The aim of this paper is to present a logical framework in which the concepts of trust and reputation can be formally characterized and their properties studied. We start from the definition of trust proposed by Castelfranchi & Falcone . We formalize this definition in a logic of time, action, beliefs and choices. Then, we provide a refinement of C&F’s definition by distinguishing two general types of trust: occurrent trust and dispositional trust. In the second part of the paper we (...) present a definition of reputation that is structurally similar to the definition of trust but moves the basic concept of belief to a collective dimension of group belief. (shrink)

Was ist Natur oder was könnte sie sein? Diese und weitere Fragen sind grundlegend für Naturdenken und -handeln. Das Lehr- und Studienbuch bietet eine historisch-systematische und zugleich praxisbezogene Einführung in die Naturphilosophie mit ihren wichtigsten Begriffen. Es nimmt den pluralen Charakter der Wahrnehmung von Natur in den philosophischen Blick und ist auch zum Selbststudium bestens geeignet.

According to the theory of appearing, veridical perception consists in an irreducible relation of appearing between a perceiving subject and a physical object. The paper sketches the development of the theory and its relation to competing views (sense data theory, adverbialism, representationalism). The most worked-out version of the theory, due to William Alston, is found lacking on several counts. First, Alston’s account of the phenomenal character of perception succeeds only if we disregard the possibility of illusion. Second, the account implies, (...) implausibly, that to be deceived by hallucination is to commit an introspective error concerning the phenomenal character of one’s own experience. Another unintuitive implication of the theory is that veridical perception involves not one but two objects appearing to the subject: the physical object perceived and a further, special object required to account for the possibility of hallucinatory experience. Finally, relative to its competitors, the theory of appearing is not in a privileged position to explain how perception can be a source of justification for empirical judgements. (shrink)

In the last twenty years, genetic counselling has become a well introduced clinical institution in Germany, established at clinical or human genetic institutes of the universities. There are typical differences in the counselling process before or during gravidity, and there is a need of various ethical reflections and dis'courses with clients and amongst all who are engaged in such situations. Screening programs are in danger to promote automatisms in clinical procedures. New diagnostic techniques raise new problems: Who wants to know (...) deseases that may appear in future and who does not? Is there a right not to know? This is exemplified by Huntington's desease. Patients are also confronted with eugenic options, and this is one of the main topics in the discussion within patient's committees. (shrink)

The paper discusses Barbara Vetter’s strategy of grounding metaphysical modalities in the capacities or potentialities of individual things. The first concern is the direction of explanation in tautological and contradictory potentialities. It is argued that the possible and necessary truth of tautologies grounds the possession of tautological potentialities, not vice versa; and that the impossibility of contradictions explains why nothing has contradictory potentialities, not vice versa. It is also argued that Vetter cannot adhere to providing constraints on the existence of (...) uninstantiated properties. Keywords: metaphysical modality, dispositional account of modality, grounding, tautological potentiality, uninstantiated properties. (shrink)

In the last twenty years, genetic counselling has become a well introduced clinical institution in Germany, established at clinical or human genetic institutes of the universities. There are typical differences in the counselling process before or during gravidity, and there is a need of various ethical reflections and dis'courses with clients and amongst all who are engaged in such situations. Screening programs are in danger to promote automatisms in clinical procedures. New diagnostic techniques raise new problems: Who wants to know (...) deseases that may appear in future and who does not? Is there a right not to know? This is exemplified by Huntington's desease. Patients are also confronted with eugenic options, and this is one of the main topics in the discussion within patient's committees. (shrink)

Ein Bauklötzchen wird auf ein anderes gelegt, ein Natriumatom verbindet sich mit einem Chloratom. Entstehen in beiden Fällen neue Dinge? Allgemeiner: Unter welchen Bedingungen bilden verschiedene Teile ein materielles Objekt, d.h. eine Substanz? Hübner geht die Frage an, indem er gesonderte Analysen der Zusammensetzung für Massen, Körper, Artefakte und Lebewesen entwickelt. Der erste thematische Hauptstrang entwickelt Analysen für die genannten Arten und diskutiert ihre Existenz am Prüfstein klassischer Rätsel wie z.B. Theseus' Schiff. Ausgehend von Diskussionen über den Vierdimensionalismus und das (...) Problem der Vagheit weist der zweite Hauptstrang die Auffassungen zurück, die Bildung von komplexen Substanzen sei unter beliebigen Umständen gegeben oder nie. Hübner führt eine aktuelle internationale Debatte in den deutschsprachigen Raum ein. (shrink)

Der Aristotelismus in Ontologie und Metaphysik muss vor dem Hintergrund der sich ändernden Haltung zu metaphysischen Fragen ab 1950 gesehen werden. Nach einer Phase grundsätzlicher Metaphysik-Feindlichkeit der beiden Zweige der frühen analytischen Philosophie, des Logischen Positivismus und des Ansatzes der Normalen Sprache, wird das Interesse an Themen und Thesen aus Aristoteles’ Metaphysik im Zuge der etwa 1950 einsetzenden Rehabilitierung metaphysischer Fragen wieder geweckt. Die beiden dominierenden Protagonisten der neuen metaphysischen Ernsthaftigkeit sind der vom Logischen Positivismus her kommende Amerikaner Willard Quine (...) und der in der Philosophie der Normalen Sprache verwurzelte Brite Peter Strawson. (shrink)

Der Aufsatz gewinnt aus einer Analyse der Passage EN VI 2, 1139a35-b4 drei Kriterien zur Unterscheidung von Produktion und Praxis: Erstens ist das charakteristische Ziel einer Produktion einem weiteren Ziel des Tätigen untergeordnet, das praktische Ziel dagegen nicht. Zweitens ist das produktive Ziel für den Tätigen nicht zwingend wertvoll, das praktische Ziel dagegen schon. Drittens ist jede Produktion als Teil einer Praxis motiviert. Zwei weitere Thesen sind: Die Unterscheidung zwischen Produktion und Praxis ist nicht identisch mit der Differenz zwischen Tätigkeiten (...) mit und solchen ohne dauerhaftes Resultat. Aristoteles macht nicht klar, ob die Unterscheidung intensional oder extensional ist, und muss das für die Zwecke der Ethik auch nicht tun. (shrink)

In the wake of massive structural changes within the world trade the WTO faces important challenges. Like an invisible world govemment the WTO uses its agreement as a sort of basic law. This basic law demands equal chances for every human being in the world. Therefore it is important to strengthen the WTO in order to pave the way for fair conditions within the world trade. This essay asks which circumstances are necessary to achieve this goal.

Das Seiende ist Gegenstand der grundlegenden Wissenschaft, der Ersten Philosophie. Die Probleme, die Aristoteles für die eigene Konzeption einer solchen Wissenschaft und für die Ansätze seiner Vorgänger sieht, und die Schwierigkeiten, die sich den Interpreten stellen, sind eng verbunden mit dem Diktum »das Seiende wird vielfach ausgesagt« oder »vom Seienden wird in vielen Weisen gesprochen«. Die Vielfalt der Aussageweisen deckt sich teilweise mit den Einteilungen des Seienden.

: Meaningfully defining “nationalism” is particularly challenging in a twenty-first-century context. Combined with overlap with related concepts, such as “statism” and “patriotism,” there exists an ever-present risk of losing the ability to effectively identify the main features of nationalism, and therefore a risk of losing our awareness of its influence. However, the resurgence of nationalism […].

Tourism is a less observed subject in theological ethics. In traditional theological ethics tourism is only understood as escape from everyday's Iife or as an expression ofpeople finding to themselves away from their daily routine. Both of those ways of looking at the theme of tourism don't allow to Iook at the subject in a responsible way regarding all the consequences oftoday's tourism since it plays an important role in the economy with enormaus rates of growth. Those facts challenge theological (...) ethics tagether with the people incharge of the tourist industry to find ways of how the rights of travellers and the rights of people in tourist countries are taken into account. The article tries to take up such a position. Quality seals for tourist places, taxes on petrol for aeroplanes and plans for regions are means to include tourism in a sustainable development. Looking at tourism in such a way can save jobs in tourist countries and contributes to a gain for the tourists at the same time. By that the article doesn't follow the arguments of social ethics that either judges the motivation of tourists or suggests holidays at home as an alternative to current tourism. (shrink)

The paper presents different clustering approaches in legal judgments from the Special Civil Court located at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The subject is Consumer Law, specifically cases in which consumers claim moral and material compensation from airlines for service failures. To identify patterns from the dataset, we apply four types of clustering algorithms: Hierarchical and Lingo, K-means and Affinity Propagation. We evaluate the results based on the following criteria: entropy and purity; algorithm's ability in providing labels; legal expert’s (...) evaluation; and experimental complexity. The results demonstrate that the most advantageous approach is Hierarchical Clustering, since it has the best entropy and purity numbers, as well as the least difficulty for the expert to analyze the clusters, and the least experimental complexity. The main contribution of the paper is to show the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, especially to identify labels in unstructured and non-indexed legal texts. (shrink)