Resumo: Nas últimas décadas, a transformação da economia e do mercado de trabalho tem despertado questionamentos éticos relacionados ao advento e à prevalência das novas tecnologias. Neste cenário, destaca-se a emergência do "infoproletariado", uma classe trabalhadora cada vez mais subjugada à lógica do trabalho digital e da economia do conhecimento. Paralelamente, essa transformação se dá em um contexto de "sociedade do cansaço", onde o ritmo acelerado e incessante das atividades produtivas impõe um esgotamento físico e mental às pessoas. Este artigo (...) pretende explorar a interseção desses três conceitos: o infoproletariado, a sociedade do cansaço e a ética das novas tecnologias. Discutiremos as implicações da crescente digitalização do trabalho, a sobrecarga cognitiva e emocional dos trabalhadores, e as questões éticas decorrentes da automação e da exploração da força de trabalho neste contexto. Compreender essa complexa rede de relações é crucial para repensar práticas de trabalho mais justas e sustentáveis na era digital. Palavras-chave: Trabalho; Infoproletariado; Inteligência Artificial; Ética; Sociedade do Cansaço; Capitalismo; Economia. (shrink)

Inicialmente, proponho a discussão sobre as justificativas que são fornecidas para o ensino de humanidades. Analiso, em seguida, algumas dessas justificativas a partir de suas raízes filosóficas que julgo remontarem a Aristóteles e a Hegel. Identifico na estratégia enciclopédica desse último, o tipo de argumento mais usual para legitimar o ensino de humanidades ainda hoje. Indico, na seqüência, os motivos pelos quais nenhuma dessas justificativas possui, nos nossos dias, poder de convencimento. Finalmente, utilizando o diagnóstico de Lyotard sobre o mundo (...) contemporâneo, indico uma maneira alternativa de tornar o ensino de humanidades necessário sem fazer referência ao humanismo. (shrink)

O problema da especificidade do trabalho filosófico na América Latina é discutido em termos do ambiente cultural do Século XXI. Assim, não se reivindica nesse artigo nenhum gesto de independência com relação à filosofia de matriz europeia. Embora isso seja legítimo, trata-se sempre de um tipo frágil de argumentação, uma crítica externa de pouca capacidade de convencimento. Aqui preferimos defender a necessidade de um ajuste do trabalho filosófico em função da falência dos procedimentos filosóficos tradicionais pela pós-modernidade. Essa nova situação (...) nos impulsiona a tematizar o ambiente cultural imediatamente disponível: a América Latina. (shrink)

Organization figures centrally in the understanding of biological systems advanced by both new mechanists and proponents of the autonomy framework. The new mechanists focus on how components of mechanisms are organized to produce a phenomenon and emphasize productive continuity between these components. The autonomy framework focuses on how the components of a biological system are organized in such a way that they contribute to the maintenance of the organisms that produce them. In this paper we analyze and compare these two (...) accounts of organization and argue that understanding biological organisms as cohesively integrated systems benefits from insights from both. To bring together the two accounts, we focus on the notions of control and regulation as bridge concepts. We start from a characterization of biological mechanisms in terms of constraints and focus on a specific type of mechanism, control mechanisms, that operate on other mechanisms on the basis of measurements of variables in the system and its environment. Control mechanisms are characterized by their own set of constraints that enable them to sense conditions, convey signals, and effect changes on constraints in the controlled mechanism. They thereby allow living organisms to adapt to internal and external variations and to coordinate their parts in such a manner as to maintain viability. Because living organisms contain a vast number of control mechanisms, a central challenge is to understand how they are themselves organized. With the support of examples from both unicellular and multicellular systems we argue that control mechanisms are organized heterarchically, and we discuss how this type of control architecture can, without invoking top-down and centralized forms of organizations, succeed in coordinating internal activities of organisms. (shrink)

Biological regulation is what allows an organism to handle the effects of a perturbation, modulating its own constitutive dynamics in response to particular changes in internal and external conditions. With the central focus of analysis on the case of minimal living systems, we argue that regulation consists in a specific form of second-order control, exerted over the core regime of production and maintenance of the components that actually put together the organism. The main argument is that regulation requires a distinctive (...) architecture of functional relationships, and specifically the action of a dedicated subsystem whose activity is dynamically decoupled from that of the constitutive regime. We distinguish between two major ways in which control mechanisms contribute to the maintenance of a biological organisation in response to internal and external perturbations: dynamic stability and regulation. Based on this distinction an explicit definition and a set of organisational requirements for regulation are provided, and thoroughly illustrated through the examples of bacterial chemotaxis and the lac-operon. The analysis enables us to mark out the differences between regulation and closely related concepts such as feedback, robustness and homeostasis. (shrink)

Despite numerous and increasing attempts to define what life is, there is no consensus on necessary and sufficient conditions for life. Accordingly, some scholars have questioned the value of definitions of life and encouraged scientists and philosophers alike to discard the project. As an alternative to this pessimistic conclusion, we argue that critically rethinking the nature and uses of definitions can provide new insights into the epistemic roles of definitions of life for different research practices. This paper examines the possible (...) contributions of definitions of life in scientific domains where such definitions are used most (e.g., Synthetic Biology, Origins of Life, Alife, and Astrobiology). Rather than as classificatory tools for demarcation of natural kinds, we highlight the pragmatic utility of what we call operational definitions that serve as theoretical and epistemic tools in scientific practice. In particular, we examine contexts where definitions integrate criteria for life into theoretical models that involve or enable observable operations. We show how these definitions of life play important roles in influencing research agendas and evaluating results, and we argue that to discard the project of defining life is neither sufficiently motivated, nor possible without dismissing important theoretical and practical research. (shrink)

Theoretical accounts of development exhibit several internal tensions and face multiple challenges. They span from the problem of the identification of the temporal boundaries of development (beginning and end) to the characterization of the distinctive type of change involved compared to other biological processes. They include questions such as the role to ascribe to the environment or what types of biological systems can undergo development and whether they should include colonies or even ecosystems. In this chapter we discuss these conceptual (...) issues, and we argue that adopting an organizational approach may help solve or clarify them. -/- While development is usually identified with the achievement of an adult form with the capability to reproduce and therefore maintain a lineage, adopting the organizational approach may provide a different strategy, which focuses also on the maintenance of the current organization of the organism. By doing so an organizational approach favors a switch in perspective which consists in analyzing how organisms maintain their viability at each moment of development rather than considering them as going through intermediate stages of a process directed toward a specific goal state. This developmental dimension of biological organization has yet to be given a general and detailed analysis within the organizational theoretical perspective, apart from some preliminary attempts. How a biological organization is maintained through a series of radical organizational changes and what these changes are issues that still require clarification. In this chapter we offer the beginnings of such an analysis of developmental transitions, understood as changes in functionality brought forth by regulatory mechanisms in the context of the continued maintenance of organizational viability at every step. (shrink)

The new mechanists and the autonomy approach both aim to account for how biological phenomena are explained. One identifies appeals to how components of a mechanism are organized so that their activities produce a phenomenon. The other directs attention towards the whole organism and focuses on how it achieves self-maintenance. This paper discusses challenges each confronts and how each could benefit from collaboration with the other: the new mechanistic framework can gain by taking into account what happens outside individual mechanisms, (...) while the autonomy approach can ground itself in biological research into how the actual components constituting an autonomous system interact and contribute in different ways to realize and maintain the system. To press the case that these two traditions should be constructively integrated we describe how three recent developments in the autonomy tradition together provide a bridge between the two traditions: (1) a framework of work and constraints, (2) a conception of function grounded in the organization of an autonomous system, and (3) a focus on control. (shrink)

Despite numerous and increasing attempts to define what life is, there is no consensus on necessary and sufficient conditions for life. Accordingly, some scholars have questioned the value of definitions of life and encouraged scientists and philosophers alike to discard the project. As an alternative to this pessimistic conclusion, we argue that critically rethinking the nature and uses of definitions can provide new insights into the epistemic roles of definitions of life for different research practices. This paper examines the possible (...) contributions of definitions of life in scientific domains where such definitions are used most. Rather than as classificatory tools for demarcation of natural kinds, we highlight the pragmatic utility of what we call operational definitions that serve as theoretical and epistemic tools in scientific practice. In particular, we examine contexts where definitions integrate criteria for life into theoretical models that involve or enable observable operations. We show how these definitions of life play important roles in influencing research agendas and evaluating results, and we argue that to discard the project of defining life is neither sufficiently motivated, nor possible without dismissing important theoretical and practical research. (shrink)

Living organisms act as integrated wholes to maintain themselves. Individual actions can each be explained by characterizing the mechanisms that perform the activity. But these alone do not explain how various activities are coordinated and performed versatilely. We argue that this depends on a specific type of mechanism, a control mechanism. We develop an account of control by examining several extensively studied control mechanisms operative in the bacterium E. coli. On our analysis, what distinguishes a control mechanism from other mechanisms (...) is that it relies on measuring one or more variables, which results in setting constraints in the control mechanism that determine its action on flexible constraints in other mechanisms. In the most basic arrangement, the measurement process directly determines the action of the control mechanism, but in more complex arrangements signals mediate between measurements and effectors. This opens the possibility of multiple responses to the same measurement and responses based on multiple measurements. It also allows crosstalk, resulting in networks of control mechanisms. Such networks integrate the behaviors of the organism but also present a challenge in tailoring responses to particular measurements. We discuss how integrated activity can still result in differential, versatile, responses. (shrink)

In this article an epistemological framework is proposed in order to integrate the emergentist thought with systemic studies on biological autonomy, which are focused on the role of organization. Particular attention will be paid to the role of the observer’s activity, especially: (a) the different operations he performs in order to identify the pertinent elements at each descriptive level, and (b) the relationships between the different models he builds from them. According to the approach sustained here, organization will be considered (...) as the result of a specific operation of identification of the relational properties of the functional components of a system, which do not necessarily coincide with the intrinsic properties of its structural constituents. Also, an epistemological notion of emergence—that of “complex emergence”—will be introduced, which can be defined as the insufficiency, even in principle, of a single descriptive modality to provide a complete description of certain classes of systems. This integrative framework will allow us to deal with two issues in biological and emergentist studies: (1) distinguishing the autonomy proper of living systems from some physical processes like those of structural stability and pattern generation, and (2) reconsidering the notion of downward causation not as a direct or indirect influence of the whole on its parts, but instead as an epistemological problem of interaction between descriptive domains in which the concept of organization proposed and the observational operations related to it play a crucial role. (shrink)

Living systems employ several mechanisms and behaviors to achieve robustness and maintain themselves under changing internal and external conditions. Regulation stands out from them as a specific form of higher-order control, exerted over the basic regime responsible for the production and maintenance of the organism, and provides the system with the capacity to act on its own constitutive dynamics. It consists in the capability to selectively shift between different available regimes of self-production and self-maintenance in response to specific signals and (...) perturbations, due to the action of a dedicated subsystem which is operationally distinct from the regulated ones. The role of regulation, however, is not exhausted by its contribution to maintain a living system’s viability. While enhancing robustness, regulatory mechanisms play a fundamental role in the realization of an autonomous biological organization. Specifically, they are at the basis of the remarkable integration of biological systems, insofar as they coordinate and modulate the activity of distinct functional subsystems. Moreover, by implementing complex and hierarchically organized control architectures, they allow for an increase in structural and organizational complexity while minimizing fragility. Finally, they endow living systems, from their most basic unicellular instances, with the capability to control their own internal dynamics to adaptively respond to specific features of their interaction with the environment, thus providing the basis for the emergence of minimal forms of cognition. (shrink)

In this pathbreaking study, Micaela di Leonardo reveals the face of power within the mask of cultural difference. From the 1893 World's Fair to Body Shop advertisements, di Leonardo focuses on the intimate and shifting relations between popular portrayals of exotic Others and the practice of anthropology. In so doing, she casts new light on gender, race, and the public sphere in America's past and present. "An impressive work of scholarship that is mordantly witty, passionately argued, and takes (...) no prisoners."--Lesley Gill, News Politics "[Micaela] di Leonardo eloquently argues for the importance of empirical, interdisciplinary social science in addressing the tragedy that is urban America at the end of the century."--Jonathan Spencer, Times Literary Supplement "In her quirky new contribution to the American culture brawl, feminist anthropologist Micaela di Leonardo explains how anthropologists, 'technicians of the sacred,' have distorted American popular debate and social life."--Rachel Mattson, Voice Literary Supplement "At the end of di Leonardo's analyses one is struck by her rare combination of rigor and passion. Simply, [she] is a marvelous iconoclast."--Matthew T. McGuire, Boston Book Review. (shrink)

Há um esforço de parte da comunidade filosófica latino-americana em realizar uma aproximação com relação ao nosso ambiente cultural. Esse esforço não exige exclusividade na definição de uma agenda filosófica latino-americana, mas permite uma série de alternativas. Na maioria das iniciativas para realizar a aproximação entre a filosofia e a cultura da América Latina tem prevalecido as disposições de afastamento epistemológico que são típicas de uma abordagem crítica. Porém, esta última oculta armadilhas que tendem a inviabilizar os projetos de diálogo (...) propostos. Isso ocorre justamente porque, a despeito das intenções de estabelecer aproximação e diálogo com relação à América Latina, a crítica interpõe afastamento. Assim, o objetivo principal desse texto é indicar as limitações da crítica como dispositivo de aproximação entre a filosofia e a cultura latino-americana e indicar alternativas para superá-las. Sem realizar sacrifícios ligados às disposições críticas herdadas da filosofia europeia, não será possível obter a desejada pertinência filosófica com relação à América Latina. Palavras-chave: América Latina. Crítica. Pertinência. Filosofia Latino-Americana. (shrink)

Financiamento de Pesquisa: CNPq Moral e Direito: uma relação peculiar Resumo: O objetivo deste artigo é defender a existência de uma relação peculiar pluridirecional entre a moral e o direito, bem como defender que a moralidade é melhor compreendida por sua autoridade normativa em segunda pessoa, especificamente nos casos que envolvem reivindicações de justiça. Para tal finalidade, inicio esclarecendo as características centrais da moralidade, ressaltando a sua natureza e autoridade normativa intersubjetiva. Posteriormente, investigo duas reivindicações de justiça, a saber, a (...) injustiça epistêmica e a desobediência civil. Na conclusão, sugiro uma distinção entre moralidade privada e pública, argumentando que isto pode nos ajudar a compreender melhor a relação pluridirecional que existe entre a moral e o direito. Palavras-chave: Normatividade; Ponto de vista de segunda pessoa; Injustiça epistêmica; Desobediência civil; Moralidade privada e pública. Morals and Law: a peculiar relationship Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to defend the existence of a peculiar pluridirectional relationship between morals and law, as well as to defend that morality is better understood by its normative authority in second person, specifically in cases involving claims of justice. To this end, I begin by clarifying the central characteristics of morality, highlighting its nature and its normative authority that is intersubjective. Subsequently, I investigate two claims of justice, namely, epistemic injustice and civil disobedience. In conclusion, I suggest a distinction between private and public morality, arguing that this can help us to better understand that there is a pluridirectional relationship between morals and law. Key-words: Normativity; Second-person standpoint; Epistemic injustice; Civil disobedience; Public and private morality. Moral y Derecho: una relación peculiar Resumen: El objetivo principal de este trabajo es defender la existencia de una peculiar relación pluridireccional entre moral y derecho, así como defender que la moral se entiende mejor por su autoridad normativa en segunda persona, específicamente en los casos de pretensiones de justicia. Para ello, comienzo por aclarar las características centrales de la moral, destacando su naturaleza y su autoridad normativa que es intersubjetiva. Posteriormente, investigo dos reclamos de justicia, a saber, la injusticia epistémica y la desobediencia civil. En conclusión, sugiero una distinción entre moralidad privada y pública, argumentando que esto puede ayudarnos a comprender mejor que existe una relación pluridireccional entre moral y derecho. Palabras clave: Normatividad; Perspectiva en segunda persona; Injusticia epistémica; Desobediencia civil; Moral pública y privada. Data de registro: 17/02/2021 Data de aceite: 05/07/2021. (shrink)

This article analyses the Fair Trade sector as a “mixed-form market,” i.e., a market in which different types of players (in this case, nonprofit, co-operative and for-profit organizations) coexist and compete. The purposes of this article are (1) to understand the factors that have led Fair Trade to become a mixed-form market and (2) to propose some trails to understand the market dynamics that result from the interactions between the different types of players. We start by defining briefly Fair Trade, (...) its different dimensions (including the “fair” quality of the products) and its organizational landscape, focusing on the distinction between the pioneer “Alternative Trading Organizations” and the second-mover companies. Then, we recall the theoretical emergence factors for each type of organization (nonprofit, co-operative and for-profit) and apply these emergence factors to the context of Fair Trade. This analysis allows us to capture the specificities of each type of operator with regard to Fair Trade and, thus, to have a better understanding of the dynamics in the sector. Such dynamics includes competition, but also conflict and partnership. Our analysis includes elements on ethical imitation, consumers’ behaviors, effects on welfare and the role of the government. (shrink)

Endocrinologists apply the idea of feedback loops to explain how hormones regulate certain bodily functions such as glucose metabolism. In particular, feedback loops focus on the maintenance of the plasma concentrations of glucose within a narrow range. Here, we put forward a different, organicist perspective on the endocrine regulation of glycaemia, by relying on the pivotal concept of closure of constraints. From this perspective, biological systems are understood as organized ones, which means that they are constituted of a set of (...) mutually dependent functional structures acting as constraints, whose maintenance depends on their reciprocal interactions. Closure refers specifically to the mutual dependence among functional constraints in an organism. We show that, when compared to feedback loops, organizational closure can generate much richer descriptions of the processes and constraints at play in the metabolism and regulation of glycaemia, by making explicit the different hierarchical orders involved. We expect that the proposed theoretical framework will open the way to the construction of original mathematical models, which would provide a better understanding of endocrine regulation from an organicist perspective. (shrink)

Resumo Este artigo procura apresentar e discutir tentativas recentes em filosofia social de analisar e interpretar o capitalismo, a partir de uma perspectiva praxeológica. O practice turn em teoria social procurou superar o dualismo entre agência e estrutura, ou entre ação e sistema, por meio da noção de prática social. Seria possível então interpretar o capitalismo como um tipo especifico de prática social? Para tentar encaminhar essa questão, explicita-se brevemente, em um primeiro momento, em que consiste o practice turn em (...) teoria social. Num segundo momento, analisa-se e se discute a proposta de Rahel Jaeggi de conceber a economia como uma rede de práticas sociais. Em seguida, expõe-se e se avalia a tentativa de Christian Lotz em ver, no dinheiro, a chave para compreender aquilo que ele chama de esquema capitalista. Por fim, conclui-se, chamando a atenção para os potenciais e desafios ligados ao empreendimento de interpretar o capitalismo em função de uma teoria da prática, sugerindo que um aprofundamento na análise da imaginação especificamente capitalista, vinculando-a com a típica plasticidade e diversidade do capitalismo, possa ajudar a avançar nesse campo.This paper aims to present and discuss recent attempts in social philosophy to analyze and interpret capitalism from a praxeological perspective. The practice turn in social theory sought to overcome the dualism between agency and structure, or between action and system, through the notion of social practice. Is it then possible to interpret capitalism as a specific type of social practice? To try to address this question, I briefly introduce, in a first moment, the practice turn in social theory. In a second moment, I analyze and discuss Rahel Jaeggi’s proposal to conceive the economy as a network of social practices. I then explain and evaluate Christian Lotz’s attempt to see money as the key to understanding what he names as “the capitalist schema”. Finally, I conclude by drawing attention to the potentials and challenges of interpreting capitalism as a social practice, suggesting that a deeper analysis of specifically capitalist imagination, linking it with the typical plasticity and diversity of capitalism, may help to move forward in this field. (shrink)

Living systems employ several mechanisms and behaviors to achieve robustness and maintain themselves under changing internal and external conditions. Regulation stands out from them as a specific form of higher-order control, exerted over the basic regime responsible for the production and maintenance of the organism, and provides the system with the capacity to act on its own constitutive dynamics. It consists in the capability to selectively shift between different available regimes of self-production and self-maintenance in response to specific signals and (...) perturbations, due to the action of a dedicated subsystem which is operationally distinct from the regulated ones. The role of regulation, however, is not exhausted by its contribution to maintain a living system’s viability. While enhancing robustness, regulatory mechanisms play a fundamental role in the realization of an autonomous biological organization. Specifically, they are at the basis of the remarkable integration of biological systems, insofar as they coordinate and modulate the activity of distinct functional subsystems. Moreover, by implementing complex and hierarchically organized control architectures, they allow for an increase in structural and organizational complexity while minimizing fragility. Finally, they endow living systems, from their most basic unicellular instances, with the capability to control their own internal dynamics to adaptively respond to specific features of their interaction with the environment, thus providing the basis for the emergence of minimal forms of cognition. (shrink)

L'auteur part de la définition la plus intuitive du concept de neutralité pour présenter quatre thèses qui se sont révélées comme des acquis du débat. Ces thèses affirment : 1) que la neutralité est un concept politique et non pas moral ; 2) qu'elle vise les justifications de l'action de l'État et non pas ses conséquences ; 3) qu'elle n'oblige pas nécessairement l'État à s'abstenir d'agir ; et 4) qu'elle est avant tout neutralité envers les individus et seulement de manière (...) dérivée neutralité envers les conceptions du bien. Ensuite, l'auteur discute deux affirmations qui jouissent d'une popularité aussi forte que les précédentes mais qui sont beaucoup moins évidentes. La première est qu'il y a des liens profonds entre l'idée de neutralité et l'idée d'égalité. La deuxième est qu'il y a un rapport d'équivalence entre le concept de neutralité et celui d'anti-perfectionnisme. Mettre en question cette dernière affirmation implique une prise de distance par rapport à quelques argumentations bien connues en faveur de la neutralité, mais cette opération s'impose si on veut répondre aux critiques de ceux qui proposent l'abandon de cette exigence normative.The article presents four theses that can be seen as firm outcomes of the contemporary debate on the principle of neutrality. These theses affirm that 1) neutrality is a political concept, not a moral one ; 2) neutrality involves the justifications of the State's action, not its consequences ; 3) neutrality does not imply State's inactivity ; and 4) State's neutrality is before anything neutrality between individuals and it is only afterwards between conceptions of the good. The second part of the article discusses two widely accepted but far more controversial statements. The first one says that there are deep links between neutrality and equality. The second one ajfirms that neutrality and anti-perfectionism are equivalent. To challenge the latter implies to reject some of the most popular cases for neutrality. However, this is needed if one wants to react to the great criticism coming from enemies of this principle. (shrink)

Ao tratar de diferentes aspectos do conceito de mimese na estética de Theodor Adorno, o artigo busca evidenciar a permanência do que Adorno designou como mimese primitiva ou originária na sociedade contemporânea. A análise do conceito de idiossincrasia servirá para mostrar esta permanência e, ao mesmo tempo, o seu reforço pela indústria cultural. Como contraponto a essa faceta do conceito de mimese, trataremos da mimese nos âmbitos científico, filosófico e no que Adorno considera obra de arte autêntica.

This paper focuses on physiological integration in multicellular systems, a notion often associated with biological individuality, but which has not received enough attention and needs a thorough theoretical treatment. Broadly speaking, physiological integration consists in how different components come together into a cohesive unit in which they are dependent on one another for their existence and activity. This paper argues that physiological integration can be understood by considering how the components of a biological multicellular system are controlled and coordinated in (...) such a way that their activities can contribute to the maintenance of the system. The main implication of this perspective is that different ways of controlling their parts may give rise to multicellular organizations with different degrees of integration. After defining control, this paper analyses how control is realized in two examples of multicellular systems located at different ends of the spectrum of multicellularity: biofilms and animals. It focuses on differences in control ranges, and it argues that a high degree of integration implies control exerted at both medium and long ranges, and that insofar as biofilms lack long-range control (relative to their size) they can be considered as less integrated than other multicellular systems. It then discusses the implication of this account for the debate on physiological individuality and the idea that degrees of physiological integration imply degrees of individuality. (shrink)

Resumo: Os monstros ocupam um lugar de destaque no ambiente da cultura contemporânea, especialmente no cinema. O objetivo desse artigo é compreender os motivos dessa presença marcante. Em primeiro lugar, podemos observar que os monstros indicam os limites morais e epistemológicos da modernidade. Entretanto, os monstros contemporâneos têm se tornado mais sutis, interiorizando-se ou espiritualizando-se. Podemos notar, então, que eles passaram a representar a potência humana para assumir qualquer vida efetiva – ou a liberdade, entendida como pura indeterminação. Por meio (...) da figura dos monstros, o homem constata sempre que pode ser muito mais do que é. Dessa forma, os monstros nos permitem apreender um dos dilemas centrais da cultura contemporânea: como nós conseguiremos resolver a diferença entre o que somos, aqui e agora, e todas as possíveis vidas humanas que podemos vir a adotar em um processo de autoaperfeiçoamento? (shrink)

Que há de novo no pensamento de João como comentador de Santo Tomás de Aquino? Reconhecidamente, sua teoria do signum. Em João de Santo Tomás, a teologia da salvação, calcada em sua teoria filosófica do sinal, mostra um aprofundamento considerável de tal modo que toda a redenção humana pode ser relida pela ótica do sinal. Assim, a encarnação do Verbo, sua atividade taumatúrgica, os sacramentos, e, finalmente, a vida futura são tratados a partir do Verbo-Sinal, ao mesmo tempo como causa (...) eficiente principal e instrumental de toda a salvação humana. (shrink)

As ideias estão em Deus e são compreendidas por seus limites em relação à sua essência ilimitada. A originalidade do ser de Tomás de Aquino pode ser testada se comparada com as múltiplas teorias a respeito da ideia que se desenvolveram ao longo dos séculos na investigação filosófica. Das ideias subsistentes de Platão à ideia como subsistência em Hegel, os percursos aristotélico e tomista revelam-se opções intelectuais moderadas no âmbito gnosiológico, em razão de suas conquistas metafísicas. Deixando de lado os (...) problemas gnosiológicos em favor de uma abordagem metafísica do problema da ideia, pode-se perceber que, para Tomás, tanto o valor do conceito na ordem gnosiológica, quanto a subsistência da ideia na ordem metafísica, se resolvem apenas em ordem ao ser. A terceira das Quaestiones Disputatae De Veritate aborda diretamente o problema e traz sua formulação definitiva no pensamento de Tomás. Todas as perfeições das ideias estão em Deus formaliter, pertencem à sua essência, mas a ideia da essência divina somente Deus a conhece, pois identifica-se com seu ser, o Ipsum Esse Subsistens. (shrink)

Há duas maneiras principais pelas quais os filósofos justificaram a importância de sua atividade. A primeira foi entender a Filosofia como responsável pela legitimação de outras formas de conhecimento. A segunda foi entendê-la como a parte mais importante do processo de educação do homem. Entretanto, os valores vigentes na cultura contemporânea privaram essas justificativas do seu sentido e apresentam novos desafios para a relevância da Filosofia.

Este artigo visa compreender o estado da arte do naturalismo contemporâneo a partir da discussão com posições não naturalistas, em especial as de Moore e Rawls. Parte-se da análise do argumento central destas abordagens no contexto formal da metaética contemporânea, buscando aferir a validade da falácia naturalista no contexto atual, bem como de seus limites na aplicação contra o naturalismo moral. Apresenta-se a discussão entre o naturalismo e o não-naturalismo moral como, respectivamente, estandartes das perspectivas descritivas e prescritivas da moralidade. (...) O objetivo com esta comparação é apresentar algumas posições em metaética a fim de melhor entender a situação contemporânea do debate moral no que tange à naturalização da ética, contrastando teorias da ação e do valor quanto ao tema da motivação e da normatividade morais. (shrink)

The aim of this article is to investigate the relevance and implications of synthetic models for the study of the interactive dimension of minimal life and cognition, by taking into consideration how the use of artificial systems may contribute to an understanding of the way in which interactions may affect or even contribute to shape biological identities. To do so, this article analyzes experimental work in synthetic biology on different types of interactions between artificial and natural systems, more specifically: between (...) protocells and between biological living cells and protocells. It discusses how concepts such as control, cognition, communication can be used to characterize these interactions from a theoretical point of view, which criteria of relevance and evaluation of synthetic models can be applied to these cases, and what are their limits. (shrink)

In this paper we address the question of minimal cognition by investigating the origin of some crucial cognitive properties from the very basic organisation of biological systems. More specifically, we propose a theoretical model of how a system can distinguish between specific features of its interaction with the environment, which is a fundamental requirement for the emergence of minimal forms of cognition. We argue that the appearance of this capacity is grounded in the molecular domain, and originates from basic mechanisms (...) of biological regulation. In doing so, our aim is to provide a theoretical account that can also work as a possible conceptual bridge between Synthetic Biology and Artificial Intelligence. In fact, we argue, Synthetic Biology can contribute to the study of minimal cognition, by providing a privileged approach to the study of these mechanisms by means of artificial systems. (shrink)

Este artigo procura traçar relações entre conceitos fundamentais da obra de Walter Benjamin e o pensamento de Giorgio Agamben. Sem pretender esgotar os vínculos entre os dois autores, propomos abordar noções e categorias de Benjamin para compreender suas influências no pensamento de Agamben. Lançando luz sobre essas influências, nosso desafio foi identificar algumas ideias na obra de W. Benjamin que pudessem designar o filósofo alemão como fonte de inspiração para a crítica ao poder e à violência desenvolvida pelo pensador italiano. (...) Por isso destacamos em Benjamin as raízes dos conceitos de vida nua, poder soberano e estado de exceção, que Agamben elabora nas obras I, II e III de seu projeto “Homo Sacer”. Desenvolvemos noções de historiografia, enfatizando a categoria do oprimido e a tarefa de "escovar a história a contrapelo". Os textos benjaminianos que constituem sua teoria política são um verdadeiro arsenal crítico para pensar nossa história e o período entre guerras. A proposta de Agamben, na linha de Benjamin, é que entre as ruínas do passado possamos recolher vestígios e tecer memórias que permitam uma consciência crítica na construção de estilos de vida éticos no presente, contribuindo para as transformações necessárias que nos garantam um futuro de justiça social. Assumindo o campo de concentração como paradigma dessa relação, a identificação com as vítimas da violência, em Agamben, segue as indicações de Benjamin sobre a tarefa crítica: lançar nova luz sobre os fatos, dar voz aos que foram vítimas da violência, oprimidos e silenciados pelo poder soberano. (shrink)

It is widely believed by philosophers that we human beings are capable of stepping back from inclinations to act in a certain way and consider whether we should do so. If we judge that there are enough reasons in favour of following our initial inclination, we are definitely motivated, and, if all goes well, we act. This view of human agency naturally leads to the idea that our actions are self-determined, or controlled by ourselves. Some go one step further to (...) the point of saying that we should extend the fundamental aspects of this view of human agency to the epistemic realm. This we call ‘the control-view”. Here we will make a strong case against the control-view. While we have a substantial control over our practical lives, it is very unlikely that this extends to our epistemic lives. Our discussion will proceed in three stages. We will present two asymmetries between our practical and epistemic lives which are followed by a general argument against the control-view. (shrink)

Dividida em três partes, esta obra aborda, inicialmente, a ecologia como política do cuidado com os ecossistemas; na segunda parte, o autor expõe temas sobre ética e sustenta a convicção de que somente uma coalização de valores altruístas, ligados à cooperação, à compaixão e ao amor efetivo a tudo o que existe, poderá oferecer um caminho de solução para a atual crise global. E, finalmente, trata de temas na área da teologia e espiritualidade propondo a seguinte questão -'Onde estavas, Deus, (...) quando milhares morreram durante o tsunami na Ásia'? Só a fé que se transforma em esperança pode trazer alguma luz a esse mistério. (shrink)

La vita e le opere -- Un pensiero rivolto all'eterno -- Il confronto con la storia della filosofia -- Il ritorno della metafisica oltre il problematicismo -- La svolta di Ritornare a Parmenide e l'inizio di un nuovo cammino -- Il "destino" e il senso della vita e della morte -- Il dialogo mai interrotto con la fede cristiana -- La fine della metafisica e la distruzione della cultura occidentale -- Il nichilismo contemporaneo e la risoluzione della metafisica e dell'etica (...) nella tecnica -- L'angioscia del divenire, i "rimedi" del mortale e la Gioia. (shrink)

El objetivo de este ensayo es resaltar los movimientos singulares basados ​​en la investigación de la vida cotidiana y presentar otras formas de “sentir, percibir, imaginar, pensar” en/de/con (el) mundo. Optamos por conversaciones con los autores para resaltar que los movimientos de formación se dan en las redes que componen las diferentes vidas cotidianas, no en el sujeto, ni en el objeto, sino en las relaciones en el devenir.

ResumoO Estado brasileiro buscou apagar a diversidade de povos e culturas que caracterizam o país por meio da imposição da ideia de uma "brasilidade homogênea". Para a historiografia “nacional” que surgia após a Independência, o início da história do Brasil significava o fim dos povos indígenas, que “foram excluídos enquanto atores históricos” e “invisibilizados pelos discursos políticos e intelectuais” até a década de 1980, momento em que emergem “como sujeitos de sua história”. Partindo do diálogo entre a historiografia indígena e (...) a antropologia, nosso objetivo é refletir sobre o tema das culturas indígenas e a ideia de nacionalidade brasileira construída pelas elites brancas depois da Independência.Palavras-chave: Culturas indígenas. História indígena. Nação brasileira. AbstractThe Brazilian State intended to "dissolve" the diversity of people and cultures that characterize the country through the imposition of the idea of "homogeneous Brazilianness". For the “national” historiography that emerged after Independence “the beginning of the history of Brazil meant the end of the Indians, who “were excluded as historical actors” and “made invisible by political and intellectual discourses” until the decade 1980, when they emerge “as subjects of their history”. Based on the dialogue between indigenous historiography and anthropology, our aim is to reflect on the theme of indigenous cultures and the idea of Brazilian nationality built by white elites after Independence.Key words: Indigenous cultures. indigenous history. Brazilian nation. (shrink)

Este artigo analisa a crítica de Adorno à ontologia de Heidegger. Para tal, utiliza como leitmotiv a interpretação heideggeriana de Kant. Procuraremos mostrar que para Adorno a edificação da ontologia fundamental a partir da filosofia de Kant é uma interpretação indevida desta. Por fim, procura apontar uma possível saída na filosofia de Adorno para o problema da necessidade de fundamentação do discurso filosófico. Tal saída passa pela constatação da importância da arte para a construção da universalidade na filosofia.

O presente trabalho procura mostrar que apesar das imensas diferenças entre as obras Dialética do Esclarecimento e Teoria Estética, a sofisticada concepção de arte de Theodor Adorno na Teoria Estética deve muito à Dialética do Esclarecimento, ou seja, se realiza a partir de pressupostos desenvolvidos nessa. Por exemplo, um dos pressupostos fundamentais da Dialética do Esclarecimento é que a origem da arte foi o resultado da separação entre a práxis mimética, situada na pré-história, e a práxis cujo núcleo central é (...) o esclarecimento como domínio da natureza, situada na história. Essa dicotomia não foi abandonada na Teoria Estética, ao contrário, essa obra utiliza dessa separação para desenvolver seus principais conceitos. (shrink)

The paper considers two main cases of how the creative arts can inform a greater appreciation of human dignity. The first case explores a form of theater, Commedia dell’Arte that has deep roots in Italian culture. The second recounts a set of theater exercises done with very minimal direction or self-direction in executive education and MBA courses at the Darden School, University of Virginia, in the United States. In both cases we highlight how the creative arts can be important for (...) promoting human dignity in organizations, and how they can lead to a more authentic conversation about values, ethics, and meaning. (shrink)