The Purpose in Life Test is a measure of purpose in life widely used in many cultures and countries; however, cross-cultural assessments are scarce. The present study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the PIL in the general population of seven Latin American countries. A total of 4306 people participated, selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling, where Uruguay has the highest mean age ; while Ecuador has the lowest mean age. Furthermore, in each country, there is a higher proportion (...) of women than men. Using Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the factorial structure does not show evidence of invariance among the included countries. However, based on the Multi-Group Factor Analysis Alignment, there is evidence that a three-dimensional structure of the PIL is the same in the participating countries. Results based on item response theory indicate that most PIL items can significantly differentiate responses according to the level of life purpose. In addition, people with low life purpose will tend to choose the lower response alternatives on the PIL; while people with higher life purpose will choose higher response alternatives. The findings indicate that the PIL has the potential to increase knowledge about how people conceive and experience their purpose in life in different countries. (shrink)

This work compares the views of René Descartes and Isaac Newton on the nature of gravitation and the possibility of direct action at a distance. In his early writings, Newton tried to find mechanical explanations of gravitation, but could not find any acceptable model. For that reason he preferred to avoid any mechanical explanation. He admitted that the existence of gravitation could be justified by induction, and used it to explain and to predict several phenomena, although gravitation itself was (...) not explained. Descartes, on the other side, tried to explain gravity and the motion of planets using a mechanical model that accepted the existence of vortices of invisible matter. He criticized authors of his time, such as Roberval, who tried to introduce action at a distance. Descartes argued that this would require that brute matter should be endowed with soul and intelligence. This article analyses the arguments of several authors (before and after Descartes) and concludes that Descartes' criticism of action at a distance is valid. RESUMO: Este trabalho discute as posições de René Descartes e Isaac Newton frente à natureza da gravitação e à possibilidade de ações diretas à distância. Newton procurou inicialmente explicações mecânicas da gravitação, porém, não encontrando nenhum modelo aceitável, preferiu não propor nenhuma explicação. Admitindo que a existência da gravitação era justificada pela indução, ele a utilizou para explicar e prever muitos fenômenos, sem que ela própria fosse, no entanto, explicada. Descartes, por sua vez, tentou explicar a gravidade e os movimentos dos planetas a partir de um modelo mecânico de um vórtice de matéria invisível, criticando duramente autores de sua época que, como Roberval, tentaram introduzir a idéia de ação à distância, pois isso exigiria atribuir-se alma e inteligência à matéria bruta. Estudando os argumentos de vários outros autores anteriores e posteriores a Descartes, o artigo defende a posição de Descartes. (shrink)

ResumoEsse artigo propõe um contraponto entre a teoria mimética de René Girard, as considerações freudianas sobre sujeito e a obra de Oswald de Andrade. O sujeito mimético coincide com o sujeito antropofágico oswaldiano, pois idêntica divisa poderia defini-los, transformando o alheio em próprio, e transformá-lo a tal ponto que as fronteiras entre o eu e o outro se confundem. Cada um a seu modo, Oswald de Andrade e René Girard assimilaram criativamente a lição freudiana, especialmente a (...) leitura de Totem e Tabu (1913). O pensador e poeta brasileiro inverteu os termos da equação, descobrindo “a transformação permanente do Tabu em totem”.Palavras-chave: Teoria Mimética Girardiana. Sujeito Mimético. Antropofagia em Oswald de Andrade. Totem e Tabu. AbstractThis article proposes a comparison among René Girard’s mimetic theory, Freudian assumptions on the self and Oswald de Andrade’s work. The mimetic self coincides with the Oswaldian anthropophagic subject, since the identical division could define them, transforming the other in the self, and transform it in such a way that the limits between the self and the other can be confused. Each one in his own way, Oswald de Andrade and René Girard assimilated creatively Freud’s lesson, especially the reading of Totem and Taboo (1913). The thinker and Brazilian poet inverted the terms in the formula, descovering ‘the permanent transformation of the Taboo in totem.’Keywords: Girardian Mimetic Theory. Mimetic Self. Anthropophagy in Oswald de Andrade. Totem and Taboo. (shrink)

I have always considered that the two questions respecting God and the Soul were the chief of those that ought to be demonstrated by philosophical rather than ...

Los estudios clásicos sobre el humor identifican una interrelación estrecha entre humor y angustia. En la serie narrativa Papelucho, esta interacción es constante en la trama de las distintas novelas. Este trabajo describe la interacción entre humor y angustia que se da en la obra y reflexiona sobre su sentido. Se concluye que la serie propone el humor como estrategia para enfrentar los hechos angustiantes ineludibles en la vida.

A obra pretende indicar a bipolaridade que constitui o objeto central da abordagem; por um lado, a problematização da funcionalidade do sistema penal e da expansão, sem precedentes, que experimenta na era da globalização; de outro, o problema dos déficits do conceito e da dimensão da cidadania, que experimentam ímpar minimização.

The aim of the study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Social Justice Scale, composed by Representation, Recognition, and Redistribution dimensions. Likewise, the contribution of social dominance and the belief in a just world in each dimension were analyzed. A total of 471 young adults residing in Madrid participated in the online preliminary study, with an age range of 18–42 years with different genders. The main results indicated adequate psychometric properties for Social Justice Scale through its three dimensions. (...) In addition, we observed that both social dominance and belief in a just world might be psychosocial variables that modulate the levels of social justice. The main findings of the research and need for replication in future studies are discussed. (shrink)

Among the great philosophers of the twentieth century, only one, perhaps, shared Leo Strauss’s understanding of “ideas” as fundamental problems: his teacher Husserl. Throughout his work, Strauss heeded Husserl’s call to return to the “things themselves” and “the problems connected with them.” I argue that “natural right” is one such phenomenon or problem which Strauss seeks to recover—and reactivate—from centuries of sedimented interpretations. I further propose that “natural right” may be a “sense-formation” analogous to Husserl’s “geometry.” If this is true, (...) Natural Right and History may be modeled on Husserl’s Crisis of European Sciences. (shrink)

IntroductionStress is associated with disease and reduced leukocyte telomere length. The objective of this research is to determine if self-perceived stress is associated with telomere length in Costa Rican adults and the gender differences in this association. Findings may help explain how some populations in apparent socioeconomic disadvantage and with limited access to specialized medical services have a remarkably high life expectancy.MethodologyData come from the pre-retirement cohort of the Costa Rican Longevity and Healthy Aging Study, a population based survey conducted (...) in the households to 2,327 adults aged 53 to 66 years. The DNA to measure LTL was extracted from blood cells in laboratories of the University of Costa Rica whereas the Blackburn laboratory at the University of California performed the telomere length measurement applying the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between telomere length and perceived stress was measured using least-squares multiple regression. Perceived stress was measured by a set of questions about family, job, finances and, health reasons to be stressed. Models included the control variables: age and sex of the participant, whether he or she resides in the Nicoya area, a “blue zone” known for its high longevity, and the aforementioned sociodemographic, health and lifestyles characteristics.ResultsStress perception and LTL are significantly different by sex. Women perceived higher stress levels than men in almost all aspects studied, except work. Women have significantly longer telomeres. Shorter telomeres are significantly associated with caregiving stress in men and with parental health concerns in women. Counter-intuitive telomere lengthenings were observed among women who feel stressed about caring for family members; and among men who feel stressed due to their family relationships as well as concerns about their own health.DiscussionResults confirm that people with self-perceived stress due to caregiving or health issues have shorter telomeres. The relationship between stress and telomere length differs between men and women. Gender relations exert a strong modifier effect on the relationship between stress and LTL: gender is related to perceived stress, telomere length, and apparently also to the way stress and LTL are related. (shrink)

This is the first publication on complete and stand alone arithmetization of bivalent logic.

In this paper we introduce a formalism for single-agent decision making that is based on Dynamic Argumentation Frameworks. The formalism can be used to justify a choice, which is based on the current situation the agent is involved. Taking advantage of the inference mechanism of the argumentation formalism, it is possible to consider preference relations, and conflicts among the available alternatives for that reasoning. With this formalization, given a particular set of evidence, the justified conclusions supported by warranted arguments will (...) be used by the agent’s decision rules to determine which alternatives will be selected. We also present an algorithm that implements a choice function based on our formalization. Finally, we complete our presentation by introducing formal results that relate the proposed framework with approaches of classical decision theory. (shrink)

Este artículo se ocupa de las relaciones entre poder y verdad en los cursos de Michel Foucault. Busca mostrar cómo se ha pasado de una concepción en la que se insistía en las instancias de poder como productoras de discursos verdad al análisis de la fuerza de la propia verdad como límite del poder. En este contexto, luego de haberse ocupado de la introducción de la idea de voluntad en la arqueología de saber y sus consecuencias, aborda las nociones de (...) régimen de verdad y veridicción. (shrink)

The Meditations, one of the key texts of Western philosophy, is the most widely studied of all Descartes' writings. This authoritative translation by John Cottingham, taken from the much acclaimed three-volume Cambridge edition of the Philosophical Writings of Descartes, is based upon the best available texts and presents Descartes' central metaphysical writings in clear, readable modern English. As well as the complete text of the Meditations, the reader will find a thematic abridgement of the Objections and Replies (which were originally (...) published with the Meditations) containing Descartes' replies to his critics. These extracts, specially selected for the present volume, indicate the main philosophical difficulties which occurred to Descartes' contemporaries and show how Descartes developed and clarified his arguments in response. This edition contains a new comprehensive introduction to Descartes' philosophy by John Cottingham and the classic introductory essay on the Meditations by Bernard Williams. (shrink)

The idea of family in the western culture has evolved throughout the centuries, from a strong-tied relationship between man-woman-children to the most varied combinations of person-to-person bonds. In many Western societies, the parents’ sexual orientation no longer defines the family structure. This paper studies identity and family relations by means of semiotics and conceptual metaphor theory.

Because of the failed coupe d’etat in Venezuela on April 11th of this year, the country has fallen into an institutional and governability crisis which appears to have no short run solution. This has not only influenced the political activism of new social actors and movements, very distinct f..

This article describes the evolution of the theme of the subject in the work of Michel Foucault. More precisely, it develops the relationship between subject and history, from his first works, dedicated to the history of psychology and of madness, to his courses devoted to biopolitics.Este artículo describe la evolución del tema del sujeto en la obra de Michel Foucault. Más precisamente, desarrolla la relación entre sujeto e historia desde sus primeros trabajos, dedicados a la historia de la psicología y (...) de la locura, hasta sus cursos consagrados a la biopolítica. (shrink)

I argue that inferences from highly probabilifying racial generalizations are not solely objectionable because acting on such inferences would be problematic, or they violate a moral norm, but because they violate a distinctively epistemic norm. They involve accepting a proposition when, given the costs of a mistake, one is not adequately justified in doing so. First I sketch an account of the nature of adequate justification—practical adequacy with respect to eliminating the ~p possibilities from one’s epistemic statespace. Second, I argue (...) that inferences based on demographic generalizations tend to disproportionately expose group members to the risks associated with mistakenly assuming stereotypical propositions, and so magnify the wrong involved in relying on such inferences without adequate justification. (shrink)

The genesis of Feynman's original approach to QED is reviewed. The main ideas of his original presentation at the Pocono Conference are discussed and compared with the ones involved in his action-at-distance formulation of classical electrodynamics. The role of the de Sitter group in Feynman's visualization of space-time processes is emphasized.

A ‘vestigial social practice' is a norm, convention, or social behavior that persists even when few endorse it or its original justifying rationale. Begby (2021) explores social explanations for the persistence of prejudice, arguing that even if we all privately disavow a stereotype, we might nevertheless continue acting as if it is true because we believe that others expect us to. Meanwhile the persistence of the practice provides something like implicit testimonial evidence for the prejudice that would justify it, making (...) it rational for members of the next generation to acquire the corresponding prejudiced beliefs. This paper distinguishes between three different types of vestigial social practice in terms of the underlying explanatory mechanisms, and argues that the persistence of prejudicial social stereotypes is most tightly linked not to others’ beliefs or expectations, but to the ways that material infrastructure constrains options shapes social outcomes. Given that, the persistence of a practice only provides grounds to infer that most people endorse the corresponding prejudiced belief only if we are in a position to dismiss relevant alternative explanations. (shrink)

Several authors have recently suggested that moral factors and norms `encroach' on the epistemic, and because of salient parallels to pragmatic encroachment views in epistemology, these suggestions have been dubbed `moral encroachment views'. This paper distinguishes between variants of the moral encroachment thesis, pointing out how they address different problems, are motivated by different considerations, and are not all subject to the same objections. It also explores how the family of moral encroachment views compare to classical pragmatic encroachment accounts.

Este artículo se ocupa de la recepción de la noción foucaultiana de “gubernamentalidad” en el pensamiento de Roberto Esposito a partir de la traducción al italiano de las lecciones de Foucault de los años 1977 y 1978 en el Collège de France. En primer lugar, se exponen los diferentes contextos de recepción de estas lecciones, en particular en el ámbito anglosajón de los estudios sobre la gubernamentalidad y en el de la crisis del marxismo italiano de finales de los setenta. (...) En segundo lugar, se analiza la posición de Foucault en sus cursos de estos años desde la perspectiva de la oposición entre maquiavelismo y antimaquiavelismo en vista, precisamente, de la recepción italiana. Por último, se aborda la recepción de la noción de “gubernamentalidad” por parte de Roberto Esposito en su obra de 1980, La politica e la storia. El artículo muestra la importancia de esta recepción temprana de las lecciones de Foucault respecto de la formación de la corriente biopolítica italiana y, sobre todo, sus especificidades. (shrink)

El estudio busca señalar cómo, en la situación espiritual de nuestro presente, arte y filosofía se acercan con frecuencia de tal manera que parece imposible delimitar con precisión uno de otro dominio. Dicha situación es particularmente crítica por cuanto, en nuestro presente, la filosofía mengua a ojos vista en tanto el arte se encuentra también vulnerado en su centro significante. El presente ensayo busca la vía de acceso a las patologías del arte y de la filosofía, que las acercan a (...) transformaciones esenciales. Dichas vías de acceso son fenómenos marginales respecto del núcleo sancionado de la conciencia estética: ocasionalidad, apertura e in-significancia (Guerrero y el autor de este trabajo. Así diseccionado el problema de los modos de interpenetración de arte y filosofía, se muestra que aquí es esencialmente conciencia interna de ésta. (shrink)

Crisis significa el momento culminante de un proceso de riesgo. momento en el que todo puede perder se o ganarse. A partir de este supuesto. la investigación descubre tres niveles de crisis de la cultura occidental. Dichos niveles conciernen a la orientación, el crecimiento y el fundamento de individuos. grupos e instituciones. Las ciencias la praxissocio-política y la filosofía son tocadas por las crisis de diversa manera. En los filósofos son visibles aquellos tres niveles, fenómeno de indudable fuerza heurística pues (...) permite encontrar relevancia concreta al concepto de areté. En efecto. su sentido presente se articula desde la filosofía en tanto punto de concentración de la crisis contemporánea. (shrink)

El autor intenta fijar los diversos niveles de significado del concepto de "alienación" para determinar, finalmente, su especificidad filosófica. Con tal propósito se recorren los momentos de formación de dicho concepto filosófico que alcanza en Marx un papel clave en la comprensión de la especie humana. Se analiza igualmente,la rehabilitación del término alienación en las ciencias del hombre, y se concluye postulando una teoría fllosófica de la alienación sobre la base del tiempo como su horizonte trascendental-ontológico.

1 contient:Les préambules ; Les observations ; Les olympiques ; Les règles pour la direction de l'esprit ; Le traité de l'homme ; Le discours de la méthode ; Le traité de la mécanique... 2 contient: Les méditations ; Les objections et les réponses ; Réponse aux instances de Gassendi ; Lettre au P. Dinet ; La recherche de la vérité par la lumière naturelle ; Des extraits de la correspondance.3 contient:Les principes de la philosophie ; Les notae in programma (...) ; Les passions de l'âme... (shrink)

This article studies the mathematical properties of two systems that model Aristotle's original syllogistic and the relationship obtaining between them. These systems are Corcoran's natural deduction syllogistic and ?ukasiewicz's axiomatization of the syllogistic. We show that by translating the former into a first-order theory, which we call T RD, we can establish a precise relationship between the two systems. We prove within the framework of first-order logic a number of logical properties about T RD that bear upon the same properties (...) of the natural deduction counterpart ? that is, Corcoran's system. Moreover, the first-order logic framework that we work with allows us to understand how complicated the semantics of the syllogistic is in providing us with examples of bizarre, unexpected interpretations of the syllogistic rules. Finally, we provide a first attempt at finding the structure of that semantics, reducing the search to the characterization of the class of models of T RD. (shrink)

"Metafísica" se ha convertido en término insultante para muchos filósofos de nuestros días, que se sirven de él con el fin de anatematizar a sus rivales. En el fondo de tal actitud se descubre desconfianza frente a la teología y rechazo de ella; también descubre cierto paralelismo con ideas poeticas modernas. Por lo demás, la misma metafísica se ha autocriticado y transformado, lo que añade complejidad al fenómeno. El lenguaje se asume como núcleo de esta problemática. Aparece así un rasgo (...) esencial del discurso metafísico: la relación lenguaje- metalenguajes. La historia de la metafísica; la historia de un especial alargamiento metalingüístico, que se cierra de manera circular en la filosofía de Hegel. Desde entonces el discurso metafísico adquiere la propiedad de la in-significancia, lo que no ha de entenderse como debilitamiento o banalidad no como fuerza oculta, como clandestinidad. (shrink)

En este trabajo se ensaya un pensar filosófico orientado por símbolos. Seintenta así descifrar los frentes fundamentales de la alienación contemporánea, tomando como hilo conductor la figura del genio maligno(Descartes). Este introduce el frente de la opinión infinita. Su metamorfosis en Fausto (Goethe) ilumina un segundo frente: el desarrollo económico- social. Con el contexto demoníaco de "las flores del mal" (Baudelaire) se tiene una tercera metamorfosis, que enfoca el ángulo del eros desublimado.Por fin, la cuarta metamorfosis, Sammael (Th. Mann), hace (...) visible elfrente de la muerte de Dios, cuyas implicaciones histórico-filosóficas sedesarrollan en las últimas páginas del artículo. (shrink)

Desde la perspectiva de la crítica al antijuridicismo foucaultiano expuesta por Giorgio Agamben en Homo sacer, en el presente trabajo abordamos la cuestión del derecho y su relación con la vida en la genealogía de la racionalidad política moderna, desarrollada en los cursos de Michel Foucault en el Collège de France de los años 1978-1979. Nuestro objetivo es mostrar las modalidades que adopta esta relación a través de los conceptos de integración marginalista y de utilitarismo político, de golpe de Estado (...) permanente y de heterogeneidad de las formas jurídicas. A partir de estas nociones, nos proponemos, además, una confrontación con la lectura realizada por Agamben. (shrink)

This work aims to show the relevance of the question of law in Michel Foucault’s political philosophy. Arguing against the so-called ‘anti-juridicism’ of the author, we seek to determine the place that juridical forms occupy in his analysis of power based on the relationship between the history of law and the history of truth. To this end, we discuss the distinction proposed by François Ewald between the juridical and legal and we raise the need to complement the perspectives of Foucault's (...) books with some texts edited posthumously, particularly his courses at the Collège de France. Este trabajo se ocupa de mostrar la relevancia de la cuestión del derecho en la filosofía política de Michel Foucault. Argumentando contra el denominado “antijuridicismo” del autor, busca determinar el lugar que ocupan las formas jurídicas en su analítica del poder a partir de la relación entre la historia del derecho y la historia de la verdad. A tal fin, discute la distinción propuesta por François Ewald entre lo jurídico y lo legal y plantea la necesidad de complementar las perspectivas de los libros de Foucault con los textos editados póstumamente, en particular sus cursos en el Collège de France. (shrink)

El tema vertebrador como se indica en el título es el sentido de la vida. Se ofrece una serie de reflexiones sobre la relación de la persona con la matematización de la cultura. El conocimiento científico del mundo no es banal, sino que a partir de él la persona en su «voluntad de sentido» mira a esa realidad con la que interactúa. Adentrarnos en el significado de algunos fenómenos matemáticostecnológicos relacionados con la inteligencia artificial, captar los mensajes sociales que se (...) producen y penetrar en su sentido profundo puede ofrecernos claves para la comprensión (y auto-comprensión) de la persona en su estar en la sociedad actual. (shrink)