Aristotle claims that character friends are similar to each other. How should we understand this similarity, and what role does it play in friendship? In the paper, I argue that a broad similarity of ‘tastes’—which I understand as the appreciation of relatively good ends—is at least a facilitating condition on the formation of character friendship. This is because it (i) facilitates seeing the other as good in the first place, which is essential to character friendship; and (ii) enables the friends (...) to spend time and share in activities together, which is characteristic of character friendship. (shrink)

Reproductive autonomy is central to women’s welfare both because childbearing takes place in women’s bodies and because they are generally expected to take primary responsibility for child rearing. In 2005, the factors that influence their autonomy most strongly are poverty and belief systems that devalue such autonomy. Unfortunately, such autonomy is a low priority for most societies, or is anathema to their belief systems altogether. This situation is doubly sad because women’s reproductive autonomy is intrinsically valuable for women and also (...) instrumentally valuable for the welfare of humankind. This paper takes for granted the moral and practical necessity of such autonomy and digs deeper into the question of what such a commitment might entail, focusing on the mid-level policy making that, at least in the US and Canada, plays a significant role in shaping women’s options. This paper examines a large teaching hospital’s policy on reduction of multifetal pregnancies. The policy permits reduction of triplets to twins, but not twins to a singleton. As there is no morally relevant difference between these two types of reduction, it is evident that inappropriate medicalisation can still limit women’s autonomy in undesirable ways. (shrink)

This paper revisits the life of Adolf Lindenbaum in light of new research findings, then looks at two areas among many—metric spaces, and decompositions of point sets—where his work has been underappreciated.

Part of T. M. Scanlon’s project in What We Owe to Each Other (1998) is to explain the importance and priority of moral reasons. But Scanlon also argues that this priority of moral reasons is compatible with the pursuit of other things we value, such as friendship. To this end, Scanlon claims that contractualist moral reasons internally accommodate our interests in such values. In this paper, I argue that Scanlon is unsuccessful in showing the compatibility of morality and the pursuit (...) of our other values. The contractualist may not be able to be a good friend. (shrink)

Pronatalism—the social bias toward having children—is at the core of much violence against women. Its chief characteristic, and its moral Achilles heel, is that it undermines autonomous decision-making about childbearing. Together with its soulmates misogyny and geneticism, it harms children, male partners, and humanity as a whole, given the serious environmental challenges now facing us. But, of course, biology requires women to gestate offspring, and women are generally expected to be responsible for childrearing. Female gender roles incorporate these facts, and (...) thus pronatalism’s negative impact on women—both their bodies and their lives—is of another order of magnitude. Yet, this state of affairs is so taken for granted that it is almost invisible, and is therefore especially hard to eradicate. Attempts to do so are also often erroneously confused with, and undermined by, negativism about having children. (shrink)

Science is revolutionizing human reproduction. New techniques are already with us, such as artificial insemination, the freezing of sperm, in vitro fertilization and the use of surrogate mothers. Artificial wombs are clearly on the horizon.

No processo de reconstrução da filosofia, está colocado para John Dewey o desafio da articulação entre filosofia e ciência e, como consequência disso, a mudança no método de operar da primeira. Dewey desenvolveu um programa doutrinário que visa mostrar como o conhecimento se funda na experiência. Essa é a dimensão científico-naturalista da sua obra, cuja influência advém do naturalismo darwinista. Nesse sentido, o seu projeto consiste numa rigorosa argumentação contra as explicações em que a experiência e a natureza são apresentadas (...) com base em distinções arbitrárias. Na obra Reconstruction in Philosophy, Dewey desenvolveu seu projeto metafísico de dimensão historicista, propondo uma reconstrução para a filosofia. Essa perspectiva é de inspiração hegeliana, considerando a história como “fluxo dos acontecimentos”. Sua argumentação consiste em reivindicar uma filosofia da experiência, na medida em que se apropria do método científico. Dewey tenta pensar um sistema desenvolvido a partir da aplicação do método científico à filosofia, mas tendo como base uma concepção filosófica da experiência. As concepções de Dewey acerca do conhecimento, do uso inteligente da razão e da natureza social da filosofia concorrem para a constituição de sua concepção de ciência. O objetivo do filósofo é desenvolver um projeto científico e metodológico que exigirá outra forma de fazer filosofia, que ele caracteriza como uma filosofia empírica. Embora Dewey defenda uma filosofia com uma visada científica, isso não significa que ele subordine a filosofia à ciência. Ocorre que Dewey se opõe à forma pela qual o problema epistemológico foi formulado pela tradição, ou seja, desconsiderando o processo de conexão entre as coisas e entre o conhecedor e as coisas. No presente artigo apresentamos este projeto filosófico denominado por nós de metafísica empírica. Iniciamos, argumentando a partir de Dewey, com a necessidade da constituição e formação de uma mentalidade científica tendo em vista os fins sociais. Esta reivindicação decorre do fato de Dewey considerar que ciência e democracia compartilham não apenas o mesmo padrão de investigação, o “método da inteligência”, mas também as mesmas virtudes morais: uma disposição para questionar, para procurar clareza e evidência, para ouvir e respeitar as opiniões dos outros, para considerar alternativas de forma imparcial, para mudar de ponto de vista em virtude da investigação e da comunicação. Por fim, discutiremos a teoria pragmatista da existência, cujo objetivo é a constituição de uma nova metafísica que consiste em administrar, no domínio temporal, o finito e o humano em sua relação com o eterno e o infinito, ou seja, visa apreender a realidade enquanto produto dos seus condicionantes. Em sua crítica à metafísica tradicional, Dewey deixa subentendido que o que se tem em termos dessas metafísicas não passa de técnicas intelectuais refinadas, derivadas das ideias rudimentares da fé popular acerca do sobrenatural e do natural, do divino e do humano. (shrink)

Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human and livestock health. Although AMR is driven by use of antimicrobials, it is often attributed to “misuse” and “overuse”, particularly for antibiotics. To curb resistance, there has been a global call to embrace new forms of moral personhood that practice “proper” use, including prescription, dispensing and consumption of antimicrobials, especially antibiotics. This paper seeks to reflect on complex questions about how morality has become embedded /embodied in the AMR discourse as (...) presented in the data collected on antimicrobial prescription, dispensing and use in human and livestock health in Tanzania, primarily focusing on antibiotics. Methods This reflection is anchored on Jarrett Zigon’s morality framework that is comprised of three dimensions of discourse; the institutional, public, and embodied dispositions. The data we use within this framework are derived from a qualitative study targeting human and animal health care service providers and community members in northern Tanzania. Data were collected through 28 in-depth interviews and ten focus group discussions and analysed through content analysis after translation and transcription. In addition, a review of the Tanzania’s National Action Plans on antimicrobial resistance was conducted. Results Application of the framework demonstrates points of convergence and divergence in the institutional morality discourse articulated by the Tanzania National Action Plans, the public discourse and the embodied dispositions/ lived experiences of human and animal health care service providers and community members. We demonstrate that AMR is not just associated with “inappropriate” behaviour on the part of drug prescribers, dispensers, and users but also with shortcomings in health systems and service delivery. Conclusion Antibiotic dispensing and use practices that may be associated with the development of AMR should not be viewed in isolation from the broader health context within which they occur. (shrink)

The historical reconstruction of the origins of the Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution (NTME) has been seen purely as an extension of a long-held theoretical debate between the classical and balance schools of Population Genetics. In this perspective, the NTME is but a different interpretation of the then recently published data on high intrapopulation genetic variability. In this paper we try to show that this thesis is deficient and partially incorrect. We show that the sources for the construction and development (...) of the NTME are more varied than this traditional account. We support the Dietrich Historical Thesis, which is the view that different versions of the NTME (Kimura, and King and Jukes) show different kinds of experimental and theoretical support and coincide in recognizing the importance of the then new molecular experimental approach and of its comparative results in evolutionary biology. We stress this case to show the limits of the traditional approach in history and philosophy of science that emphasizes the theoretical activities of scientists and the theoretical characterization of disciplines. (shrink)

In the predicate calculus, variables provide a flexible indexing service which selects the actual arguments to a predicate letter from among possible arguments that precede the predicate letter (in the parse of the formula). In the process of selection, the possible arguments can be permuted, repeated (used more than once), and skipped. If this service is withheld, so that arguments must be the immediately preceding ones, taken in the order in which they occur, the formula is said to be fluted. (...) Quine showed that if a fluted formula contains only homogeneous conjunction (conjoins only subformulas of equal arity), then the satisfiability of the formula is decidable. It remained an open question whether the satisfiability of a fluted formula without this restriction is decidable. This paper answers that question. (shrink)

From the author of "For Common Things" comes a provocative look at the meaning of American freedom. Purdy works from the stories of individuals: Frederick Douglass urging Americans to extend freedom to slaves, Ralph Waldo Emerson arguing for self-fulfillment, and others.

In his latest book, Jedediah Purdy takes up a question of deep and lasting importance: why is property ownership a value to society? His answer returns us to the foundations of American society and enables us to interpret the writings of the patron saint of liberal economics, Adam Smith, in a wholly new light. Unlike Milton Friedman and other free-market scholars, who consider property a key to efficient markets, Purdy draws upon Smith’s theories to argue that the virtues of wealth (...) are social rather than economic. In Purdy’s view, ownership does much more than shield one from government interference. Property shapes social life in ways that bring us closer to, or take us farther from, the ideal of a community of free and equal members. This view of property is neither libertarian nor communitarian but treats the community as the precondition of individual freedom. This view informed U.S. law in the early days of the republic, Purdy writes, and it is one that we need to restore today. Touching upon some of the most charged issues in American politics and law, including slavery, inheritance, international development, and climate change, _The Meaning of Property_ offers a compelling new view of property and freedom and enriches our understanding of democratic society. (shrink)

It is well-known that first-order logic is semi-decidable. Therefore, first-order logic is less than ideal for computational purposes (computer science, knowledge engineering). Certain fragments of first-order logic are of interest because they are decidable. But decidability is gained at the cost of expressiveness. The objective of this paper is to investigate inexpressiveness of fragments that have received much attention.

The diffusion of ideas about contemporary terrorism is analyzed using a sociology of science methodology. One of the most common means of creating understandings of a phenomenon is the development and diffusion of ideas that influence the positions adopted by a wide range of actors, including government bureaucrats and decision makers, legislative and corporate bodies, and the public. How did terrorism researchers interact with these actors to construct, maintain, and modify the development and perception of contemporary terrorism? How were the (...) ideas diffused and what impact did they have on policymakers? Did the invisible college of terrorism researchers function as an epistemic community? These questions are analyzed using an integrated research strategy that employs a number of techniques and data sources such as bibliometrics, content analysis, and citation analysis of selected terrorism research publications, biographies, and conferences, and on-line tracing of researchers’ affiliations, participations, and collaborations. (shrink)

Anísio, Anísios Teixeira: um educador no Museu do Homem do Nordeste traz ao público leitor o pensamento, a atuação e a influência de um dos personagens mais instigantes da cultura brasileira do século XX, o educador Anísio Teixeira (1900-1971). Através da criação da escola Experimental do Recife ligada ao Centro Regional de Pesquisas Educacionais de Pernambuco, Anísio Teixeira teve uma intensa participação na história do então Instituto Joaquim Nabuco de Pesquisas Sociais, hoje Fundação Joaquim Nabuco. Com artigos escritos por coordenaodres (...) do Museu do Homem do Nordeste da Fundaj, e também por alguns de seus educadores, este livro atualiza as influências e o papel que as ideias do educador baiano exercem na educação de jovens nos dias de hoje"--Provided by Publisher. (shrink)