We propose here a new symplectic quantization scheme, where quantum fluctuations of a scalar field theory stem from two main assumptions: relativistic invariance and equiprobability of the field configurations with identical value of the action. In this approach the fictitious time of stochastic quantization becomes a genuine additional time variable, with respect to the coordinate time of relativity. Thisintrinsic timeis associated to a symplectic evolution in the action space, which allows one to investigate not only asymptotic, i.e. equilibrium, properties of (...) the theory, but also its non-equilibrium transient evolution. In this paper, which is the first one in a series of two, we introduce a formalism which will be applied to general relativity in its companion work (Gradenigo, Symplectic quantization II: dynamics of space-time quantum fluctuations and the cosmological constant, 2021). (shrink)

First of all we shortly illustrate how the symplectic quantization scheme (Gradenigo and Livi, Found Phys 51(3):66, 2021) can be applied to a relativistic field theory with self-interaction. Taking inspiration from the stochastic quantization method by Parisi and Wu, this procedure is based on considering explicitly the role of an intrinsic time variable, associated with quantum fluctuations. The major part of this paper is devoted to showing how the symplectic quantization scheme can be extended to the non-relativistic limit for (...) a Schrödinger-like field. Then we also discuss how one can obtain from this non-relativistic theory a linear Schrödinger equation for the single-particle wavefunction. This further passage is based on a suitable coarse-graining procedure, when self-interaction terms can be neglected, with respect to interactions with any external field. In the Appendix we complete our survey on symplectic quantization by discussing how this scheme applies to a non-relativistic particle under the action of a generic external potential. (shrink)

Roberto Mangabeira Unger and Lee Smolin argue for a revolution in our cosmological ideas. Ideal for non-scientists, physicists and cosmologists.

There are two main ways in which the notion of mereological fusion is usually defined in the current literature in mereology which have been labelled ‘Leśniewski fusion’ and ‘Goodman fusion’. It is well-known that, with Minimal Mereology as the background theory, every Leśniewski fusion also qualifies as a Goodman fusion. However, the converse does not hold unless stronger mereological principles are assumed. In this paper I will discuss how the gap between the two notions can be filled, focussing in particular (...) on two specific sets of principles that appear to be of particular philosophical interest. The first way to make the two notions equivalent can be used to shed some interesting light on the kind of intuition both notions seem to articulate. The second shows the importance of a little-known mereological principle which I will call ‘Mild Supplementation’. As I will show, the mereology obtained by adding Mild Supplementation to Minimal Mereology occupies an interesting position in the landscape of theories that are stronger than Minimal Mereology but weaker than what Achille Varzi and Roberto Casati have labelled ‘Extensional Mereology’. (shrink)

This article explores the impact of so-called constructivist position in the field of clinic epistemology. It studies one specific development of constructivism in psicotherapy, within the frame of cognitive therapy, that guided by V. Guidano.

En este ensayo se presenta la tesis de la Indeterminación de la Traducción Radical (IT) de Quine aplicándola al campo de la epistemología clínica abierto por la crítica del constructivismo a la psicoterapia tradicional. A fin de mostrar la relevancia de la tesis IT como programa vigente de compr..

Cette contribution témoigne de l’importance de la réception de la phénoménologie de langue française en Amérique Latine. En revisitant la thèse de la duplicité de l’apparaître – apparaître de la vie comme affect et comme force, apparaître du monde comme sens et distance –, Roberto J. Walton s’attache au concept fondamental de la phénoménologie de la vie, en mettant en avant des modalités dans lesquelles l’auto-affection opère sans hétéro-affection d’une manière avérée. Il précise d’emblée que cette auto-affection sans hétéro-affection (...) est définie par deux aspects : un premier « aspect de base » – ou rapport de fondation – en vertu duquel l’auto-affection est la condition de possibilité de toute intentionnalité ou ek-stase ; et un deuxième aspect « d’intensification ou d’excédence » qui renvoie à la phénoménologie de l’événement, en ceci que l’auto-affection y apparaît dans une sorte de plus-value, c’est-à-dire dans la condition de l’acte comme accroissement créateur. (shrink)

The idea of fairness lies at the heart of the concept of justice proposed by political philosopher John Rawls, a concept that liberals have often invoked to defend the welfare state. In The Limits of Rawlsian Justice political theorist Roberto Alejandro challenges the assumptions that Rawls set out to defend his position. While other opponents of Rawls have attempted to offer an alternative to his concept of justice as fairness, Alejandro instead examines Rawls from within his own writings, testing (...) Rawls's assumptions on the basis of those assumptions themselves. As a result, Alejandro shows that Rawls's idea of justice as fairness is fraught with inner tensions, exposed to utilitarian dangers, and far from being the coherent model Rawls promised. Alejandro concludes that Rawls's notion of justice-as-fairness preserves the status quo, overlooks the realities of inequalities in today's society, and is inherently conservative. As a theoretical paradigm, it is exhausted. He urges that we acknowledge the limits of Rawlsian justice both as a defense of the welfare state and as the basis of a just society. (shrink)

Towards the middle of the 18th century, Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis proposed the “principle of least action” as a fundamental law of physics and as a proof of the existence of God. Samuel König and other contemporary authors criticized Maupertuis’ work. There ensued a fierce discussion concerning this subject, in which Leonhard Euler, the king Frédéric II of Prussia and Voltaire took part. This paper discusses that debate, emphasizing its extrascientific features and analyzing the interests that motivated the actions of (...) the people involved in that episode. RESUMO: Em meados do século XVIII, Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis propôs o “princípio de ação mínima”, que seria uma lei fundamental da física, além de constituir uma prova da existência de Deus. O trabalho de Maupertuis foi criticado por Samuel König e outros autores da época. Ocorreu uma violenta discussão a respeito desse assunto, da qual participaram Leonhard Euler, o rei Frédéric II da Prússia e Voltaire. Este artigo estuda o debate ocorrido, enfatizando especialmente os aspectos extracientíficos e analisando os interesses que motivaram as ações das pessoas envolvidas nesse episódio. (shrink)

Assuming that the free energy of a gas depends non-locally on the logarithm of its mass density, the body force in the resulting equation of motion consists of the sum of density gradient terms. Truncating this series after the second term, Bohm’s quantum potential and the Madelung equation are identically obtained, showing explicitly that some of the hypotheses that led to the formulation of quantum mechanics admit a classical interpretation based on non-locality.

Analytical models describing the motion of colloidal particles in given force fields are presented. In addition to local approaches, leading to well known master equations such as the Langevin and the Fokker–Planck equations, a global description based on path integration is reviewed. A new result is presented, showing that under very broad conditions, during its evolution a dissipative system tends to minimize its energy dissipation in such a way to keep constant the Hamiltonian time rate, equal to the difference between (...) the flux-based and the force-based Rayleigh dissipation functions. In fact, the Fokker–Planck equation can be interpreted as the Hamilton–Jacobi equation resulting from such minumum principle. At steady state, the Hamiltonian time rate is maximized, leading to a minimum resistance principle. In the unsteady case, we consider the relaxation to equilibrium of harmonic oscillators and the motion of a Brownian particle in shear flow, obtaining results that coincide with the solution of the Fokker–Planck and the Langevin equations. (shrink)

Este ensayo se ocupa de la preservación de tesis formuladas por San Agustin en la fenomenología de Scheler. En primer lugar, se examinan aspectos principales del _ordo amoris _scheleriano. Este orden se revela en actos emocionales y se concibe como la esencia de un orden del mundo, que es también el orden de Dios. Puesto que los pensamientos de Dios son los paradigmas de la creación, se sigue que las cosas son aprehendidas _in lumine Dei _en tanto se las contempla (...) en su verdadero ser. Esto implica que el hombre es el co-ejecutor de la acción divina por medio de una efectuación segunda (_Nachvollzug_). El hombre es un buscador de Dios según un teomorfismo que independiza al espíritu humano finito de todas las realidades vitales y psíquicas. Por tanto, los actos religiosos son caracterizados según la fórmula agustiniana según la cual nuestro corazón permanece inquieto mientras no descansa en Dios. Este impulso no puede ser satisfecho por objetos finitos. Finalmente, se presta atención a la apropiación scheleriana del énfasis de San Agustín en el papel del amor como base de los actos de conocimiento y voluntad. (shrink)

In the industrial context, steel is a broadly-used raw material with applications in many different fields. Due to its high impact in the activity of many industries all over the world, forecasting its price is of utmost importance for a huge amount of companies. In this work, non-linear neural models are applied for the first time to different datasets in order to validate their suitability when predicting the price of this commodity. In particular, the NAR, NIO and NARX neural network (...) models are innovatively applied for the first time to forecast the price of hot rolled steel in Spain. Besides these variety of models, different datasets consisting of a set of heterogenous variables from the last seven years and related to the price of this commodity are benchmarked and analyzed. The results showed that NARX is the best performing model when the price of raw materials used to produce steel and the stock market prices of three major global steel producing companies are employed as input to this predictive model. Consequently, this result may boost the application of Machine Learning in companies, in order to schedule the supplying operations according to the price forecasting. (shrink)

This article is an attempt to clarify the role of pregivenness by drawing on the accounts afforded by Eugen Fink both in the Sixth Cartesian Meditation and in the complementary writings to this study. Pregivenness is first situated, along with givenness and non-givenness, within the framework of the system of transcendental phenomenology. As a second step, an examination is undertaken of the dimensions of pregivenness in the natural attitude. Next, nonpregivenness in the transcendental sphere is examined with a focus upon (...) the way in which indeterminateness does not undermine the possibility of a transcendental foreknowledge in the natural attitude, and on the other hand implies the productive character of phenomenological knowledge. After showing how, with the reduction, the pregivennes of the world turns into the pregivenness of world-constitution, the paper addresses the problems raised by the nonpregivenness both of the depth-levels and the reach of transcendental life. By unfolding these lines of inquiry, transcendental phenomenology surmounts the provisional analysis of constitution at the surface level as well as the limitation of transcendental life to the egological sphere. Finally, it is contended that Fink’s account of pregivenness overstates apperceptive or secondary pregivenenness because is does not deal with the pregivenness that precedes acts and is the condition of possibility for primary passivity. Reasons for the omission of impressional or primary pregivenness are suggested. (shrink)

Name der Zeitschrift: Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie Jahrgang: 58 Heft: 4 Seiten: 473-488.

Este artículo trata sobre los horizontes de la eficacia histórica y la comprensión en la fenomenología de Husserl. El autor comienza considerando el marco que ofrece el análisis de Gadamer de los tres modos de llegar a un acuerdo con las tradiciones, es decir, la metodología generalizadora, la conciencia histórica singularizadora, y la exposición de la conciencia efectiva de la historia. A continuación pasa a describir cómo Husserl se basa en las ideas de Dilthey, y argumenta que el punto principal (...) de partida se encuentra en el concepto de nexo de eficacia. Por último, se realiza un intento por mostrar el punto de vista de Husserl sobre los tres niveles en el camino hacia la experiencia hermenéutica. Se recuerda que Gadamer se refiere a una línea clara que va desde los conceptos de la síntesis pasiva y la intencionalidad anónima hasta la experiencia hermenéutica. Al examinar lo que está involucrado en los horizontes de la eficacia, los horizontes de comprensión, las tipicidades de acceso, las fusiones de mundos familiares y extraños, y los movimientos en zigzag a lo largo de las tradiciones, el trabajo concluye que Husserl se ha preocupado mucho por la noción de una conciencia expuesta ante la eficacia de la historia. This paper deals with the horizons of historical effectiveness and understanding in Husserl’s phenomenology. The author begins by considering the framework afforded by Gadamer’s analyses of the three modes of coming to terms with traditions, i.e., generalizing methodology, singularizing historical consciousness, and exposure of consciousness to effective-history. He then goes on to outline how Husserl draws on Dilthey’s ideas, and argues that a main point of departure is to be found in the notion of nexus of effectiveness. Finally, an attempt is made to show Husserl’s views on the three levels in the way to hermeneutic experience. It is recalled that Gadamer refers to a clear line that leads from the concepts of pasive synthesis and anonymous intentionality to hermeneutic experience. By examining what is involved in horizons of effectiveness, horizons of understanding, access-typicalities, fusions of homeworlds and alienworlds, and zigzag movements throughout traditions, the paper concludes that Husserl has concerned himself a great deal with the notion of a consciousness exposed to the effectiveness of history. (shrink)

O "Plano para o `Sistema de filosofia fenomenológica' de Edmund Husserl" inclui uma fenomenologia da proto-intencionalidade que, ao mesmo tempo, compreende os proto-impulsos, o inconsciente e a associação como temas de uma fenomenologia progressiva. Enquanto a fenomenologia regressiva parte do dado com o fim de realizar uma análise desconstrutiva, este tipo alternativo de fenomenologia implica uma análise construtiva em relação com o que não é dado na intuição. O artigo procura desenvolver essas questões em quatro passos, seguindo um fio condutor (...) proporcionado pela noção de tensão. Em primeiro lugar, considera-se a fusão associativa enquanto implica uma tensão no sujeito e dá lugar à constituição de objetos. Em segundo lugar, mostram-se as raízes da tensão numa intencionalidade instintiva. Em terceiro lugar, examina-se a relação entre instinto e protogeneratividade. Em quarto lugar, coloca-se em relevo a significação desses temas para as noções de patência e latência. Por último, intenta-se vincular os conceitos husserlianos de tensão e intencionalidade com as noções heideggerianas de carga e ser-no-mundo.El "Plan para el `Sistema de filosofía fenomenológica' de Edmund Husserl" incluye una fenomenología de la protointencionalidad que a su vez comprende los protoimpulsos, lo inconsciente y la asociación como temas de una fenomenología progresiva. Mientras que la fenomenología regresiva parte de lo dado a fin de realizar un análisis desconstructivo, este tipo alternativo de fenomenología implica un análisis constructivo en relación con lo que no es dado en la intuición. El artículo procura desarrollar estas cuestiones en cuatro pasos, siguiendo un hilo conductor proporcionado por la noción de tensión. En primer lugar, se considera la fusión asociativa en tanto implica una tensión en el sujeto y da lugar a la constitución de objetos. En segundo lugar, se muestran las raíces de la tensión en una intencionalidad instintiva. En tercer lugar, se examina la relación entre instinto y protogeneratividad. En cuarto lugar, se pone de relieve la significación de estos temas para las nociones de patencia y latencia. Por último, se intenta vincular los conceptos husserlianos de tensión e intencionalidad con las nociones heideggerianas de carga y ser-en-el-mundo.The "Plan for Edmund Husserl's `System of Phenomenological Philosophy'" encompasses a phenomenology of primal intentionality that in turn comprises primal impulses, the unconscious and association as themes of a progressive phenomenology. Whereas regressive phenomenology starts from the given in order to accomplish a deconstructive analysis, this alternative type of phenomenology entails a constructive analysis with regard to what is not given in intuition. The article attempts to develop these problems in four steps following a main thread afforded by the notion of tension. First, associative fusion is considered insofar as it implies a tension in the subject and brings forth the genesis of objects. Secondly, the roots of tension in an instinctive intentionality are shown. Thirdly, the relationship between instinct and primal generativity is examined. Fourthly, the import of these themes for the notions of patency and latency is disclosed. Finally, an attempt is made to link the Husserlian concepts of tension and intentionality to the Heideggerian notions of burden and being-in-the-world. (shrink)