El problema de la obligación política es tratado tempranamente en la filosofía política por parte de Platón, quien en distintos diálogos presenta argumentos que sostienen la existencia de dicha obligación, así como sus límites, con lo que constituye un antecedente clave de las elaboraciones teóricas modernas sobre este tema. En el presente trabajo abordo de forma analítica las diferentes fundamentaciones ofrecidas en tres textos del autor, Apología, Critón y República, mostrando no sólo la variedad de argumentos teóricos que se encuentran (...) en su obra -consecuencialistas, voluntaristas, de gratitud-, sino también la concepción del problema de la obligación política como uno de doble vía, que involucra no únicamente la justificación teórica del deber de obedecer sino también la del de mandar para ciertos individuos que, en razón de su conocimiento y aptitudes, deben gobernar; en República, se trata del filósofo. (shrink)

A considerable number of books and papers have analyzed normative concepts using new techniques developed by logicians; however, few have bridged the gap between the English legal culture and the Continental tradition in legal philosophy. This book addresses this issue by offering an introductory study on the many possibilities that logical analysis offers the study of legal systems. The volume is divided into two sections: the first covers the basic aspects of classical and deontic logic and its connections, advancing an (...) explanation of the most important topics of the discipline by comparing different systems of deontic logic and exploring some of the most important paradoxes in its domain. The second section deals with the role of logic in the analysis of legal systems by discussing in what sense deontic logic and the logic of norm-propositions are useful tools for a proper understanding of the systematic structure of law. (shrink)

In this paper I examine the notion of ‘artifact’ and related notions in the dominant version of extended cognition theory grounded on extended functionalism. Although the term is ubiquitous in the literature, it is far from clear what ECT means by it. How are artifacts conceptualized in ECT? Is ‘artifact’ a meaningful and useful category for ECT? If the answer to the previous question is negative, should we worry? Is it important for ECT to have a coherent theory of artifacts? (...) And what are the demands and constraints that ECT imposes on this theory? I distinguish between two aspects of ECT, one narrow, aligned with extended functionalism ; and one broad or pluralistic, in which EF is combined with other theoretical resources in the context of diverse research programs. I begin by determining the problems in conceptualizing artifacts from EF. Then I address the question of why a concept of artifact may be relevant to ECT. Next, I examine the efforts of Richard Heersmink to combine ECT with dominant theories of artifacts in the philosophy of technology. I argue that both approaches fail to yield a meaningful notion of artifact, let alone one of ‘cognitive’ artifact. Finally, I argue that narrow ECT places rather strong constraints on a theory of artifacts, since it locates the specificity of ‘artifact’ in material aspects of realization that are, by definition, outside its theoretical purview. I examine, then discard, the possibility that a materialist and objectivist theory of artifacts may be of help. And finally I briefly explore some ways in which a broad, pluralistic ECT may address some of these shortcomings. (shrink)

We describe the main issue debated at the IV Blasco Disputatio: whether our knowledge of metaphysical possibility and necessity rests on knowledge of essence. But before getting to this specific issue, we offer a broader introduction to the more general problems in the epistemology of modality. In this way, we establish a background against which the contributions to this SI can be better appreciated.

A good part of the philosophical debate on free will and moral responsibility in the last fifty years has revolved around so-called Frankfurt-style cases. One of the most important milestones in this debate is the case described by Mele and Robb (1998), which was intended to avoid some earlier objections directed at Frankfurt’s original argument. However, the success of Mele and Robb’s case has been contested by Pereboom (2001), Widerker (2003), and Moya (2003, 2017), among others. The present paper aims (...) to vindicate Mele and Robb’s (and Frankfurt’s) general argument by describing a variation of their case that overcomes or avoids the objections of those authors. (shrink)

Normal 0 21 false false false ES-CO X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabla normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:CalistoMT;} This paper presents two views regarding democracy and its relationship with liberal thought. Specifically it shows the main features of radical democracy and how this one can make a proper contact between individual and social aspects and respects the minimum guarantees that must be given to all individuals (...) in order to carry out its own conception of good. It fosters adequate conditions of participation and control over public affairs. So, the paper shows the visions of Hayek and Nozick confronted to the conception of radical democracy proposed by other authors. (shrink)

This article discusses explanations behind theory choice, that is, ultimately, what leads people to accept a certain claim as valid. There has been a recent debate as to how closure was achieved in the continental-drift discussion. The controversy had found its usual explanation under rationalist terms: Wegener’s 1912 continental-drift theory was accepted 50 years later only after the plate tectonic theory had provided more evidence or a more in-depth problem-solving capacity. Nevertheless, a re-examination of the controversy under constructivist terms argued (...) that closure was achieved by a change in the style of thought. This analysis prompted some authors to react calling to a ‘defence of rationalism’ and insisting on explaining that the continental-drift theory was only accepted because of epistemic reasons. As the debate impacts on the way to explain scientific controversies, in this article I analyze rationalist and constructivist approaches with respect to ways to explain the social acceptance or rejection of a theory. The analytical perspectives will be contextualized within a broader theoretical discussion in philosophy and social sciences about the role of different factors that condition knowledge, which will also include an empirical approximation in the analysis of GMO and continental-drift controversies. Ultimately, the debate with rationalism is situated in a broader context about the ways of explaining the social acceptance of a theory, arguing that the problem with the rationalism that confuses a purely logical explanation with a sociological one is that it tends to judge rather than understand. (shrink)

Este artículo busca realizar una contribución específica a la agenda global de “inclusión educativa” a partir de la recuperación y discusión de distintas problematizaciones realizadas en la academia argentina en diálogo con aportes de la filosofía (política), la historiografía y la sociología de la educación. Luego de repasar algunas definiciones postuladas en el discurso académico y político global y de esbozar algunas coordenadas contextuales que sitúan las problematizaciones argentinas proponemos centrar la discusión en torno a tres ejes: 1) la crítica (...) etimológica o radical al concepto de “inclusión educativa”; 2) algunos principios y dilemas de justicia implicados en la agenda de reforma; y 3) las (im)posibilidades de la forma escolar ante el mandato inclusivo. Finalmente sugerimos la importancia de continuar avanzado en problematizaciones alternativas que habiliten la producción de políticas y sistemas educativos más justos. (shrink)

El artículo plantea dudas sobre la interpretación que Crelier hace de la ética kantiana en relación con los conflictos de deberes o dilemas. Argumentamos que, a pesar de las declaraciones de Crelier en sentido contrario, él no logra articular una interpretación de la ética de Kant en la que los dilemas morales sean admisibles. En la interpretación de Crelier, sostenemos, los dilemas que son admisibles son sólo aparentes o epistémicos. Pero no queda cabida para aquellos dilemas en los que ninguno (...) de los deberes es, objetivamente, superior a otro deber en conflicto. (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)

El problema de la alteridad puede plantearse en dos ámbitos: a) el de la alteridad absoluta, que Descartes desarrolla en la Tercera Meditación cuando el ego descubre su finitud como una negación y una aspiración de infinito; b) el de la alteridad relativa que me distingue de mi semejante. En primer lugar, arriesgamos una síntesis de los modos en que el alter ego pierde su alteridad al ser concebido como objeto de representación o de deseo. En segundo lugar, proponemos que (...) Descartes piensa la alteridad en sentido puramente ético, como capacidad de bien y de mal. Nuestra tesis es, primero: el amor puro (sin deseo) es el amor paterno —el único dirigido al otro sí mismo por sí mismo y que abre la posibilidad de la donación de sí, el sacrificio; segundo: los textos de Descartes adquieren todo su sentido si se los compara con la noción ética de alteridad en la filosofía de Emmanuel Levinas. (shrink)

O dendê, símbolo peculiar e relevante da culinária nacional, tem sido objeto de investigação em diferentes vertentes, e neste trabalho será abordado pelo campo da visualidade e da cultura baiana. Buscou-se evidenciar o histórico do dendê, a tipologia e a classificação da estrutura formal, bem como a sua validação na religião de matriz africana do Candomblé. Nesse sentido, observa-se a existência do dendê na cultura material e imaterial das pessoas, sobretudo da população baiana, que interage nos modos de viver, trabalhar, (...) conceber imagens e repertórios. A metodologia adotada é a revisão de literatura que compreende a identidade cultural, a identidade baiana, a cultura e o cultivo do dendê, e seu simbolismo no âmbito sagrado, que se consolidou com pensadores centrais como Munanga (2020), Mariano (2009), Barreto e Freitas (2008), Bolini (2012), Lody (1992, 2009), Moraes e Pachêco (1985), Correa (2012), Oliveira (2009). Desse modo, conclui-se que o dendê é um elemento interdisciplinar presente em diversos contextos do cotidiano como na cultura, na arte, nas relações de fé, em produtos, as ações efêmeras e o imaginário coletivo. (shrink)

Despite the current theoretical developments regarding the proof of facts in law, it is still an open problem to offer an adequate reconstruction of a logic of evidence. This paper presents some preliminary ideas for such a reconstruction. Starting from the assumption that the produc-tion and evaluation of certain evidence in a legal process has already been completed, it examines which candidates would be suitable as basic principles for a logic of evidence. The similarities and differences of the resulting system (...) with other modal logic systems with which it appears to have analogies, in particular alethic logic, deontic logic, epistemic logic, and the logic of truth, are examined. (shrink)

From the thirties "sinarquismo" became an important sociopolitic and socioideological strength in contrast with the Mexican posrevolutionary political system. This article makes an attempts to give and answer to some questions : what was the "sinarquismo" origin and development? Under what bases did it take root socially, politically and ideologically speaking?. How was "sinarquismo" linked to the global context of conservative, catholic and right-winger movements? And what was the story of the "sinarquista" movement in the middle occident of Mexico?

La televisión se constituyó en el dispositivo comunicacional de mayor importancia en los años 1990, al llegar a todos los hogares de clase media y ocupar un rol preponderante en la elaboración de sentidos sociales compartidos. El objetivo de este artículo es indagar distintas dimensiones y sentidos del humor en El palacio de la risa, programa humorístico de gran relevancia conducido por Antonio Gasalla entre 1992 y 1996 y transmitido por ATC y Canal 13, en Argentina. Nos enfocaremos en los (...) números protagonizados por los actores Alejandro Urdapilleta y Humberto Tortonese, quienes, junto a Gasalla, introducen importantes innovaciones en la producción humorística televisiva. En la primera sección, analizaremos qué elementos del teatro underground de los años 1980 son recuperados y puestos en juego en la propuesta televisiva. A continuación, se examinarán tres dimensiones que funcionan como materia prima para la producción humorística del trío: la crítica a las clases dominantes argentinas, la tensión entre sexualidades dominantes y disidentes, y las menciones paródicas realizadas sobre la propia televisión. En cuanto a la metodología, el trabajo fue realizado en base a un análisis de 30 sketches del trío Urdapilleta-Gasalla-Tortonese, registrando temas, aspectos estéticos, gestualidad corporal y usos discursivos. En suma, el trabajo realiza una contribución al conocimiento de la cultura de masas y las posibilidades paródicas y de desestabilización del sentido común de la televisión durante los años 1990 en Argentina. (shrink)

Las universidades tienen la tarea de formar profesionales de la docencia adecuadamente capacitados en el campo científico, humanístico y tecnológico, con principios morales y valores de alto nivel humano, por el hecho de tener la responsabilidad de contribuir al mejoramiento de la manera de ser y de estar en el mundo de las generaciones actuales y futuras a través de las acciones educativas. Para ello, los planes y programas de formación docente que poseen las universidades deben prever competencias que le (...) permitan al educador reflexionar en su acción y sobre su acción profesional, y que de esa manera el trabajo pedagógico siempre sea intencionado. Esta investigación está orientada hacia la formulación de herramientas de naturaleza teórico – prácticas para la formación de docentes reflexivos, cuya operacionalización en la práctica constituyen aportes para la formación de educadores que estén preparados para planificar, ejecutar y evaluar acciones pedagógicas desde una reflexión permanente en la práctica y sobre la práctica profesional. (shrink)

Quantitative study of the effects of war in the Cuban population. Analysis of the demographic variables used as source of the "Report on the Census of Cuba of 1899", lifted by the American government. It includes graphics about the number and evolution of the births, inarriages and deaths in Cuba by provinces, and the natural grohth in the Island. It is demonstrated a demographic disaster associated to war, with the death of 200.000 souls approximately.

El artículo nace en el marco de un proyecto de tesis del Doctorado en Filosofía (Resolución N° 0384/2022 – FFHA: “Didáctica vincular en la filosofía como práctica transdisciplinar”), en articulación con la creación de la Cátedra Libre (Resolución N° 096/2021 – FFHA: “El Giro Práctico de la Filosofía”) de la Facultad de Filosofía, Humanidades y Artes, de la Universidad Nacional de San Juan (Argentina); ambas propuestas pertenecen al autor del presente trabajo, en el cual se pretende problematizar el impacto del (...) Giro Práctico de la Filosofía (aún en proceso de legitimación), en Argentina; para reconocer posibles derivas didácticas. (shrink)

A partir de una presentación general del concepto de especie aplicado a los humanos, este texto expone dos nociones generales sobre la naturaleza humana: la tipológica y la filogenética. Una vez expuestos los fundamentos de cada noción, se defiende una distinción entre naturaleza humana e identidad humana como dos aspectos que se han confundido respecto a este problema, pero que cumplen distintos roles en las explicaciones, por lo que se proponen como dos nociones complementarias. Así, la naturaleza humana estaría definida (...) en términos metafísicos y daría cuenta de la realidad biológica de los humanos desde un punto de vista filogenético, mientras que la identidad humana estaría definida en términos epistemológicos y daría cuenta de los conocimientos que tienen los humanos sobre ellos mismos, aludiendo a aspectos contingentes. (shrink)

El propósito de este artículo es estudiar el papel que, según Francisco Suárez, en una situación de gobierno tiránico, juegan la legítima defensa y la existencia de pacto previo con el tirano. Como se verá, en la teoría de la resistencia suareciana el primer elemento prevalece sobre el segundo, pero es preciso analizar el fundamento de dicha primacía. Para ello se examinan concretamente los casos del juicio de deposición del tirano y de magnicidio del tirano a manos de un particular, (...) tal como los aborda Suárez en la Defensio fidei. Dicho análisis se lleva a cabo teniendo en cuenta el diferente tratamiento que Suárez da a los dos clásicos tipos de tirano: el mal gobernante y el usurpador. Por último, intentaremos dar respuesta a diversas contradicciones en las que aparentemente Suárez incurre. (shrink)

In mice, dosage compensation of X‐linked gene expression is achieved through the inactivation of one of the two X‐chromosomes in XX female cells. The complex epigenetic process leading to X‐inactivation is largely controlled by Xist and Tsix, two non‐coding genes of opposing function. Xist RNA triggers X‐inactivation by coating the inactive X, while Tsix is critical for the designation of the active X‐chromosome through cis‐repression of Xist RNA accumulation. Recently, a plethora of trans‐acting factors and cis‐regulating elements have been suggested (...) to act as key regulators of either Xist, Tsix or both; these include ubiquitous factors such as Yy1 and Ctcf, developmental proteins such as Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2, and X‐linked regulators such as Rnf12. In this paper we summarise recent advances in our knowledge of the regulation of Xist and Tsix in embryonic stem (ES) and differentiating ES cells. (shrink)

In this paper, I consider some problems concerning the structure of legal systems. In order to do this, I basically analyze the promulgation and derogation of legal rules. Frequently, promulgation has been referred to as the introduction of a rule into, and derogation as the removal of a rule from, a normative system. I try to show that there is more to it than that. One of the main ideas of the paper is that the enactment or derogation of a (...) legal rule by an authority na restricts the competence of all lower authorities: Once a rule R has been enacted by an authority na, authorities inferior to na cannot remove R from the normative system; and when R has been derogated by na, lower authorities do not have the competence to introduce R into the system. Further important questions include: What happens with derogated rules? What is the structure of the set of derogated rules? When does a rule belong to a derogated set, and when is it removed from a derogated set? These questions are very important for a theory of legal systems, and I try to give some possible answers. Perhaps the main conclusion of the paper is that promulgation and derogation can be considered very similar processes with respect to legal systems. (shrink)

El presente artículo pretende analizar la discusión que Francisco Suárez mantiene con las tesis contrarias a la distinción entre tipos de tirano en la cuestión del tiranicidio (Defensio fidei, Libro VI, capítulo IV, números 10-13). Para esta visión no le es lícito a una persona privada matar a ninguno de los dos tipos de tirano; sólo es posible darles muerte en legítima defensa, porque se entiende que en tal caso se actúa en ejercicio de autoridad pública. Suárez acaba admitiendo esta (...) tesis en el número 13, lo que parece contradecirse con lo sostenido en el número 7, donde se aceptaba la muerte del usurpador por cualquier particular. Sin embargo, en el fondo mantiene la diferencia entre ambos tipos de tirano, por cuanto que en el caso del usurpador sostiene que siempre se dan las condiciones para alegar legítima defensa. Queda sin aclarar qué ocurre en tal caso con las condiciones dispuestas en los números 8 y 9. (shrink)

En los últimos años, Europa asiste a un desconcertante fenómeno: la consolidación y crecimiento de una pluralidad de partidos populistas de derecha radical que luchan por hacerse con un espacio en el escenario político. En este artículo sugiero que existe una relación particularmente compleja entre el liberalismo y este tipo de movimientos, por la cual los populistas de derecha son capaces de detectar y explotar algunas de las debilidades y contradicciones del discurso y la práctica liberales. Mediante la utilización de (...) las herramientas conceptuales proporcionadas por la teoría política y jurídica, propongo tratar de desentrañar con cierto nivel de detalle en qué consiste esta paradójica relación y reflexionar sobre los que considero que pueden ser sus aspectos más relevantes. (shrink)

Este artículo tiene por objetivo general indagar acerca de los procesos de institucionalización de una nueva disciplina científica. En particular, se analizan los desplazamientos que se producen entre disciplinas al emerger una nueva: la biología molecular. Se presenta en este artículo el caso del Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) de Argentina, institución creada en 1956 para realizar investigaciones, innovaciones y extensionismo para el sector agropecuario. De esa manera, el trabajo presenta los cambios en las disciplinas de las que provienen (...) los investigadores del INTA, desde su creación en 1956 hasta 2010. La investigación que se presenta se centra en un análisis cuantitativo en relación a las disciplinas de origen de los investigadores que se incorporaron a la institución. Al mostrar los desplazamientos entre disciplinas, este artículo pretende contribuir al estudio sobre los conflictos entre las mismas. Pues se sugiere que la emergencia de una nueva disciplina no implica solamente la apertura de nuevas profesiones, instituciones, temas y técnicas de investigación, sino también el desplazamiento de otras anteriormente instaladas, y que tales desplazamientos estarían en la raíz de las tensiones que se registran en la institucionalización de una nueva disciplina. This article aims to investigate the process of institutionalization of a new scientific discipline. In particular, the displacements that occur between disciplines with the emergence of a new one: molecular biology. The case presented in this article is the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) of Argentina, institution created in 1956 for research, innovation and extension to the agricultural sector. Thus, the paper presents the changes in the disciplines from which INTA's researchers come, since its inception in 1956 until 2010. The research presented in this article focuses on a quantitative analysis in relation to the disciplines of origin of the researchers who joined the institution. By showing the displacements between disciplines, this article aims to contribute to the study of the conflicts between them. For it suggests that the emergence of a new discipline involves not only the opening of new professions, institutions, research subjects and techniques, but also the displacement of other previously installed. These displacements would be at the root of the tensions that occur in the institutionalization of a new discipline. (shrink)

Esta conversación tuvo lugar durante una visita de varios días de Pablo Posada Varela a la casa de Marc Richir en Haut-Vaucluse en junio de 2012. He aquí tres extractos (de extensión variable) de una conversación del 8 de junio, y algunos otros fechados el 10 de junio.

In this paper we investigate a semantics for first-order logic originally proposed by R. van Rooij to account for the idea that vague predicates are tolerant, that is, for the principle that if x is P, then y should be P whenever y is similar enough to x. The semantics, which makes use of indifference relations to model similarity, rests on the interaction of three notions of truth: the classical notion, and two dual notions simultaneously defined in terms of it, (...) which we call tolerant truth and strict truth. We characterize the space of consequence relations definable in terms of those and discuss the kind of solution this gives to the sorites paradox. We discuss some applications of the framework to the pragmatics and psycholinguistics of vague predicates, in particular regarding judgments about borderline cases. (shrink)

Do we have positive duties to help others in need or are our moral duties only negative, focused on not harming them? Are any of the former positive duties, duties of justice that respond to enforceable rights? Is their scope global? Should we aim for global equality besides the eradication of severe global poverty? Is a humanist approach to egalitarian distribution based on rights that all human beings as such have defensible, or must egalitarian distribution be seen in an associativist (...) way, as tracking existing frameworks such as statehood and economic interdependence? Are the eradication of global poverty and the achievement of global equality practically feasible or are they hopelessly utopian wishes? -/- This book argues that there are basic positive duties of justice to help eradicate severe global poverty; that global egalitarian principles are also reasonable even if they cannot be fully realized in the short term; and that there are dynamic duties to enhance the feasibility of the transition from global poverty to global equality in the face of nonideal circumstances such as the absence of robust international institutions and the lack of a strong ethos of cosmopolitan solidarity. The very notion of feasibility is crucial for normative reasoning, but has received little explicit philosophical discussion. This book offers a systematic exploration of that concept as well as of its application to global justice. It also arbitrates the current debate between humanist and associativist accounts of the scope of distributive justice. Drawing on moral contractualism (the view that we ought to follow the principles that no one could reasonably reject), this book provides a novel defense of humanism, challenges several versions of associativism (which remains the most popular view among political philosophers), and seeks to integrate the insights underlying both views. (shrink)

"Con una perspectiva inusual, fresca e inteligente, Pablo Boullosa nos propone repensar los dilemas de México, más allá de las novedades y las disputas políticas. Con la ayuda de la filosofía, la historia y un puñado de peculiares personajes, estos ensayos desafían muchas de las ideas más comunes, y quizá más equivocadas, respecto a la educación, la prosperidad, la justicia y el arte." --Reverso de cubierta.

Mastering how to convey meanings using language is perhaps the main challenge facing any language learner. However, satisfactory accounts of how this is achieved, and even of what it is for a linguistic item to have meaning, are hard to come by. Nick Chater was one of the pioneers involved in the early development of one of the most successful methodologies within the cognitive science of language for discovering meaning: distributional semantics. In this article, we review this approach and discuss (...) its successes and shortcomings in capturing semantic phenomena. In particular, we discuss what we dub the “distributional paradox:” how can models that do not implement essential dimensions of human semantic processing, such as sensorimotor grounding, capture so many meaning-related phenomena? We conclude by providing a preliminary answer, arguing that distributional models capture the statistical scaffolding of human language acquisition that allows for communication, which, in line with Nick Chater's more recent ideas, has been shaped by the features of human cognition on the timescale of cultural evolution. (shrink)

What should our theorizing about social justice aim at? Many political philosophers think that a crucial goal is to identify a perfectly just society. Amartya Sen disagrees. In The Idea of Justice, he argues that the proper goal of an inquiry about justice is to undertake comparative assessments of feasible social scenarios in order to identify reforms that involve justice-enhancement, or injustice-reduction, even if the results fall short of perfect justice. Sen calls this the “comparative approach” to the theory of (...) justice. He urges its adoption on the basis of a sustained critique of the former approach, which he calls “transcendental.” In this paper I pursue two tasks, one critical and the other constructive. First, I argue that Sen’s account of the contrast between the transcendental and the comparative approaches is not convincing, and second, I suggest what I take to be a broader and more plausible account of comparative assessments of justice. The core claim is that political philosophers should not shy away from the pursuit of ambitious theories of justice (including, for example, ideal theories of perfect justice), although they should engage in careful consideration of issues of political feasibility bearing on their practical implementation. (shrink)

Human dignity: social movements invoke it, several national constitutions enshrine it, and it features prominently in international human rights documents. But what is it, why is it important, and what is its relationship to human rights and social justice? Pablo Gilabert offers a systematic defence of the view that human dignity is the moral heart of justice. In Human Dignity and Human Rights (OUP 2019), he advanced an account of human dignity for the context of human rights discourse, which (...) covers the most urgent, basic claims of dignity. This book extends the dignitarian approach to more ambitious claims of maximal dignity of the kind encoded in democratic socialist conceptions of social justice. In particular, this book focuses on the just organization of working practices. It recasts in a dignitarian format the critique of capitalist society as involving exploitation, alienation, and domination of workers, and revamps a neglected but inspiring socialist principle. In its dignitarian interpretation, the Abilities/Needs Principle (‘From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs!’) yields reasonable and feasible requirements on social cooperation geared to empowering each human being to lead a flourishing life. While Human Dignity and Human Rights offered the first systematic philosophical account of human dignity in human rights discourse, Human Dignity and Social Justice presents the first systematic application of the dignitarian framework to the core ideals of democratic socialism. (shrink)