The notion of “individuality” in Plotinus is one of the most discussed. Throughout the Enneads, the problem of the individual subject arises from the complexity in understanding the relation between man and soul. To the intelligible man, also known as the inner or first man, a second man is added, so that “we have come to be the pair of them” 14.28-30). This question has been extensively addressed from different angles that lead either to a purely structuralist solution, or to (...) its criticism and the search for a more stable definition of subjective identity. The thesis that we will defend in this article, and that will indicate our position in the debate, tries to give a new perspective of the issue alluding to the sphere of life and its forms. The continuity between the different men will be determined by the continuity between their different forms of life, a primary issue to which the problem of individuality and the different modes of consciousness are subject. (shrink)

In this article we examine one of the viewpoints linked to Platonic dialectics which directly concerns the conformity of the polis : the underlying questioning which the modus operandi of dialectics applies to everyday life, to social conventions, formalities, and generally accepted beliefs. We focus here on the passage in the Republic 537e-539e where dialectics is intimately linked to refutation. This procedure, which leads to the development of the dialectic method, requires distancing from the everyday and unconsciously assumed viewpoint, exercising (...) critical consciousness. Plato explores the dangers of dialectics at the border between questioning the norm and assuming responsibility towards the polis. (shrink)

El presente artículo se centra en el estudio de la exégesis que lleva a cabo Plotino en torno a la significación de la inefabilidad del uno, planteada en el Parménides platónico al hilo de la primera hipótesis. Este ubica a este primer uno inefable en el centro mismo de su sistema, lo que tendrá fuertes implicaciones tanto a nivel ontológico como por lo que respecta a la comprensión del lenguaje. la concepción de la realidad que se deriva de esta inefabilidad (...) del primer principio, de un lado, y las implicaciones en la naturaleza del lenguaje filosófico que abre este postulado, de otro, ocuparán la centralidad de nuestras reflexiones. Atenderemos a los textos originales en los que se plantea la cuestión, apoyándonos en la labor de la crítica, discutiendo los puntos fundamentales a fin de esclarecer la posición que encontramos en las Enéadas. Tomaremos, asimismo, en consideración la actualidad que tiene esta posición y su capacidad de ir más allá de la crítica heideggeriana a la metafísica. (shrink)

en el presente artículo abordamos la cuestión de la naturaleza del símbolo en la filosofía de Jámblico a través del análisis del pasaje de De Mysteriis 2.11.20-41. este pasaje ha servido de apoyo a la exégesis que ve en el símbolo un elemento apartado del intelecto. Según esta lectura, el símbolo habría sido introducido por Jámblico para salvar la debilidad del alma humana ante lo divino. éste habría dejado de confiar en las capacidades del hombre, abriéndose al ámbito de la (...) teúrgia. éste marco de interpretación adolece, sin embargo, de importantes carencias a la hora de ofrecer una comprensión profunda y coherente del papel del símbolo en la filosofía de Jámblico. A partir del estudio de este pasaje, nos acercaremos a la naturaleza de lo simbólico, buscando abrir una vía de comprensión de su papel en el proceso epistémico que perfila Jámblico. la relación que guarda esta noción con el término νοερός será determinante para nuestro estudio. (shrink)

BACKGROUND: Ontologies play a major role in life sciences, enabling a number of applications, from new data integration to knowledge verification. SNOMED CT is a large medical ontology that is formally defined so that it ensures global consistency and support of complex reasoning tasks. Most biomedical ontologies and taxonomies on the other hand define concepts only textually, without the use of logic. Here, we investigate how to automatically generate formal concept definitions from textual ones. We develop a method that uses (...) machine learning in combination with several types of lexical and semantic features and outputs formal definitions that follow the structure of SNOMED CT concept definitions. RESULTS: We evaluate our method on three benchmarks and test both the underlying relation extraction component as well as the overall quality of output concept definitions. In addition, we provide an analysis on the following aspects: How do definitions mined from the Web and literature differ from the ones mined from manually created definitions, e.g., MeSH? How do different feature representations, e.g., the restrictions of relations' domain and range, impact on the generated definition quality?, How do different machine learning algorithms compare to each other for the task of formal definition generation?, and, What is the influence of the learning data size to the task? We discuss all of these settings in detail and show that the suggested approach can achieve success rates of over 90%. In addition, the results show that the choice of corpora, lexical features, learning algorithm and data size do not impact the performance as strongly as semantic types do. Semantic types limit the domain and range of a predicted relation, and as long as relations' domain and range pairs do not overlap, this information is most valuable in formalizing textual definitions. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis presented in this manuscript implies that automated methods can provide a valuable contribution to the formalization of biomedical knowledge, thus paving the way for future applications that go beyond retrieval and into complex reasoning. The method is implemented and accessible to the public from: https://github.com/alifahsyamsiyah/learningDL. (shrink)

The complexity of the epistemological framework developed in the philosophy of Iamblichus does not allow to be captured from the polarity that underlies the categories of rational and irrational. After the projection of such categories, the core of this philosophy remains itself misunderstood. In this paper we intend to point to the need for a hermeneutic that respects the Neoplatonism that, from their own internal assumptions, display models that allow open understanding about the meaning and coherence of this thought. A (...) serious approach to the texts foregrounds the importance of the method. This must accompany the complexity of its meaning without projecting beyond categories that hide their cores basic sense, attempting an inside their outlines. The deployment of this path indicates the result of the demonstration of the precariousness of certain exegetical lines that tend to hide behind the projection of conceptual parameters strangers, basic access key to this thought. (shrink)

The paper offers insights into the acceptability of ethical issues in poultry production and how this situation provides an opportunity to transform the prevailing system into a more sustainable one. The survey among German consumers reveals that killing day-old chicks is a well-known practice and is rated as “very problematic”. In contrast, dual-purpose chickens are mostly unknown but are considered a positive alternative to killing day-old chicks. Consumer clusters were identified regarding purchasing criteria for dual-purpose chickens, purchasing routines and socio-economic (...) factors. Three of the five clusters—the perfectionists, idealists, and realists—turned out to be potential buyers. To develop a suitable marketing strategy, it is recommended that the added value of dual-purpose chickens be comprehensibly communicated. From a multi-level perspective, rearing dual-purpose chickens has a competitive disadvantage compared to system-compliant alternatives. Through increasing external pressure, the different alternatives can jointly contribute to a regime shift. (shrink)

This paper studies, with techniques ofAlgebraic Logic, the effects of putting a bound on the cardinality of the set of side formulas in the Deduction Theorem, viewed as a Gentzen-style rule, and of adding additional assumptions inside the formulas present in Modus Ponens, viewed as a Hilbert-style rule. As a result, a denumerable collection of new Gentzen systems and two new sentential logics have been isolated. These logics are weaker than the positive implicative logic. We have determined their algebraic models (...) and the relationships between them, and have classified them according to several standard criteria of Abstract Algebraic Logic. One of the logics is protoalgebraic but neither equivalential nor weakly algebraizable, a rare situation where very few natural examples were hitherto known. In passing we have found new, alternative presentations of positive implicative logic, both in Hilbert style and in Gentzen style, and have characterized it in terms of the restricted Deduction Theorem: it is the weakest logic satisfying Modus Ponens and the Deduction Theorem restricted to at most 2 side formulas. The algebraic part of the work has lead to the class of quasi-Hilbert algebras, a quasi-variety of implicative algebras introduced by Pla and Verdú in 1980, which is larger than the variety of Hilbert algebras. Its algebraic properties reflect those of the corresponding logics and Gentzen systems. (shrink)

“Only connect …,” the epigraph of Forster's Howards End, offers itself as a model of moral diplomacy. The efficacy of genuine human connection—whether it takes the form of creative action or of decent human relations—in containing and civilizing force is an idea that informs the novel's conception of what constitutes and ensures civilized life. Forster regarded propriety and convention as expressions of force and so applauded any assault on conventional feeling as an act of moral heroism. This essay introduces the (...) third installment of the Common Knowledge symposium “Peace by Other Means”: it explores and indeed extols the moral efficacy of connection in containing force and resolving conflicts, but it also contemplates the obstacles to connection, which Forster dramatizes with his characteristic honesty. (shrink)

Parenting is a transforming experience for the life of parents that brings joy and satisfaction as well as challenges, frustration, and demands. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between “parental stress and satisfaction” and work-home conflict, perceived social support, and global satisfaction with life, and to determine the moderating role of the parent's gender. A sample of 244 participants was studied: 49.6% (121) mothers and 50.4% (123) fathers with children between 2 and 12 years of age. (...) The data was analysed by means of multiple linear regression models and Beta regression for stress and parental satisfaction, respectively, and they were complemented with general and conditional dominance analyses to estimate the relevance of the predictors. Mothers presented higher levels of parental stress and satisfaction than fathers. Being female, having two children, and home-work conflict were predictors of a higher parental stress. Age was also a predictor, as younger parents and also those older than 37 years of age showed more parental stress. Having no partner and being male was associated to lower parental satisfaction. In conclusion, parental stress and satisfaction emerge as clearly differentiated dimensions of parenting experience. The gender gap in parental stress could be linked to the persistence of traditional roles regarding the care of the children, in agreement with the findings in other research. (shrink)

The objective of this study is to determine the contribution made by knowledge of letters, phonological awareness, phonological memory, and alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric rapid automatized naming at the ages of six and seven to the ability of Spanish children to read words at 7 years of age. A total of 116 Spanish-speaking school children took part in the study, from schools located in an average socio-cultural setting, without special educational needs. The reading ability of these pupils was evaluated at the (...) age of seven, and cognitive variables were assessed at 6 and 7 years of age. Descriptive-exploratory analyses, bivariate analyses, and multivariate regressions were performed. The results show that cognitive variables measured at these ages contribute differently to the ability to read words at 7 years of age. Rapid naming does not seem to influence word reading; knowledge of letters no longer influences word reading as children grow older; and phonological awareness and phonological memory maintain their contribution to the explanation of word reading. These results indicate that reading in Spanish depends on different cognitive variables and that this relationship varies according to age. The findings have key educational implications in terms of teaching reading skills and the prevention of specific learning difficulties in Spanish Primary Education. (shrink)

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo conocer las características sociodemográficas y laborales de las mujeres indígenas migrantes hidalguenses que se dedican al trabajo doméstico en el estado de Nuevo León, México. Para alcanzar este objetivo se explorarán la encuesta intercensal del 2015. En comparación con otros movimientos migratorios, la migración interna de mujeres en México ha sido poco estudiada, en particular la protagonizada por población indígena. Entre los principales resultados encontramos que las mujeres migrantes hidalguenses que se dedican al trabajo (...) doméstico remunerado en Nuevo León tienen condiciones de precariedad laboral como producto de la institucionalización social, cultural y jurídica de la desigualdad y la injusticia estructural. Es un trabajo desvalorizado socialmente, ya que se considera propio de la construcción social de los roles de género femenino, como consecuencia encontramos que se legitima la discriminación en términos jurídicos, ante la falta del reconocimiento económico y de sus derechos laborales. (shrink)

A partir de una investigación sobre los Consejos Asesores Presidenciales en el Gobierno de Michelle Bachelet, se desarrolla un marco teórico sobre movimientos sociales y las llamadas formas subpolíticas, que permite ver cómo el movimiento estudiantil secundario de 2006 desafió el enclave educacional y el tipo de respuesta que un gobierno que buscaba un sello ciudadano, dio a través de la formación de un Consejo Asesor con participación de diversos sectores. El análisis de los debates en el seno de ese (...) Consejo muestra las diversas posiciones en juego y también la imposibilidad de llegar a acuerdos de trasformación profunda. (shrink)

Given its non-invasive nature, there is increasing interest in the use of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation across basic, translational and clinical research. Contemporaneously, tVNS can be achieved by stimulating either the auricular branch or the cervical bundle of the vagus nerve, referred to as transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and transcutaneous cervical VNS, respectively. In order to advance the field in a systematic manner, studies using these technologies need to adequately report sufficient methodological detail to enable comparison of results between (...) studies, replication of studies, as well as enhancing study participant safety. We systematically reviewed the existing tVNS literature to evaluate current reporting practices. Based on this review, and consensus among participating authors, we propose a set of minimal reporting items to guide future tVNS studies. The suggested items address specific technical aspects of the device and stimulation parameters. We also cover general recommendations including inclusion and exclusion criteria for participants, outcome parameters and the detailed reporting of side effects. Furthermore, we review strategies used to identify the optimal stimulation parameters for a given research setting and summarize ongoing developments in animal research with potential implications for the application of tVNS in humans. Finally, we discuss the potential of tVNS in future research as well as the associated challenges across several disciplines in research and clinical practice. (shrink)

Introduction: Empathy is a complex human experience that involves the subjective intersection of different individuals. In the context of nursing care in the geriatric setting, the benefits of empathetic relationships are directly related to the quality of the practice of nursing. Objective: Analyze scientific production on the benefits of empathy in the nurse–patient relationship in the geriatric care setting. Methods: An integrative review of the literature was performed using the PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases. The (...) articles retrieved were organized, evaluated, and classified based on the level of scientific evidence. Results: Relationships of empathy between nurses and older people were analyzed in quasi-experimental studies using different assessment tools, the majority of which had moderate levels of validity and reliability. Studies with a qualitative approach discussed the meaning of empathy in terms of the quality of care offered, compassion, and vulnerability. Discussion: Levels of empathy increase when activities are developed with the aim of teaching, sensitization, and training for relational care between nursing staff and older people. The analysis of empathetic relationships is important to the evaluation of the quality of care provided to older people. Conclusion: Empathy in the nurse–patient relationship in the geriatric care setting is an important ethical aspect that contributes to the quality of the practice of nursing. The present findings indicate the need for more robust assessment tools with adequate psychometric properties and the descriptive analysis of empathy. (shrink)

Este artículo analiza el perfil sociodemográfico de la población de 12 años y más ocupada en el empleo doméstico, considerando las variables edad, sexo, migración, condición de hablante de lengua indígena, escolaridad, seguridad social e ingresos, en un contexto de crisis económica. La fuente de información usada corresponde a los microdatos de los Censos de Población y Vivienda del Instituto Nacional de Geografía e Informática (INEGI, 1970-2020). Los resultados sugieren que el empleo doméstico es un fenómeno decreciente, se constata como (...) nicho feminizado, de baja escolaridad, con reducción significativa de las indígenas, de su condición migratoria y del aumento en el envejecimiento. La elección del periodo de estudio sugiere que las crisis económicas impactan disminuyendo las tasas la participación laboral del sector de estudio. (shrink)

The health crisis caused by COVID-19 has resulted in the physical and emotional deterioration of health personnel, especially nurses, whose emotional state is affected by the high risk of contagion, the high demands of health services, and the exhausting working hours. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between fear, anxiety, and fatigue of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in a second level public hospital in Peru. This study presents a quantitative approach and correlational level, cross-sectional, (...) and non-experimental design. The sample consisted of 145 nurses who attended patients with COVID-19 in health care areas. The results show a significant relationship between fear of contagion and physical-cognitive fatigue and a significant relationship between generalized anxiety and physical-cognitive fatigue. It is concluded that in this context, both fear of contagion and generalized anxiety are related to physical-cognitive fatigue. (shrink)

Hegel. La Odisea del Espíritu reúne la totalidad de las conferencias pronunciadas en el congreso homónimo que, coordinado por Félix Duque, se celebró en el Círculo de Bellas Artes y la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid entre el 28 de mayo y el 1 de junio de 2007 con motivo del segundo centenario de la publicación de "La Fenomenología del Espíritu". El congreso reunió a los mayores especialistas en la obra del pensador alemán y el resultado es una aportación de (...) primer orden a los estudios hegelianos, un libro de referencia imprescindible para quien quiera adentrarse en el magma de ideas y sugerencias de su libro capital. Incluye ensayos de Félix Duque, Volker Rühle, Walter Jaeschke, Jorge Pérez de Tudela, José María Ripalda, Eduardo Álvarez, Dietrich Von Engelhardt, Antonio Gómez Ramos, Klaus Vieweg, Ángel Gabilondo, Jacinto Rivera de Rosales, Paolo D'Angelo, Christoph Jamme, Vincenzo Vitiello y Klaus Düsing. Como el lector, hoy, podrá apreciar, los ensayos están hogaño ordenados como antaño se sucedieron las sesiones del Congreso, es decir: cada articulista interpreta y escribe para su coleto y el de sus lectores un capítulo o tema de la obra. Y así se va siguiendo con regular obediencia la sobresaltada vía de las experiencias de la conciencia, o sea: tal como la obra fue concebida entre -Hegel dixit- dolores del parto de un mundo nuevo que, de no haberse malogrado tan pronto, habría hecho de aquélla, efectivamente, palabra de ayer. Del "Preámbulo" de Félix Duque. (shrink)

This study analyses three scenes of female nudes in three Spanish films made in the first decade of the 2000s: The Naked Years by Dunia Ayaso and Félix Sabroso, Take My Eyes by Icíar Bollaín and Elegy by Isabel Coixet. It elucidates the ethical rules of engagement with the spectators the directors propose, particularly in regard to the commodification of the female body. The theoretical framework draws mainly from the work of the Spanish philosopher Fernando Savater and approaches the (...) subject matter from a feminist perspective. (shrink)

This paper tries to summarize the main lines of discussion at the conference "Compatibilist Libertarianism: Advantages and Challenges" (October 29, 2021). This conference, organised by Alexander Gebharter and Maria Sekatskaya, served the discussion of Christian List's account of compatibilist libertarianism. Speakers were Taylor W. Cyr, Nadine Elzein, Alexander Gebharter, Christian List, Alfred R. Mele, Leonhard Menges, Tuomas K. Pernu, and Maria Sekatskaya.

An increasing number of scholars, students and practitioners of psychology are becoming intrigued by the ideas of Gilles Deleuze and of Felix Guattari. This book aims to be a critical introduction to these ideas, which have so much to offer psychology in terms of new directions as well as critique. Deleuze was one of the most prominent philosophers of the 20 th century and a figure whose ideas are increasingly influential throughout the humanities and social sciences. His work, particularly his (...) collaborations with psychoanalyst Guattari, focused on the articulation of a philosophy of difference. Rejecting mainstream continental philosophy just as much as the orthodox analytical metaphysics of the English-speaking world, Deleuze proposed a positive and passionate alternative, bursting at the seams with new concepts and new transformations. This book overviews the philosophical contribution of Deleuze including the project he developed with Guattari. It goes on to explore the application of these ideas in three major dimensions of psychology: its unit of analysis, its method and its applications to the clinic. Deleuze and Psychology will be of interest to students and scholars of psychology and those interested in continental philosophy, as well as psychological practitioners and therapists. (shrink)

La disputa por configurar una escena y un discurso de la multitud en Chile constituye uno de los rasgos principales de la prensa obrera y, más tarde, de la literatura de Nicomedes Guzmán. Es por ello que se propone repensar la multitud como “pueblo que falta”, fuerza colectiva que posee una presencia activa en la historia. Para ello se aborda la concepción de multitud en el naciente imaginario nacional y se analiza la relación de pueblo y multitud para liberar la (...) potencia vital de esta última. (shrink)

En este artículo nos proponemos dar cuenta del régimen temporal propio del capitalismo tardomoderno y sus consecuencias tanto sociológicas como ontológicas. Para ello, partiremos de las tesis de Hartmut Rosa acerca de la aceleración y la alienación. Posteriormente daremos paso a la indagación ontológica de la mano de Heidegger y la psicología existencial. De ese modo, mostraremos que los análisis sociológicos no pueden prescindir de un estudio ontológico de la cuestión. Por último, concluiremos con el rastreo de los modos temporales (...) de la Grecia clásica aplicada al mundo actual mediante la ontología de Gilles Deleuze, quien, junto a Felix Guattari, tuvo la virtud de analizar el capitalismo como movimiento de axiomatización. Nuestra reflexión quedará atravesada por la necesidad de un diagnóstico de las patologías individuales y colectivas que conectan con los estudios sobre el totalitarismo. (shrink)

One scene from Wim Wenders’ film “Alice in the cities” provokes us to think again about childhood. It’s a fresh polaroid snapshot, where we can see the faces of an adult (Phillip Winter) and a child (Alice) blending and mixing. Starting from this image, this paper makes its way through the movie’s plot, reflecting on the power of freedom that arises from an encounter with children and childhood. First, we examine the relationship between Winter and his job as a photo-journalist, (...) discussing the character of his existential anguish and his supposed indisposition to becoming, which seems to be clear in the way that he reads his own photographs. In a second moment of the film, we understand Alice’s arrival on the scene as something capable of dispersing the circumstances that are constraining him by hurling him into the unpredictable. This event is crystallized in one poetic gesture: the girl confronts the adult with her own face by drawing a self-portrait. Facialization and deterritorialization are twoconcepts that we weave into our discussion, working off the philosophical thinking of Georges Didi-Huberman, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. Finally, we propose that worry as a value, characteristic of children and travelers, can produce an opening that offers an escape into a freedom of release–or, so to speak, a defacialized freedom. (shrink)

Este artigo consiste em uma reflexão cênico-teórica acerca das reverberações artísticas e filosóficas do pensamento imanente em dança em intersecção com o pensamento filosófico de Gilles Deleuze e Félix Guattari. A Teoria da Dança Imanente sugere uma performance artística em movimento na qual o corpo dialoga consigo para criar uma dança própria, pessoal e subjetiva. Assim, objetiva-se analisar o dispositivo teórico-conceitual da Dança Imanente em aberturas e intersecções performativas que culminam no entrelaçamento entre corpo, arte e filosofia. O procedimento (...) metodológico deu-se em diálogo bibliográfico e artístico, no qual as principais referências teórico-práticas são: Ana Flávia Mendes, Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Fischer-Lichte, Zourabichivli, dentre outros. A pesquisa questiona a designação ideal e a iminência em dança propondo a emancipação do criador-performer por vias imanentes. (shrink)

Aborda o conceito filosófico de rizoma na teorização de Gilles Deleuze e Félix Guattari para desfazer mal entendidos na literatura recente de Ciência da Informação. Explana a dinâmica de criação conceitual na Filosofia e na Ciência, entendendo-as como movimentos entre o virtual e o atual. Em seguida aborda o deslizamento de planos entre Filosofia, Arte e Ciência para ser possível compreender a absorção do conceito filosófico de rizoma pela Ciência da Informação. Apresenta a organização e fluxo da informação pensados (...) inicialmente com a noção de árvore caminhando mais recentemente para a noção de rizoma ou rede. Por fim aproxima as teorizações da filosofia da diferença e da análise de discurso da escola francesa para iluminar ainda mais os mal entendidos sobre a transposição conceitual na Ciência da Informação. (shrink)

La discussione generale sulla filosofia della scienza contemporanea è complicata dal numero e dall’eterogeneità delle scienze, mentre lo studio di temi specifici porta inevitabilmente a dissertazioni specialistiche che mancano nel dare ragione della trama di senso sottostante. Questo Piccolo trattato di epistemologia intende occupare uno spazio vuoto, proponendo alcuni temi chiave per la comprensione dei meccanismi alla base della conoscenza scientifica: i rapporti tra filosofia e scienze, siano esse naturali o umane; la complessa relazione tra fatti e valori; la distinzione (...) tra scoperta e giustificazione; la necessità di un discorso etico sulla ricerca, che chiami in causa categorie come fiducia, empatia, altruismo ed egoismo. Con un approccio chiaro e rigoroso, il volume intende rivolgersi a quell’ampia fascia di pubblico interessata alle tematiche centrali dell’epistemologia, della filosofia e delle scienze. (shrink)

Desde hace algunos años, vengo leyendo -y analizando- con gran interés los volúmenes de la historia y formas de la mentira y el engaño desde todos los aspectos humanísticos posibles que tan rigurosamente ha trabajado el Profesor Miguel Catalán a lo largo de su vida, con la finalidad de analizar, en último término, la ética aplicada al ordenamiento social. En las páginas publicadas en los volúmenes de esta amplia obra he aprendido que toda gran mentira necesita de una pequeña verdad (...) que la sustente, he aprendido que hay mentiras piadosas - que no son precisamente las religiosas- que conducen a la creatividad de mundos mejores, incluso a través del pataleo del perdedor o de la protesta marginal del que no es escuchado en la palestra; un ejemplo hermoso lo hemos visto en la creación de la utopía como protesta política y como género literario; he aprendido que uno es veraz cuando es paternal con sus hijos, pero que se adentra por los caminos de la mentira interesada cuando es paternalista con los “adultos” a los que pretende engañar y someter. A lo largo de todos estos volúmenes nos hemos topado con los paternalismos religiosos, con los paternalismos políticos, con los paternalismos económicos y publicitarios, y los hemos estudiado desde los mitos, las tradiciones, las políticas dictatoriales, los populismos más sangrantes, recorriendo todos los aspectos humanísticos del hombre y todas las ciencias sociales tanto de Oriente como de Occidente. Hoy quiero reflexionar un poco más en detalle sobre La mentira nociva. Seudología XI, siendo el primer libro póstumo del Profesor Miguel Catalán, si bien previamente ya había escrito otros dos volúmenes que el autor quería dejar como cierre de toda la serie de Seudología. Por ello cabe destacar que, mientras escribo estas líneas, acaba de publicarse La traición. Seudología XII, el último volumen que ha editado este año la Editorial Verbum, y en breve saldrá el último tomo que versará sobre la mentira benéfica, según hemos podido saber a través de su viuda, María Picazo, fiel colaboradora en esta inmensa obra. Rematará así esta maravillosa historia del ser humano, que ha ganado tantos premios, y que ya he ido mencionando en otras ocasiones: los Premios de Ensayo Juan Gil-Albert y Alfons El Magnànim, el Premio de Ensayo e Investigación Juan Andrés, así como el de la Crítica Valenciana. De los tomos nuevos tendremos ocasión de hablar en un futuro, por lo que, como señalaba, dedicaré este pequeño estudio a La mentira nociva. Seudología XI. (shrink)

In this paper I argue that, in Leibniz’s mature metaphysics, primary matter is not a positive constituent which must be added to the form in order to have a substance. Primary matter is merely a way to express the negation of some further perfection. It does not have a positive ontological status and merely indicates the limitation or imperfection of a substance. To be sure, Leibniz is less than explicit on this point, and in many texts he writes as if (...) primary matter were a positive constituent of a substance. It seems to me, however, that the view most in keeping with the thrust of his mature philosophical system is that captured by a striking remark of 1695: “Materia rerum est nihilum: id est limitatio [The matter of things is nothing: that is, limitation].” This becomes especially apparent in texts showing that Leibniz’s conception of primary matter corresponds to his conception of creaturely limitation. I start by discussing the notion of primary matter in the scholastic tradition. I then show that although Leibniz places the scholastic terminology of primary matter at a crucial juncture of his metaphysics, he thinks of primary matter in a way which significantly deviates from earlier scholastic views. I conclude that despite his adoption of distinctive terminology of Aristotelian scholasticism, instead of holding a broadly Aristotelian concept of primary matter as the ultimate subject of inherence, Leibniz thinks of primary matter according to a Neoplatonic blue-print in which matter is non-being, privation, mere absence of perfection. (shrink)