Background Clinical empathy is an essential part of healthcare, and patient-centered care models require clinical empathy to be established. Despite this, little is known about its measurement in the neonatal scenario. Research Aim To measure clinical empathy in health professionals who work with medium and high-risk neonates and build a construct of this empathy. Research Design Single-center survey study. Participants and Research Context The Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professionals questionnaire was applied to health professionals who work in an (...) intensive care unit and a medium-risk unit, in Brazil. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and a factor analysis model, to build the construct of empathy. Overall empathy was calculated, and the domains’ punctuations were analyzed and compared to the maximum punctuation possible. The study followed the STROBE checklist. Ethical Considerations This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the institution. All participants signed the informed consent form. Participants’ confidentiality and anonymity were protected. Findings Median empathy was 117 (IQR 113–124). The domain of Walking in the Patient’s Shoes had lower scores and represented 77.6% of the maximum punctuation possible. The factor analysis included three factors named Understanding, Experiences, and Treatment, and Emotional Relationships, explaining 64.3% of the overall variance. The domain Walking in the Patient’s Shoes was not included in the model. Conclusions In this scenario, clinical empathy should improve. There is a need to improve the domain of Walking in the Patient’s Shoes, in this case, the neonate, and provide more empathic care to them. (shrink)

In recent years, supported by new scientific evidence, the conceptualization of cognitive reserve has been progressively enriched and now encompasses not only cognitive stimulating activities or educational level, but also lifestyle activities, such as leisure physical activity and socialization. In this context, there is increasing interest in understanding the role of psychological factors in brain health and cognitive functioning. In a previous study, we have found that these factors mediated the relationship between CR and self-reported cognitive functioning. In this study, (...) we have confirmed an association between two important constructs included in the psychological wellbeing and salutogenic models, “purpose in life” and “sense of coherence,” CR, as assessed using a questionnaire, and cognitive functioning, as evaluated using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Results from 888 middle-aged healthy participants from the Barcelona Brain Health Initiative indicate that both sense of coherence and CR were positively associated with verbal memory, reasoning and attention, working memory, and global cognition. Moreover, the relation between CR and cognitive functioning in the different domains is partially mediated by SoC. When we controlled for brain integrity, introducing into the model neurofilament light chain measures, the mediator role of SoC was confirmed for reasoning and attention and global cognition. However, purpose in life was not associated with cognitive functioning. These results reveal the central role of the SoC construct, which mediates the association between classic CR estimates and cognitive functions, potentially representing a modifiable target for interventions that aim to promote brain health. (shrink)

Los caminos espinosos en la construcción del conocimiento son un cometido al que solo el animal humano se ha enfrentado. El uso de un lenguaje proposicional le ha permitido iniciar construcciones racionales, que dan origen a las teorías más complejas en pos de comprender los enigmas del universo, y con ello iniciar la separación tajante entre episteme y doxa. Los discursos más enmarañados, rígidos y rigurosos convocan a científicos y epistemólogos. Enunciados con términos que, en ocasiones, se tornan oscuros y (...) poco comprensibles a quienes inician sus procesos formativos en el campo de la ciencia y la filosofía. Tal vez por ello se presenta un contraste actual en la enseñanza de las ciencias: por una parte, quienes apuestan por enseñar la rigidez de los enunciados científicos, y la conciben bajo un lenguaje unívoco, neutral y de carácter lógico-deductivo; y por otro lado, quienes la humanizan desde dinámicas móviles y cimentaciones semánticas artificiosas, las cuales, se alejan —como lo expone Héctor Palma en el prólogo del libro Bestiario epistemológico. Metáforas zoomórficas y de otras entidades en la enseñanza de las ciencias y la epistemología– de los enunciados depurados y se valen de nuevos discursos desde el ámbito literario, en los que abundan las metáforas. (shrink)

For different reasons, Husserl's original, thought-provoking ideas on the philosophy of logic and mathematics have been ignored, misunderstood, even despised, by analytic philosophers and phenomenologists alike, who have been content to barricade themselves behind walls of ideological prejudices. Yet, for several decades, Husserl was almost continuously in close professional and personal contact with those who created, reshaped and revolutionized 20th century philosophy of mathematics, logic, science and language in both the analytic and phenomenological schools, people whom those other makers of (...) 20th century philosophy, Russell, Frege, Wittgenstein and their followers, rarely, if ever, met. Independently of them, Husserl offered alternatives to the well-trodden paths of logicism, nominalism, formalism and intuitionism. He presented a well-articulated, thoroughly argued case for logic as an objective science, but was not philosophically naive to the point of not seeing the role of subjectivity in shaping the sense of the reality facing objective science. Given the preeminent role that philosophy of logic and philosophy of mathematics have played in transforming the way philosophy has been done since Husserl's time, and given the depth of his insights and his obvious expertise in those fields, his ideas need to be integrated into present-day, mainstream philosophy. Here, philosopher Claire Ortiz Hill and mathematician-philosopher Jairo da Silva offer a wealth of interesting insights intended to subvert the many mistaken idees recues about the development of Husserl's thought and reestablish broken ties between it and philosophy now. (shrink)

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar aos pesquisadores das Humanidades as iniciativas brasileiras para o desenvolvimento de materiais didáticos para a aprendizagem de latim por estudantes de cursos superiores de nosso tempo, com foco no material didático do Programa “Latinitas: leitura de textos em língua latina”, produto da tese de doutorado do autor. Após os mais de três anos de elaboração e de testagens do material na Universidade Federal da Bahia (Brasil), resenha-se aqui o processo de elaboração e de aplicação (...) e noticia-se a disponibilização online, ao público interessado, dos materiais didáticos elaborados. (shrink)

In The Grammar of Society, first published in 2006, Cristina Bicchieri examines social norms, such as fairness, cooperation, and reciprocity, in an effort to understand their nature and dynamics, the expectations that they generate, and how they evolve and change. Drawing on several intellectual traditions and methods, including those of social psychology, experimental economics and evolutionary game theory, Bicchieri provides an integrated account of how social norms emerge, why and when we follow them, and the situations where we are (...) most likely to focus on relevant norms. Examining the existence and survival of inefficient norms, she demonstrates how norms evolve in ways that depend upon the psychological dispositions of the individual and how such dispositions may impair social efficiency. By contrast, she also shows how certain psychological propensities may naturally lead individuals to evolve fairness norms that closely resemble those we follow in most modern societies. (shrink)

In Norms in the Wild, distinguished philosopher Cristina Bicchieri argues that when it comes to human behavior, social scientists place too much stress on rational deliberation. In fact, she says, many choices occur without much deliberation at all. Two people passing in a corridor automatically negotiate their shared space; cars at an intersection obey traffic signals; we choose clothing based on our instincts for what is considered appropriate. Bicchieri's theory of social norms accounts for these automatic components of coordination, (...) where individuals react automatically to cues that focus their attention on what the norm is in that situation. Social norms thus act as rules for making choices in a social world where people expect others -- often unconsciously -- to follow the same rule. Some norms enable seamless social co-operation, while others are less beneficial to human flourishing.Bicchieri is famous for her interdisciplinary work on game theory and most recently her work on social norms, and Norms in the Wild represents her latest challenge to many of the fundamental assumptions of the social sciences. Bicchieri's work has broad implications not only for understanding human behavior, but for changing it for better outcomes. People have a strongly conditioned preference for following social norms, but that also means that manipulating their expectations can cause major behavioral changes. Bicchieri has been working recently with UNICEF and other NGO's to explore the applicability of her views to issues of human rights around the world. Is it possible to change social expectations around forced marriage, genital mutilations, and public health practices like vaccinations and sanitation? If so, how? What tools might we use? This short book explores how social norms work, and how changing them - changing preferences, beliefs, and especially social expectations - can potentially improve lives all around the world. It will appeal to an unusually broad range of readers including philosophers, psychologists and others in behavioral sciences, and anyone involved in public policy or at NGOs. (shrink)

En este trabajo realizamos una revisión historiográfica sobre la fabricación de anatomías artificiales que fueron ampliamente demandadas como herramientas didácticas en la enseñanza de la naturaleza, entre finales del siglo XVIII y principios del XX. Se analizan los contextos educativos y sociales que favorecieron la amplia difusión de este tipo de artefactos en el comercio de la cultura científica, y se describen las técnicas de manufactura. Se concluye que estos artefactos, fruto del ingenio humano, son fuentes materiales de extraordinario valor (...) para comprender la construcción y evolución de la ciencia, los avances en los recursos pedagógicos y las innovaciones tecnológicas. (shrink)

Bernard Rollin argues that it is permissible to change an animal's telos through genetic engineering, if it doesn't harm the animal's welfare. Recent attempts to undermine his argument rely either on the claim that diminishing certain capacities always harms an animal's welfare or on the claim that it always violates an animal's integrity. I argue that these fail. However, respect for animal dignity provides a defeasible reason not to engineer an animal in a way that inhibits the development of those (...) functions that a member of its species can normally perform, even if the modification would improve the animal's welfare. (shrink)

El súbito consenso que se ha producido en nuestros días alrededor de la importancia de la noción democracia no se ha acompañado de una reflexión filosófica sobre su sentido moderno. La obra filosófica de Claude Lefort ha contribuido a llenar este vacío teórico. Para Lefort, el sentido de la democracia moderna no puede revelarse, como ha supuesto la ciencia política, a través de la descripción del funcionamiento de sus instituciones, sino puede estudiarse mediante la exploración de su dimensión simbólica. En (...) efecto, la fundación y el destino de la democracia son inseparables de la indeterminación de sus fundamentos y de la infigurabilidad del poder, de la ley y del saber. Origen y destino que bien pueden ser rastreados a la luz del contraste entre la sociedad democrática y la sociedad totalitaria. El presente ensayo se ocupa de contrastar la dimensión simbólica de ambas formas de sociedad. Palabras clave: Democracia; totalitarismo; dimensión simbólica; político; Claude Lefort Democracy and totalitarianism: The Symbolic Dimension of the Political according to Claude LefortThe sudden consensus prevailing nowadays on the importance of the concept of democracy has not been accompanied by a philosophical reflection on its modern sense. Claude Lefort’s philosophical work has helped to fill this theoretical vacuum. According to Lefort, the sense of modern democracy cannot be disclosed, as political science has assumed, just by describing the operation of its institutions. Rather, it may be studied by exploring its symbolic dimension. In fact, democracy’s origin and fate are inseparable from the indeterminacy of its foundation and the non-figurable nature of power, law and knowledge. Such an origin and fate may indeed be tracked in light of the contrast between the democratic society and the totalitarian one. This essay aims to contrast the symbolic dimension of both forms of society. Keywords : Democracy; totalitarianism; symbolic dimension; political; Claude Lefort. (shrink)

Bernard Rollin argues that it is permissible to change an animal's telos through genetic engineering, if it doesn't harm the animal's welfare. Recent attempts to undermine his argument rely either on the claim that diminishing certain capacities always harms an animal's welfare or on the claim that it always violates an animal's integrity. I argue that these fail. However, respect for animal dignity provides a defeasible reason not to engineer an animal in a way that inhibits the development of those (...) functions that a member of its species can normally perform, even if the modification would improve the animal's welfare. (shrink)

RESUMEN Con un enfoque cualitativo y alcance descriptivo, el presente artículo tiene como objetivo sintetizar aspectos de materiales publicados en diversas fuentes relacionados con el estrés para lo cual se emplea el método de revisión bibliográfica. Durante el estudio se encontraron aspectos teóricos que permiten entender la evolución del concepto, acceder a modelos, evaluar la repercusión del fenónemo y constatar instrumentos para su evaluación, así como obtener sugerencias para controlarlo. Se concluye que el estrés puede ser percibido como positivo o (...) negativo según el manejo que hace cada individuo y su estilo de afrontarlo, es una manifestación relacionada con el proceso salud enfermedad en el que, para algunos, contribuye al crecimiento personal y en otros, a su malestar o enfermedad. ABSTRACT With a qualitative approach and descriptive scope, the present article takes as an objective to synthesize aspects of materials published in diverse sources related to the stress for which uses the method of bibliographical review. During the study there were theoretical aspects that allow understanding the evolution of the concept, gaining access to models, evaluating the aftereffect of the phenomenon and state instruments for their evaluation, as well as obtaining suggestions to control it. It was concluded that the stress can be perceived as positive or negative according to the handling that there does every individual and its style of confronting it, a declaration related to the process is a health illness in the one that, for some, contributes to the personal growth and in others, to its discomfort or illness. (shrink)

This essay elaborates on Rodolfo Corky Gonzales’s “Yo soy Joaquín” as an inter-American articulation of the critical commitments of Chicanismo, which is here identified as the sociopolitical philosophy and ideological/normative leanings of Mexican Americans who call themselves Chicanas/os. The purpose of this essay is to show both how syncretism frames Chicanismo as a philosophy of growth and identity beyond borders and that this worldview can be critically explained as seeking alliances to communities and contexts defined by struggle. It engages the (...) historical groundwork, philosophical influences on, and cultural ideals and values voiced through this poem by proponents of Chicanismo among its multiple forms and various representatives. (shrink)

This essay elaborates on Rodolfo Corky Gonzales’s “Yo soy Joaquín” as an inter-American articulation of the critical commitments of Chicanismo, which is here identified as the sociopolitical philosophy and ideological/normative leanings of Mexican Americans who call themselves Chicanas/os. The purpose of this essay is to show both how syncretism frames Chicanismo as a philosophy of growth and identity beyond borders and that this worldview can be critically explained as seeking alliances to communities and contexts defined by struggle. It engages the (...) historical groundwork, philosophical influences on, and cultural ideals and values voiced through this poem by proponents of Chicanismo among its multiple forms and various representatives. (shrink)

En este artículo se expone una reflexión desde la propuesta teórica de Charles Taylor sobre la construcción de la identidad individual como una narración social frente a la crítica de Amartya Sen, quien propone la identidad como resultado solo de la elección personal. Se argumenta que las criticas que Amartya Sen hace a los argumentos de Taylor son infundadas, ya que la perspectiva de Charles Taylor se centra más en el carácter fundamentalmente constructivo, narrativo y dialógico de la identidad que (...) en la pérdida de la libertad y la mera aceptación acrítica de la identidad asumida. Se concluye que la identidad como narración social desde la perspectiva teoría de Taylor sí da cabida a la capacidad de elegir de los individuos y a la consideración de las identidades múltiples y múltiples lealtades identitarias, pero se hace notar la importacia del contexto social y del grupo por encima de la elección personal en el momento en que una persona contruye su identidad, ya que les da valor a los bienes externos como la comunidad cultural y lingüística a la que la pertenece y que hacen posible la inteligibilidad y la narracción de lo que somos y de quiénes somos. This paper presents Charles Taylor's theoretical proposal of construction of identity confronted to the criticism of Amartya Sen who conceives identity as a result of personal choice. It is argued that the critiques that Amartya Sen makes to the arguments of Taylor are groundless given that the perspective of Charles Taylor focuses more on the fundamentally constructive nature of identity than on the loss of freedom and the mere uncritical acceptance of the assumed identity. Taylor's theory does has space for the ability to choose and the consideration of multiple identities but it draws attention to the importance of social and group context when a person builds his identity and it assigns a higher value to the external goods that define the way people live in contemporary societies, such as the cultural and linguistic community, than to personal choice. (shrink)

The colonial process constituted a twofold catastrophe. On the one hand, the genocide and enslavement of racialized bodies, along with the large-scale destruction of their lands was a material, or physical, catastrophe. On the other hand, colonialism led to a reconfiguring of intersubjectivities which constituted a “metaphysical catastrophe” according Puerto Rican philosopher Nelson Maldonado-Torres. This metaphysical catastrophe relegates the racialized subject beneath the zones of being and non-being leading to dehumanization and permanent war. This text intends to illuminate ways in (...) which analectical marronage, as an existential state of Being, resists this twofold catastrophe brought about by the imperial enterprise. (shrink)

En el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19 el artículo se centra en las personas adultas mayores y pregunta acerca de dos tópicos: por una parte, por la soledad y las relaciones sociales; por otra, por el envejecimiento mismo y por la muerte. Considerando estas dimensiones, el artículo expone, primero, la idea de respectividad, tal como ha sido expuesta por el filósofo español Xavier Zubiri; y segundo, se expone la aproximación al fenómeno del envejecimiento y a la idea de vida (...) como actividad, tal como es expuesta por el pensador alemán Max Scheler. Finalmente, se propone una aplicación de ambos conceptos a los adultos mayores: una vida humana será mejor, si la persona es activa y vive en buenas y profundas relaciones sociales. (shrink)

El texto trata del acceso fenomenológico a la muerte. El punto de partida de la reflexión está constituido por la descripción de la muerte que hace Bernhard Welte como un momento en el cual el ser humano alcanza su totalidad. Así, cuando se considera a una persona fallecida, experimentamos una transfiguración en su imagen, de tal modo que el momento de la muerte puede ser calificado como un instante numinoso y sacro. Si se compara esta descripción con el análisis que (...) Martin Heidegger ofrece en Ser y tiempo, constatamos diferentes accesos. Heidegger intenta mostrar que la muerte no puede ser definida por la vía del trato con la muerte de otra persona, sino solo describiendo la relación individual con la propia muerte. Finalmente, el texto discute el concepto que Eugen Fink ofrece de la muerte, el cual tiene dos aspectos: la dimensión solitaria (la propia muerte) y su dimensión social (la muerte de los otros). Ambas dimensiones se complementan. The paper deals with the phenomenological approach to death. The starting point of the reflection is Bernhard Welte’s description of death as a moment in which a human being achieves his wholeness. Thus, when regarding a dead person, we experience a transfiguration in his/her image in such a way that the moment of death can be spoken about as a numinous and sacred instant. Comparing this description with Martin Heidegger’s analysis in Being and Time, we see a different approach. Heidegger attempts to show that death cannot be defined by dealing with the death of another person, but only by describing the individual’s relationship to his/her own death. Finally the text discusses Eugen Fink’s notion of death, which has two aspects: the solitary dimension (one’s own death) and its social dimension (the death of others). Both dimensions are complementary. (shrink)

Fundamento: El currículo de estudios, principalmente de posgrado, no puede considerarse como un plan al que hay que ajustarse de manera estricta, sino que debe ser más flexible, que dé salida a los objetivos propuestos según las situaciones del entorno. Objetivo: mostrar algunos resultados de la vinculación del residente de Higiene y Epidemiología a actividades epidemiológicas emergentes en la actualidad. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal en el Centro Provincial de Higiene, Epidemiología y Microbiología de Camagüey durante junio de (...) 2014. Se entrevistó a un universo de 32 profesionales. Las variables utilizadas fueron: utilidad de la vinculación extracurricular a programas y tareas de control epidemiológico, desarrollo práctico de los aspectos teóricos, vencimiento con calidad del diseño curricular de la residencia y si se consideró necesario o no interrumpir el plan de estudios ante eventos epidemiológicos de emergencia. Resultados: La mayoría de los especialistas consideró que la vinculación a actividades específicas le permitió vencer con calidad el plan de estudios, mientras que el mayor porcentaje de los residentes no lo estimó así. Ningún residente entrevistado estuvo de acuerdo con la interrupción del plan de estudios ante situaciones emergentes. Conclusiones: la vinculación del residente a actividades prácticas emergentes puede servir de incentivo para la graduación de un especialista con mayor competencia profesional, sin abandonar el diseño curricular establecido. Fundament: The study curriculum, especially of post grade, cannot be considered as a plan to which one has to be adjusted in a strict way, but to be more flexible, offering a way out to the proposed objectives according to the situations of the environment. Objective: to offer some results of the linking of the medical resident of Hygiene and Epidemiology to emergent epidemiological activities at the present time. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study at the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology during June 2014 was carried out. A universe of 32 professionals was interviewed. The variables used were: usefulness of the extracurricular linking to programs and tasks of epidemiological control, practical development of theoretical aspects, quality achievement of the curricular design of the medical residency, and if it was necessary or not to interrupt the study plan in emergent epidemiological events. Results: Most of the specialists considered the linking to emergent epidemiological activities allowed to finish with quality its study plan, while that the biggest percentage of the residents did not estimate it in the same way. None of the interviewed resident agreed with the interruption of the study plan in front of emergent situations. Conclusions: the linking of the medical resident to practical emergent activities can serve as incentive for the graduation of the specialists with better professional competence without abandoning the established curricular design. (shrink)

Fundamento: La investigación científica y la divulgación de los resultados obtenidos es uno de los puntales del desarrollo científico del país. Objetivo: Considerar la productividad científica de los especialistas de Higiene y Epidemiología de su Centro Provincial en Camagüey, a partir del número de publicaciones en los últimos cinco años. Método: Se diseñó un estudio transversal desde abril de 2008 hasta abril de 2013, a través de un cuestionario estructurado, de carácter anónimo y con el consentimiento informado de los mismos, (...) donde se recogieron las variables tiempo de graduado, publicaciones en los últimos cinco años, categoría docente e investigativa, conocimientos de técnicas estadísticas, motivación, participación en eventos científicos, dificultades para publicar y dominio del idioma inglés para consultar las bases de datos EBSCO y PUBMED. Resultados: Se mostró una escasa productividad científica independientemente del tiempo de graduado; el número de categorías investigativas por especialista es muy pobre y si bien la mayoría de los mismos reconoce que la especialidad le confiere los conocimientos y motivación necesarias durante su formación, al final expresan tener dificultades para publicar y en el manejo del idioma inglés para estos fines. Conclusiones: La formación del especialista de Higiene y Epidemiología no da salida, al menos de la manera deseada, a uno de sus perfiles básicos como es la investigación. Basis: Scientific research and promotion of the obtained results is one of the objectives of the scientific development of the country, mainly when a specialty is involved, in which this task is included in different versions of the study plans. Objectives: to consider starting from the number of publications in the last five years, the scientific productivity of the specialists of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology of Camagüey. Method: To carry out this task a cross sectional study was designed by authors through a small, anonymous structured questionary and with the informed consent of all of them, in which the following variables were analyzed: graduation date, publications in the last five years, teaching or scientific category, knowledge of statistical techniques, motivation, participation in scientific events, difficulties for publishing and knowledge of the English language to consult de databases EBSCO and PUBMED. Results: Poor scientific performance is observed, apart from graduation experience, the number of scientific categories by specialists is very low and even though most of them accept that the specialty promotes knowledge and necessary motivations during their postgraduate studies, finally they confirm there are difficulties for publishing and to manage English language for this purpose. Conclusions: The teaching curriculum of Hygiene and Epidemiology specialist does not promote research, one of its basic fields. (shrink)

We report the results of an experiment designed to determine the effects of psychological proximity—proxied by awareness of pain and friendship—on moral reasoning. Our study tests the hypotheses that a moral agent’s emphasis on justice decreases with proximity, while his/her emphasis on care increases. Our study further examines how personality, gender, and managerial status affect the importance of care and justice in moral reasoning. We find support for the main hypotheses. We also find that care should be split into two (...) components, one related to protection and the other to the preservation of relationships. Although gender does not affect moral reasoning directly, we find that it does so indirectly via personality, controlling for age, professional status, and professional background. We do not find a significant effect of managerial status on ethics of justice, but do find that holding a managerial position has a negative impact on ethics of care. Regarding personality, we detect significant positive effects of conscientiousness on ethics of justice and of neuroticism on ethics of care. (shrink)

The thesis of mental fragmentation has recently attracted increased attention as a way of explaining facts about mind and language. This volume provides an accessible introduction and essays on foundations and applications of fragmentation.

Se presenta la reflexión sobre el papel de una ética crítica que acompañe los procesos de innovación tecnológica, a partir de los aportes de la filosofía de la tecnología, específicamente las propuestas de Floridi y Verbeek. Se análizará el caso de digitalización de servicios de gobierno, en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, centrado en el comportamiento de los usuarios de la plataforma Movilidad en Línea. La tesis principal que se esboza es que con los procesos de digitalización se pretende eliminar (...) la intermediación entre el ciudadano y el acceso al Estado Plataforma. Sin embargo, encontramos que las mediaciones persisten y transitan hacia mediaciones tecnológicas. Esta constatación y la demostración de la agencialidad y moralidad de los artefactos tecnológicos fundamenta la propuesta de una ética critica que acompañe de manera participativa la innovación y transición digital. (shrink)

This book articulates a participatory conception of deliberative democracy that takes the democratic ideal of self-government seriously. It aims to improve citizens' democratic control and vindicate the value of citizens' participation against conceptions that threaten to undermine it. The book critically analyzes deep pluralist, epistocratic, and lottocratic conceptions of democracy. Their defenders propose various institutional ''shortcuts'' to help solve problems of democratic governance such as overcoming disagreements, citizens' political ignorance, or poor-quality deliberation. However, all these shortcut proposals require citizens to (...) blindly defer to actors over whose decisions they cannot exercise control. Implementing such proposals would therefore undermine democracy. Moreover, it seems naive to assume that a community can reach better outcomes 'faster' if it bypasses the beliefs and attitudes of its citizens. Unfortunately, there are no 'shortcuts' to make a community better than its members. The only road to better outcomes is the long, participatory road that is taken when citizens forge a collective will by changing one another's hearts and minds. However difficult the process of justifying political decisions to one another may be, skipping it cannot get us any closer to the democratic ideal. Starting from this conviction, the book defends a conception of democracy ''without shortcuts''. This conception sheds new light on long-standing debates about the proper scope of public reason, the role of religion in politics, and the democratic legitimacy of judicial review. It also proposes new ways to unleash the democratic potential of institutional innovations such as deliberative minipublics. (shrink)

Boyer, Amalia. “Cuerpos, imaginarios y potencias.” _Eidos. Revista de filosofía de la Universidad del Norte_ 22 (2015):13-34.