Empiricism in ecological economics: a perspective from complex systems theory

Economies are open complex adaptive systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium, and neo-classical environmental economics seems not to be the best way to describe the behaviour of such systems. Standard econometric analysis (i.e. time series) takes a deterministic and predictive approach, which encourages the search for predictive policy to ‘correct’ environmental problems. Rather, it seems that, because of the characteristics of economic systems, an ex-post analysis is more appropriate, which describes the emergence of such systems’ properties, and which sees policy as a social steering mechanism. With this background, some of the recent empirical work published in the field of ecological economics that follows the approach defended here is presented. Finally, the conclusion is reached that a predictive use of econometrics (i.e. time series analysis) in ecological economics should be limited to cases in which uncertainty decreases, which is not the normal situation when analysing the evolution of economic systems. However, that does not mean we should not use empirical analysis. On the contrary, this is to be encouraged, but from a structural and ex-post point of view.

Prescription du monitoring pratique médicate: de l'empirisme eclairé aux stratégies rationnelles [Prescribing monitoring in clinical practice: from enlightened empiricism to rational strategies].

Monitoring of a medical condition is the periodic measurement of one or several physiological or biological variables to detect a signal regarding its clinical progression or its response to treatment. We distinguish different medical situations between diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic process to apply monitoring. Many clinical, variables can be used for monitoring, once their intrinsic properties (normal range, critical difference, kinetics, reactivity) and external validity (pathophysiological importance, predictive power for clinical outcomes) are established. A formal conceptualization of monitoring is being developed and should support the rational development of monitoring strategies and their validation through appropriate clinical trials.

[Ethics, empiricism and uncertainty]

Accidents can lead to difficult boundary situations. Such situations often take place in the emergency units. The medical team thus often and inevitably faces professional uncertainty in their decision-making. It is essential to communicate these uncertainties within the medical team, instead of downplaying or overriding existential hurdles in decision-making. Acknowledging uncertainties might lead to alert and prudent decisions. Thus uncertainty can have ethical value in treatment or withdrawal of treatment. It does not need to be covered in evidence-based arguments, especially as some singular situations of individual tragedies cannot be grasped in terms of evidence-based medicine.

Essays in radical empiricism [and] A pluralistic universe.

Reprint of the 1943 ed.

High performance concrete applied to storage system buildings at low temperatures

According to some estimates, world's population growth is expected about 50% over the next 50 years. Thus, one of the greatest challenges faced by Engineering is to find effective options to food storage and conservation. Some researchers have investigated how to design durable buildings for storing and conserving food. Nowadays, developing concrete with mechanical resistance for room temperatures is a parameter that can be achieved easily. On the other hand, associating it to low temperature of approximately 35 °C negative requires less empiricism, being necessary a suitable dosage method and a careful selection of the material constituents. This ongoing study involves these parameters. The presented concrete was analyzed through non-destructive tests that examines the material properties periodically and verifies its physical integrity. Concrete with and without incorporated air were studied. The results demonstrated that both are resistant to freezing.

The rational reconstruction of the research program on classic rationalism: Locke and the empiricist approach

This article intends to rationally reconstruct Locke`s theory of knowledge as incorporated in a research program concerning the nature and structure of the theories and models of rationality. In previous articles we argued that the rationalist program can be subdivided into the classical rationalistic subprogram, which includes the knowledge theories of Descartes, Locke, Hume and Kant, the neoclassical subprogram, which includes the approaches of Duhem, Poincare and Mach, and the critical subprogram of Popper. The subdivision results from the different views of rationality proposed by each one of these subprograms, as well as from the tools made available by each one of them, containing theoretical instruments used to arrange, organize and develop the discussion on rationality, the main one of which is the structure of solution of problems. In this essay we intend to reconstruct the assumptions of Locke`s theory of knowledge, which in our view belongs to the classical rationalistic subprogram because it shares with it the thesis of the identity of (scientific) knowledge and certain knowledge.

Ecology, values, and objectivity: Advancing the debate

We add to current discussions about the interface between ecology, values, and objectivity by reporting on a novel Delphi-based study of the scientific reasoning employed by a group of eight ecologists as they collectively considered current ecological thinking. We rely on contextual empiricism, with its features of multiple ways of relating theory to reality and science as a social activity, to provide a richer understanding of scientific objectivity. This understanding recognizes the place and contributions of values and, in so doing, moves the discussion beyond whether or not science is value neutral.

Increasing relevance of pharmacogenetics of drug metabolism in clinical practice

Much of the individual variation in drug response is due to genetic drug metabolic polymorphisms. Clinically relevant examples include acetylator status; cytochrome P450 2D6, 2C9 and 2C19 polymorphisms; and thiopurine methyltransferase deficiency. It is important to be aware of which drugs are subject to pharmacogenetic variability. In the future, population-based pharmacogenetic testing will allow more individualized drug treatment and will avoid the current empiricism.

Feyerabend

É objectivo desta dissertação sobre Teoria e Incomensurabilidade em Feyerabend, aprofundar o conhecimento da problemática, da interpretação de teorias científicas e o contexto da sua emergência e configuração, tal como é dada a ler nos primeiros ensaios. Consideraram-se para o efeito, relevantes, sobretudo, as fontes primárias, em que tal temática é avaliada. O primeiro capítulo estrutura-se a partir de Realism and Historicity of Knowledge, escrito a pensar em Bohr, porque este ensaio, embora posterior, sintetiza os problemas que se levantam às tradições abstractas quando procuram acomodar o progresso científico, esquecendo a história. Assinalámos assim o fundo de tensão de que emerge o problema da avaliação do potencial heurístico das teorias científicas. Mobilizámos Knowledge without Foundations, por parecer incontornável a matriz popperiana da recusa fundacionalista que nesse período projectava, e Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations por levantar os problemas da pragmática do saber científico a partir da discussão dos jogos de linguagem e dos seus lances, porque os considerámos estruturantes. No segundo capítulo procurámos desenvolver o tema da incomensurabilidade entre teorias não instanciais sucessivas mobilizando para o efeito os ensaios onde nos pareceu ser dominante a análise e a perspectivação histórica do debate dialéctico (positivismo/realismo) acerca dos problemas decorrentes das interacções entre teoria e experiência, teoria e observação, teoria e linguagem corrente e teoria e prática científica como é o caso em Attempt at a Realistic Interpretation of Experience, em que avança a Tese I e expõe o irrealismo da tese da estabilidade e a irrelevância das mudanças no emprego de termos científicos na linguagem corrente, por força de mutações ocorridas na supra estrutura teórica. Desenvolvemos também a partir de Explanation, Reduction and Empiricism, os problemas e as dificuldades da interpretação de teorias científicas decorrentes da pretensão ortodoxa de justificação formal de redução e explicação de teorias gerais, desenvolvida quer na teoria da redução de Nagel, quer na teoria da explicação de Hempel e Oppenheim . Encerramos o capítulo com o problemas da testabilidade de teorias científicas e a solução que a adopção, quer do princípio da proliferação, quer de alternativas fortes, introduziria. O terceiro capítulo enfatiza, para lá dos consensos partilhados e das diferenças assumidas, a importância das contribuições de Feyerabend, Kuhn e Lakatos para a problematização das teses do neopositivismo, do racionalismo crítico e do falsificacionismo na história e filosofia da ciência.

História do Tratamento Cirúrgico do Cancro da Mama - Empirismo e Ciência

A História do tratamento cirúrgico do cancro da mama é bem demonstrativa de que a verdade em Medicina é circunstancial, e que o caminho a percorrer no sentido de a alcançar é árduo. Mostra, também, como ao longo dos séculos o empirismo vai dando lugar ao método científico, e como os estudos prospectivos, controlados e randomizados determinam a alteração dos conceitos e a consequente modificação das técnicas cirúrgicas. Estas vão desde os métodos bárbaros, à luz dos conceitos actuais, que, da Grécia antiga se estendem até à descoberta da anestesia – em que se destacam nomes como Henri de Mondeville, Guy de Chaulliac e Lanfranco na Idade Média, von Hilden e Ambroise Paré no Renascimento, ou H.F. Le Dran, J.L. Petit e Benjamim Bell, no tempo do Iluminismo – até às técnicas cada vez mais meticulosas e racionais, já na Idade Contemporânea, sucessivamente devidas a James Paget, Joseph Pancoast, Charles Moore, William Stewart Halsted, William e Richard Handley, Geoffrey Keynes, Robert McWhirter, George Crile Jr., Cushman Haagensen, Dahl-Iversen, Jerome Urban, David Patey, Bernard Fisher e Umberto Veronesi, entre outros que souberam criar novos paradigmas na História do Tratamento Cirúrgico do Cancro da Mama, para se chegar à prática actual de cirurgia conservadora (mamária e axilar)com reconstrução.

Logificação da Psicologia o itinerário intelectual de Edmundo Curvelo sobre a Mente, a Lógica e a Filosofia

Tese de Doutoramento em Filosofia - Especialidade de Filosofia da Mente

Com coneixen Descartes i Hume? : Una petita història del coneixement i les seves conseqüències contemporànies

És una anàlisi sobre el problema del coneixement als segles XVII (racionalisme) i XVIII (empirisme) i la seva influència en l'epistemologia contemporània. En concret, es comparen les teories del coneixement de René Descartes i de David Hume, es demostra la seva vigència al segle XXI i es proposa una aplicació extrafilosòfica al seu pensament.