A Pure Theory of the Republic constitutes the first positive theory of a republican state. It lays the foundation of a true political science and explains how collective freedom may be institutionally guaranteed. This illuminating book promises to be a landmark in political thought for centuries to come.

This article examines the relationships between gender and technology in Spanish feminist praxis online and argues that different perspectives on online feminist community-building offer distinct responses to cyberactivism, which is considered central to sustaining efforts for social change. To ascertain whether Spanish virtual communities and cyberactivism have the potential to address the challenges posed by the relations between gender and technology, we analyse feminist scholar Remedios Zafra's theoretical proposals, and the different ways in which this theory intersects with the cyberactivism (...) put forth by two feminist web portals, Ciudad de Mujeres and Mujeres en Red. We will discuss to what degree particular Spanish feminist theory and practice online adapts to or challenges utopianism regarding the liberating potential of technology. We will also examine how, in the face of critical arguments about such liberatory possibilities, two options present themselves for women's effective use of technology: inhabiting or occupying the web through the construction of feminist communities online. (shrink)

0. Between Literary Theory and a General Poetics 0.1. A Methodological Assessment of Modern Literary Theory. The Starting Point: A Conflictive Present At...

El presente artículo estudia la visión zubiriana de la voluntad en el pensamiento publicado póstumamente de Zubiri, donde aparece un concepto original de libertad como capacidad de autodeterminación de la voluntad.

Since the 1990s, the reality television phenomenon has transformed the face of television in many countries. In Spain, for instance, the private domain has gradually invaded the public domain in an attempt to increase audience ratings and also reflect patterns of asymmetrical societal organization. Different television formats, which range from docusoaps to the most blatant examples of so-called ‘voyeur television’, have occupied the prime-time hours. In particular, a wide range of reality television shows has taken the place that mini-series, sitcoms (...) and films of the week used to occupy. These reality television programmes show the transformation of the private domain into one which can be manipulated and incorporated as an essential element in the theatricalization of the intimate experiences of anonymous people. By addressing the relationship between mothering and gendered styles, this study adds to the field of research on reality television research by investigating language and gender within the institutional setting of a docusoap and throwing light on the discursive strategies which two different generations of women use to express anger and assertiveness and impose on others. The study reveals that the strategies used by the Spanish female teenagers under scrutiny are associated with hostile laddish verbal behaviour, whereas the mothers’ strategies relate to an instrumental view of aggression. (shrink)

Background Ethical conflicts generate difficulties in daily clinical activity. Which methods of ethical advice are most frequently used to resolve them among Spanish doctors has not been studied. The objective of this study is to describe what methods hospital internal medicine physicians in Spain use to resolve their ethical doubts and which they consider most useful. Design A cross-sectional observational study was conducted through a voluntary and anonymous survey and distributed through an ad hoc platform of the Spanish Society of (...) Internal Medicine. Measures We measured methods by which to resolve doubts, types of tools sought, frequency of consulting the Clinical Ethics Committees, and satisfaction with resolution of ethical issues. Results Of 261 internists surveyed, 86 per cent resolve their ethical doubts with assistance, the most frequently used method being consultation with colleagues (58.6 per cent), followed by using specific protocols or guides (11.8 per cent) and consultation with experts in bioethics (9.6 per cent). The most preferred tools are the creation of protocols (30.3 per cent) and the establishment of a consultant/expert in bioethics (27.8 per cent). Conclusions Internists in Spain usually seek assistance to resolve their ethical doubts. Consulting colleagues is the most frequently adopted method. The majority regard tools to resolve ethical conflicts as necessary, seeking above all protocols and consultants/experts in bioethics. (shrink)

This chapter discusses the question of whether we will ever have an Artificial General Superintelligence (AGSI) and how it will affect our species if it does so. First, it explores various proposed definitions of AGSI and the potential implications of its emergence, including the possibility of collaboration or conflict with humans, its impact on our daily lives, and its potential for increased creativity and wisdom. The concept of the Singularity, which refers to the hypothetical future emergence of superintelligent machines that (...) will take control of the world, is also introduced and discussed, along with criticisms of this concept. Second, it is considered the possibility of mind uploading (MU) and whether such MU would be a suitable means to achieve (true) immortality in this world—the ultimate goal of the proponents of this approach. It is argued that the technological possibility of achieving something like this is very remote, and that, even if it were ever achieved, serious problems would remain, such as the preservation of personal identity. Third, the chapter concludes arguing that the future we create will depend largely on how well we manage the development of AI. It is essential to develop governance of AI to ensure that critical decisions are not left in the hands of automated decision systems or those who create them. The importance of such governance lies not only in avoiding the dystopian scenarios of a future AGSI but also in ensuring that AI is developed in a way that benefits humanity. (shrink)

RESUMEN: La violencia es considerada a menudo un elemento consustancial al ámbito internacional: algo que el derecho internacional puede quizá reducir pero no eliminar completamente. Este trabajo se hace eco de las críticas feministas al derecho internacional poniéndolas en relación con los conceptos elaborados por los estudios sobre masculinidades. Que el derecho internacional sea una disciplina históricamente manejada por hombres encuentra su proyección sobre cinco ámbitos: 1) el concepto de estado en tanto que actor principal del derecho internacional, 2) el (...) sistema de fuentes, en particular, los tratados internacionales; 3) la aplicación de las normas internacionales a través de tribunales o paneles de arbitraje; 4) la importancia de la guerra y 5) la doctrina de la responsabilidad de proteger. ABSTRACT: Violence is often seen as an inherent element in the international arena: something that international law can perhaps reduce but not eliminate completely. This work echoes feminist critiques of international law by putting them in relation to the concepts elaborated by studies on masculinities. That international law is a discipline historically handled by men finds its projection on five areas: 1) the concept of state as the main actor of international law, 2) the system of sources, in particular, international treaties; 3) the application of international standards through courts or arbitration panels; 4) the importance of war and 5) the doctrine of the responsibility to protect.PALABRAS CLAVE: filosofía del derecho internacional, estudios sobre masculinidades, violencia, relaciones internacionales, pacifismo jurídicoKEYWORDS: philosophy of international law, masculinity studies, violence, international relations, legal pacifism. (shrink)

Debo empezar con algunas explicaciones sobre el estilo y el enfoque de este pequeño ensayo, que responde a la amable invitación de la revista que lo acoge. Ya ve el atento lector que emplearé con desenvoltura la primera persona del singular, sin el a veces cómodo recurso a fórmulas impersonales, embozos académicos o plurales mayestáticos. No se tome como ejercicio de soberbia, sino como manera de asumir en plenitud y sin rodeos la responsabilidad por unos juicios que son estrictamente personales (...) y, ay, a menudo negativos sobre las universidades en que nos desenvolvemos, la disciplina que nos alimenta y el ambiente colegial en el que hemos crecido y del que aún nos nutrimos. En síntesis y al grano: sostendré aquí una opinión pesimista sobre la iusfilosofía española de estos tiempos. Y lo haré en el estilo más directo, sin matices a pie de página ni analgésicos. Pero, en pura consideración a la más elemental justicia y hasta al sentido común, tengo que comenzar con algunas precisiones. (shrink)

Se analiza críticamente la idea de Pueblo y el manejo de la Historia que suelen ser propios de las doctrinas nacionalistas, con sus correspondientes secuelas para la relación entre derechos individuales y derechos colectivos, y con sus consecuencias para el modo de concebir y de realizarse la democracia. También se ponen de relieve los problemas teóricos que encierran la noción de “derechos históricos”.

The use of energy supplies for economic activities is a major global concern due to its environmental impact. Mitigating this problem involves the adoption of clean energies, so it is not trivial to assess those that can fit into this category, particularly the part corresponding to electrical energy. While the consumption of the latter is often perceived as more environmentally friendly than other sources, its production process raises significant questions, hence the core motivation to evaluate the behavior of the main (...) inputs for electrical energy production over 50 years and its correlation with the world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), confirming a prominent dependence on fossil fuels, a situation that seems to differ from the expectations set forth through the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Conference of the Parties. On the other hand, even though the production of electrical energy is consistent with the behavior of the world GDP, it shows heterogeneous annual percentage changes. (shrink)