule, termed the 50 kDa T11 structure which in turn leads to protein kinase C activation, elevation in intracytoplasmic free calcium and Na+/H+ antiport stimulation. (shrink)

The study of biodiversity spans many disciplines and includes data pertaining to species distributions and abundances, genetic sequences, trait measurements, and ecological niches, complemented by information on collection and measurement protocols. A review of the current landscape of metadata standards and ontologies in biodiversity science suggests that existing standards such as the Darwin Core terminology are inadequate for describing biodiversity data in a semantically meaningful and computationally useful way. Existing ontologies, such as the Gene Ontology and others in the Open (...) Biological and Biomedical Ontologies (OBO) Foundry library, provide a semantic structure but lack many of the necessary terms to describe biodiversity data in all its dimensions. In this paper, we describe the motivation for and ongoing development of a new Biological Collections Ontology, the Environment Ontology, and the Population and Community Ontology. These ontologies share the aim of improving data aggregation and integration across the biodiversity domain and can be used to describe physical samples and sampling processes (for example, collection, extraction, and preservation techniques), as well as biodiversity observations that involve no physical sampling. Together they encompass studies of: 1) individual organisms, including voucher specimens from ecological studies and museum specimens, 2) bulk or environmental samples (e.g., gut contents, soil, water) that include DNA, other molecules, and potentially many organisms, especially microbes, and 3) survey-based ecological observations. We discuss how these ontologies can be applied to biodiversity use cases that span genetic, organismal, and ecosystem levels of organization. We argue that if adopted as a standard and rigorously applied and enriched by the biodiversity community, these ontologies would significantly reduce barriers to data discovery, integration, and exchange among biodiversity resources and researchers. (shrink)

On page 1 of his classic text, Millsap states, “Measurement invariance is built on the notion that a measuring device should function the same way across varied conditions, so long as those varied conditions are irrelevant [emphasis added] to the attribute being measured.” By construction, measurement invariance techniques require not only detecting varied conditions but also ruling out that these conditions inform our understanding of measured domains. In fact, measurement invariance techniques possess great utility when theory and research inform their (...) application to specific, varied conditions that, if not detected, introduce measurement biases, and, thus, depress measurement validity. Yet, we see emerging bodies of work where scholars have “put the cart before the horse” when it comes to measurement invariance, and they apply these techniques to varied conditions that, in fact, may reflect domain-relevant information. These bodies of work highlight a larger problem in measurement that likely cuts across many areas of scholarship. In one such area, youth mental health, researchers commonly encounter a set of conditions that nullify the use of measurement invariance, namely discrepancies between survey reports completed by multiple informants, such as parents, teachers, and youth themselves. In this paper, we provide an overview of conceptual, methodological, and measurement factors that should prevent researchers from applying measurement invariance techniques to detect informant discrepancies. Along the way, we cite evidence from the last 15 years indicating that informant discrepancies reflect domain-relevant information. We also apply this evidence to recent uses of measurement invariance techniques in youth mental health. Based on prior evidence, we highlight the implications of applying these techniques to multi-informant data, when the informant discrepancies observed within these data might reflect domain-relevant information. We close by calling for a moratorium on applying measurement invariance techniques to detect informant discrepancies in youth mental health assessments. In doing so, we describe how the state of the science would need to fundamentally “flip” to justify applying these techniques to detect informant discrepancies in this area of work. (shrink)

Dōgen Kigen (1200–1253 ce) is one of the most revered figures in the history of Japanese culture. A Zen master regarded by the Sōtō School as its spiritual founder, Dōgen is also considered by many to be Japan's greatest philosopher. (The other major contender is kūkai, with whose philosophy Dōgen's shares a number of features.) Possessed of a prodigious and subtle intellect, and master of a strikingly poetic style, he surely ranks among the world's most formidable thinkers.