A POLISSEMIA (SOCIAL) DO DESERTO: UMA HISTÓRIA DO TÓPOS HISTÓRICO E HISTORIOGRÁFICO DA SOLIDÃO MONÁSTICA NO CONTEXTO LATINO MEDIEVAL

Resumo O presente artigo visa demonstrar que a visão historiográfica tradicional a respeito da solidão medieval é tributária da revalorização de alguns lugares comuns da retórica clássica e bíblica empregados pela documentação do período. Constatação não sem importância, uma vez que ela nos abre um novo horizonte analítico ainda não explorado pelos estudos monásticos: a função social da solidão medieval. Metodologicamente, o texto propõe o exame de relações lexicais dinâmicas presentes no campo semântico da solidão medieval. Ao final de nosso percurso teremos demonstrado que o deserto latino deve ser compreendido em função do processo de transferência da noção oriental para o ocidente. Uma transferência que coloca a solidão sob o controle de especialistas do isolamento cristão, tais como eremitas e monges. Esses reivindicam para si o monopólio da ocupação de um espaço de solidão: o eremus. Defende-se, assim, que a noção latinizada de solidão, bem como a polissemia do desertum bíblico, implica uma concepção "territorializada" do espaço na medida em que os agentes sociais em questão pretendem exercer sua influência de forma exclusiva sobre este espaço.

Opisthorchiasis in infant remains from the medieval Zeleniy Yar burial ground of XII-XIII centuries AD

We present a paleoparasitological analysis of the medieval Zeleniy Yar burial ground of the XII-XII centuries AD located in the northern part of Western Siberia. Parasite eggs, identified as eggs of Opisthorchis felineus, were found in the samples from the pelvic area of a one year old infant buried at the site. Presence of these eggs in the soil samples from the infant’s abdomen suggests that he/she was infected with opisthorchiasis and imply consumption of undercooked fish. Ethnographic records collected among the population of the northern part of Western Siberia reveal numerous cases of feeding raw fish to their children. Zeleniy Yar case of opisthorchiasis suggests that this dietary custom has persisted from at least medieval times.

Fuzzy logic applied to the modeling of water dynamics in an Oxisol in northeastern Brazil

Modeling of water movement in non-saturated soil usually requires a large number of parameters and variables, such as initial soil water content, saturated water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity, which can be assessed relatively easily. Dimensional flow of water in the soil is usually modeled by a nonlinear partial differential equation, known as the Richards equation. Since this equation cannot be solved analytically in certain cases, one way to approach its solution is by numerical algorithms. The success of numerical models in describing the dynamics of water in the soil is closely related to the accuracy with which the water-physical parameters are determined. That has been a big challenge in the use of numerical models because these parameters are generally difficult to determine since they present great spatial variability in the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and use methods that properly incorporate the uncertainties inherent to water displacement in soils. In this paper, a model based on fuzzy logic is used as an alternative to describe water flow in the vadose zone. This fuzzy model was developed to simulate the displacement of water in a non-vegetated crop soil during the period called the emergency phase. The principle of this model consists of a Mamdani fuzzy rule-based system in which the rules are based on the moisture content of adjacent soil layers. The performances of the results modeled by the fuzzy system were evaluated by the evolution of moisture profiles over time as compared to those obtained in the field. The results obtained through use of the fuzzy model provided satisfactory reproduction of soil moisture profiles.

Alucinógenos naturais: um voo da Europa Medieval ao Brasil

This work describes the historical importance and the use of hallucinogenic plants by different civilizations. A comparison between three Brazilian plants whose active principle is N,N-dimethyltriptamine (DMT), and three plant species native to Europe whose active principles are tropanic alkaloids was carried out and we observed these plants promoted different types of hallucinations.

POR QUE AGOSTINHO NÃO É UM FILÓSOFO MEDIEVAL (E POR QUE É IMPORTANTE COMPREENDER ISSO)

Agostinho é um filósofo medieval ou um filósofo antigo? Alguns autores defendem que ele é um filósofo medieval porque desempenhou um papel central na absorção da filosofia grega num quadro teórico cristão. Sua importância na constituição do pensamento cristão é sem dúvida enorme, mas não fornece um bom argumento para uma tese sobre a periodização em história da filosofia. Agostinho é um filósofo antigo porque pertence ao mundo antigo, não ao mundo medieval, e esta fronteira histórica corresponde à queda do Império Romano do Ocidente. Os fatos que parecem sustentar ambas as respostas são bem conhecidos, o que deve ser ajustado, portanto, é a pergunta: o que explica modificações amplas pelas quais a filosofia passou ao longo tempo? Os mecanismos envolvidos nessas modificações podem ser compreendidos uma vez que vemos a filosofia como parte da cultura, e parece claro haver uma ruptura muito importante entre os séculos V e XI. Mais interessante do que saber em que período classificar Agostinho é podermos colocar perguntas mais explicativas sobre essas mudanças: como tradições filosóficas nascem e morrem? Minha proposta é utilizar o modelo da epidemiologia da cultura, de Dan Sperber, para responder esta pergunta.

THE FORMAL AND THE FORMALIZED: THE CASES OF SYLLOGISTIC AND SUPPOSITION THEORY

As a discipline, logic is arguably constituted of two main sub-projects: formal theories of argument validity on the basis of a small number of patterns, and theories of how to reduce the multiplicity of arguments in non-logical, informal contexts to the small number of patterns whose validity is systematically studied (i.e. theories of formalization). Regrettably, we now tend to view logic 'proper' exclusively as what falls under the first sub-project, to the neglect of the second, equally important sub-project. In this paper, I discuss two historical theories of argument formalization: Aristotle's syllogistic theory as presented in the "Prior Analytics", and medieval theories of supposition. They both illustrate this two-fold nature of logic, containing in particular illuminating reflections on how to formalize arguments (i.e. the second sub-project). In both cases, the formal methods employed differ from the usual modern technique of translating an argument in ordinary language into a specially designed symbolism, a formal language. The upshot is thus a plea for a broader conceptualization of what it means to formalize.

DEVELOPMENT OF LOGIC IN INDIA: SIGNIFICANCE OF 'THE DUOLOGUE BETWEEN PĀYĀSI AND KASSAPA' ("LONG DISCOURSES")

ABSTRACT 'The Duologue of King/Governor Pāyāsi' ("Long Discourses") has long been recognised as a source for the proto-materialism current at the time of the Buddha. What needs to be stressed is the significance of the text as a pointer to the development of Logic in India. Perception (observation and experiment employing the joint method of agreement and difference), which is an accepted method of experimental enquiry, and reasoning from analogy, which can lead at best to a probable conclusion - these two are the only means employed to settle the dispute concerning the existence of the other-world. The Jain version of the same duologue-cum-parable, though varying in minor details regarding the name and identity of the monk refuting the king/governor, contains the same contrast, namely, perception versus analogical reasoning. There can be little doubt that the original parable was conceived with a view to asserting the existence of the other-world. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (sixth century BCE), an earlier Brahmanical text, however, instead of argument by analogy, verbal testimony (śabda) was invoked to settle the same point. Naciketas is assailed by doubt about the existence of a person after his or her death. The authority of Yama, the Pluto of Indian mythology, is invoked to convince him that the other-world does exist. Thus, the three parables taken together exhibit three means of knowledge in operation: verbal testimony and argument by analogy pitted against perception.

Remarks on an algebraic semantics for paraconsistent Nelson's logic

In the paper Busaniche and Cignoli (2009) we presented a quasivariety of commutative residuated lattices, called NPc-lattices, that serves as an algebraic semantics for paraconsistent Nelson's logic. In the present paper we show that NPc-lattices form a subvariety of the variety of commutative residuated lattices, we study congruences of NPc-lattices and some subvarieties of NPc-lattices.

Matrix- based logic for avoiding paradoxes and its paraconsistent alternative

The present article shows that there are consistent and decidable many- valued systems of propositional logic which satisfy two or all the three criteria for non- trivial inconsistent theories by da Costa (1974). The weaker one of these paraconsistent system is also able to avoid a series of paradoxes which come up when classical logic is applied to empirical sciences. These paraconsistent systems are based on a 6- valued system of propositional logic for avoiding difficulties in several domains of empirical science (Weingartner (2009)).

Application of fuzzy logic for the evaluation of livestock slaughtering

The fuzzy logic admits infinite intermediate logical values between false and true. With this principle, it developed in this study a system based on fuzzy rules, which indicates the body mass index of ruminant animals in order to obtain the best time to slaughter. The controller developed has as input the variables weight and height, and as output a new body mass index, called Fuzzy Body Mass Index (Fuzzy BMI), which may serve as a detection system at the time of livestock slaughtering, comparing one another by the linguistic variables "Very Low", "Low", "Average ", "High" and "Very High". For demonstrating the use application of this fuzzy system, an analysis was made with 147 Nellore beeves to determine Fuzzy BMI values for each animal and indicate the location of body mass of any herd. The performance validation of the system was based on a statistical analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.923, representing a high positive correlation, indicating that the proposed method is appropriate. Thus, this method allows the evaluation of the herd comparing each animal within the group, thus providing a quantitative method of farmer decision. It was concluded that this study established a computational method based on fuzzy logic that mimics part of human reasoning and interprets the body mass index of any bovine species and in any region of the country.

Electrically driven fertilizer applicator controlled by fuzzy logic

The present study shows the development, simulation and actual implementation of a closed-loop controller based on fuzzy logic that is able to regulate and standardize the mass flow of a helical fertilizer applicator. The control algorithm was developed using MATLAB's Fuzzy Logic Toolbox. Both open and closed-loop simulations of the controller were performed in MATLAB's Simulink environment. The instantaneous deviation of the mass flow from the set point (SP), its derivative, the equipment´s translation velocity and acceleration were all used as input signals for the controller, whereas the voltage of the applicator's DC electric motor (DCEM) was driven by the controller as output signal. Calibration and validation of the rules and membership functions of the fuzzy logic were accomplished in the computer simulation phase, taking into account the system's response to SP changes. The mass flow variation coefficient, measured in experimental tests, ranged from 6.32 to 13.18%. The steady state error fell between -0.72 and 0.13g s-1 and the recorded average rise time of the system was 0.38 s. The implemented controller was able to both damp the oscillations in mass flow that are characteristic of helical fertilizer applicators, and to effectively respond to SP variations.

Speed Control of an Autonomous Mobile Robot: Comparison between a PID Control and a Control Using Fuzzy Logic

An Autonomous Mobile Robot battery driven, with two traction wheels and a steering wheel is being developed. This Robot central control is regulated by an IPC, which controls every function of security, steering, positioning localization and driving. Each traction wheel is operated by a DC motor with independent control system. This system is made up of a chopper, an encoder and a microcomputer. The IPC transmits the velocity values and acceleration ramp references to the PIC microcontrollers. As each traction wheel control is independent, it's possible to obtain different speed values for each wheel. This process facilities the direction and drive changes. Two different strategies for speed velocity control were implemented; one works with PID, and the other with fuzzy logic. There were no changes in circuits and feedback control, except for the PIC microcontroller software. Comparing the two different speed control strategies the results were equivalent. However, in relation to the development and implementation of these strategies, the difficulties were bigger to implement the PID control.

Simulation of Active Control Using Fuzzy Logic Applied to a Pulse Combustor

This work analyzes an active fuzzy logic control system in a Rijke type pulse combustor. During the system development, a study of the existing types of control for pulse combustion was carried out and a simulation model was implemented to be used with the package Matlab and Simulink. Blocks which were not available in the simulator library were developed. A fuzzy controller was developed and its membership functions and inference rules were established. The obtained simulation showed that fuzzy logic is viable in the control of combustion instabilities. The obtained results indicated that the control system responded to pulses in an efficient and desirable way. It was verified that the system needed approximately 0.2 s to increase the tube internal pressure from 30 to 90 mbar, with an assumed total delay of 2 ms. The effects of delay variation were studied. Convergence was always obtained and general performance was not affected by the delay. The controller sends a pressure signal in phase with the Rijke tube internal pressure signal, through the speakers, when an increase the oscillations pressure amplitude is desired. On the other hand, when a decrease of the tube internal pressure amplitude is desired, the controller sends a signal 180º out of phase.

Classificações de signos de C.S.Peirce: de ‘On the Logic of Science’ ao ‘Syllabus of Certain Topics of Logic’

As classificações dos signos de C.S.Peirce começam a ser desenvolvidas em 1865 e se estendem a até, pelo menos, 1909. Vou apresentar o período que tem início em 1865, e possui dois momentos de intensa produção - "On a New List of Categories" e "On the Algebra of Logic: a contribution to the philosophy of notation". Em seguida apresento as dez classes de signos, uma morfologia que aparece no "Syllabus of Certain Topics of Logic", e é desenvolvida a partir de 1903. Meu propósito aqui é familiarizar o leitor com as intrincadas classificações sígnicas de Peirce.

Sobre as origens do vocabulário político medieval

O fenômeno da incorporação do corpo lexical político aristotélico transliterado do grego ao contexto latino do século XIII nos remete a problemas sobre as presenças e ausências terminológicas, não somente na tradução da Política, feita por Guilherme de Moerbeke, e nos comentários de Alberto Magno e Tomás de Aquino ao texto latino de Aristóteles, mas também à possível reverberação desses vocábulos políticos moerbekianos em alguns leitores da Política, no século XIV. Não se trata apenas de verificação de quem usou ou não usou tais ou quais termos, nem mesmo da elaboração de juízos sobre esses usos, como que para rotular pensadores; antes, trata-se de tentar individuar, a partir dos usos terminológicos, o surgimento de um novo modo de pensar e compreender a esfera da vida humana que é a dimensão pública, ou melhor, política. Tentaremos compreender, neste artigo, especificamente como emerge, a partir dessa tradução latina da Política, um novo quadro conceitual, a saber: a esfera política. Constataremos que a tradução da Política de Moerbeke consolida um novo vocabulário e um novo quadro conceitual que será, doravante, um dos fundamentos do pensamento político.