Mylan Engels paper (2004) is divided into two parts: a negative part, criticizing the costs of contextualism and a constructive part proposing a noncontextualist resolution of the skeptical problem. I will only address the constructive part here. The constructive part is composed of three elements: (i) a reconstruction or reformulation of the original skeptical argument, which draws on the notion of epistemic possibility (e-possibility), (ii) a distinction between two senses of knowledge (and two corresponding kinds of e-possibility): fallibilistic and infallibilistic, (...) and (iii) an argument which tries to hoist the skeptic by their own petard, namely the closure principle (CP). As I will argue, there are two ways to understand Engels anti-skeptical argument. Only in one interpretation does the argument depend on the proposed reconstruction of the skeptical argument in terms of e-possibility. But this version of the argument is unsound. More importantly, the skeptic has a strong prima facie objection at her disposal, which applies to both interpretations of the argument. If this objection is valid, Engels argument does not hold. But once it is invalidated, his argument is superfluous. (shrink)

I have a long-standing relation with the noun “technoscience.” In recent years, I have been concerned with its evolution and connotations, since the period when I first thought it up. This chapter presents a survey of the various uses, transfers and significations of the term. It makes a twofold claim technoscientific research and development are conducted by a plural subject in need of a moral conscience; the study of technoscientific objects requires a methodological and operational materialism.Augmented version for this volume (...) of an essay first published in French Regards sur les technosciences, Vrin, Paris, pp. 23–38, 2006). Translation by John Stewart, University of Technology Compiègne. (shrink)

Jay Coen Gilbert, co-founder of B Lab, discusses his vision for a “new economy” where business is a “force for good.” In this interview, Coen Gilbert provides an overview of how B Lab’s various initiatives—Certified B Corporations, the B Impact Assessment, B Analytics, GIIRS, and Benefit Corporations—function interdependently to accelerate a culture shift to redefine success in business. Coen Gilbert then focuses on the role of benefit corporations in this larger movement. The benefit corporation is a new (...) legal form of business that requires a corporate purpose dedicated to “general public benefit” and the delivery of demonstrable “material positive impact on society and the environment.” Novel fiduciary and reporting requirements differentiate the benefit corporation from the traditional corporation founded on shareholder primacy. Coen Gilbert explains how the benefit corporation is better suited to create long-term shareholder value as well as sustainable value for society, the environment, and other stakeholders. He addresses critiques of and challenges to the benefit corporation as an agent of change for business. (shrink)

The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with Regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine is now one of the most important bioethics texts from the point of view of international policy and law. It is the result of five years of discussions and negotiations between the different instances of the Council of Europe. In this article I analyze several problems. First, there are problems of articulation between the Convention and the joint (...) Explanatory Report. The oriented exegesis of the Explanatory Report raises suspicion about the Convention, which appears as a smooth façade for an instrument actually serving ideological positions many people do not share. Second, there are problems of formulation within the Convention. These are mainly problems with articles that state prohibitions without any distinction, relativization, contextualization or sense of evolution. Finally, there are problems of substance, leading to the conclusion that the Convention is not a good illustration of the human rights philosophical tradition in the name of which it has been proclaimed. This tradition is the one of Enlightenment. And when Kant summarizes the motto of Enlightenment, the injunction is "Sapere Aude!": "Dare to know!" It is difficult to hear such a message through the Convention, and the Explanatory Report includes too many passages and sentences that mean the opposite. (shrink)

Le présent ouvrage a pour fins de : clarifier l'origine du terme "technoscience" et l'évolution de son usage. Rendre accessible un texte fondateur qui n'avait jamais encore été publié intégralement : Philosophie et futur (1976). Encourager la lecture et l'étude de la science-fiction, passée et actuelle, en raison de sa pertinence pour le questionnement et la réflexion philosophiques. Illustrer l'intérêt de la notion de technoscience comme outil heuristique pour la lecture critique de la science-fiction. [ed.].

Here is a pioneering volume that explores adolescent homosexuality around the world. Social scientists examine the personal experiences of gay and lesbian teenagers from culture to culture and address the problems and obstacles these young people face. The changing contexts, values, and goals of societies worldwide are affecting how these adolescents adapt to being homosexual, and this compelling book gives keen insight into how changes in the United States contrast with changes elsewhere. A unique and thorough description of the identities, (...) situations, and relationships of homosexual teens in many societies, Gay and Lesbian Youth will help social scientists, health care professionals, counselors, gay teenagers, and their parents to better understand the similarities of the problems facing these youth, while recognizing the minor differences in their social and personal situations. How do the personal experiences of gay and lesbian teenagers vary from culture to culture? Here is the best, most complete description of the identities, situations, and relationships of homosexual teens in many societies. The changing contexts, values, and goals of societies worldwide are affecting how these adolescents adapt to being homosexual, and this compelling book gives keen insight into how changes in the United States contrast with changes elsewhere. Social scientists, health care professionals, counselors, gay teenagers, and their parents will better understand the similarities of the problems facing these youth, while recognizing the minor differences in their social and personal situations. These differences must be understood by interpreting the adaptations of gay and bisexual teenagers around the world. (shrink)

Werner Jaeger's highly-acclaimed work treats paideia, the shaping of Greek character, as the basis for study of Hellenism as a whole, to explain the interaction between the historical process by which Greek character was formed and the intellectual process by which they constructed their ideal of the human personality.

This book is intended for Prizes won etc.

This book is intended for Prizes won etc.

Parce qu'il a avance comme modele du langage, la machine et le calcul, Leibniz annonce par certains aspects la „techno-logie“ universelle contemporaine. Celle-ci, c'est-a-dire le devenir operatoire ou instrumental du langage en general, presente une face n douce" et une face „dure“. La premiere coincide avec le regne de Pideologie et de la rhetorique qui pratiquent et pensent le discours sous le signe du calcul, de Paction et de l'instrument. La seconde coincide avec le developpement de Pinformatique. Avec celle-ci, Pinstrumentalisation (...) du langage n'est pas une operation simplement symbolique mais bien physique. (shrink)

Les etudes rassemblees ici ont pour preoccupation la Recherche et le Developpement TechnoScientifique (RDTS) de la biomedecine d'aujourd'hui et de demain. Ce que les technosciences genetiques, les neurotechnosciences, les technosciences de l'information, les nano-technosciences, les technosciences de l'espace, entreprennent n'est pas a la mesure de l'existence humaine individuelle. Comment vivre la brievete de la vie, c'est-a-dire comment la symboliser, quelle histoire en faire, des lors qu'elle se detache non plus sur un horizon d'eternite ou d'histoire a priori finalisee, mais sur (...) fond d'aventure, indeterminee et gigantesque? La grande question de l'accompagnement des processus RDTS est la question ethique autant qu'esthetique des formes dont nous voulons encourager la cristallisation et la dynamique temporaires. C'est en ces termes que se posent les questions relatives au clonage, a l'eugenisme, aux formes de vie artificielles, aux transsexuels, aux transgeneses comme aux stations spatiales et aux reseaux informatiques. (shrink)