The meaning that expressions take on particular occasions often depends on the context in ways which seem to transcend its direct effect on context-sensitive parameters. ‘Truth-conditional pragmatics’ is the project of trying to model such semantic flexibility within a compositional truth-conditional framework. Most proposals proceed by radically ‘freeing up’ the compositional operations of language. I argue, however, that the resulting theories are too unconstrained, and predict flexibility in cases where it is not observed. These accounts fall into this position because (...) they rarely, if ever, take advantage of the rich information made available by lexical items. I hold, instead, that lexical items encode both extension and non-extension determining information. Under certain conditions, the non-extension determining information of an expression e can enter into the compositional processes that determine the meaning of more complex expressions which contain e. This paper presents and motivates a set of type-driven compositional operations that can access non-extension determining information and introduce bits of it into the meaning of complex expressions. The resulting multidimensional semantics has the tools to deal with key cases of semantic flexibility in appropriately constrained ways, making it a promising framework to pursue the project of truth-conditional pragmatics. (shrink)

Recent work in formal semantics suggests that the language system includes not only a structure building device, as standardly assumed, but also a natural deductive system which can determine when expressions have trivial truth-conditions (e.g., are logically true/false) and mark them as unacceptable. This hypothesis, called the `logicality of language', accounts for many acceptability patterns, including systematic restrictions on the distribution of quantifiers. To deal with apparent counter-examples consisting of acceptable tautologies and contradictions, the logicality of language is often paired (...) with an additional assumption according to which logical forms are radically underspecified: i.e., the language system can see functional terms but is `blind' to open class terms to the extent that different tokens of the same term are treated as if independent. This conception of logical form has profound implications: it suggests an extreme version of the modularity of language, and can only be paired with non-classical---indeed quite exotic---kinds of deductive systems. The aim of this paper is to show that we can pair the logicality of language with a different and ultimately more traditional account of logical form. This framework accounts for the basic acceptability patterns which motivated the logicality of language, can explain why some tautologies and contradictions are acceptable, and makes better predictions in key cases. As a result, we can pursue versions of the logicality of language in frameworks compatible with the view that the language system is not radically modular vis-a-vis its open class terms and employs a deductive system that is basically classical. (shrink)

Over the past decade or so, a new interdisciplinary field has emerged in the ground between, on the one hand, computer science – and artificial intelligence in particular – and, on the other, the area of philosophy concentrating on the language and structure of argument. There are now hundreds of researchers worldwide who would consider themselves a part of this nascent community. Various terms have been proposed for the area, including "Computational Dialectics," "Argumentation Technology," and "Argument-based Computing," but the term (...) that has stuck is simply Argument & Computation. It encompasses several specific strands of research, such as: . the use of theories of argument, and dialectic in particular, in the design and implementation of protocols for multi-agent action and communication; . the application of theories of argument and rhetoric in natural language processing and affective computing; . the use of argument-based structures for autonomous reasoning in artificial intelligence, and in particular, for defeasible reasoning; . computer-supported collaborative argumentation – the implementation of software tools for enabling online argument in domains such as education and e-government. These strands come together to form the core of a research field that covers parts of artificial intelligence (AI), philosophy, linguistics, and cognitive science, but, increasingly, is building an identity of its own. (shrink)

This paper defends the view that the Faculty of Language is compositional, i.e., that it computes the meaning of complex expressions from the meanings of their immediate constituents and their structure. I fargue that compositionality and other competing constraints on the way in which the Faculty of Language computes the meanings of complex expressions should be understood as hypotheses about innate constraints of the Faculty of Language. I then argue that, unlike compositionality, most of the currently available non-compositional constraints predict (...) incorrect patterns of early linguistic development. This supports the view that the Faculty of Language is com- positional. More generally, this paper presents a way of framing the compositionality debate (by focusing on its implications for language acquisition) that can lead to its even- tual resolution, so it will hopefully also interest theorists who disagree with its main conclusion. (shrink)

Será tarea del pensamiento crítico recuperar la imagen para un discurso de la resistencia como un discurso efectivo frente a la inoperancia del objeto artístico difuso. A esto debe convocar al análisis crítico de la imagen hegemonizada por la superficie-referente. La radicalidad de dicha tarea debe buscar sus fuentes en el desplazamiento constante hacia la descripción de lo opaco en la estrategia representacional de una superficie-referente para la instalación del objeto fascista estetizante. Dicha radicalidad debe recuperar conceptualmente el desmantelamiento crítico (...) para la reapropiación de la imagen, de lo visual; debe desactivar la radicalidad de lo espectacular. Este análisis de la superficie-referente en la retórica radical del objeto fascista representacional es la tarea necesaria para situar adecuadamente una crítica que se distancie de dicha retórica que no hace más que tornar al objeto representado en un objeto estetizante y fascista en su exceso de real. La resistencia debe centrarse en el análisis permanente de una imagen en constante readecuación al interior de la lógica global del capitalismo. Cualquier nueva articulación de las humanidades debe atender, primero que nada, a la pregunta por cuál es el estatuto de lo visual en dicha lógica antes de emprender cualquier definición de cómo se deben conformar los discursos de resistencia. Es tarea e intento de este trabajo situar la descripción de las estrategias de la imagen en tiempos de su hiper- reproductibilidad- técnica antes de cualquier replanteamiento de las humanidades, esto para comprender cuáles son propiamente las retóricas de lo radical en el capitalismo cultural. (Párrafo extraído del texto a modo de resumen). (shrink)

Most formalisms for representing common-sense knowledge allow incomplete and potentially inconsistent information. When strong negation is also allowed, contradictory conclusions can arise. A criterion for deciding between them is needed. The aim of this paper is to investigate an inherent and autonomous comparison criterion, based on specificity as defined in [POO 85, SIM 92]. In contrast to other approaches, we consider not only defeasible, but also strict knowledge. Our criterion is context-sensitive, i. e., preference among defeasible rules is determined dynamically (...) during the dialectical analysis.We show how specificity can be defined in terms of two different approaches: activation sets and derivation trees. This allows us to get a syntactic criterion that can be implemented in a computationally attractive way. The resulting definitions may be applied in general rulebased formalisms. We present theorems linking both characterizations. Finally we discuss other frameworks for defeasible reasoning in which preference handling is considered explicitly. (shrink)

RELAÇÃO E EFEITOS BIOQUÍMICO-NUTRICIONAIS SOBRE OS TRANSTORNOS DO CICLO ESTRAL DE VACAS -/- Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva Departamento de Agropecuária – IFPE Campus Belo Jardim [email protected] ou [email protected] WhatsApp: (82)98143-8399 -/- •__6. Transtornos do ciclo estral -/- Qualquer alteração na frequência, duração ou intensidade do ciclo estral é considerada uma perturbação do ciclo, cujas origens variam etiologicamente. As perturbações do ciclo podem originar-se em qualquer das partes do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-ovário (FRAZER, 2005; GORDON, 1996). Pode ou não ser do tipo (...) permanente e pode depender de sua origem, momento e intensidade cursar com outras alterações reprodutivas, por exemplo uma retenção do corpo lúteo, dá lugar a prolongamento da fase lútea, altos níveis de progesterona circulante e pode, finalmente, desencadear em um cisto luteal ou em uma metrite. Entre os fatores desencadeadores da falha do ciclo estral estão os fatores de origem nutricional, dentre eles: 6.1 Minerais 6.1.1 Relação Na:K (Sódio: Potássio) A deficiência de sódio pode causar distúrbios do ciclo estral, isto porque as células animais intracelularmente possuem uma alta concentração de K e uma baixa concentração de Na, esta relação pode chegar a 10:1 ou mais, em relação ao meio externo. Com esta relação, as concentrações intracelulares estão em equilíbrio com o meio externo. A absorção e secreção de cátions pela célula para conseguir o equilíbrio é simultânea, gerada por um sistema de transporte específico chamado "bomba Na-K". Se a nível celular não existe um balanço iônico de K:Na, a maior prioridade das células tubulares do rim é a de conseguir novamente um equilíbrio, o mecanismo destas células é o da reabsorção do íon que se encontre em excesso de água, diminuindo a quantidade deste no líquido para manter as funções em equilíbrio dinâmico. Os desequilíbrios não compensados a nível celular ou renal, levam a alterações na condutividade nervosa por alteração da bomba de transmissão elétrica. O ciclo estral é alterado por diminuir a expressividade dos sinais comportamentais de estro, que são produzidos por concentrações crescentes de estrogênio mas com alta necessidade de adequação nervosa para a exposição corporal do cio e a aceitação da monta. O potássio, em particular, desempenha um papel fundamental como coator em certas interações enzimáticas, incluindo a transferência de energia, a síntese de proteínas e o metabolismo de hidratos de carbono, em especial nos sistemas em que o ADP está envolvido, as hexoquinases e a anidrase carbônica. O sódio, por sua vez, é o principal cátion extracelular, regula o equilíbrio hídrico no organismo e a mecânica de fluidos, desta forma regula a pressão osmótica e a troca aquosa nos tecidos. Devido a esta função, um dos fatores importantes do fluxo Na:K é o rim, que é controlado pela aldosterona, a principal hormona reguladora da absorção de sódio e excreção de potássio. Qualquer desequilíbrio na relação Na:K, afetará o ciclo estral, de maneira direta e indireta, através da alteração na síntese de proteínas e da perda da regulação hídrica, fator importante pelas secreções que devem acompanhar as manifestações de cio/estro. 6.1.2 Relação Cobalto (Co) A deficiência de cobalto gera um efeito biológico determinado pela sua presença na molécula da vitamina B12, a qual regula a hematopoese (Ativa a síntese de protoporfirina) e afeta o metabolismo do nitrogênio e dos carboidratos. A vitamina B12 atua como uma coenzima da transmetilação (síntese do glutamato mutase, metilmalonil-CoA-Mutase, diol-dehidratase e redução dos ribonucleótidos a desoxirribonucleótidos, isomerização da a-lisina, etc.). Especialmente em ruminantes, a reação mutase da metilmalonina-CoA está relacionada com o metabolismo do ácido propiônico e, portanto, com a síntese de glicose e o equilíbrio energético. O cobalto também está envolvido na carboxilação da propionil-CoA à metilmalonil-CoA e na isomerização deste último para succinil-CoA. O metabolismo do ácido propiônico ocorre no fígado e é reduzido pelo fato do metilmalonil não poder ser convertido em succinil-CoA, impedindo a sua passagem para oxalacetato e glicose, gerando uma relação inversa entre os níveis de energia e proteína; causando uma diminuição de GnRH que afeta negativamente a liberação de LH que, por sua vez, cria um aumento na FSH. Isso produz uma anulação da ovulação e, consequentemente, ausência de um ciclo estral verdadeiro. Vale reforçar que, para prevenção da deficiência do cobalto, o criador pode optar pelo fornecimento de volumosos que dispõem de quantidades de cobalto que suprem as exigências dos animais, ou pela inserção de sais de cobalto à mistura da ração, sempre no intervalo sugerido de 0,07 e 0,11 mg/kg para cada animal, suprindo a necessidade do mesmo e garantindo assim a prevenção dos transtornos do ciclo estral ou outras afecções do sistema reprodutivo. 6.1.3 Relação Cobre (Cu) e Molibdênio (Mo) A deficiência de cobre gera, indiretamente, molibdênio, durante esse processo, tanto o macho como a fêmea são inférteis ou sub-férteis, mas, em geral, os transtornos surgem não por molibdeniose mas por hipocuprose condicionada por excesso de molibdênio nas pastagens e pelos sulfatos presentes na água de bebida (BREM, 2016). Isso leva à formação de tiomolibdato no rúmen, que por sua vez combina com o cobre para formar tiomolibdato de cobre, sal muito insolúvel. O tiomolibdato presente, formado em excesso e que não encontra cobre suficiente, contribuirá para produzir a diarreia, limitando ainda mais a absorção de cobre. A interferência mais importante do molibdênio ocorre no processo metabólico do cobre, interferindo sua atividade enzimática. O molibdênio atua sobre o complexo sulfeto-oxidase hepático. A enzima que está envolvida na oxidação de metabolitos sulfurados, reduz a sua atividade na presença de altos teores de molibdênio, especialmente quando a quantidade de cobre é baixa. Daqui resulta a formação de sulfureto de cobre, muito insolúvel e, portanto, pouco ou nada utilizável pelas células e/ou tecidos (QUIROZ-ROCHA & BOUDA, 2001). O excesso de molibdênio nas pastagens ou na água de bebida reduz a quantidade de cobre no fígado, mas para uma dada dose de molibdênio, esta redução é diretamente proporcional ao aumento dos sulfatos na ingestão, porque só na presença de sulfatos o molibdênio exerce sua ação limitante. O melhor modo de tratar o molibdênio e a ação dos sulfatos sobre o cobre, é aumentar a quantidade de cobre disponível pelos animais, seja por via bucal ou parenteral. Desta forma, há aumentos na cupremia e no ganho de peso. É conveniente, para o efeito, efetuar um controle dos resultados mediante a observação clínica, pesagem dos animais e análise de cobre no sangue. Isso permitirá estabelecer as doses ideais e adequadas para cada estabelecimento e efetuar um estudo econômico da suplementação (BAVERA, 2002). Como já foi tratado o requerimento do cobre para evitar os problemas reprodutivos das vacas, falemos do molibdênio (Mo). O Mo é um elemento primordial para bovinos leiteiros, uma vez que é componente de uma enzima presente no leite (xantina oxidasse). A deficiência de Mo a nível prático não foi relatada, porém casos podem acontecer. Para ovinos, que é uma espécie ruminante, a concentração exigida pelo animal em Mo presente na MS é de 5 a 10 mg/kg, porém deve levar em consideração a relação crítica entre o Mo e o Cu que deve ser no máximo 20 e nunca superior. O nível crítico de toxidade de Mo nos alimentos volumosos (forrageiras, gramíneas e leguminosas) não pode ultrapassar os 6% por kg de MS. Através de todos esses cuidados, o criador poderá obter sucesso tanto na prevenção contra os distúrbios do ciclo estral das vacas, quanto de outras complicações como toxidade, desnutrição, etc. 6.2 Relação energia:proteína Em relação ao aumento do consumo de proteína crua ou de deficiência de energia, aumenta-se a quantidade de ureia no sangue e produz-se uma toxicidade tecidular, afetando o endométrio e diminuindo a produção de prostaglandinas, que são as encarregadas de manter o corpo lúteo, caso não se mantenha acaba provocando um ciclo estral longo. A situação pode ser explicada a nível do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise, no qual os baixos níveis de glicose inibem a secreção de GnRH e resultam na diminuição da pulsatilidade da LH, seja por ação direta ou mediada através das ß-endorfinas. Outro fator que afeta o crescimento folicular é a nutrição, especificamente a perda da condição corporal, quando o animal não se alimenta direito ou quando se alimenta não tem uma condição balanceada que supra suas exigências nutricionais e que tenha um aceitável ganho de peso diário (GPD), acaba perdendo massa muscular ou de gordura, em outras palavras altera-se a condição corporal do mesmo, e se a perda for de 22 a 24 % de peso corporal (PC), os animais que perdem essa condição entram em anestro o que acaba tornando um animal inviável para a reprodução e também para o abate, uma vez que encontra-se fora do peso ideal. Tanto as proteínas quanto a energia foram tratados em trabalhos anteriores, porém nunca é tarde para salientar que ambas devem ser fornecidas em qualidade e quantidade que consiga favorecer ao desenvolvimento do animal e aos mecanismos fisiológicos do mesmo. 6.3 Fito-toxidade Finalmente, um fator adicional que induz a alteração da ciclicidade estral são os fitoestrógenos, plantas com altos teores de isoflavonas que possuem, no organismo animal, uma ação estrogênica. Os fitoestrógenos estão amplamente difundidos, nos trevos, alfafa, milho e nas pastagens de cultivo intensivo. Os fitoestrogênios são diferentes dos estrogênios produzidos pelo animal, mas a sua ação é idêntica nos receptores do trato reprodutivo; o seu metabolismo e excreção é diferente (por exemplo, desmetilização) e a sua excreção renal através dos glicoronosidos, assim mesmo a formação de ésteres sulfatos no tecido hepático é menor, acumulando-se em circulação e alterando a duração da fase estrogênica do ciclo, isso leva à ninfomania das vacas e com ela a perda da função reprodutiva. Deve-se estar atento ao pasto que se cultiva e ao solo em que se implanta o pasto, uma vez que o solo pode ter excessos de minerais prejudiciais ao animal e que o coloque em uma situação de toxidade, já que a planta absorve do solo o excesso e da planta vai para o animal por meio direto ou pela silagem. Um exemplo é o teor de molibdênio na planta que não pode ser maior que 6%, se for ocorrerá inúmeras transformações fisiológicas maléficas ao animal, que acabará sendo descartado do objetivo que seria a reprodução na fazenda. -/- Apoio -/- Realização -/- REFERÊNCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS BAVERA, Guillermo Alejandro. Aguas y aguadas para el ganado. Rio Cuarto: Inter-Medica Editorial, 2009. BERCHIELLI, Telma Teresinha; PIRES, Alexandre Vaz; OLIVEIRA, SG de. Nutrição de ruminantes. Jaboticabal: funep, 2006. BINDARI, Yugal Raj et al. Effects of nutrition on reproduction-A review. Adv. Appl. Sci. Res, v. 4, n. 1, p. 421-429, 2013. BOLAND, M. P. Efectos nutricionales en la reproducción del ganado. XXXI Jornadas Uruguayas de Buiatría, 2003. BREM, J. J. et al. Alteraciones del ciclo estral provocadas por un alto ingreso de molibdeno en vaquillonas Brangus y respuesta a la suplementación con cobre. Revista Veterinaria, v. 12, n. 1 y 2, p. 28-33, 2016. DEHNING, R. Interrelaciones entre nutrición y fertilidad. In: Curso Manejo de la Fertilidad Bovina18-23 May 1987Medellín (Colombia). CICADEP, Bogotá (Colombia) Universidad de La Salle, Medellín (Colombia) Instituto Colombiano Agropecurio, Bogotá (Colombia) Sociedad Alemana de Cooperación Técnica-GTZ (Alemania), 1987. DE LUCA, Leonardo J. Nutrición y fertilidad en el ganado lechero. XXXVI Jornadas Uruguayas de Buiatría, 2008. FRAZER, Grant S. Bovine theriogenology. Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice, v. 21, n. 2, p. xiii-xiv, 2005. GORDON, Ian. Controlled reproduction in farm animals series. Nova Iorque: CAB International, 1996. GRAHAM, Thomas W. Trace element deficiencies in cattle. Veterinary clinics of North America: food animal practice, v. 7, n. 1, p. 153-215, 1991. GUEDES, Luciana Freitas et al. A importância do cobre, molibdênio e enxofre na alimentação de ovinos. Nucleus Animalium, v. 10, n. 2, p. 7-22, 2018. HURLEY, W. L.; DOANE, R. M. Recent developments in the roles of vitamins and minerals in reproduction. Journal of Dairy Science, v. 72, n. 3, p. 784-804, 1989. KUMAR, Sudhir et al. Importance of micro minerals in reproductive performance of livestock. Veterinary world, v. 4, n. 5, p. 230, 2011. MAAS, John. Relationship between nutrition and reproduction in beef cattle. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Food Animal Practice, v. 3, n. 3, p. 633-646, 1987. MILLS, C. F. Cobalt deficiency and cobalt requirements of ruminants. Recent advances in animal nutrition, p. 129-141, 1981. NICODEMO, M. L. F.; SERENO, J. R. B.; AMARAL, T. B. Minerais na eficiência reprodutiva de bovinos. Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste-Documentos (INFOTECA-E), São Carlos, 2008. PASA, Camila. Relação reprodução animal e os minerais. Biodiversidade, v. 9, n. 1, 2011. QUIROZ-ROCHA, Gerardo F.; BOUDA, Jan. Fisiopatología de las deficiencias de cobre en rumiantes y su diagnóstico. Vet. Méx, v. 32, n. 4, p. 289, 2001. SHORT, Robert E.; ADAMS, D. C. Nutritional and hormonal interrelationships in beef cattle reproduction. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, v. 68, n. 1, p. 29-39, 1988. YASOTHAI, R. Importance of minerals on reproduction in dairy cattle. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, v. 3, n. 6, p. 2051-2057, 2014. Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva Belo Jardim, 29 de março de 2020. (shrink)

I argue against the interpretation of propositions as intentions and proof-objects as fulfillments proposed by Heyting and defended by Tieszen and van Atten. The idea is already a frequent target of criticisms regarding the incompatibility of Brouwer’s and Husserl’s positions, mainly by Rosado Haddock and Hill. I raise a stronger objection in this paper. My claim is that even if we grant that the incompatibility can be properly dealt with, as van Atten believes it can, two fundamental issues (...) indicate that the interpretation is unsustainable regardless: (1) it is hard to determine, without appealing to propositional intentions on pain of circularity, what intention a proof-object should be understood as a fulfillment of; (2) due to a difficult fulfillment dilemma, it is unclear, at best, what the object of an intention corresponding to a proposition is. (shrink)

In the following interview, conducted by email between June 21 and July 2, 2020, Filipe Cahungo talks about his academic trajectory, Angolan philosophy and the relations – including tectonic ones – between Brazil and Angola. I hope that our dialogue can strengthen (on the intellectual and emotional levels) a relationship that already exists (on the historical and geological levels). I also hope that readers are not bothered by the fact that I use the Brazilian Portuguese spelling and he the Angolan (...) one. As Rafael Haddock-Lobo explained, it is only possible to philosophize in Portuguese. Not because Portuguese is a metaphysically privileged language. Not because we lexically distinguish between “being [ser]” and “being [estar]”, something that neither the French or the German languages do. It is only possible to philosophize in Portuguese for a much simpler reason: it is in our mother tongues, with their particular spellings, that we feel most comfortable. Filipe Miguel Mário Cahungo was born on August 13, 1992, in the province of Bengo, municipality of Dembos-Quibaxe. He attended the “Seminar of the Missionaries of the Divine Word” in Angola from 2010 to 2016. In 2013, he joined the Instituto Superior Dom Bosco, a unit attached to the Universidade Católica de Angola, where he attended studies in philosophy as a Seminarian of the Congregação dos Missionários do Mundo Divino. In 2017 he graduated in Philosophy at the Instituto Superior Dom Bosco – Universidade Católica de Angola. He is a member of the Organização Ondjango Filosófico (FILONORG). He investigates African philosophy, African theology and African spirituality, and is the author of several academic articles. (shrink)

Gottlob Frege and Edmund Husserl are two seemingly different philosophers in their methodology. Both have significantly influenced Western philosophy in that their contributions established fields within philosophy that are of intensive study today. Still, their differences in methodology have, in certain instances, yielded similar or distinct results. Their results ranged from the distinction of sense and reference, objectivity, and the theory of mathematics: specifically, their definition of number. Frege and Husserl have such striking similarities in their theory of sense and (...) reference and related notions that from their apparent correspondence, Frege seems to have acknowledged the coincidences in their theories (Frege & Kluge, 1972) (Hill & Rosado Haddock Intro, 4, & 30-33). That is not to say there are exact parallels between Frege and Husserl and their results, as I will acknowledge their similarities and differences within scale. So, I intend to demonstrate their respective theories and results descriptively to show their likenesses while still recognizing their divergences in scope and methodology. Indirectly, I would also hope to illustrate the ties, in terms of subject matter, of these two philosophers who are historically considered at odds with one another; be it personally, in their schools of philosophy, or methodologically (Hartimo 47-53). (shrink)

RELAÇÃO E EFEITOS BIOQUÍMICO-NUTRICIONAIS SOBRE OS BEZERROS NATIMORTOS EM VACAS Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva Departamento de Agropecuária – IFPE Campus Belo Jardim [email protected] ou [email protected] WhatsApp: (82)98143-8399 15. NATIMORTOS Por natimortos, entende-se todos aqueles produtos (bezerros/bezerras) que nascem vivos após um tempo de gestação fisiológica normal, mas que morrem nas primeiras 24 horas de vida, ou às vezes nascem mortos, sem evidência clara de que a morte tenha ocorrido 48 horas (ou menos) antes do parto (FRAZER, 2005; GORDON, 1996). (...) Essa evidência, provém das mudanças autolíticas que o produto expelido apresenta. A causa que origina os natimortos é difícil de diagnosticar pela complexa e abundante presença de situações que poderiam levar à apresentação deste quadro. Entre essa complexa explicação etiológica, de origem nutricional podemos enumerar: 15.1 Nitratos e nitritos Um excesso de nitrogênio, seja não proteico ou originado da metabolização proteica excessiva, pode gerar natimortos, uma vez que os nitratos do alimento convertem-se no rúmen em nitritos e depois em amônio, que é excretado ou degradado de diferentes formas. Sob certas condições ambientais, como geadas, secas, granizo, etc. o metabolismo de algumas plantas como a cevada, aveia, milho, pastos e forragens de rápido crescimento não funciona normalmente, e os nitratos acumulam-se nas folhas e no caule; quando estes nitratos são consumidos pelo animal, alteram-se os processos metabólicos e ao haver excesso de nitritos e nitratos, há uma acumulação dos mesmos na corrente sanguínea, algo prejudicial. Os nitritos ligam-se à hemoglobina e geram a metahemoglobina, o que reduz a capacidade condutora do oxigênio no sangue, dificultando a chegada do mesmo ao feto, levando à óbito o produto em formação (DUPCHAK, 2005). Os sinais na vaca gestante geralmente são ofegantes, respiração rápida, tremores musculares, pulso fraco e acelerado, fraqueza, que termina com a queda do animal e convulsões terminais. Também se sabe que os nitratos têm um efeito vasodilatador, o que origina uma diminuição da pressão sanguínea, em todo caso a morte possui origem na acumulação de metahemoglobina. As vacas afetadas por esse excesso de nitratos desenvolvem incoordenação e dificuldades na capacidade respiratória que vão seguidas por colapso e morte. O sinal mais claro é que o sangue fica escuro. Sob condições de hipoxia o feto pode morrer ao ser iniciado o trabalho de parto, evento fisiológico de alto consumo de oxigênio pela contração muscular marcada necessária para conseguir a expulsão do produto. O estudo desses compostos podem não parecer importantes na vida corriqueira e laboral do campo, porém quando se aparecem problemas de difícil diagnóstico e tratamento, faz-se necessário um aprofundamento de toda a cadeia alimentar ou de ingestão dos animais, alimentos, bebidas, locais de descanso e dormida etc. Pois bem, o presente comentário norteia o assunto sobre os nitratos e nitritos que nada mais são do que compostos não proteicos e que em sua composição possuem nitrogênio e oxigênio, nitrato NO3- e nitrito NO2-. Diante da fermentação ruminal, o alimento rico em NO3- é reduzido pelo rúmen e se transforma em NO2- um composto altamente tóxico que, após absorvido na corrente sanguínea, causa anóxia por morte celular, sendo prejudicial tanto para o bovino adulto, quanto jovem e ainda mais para o feto em desenvolvimento. A ingestão excessiva desses compostos por meio da água ou das forragens podem ocasionar intoxicações. As forragens podem acumular nitrogênio através da fertilização do solo ou da planta com compostos ricos em N, são exemplos de plantas que acumulam bastante nitrato a Braquiária radicans e todas as plantas do gênero Amaranthus spp., para que se diminua o teor de nitratos presentes na forragem o mais indicado é o processo de ensilagem. Ainda relacionada a alimentação, vale ressaltar para o produtor rural que altos teores de nitrato ou nitrito no corpo animal ocasiona a deficiência da vitamina A que é essencial para o mecanismo fisiológico e metabólico do animal. As tabelas 1 e 2 trazem as concentrações ou os níveis ideais e máximos de nitrato presente nas forragens e na água, e se os teores expressos são recomendáveis ou não para a administração aos animais. Vale notar que os nitratos são compostos que se apresentam juntamente com o potássio K, o sódio Na e o próprio nitrogênio N na forma de nitrato e nitrito presente na água ou na matéria seca dos alimentos. Tabela 1: Concentrações de nitrato e recomendações quando apresentados na forma de nitrato de potássio KNO, nitrato de sódio NaNO, e N em forma de nitrato e nitrito na MS dos alimentos Forma de nitrato reportado Recomendações NO3-N NO3- KNO3- NaNO3- —————— 0 – 0,15% 0 – 0,65% 0 – 1% 0 – 0,9% Seguro para os ruminantes, pode utilizar 0,15 – 0,45% 0,65 – 2% 1 – 3% 0,9 – 2,7% Misturar com outros alimentos, compondo no máximo 50% da mistura > 0,45% > 2% > 3% > 2,7% Aumenta o nível de intoxicação, o mais indicado é não usar Fonte: BERCHIELLI et al., 2006. Tabela 2: Concentrações de NO3- e recomendações sobre os níveis de nitrato presente na água para bovinos Conteúdo de NO3- ppm Conteúdo de NO3-N ppm Recomendação 0 - 44 10 Pode utilizar 45 - 132 10 - 20 É seguro se o alimento tiver pouco nitrato e uma dieta balanceada 133 - 220 20 - 46 Prejudicial se for usada por muito tempo 220 – 660 40 – 100 Pode haver perdas e é um risco para vacas leiteiras 660 – 800 100 – 200 Aumenta a possibilidade de perdas, não é indicado usar > 800 > 200 Não utilizar Fonte: TEIXEIRA, 1997. Todas essas informações podem não parecer importantes para a prática no campo, porém em situações de problemas relacionados a altos índices de fetos que nascem mortos tais tabelas podem ser de extrema importância e salvar vidas. No caso de intoxicações, o indicado é o tratamento por azul de metileno a 1% sob dosagem de 4 – 14 mg/kg de peso vivo do animal. Todos esses manejos podem salvar o feto, o que faz com que o mesmo nasça vivo e torne-se um animal produtivo para a propriedade. 15.2 Minerais A deficiência de cobre, também tem sido apontada como uma das possíveis causas de origem de natimortos, uma vez que o cobre está ligado à albumina no sangue e no fígado está ligado à aminoácidos. Sua deficiência gera anemia já que o mesmo está envolvido no metabolismo do ferro, necessário para a formação da hemoglobina. Na deficiência, muda-se a cor da pelagem e da pele devido a necessidade do cobre no mecanismo de síntese da polifenil oxidase, que transforma a tironina em melanina; a escassez altera também a enzima lisil oxidase, necessária na formação das cadeias polipeptídicas de colágeno, por onde surgem os problemas ósseos e articulares (DE ROSA & MATIOLLI, 2002). Altera-se também a atividade do citocromo oxidase que está envolvido na síntese dos fosfolipídios, que formam a camada de mielina necessária para a transmissão nervosa e a resposta motora, causando ataxia e problemas de necrose graves que ocasionam a morte do feto. Além disso, as concentrações de dopamina e noradrenalina são alteradas, afetando o endotélio vascular, resultando adicionalmente em problemas cardiovasculares com graves crises hemolíticas que também causam a morte do produto. Geralmente, diz-se que a soma de todos estes problemas conformam os fatores desencadeadores de morte súbita do feto. Quando há uma deficiência nutricional de cobre, o animal começa a usar seus depósitos hepáticos, se os depósitos se esgotam, evidencia-se uma diminuição nos níveis sanguíneos e aparece a hipocupremia e hipocuprose; depois dos sinais acima mencionados, ocorre a degeneração progressiva do miocárdio, o que também contribui para a morte súbita do feto. O excesso de molibdênio gera uma deficiência de cobre e este também está inter-relacionado com o zinco. Para que não haja dominância de um e deficiência de outro sempre deve-se frisar as quantidades exigidas dos minerais pelos bovinos. O Cu é um elemento essencial e sua disponibilidade deve ser de 10 – 18 mg/kg de MS. O Mo deve ser fornecido em quantidades que não ultrapassem os 15 – 20 mg/kg de MS, a relação entre o Cu e o Mo não deve ser superior que 20, um excesso de Mo causa deficiência de Cu induzida. Por fim, o Zn deve ser fornecido em quantidades que não ultrapassem os 21 – 73 mg/kg de MS. 15.3 Vitaminas A vitamina A é necessária para manter a integridade dos epitélios digestivo, respiratório, genito-urinário e ocular, além disso é fundamental para o desenvolvimento ósseo já que controla a atividade dos osteoclastos e osteoblastos, também assegura a manutenção da permeabilidade das membranas celulares e da pressão do líquido cefalorraquidiano, portanto a sua deficiência provoca queratinização dos tecidos epiteliais, problemas gastrointestinais, o que acaba complicando-se com a invasão de germes e doenças infecciosas. Sua escassez ou falta também ocasionam malformações ósseas e problemas nervosos como ataxia e falhas na contratilidade do miométrio, o que, por fim, resulta na morte do vitelo. Na avitaminose A, as células epiteliais são achatadas e apresentam menor resistência à infecção, pode-se dar que todos os canais glandulares se bloqueiem causando atrofia glandular e morte do bezerro por não poder realizar suas funções fisiológicas. Os betacarotenos das forragens são as fontes mais importantes de vitamina A. A vitamina A deve estar intrinsecamente presente na dieta dos animais em quantidades de 50.000 – 125.000 UI/dia. 15.4 fito-toxicidade O excesso de fitoestrogênios produzidos por leguminosas como o trevo vermelho, trevo subterrâneo, feijão de soja, etc., que possuem estrogênios vegetais semelhantes aos 17β-estradiol que interagem com os receptores nucleares desta hormona e influenciam sobre os seus processos endócrinos. Ocorre estrogenismo que gera infertilidade, já que se limita a liberação de LH e no animal gestante aumenta a contractilidade uterina gerando abortos ou natimortos. Entre os fitoestrógenos estão as isoflavonas, que sofrem algum tipo de transformação no rúmen, onde o Isoflavonoide formononetina se converte em equol enquanto as demais se degradam a produtos inativos. A progesterona é a hormona responsável por manter as condições ideais para a gestação, aumentando-se os níveis de estrogênios ocorrerá a inibição da progesterona e apresentam-se condições adversas para o desenvolvimento e/ou vida do feto. Para se livrar desse problema o mais indicado é a utilização de forragens que além de suprir as necessidades nutricionais dos animais sejam de boa qualidade e utilizadas o mais fresco possível. REFERÊNCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS BARRENHO, Gonçalo José Pinheiro. Nutrição e fertilidade em bovinos de leite. 2016. Dissertação de Mestrado. Universidade de Évora. BERCHIELLI, Telma Teresinha; PIRES, Alexandre Vaz; OLIVEIRA, SG de. Nutrição de ruminantes. Jaboticabal: funep, 2006. BINDARI, Yugal Raj et al. Effects of nutrition on reproduction-A review. Adv. Appl. Sci. Res, v. 4, n. 1, p. 421-429, 2013. BOLAND, M. P. Efectos nutricionales en la reproducción del ganado. XXXI Jornadas Uruguayas de Buiatría, 2003. DEHNING, R. Interrelaciones entre nutrición y fertilidad. In: Curso Manejo de la Fertilidad Bovina18-23 May 1987Medellín (Colombia). CICADEP, Bogotá (Colombia) Universidad de La Salle, Medellín (Colombia) Instituto Colombiano Agropecurio, Bogotá (Colombia) Sociedad Alemana de Cooperación Técnica-GTZ (Alemania), 1987. DE LUCA, Leonardo J. Nutrición y fertilidad en el ganado lechero. XXXVI Jornadas Uruguayas de Buiatría, 2008. ROSA, Diana E.; MATTIOLI, Guillermo Alberto. Metabolismo y deficiencia de cobre en los bovinos. Analecta Veterinaria, v. 22, 2002. DIAS, Juliano Cesar et al. Alguns aspectos da interação nutrição-reprodução em bovinos: energia, proteína, minerais e vitaminas. PUBVET, v. 4, p. Art. 738-743, 2010. DUPCHAK, K. Nitratos en Forrajes para Vacas Lecheras. Engormix 2005. Disponível em. Acesso em: Abril de 2020. FRAZER, Grant S. Bovine theriogenology. Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice, v. 21, n. 2, p. xiii-xiv, 2005. GORDON, Ian. Controlled reproduction in farm animals series. Nova Iorque: CAB International, 1996. MAAS, John. Relationship between nutrition and reproduction in beef cattle. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Food Animal Practice, v. 3, n. 3, p. 633-646, 1987. PASA, Camila. Relação reprodução animal e os minerais. Biodiversidade, v. 9, n. 1, 2011. SARTORI, Roberto; GUARDIEIRO, Monique Mendes. Fatores nutricionais associados à reprodução da fêmea bovina. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, v. 39, p. 422-432, 2010. SHORT, Robert E.; ADAMS, D. C. Nutritional and hormonal interrelationships in beef cattle reproduction. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, v. 68, n. 1, p. 29-39, 1988. TEIXEIRA, J. C.; TEIXEIRA, LFAC. Alimentação de bovinos leiteiros. FAEPE, Lavras, 1997. (shrink)

How are biases encoded in our representations of social categories? Philosophical and empirical discussions of implicit bias overwhelmingly focus on salient or statistical associations between target features and representations of social categories. These are the sorts of associations probed by the Implicit Association Test and various priming tasks. In this paper, we argue that these discussions systematically overlook an alternative way in which biases are encoded, that is, in the dependency networks that are part of our representations of social categories. (...) Dependency networks encode information about how features in a conceptual representation depend on each other. This information determines the degree of centrality of a feature for a conceptual representation. Importantly, centrally encoded biases systematically disassociate from those encoded in salient-statistical associations. Furthermore, the degree of centrality of a feature determines its cross-contextual stability: in general, the more central a feature is for a concept, the more likely it is to survive into a wide array of cognitive tasks involving that concept. Accordingly, implicit biases that are encoded in the central features of concepts are predicted to be more resilient across different tasks and contexts. As a result, the distinction between centrally encoded and salient-statistical biases has important theoretical and practical implications. (shrink)

The logicality of language is the hypothesis that the language system has access to a ‘natural’ logic that can identify and filter out as unacceptable expressions that have trivial meanings—that is, that are true/false in all possible worlds or situations in which they are defined. This hypothesis helps explain otherwise puzzling patterns concerning the distribution of various functional terms and phrases. Despite its promise, logicality vastly over-generates unacceptability assignments. Most solutions to this problem rest on specific stipulations about the properties (...) of logical form—roughly, the level of linguistic representation which feeds into the interpretation procedures—and have substantial implications for traditional philosophical disputes about the nature of language. Specifically, contextualism and semantic minimalism, construed as competing hypotheses about the nature and degree of context-sensitivity at the level of logical form, suggest different approaches to the over-generation problem. In this paper, I explore the implications of pairing logicality with various forms of contextualism and semantic minimalism. I argue that to adequately solve the over-generation problem, logicality should be implemented in a constrained contextualist framework. (shrink)

Kim Diaz's translation of Guillermo Hurtado's "Retratos de Luis Villoro".

This paper is a contribution to graded model theory, in the context of mathematical fuzzy logic. We study characterizations of classes of graded structures in terms of the syntactic form of their first-order axiomatization. We focus on classes given by universal and universal-existential sentences. In particular, we prove two amalgamation results using the technique of diagrams in the setting of structures valued on a finite MTL-algebra, from which analogues of the Łoś–Tarski and the Chang–Łoś–Suszko preservation theorems follow.

The purpose of this article is to present the main contributions to peace, democracy, and the philosophy of education in Colombia, made by philosopher Guillermo Hoyos-Vásquez (Medellín, 1935 – Bogotá, 2013). The work of this Colombian philosopher stands out for its important contributions to political philosophy as the vital, supportive, and responsible exercise of thought concerning the public interest. Using Kant’s concept of practical reason, Husserl’s lifeworld [Lebenswelt], and Habermas’s communicative action as starting points, Hoyos-Vásquez succeeded in going beyond (...) these political philosophers by trying to apply their ideas in the midst of the difficult context of corruption, drug trafficking and armed conflict in Colombia over the past five decades. At the same time, Hoyos-Vásquez developed throughout his life a varied public activity as a thinker and educator, belying the myth of the theoretical distance between the philosopher and his/her political present or historical reality. The thought of Guillermo Hoyos-Vásquez, and his public action as an educator, represent a substantial contribution to contemporary political and educational philosophy, maintaining a close connection between theory and practice. (shrink)

The concepts expressed by social role terms such as artist and scientist are unique in that they seem to allow two independent criteria for categorization, one of which is inherently normative. This study presents and tests an account of the content and structure of the normative dimension of these “dual character concepts.” Experiment 1 suggests that the normative dimension of a social role concept represents the commitment to fulfill the idealized basic function associated with the role. Background information can affect (...) which basic function is associated with each social role. However, Experiment 2 indicates that the normative dimension always represents the relevant commitment as an end in itself. We argue that social role concepts represent the commitments to basic functions because that information is crucial to predict the future social roles and role-dependent behavior of others. (shrink)

Discussions in social psychology overlook an important way in which biases can be encoded in conceptual representations. Most accounts of implicit bias focus on ‘mere associations’ between features and representations of social groups. While some have argued that some implicit biases must have a richer conceptual structure, they have said little about what this richer structure might be. To address this lacuna, we build on research in philosophy and cognitive science demonstrating that concepts represent dependency relations between features. These relations, (...) in turn, determine the centrality of a feature f for a concept C: roughly, the more features of C depend on f, the more central f is for C. In this paper, we argue that the dependency networks that link features can encode significant biases. To support this claim, we present a series of studies that show how a particular brilliance-gender bias is encoded in the dependency networks which are part of the concepts of female and male academics. We also argue that biases which are encoded in dependency networks have unique implications for social cognition. (shrink)

The aim of this paper is to reconcile two claims that have long been thought to be incompatible: that we compositionally determine the meaning of complex expressions from the meaning of their parts, and that prototypes are components of the meaning of lexical terms such as fish, red, and gun. Hypotheses and are independently plausible, but most researchers think that reconciling them is a difficult, if not hopeless task. In particular, most linguists and philosophers agree that is not negotiable; so (...) they tend to reject. Recently, there have been some attempts to reconcile these claims, but they all adopt an implausibly weak notion of compositionality. Furthermore, parties to this debate tend to fall into a problematic way of individuating prototypes that is too externalistic. In contrast, I propose that we can reconcile and if we adopt, instead, an internalist and pluralist conception of prototypes and a context-sensitive but strong notion of compositionality. I argue that each of this proposals is independently plausible, and that, when taken together, provide the basis for a satisfactory account of prototype compositionality. (shrink)

This paper defends the view that common nouns have a dual semantic structure that includes extension-determining and non-extension-determining components. I argue that the non-extension-determining components are part of linguistic meaning because they play a key compositional role in certain constructions, especially in privative noun phrases such as "fake gun" and "counterfeit document". Furthermore, I show that if we modify the compositional interpretation rules in certain simple ways, this dual content account of noun phrase modification can be implemented in a type-driven (...) formal semantic framework. In addition, I also argue against traditional accounts of privative noun phrases which can be paired with the assumption that nouns do not have a dual semantic structure. At the most general level, this paper presents a proposal for how we can begin to integrate a psychologically realistic account of lexical semantics with a linguistically plausible compositional semantic framework. (shrink)

The epistemic modal auxiliaries must and might are vehicles for expressing the force with which a proposition follows from some body of evidence or information. Standard approaches model these operators using quantificational modal logic, but probabilistic approaches are becoming increasingly influential. According to a traditional view, must is a maximally strong epistemic operator and might is a bare possibility one. A competing account—popular amongst proponents of a probabilisitic turn—says that, given a body of evidence, must \ entails that \\) is (...) high but non-maximal and might \ that \\) is significantly greater than 0. Drawing on several observations concerning the behavior of must, might and similar epistemic operators in evidential contexts, deductive inferences, downplaying and retractions scenarios, and expressions of epistemic tension, I argue that those two influential accounts have systematic descriptive shortcomings. To better make sense of their complex behavior, I propose instead a broadly Kratzerian account according to which must \ entails that \ = 1\) and might \ that \ > 0\), given a body of evidence and a set of normality assumptions about the world. From this perspective, must and might are vehicles for expressing a common mode of reasoning whereby we draw inferences from specific bits of evidence against a rich set of background assumptions—some of which we represent as defeasible—which capture our general expectations about the world. I will show that the predictions of this Kratzerian account can be substantially refined once it is combined with a specific yet independently motivated ‘grammatical’ approach to the computation of scalar implicatures. Finally, I discuss some implications of these results for more general discussions concerning the empirical and theoretical motivation to adopt a probabilisitic semantic framework. (shrink)

Grammatical theories of Scalar Implicatures make use of an exhaustivity operator exh, which asserts the conjunction of the prejacent with the negation of excludable alternatives. We present a new Grammatical theory of Scalar Implicatures according to which exh is replaced with pex, an operator that contributes its prejacent as asserted content, but the negation of scalar alternatives at a non-at-issue level of meaning. We show that by treating this non-at-issue level as a presupposition, this theory resolves a number of empirical (...) challenges faced by the old formulation of exh (as well as by standard neo-Gricean theories). The empirical challenges include projection of scalar implicatures from certain embedded environments (‘some under some’ sentences, some under negative factives), their restricted distribution under negation, and the existence of common ground-mismatching and oddness-inducing implicatures. We argue that these puzzles have a uniform solution given a pex-based Grammatical theory of implicatures and some independently motivated principles concerning presupposition projection, cancellation and accommodation. (shrink)

According to an influential research program in cognitive science, philosophy, and linguistics, there is a deep, special connection between generics and pernicious aspects of social cognition such as stereotyping. Specifically, generics are thought to exacerbate our propensity to essentialize, lead us to overgeneralize based on scarce evidence, and lead to other epistemically dubious patterns of inference. Recently, however, several studies have put empirical and theoretical pressure on some of the main tenets of this research program. The goal of this paper (...) is to bring these results together in a comprehensive narrative and systematically evaluate their impact on the hypothesis that generics have a uniquely problematic effect on our social and cognitive capacities. (shrink)

The aim of this article is to discuss the conditions under which functional neuroimaging can contribute to the study of higher cognition. We begin by presenting two case studies—on moral and economic decision making—which will help us identify and examine one of the main ways in which neuroimaging can help advance the study of higher cognition. We agree with critics that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies seldom “refine” or “confirm” particular psychological hypotheses, or even provide details of the neural (...) implementation of cognitive functions. However, we suggest that neuroimaging can support psychology in a different way—namely, by selecting among competing hypotheses of the cognitive mechanisms underlying some mental function. One of the main ways in which neuroimaging can be used for hypothesis selection is via reverse inferences, which we here examine in detail. Despite frequent claims to the contrary, we argue that successful reverse inferences do not assume any strong or objectionable form of reductionism or functional locationism. Moreover, our discussion illustrates that reverse inferences can be successful at early stages of psychological theorizing, when models of the cognitive mechanisms are only partially developed. (shrink)

Desde una respuesta tentativa a la pregunta qué es una imagen se busca establecer el modo en que pensamos en, con y contra las imágenes. Se concentra la indagación en dos tipos particulares de imágenes, las generadas por el aparato digital, con el fin de articular conceptualmente el modo en que las imágenes cobran sentido y cómo dicho sentido surge desde el estatuto ontológico que encierra dicho aparato en particular. Desde una respuesta operativa y desde el concepto de modo de (...) imaginar se propone que el modo de pensar en, con y contra las imágenes es una disputa política por controlar el modo de aparecer en las imágenes, es decir, por el control del plano estético y ontológico que encierra dicho aparecer. Dicha disputa política en el aparato digital se instala contemporáneamente en torno al objeto fascista de la representación. (shrink)

According to the `grammatical account', scalar implicatures are triggered by a covert exhaustification operator present in logical form. This account covers considerable empirical ground, but there is a peculiar pattern that resists treatment given its usual implementation. The pattern centers on odd assertions like #"Most lions are mammals" and #"Some Italians come from a beautiful country", which seem to trigger implicatures in contexts where the enriched readings conflict with information in the common ground. Magri (2009, 2011) argues that, to account (...) for these cases, the basic grammatical approach has to be supplemented with the stipulations that exhaustification is obligatory and is based on formal computations which are blind to information in the common ground. In this paper, I argue that accounts of oddness should allow for the possibility of felicitous assertions that call for revision of the common ground, including explicit assertions of unusual beliefs such as "Most but not all lions are mammals" and "Some but not all Italians come from Italy". To adequately cover these and similar cases, I propose that Magri's version of the Grammatical account should be refined with the novel hypothesis that exhaustification triggers a bifurcation between presupposed (the negated relevant alternatives) and at-issue (the prejacent) content. The explanation of the full oddness pattern, including cases of felicitous proposals to revise the common ground, follows from the interaction between presupposed and at-issue content with an independently motivated constraint on accommodation. Finally, I argue that treating the exhaustification operator as a presupposition trigger helps solve various independent puzzles faced by extant grammatical accounts, and motivates a substantial revision of standard accounts of the overt exhaustifier "only". (shrink)

When visual attention is directed away from a stimulus, neural processing is weak and strength and precision of sensory data decreases. From a computational perspective, in such situations observers should give more weight to prior expectations in order to behave optimally during a discrimination task. Here we test a signal detection theoretic model that counter-intuitively predicts subjects will do just the opposite in a discrimination task with two stimuli, one attended and one unattended: when subjects are probed to discriminate the (...) unattended stimulus, they rely less on prior information about the probed stimulus’ identity. The model is in part inspired by recent findings that attention reduces trial-by-trial variability of the neuronal population response and that they use a common criterion for attended and unattended trials. In five different visual discrimination experiments, when attention was directed away from the target stimulus, subjects did not adjust their response bias in reaction to a change in stimulus presentation frequency despite being fully informed and despite the presence of performance feedback and monetary and social incentives. This indicates that subjects did not rely more on the priors under conditions of inattention as would be predicted by a Bayes-optimal observer model. These results inform and constrain future models of Bayesian inference in the human brain. (shrink)

This article examines whether people share the Gettier intuition (viz. that someone who has a true justified belief that p may nonetheless fail to know that p) in 24 sites, located in 23 countries (counting Hong-Kong as a distinct country) and across 17 languages. We also consider the possible influence of gender and personality on this intuition with a very large sample size. Finally, we examine whether the Gettier intuition varies across people as a function of their disposition to engage (...) in “reflective” thinking. (shrink)

A lo largo de la tradición psicopatológica, incluso de la pre-fenomenológica, se encuentra la categorización del delirio como creencia. Jaspers asumió ese uso y lo fundó fenomenológico-existencialmente, definiendo su carácter de convicción. El concepto de creencia ha tenido un largo recorrido dentro de la historia del pensamiento, aunque recientemente se ha intensificado el debate acerca de la visión doxástica del delirio. En virtud de lo ya mencionado, en el presente artículo presentamos un análisis conceptual de la creencia, con el objetivo (...) de identificar de manera precisa los aspectos esenciales que permiten al delirio definirse según ella. De esta manera, se discutirán algunas de las principales incursiones realizadas en el concepto desde la antigüedad periplatónica hasta José Ortega y Gasset, remarcando en cada pensador las directrices esenciales de su aproximación a la creencia. A su vez, introducir al filósofo español al debate psicopatológico permitirá incluir en la discusión dos aspectos importantes que creemos pueden ser fructíferos para la discusión filosófica sobre el delirio: la diferencia entre ideas y creencias, y la vitalidad de estas últimas. Finalmente, hacemos referencia al actual debate pro- y antidoxástico, haciendo hincapié en la necesidad de considerar la amplitud del concepto de creencia en su genealogía histórica. Con base en ello estaríamos en condición de acercarnos a la visión doxástica moderada que han defendido autoras como Lisa Bortolotti. (shrink)

Resumen: Este artículo trata del método y su relación con la investigación educativa. El objetivo es analizar la relevancia del método en ciencias humanas y sociales, en especial, en educación. Para ello, dividimos este artículo en tres secciones: 1. ¿Hay método? 2. ¿Hay uno o varios métodos? 3. La discusión sobre el método en la investigación educativa. A la primera pregunta, respondemos que hay método. Respondemos a la segunda señalando la necesidad de adoptar un pluralismo metodológico. La tercera sección defiende (...) que las discusiones sobre el método de investigación educativa implican dimensiones ontológicas, epistemológicas y éticas que se han tornado críticas, y se hace una revisión de cada una de ellas. En el apartado conclusivo, sugerimos algunas vías para desanudar esos asuntos críticos en la investigación educativa.: This article deals with method and its relation to educational research. The objective is to analyze the relevance of method in human and social sciences, especially in education. To this end, we divide this article into three sections: 1. Is there a method? 2. Is there one or more methods? 3. The discussion on method in educational research. To the first question, we answer that there is a method. We answer the second question by pointing out the need to adopt methodological pluralism. The third section argues that discussions on the method of educational research involve ontological, epistemological, and ethical dimensions that have become critical, and a review is made of each of them. In the concluding section, we suggest some ways to disentangle these critical issues in educational research. (shrink)

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to highlight the aesthetic layout created by the digital device in the ontological autonomy of the digital representation. As a result, in the digital screen, as a simulated immersive area, the object is alienated through the hyper-representation of a hyper-reproduction: a hyper-reproduction which causes the data and its image to be the monadic support that multiplies it in always livable creases by interactivity. A digitally-represented world would become the ultimate alienation of the modern (...) representational area in terms of excess of closeness. Thus, this question would cause the simulacral strategy of post-modernity through its digitization. -/- Resumen: Este artículo se propone evidenciar, en la autonomía ontológica de la representación digital, la disposición estética abierta por el dispositivo digital. Como consecuencia, en la pantalla digital, en cuanto super cie inmersiva simu- lacral, se logra enajenar el objeto por medio de la hiper-representación de una hiper-reproductibilidad. Una hiper-reproductibilidad que hace del data y su «ima- gen» el sustento monádico que lo multiplica en pliegues siempre habitables por la interactividad. El mundo representado digitalmente se haría «espectáculo» de la enajenación de nitiva de la super cie representacional moderna en cuanto exceso de cercanía. Cuestión que provocaría la estrategia simulacral de la modernidad en lo postmoderno por medio de su digitalización. (shrink)

Is behavioral integration (i.e., which occurs when a subjects assertion that p matches her non-verbal behavior) a necessary feature of belief in folk psychology? Our data from nearly 6,000 people across twenty-six samples, spanning twenty-two countries suggests that it is not. Given the surprising cross-cultural robustness of our findings, we suggest that the types of evidence for the ascription of a belief are, at least in some circumstances, lexicographically ordered: assertions are first taken into account, and when an agent sincerely (...) asserts that p, non-linguistic behavioral evidence is disregarded. In light of this, we take ourselves to have discovered a universal principle governing the ascription of beliefs in folk psychology. (shrink)

Many people appear to attach great value to sad music. But why? One way to gain insight into this question is to turn away from music and look instead at why people value sad conversations. In the case of conversations, the answer seems to be that expressing sadness creates a sense of genuine connection. We propose that sad music can also have this type of value. Listening to a sad song can give one a sense of genuine connection. We then (...) explore the nature of this value in two experimental studies. The results suggest a striking relationship between music and conversation. People see something distinctively musical in works that express precisely those emotions that they think most create connection within conversation. (shrink)

Objective: There are benefits and risks of giving patients more granular control of their personal health information in electronic health record (EHR) systems. When designing EHR systems and policies, informaticists and system developers must balance these benefits and risks. Ethical considerations should be an explicit part of this balancing. Our objective was to develop a structured ethics framework to accomplish this. -/- Methods: We reviewed existing literature on the ethical and policy issues, developed an ethics framework called a “Points to (...) Consider” (P2C) document, and convened a national expert panel to review and critique the P2C. -/- Results: We developed the P2C to aid informaticists designing an advanced query tool for an electronic health record (EHR) system in Indianapolis. The P2C consists of six questions (“Points”) that frame important ethical issues, apply accepted principles of bioethics and Fair Information Practices, comment on how questions might be answered, and address implications for patient care. -/- Discussion: The P2C is intended to clarify whatis at stake when designers try to accommodate potentially competing ethical commitments and logistical realities. The P2C was developed to guide informaticists who were designing a query tool in an existing EHR that would permit patient granular control. While consideration of ethical issues is coming to the forefront of medical informatics design and development practices, more reflection is needed to facilitate optimal collaboration between designers and ethicists. This report contributes to that discussion. (shrink)

In abstract argumentation, each argument is regarded as atomic. There is no internal structure to an argument. Also, there is no specification of what is an argument or an attack. They are assumed to be given. This abstract perspective provides many advantages for studying the nature of argumentation, but it does not cover all our needs for understanding argumentation or for building tools for supporting or undertaking argumentation. If we want a more detailed formalization of arguments than is available with (...) abstract argumentation, we can turn to structured argumentation, which is the topic of this special issue of Argument and Computation. In structured argumentation, we assume a formal language for representing knowledge and specifying how arguments and counterarguments can be constructed from that knowledge. An argument is then said to be structured in the sense that normally, the premises and claim of the argument are made explicit, and the relationship between the premises and claim is formally defined (for instance, using logical entailment). In this introduction, we provide a brief overview of the approaches covered in this special issue on structured argumentation. (shrink)

Background Genomic research on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), particularly involving minors, combines and amplifies existing research ethics issues for biomedical research. We performed a review of the literature on the ethical issues associated with genomic research involving children affected by NDDs as an aid to researchers to better anticipate and address ethical concerns. Results Qualitative thematic analysis of the included articles revealed themes in three main areas: research design and ethics review, inclusion of research participants, and communication of research results. Ethical (...) issues known to be associated with genomic research in general, such as privacy risks and informed consent/assent, seem especially pressing for NDD participants because of their potentially decreased cognitive abilities, increased vulnerability, and stigma associated with mental health problems. Additionally, there are informational risks: learning genetic information about NDD may have psychological and social impact, not only for the research participant but also for family members. However, there are potential benefits associated with research participation, too: by enrolling in research, the participants may access genetic testing and thus increase their chances of receiving a (genetic) diagnosis for their neurodevelopmental symptoms, prognostic or predictive information about disease progression or the risk of concurrent future disorders. Based on the results of our review, we developed an ethics checklist for genomic research involving children affected by NDDs. Conclusions In setting up and designing genomic research efforts in NDD, researchers should partner with communities of persons with NDDs. Particular attention should be paid to preventing disproportional burdens of research participation of children with NDDs and their siblings, parents and other family members. Researchers should carefully tailor the information and informed consent procedures to avoid therapeutic and diagnostic misconception in NDD research. To better anticipate and address ethical issues in specific NDD studies, we suggest researchers to use the ethics checklist for genomic research involving children affected by NDDs presented in this paper. (shrink)

Many mechanisms, functions and structures of life have been unraveled. However, the fundamental driving force that propelled chemical evolution and led to life has remained obscure. The second law of thermodynamics, written as an equation of motion, reveals that elemental abiotic matter evolves from the equilibrium via chemical reactions that couple to external energy towards complex biotic non-equilibrium systems. Each time a new mechanism of energy transduction emerges, e.g., by random variation in syntheses, evolution prompts by punctuation and settles to (...) a stasis when the accessed free energy has been consumed. The evolutionary course towards an increasingly larger energy transduction system accumulates a diversity of energy transduction mechanisms, i.e. species. The rate of entropy increase is identified as the fitness criterion among the diverse mechanisms, which places the theory of evolution by natural selection on the fundamental thermodynamic principle with no demarcation line between inanimate and animate. (shrink)

The National Center for Biomedical Ontology is a consortium that comprises leading informaticians, biologists, clinicians, and ontologists, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Roadmap, to develop innovative technology and methods that allow scientists to record, manage, and disseminate biomedical information and knowledge in machine-processable form. The goals of the Center are (1) to help unify the divergent and isolated efforts in ontology development by promoting high quality open-source, standards-based tools to create, manage, and use ontologies, (2) to create (...) new software tools so that scientists can use ontologies to annotate and analyze biomedical data, (3) to provide a national resource for the ongoing evaluation, integration, and evolution of biomedical ontologies and associated tools and theories in the context of driving biomedical projects (DBPs), and (4) to disseminate the tools and resources of the Center and to identify, evaluate, and communicate best practices of ontology development to the biomedical community. Through the research activities within the Center, collaborations with the DBPs, and interactions with the biomedical community, our goal is to help scientists to work more effectively in the e-science paradigm, enhancing experiment design, experiment execution, data analysis, information synthesis, hypothesis generation and testing, and understand human disease. (shrink)

Generic statements (‘Tigers have stripes’) are pervasive and developmentally early-emerging modes of generalization with a distinctive linguistic profile. Previous experimental work suggests that generics display a unique asymmetry between the prevalence levels required to accept them and the prevalence levels typically implied by their use. This asymmetry effect is thought to have serious social consequences: if speakers use socially problematic generics based on prevalence levels that are systematically lower than what is typically inferred by their recipients, then using generics will (...) likely exacerbate social stereotypes and biases. This paper presents evidence against the popular hypothesis that this asymmetry effect is unique to generics. Correcting for various shortcomings of previous studies, we found a generalized asymmetry effect across generics and various kinds of explicitly quantified statements (‘most’, ‘some’, ‘typically’, ‘usually’). In addition, to better understand the conditions under which generalized asymmetry effects may exacerbate biases, we examine whether speakers choose generalizing sentences based simply on their acceptance conditions, or are systematically sensitive to the implications likely drawn by their typical recipients. In support of the latter view, we found that, in neutral or cooperative scenarios, speakers reliably choose generalizing sentences whose implied prevalence levels closely match the actual ones. In non-cooperative scenarios, speakers exploit asymmetry effects to further their own goals by choosing generalizing sentences that are strictly true but likely to mislead their recipients. These results refine our understanding of the source of asymmetry effects and the conditions under which they may introduce biased beliefs into social networks. (shrink)

Purpose Prescription stimulant use as “cognitive enhancers” has been described among undergraduate college students. However, the use of prescription stimulants among future health care professionals is not well characterized. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of prescription stimulant misuse among students at an academic health sciences center. -/- Method Electronic surveys were e-mailed to 621 medical, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy students at East Tennessee State University for four consecutive weeks in fall 2011. Completing the survey was voluntary and (...) anonymous. Surveys asked about reasons for, frequency of, and side effects of nonprescription misuse of prescription stimulants. Given the sensitive material, an opportunity to win one of ten $50 gift cards was used as an incentive. -/- Results Three hundred seventy-two (59.9%) students completed the survey from three disciplines (47.6% medical, 70.5% pharmacy, and 57.6% respiratory therapy). Overall, 11.3% of responders admitted to misusing prescription stimulants. There was more misuse by respiratory therapy students, although this was not statistically significant (10.9% medicine, 9.7% pharmacy, 26.3% respiratory therapy; P = .087). Reasons for prescription stimulant misuse included to enhance alertness/ energy (65.9%), to improve academic performance (56.7%), to experiment (18.2%), and to use recreationally/get high (4.5%). -/- Conclusions Prescription stimulant misuse was prevalent among participating students, but further research is needed to describe prevalence among future health care workers more generally. The implications and consequences of such misuse require further study across professions with emphasis on investigating issues of academic dishonesty (e.g., “cognitive enhancement”), educational quality, and patient safety or health care quality. (shrink)

Functional diversity holds the promise of understanding ecosystems in ways unattainable by taxonomic diversity studies. Underlying this promise is the intuition that investigating the diversity of what organisms actually do—i.e. their functional traits—within ecosystems will generate more reliable insights into the ways these ecosystems behave, compared to considering only species diversity. But this promise also rests on several conceptual and methodological—i.e. epistemic—assumptions that cut across various theories and domains of ecology. These assumptions should be clearly addressed, notably for the sake (...) of an effective comparison and integration across domains, and for assessing whether or not to use functional diversity approaches for developing ecological management strategies. The objective of this contribution is to identify and critically analyze the most salient of these assumptions. To this aim, we provide an “epistemic roadmap” that pinpoints these assumptions along a set of historical, conceptual, empirical, theoretical, and normative dimensions. (shrink)

Freud proposes that in unconscious processing, logical connections are also (heavily) based upon phonological similarities. Repressed concerns, for example, would also be expressed by way of phonologic ambiguity. In order to investigate a possible unconscious influence of phonological similarity, 31 participants were submitted to a tachistoscopic subliminal priming experiment, with prime and target presented at 1ms. In the experimental condition, the prime and one of the 2 targets were phonological reversed forms of each other, though graphemically dissimilar (e.g., “nice” and (...) “sign”); in the control condition the targets were pseudo-randomly attributed to primes to which they don’t belong. The experimental task was to “blindly” pick the choice most similar to the prime. ERPs were measured with a focus on the N320, which is known to react selectively to phonological mismatch in supraliminal visual word presentations. The N320 amplitude-effects at the electrodes on the midline and at the left of the brain significantly predicted the participants’ net behavioral choices more than half a second later, while their subjective experience is one of arbitrariness. Moreover, the social desirability score (SDS) significantly correlates with both the behavioral and the N320 brain responses of the participants. It is proposed that in participants with low SDS the phonological target induces an expected reduction of N320 and this increases their probability to pick this target. In contrast, high defensive participants have a perplexed brain reaction upon the phonological target, with a negatively peaking N320 as compared to control and this leads them to avoid this target more often. Social desirability, which is understood as reflecting defensiveness, might also manifest itself as a defense against the (energy-consuming) ambiguity of language. The specificity of this study is that all of this is happening totally out of awareness and at the level of very elementary linguistic distinctions. (shrink)

Ethical decision-making frameworks assist in identifying the issues at stake in a particular setting and thinking through, in a methodical manner, the ethical issues that require consideration as well as the values that need to be considered and promoted. Decisions made about the use, sharing, and re-use of big data are complex and laden with values. This paper sets out an Ethics Framework for Big Data in Health and Research developed by a working group convened by the Science, Health and (...) Policy-relevant Ethics in Singapore Initiative. It presents the aim and rationale for this framework supported by the underlying ethical concerns that relate to all health and research contexts. It also describes a set of substantive and procedural values that can be weighed up in addressing these concerns, and a step-by-step process for identifying, considering, and resolving the ethical issues arising from big data uses in health and research. This Framework is subsequently applied in the papers published in this Special Issue. These papers each address one of six domains where big data is currently employed: openness in big data and data repositories, precision medicine and big data, real-world data to generate evidence about healthcare interventions, AI-assisted decision-making in healthcare, public-private partnerships in healthcare and research, and cross-sectoral big data. (shrink)

A growing body of research has examined how people judge the persistence of identity over time—that is, how they decide that a particular individual is the same entity from one time to the next. While a great deal of progress has been made in understanding the types of features that people typically consider when making such judgments, to date, existing work has not explored how these judgments may be shaped by normative considerations. The present studies demonstrate that normative beliefs do (...) appear to play an important role in people's beliefs about persistence. Specifically, people are more likely to judge that the identity of a given entity remains the same when its features improve than when its features deteriorate. Study 1 provides a basic demonstration of this effect. Study 2 shows that this effect is moderated by individual differences in normative beliefs. Study 3 examines the underlying mechanism, which is the belief that, in general, various entities are essentially good. Study 4 directly manipulates beliefs about essence to show that the positivity bias regarding essences is causally responsible for the effect. (shrink)

This paper focuses on stakeholder identification as per the value sensitive design (VSD) approach applied to the context of quantum technologies (QT). We provide two comprehensive lists of stakeholders as starting points for VSD researchers and practitioners. These lists encompass a diverse range of organizations, including private companies, government agencies, NGOs, partnerships, and professional/trade organizations. Our aim is to facilitate the recognition, legitimation, and understanding of stakeholder interactions in the development of QT. These stakeholder lists can serve as a foundation (...) for designing and implementing policies and strategies that promote the ethical and responsible development of QT, considering the values and interests of various stakeholders. Furthermore, these lists can enable empirical and technical studies on specific QT innovations using an ethics-by-design approach like VSD. Overall, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of the QT landscape and highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement and collaboration in shaping its future. (shrink)