The present work critically examines two assumptions frequently stated by supporters of cognitive neuroenhancement. The first, explicitly methodological, assumption is the supposition of effective and side effect-free neuroenhancers. However, there is an evidence-based concern that the most promising drugs currently used for cognitive enhancement can be addictive. Furthermore, this work describes why the neuronal correlates of key cognitive concepts, such as learning and memory, are so deeply connected with mechanisms implicated in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviour so that (...) modification of these systems may inevitably run the risk of addiction to the enhancing drugs. Such a potential risk of addiction could only be falsified by in-depth empirical research. The second, implicit, assumption is that research on neuroenhancement does not pose a serious moral problem. However, the potential for addiction, along with arguments related to research ethics and the potential social impact of neuroenhancement, could invalidate this assumption. It is suggested that ethical evaluation needs to consider the empirical data as well as the question of whether and how such empirical knowledge can be obtained. (shrink)

Heimsoeth enters boldly into the historical drama of Western philosophical thought at its deepest level and tells a story focused not so much on actors as on the plot itself: the great metaphysical questions about philosophy and life.

Die Struktur des unmittelbaren epistemischen Selbstbewußtseins läßt sich am besten unter Zugrundelegung und Entfaltung folgen der Annahmen explizieren: (i) Es gibt mentale Substanzen, (ii) Es gibt Wahrheitswerttransparente Cogitopropositionen oder CogitoSachverhalte, (iii) Jedes Ich kann seine und nur seine es betreffenden Cogitopropositionen fassen, womit es ipso facto ein unmittelbares Wissen um sich selbst hat. Dieses unmittelbare selbstreflexive Wissen kann in assertorischen Sätzen seinen Ausdruck finden, (iv) Die andere Iche betreffenden Cogitopropositionen können diesen Ichen nur mit Hilfe quasiindikatorischer Mittel zugeschrieben werden. Jedes (...) Ich kann wenigstens eine Entität per se individuieren, nämlich sich selbst. Per se Individuation anderer Iche ist nur dann möglich, wenn jedem Ich nicht nur Cogitopropositionen, sondern auch es und nur es betreffende Propositionen zugeordnet werden, die von ihm selbst, aber auch von anderen gefaßt bzw. gewußt werden können. (shrink)

Keine ausführliche Beschreibung für "Die Methodenlehre" verfügbar.

Towards the end of his 1930 paper on boundary numbers and domains of sets Zermelo briefly discusses the questions of consistency and of the existence of an unbounded sequence of strongly inaccessible cardinals, deferring a detailed discussion to a later paper which never appeared. In a report to the Emergency Community of German Science from December 1930 about investigations in progress he mentions that some of the intended extensions of these topics had been worked out and were nearly ready for (...) publication. Using manuscripts from his Nachlass, we exhibit essential features of these extensions. (shrink)