A metafísica na crítica da razão pura

O presente artigo discute as relações entre a perspectiva transcendental inscrita na análise Kantiana das Idéias da Razão (principalmente a Idéia de Unidade) e a herança metafísica tradicional. Para tanto ensaia-se uma leitura da 1ª parte do Apêndice da Dialética Transcendental à luz da reelaboração critica do temário metafísico, com especial ênfase na noção escolástica de atributo transcendental do Ser.

Razão e irracionalidade na representação do conhecimento

Como é possível que a partir da negação do racional (isto é, do colapso na representação do conhecimento, dado pela presença de informações contraditórias) se possa obter conhecimento adicional? Esse problema, além de seu interesse intrínseco, adquire uma relevância adicional quando o encontramos na representação do conhecimento em bases de dados e raciocínio automático, por exemplo. Nesse caso, diversas tentativas de tratamento têm sido propostas, como as lógicas não-monotônicas, as lógicas que tentam formalizar a ideia do raciocínio por falha (default). Tais tentativas de solução, porém, são falhas e incompletas; proponho que uma solução possível seria formular uma lógica do irracional, que oferecesse um modelo para o raciocínio permitindo não só suportar contradições, como conseguir obter conhecimento, a partir de tais situações. A intuição subjacente à formulação de tal lógica são as lógicas paraconsistentes de da Costa, mas com uma teoria da dedução diferente e uma semântica completamente distinta (à qual me refiro como "semântica de traduções possíveis"). Tal proposta, como pretendo argumentar, fornece um enfoque para a questão que é ao mesmo tempo completamente satisfatório, aplicável do ponto de vista prático e aceitável do ponto de vista filosófico.

Notas sobre o esquematismo na Crítica da Razão Pura de Kant

Trata-se de uma abordagem introdutória à doutrina do esquematismo, segundo o contexto de seu surgimento na Crítica da Razão Pura.

Diferenças entre as deduções nas duas edições da crítica da razão pura

Comparação entre as duas versões da dedução kantiana dos conceitos puros do entendimento, a da 1ª edição de 1781 e a de 1787. Focam-se aqui principalmente as discrepâncias referentes à dedução objetiva, isto é, aquela encarregada de demonstrar que as categorias são as condições de possibilidade dos objetos de experiência

Razão (prática) e natureza na Crítica da faculdade do juízo

Na Crítica da Razão Pura e em outros lugares, Kant apresenta uma aguda distinção entre natureza e razão prática. De acordo com Kant, não é possível deduzir ou derivar todos os sentidos dos imperativos morais dos conhecimentos empíricos sobre o mundo. Alguns intérpretes (como John MacDowell) argumentam que a concepção de razão prática em Kant pode ser ilusória se baseada em uma visão da natureza indefinida, decorrente de um ponto de vista newtoniano. Nesse texto discutirei a relação entre razão prática e natureza na Crítica da faculdade de julgar de Kant. Argumentarei que na segunda parte da obra, Kant introduz um conceito de natureza muito mais rico que as críticas lhe têm atribuído.

Filosofia, tom e ilusão musical em Kant: da vivificação sonora do ânimo à recepção do tom da razão

O artigo tenciona, primeiramente, enriquecer o estudo da função que o conceito de tom desempenha na ideia kantiana de razão, ao estendê-lo à análise da música como arte dos sons que a Crítica do Juízo contém. Em segundo lugar, propõe-se determinar os motivos pelos quais a matemática se revela incapaz, devido à especificidade do método filosófico e à corporalidade da recepção musical, respectivamente, de expressar o modo de proceder da razão e da arte dos sons. Finalmente, aponta-se para uma semelhança entre música e razão, no que diz respeito à rejeição que compartilham da queda na Schwärmerei, apesar da distância que se estabelece entre ambas enquanto duas maneiras contrárias de exercitar e fomentar a vida e o sentimento dela.

Razão e democracia: uso público da razão e política deliberativa em Habermas[ign] [title language="en"]Reason and democracy[ign]: [subtitle]Public use of reason and deliberative politics in Habermas

O objetivo do artigo é examinar como Habermas, orientado pela intuição normativa do uso público da razão, reconstrói uma concepção procedimental de democracia deliberativa, que, sem desconsiderar da dimensão estratégica e instrumental da esfera pública e da política, reformula a dimensão epistêmica da democracia: a aceitabilidade racional dos acordos políticos. Inicialmente, apresento brevemente a análise sociológica e histórica do conceito de esfera pública crítica, realizada em Mudança Estrutural da Esfera Pública (1962), para, em seguida, expor duas linhas de argumentação sobre o conceito de esfera pública e de política deliberativa, em Direito e Democracia (1992): a que se refere ao princípio de legitimação baseado na razão pública como uma reconstrução intersubjetiva e política do conceito kantiano de autonomia; e a que concerne aos aspectos essenciais da teoria crítica da sociedade fundada na distinção entre mundo da vida e sistema e a "tradução" sociológica e institucional do uso público da razão, nos conceitos de sociedade civil e esfera pública.

"USO POLÉMICO DA RAZÃO", OU "PAZ PERPÉTUA EM FILOSOFIA"? SOBRE O PENSAMENTO ANTINÓMICO E O PRINCÍPIO DE ANTAGONISMO EM KANT

Fazendo a leitura cruzada de um tardio ensaio de Kant – Anúncio da próxima assinatura de um tratado para a paz perpétua em filosofia (1796) – e da segunda secção do primeiro capítulo da Teoria Transcendental do Método da Crítica da Razão Pura, que leva o título "Disciplina da razão pura em relação ao seu uso polémico", tenta-se identificar e compreender a aparente contradição do programa da crítica kantiana da razão, o qual, se, por um lado, se anuncia com a intenção de resolver os intermináveis conflitos que têm lugar na arena da razão pura, superando o escândalo das aparentes contradições da razão consigo mesma e estabelecendo, enfim, a "paz perpétua em filosofia", por outro, conduz-se mediante um procedimento dialéctico inspirado na retórica judicial, fazendo apelo a um "uso polémico da razão pura", como sendo a forma mais adequada e, na verdade, segundo o filósofo crítico, a única disponível, para neutralizar, seja as pretensões do dogmatismo, seja as do cepticismo a propósito das questões metafísicas. Ao mesmo tempo que a nossa reflexão nos leva a caracterizar a pax philosophica kantiana e as pressupostas homologias entre a solução dos conflitos políticos e a dos conflitos especulativos, chega-se por ela também a reconhecer que toda a filosofia kantiana está originariamente determinada por uma concepção agónica da vida, da sociedade humana, do cosmos, da própria razão.

Effects of female postmating odour on male sexual behaviour, in Heliconius butterflies /

The effects of the female postmating odour on male sexual behaviour were examined in Heliconius erato and H. charithonia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Predictions from the antiaphrodisiac hypothesis were tested using the two reproductive strategies of these species. Within the pupal mating strategy, results from behavioural experiments quantified and statistically tested dispersal rates of pupal-perched males to the presence of stimuli with and without the postmating odour. Results do not support an antiaphrodisiac function to the postmating odour. Similarly, within the adult courtship strategy, behavioural test results indicate that males do not alter their expenditure of energy in terms of either the duration or frequency of courtship behaviours elicited by females with and without the postmating odour. The data from both experiments did not support the antiaphrodisiac hypothesis for the function of the female postmating odour. A novel hypothesis predicting that the postmating female odour acts as an oviposition-deterring pheromone is presented.

An examination of the mediation process as it is used to resolve sexual harassment complaints in Canadian universities /

The ways in which the process of mediation affected those involved in the resolution of sexual harassment complaints in Canadian universities were explored. Questionnaires were sent to forty- six Canadian universities and interviews were conducted with fifteen advisors. An analysis of the twenty- two questionnaires returned indicated that mediation was utilized in 11% of the sexual harassment complaints and effected a successful resolution in 67% of these. Both complainants and those con^lained against were reported to have spoken more favourably than unfavourably about the process and outcome of mediation. Questionnaire respondents in general found mediation a slightly less than satisfactory method of complaint resolution. Those respondents who had successfully used mediation; however, describe its usefulness within a university context.

Parental care in the common tern (Sterna Nirundo): sexual roles in a monogamous seabird

The parental behaviour of male and female Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) was documented throughout two breeding seasons at a colony near Port Colborne , Ontario. Thirteen and fourteen pairs of terns were chosen for intensive study in 1982 and 1983, respectively. The delivery of fish by males to their mates ("courtship feeding") occurred prior-to, during, and following the egg-laying period. Following the laying of the second egg, courtship feeding rates declined significantly. There was a significant, positive correlation bebween courtship feeding rates and subsequent chick feeding rates by males. The incubation rates of females were significantly higher than those of males, especially during the first ten days of incubation. Territorial attendance rates during the incubation stage were similar for males and females. During the chick stage, territorial attendance rates of females were significantly higher than those of males. The size of fish fed to chicks by males increased as the chicks grew older and chick feeding rates of males were approximately three times higher than female rates. Based on these quantitative differences in parental care activities, the cumulative parental time investment by the two sexes was very similar. However, the energetic investment by males was likely greater than that by females, since male parental contributions (e.g. courtship feeding and chick feeding) often entailed extensive foraging behaviour.

Sexual behavior and factors affecting female reproduction in house and field crickets

The objective of this investigation was to clarify the adaptive significance of female sexual behaviours in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus, and the Texas field cricket, Gryllus integer. Experiments were focussed primarily on: nutritional factors affecting female reproductive success; the ontogeny of female sexual behaviours; female mating frequency and progeny production; and the pattern of sperm competition. Reproduction of singly mated female A. domesticus assigned to 3 nutritional regimes was compared . Females fed a vitamin and protein-enriched mouse chow, cannibalistic females, and starved females produced on the average, 513 , 200 and 68 offspring, respectively. Cannibals probably could not obtain the same amounts of essential nutrients as females fed mouse chow. Reabsorption of oocytes was likely the major factor contributing to the decreased reproduction of starved females. In addition, female !. domesticus fed mouse chow, but allowed constant access to males produced 11 times as many offspring than did females fed corn meal. Females fed corn meal probably could not absorb or synthesize enough dietary lipids, thus resulting in poor ovariole growth. Female !. domesticus first mate at an average adult age of 7 days, closely corresponding to when they first exhibit positive phonotaxis. Females mate repeatedly and often consume the externally attached spermatophore. In ~. domesticus, females allowed constant access to males produced significantly more offspring than did single maters. Similarly, doubly mated G. integer females produced more offspring than did single maters. This difference resulted largely from the failure of many single maters to reproduce. Remating by female crickets partly functions in offsetting the possibility of a failed initial mating. Nymph production increased significantly with the time the spermatophore was attached in singly mated ~. domesticus. Spermatophore consumption by the female was not affected by male guarding behaviour, and the interval between mating and eating of the spermatophore may often be shorter than the time required for maximum insemination. Some degree of sperm depletion in singly mated !. domesticus and G. integer may have occurred. The patterns of daily offspring production of singly and multiplymated females suggests that a factor provided by a male during mating stimulates female oviposition and/or egg production. Female crickets also might acquire nutrition from spermatophore consumption, a benefit that is augmented by female multiple mating. The electrophoretic examination of various allozymes in ~. integer did not permit determination of a pattern of sperm competition. However, the possibility of last male sperm predominance is related to male guarding behaviour.

Sexual selections in the northern fall field cricket, Gryllus pennsylvanicus: a manipulation of the adult sex ratio

The operational sex ratio has long been considered an important constraint on the structure of mating systems. The effects of an experimentally manipulated sex ratio on mating behavior and selection were investigated in a polygynous species, Gryllus pennsylvanicus, where the potential exists for spatial/temporal fluctuations in sex ratio of field populations. Four different sex ratios (males: females, 5:0, 5:2, 5:5, 5:10) were investigated. Observations were conducted in late summer over two field seasons, from 2400 h , to 1000 h EST. Several male characters thought to be associated with male reproduc.tive success were studied: calling duration, searching distance, weight, fighting behavior, courtship frequency, and mating success. Variance in male mating success was used as the indicator for the opportunity for sexual selection. Total selection was estimated as the univariate regression coefficient between relative fitness and the character of interest, while direct selection was estimated as standardized partial regression coefficients generated from a multiple regression of relative fitness on each character. The opportunity for sexual selection was highest at 5:2 and lowest at 5:10. The frequency of fighting behavior was highest at 5:2 and 5:5. Fighting ability (% wins) was determined to be an important correlate of male body weight. Direct selection for increased male body weight was detected at 5:2, while total selection for body weight was seen at 5:5. Selection on male body weight was not detected at 5: 10. Calling duration decreased as sex ratio became more female-biased. Total and direct selection were detected for increased calling at 5:2, only total selection for calling was seen at 5:5, whereas direct selection against calling was detected at 5: 10. Searching distance also decreased as sex ratio became more female-biased, however no form of selection was detected for searching at any of the sex ratios. Data are discussed in terms of sexual selection on male reproductive tactics, the mating system and maintenance of genetic variation in male reproductive behavior.

The relationship between early age of first sexual intercourse and vulnerability to depression among adolescents

Past empirical literature has provided conflicted results regarding the association between adolescent coitus and depression. While some studies conclude that those youth who are sexually active may be at risk for depression, others provide contrary results, or findings that are only representative of high-risk sexual behaviors such as intercourse without a condom. Thus, the results are unclear as to whether depression results directly from coitus, or if this relationship is spurious; that is, there may be biological, psychological, or sociological variables that may predict both depression and early sexual intercourse. Using the Add Health restricted dataset, I analyzed the depressive symptomatology of adolescents over a seven-year time period. The final sample (n=6,51O) was comprised of 49.35% male (n=3,213) and 50.65% female (n=3,297) participants. Results indicated that the relationship between earlier adolescent sexual intercourse and later depressive symptomatology is spurious. Although an earlier age of first coitus is predictive of later depressive symptomatology, both variables appear to be concomitant outcomes of the biopsychosocial process. Thus, while one may be able to use early coitus as a marker for subsequent depressive symptomatology, it does not occur because of early coitus. Furthermore, the reverse relationship was not found to be significant in this study. That is, higher levels of depressive symptomatology do not predict an earlier age of first sexual intercourse in adolescents.

Teaching sexual abuse prevention skills to two children with intellectual disabilities through game play

The current study examined the effectiveness of a sexual abuse prevention program developed locally for children with intellectual disabilities. The program package included a board game with informational storybooks that were designed to be used in a family setting. Additionally, this research sought to determine if parents could be effective at presenting the sexual abuse pr~vention materials to their children. A multiple baseline across behaviours design was used with two participants with a diagnosis of autism. Through role play scenarios as well as verbal knowledge tests, it was determined that the program was effective at teaching the participants the skills presented for self protection. It was also determined that the skills learned were generalized to scenarios that were untrained during the game play. Finally, with additional supports, it was determined that parents were able to effectively teach their children the required skills.