«La generación espontánea de la vida en la tierra habría tenido tantas probabilidades de darse como el ensamblaje de un avión 747 por un tornado a su paso por un depósito de chatarra». Fred HoyleEl modelo darwinista es un modelo sencillo que pretende explicar la manera en la que los seres vivos han evolucionado. La simplicidad de sus planteamientos ha facilitado la difusión de estas ideas. Pero esa misma simplicidad hace que difícilmente pueda explicar la complejidad de los seres vivos. (...) Tampoco explica la enorme velocidad de evolución de las especies, que se deduce de la aparente ausencia de intermediarios en el registro fósil. Para soslayar estos problemas, diversos autores han sugerido la presencia en la célula de mecanismos adaptativos y no preadaptativos, como sugiere el modelo darwinista. La arquitectura de los sistemas informáticos, así como los lenguajes de programación, han tendido, a medida que se han ido haciendo mas complejos, a adoptar la filosofía de los servicios prestados o programación orientada a objeto. Otras herramientas como el debugger han facilitado tremendamente la tarea de los programadores para depurar código y localizar y corregir errores de programación. La adopción de esta filosofía de trabajo ha posibilitado la aparición de sistemas informáticos complejos, robustos y de fácil actualización. Los principios que han posibilitado el aumento en complejidad, su robustez y han facilitado la evolución de lo sistemas informáticos, también podrían estar presentes en la célula. A estos mecanismos los podríamos llamar de «adaptación facilitada», y permitirían: a) introducir azar «controladamente» en los genes, b) acotar los conjuntos de genes sobre los que este mecanismo actúa, c) «validar» si los cambios introducidos han sido o no adaptativos, d) facilitar la fijación de dichos cambios en el genoma y e) facilitar la propagación horizontal, mediante virus, de genes adaptivos. (shrink)

Some paradoxes emerging when the universe is thought of in terms of objectivity are considered in this article, in the light of the philosophy of L. Polo. Current metaphysical speculations on the basis of modern cosmology cannot easily avoid this risk. The author examines in particular the problem of the beginning of time, with a confrontation between Polo and Aquinas. It is argued that cosmological thought must be carefully controlled in order to be referred to a metaphysical perspective.

One of the reasons for Carnap’s (1922) analysis of space was the confounding status of many arguments around the state of the art on that topic at that time. The unsatisfactory views supplied by mathematicians, physicists and philosophers led Carnap to propose a new conception of space. His proposal, which employs the notion of intuition as a fundamental tool, fared better, but clashed with his conventionalists intentions derived from an allegedly tolerant attitude. The notion of intuition here examined allows us (...) to claim that Carnap’s target was also an objectivist epistemological program dependent on certain realistic reminiscences embodied in the notion of evidence or matter of fact (Tatbestand). (shrink)

La idea de que el cuerpo (σῶμα) es una tumba (σῆμα) donde el alma permanece encerrada cumpliendo un castigo por una antigua culpa es transmitida por Platón, quien la atribuye a los órficos. Filón de Alejandría utilizó en diversos pasajes de su obra esta metáfora de procedencia órfica. Nuestro interés consiste en analizar el sentido que Filón le asigna y el modo en que reelabora el significado que le fue asignado en la tradición órfica y en la interpretación platónica. Intentaremos (...) mostrar que Filón utiliza la metáfora de dos maneras distintas que manifiestan la fuerte ambivalencia existente en su pensamiento respecto de la valoración del cuerpo humano. The idea that the body (σῶμα) is a tomb (σῆμα) where the soul remains confined as a punishment for an ancient fault is transmitted by Plato, who attributes it to the orphics. Philo of Alexandria made use of this metaphor of orphic origin in various passages of his work. Our interest is to analyze the sense that Philo assigns to it and the way in which he reelaborates the meaning that was ascribed to it in orphic tradition and in the platonic interpretation. We will try to demonstrate that Philo uses the metaphor in two different ways that show the strong ambivalence existing in his thought with respect to the value of the human body. (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”.

La actual dificultad para sostener la existencia de una ley natural estriba fundamentalmente en que se niega la existencia de una esencia o bien la posibilidad de su conocimiento. A este respecto se analiza la posición de Tomás de Aquino, haciendo hincapié en su realismo, que lo hace afirmar que las esencias de las cosas nos son desconocidas. No obstante lo anterior, al analizar esta afirmación en el contexto de su obra, se puede colegir que eso no significa que no (...) sea posible conocer nada acerca de ella. (shrink)

Desde el punto de vista de los derechos humanos, el desplazamiento forzado no signif ica la violación puntual de un derecho, sino la vulneración múltiple, masiva y continua de muchos derechos fundamentales; fenómeno que ataca la titularidad de los derechos de la persona desplazada. Este ataque, en la mayoría de los casos, es provocado por el desplazador, y en algunas ocasiones por el Estado, siendo este, quien tiene la obligación primordial de prestar al desplazado la atención necesaria y de proporcionarle (...) una protección integral que frene la violación tanto de los derechos humanos, como del derecho humanitario, teniendo en cuenta siempre las diferentes aportaciones y elaboraciones que sobre el caso, proporcionan las organizaciones internacionales que trabajan al respecto. (shrink)

The consent process for publication of clinical images in medical journals varies widely. The extent of this variation is not known. It is also not known whether journals follow their own stated best practices or the guidance of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. We assessed consent requirements in a sample of 10 top impact factor general medicine journals that publish clinical images, examining variability in consent requirements for clinical image publication and congruence of requirements with the recommendations of (...) the ICMJE. Clinical image consent requirements varied widely from journal to journal. None of the studied journals, even amongst n = 4 ICMJE members or n = 8 journals who self-report adherence to ICMJE guidelines, comply with all of the recommendations of the ICMJE. Half of studied journals require a journal-specific consent form. Among top medical journals there is significant heterogeneity in consent requirements for clinical images. Variability of consent requirements is neither practical nor rational; inconsistent requirements create uncertainty for authors, present impediments to dissemination of scholarship, and undermine a shared professional understanding of how best to protect patient privacy. We propose adopting a standardized consent form and process for publication of identifiable images in medical journals, with uniform elements and explicit definitions. (shrink)

IntroductionThe 2019–2020 pandemic COVID-19 has become a global health crisis. While many recent studies on COVID-19 pandemic have focused on disease epidemiology and psychological status of patients, few have explored the multi-facet influential factors or combined perspectives from both the patients and healthcare workers. The purposes of this study were to: analyze the influencing factors of psychological distress of COVID-19 patients; and describe the experience of healthcare workers relieving psychological distress.Materials and MethodsThis study uses a mixed-method cross-sectional design, including a (...) quantitative study and a qualitative study, targeting two populations: COVID-19 patient and health workers, respectively. In the quantitative part, we recruited a convenience sample of patients with COVID-19 from five hospitals in Wuhan, Hubei Province from 10 to 15 April, 2020. Besides, we collected data by using participants’ socio-demographic information sheet, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, the Herth Hope Index, the Distress Thermometer, the Revised Chinese Version of Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale, and the Chinese Version of Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale. In the qualitative part, the participants were healthcare workers involved in medical aid missions in Hubei Province, China. Meanwhile, we used sampling with convenient and purposive, data collection with a semi-structured online video interview, and text transcription with Colaizzi’s phenomenological method.ResultsThe results reveal that 25.7% of patients reported higher level of psychological distress. After controlling the sociodemographic variables, only severity of COVID-19 and uncertainty in illness shown significant effect on psychological distress in the regression model. The experience of healthcare workers emerged five themes: Particularly needed psychological care, Manifestation of negative emotion, Manifestation of proactive adaptation, Strategies relieving psychological distress, and gains of healthcare workers after delivering effective psychological care.ConclusionThe 25.7% of patients with COVID-19 still suffered from psychological distress, which should receive timely attention from healthcare workers. And the severity of the disease and disease uncertainty have a significant impact on distress. It is critical to train the healthcare workers on detecting the different manifestation of psychological distress, offering timely disease related information, and applying communication strategies. (shrink)

1.Los bienes invisibles -- 2. Tareas del espíritu.

The following study departs from the lecture, entitled “Creative thinking”, delivered by Claude Shannon in 1952 at the Bell Laboratories. This paper includes an interpretive and critical account of the necessary conditions, as well as the desirable procedures, which must be satisfied in the scientific and technological invention, within the frame of the so-called scientist’s spontaneous philosophy.

Empirical research on Rational Choice Theory has brought up two focus of the economics laws problem. On one hand, we find the authors who state that the neoclassical economics laws are explanatory and predictive on specific cases: in transparent contexts in which the standard rationality operates successfully. On the other hand, we find the authors who state that the descriptive theories of the rational choice opens up a research path in which fundamental principles of the neoclassical building could be questioned. (...) Both view points have generated an important standard Rational Choice Theory revision what has produced the so called descriptive view point. It implies understanding that most of the choices take place under risky or uncertainty conditions and, that, these choices are far more complex than the normative Rational Choice Theory supposes. This article's main goal is to expand the descriptive point of view in rational choice, theorizing how some factors, coming from the social and cultural environment, operate within the rational choice. Into space of this research essay we find the debatable question of whether these sort of proposals expands the explanation of the deviation of the rational choice normative theory, and that, of the disturbing causes of the microeconomics laws, or they call into question fundamental principles of these laws and therefore they are opening the possibility to focus some economics issues in a new different manner. (shrink)

El dolor nace de la sensibilidad ante la privación de un bien que tiene que ver con la vida y sus funciones. Cuando afecta a la persona de un modo grave e irremediable, aparece como incomprensible e insuperable. Hegel pone el significado del dolor en la negatividad del espíritu. El dolor surge del carácter dialéctico del ser y así está instalado en Dios. Leonardo Polo sostiene la ininteligibilidad del sufrimiento humano. La persona no sólo sufre, sino que su existencia misma (...) es dolorosa. Su última raíz es el pecado. Lo único que da sentido al sufrimiento humano es la Pasión de Cristo, en la que el dolor y el mal voluntario son vencidos por el amor. (shrink)

Contemporary philosophy from Husserl focuses in the notion of world. Polo in his theory of knowledge explain a notion of world that solves some latent difficulties in the speeches of Husserl and Heidegger.