Financial and Environmental Impacts of a Dry Port to Facilitate Competitiveness of Two Major Transit Seaports of Finland

Environmental problems and issues have received more and more attention during the last decades. Reasons for this are different increased external costs such as congestion, CO2 emission, noise and accident costs. Transportation sector is the only sector with increasing external costs. The EU will increase its attention in decreasing the external costs of transport. Aim of this research was to find out if a dry port solution could decrease costs of transport, especially external costs. Dry port concept is an intermodal transport system, where inland transport between port and dry port is performed by rail transport instead of traditional road transport. In addition, dry ports offer similar services as ports. Research is conducted by performing a literature review about dry port concept and costs of transport, especially external costs of transport. Financial and environmental impacts of the dry port concept are studied by comparing costs of road and rail transport by cost accounting and with a simulation model. Location of dry port is researched with gravitational models. Results of the literature review are that rail transport is environmentally friendlier mode of transport than road transport. Cost model and simulation model show that if only costs of freight movement are considered, rail transport is more inexpensive transport mode than road transport in terms of internal and external costs. Because of that dry port concept could decrease costs of transport, especially external costs. Results of gravitational models are that city of Kouvola is in a good position to be a dry port. Russian transit traffic through Finland improves location of Kouvola to be a dry port.

Sensitive spectrophotometric assessment of carbofuran using dapsone as a new chromogenic reagent in formulations and environmental samples

A simple, sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method for the assessment of carbofuran in various formulations and in environmental water samples is described. The method is based on the coupling of hydrolyzed carbofuran with diazotized dapsone in alkaline medium at 0 ­ 4° C which gives orange red colored product having the absorption maximum at 480 nm. The product is stable for 48 h. Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range of 0.1 ­ 4.0 µg ml-1. The molar absorptivity and Sandell's Sensitivity are 5.0 x 10(4) L mol-1 cm-1 and 4.4 ng cm-2 respectively. The method is highly reproducible and is confirmed by RSD values (1.144 %). From the recovery studies it is found that this method is accurate and it can be successfully employed for the determination of carbofuran.

Hume, liberty and the object of moral evaluation

Hume's project concerning the conflict between liberty and necessity is ";reconciliatory";. But what is the nature of Hume's project? Does he solve a problem in metaphysics only? And when Hume says that the dispute between the doctrines of liberty and necessity is merely verbal, does he mean that there is no genuine metaphysical dispute between the doctrines? In the present essay I argue for: (1) there is room for liberty in Hume's philosophy, and not only because the position is pro forma compatibilist, even though this has importance for the recognition that Hume's main concern when discussing the matter is with practice; (2) the position does not involve a ";subjectivization"; of every form of necessity: it is not compatibilist because it creates a space for the claim that the operations of the will are non-problematically necessary through a weakning of the notion of necessity as it applies to external objects; (3) Hume holds that the ordinary phenomena of mental causation do not preempt the atribuition of moral responsibility, which combines perfectly with his identification of the object of moral evaluation: the whole of the character of a person, in relation to which there is, nonetheless, liberty. I intend to support my assertions by a close reading of what Hume states in section 8 of the first Enquiry.

Sobre a natureza da teoria moral de Hume

Este artigo discute duas variedades de interpretação para a teoria moral de Hume. De um lado, ela é representada como uma forma de subjetivismo e, de outro, como uma forma de realismo. Ao final, é proposto que esta filosofia pode ser melhor descrita como uma forma de intersubjetivismo.

Considerações sobre o fundamento moral da propriedade

Para Hugo Grotius a propriedade era originalmente coletiva, e os homens tinham, de comum acordo, decidido dividi-la, o que havia feito nascer a propriedade privada. Como a propriedade privada devia ser garantida pelo governo, ela só podia ser uma emanação deste. O problema dessa análise, para John Locke, era que ela era perfeitamente compatível com o absolutismo, pois um monarca podia garantir essa propriedade. Como Locke funda a propriedade sobre a lei natural, sua teoria da prioridade refuta, ao mesmo tempo, as teorias de Sir Robert Filmer e de Grotius e Samuel Pufendorf. A teoria da propriedade de Locke garante, por fim, a liberdade dos indivíduos.

Uma filosofia moral negativa?

Este artigo apresenta a filosofia moral de Adorno baseado no seu esboço na Dialética do Esclarecimento, a partir de duas hipóteses principais: a importância do fundo mimético e animal na adaptação do ser humano, definido primeiramente como um ser sofredor e fraco; a importância da denegação desse fundo na edificação das normas ideológicas nazistas e nas práticas de tortura. Adorno reivindica uma moral ligada não à obrigação de obedecer às normas sociais, mas à aceitação dessa dimensão animal e sofredora (zoè) do ser humano e à solicitude em relação a ela.

Falácia naturalista e naturalismo moral: do é ao deve mediante o quero

O objetivo deste texto é discutir alguns argumentos contra a aceitação da falácia naturalista. Pretende-se mostrar aspectos que parecem corretos na argumentação dos que recusam aquela falácia, e, a despeito de seus acertos, demonstrar que estão fundamentalmente errados. O eixo para este desfecho é a reformulação da falácia em termos da recusa da implicação entre o ser e o querer. Espera-se, assim, tornar mais claras as relações - e a ausência delas - entre verdade e moral, bem como abrir espaço para a defesa de um naturalismo moral não comprometido com a existência de fatos morais. Este texto está dividido em cinco partes. Na primeira, apresenta-se a falácia naturalista de acordo com Moore; na segunda, distingue-se essa entre as formulações de Moore e de Hume; na terceira, apresentam-se objeções à interdição da passagem do "é" ao "deve" e se formulam respostas a essas objeções; na quarta, reapresenta-se o problema da interdição entre "é" e "deve" e se focaliza uma solução alternativa a ele mediante o querer; e, finalmente, na quinta parte, elaboram-se algumas conclusões acerca do naturalismo e do realismo na moral.

Montaigne, leitor de sexto empírico: a crítica da filosofia moral

O objetivo deste artigo é examinar como Montaigne retoma, na sua crítica das filosofias morais e, especialmente, da existência de leis naturais, a proposta por Sexto Empírico acerca do mesmo tema ao final das Hipotiposes Pirronianas. Pretendo mostrar que, para além das consideráveis similaridades, o modo como Montaigne relaciona razão, natureza e costume, confere um perfil próprio à sua reconstrução do pirronismo, particularmente visível na sua compreensão da oposição entre critério de verdade e critério de ação. Igualmente, sustento que essa distinção, proveniente do pirronismo, ocupará um lugar central na sua reflexão moral.

On the institution of the moral subject: on the commander and the commanded in Nietzsche's discussion of law

The article discusses how Nietzsche understands the institution of law and morals in distinction to Kant and the Christian tradition. It argues that Nietzsche to a large extent is inspired by the paradigm-shift toward a evolutionary biological thinking introduced by several of his peers in the late 19th century, among else F. A. Lange, who sees this shift as a sobering scientific-materialistic alternative to Kant. In Nietzsche, the Kantian moral imperative is replaced with a notion of a morality emerging thanks to historical, or pre-historical, civilizational processes, imposed on a feebleminded human without any inherent rational dispositions to obey Law. It is also a process, which rather than universalizing the human, splits it in a duality where one part obeys old immediate self-interests and another part obeys new 'commands,' having been shouted 'into the ear' by a so-called 'commander.' The compliance with law takes two radically different forms in Nietzsche: servile and mediocre individuals need to be exposed to discipline and punishment in order to adopt Law; while so-called 'sovereign' individuals are able to impose law upon themselves. The figure of the 'sovereign' has consequently been an issue for vigorous debate in especially the Anglo-Saxon tradition of Nietzsche research, since his apparent 'respect for law' and 'sense of duty' reiterate typical Kantian qualities. Relating to these discussions, I suggest that Nietzsche's 'sovereign' (in one context) is identical his 'commander' (in other contexts). When the 'sovereign' as such imposes law upon himself and others, his act is conventional and arbitrary (like language in Saussure), and is rather irrational than rational as in Kant. His will is not a good will, nor a rational will with a vision of human autonomy. His command of himself and others is a performative, thus without truth-value (like illocutionary speech-acts in Austin and Searle).

Ética, moral, axiologia e valores: confusões e ambiguidades em torno de um conceito comum

Este artigo tem por objetivo essencial contribuir para o esclarecimento teórico-filosófico do uso de conceitos como ética, moral, axiologia e valores, habitualmente empregues para nos referirmos a uma mesma realidade. Para tal, começaremos por analisar as respetivas etimologias que os caracterizam, examinaremos os diversos matizes dos seus sentidos diferenciados, bem como a sua relação de complementaridade, e terminaremos referindo o que entendemos por valores e qual a sua natureza e importância, principais características, bem como o universo a que se reportam. Ao longo do texto, aduziremos e concluiremos pelo uso preferencial do conceito de "ética" a "moral", para o qual estão reservados os termos "normas" e "regras", e o de "valor" a "norma", a par de uma perspetiva crítica daquela.

Carbon footprint as part of a company’s external environmental communication

The aim of this thesis was to find out how the carbon footprint calculations can be utilized in the company’s external environmental communication, what is the demand for carbon footprint from the market, and how the other actors in the forest industry have approached the issue. The aim was to recognize the best practises to communicate carbon footprints and to find possibilities to extend the UPM-Kymmene Wood Oy’s mill specific carbon footprints. This research included a literature review, an inquiry to the UPM-Kymmene Wood Oy’s sales offices, and Internet survey concerning the external environmental communication in the forest industry and three small case studies based on mill specific parameters. The inquiry to the sales offices showed that the carbon footprint is not yet a common demand from the customers in the wood product sector. In addition, the Internet survey showed that generally in the forest industry, not much has been done concerning carbon footprint communication so far. The biggest challenge in carbon footprint communication is the variation in the knowledge level of the receivers. In addition btob and btoc communication situations demand a different approach to the issue. Carbon profile brochures developed in the company can be seen as suitable for btob communication situations. Case studies have shown that the contribution of final product transport to the overall carbon footprint was significant. It was recommended to include post mill transport in the carbon footprint information supplied to the btob customers. When discussing environmental communication on a general level it can be stated that a good external environmental communication is based on facts, is open and proactive and takes into account the needs of the receiver. However, the openness and the quality of external environmental communication are essentially strategic decisions. The significance of internal communication as well as the knowhow in the communication and marketing networks play a major role in achieving success in external environmental communication. Carbon footprints are only one part of good balanced external environmental communication. One specific environmental feature like carbon footprint should not be over emphasized to the detriment of other important environmental aspects.

Människa – moral – miljö : en undersökning av livsåskådningar i finländskt miljötänkande

I Människa – moral – miljö undersöks syner på människa och moral i finländskt miljötänkande. Den pågående brytningen mellan modernitet och senmodernitet avspeglas i olika former av nutida finländskt miljötänkande. I avhandlingen analyseras fyra miljötänkares texter: teologen Seppo Kjellberg, biologen Pentti Linkola, miljöfilosofen Leena Vilkka och filosofen Georg Henrik von Wright. Alla fyra formerna av tänkande uttrycker försök att komma till rätta med miljöproblemen i sent 1900-tal. Vart och ett av försöken vill erbjuda en väg ut ur den moderna världens dilemma. Men samtliga försök som studerats i avhandlingen uppvisar oförlösta spänningar. De flesta försök till nytänkande uppvisar senmoderna drag. T.ex. delar alla fyra uppfattningen att det vetenskapliga tänkandets utveckling och dess sätt att umgås med naturen skapar problem som inte kan lösas enbart med tekniskt vetenskapliga medel. Men i samtliga analyserade tankesystem är bundenheten till viktiga drag i moderniteten fortfarande stark. T.ex. när det gäller moraluppfattning kan man spåra en syn där vägen till moralisk kunskap liknar vägen till faktakunskap. Det tolkas i avhandlingen som ett uttryck för moderna tankestrukturer, där tron på möjligheten att heltäckande beskriva verkligheten är stark, liksom tilltron till att man med förnuftets hjälp (ensamt) kan tänka ut och motivera de rätta vägarna till ett moraliskt förhållningssätt gentemot den övriga naturen. De moderna tendenserna i materialet tycks i samtliga fall göra försöken att lösgöra sig från det som åstadkommer miljöproblemen om intet. Miljöproblemen är en följd av modernitetstänkandet och de kan därför knappast lösas utan en medveten brottning och uppgörelse med flera av de drag som konstituerar den moderna världen och den moderna kulturen.