This paper extends earlier work by its authors on formal aspects of the processes of contracting a theory to eliminate a proposition and revising a theory to introduce a proposition. In the course of the earlier work, Gardenfors developed general postulates of a more or less equational nature for such processes, whilst Alchourron and Makinson studied the particular case of contraction functions that are maximal, in the sense of yielding a maximal subset of the theory (or alternatively, of one of (...) its axiomatic bases), that fails to imply the proposition being eliminated. In the present paper, the authors study a broader class, including contraction functions that may be less than maximal. Specifically, they investigate "partial meet contraction functions", which are defined to yield the intersection of some nonempty family of maximal subsets of the theory that fail to imply the proposition being eliminated. Basic properties of these functions are established: it is shown in particular that they satisfy the Gardenfors postulates, and moreover that they are sufficiently general to provide a representation theorem for those postulates. Some special classes of partial meet contraction functions, notably those that are "relational" and "transitively relational", are studied in detail, and their connections with certain "supplementary postulates" of Gardenfors investigated, with a further representation theorem established. (shrink)

A study in the logic of theory change, examining the properties of maxichoice contraction and revision operations.

This paper is concerned with formal aspects of the logic of theory change, and in particular with the process of shrinking or contracting a theory to eliminate a proposition. It continues work in the area by the authors and Peter Gärdenfors. The paper defines a notion of safe contraction of a set of propositions, shows that it satisfies the Gärdenfors postulates for contraction and thus can be represented as a partial meet contraction, and studies its properties both in general and (...) under various natural constraints. (shrink)

Investigates the resolution of contradictions and ambiguous derogations in a code, by means of the imposition of partial orderings.

In some recent papers, the authors and Peter Gärdenfors have defined and studied two different kinds of formal operation, conceived as possible representations of the intuitive process of contracting a theory to eliminate a proposition. These are partial meet contraction (including as limiting cases full meet contraction and maxichoice contraction) and safe contraction. It is known, via the representation theorem for the former, that every safe contraction operation over a theory is a partial meet contraction over that theory. The purpose (...) of the present paper is to study the relationship more finely, by seeking an explicit map between the component orderings involved in each of the two kinds of contraction. It is shown that at least in the finite case a suitable map exists, with the consequence that the relational, transitively relational, and antisymmetrically relational partial meet contraction functions form identifiable subclasses of the safe contraction functions, over any theory finite modulo logical equivalence. In the process of constructing the map, as the composition of four simple transformations, mediating notions of bottom and top contraction are introduced. The study of the infinite case remains open. (shrink)

The purpose of the paper is to present a logical framework that allow to formalize a kind of prima facie duties, defeasible conditional duties, indefeasible conditional duties and actual (indefeasible) duties, as well as to show their logical interconnections.

Between the two horns of Jørgensen's dilemma, the authors opt for that according to which logic deals not only with truth and falsity but also with those concepts not possessing this semantic reference. Notwithstanding the “descriptive” prejudice, deontic logic has gained validity among modal logics. The technical foundation proposed consists in an abstract characterization of logical consequence. By identifying in the abstract notion of consequence the primitive from which to begin, it is possible to define the connectives - even those (...) of obligation - by means of the rules of introduction or elimination in a context of derivation. (shrink)

Se busca reconstruir los posibles pasos seguidos por Hegel en el camino a la Fenomenología del Espíritu. Se asumen las variantes históricas que se presentan en aquel recorrido, y se trata de determinar el sentido y la relación que éstas guardan con la consolidación filosófica de la obra. En ambos as..

Teniendo como punto de partida el importante intercambio crítico entre John Rawls y Jürgen Habermas desplegado en The Journal of Philosohy en marzo de 1995, el presente escrito tiene por objetivo explorar el lugar que ocupa el consenso en la fundamentación del pensamiento político de ambos autores. De modo tal que pueda ponerse en evidencia el carácter intersubjetivo que subyace tanto en los planteos de la teoría de la justicia de Rawls como en la ética del discurso habermasiana. Lo anterior, (...) en efecto, implica un ejercicio conceptual que decanta en el esclarecimiento de dos sendas argumentativas, ambas herederas de una interpretación de Kant, encauzadas a dar solución a la fundamentación de principios morales en las sociedades plurales contemporáneas. (shrink)

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the role played by logic in the legal domain. In the traditional conception which underlies the movement of codification, judges are able to find in the legal system (the Master System) a unique answer for every legal problem. This entails its completeness, consistency and the possibility of deriving from it the contents of all judicial decisions. Although the ideal model of this conception is supported by important theoretical and political ideals, it (...) has significant shortcomings. The elements of normative systems (Master Systems) are “norms” and not mere “norm-formulations.” A “norm” is the meaning attributed to normative linguistic expressions. The set of all normative expressions, such as statutes, codes, etc. forms what is called the Master Book. One of the main problems for the ideal model is the identification of a normative system behind the Master Book. Interpretative arguments are the tools designed to solve these problems. Although the requirements of the model are not totally fulfilled in actual practice, it remains as an effective ideal rational goal behind legal activities linked to adjudication and most theoretical approaches to law. (shrink)

1. EI dilema de Jørgensen. 2. La salución propuesta. 3. Breve historia de un prejudicio filosófico. 4. Normas sin lógica. 4.1. Imperativos sin lógica. 4.2. Normas y proposicienesnormativas. 4.3. Proposiciones normativas y normas verdaderas. 4.4. Mundos posibles. 4.5. Validez e invalidez. 4.6. La racionalidad del legislador. 5. La noción abstracta, sintáctica y semántica de consecuencia. 5.1. La noción abstracta de consecuencia. 5.2. La noción sintáctica de consecuencia. 5.3. La noción semántica de consecuencia. 5.4. EI sentido dado por las reglas de (...) uso en un contexto. 5.5. Qué operadores para la lógica. 5.6. Solo en un contexto la parte cobra sentido. 6. La lógica deóntica. 7. De donde la solución del dilema interesa a toda la lógica. 8. Consecuendas para la informática. (shrink)

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the role played by logic in the legal domain. In the traditional conception which underlies the movement of codification, judges are able to find in the legal system (the Master System) a unique answer for every legal problem. This entails its completeness, consistency and the possibility of deriving from it the contents of all judicial decisions. Although the ideal model of this conception is supported by important theoretical and political ideals, it (...) has significant shortcomings. The elements of normative systems (Master Systems) are “norms” and not mere “norm‐formulations.” A “norm” is the meaning attributed to normative linguistic expressions. The set of all normative expressions, such as statutes, codes, etc. forms what is called the Master Book. One of the main problems for the ideal model is the identification of a normative system behind the Master Book. Interpretative arguments are the tools designed to solve these problems. Although the requirements of the model are not totally fulfilled in actual practice, it remains as an effective ideal rational goal behind legal activities linked to adjudication and most theoretical approaches to law. (shrink)

Standardly, the usual approach to rationality is based on the notion of ‘being a reason for’. Honouring the traditional distinction between practical and theoretical philosophy, reasons are classified as justificative and explicative. In both cases, a reason-statement has the form ‘’. For reasons of type , ‘A’ is a factual statement and ‘B’ is a statement which describes an action of the agent. The reason-statement has a prescriptive sense because ‘A is a reason for doing B’ means ‘A is a (...) reason an agent ought to do B’. So, it is advisable to schematize that kind of statements as ‘’, where ‘OB’ is a deontic statement prescribing the duty to do B. Reasons of type have a descriptive sense and do not require the above-mentioned constraint. But ‘being a reason for’ has different senses according to context, even when the distinction between justificative and explicative reasons is drawn. Accordingly, it is important to distinguish two basic types of reasons: sufficient and necessary, and two subordinate types of reasons: contributing and substitutive . A lot of attention has been paid, lately, to a sense of contributive reasons: prima facie reasons . The paper will deal with that kind of reasons. Its main thesis are: 1) prima facie reason-statements are defeasible conditionals ‘’ pointing out that A is a contributing condition of B, 2) a defeasible conditional has the properties of ‘’, where ‘ =>’ is a strict implication and ‘f’’ a revision-operator satisfying the conditions set up by the theory AGM on the rational change of theories. (shrink)

Este artículo hace una presentación de un tema que ha sido pasado por alto en la filosofía, la filosofía de la ciencia y las ciencias de la complejidad, a saber: la importancia de las ciencias sociales y el modo como pueden beneficiarse con las matemáticas de los sistemas dinámicos. Por tanto, el ar..

Este artigo pretende expor a teoria cartesiana da criação encontrada nas Meditações, da qual decorre coerentemente a teoria da livre criação das verdades eternas desenvolvida por Descartes nas Cartas, entre os anos de 1630 e 1649. Fazendo isso, tenta-se refutar interpretações segundo as quais a teoria da livre criação seria marginal ou incompatível com o sistema cartesiano. Para tanto, apresentaremos a concepção tomasiana da criação e a gradativa refutação cartesiana da mesma, donde emerge uma moderna teoria da criação, fundamento sine (...) qua non da teoria da livre criação das verdades eternas. (shrink)

Davidson’s treatment of akrasia resorts to the introduction of a type of operator, the prima facie connector. This operator should yield conditional judgments in which the affirmation of the antecedent does not admit to obtain the consequent as a separate conclusion; and it must allow to separate ..

Este artigo começa por proceder à caracterização do Estado soberano, perspectivando-o como forma concreta e historicamente situada de organização política e inserindo-o no contexto dos demais modelos que o precederam. De seguida, constata a profunda crise que sobre ele se abateu, manifesta na incapacidade que apresenta, seja para explicar os fenómenos políticos com que nos deparamos diariamente, seja para constituir matriz adequada para a compreensão e explicação do mundo em que vivemos. Por último, lembra os direitos do homem desenvolvidos na (...) sequência da II Guerra Mundial do último século, explorando, por um lado, o carácter profundamente inovador que assumem e, por outro, a revolução que vêm introduzindo no sistema estatal de organização política. Tudo isto em apoio do principal argumento que se apresenta: quebrando o monopólio sobre o direito e o poder político que a modernidade havia consignado aos Estados, os direitos do homem emergem como uma das exigências mais eloquentes de um modelo novo de organização social e política, capaz de corresponder às necessidades que se fazem sentir, de universalidade, de solidariedade e de integração, também em termos jurídicos e políticos. /// This article opens with a characterization of the sovereign State, understood as a material and historically situated form of political organization and inserted in the context of the models that preceded it. In a second moment, it witnesses the profound crisis that has befallen it, evident in its incapacity, either to explain the political phenomenon we face daily, or to constitute an adequate framework for the under-standing and the explanation of the world we live in. Finally, it looks at human rights, as developed after the Second World War of the last century, exploring, on the one hand, their profoundly innovative character and, on the other, the revolution they are introducing in the State system of political organization. All of this in support of the main argument presented: breaking the monopoly over the law and political power that modernity had attributed to the States, human rights emerge as an eloquent demand for a new model of political organization, capable of corresponding to the demands of universality, solidarity and juridical and political integration that are felt in the contemporary world. (shrink)

La filosofía de la nada fue la respuesta ofrecida por Kitaro Nishida a la necesidad de asentar las bases de un diálogo filosófico con Occidente. Se propone en este trabajo que ese diálogo que todavía prosigue en la Escuela de Kyoto tenga entre uno de sus referentes occidentales a la filosofía del límite de Eugenio Trías. Para ello, y tras un repaso de los conceptos principales de cada propuesta filosófica, se considerará la adecuación del método categorial de análisis histórico propuesto (...) por Trías y se estudiarán los conceptos fundantes de «nada» y «límite», que a su vez son la base para una ética humanista capaz de entablar un diálogo entre las dos culturas. (shrink)

Over recent years, the research community has been increasingly using preprint servers to share manuscripts that are not yet peer-reviewed. Even if it enables quick dissemination of research findings, this practice raises several challenges in publication ethics and integrity. In particular, preprints have become an important source of information for stakeholders interested in COVID19 research developments, including traditional media, social media, and policy makers. Despite caveats about their nature, many users can still confuse pre-prints with peer-reviewed manuscripts. If unconfirmed but (...) already widely shared first-draft results later prove wrong or misinterpreted, it can be very difficult to “unlearn” what we thought was true. Complexity further increases if unconfirmed findings have been used to inform guidelines. To help achieve a balance between early access to research findings and its negative consequences, we formulated five recommendations: (a) consensus should be sought on a term clearer than ‘pre-print’, such as ‘Unrefereed manuscript’, “Manuscript awaiting peer review” or ‘’Non-reviewed manuscript”; (b) Caveats about unrefereed manuscripts should be prominent on their first page, and each page should include a red watermark stating ‘Caution—Not Peer Reviewed’; (c) pre-print authors should certify that their manuscript will be submitted to a peer-review journal, and should regularly update the manuscript status; (d) high level consultations should be convened, to formulate clear principles and policies for the publication and dissemination of non-peer reviewed research results; (e) in the longer term, an international initiative to certify servers that comply with good practices could be envisaged. (shrink)

El presente trabajo investiga las tesis sobre el poder civil de Alonso de la Veracruz que buscan incorporar en la comunidad política española a los habitantes autóctonos del Nuevo Mundo, tesis que suelen relacionarse con F. de Vitoria y el tomismo español, y que últimamente son consideradas parte del republicanismo novohispano elaborado desde la periferia americana. Se busca demostrar que su propósito era aplicar una teoría de derechos naturales, sin que ello implique participación política de los indios americanos. Se analiza (...) la postura del fraile frente a la diversidad cultural y la guerra contra los indios. The paper explores Alonso de la Veracruz's theses on civil power, which sought to integrate the native inhabitants of the New World into the Spanish political community. These theses, which have usually been associated with F. de Vitoria and Spanish Thomism, have recently come to be considered part of a Novohispanic republicanism developed in the American periphery. The article seeks to show that the purpose of such theses was to apply a theory of natural rights that did not entail the political participation of the indigenous population, as well as to analyze Veracruz's position regarding cultural diversity and the war against the indigenous peoples. (shrink)

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder treated with bone marrow transplantation or enzyme replacement therapy with laronidase, a high-cost orphan drug. Laronidase was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency in 2003 and by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency in 2005. Many Brazilian MPS I patients have been receiving laronidase despite the absence of a governmental policy regulating access to the drug. Epidemiological and treatment data concerning MPS I (...) are scarce. This study aims to present a demographic profile of Brazilian patients with MPS I, describe the routes of access to laronidase in Brazil, and discuss associated ethical issues relating to public funding of orphan drugs. (shrink)