Some basic mathematical facts pertaining to " Catastrophe Theory" are sketched. The alleged applications to the social sciences are studied. Three representative models, due to E.C. Zeeman, are described in detail, and critically analyzed. The models are found to be vaguely formulated, to be based on false hypotheses, to lead to few nontrivial predictions. Moreover, most of those predictions do not agree with reality. Finally, the only nontrivial mathematical result used in these models - Thom 's theorem - is found (...) to be incorrectly applied. It is concluded that no justification exists for the claim that Catastrophe Theory can be applied to the social sciences. (shrink)

This is a presentation about joint work between Hector Zenil and Jean-Paul Delahaye. Zenil presents Experimental Algorithmic Theory as Algorithmic Information Theory and NKS, put together in a mixer. Algorithmic Complexity Theory defines the algorithmic complexity k(s) as the length of the shortest program that produces s. But since finding this short program is in general an undecidable question, the only way to approach k(s) is to use compression algorithms. He shows how to use the Compress function in Mathematica (...) to give an idea about the compressibility of various sequences. However, the idea of applying a compression algorithm breaks down for very short sequences. This is true not only for the Compress function, but also for any other compression algorithm. Zenil's approach is to construct a metric of algorithmic complexity for short sequences from scratch. He defines the algorithmic probability as the probability that an arbitrary program produces a sequence. The basic idea is to run a whole class of computational devices such as Turing Machines or Cellular Automata, and compute the distributions of the sequences they generate. Zenil presents a comparison of frequency distributions of sequences generated by 2-state 3-color Turing Machines and 2-color radius 1 Cellular Automata. He also compared these distributions to distributions found in data from the real world, and found that not only there is correlation across different systems, but also that the distributions are rather stable, and the difference between the distributions in abstract systems and real-world data can be attributed to noise. In his paper Zenil elaborates on the nature of the noise he has encountered. Zenil conjectures that the correlation distances between different systems decreases with a larger number of steps, and converge in the infinite limit case. (shrink)

Therapy for metaphysics -- Concepts, rules, and the spirit of recognition -- Meaning and meanings -- Reference and presence -- Truth and correspondence -- Emancipating theology.

Thinking, Language, and Experience was first published in 1989.Hector-Neri Castañeda's intricate and provocative essays have been widely influential, especially his work in epistemology and ethics, and his theory on the relation of thought to action. The fourteen essays in Thinking, Language, and Experience -- half of them written expressly for this volume -- demonstrate the breadth and richness of his recent work on the unitary structure of human experience.A comprehensive, unified study of phenomena at the intersection between experience, thinking, (...) language, and reality, this book focuses on singular reference -- that is, reference to individuals insofar as they are thought of as individuals: indicators, quasi-indicators, proper names, singular descriptions. Castañeda establishes a large number of new facts -- linguistic, semantic, psychological, and sociological -- about the workings of language in human experience, and from them develops a network of new theories, all grounded in his comprehensive Guise Theory.These theories offer a systematic account for: the structure of human experience and the world at large; the mental powers required to think of the world and to undergo experiences; self-consciousness; the language for thinking of other minds; perception and the interaction between indexical reference and perceptual fields; and the role of subjectivity in perception and intentional action. (shrink)

Introducción a la comprensión del mito -- Los orígenes de la tradición mitológica occidental -- Poética de las tradiciones narrativas -- La recepción del mito en la cultura audiovisual contemporánea -- Los argumentos universales -- Los argumentos universales (II): el viaje a un planeta desconocido.

Este artículo pretende reflexionar acerca de la relación que existe entre nuestra percepción del mundo animal y nuestra realidad cultural. Para ello, en primer lugar se intenta situar el momento cultural que denominamos Postmodernidad. A continuación se investiga sobre algunos símiles (rebaño, abeja) con que se identifica al hombre en la Grecia Clásica y que, al parecer, permanecen a lo largo de la historia occidental. La tesis que se hace evidente es que el proceso de humanización y educación consiste, entre (...) otras cosas, en ir tomando distancia respecto al mundo animal. (shrink)

Este artículo analiza, de una manera introductoria, el concepto de prejubilación. A partir de una perspectiva psicosocial, se señalan los problemas derivados de esa expulsión prematura del mercado laboral que padecen personas mayores de cincuenta y cinco años. Son trabajadores cualificados, con una experiencia acumulada que, para muchas empresas, deja de ser un valor añadido y se convierte en una carga. La identificación con el trabajo y la percepción de la nueva situación son los factores principales que determinan la adaptación (...) positiva o negativa de esas personas prejubiladas, en un mundo global donde los antiguos esquemas de sentido se han derrumbado. (shrink)

We have now provided an overall simple theoretical account of the structure of perceptual experience proto-philosophically examined in Part I. The next task is to find the proper logical machinery to formulatte those accounts rigorously.

In Aristotelian logic, categorical propositions are divided in Universal Affirmative, Universal Negative, Particular Affirmative and Particular Negative. Possible relations between two of the mentioned type of propositions are encoded in the square of opposition. The square expresses the essential properties of monadic first order quantification which, in an algebraic approach, may be represented taking into account monadic Boolean algebras. More precisely, quantifiers are considered as modal operators acting on a Boolean algebra and the square of opposition is represented by relations (...) between certain terms of the language in which the algebraic structure is formulated. This representation is sometimes called the modal square of opposition. Several generalizations of the monadic first order logic can be obtained by changing the underlying Boolean structure by another one giving rise to new possible interpretations of the square. (shrink)

Abstract: According to Hegel, comprehension proper is the ostensible self-determination of thinking with the determinations that spontaneously present themselves as independent objects. By positing objective determinations as the own determinations of thought, comprehension reveals thinking as an activity that is practical. For Hegel, comprehending allegedly extrinsic objects, and free willing of the own determinations of the thinking and willing subject, are in essence the same activity: only subjects who can choose between the determinations that determine them can comprehend objects. To (...) elucidate: only subjects who are able to actively determine themselves with the determinations that spontaneously determine them are able to analyse and comprehend the objects of their knowing activity. Thought that can think itself defines, according to Hegel, the true nature of the human spirit. (shrink)

En este trabajo se estudia la concepción escotista del universal entendido como universallógico y accidente intencional, cuya función cognitiva se entiende como modo de aprehensión oconcepción de la esencia o naturaleza. El artículo se concentra en analizar las cuestiones 4 y 5 del comentario de Duns Escoto a la Isagoge. Se subraya la relación de los análisis escotistas con lateoría aviceniana del triple estatuto de la esencia sobre el telón de fondo de la teoría boeciana de los universales. Al final (...) del artículo se presenta brevemente el momento ontológico del universal tal comose puede ver en la teoría de la naturaleza común. (shrink)

In this paper we analyze two recent conditional interpretations of defaults, one based on probabilities, and the other, on models. We study what makes them equivalent, explore their limitations and develop suitable extensions. The resulting framework ties together a number of important notions in default reasoning, like high-probabilities and model-preference, default priorities and argument systems, and independence assumptions and minimality considerations.

Some concepts widely used in science are fundamental keys in the work of Mariano Artigas. Words like ‘order’, ‘dynamism’, ‘activity’, ‘chaos’, ‘randomness’, ‘patterns’, ‘structure’, ‘emergence’ or ‘complexity’, which are also used in other fields of thinking, have been used to build M. Artigas’ worldview. From this point of view, he presents the existence of philosophical bridges to overcome the methodological gaps between science and religion. Since the years in which Artigas wrote his work up to now, the scientific meanings of (...) many of these concepts have evolved until reaching today a better level of accuracy, maturity and stability. This article discusses the concept of worldview in M. Artigas related to some notions he used. It is important to remark that the change in the meaning of some words does not affect the general framework introduced by M. Artigas. His understanding of the relations between science and religion still preserves both validity and profit. (shrink)

This primer on biblical criticism and key problems in religion and philosophy is intended as an introduction to these complex subjects for Spanish-speaking laypersons with little or no prior scientific training in the area. Professor Avalos critically reviews the classic arguments for the existence of God, alleged miracles and faith-healing, the belief that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, problems of good and evil in the Bible, creation stories, biblical prophecy, the resurrection of Jesus, and many other topics. (...) In the last part of the book, Avalos discusses the scientific worldview, especially as it impinges upon the question of the existence of God. A notes section allows readers to explore more deeply the areas touched on in the text; appendices provide information on the sources of many biblical stories and beliefs in Mesopotamian and other ancient Near Eastern cultures; and a final personal note briefly recounts the author’s experiences from his upbringing in fundamentalist Christianity to his current skeptical view. This informative volume is an excellent starting point for those who wish to explore with a minimum of resources basic questions in religion, philosophy, and biblical studies. (shrink)