This essay proposes that the work of Sylvia Wynter, a canonical figure in Afro-Caribbean philosophy, demonstrates other ways of doing philosophy, a comparative philosophy carried out as a cross-cultural exercise. Sylvia Wynter has argued for a “New Science of the Word” by drawing from the contributions of Frantz Fanon (sociogeny), Aimé Césaire (poetic knowledge), and the field of cybernetics, among other sources. This essay aims to explain the framework and methodology of the New Science and the original transdisciplinary engagement that (...) such a framework facilitates. It argues that, by appropriating the concept of “autopoiesis” beyond the natural sciences, Wynter refashions autopoiesis as autopoetics to answer the age-old question of what it means to be human. Comparative philosophy, the essay concludes, can be fertile ground for Wynter’s project and epistemic decolonization. (shrink)

This article examines the primacy of real-world bodily experience for understanding the human mind. I defend the idea that the peculiarities of the living human brain and body, and the bodily experiences they sustain, are essential ingredients of human sense-making and conceptual systems. Conceptual systems are created, brought forth, understood and sustained, through very specific cognitive mechanisms ultimately grounded in bodily experience. They don't have a transcendental abstract logic independent of the species-specific bodily features. To defend this position, I focus (...) on a case study: the fundamental concept of time flow. Using tools of cognitive linguistics, I analyse the foundations of this concept, as it is manifested naturally in everyday language. I show that there is a precise conceptual metaphor whose inferential structure gives an account of a huge variety of linguistic expressions, semantic contents, and unconscious spontaneous gestures: Time Events Are Things In Space. I discuss various special cases of this conceptual metaphor. This mapping grounds its source domain in specific spatial bodily experiences and projects its inferential structure onto a target domain making inferences in that domain possible. This mechanism allows us to unconsciously, effortlessly, and precisely understand expressions such as ‘the year 2000 is approaching’ or ‘the days ahead of us’. The general form of the mapping seems to be universal. The analysis raises important issues which demand a deeper and richer understanding of cognition and the mind: a view that sees the mind as fully embodied. In order to avoid misunderstandings with a general notion of ‘embodiment’ which has become fashionable in contemporary cognitive science, I describe what I mean by ‘full embodiment’: an embodied-oriented approach that has an explicit commitment to all of cognition, not just to low-level aspects of cognition such as sensory-motor activity or locomotion . I take embodiment to be a living phenomenon in which the primacy of bodily grounded experience is inherently part of the very subject matter of the study of the mind. (shrink)

Recent models of scientific collaboration show that minorities can end up at a disadvantage in bargaining scenarios. However, these models presuppose the existence of social categories. Here, we present a model of scientific collaboration in which inequality arises in the absence of social categories. We assume that all agents are identical except for the position that they occupy in the collaboration network. We show that inequality arises in the absence of social categories. We also show that this is due to (...) the structure of the collaboration network and that similar patterns arise in two real-world collaboration networks. (shrink)

The article examines the Socratic principle that (1) virtue is knowledge and its corollary that (2) nobody errs voluntarily (nemo sua sponte peccat). It tries to show (I) that both principles are paradoxa, i.e. from a phenomenological point of view, they seem to be false; (II) that nevertheless the platonic Socrates accepts both principles as true; and finally (III) that these principles are analytical truths a priori which can only be understood if a person (soul) finds them in him- or (...) herself. (shrink)

The first chapter, "Der Hintergrund von Gadamers 'Phänomenologischen Interpretationen' in Sein und Zeit" traces the origins of Gadamer’s interpretation of the Philebus in Sein und Zeit. Especially important is that Dasein is, thanks to speech , already outside of itself in the world. The second chapter "Gadamers Dialektische Ethik" gives a short summary of the main points of Gadamer's interpretation of the Philebus. The third chapter "Davidsons reinterpretation of von Gadamer's Dialektischer Ethik" 222-231), points especially to the fact that Davidson (...) sees the "Socrates post Vlastos" in the interpretation of Gadamer at work: Because every man is already in possession of some basic truths, coherence is enough to lead to substantive truths. Davidson concludes that only in “interpersonal communication” "can be thought, a grasping of the fact of an objective, that is, a shared world". Thus, Davidson sees in Gadamer's interpretation of the Philebus his own theory of triangulation anticipated. (shrink)

Under semantic monism I understand the thesis “The Good is said in one way” and under semantic pluralism the antithesis “The Good is said in many ways”. Plato’s Socrates seems to defend a “semantic monism”. As only one sun exists, so the “Good” has for Socrates and Plato only one reference. Nevertheless, Socrates defends in the Philebus a semantic pluralism, more exactly trialism, of “beauty, symmetry and truth” . Therefore, metaphorically speaking, there seem to exist not only one sun, but (...) three suns. If the platonic Socrates defends a semantic monism on the one hand and pluralism on the other, how can we unite his pluralism with his monism? My thesis is that the three references are “qualities” of the one single reference, or again, speaking metaphorically, “side suns” of the single sun. In the following, I propose first an exegesis of Plato’s last written word on the Good in Phil. 65 A 1-5 by dividing it into five sentences. Second, I ask a philosophical question on this monism and the corresponding hierarchy of values. (shrink)

Primer estudio exhaustivo sobre la metafísica krausiana, que permite conocer las peculiaridades de esta filosofía dentro del conjunto del idealismo alemán así como facilita el estudio de los distintos movimientos krausistas, que tenían en el sistema panenteísta su inspiración filosófica primordial. Cada capítulo del libro corresponde a un período de la evolución de esta filosofía sistemática.

Plato’s “Apology of Socrates” is a masterpiece of the philosophical literature. The question remains as to how much it has been influenced by earlier works, e.g. of Gorgias of Leontinoi and Euripides. Nevertheless, comparative studies on Hippolytus’ defense in Euripides’ tragedy of the same name, on Gorgias’ “Defense of Palamedes” and on Plato’s “Apology” do not exist. The short paper gives an introduction into the status quaestionis.

This text and the seminar referred to, intend to open a window to observe observation, with a double purpose: firstly, to contribute to inquire the naïve concept and practice of observation which disregard its internal complexity; and secondly, identify and put under examination the assumptions ..

Este ensaio tem como proposta pensar a comunicação a partir da cosmologia de Empédocles, tendo como fonte parte dos seus fragmentos e bibliografia secundária. Como ponto de partida, destacamos o trabalho Ciro Marcondes Filho, o primeiro pesquisador da área da comunicação do Brasil a trazer textos de um pré-socrático, no caso de Heráclito, para fundamentar as suas propostas sobre a ciência da comunicação. A partir da discussão iniciada por Marcondes Filho, propomos imergir no pensamento de Empédocles para refletir sobre suas (...) possíveis contribuições para a área da comunicação, tendo como hipótese uma teoria agonística da comunicação. (shrink)

La historia de la Cirugía Pediátrica cubana está pendiente de ser documentada científicamente. Se estableció como objetivo definir las etapas de desarrollo de la especialidad en Cuba, para lo cual se hizo un análisis histórico y se identificó cuatro períodos fundamentales. Este artículo tiene una significación práctica puesto que permite conocer en qué momento se encuentra la especialidad para modelar el futuro de la misma. The history of Cuban pediatric surgery is pending of being scientifically documented. It was established as (...) an objective to define the stages of the development of the specialty in Cuba. For this purpose a historical analysis was carried out and four main periods were identified. This study has a practical importance because it allows knowing the stage in which the specialty is to model its future. (shrink)

This paper aims at analyzing the missionary discourse in the final document of Aparecida, in order to concern about the mission and the consequent search for dialogue outside the religious pluralism of the continent. The central question we try to answer: how does the discourse of the document is positioned in front of religious pluralism? What interpretation can we give speeches in the mission document? The central hypothesis is that the mission is the central document of Aparecida. The missionary position, (...) mediated by the speeches, varies according to the theological positions. As we review the text of the document have the foundations for a project of the Church missionary and liberating. (shrink)

This is a review of: Wilhelm Vossenkuhl. Die Möglichkeit des Guten. Ethik im 21. Jahrhundert, München. C. H. Beck 2006.

The aim of this article is to clarify the epistemic status of the Intelligent Design proposal. We can consider it as an updated version of the classical ways of demonstrating the existence of God, in particular of the so-called “fifth way”. As such, it seems to be neither scientific nor properly theological, but rather a proposal at a rational-philosophical level. At the same time, it must also be made clear that the negation of purpose in evolutionary biological processes is similarly (...) a philosophical position, not a scientific one. I propose to acknowledge this state of affairs and to reframe the debate at its proper level. On the argumentative level, it is just as wrong to neglect the controversy as it is to discredit one’s opponent. On the epistemic level, it is a mistake to present Intelligent Design as a scientific replacement for the scientific theory of evolution; it should be considered instead to be a genuine and serious alternative to the quasi-philosophical ideology of evolutionism. (shrink)

Essa pesquisa buscou tratar a questão que envolve a importância e função da subjetividade finita na filosofia Hegeliana. Para isso, nos atemos à interpretação de partes da obra que expõe o desenvolvimento da subjetividade como seu tema central, a Fenomenologia do Espírito, de 1807. Nossa interpretação das últimas figuras da Razão nos levou à conclusão de que a subjetividade finita, enquanto individualidade singular participa de maneira fundamental da produção e efetivação dos conceitos, pois verificamos que devido a sua natureza, determinada (...) como o caráter negativo do espírito, ela nunca é totalmente superada e dissolvida na universalidade. (shrink)

La actual etapa en la recepción del Concilio Vaticano II se caracteriza por recuperar la primacía hermenéutica del capítulo II de Lumen Gentium. De este modo se reconoce el carácter vinculante y permanente del sensus fidei fidelium en la construcción del consensus omnium fidelium. El presente artículo ofrece una profundización de esta eclesiología del Pueblo de Dios a la luz de una reconfiguración sinodal. Esto implicará una renovación de la identidad y la vocación de los sujetos eclesiales, y una reforma (...) de la organización y el funcionamiento de las estructuras. En esta nueva etapa se reconoce a la sinodalidad como dimensión constitutiva de la Iglesia. Sin embargo, esto supone diseñar un nuevo modo de proceder eclesial. En este sentido, proponemos que el reto actual debe enfocarse en la construcción de una eclesialidad sinodal que genere un proceso de sinodalización de toda la Iglesia. Se trata de crear la circularidad entre la escucha, el discernimiento, la elaboración y la toma de decisiones en la Iglesia, ya que la eclesiología del Pueblo de Dios nos enseña que en los procesos sinodales se expresa el sensus ecclesiae totius populi y no solo el sensus ecclesiae de la jerarquía. El presente artículo pretende ofrecer el marco hermenéutico para construir una eclesialidad sinodal, lo cual supone, una relectura y profundización de la Eclesiología del Pueblo de Dios, como la presentaremos en este artículo. (shrink)

The doctrine of abstraction is fundamental to the Aristotelian-Thomistic theory of knowledge. The article seeks to present the foundation for this doctrine, from both the epistemological and the ontological points of view, examining the conditions in which abstraction is legitimate, according to its various modes, giving rise to different types of knowledge and grounding the division of the speculative sciences. The analysis is based above all upon the profound analysis of the Angelic Doctor in his commentary on the De Trinitate (...) of Boethius, but also comparing this with other parallel texts in his Opera Omnia. (shrink)

Las Mil y una noches es una colección de cuentos. En muchos de ellos se exponen saberes que se han ido elaborando en diversos pueblos a lo largo de la historia. Uno de ellos recoge la concepción que sobre el amor como tendencia hacia el saber creó y desarrolló la filosofía griega desde Platón. En este artículo se recuerda brevemente este proceso de construcción a través de la filosofía griega, el mundo cristiano y el islam medieval para esbozar finalmente el (...) cuento de las Mil y una noches. (shrink)

Few Philosophers have been able to give to their work a deep an wise visíon of the world applicable to everyday existence. Among them we find Joseph Pieper, extraordinary writer and philosopher whose works (edited by Berthold Wald) confirm his socratic character of wisdom lover (filo-sophos).

Trata-se de investigar, em um primeiro momento, as raízes das discussões estéticas na filosofia de Lyotard. Essas raízes são políticas. É somente a partir da compreensão do desconforto político de Lyotard em relação à teoria marxista de sua época que podemos compreender seu recurso à estética para compreensão dos novos modos de organização política. Tal investigação se fará, sobretudo, a partir da relação que Lyotard estabelece entre arte e política, principalmente aquela elaborada no ensaio Notas sobre a função crítica da (...) obra de arte, publicado em 1970 e reunido na coletânea de textos Deriva à partir de Marx e Freud. Essa relação é autorizada somente após um retorno à teoria freudiana. Investigaremos a importância dessa teoria na construção de dois conceitos centrais em seu pensamento: as noções de figura e espaço figural. Consequentemente, é a relação entre política, estética e psicanálise que é colocada em evidência. (shrink)

Love has been present in several manifestations in that Islamic thought has been expressed. Avicena wrote a Treatise on Love that has been considered as a mystic writing. An attentive reading of this work shows that its content is not mystic neither gnostic, but it rather agrees with the Avicenna’s philosophical doctrines exposed on other of his most important works. The content of that Treatise is described on this paper.