This article examines whether and how the participation of women in the firm’s board of directors and senior management enhances financial performance. We use the Fama and French (1992, 1993) valuation framework to take the level of risk into consideration, when comparing firm performances, whereas previous studies used either raw stock returns or accounting ratios. Our results indicate that firms operating in complex environments do generate positive and significant abnormal returns when they have a high proportion of women officers. Although (...) the participation of women as directors does not seem to make a difference in this regard, firms with a high proportion of women in both their management and governance systems generate enough value to keep up with normal stock-market returns. These findings tend to support the policies currently being discussed or implemented in some countries and organizations to foster the advancement of women in business. (shrink)

The inconclusiveness of previous research on the association between gender diverse boards and corporate social performance has led us to revisit the question in light of stakeholder management and institutional theories. Given that corporate social responsibility is a multidimensional concept, we test the influence of GDB on various groups of stakeholders. By considering the interaction between stakeholders’ power and directors’ personal motivations toward the prioritization of stakeholders’ claims, we find that GDB are positively related to CSR dimensions that are related (...) to less powerful stakeholders such as the environment, contractors, and the community. However, GDB do not appear to have a significant impact on CSR dimensions that are associated with stakeholders who benefit from more institutionalized power, such as employees and customers. (shrink)

The question of the oeuvre -- The concept of Machiavellianism -- Reading The prince. First signs -- The logic of force -- The social abyss and attachment to power -- Good and evil, the stable and the unstable, the real and the imaginary -- The present and the possible -- Reading The discourses. From The prince to The discourses -- Rome and the "historical" society -- Class difference -- War, and the difference of times -- Authority and the political subject (...) -- The oeuvre, ideology, and interpretation. (shrink)

This paper studies the doctrinal and historical relations between the augustinian theme of the inner word as it was understood in Thirteenth-century thought --especially by Thomas Aquinas -- and William of Ockham's idea of mental discourse. The differences are shown to be deeply significant and are replaced in the context of a crucial shift that occurred in the decades between Aquinas and Ockham: the shift from theology to logic as providing the main inputs and stimulations for the development, on an (...) aristotelian basis, of a radically new sort of philosophy of mind. (shrink)

L'omniprésence des images dans la société mass-médiatique est corrélative de leur évanescence et du constant renouvellement qui conditionne le processus de leur consommation. Leur omnipotence se réduit ainsi à celle de stimuli destinés à induire des comportements. Or, il convient d'autant plus de revenir d'une telle exténuation de l'image que cette dernière constitue l'une des dimensions essentielles du déploiement de la vie humaine. L'image est traditionnellement rapportée à l'activité imaginante d'un sujet. Mais, s'il est vrai que l'étoffe des hommes et (...) des choses qui se donnent à voir dans le paraître sensible d'une image n'existe pas coupée d'un tel paraître, l'esthétique relève aussi de l'ontologie et sa tâche est de nous ré-apprendre à contempler les images. Au regard de la clarté et de la distinction conférées par la théorie à notre appréhension des choses, la détermination positive des images ne tient-elle pas en effet au fait que c'est dans leur dimension qu'il nous est donné de faire l'expérience vive du paraître de ces choses, jusqu'à l'extrême de l'horreur, du merveilleux et du sacré? (shrink)

This study relies on environmental stewardship, a stakeholder-enlarged view of stewardship theory, and institutional theory to analyze the relationship between CEO compensation and firms’ environmental commitment in a worldwide sample of 520 large listed firms. Our findings show that environment friendly firms pay their CEOs less total compensation and rely less on incentive-based compensation than environment careless firms. This negative relationship is stronger in institutional contexts where national environmental regulations are weaker. Our findings have important theoretical meaning and practical implications. (...) Results show that CEOs do not necessarily act opportunistically; rather some of them may be willing to act as stewards of the natural environment and accept a lower, less incentive-based compensation from environment friendly firms. This study also provides evidence of the important influence of the institutional context in setting-up CEO compensation as the relationship is stronger when national environmental regulations are weaker. Our findings question the universal validity of agency theory in explaining CEO compensation. Compensation based on pecuniary incentives might be less indicated to motivate CEOs who feel rewarded by playing a stewardship role for environment friendly firms. When designing compensation for CEOs, compensation committees and external compensation advisors should consider psychological and institutional factors that might affect CEO motivation. (shrink)

La confrontation de la philosophie et de la cuisine permet de découvrir la nature de chacune de ces pratiques et ce qui tend à les opposer. La philosophie par vocation se tient éloignée de la vie mortelle. Attachée à la vie mortelle, la cuisine fait de la nécessité de se nourrir un plaisir quotidiennement renouvelé et qui tient une place centrale dans la vie ordinaire de la plupart des hommes. Voilà pourquoi la philosophie ignore la cuisine et méprise le plaisir (...) de manger. (shrink)

Active cultural transmission of fitness-enhancing behavior can be seen as a costly strategy: one for which its evolutionary stability poses a Darwinian puzzle. In this article, we offer a biological market model of cultural transmission that substitutes or complements existing kin selection-based proposals for the evolution of cultural capacities. We demonstrate how a biological market can account for the evolution of teaching when individual learners are the exclusive focus of social learning. We also show how this biological market can affect (...) the dynamics of cumulative culture. The model works best when it is difficult to have access to the observation of the behavior without the help of the actor. However, in contrast to previous non-mathematical hypotheses for the evolution of teaching, we show how teaching evolves, even when innovations are insufficiently opaque and therefore vulnerable to acquisition by emulators via inadvertent transmission. Furthermore, teaching in a biological market is an important precondition for enhancing individual learning abilities. (shrink)

This paper tries to explore the legitimacy of applying the phenomenological approach to poems, novels, to all that we classify, too conveniently, under the term “literature.” Such an approach is grounded in one claim: the literary text opens up to a world that is its “thing itself”. The thing of the text is not the text as a thing, in its linguistic and formal properties, no more than the thing of the painting is the canvas coated with pigments. However, what (...) is the status of such a “world”? Is this “opening of a world” only a metaphor? Is the world of the literary work only an imaginary one? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary, first of all, to understand the limits of the structuralist claim that the object of literature is only literature as an object, that is as a linguistic construction and, secondly, to be aware of what is specific to the phenomenological account of the imaginary, in contrast with alternative accounts, such as the one grounded in the theory of speech acts and developed, among others, by Searle. (shrink)

Comparisons are an indispensable tool for a speaker to give weight to his words. This volume of the Amsterdam edition of the Latin texts of Erasmus offers a critical edition of the Latin text of the Parabolae , or similes, and the Praise of Marriage.

La référence à l'ordinaire, dans l'ordre du discours, dans les pratiques politiques, ou dans le domaine des sciences sociales, est moins fréquente que celle au " commun ", au " populaire ", ou au " quotidien ". La notion d'ordinaire est pourtant à la fois plus immédiate, et plus centrale. Elle s'oppose à la fois au " savant ", au " théorique ", à l' " historique " et au " tragique ". Mais l'ordinaire est-il si aisé à connaître et (...) à comprendre? Les analyses rassemblées dans ce volume partent, non d'une évidence partagée de l'ordinaire, mais d'une difficulté à penser l'ordinaire. Elles proposent, dans une démarche exploratoire, de clarifier l'idée d'une " politique de l'ordinaire ", et de confronter à cet effet des points de vue issus de plusieurs disciplines : philosophie, science politique, sociologie, anthropologie. Ce travail collectif rejoint des préoccupations récemment apparues pour le commun comme concept des sciences sociales. Sur le plan politique, la revendication de l'ordinaire et du commun permet de considérer autrement les problèmes de la démocratie, de la communauté, de l'égalité, et d'examiner à nouveaux frais les termes du débat qui opposent, depuis longtemps, libertariens et communautariens. Sur le plan éthique, l'examen attentif des pratiques sociales communes, de nos conversations et gestes ordinaires, de l'ordre des interactions publiques ou privées, permet de réorienter le questionnement moral. (shrink)

Buridan’s theory of sentences with epistemic verbs (‘to know’, ‘to believe’, etc.) has received much attention in recent scholarship. Its originality with respect to Ockham’s approach, however, has been importantly overestimated. The present paper argues that both doctrines share crucial features and basically belong to the same family. This is done by comparing Buridan’s notion of the ‘appellation of reason’ with Ockham’s application to epistemic sentences of the general principle that a predicate always ‘appellates its form’.

This article analyses the conditions of formation of the concept of “race” in natural history in the middle of the eighteenth century. Relying on the method of historical epistemology to avoid some of the aporias raised by the traditional historiography of “racism”, it focuses on the peculiarities of the concept of “race” in contrast to other similar concepts such as “variety”, “species” and tries to answer the following questions: to what extent the concept of “race” was integrated in natural history’s (...) discourses before the middle of the eighteenth century? To which kind of concepts and problems was it linked and to which style of reasoning did it pertain? To which conditions could it enter natural history and develop in it? The article argues that “race” pertained to a genealogical style of reasoning which was largely extraneous to natural history before the middle of the eighteenth century. Natural history was rather dominated by a different style of reasoning, a logical and classificatory style, whose principles and concepts were strong obstacles to the development of a concept of “race”. To understand how the concept of “race” developed in natural history, one should understand how the genealogical style of reasoning entered natural history and modified the very principles of classification that organized it. I try to establish that it is through Buffon and some of the main authors of the “monogenist” tradition that the most fundamental conditions for the integration of a genealogical style of reasoning and the development of a concept of “race” are met. To put it clearly, in contrast to many scholars’ analysis – and following some intuitions of P.R Sloan – I argue that Buffon in particular, and monogenism in general, were decisive in the integration and development of the concept of “race” in natural history. (shrink)

This paper presents an epistemological framework capable of addressing the opposition between indigenous knowledge and scientific knowledge, an opposition widespread in anthropology especially in relation to the problem of sustainable development. In the first part of the paper, we provide a contextualist framework that satisfies two constraints: a priori neutrality with respect to forms, or types, of knowledge, and explicitness of the conditions with respect to the possibility of knowledge transfer. In the second part, we apply the framework to the (...) specific case of Northern Algonquian knowledge. By means of the framework, we investigate and make explicit the underlying epistemic standard at play by identifying the conditions under which particular beliefs are qualified as knowledge in the Northern Algonquian context. (shrink)

Albert Camus (1913–1960) stands as one of the famous pioneers in the French history of existentialism. He was a novelist, political activist, essayist and editor, as well as a journalist and playwright. Although he was described as philosopher, he often denied this ascription. Through his professional and creative expressions, Camus focused on questions of existentialism, the aspect of the human fate, and meaning in life, death and suicide. These existential questions have experienced a strong revival during the Covid-19 occurrence. This (...) psychobiographical approach aims at understanding Albert Camus' life and work in the context of the terror management theory of Becker and Wong's 4 pillars of PP2.0 theory, namely virtue, meaning, resilience and well-being. Both theories have gained importance during the pandemic. Based on the findings of the research study, implications for future research in the context of the pandemic are given. Finally, this article provides recommendations and best practices on how to approach the Covid-19 pandemic from a terror management theory and PP2.0 perspective in the light of Albert Camus' philosophy. The contribution of this psychobiography is two-fold: first, it expands psychobiographical research on Albert Camus from absurdist and existentialist theories and thereby expands the theoretical framework of psychobiographies. Second, it aims at strengthening the importance of theoretical psychobiographical investigations and their application in real-world scenarios to address complex contemporary challenges on the basis of existentialist positive psychology theories. (shrink)

Based on a psychobiographical approach, this study addresses magical thinking across the life span of Paulo Coelho. Paulo Coelho, who was born in Brazil in the 1940s, has become one of the most sold and famous contemporary authors in the world. In his life, as well as in his books, which are mainly autobiographical accounts, magic and magical thinking, spirituality, meaningfulness, and the living of one’s dream, are key themes. The aim of this study was to explore magic and magical (...) thinking in Paulo Coelho’s life and creative works. The study uses a psychobiographical single case study approach within the methodological frame of Husserl’s phenomenology. The author, Paulo Coelho, was chosen as the subject of research. Documents providing both first person and third person perspectives were subjected to content analysis. The findings show that magical thinking played an important role in Coelho’s creative works and in his life, in the form, for example, of ascriptions of magic to key situations in his life, the performance of daily rituals, mystic interpretations of life events, and his deep religious faith. Magical thinking is usually regarded as indicative of pathological and inappropriate cognitive and psychological behaviour, especially when found in adults in a westernised culture. However, the analysis of Coelho’s life and works shows that magical thinking can be utilised creatively and be integrated into one’s life to enable personal development and growth while simultaneously providing fertile ground for creative production. In Paulo Coelho’s case, the intertwining of religion and magical thinking provided deep meaning that guided his personal development. (shrink)

This article focuses on systems psychodynamics and particularly on the CIBART-model which explores conflict, identity, boundary, authority, role and task and how these phenomena work out on an unconscious level. Therefore, this article presents empirical findings on CIBART in a German multinational engineering organization operating in South Africa. For this study, 16 managers where interviewed on their transformation toward Industry 4.0 with special interest in the interconnection how CIBART aspects play out in the South African context. Findings show that all (...) of the CIBART-phenomena are important during the transformation to more advanced technological levels and restructuring processes. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations are given how to deal with systems-psychodynamic influences within the organization. (shrink)

Les premiers champs d'intérêt de Michel Foucault - la folie, la naissance de l'asile, et de la clinique - peuvent paraître bien éloignés du droit. Pourtant, l'étude des institutions qui, de l'hôpital général à la prison, ont "traité" malades et miséreux, fous et débauchés, vagabonds et délinquants, conduit à réinterpréter ces gestes dont l'habitude nous a fait oublier l'étrangeté : enfermer pour enfermer pour guérir, discipliner pour intégrer, exclure pour inclure... Pages de début Introduction I. Généalogie des institutions : le (...) cas des institutions hospitalières Présentation L'enfermement de la folie L'économie de la clinique Le soin des populations II. Droit, disciplines et vérité Le droit comme pratique de la vérité Disciplines, prison et panoptisme Les fonctions de la loi III. Du pouvoir sur la vie au gouvernement de soi Sexualité et pouvoir sur la vie Legouvernement de soi Conclusion Bibliographie Pages de fin. (shrink)

Hospital ethics committees were created in the United States of America in the 1970s. Their aims were the education of the hospital personnel in the field of ethics, the development of policies and the publication of guidelines concerning ethical issues, as well as consultations and case reviews of hospitalized patients when an ethical concern was present. During the last thirty years, these committees disseminated, particularly in Western Europe. In this manuscript, we describe the benefit, but also some difficulties with these (...) committees, and we propose some solutions. The characteristics of these committees are discussed (i.e. typology of members, functioning and legitimacy). Finally, we carefully describe our local hospital clinical ethics committee in Geneva (Switzerland), which was founded in 1994 and it still very active. After fifteen years of experience, we remain strongly in favour of the implementation of such committees in any modern hospital. (shrink)

Maurice Blondel, Jacques Maritain, Gabriel Marcel, Etienne Gilson, Edith Stein et bien d'autres célébrités se réunirent à Juvisy en 1933 pour un colloque resté célèbre. La question posée était : "Y a-t-il une philosophie chrétienne?". Claude Brunier-Coulin s'attache à reprendre les divers arguments en présence pour en souligner toute l'actualité. Malgré des avis divergents, les participants admettaient qu'il n'y a pas formellement de philosophie chrétienne car la raison ne peut atteindre par ses propres forces les données de la Révélation. (...) La Révélation et son contenu est ce qui caractérise l'oeuvre de la théologie. A partir de là, les points de vue se partagent et divergent entre Maurice Blondel, Etienne Gilson ou Jacques Maritain en particulier. Pourtant, la philosophie peut-être chrétienne, non pas de façon formelle mais dans son exercice car elle est influencée par les valeurs chrétiennes à la fois sur le plan du savoir et de la pratique. (shrink)

Dans ce grand article paru en 1984, Jean-Claude Chamboredon livre la meilleure synthèse des débats qui se sont fait jour sur les liens entre la vie et l'oeuvre d'Emile Durkheim. Il permet de comprendre comment la sociologie française fut la science républicaine par excellence – c’est-à-dire aussi ce que doit la France à une tradition intellectuelle juive sécularisée.

L’encadrement aporétique est une méthode d’animation en Philosophie Pour Enfants et Adolescents basé sur la confrontation d’idées, et par là d’argumentations divergentes. Il s’agit d’inviter les jeunes à toucher aux limites de leur entendement en les amenant dans l’impasse générée par les mises en contradiction de leurs opinions, les mises en opposition de leurs explications, les mises en demeure de leurs certitudes. Ce qui est pensé est remis en question, du seul fait qu’une autre manière de le penser existe. La (...) cohabitation de ses variétés de pensées engendre la nécessité de parfaire la réflexion et d’approfondir le raisonnement. L’aporie se conçoit alors comme un moyen de contrainte privilégié permettant la progression de la pensée. Il s’agit ici, dans un premier temps, de présenter les fondements théoriques d’un tel encadrement philosophique basé sur l’aporie, et dans un second temps, d’exposer sa praticabilité. (shrink)

Les sciences humaines connaissent, en ce début de XXIe siècle et depuis trois décennies déjà, une période d'important reflux, alors que, nées seulement depuis un peu plus d'un siècle, elles auraient dû s'orienter vers une phase de plein épanouissement. Comment comprendre ce phénomène? Un recul sur leurs fondements s'avère nécessaire : il constitue sans nul doute l'une des meilleures manières de questionner la pertinence de leur projet. L'auteur s'attache ici à restituer la problématique à partir de laquelle les différentes sciences (...) humaines se sont élaborées, non dans une perspective historique mais dans le seul but d'éclairer les problèmes dont nous héritons aujourd'hui concernant l'homme saisi dans son fonctionnement spécifique. Cet ouvrage a par conséquent une portée épistémologique. Il interroge d'abord la prétention des sciences humaines à la scientificité, tout à la fois du point de vue de leur nécessité et de leur légitimité, avant de questionner dans le détail la nature de l'objet qu'elles se donnent, et de définir enfin, plus précisément, les caractéristiques spécifiques de celui-ci. Un tel travail constitue une introduction aux sciences humaines en général, mais il conduit surtout à une reconfiguration d'ensemble de leur projet à venir. (shrink)