An Inclusive Design Dialogue on Ethics and Aesthetics

One of the many definitions of inclusive design is that it is a user-led approach to design. To date its focus has been on ‘critical’ users, in particular disabled people. As such, there is pressure to design environments that meet the often urgent and complex demands of these users. Designers, uncertain of their knowledge, rely heavily on user input and guidance, often resulting in designs that are ‘solution’ driven (rather than solution seeking) and short term; users focus on what they need, not what they might need. This paper argues that design needs to reclaim an equal presence within inclusive design. It proposes that the ‘weakness’ of design lies in the uneasy and at times conflicting relationship between ethics and aesthetics. The paper itself is constructed around a dialogue between two academics, one concerned with critical user needs, the other with aesthetics, but both directed towards the support of design quality

Utmaningen från andra berättelser : En studie om moraliskt omdöme, utvidgat tänkande och kritiskt reflekterande berättelser i dialogbaserad feministisk etik

The present study has a threefold aim: First, the theoretical aim is to give a contribution to refinement of the theory of dialogue based feminist ethics, concerning the understanding of judgment and narration within such an ethics.  The study also has an empirical aim, defined as to clarify what kind of knowledge, relevant to the moral judgment of an engaged outsider actor, can be received from dialogical interpretation and analysis of a limited selection of critically reflecting life stories. Third, a methodological aim is defined as to develop an approach to interpretation and analysis of reflecting life stories, which renders the storyteller visible as a reflecting moral subject, and makes the story accessible as a source of knowledge for the moral judgment of an engaged outsider actor. The thesis combines philosophical reflection and argumentation, with a narrative-hermeneutic method for interpretation of life stories, relating the two to each other in a hermeneutic process.  The theoretical reflection draws on Seyla Benhabibs theory of communicative ethics. A dialogue based model for moral justification and a likewise dialogue based model for political legitimacy are at the heart of this universalistic theory, although in combination with a conception of a narratively and hermeneutically constituted context sensitive moral judgment, based on Hannah Arendt’s concept “enlarged thought”. In the reflection, this model is related to other feminist theorizing within the tradition of dialogue based feminist ethics, as found in the works of Iris M. Young, Georgia Warnke and Shari Stone-Mediatore. The empirical study draws on three critically reflecting life stories from Israeli-Palestinian women activists for a just peace. The methodology for interpretation and analysis that is worked out combines dialogical interpretation as presented in Arthur W. Frank’s socio-narratology with a method for structural analysis derived from Shari Stone-Mediatores theory of storytelling as an expression of political resistance struggle. The results show that some stories drawing on marginalized experiences have a potential­ to stimulate further public debate through their capacity to enable a stereoscopic seeing, elucidating a tension between ideologically structured discourse and non-linguistic experience; implying that narrative-hermeneutic competence should be considered crucial for public debate.  

Mutual Information and Perplexity based Clustering of Dialogue Information for Dynamic Adaptation of Language Models

We present two approaches to cluster dialogue-based information obtained by the speech understanding module and the dialogue manager of a spoken dialogue system. The purpose is to estimate a language model related to each cluster, and use them to dynamically modify the model of the speech recognizer at each dialogue turn. In the first approach we build the cluster tree using local decisions based on a Maximum Normalized Mutual Information criterion. In the second one we take global decisions, based on the optimization of the global perplexity of the combination of the cluster-related LMs. Our experiments show a relative reduction of the word error rate of 15.17%, which helps to improve the performance of the understanding and the dialogue manager modules.

Mutual Information and Perplexity based Clustering of Dialogue Information for Dynamic Adaptation of Language Models

We present two approaches to cluster dialogue-based information obtained by the speech understanding module and the dialogue manager of a spoken dialogue system. The purpose is to estimate a language model related to each cluster, and use them to dynamically modify the model of the speech recognizer at each dialogue turn. In the first approach we build the cluster tree using local decisions based on a Maximum Normalized Mutual Information criterion. In the second one we take global decisions, based on the optimization of the global perplexity of the combination of the cluster-related LMs. Our experiments show a relative reduction of the word error rate of 15.17%, which helps to improve the performance of the understanding and the dialogue manager modules.

Project-based organisations : overcoming lack of trust and social networks within small and medium project teams

In sustainable development projects, as well as other types of projects, knowledge transfer is important for the organisations managing the project. Nevertheless, knowledge transfer among employees does not happen automatically and it has been found that the lack of social networks and the lack of trust among employees are the major barriers to effective knowledge transfer. Social network analysis has been recognised as a very important tool for improving knowledge transfer in the project environment. Transfer of knowledge is more effective where it depends heavily on social networks and informal dialogue. Based on the theory of social capital, social capital consists of two parts: conduits network and resource exchange network. This research studies the relationships among performance, the resource exchange network (such as the knowledge network) and the relationship network (such as strong ties network, energy network, and trust network) at the individual and project levels. The aim of this chapter is to present an approach to overcoming the lack of social networks and lack of trust to improve knowledge transfer within project-based organisations. This is to be done by identifying the optimum structure of relationship networks and knowledge networks within small and medium projects. The optimal structure of the relationship networks and knowledge networks is measured using two dimensions: intra-project and inter-project. This chapter also outlines an extensive literature review in the areas of social capital, knowledge management and project management, and presents the conceptual model of the research approach.

Vozes e caminhos do decrescimento: consequências humanas

O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar o contemporâneo movimento sociopolítico do Decrescimento, partindo das ideias inaugurais de Serge Latouche, economista e filósofo francês responsável pela criação deste termo, sua historicidade, premissas de análise, e novas formas de subjetivação que propõe, cuja argumentação se sustenta e deriva também, dentre outros autores - como Castoriadis, Gorz e Mészáros - da tese de David Harvey que estabelece que desenvolvimento não é o mesmo que crescimento, e que é possível promover desenvolvimento nas dimensões das relações pessoais, sociais do cotidiano e das relações com o meio ambiente sem as orientações que favoreçam o capital e sua máxima de acumulação. Trata-se, segundo os autores, de um movimento anticapitalista que busca denunciar questões críticas contemporâneas e contradições e crises do capitalismo, apontando um conjunto de passos a serem dados para o lado de fora desta lógica que valoriza e incentiva o desejo e a necessidade do excesso. Em diálogo pleno com a Ética e seus mais recentes estudos, nos quais desponta a autora Victoria Camps, o Decrescimento se preocupa com as escolhas do indivíduo, com o que as mobiliza e com as maneiras pelas quais devemos viver. Segundo esta autora o reconhecimento em torno de nossa não autossuficiência faz com que nos percebamos vulneráveis e o espírito do que a maioria dos autores do Decrescimento chama de espírito do Dom do Decrescimento e de a Economia da Felicidade dialoga diretamente com a busca do homem por governar estas vulnerabilidades, compreender suas virtudes, desenvolvê-las e praticar o bem e seu senso coletivo. Sua contribuição por sua vez para a construção contínua e transformadora de uma Psicologia Social Crítica deve-se à busca por um novo sujeito, e cuja subjetividade possa ser ressignificada e emancipada, neste exercício alguns conceitos nos foram muito caros, como por exemplo, o conceito de liberdade. Discutiu-se o Decrescimento destacando suas viabilidades práticas, importância, dimensões planetárias e aquilo que particularmente mais me chamou atenção em relação ao movimento a partir de minha própria experiência na 3 Conferência Internacional do Decrescimento que ocorreu em Veneza em setembro de 2012. A espinha dorsal deste trabalho foi o próprio discurso do Decrescimento e o discurso construído em torno dele, e suas vozes que foram dispostas e organizadas em análise nesta pesquisa em forma de interlocução e diálogos abertos, interdisciplinares, teóricos e práticos. A interlocução foi exercício metodológico capaz de reunir as vozes do Decrescimento e transportá-las para dentro do texto desta pesquisa, sendo a própria pesquisa em si, pelo dar a conhecer deste sujeito e que pode ser outro e mediar sua existência com o mundo de outras maneiras, e pelo dar a conhecer em torno do próprio movimento, e sobre o qual não se pretende conclusões, pois não se trata de encerrar a discussão trata-se de valorizá-la por ela mesma e potencializar possibilidades dialéticas, críticas e reflexivas, ficando, portanto ao leitor o convite a problematizar-se diante das questões aqui destacadas, em busca de si, para si e pelas alternativas existenciais mais diversas, dentre elas, o Decrescimento.

Environmental ethics for business sustainability

The paper derives operational principles from environmental ethics for business organizations in order to achieve sustainability. Business affects the natural environment at different levels. Individual biological creatures are affected by business via hunting, fishing, agriculture, animal testing, etc. Natural ecosystems are affected by business via mining, regulating rivers, building, polluting the air, water and land, etc. The Earth as a whole is affected by business via exterminating species, contributing to climate change, etc. Business has a natural, non-reciprocal responsibility toward natural beings affected by its functioning. At the level of individual biological creatures, awareness-based ethics is adequate for business. It implies that business should assure natural life conditions and painless existence for animals and other sentient beings. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on animal welfare is non-negative. At the level of natural ecosystems, ecosystem ethics is relevant for business. It implies that business should use natural ecosystems in a proper way, that is, not damaging the health of the ecosystem during use. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on ecosystem health is non-negative. At the level of the Earth as a whole, Gaian ethics applies to business. Its implication is that business should not contribute to the violation of the systemic patterns and global mechanisms of the Earth. From this point of view a business activity system can be considered acceptable only if its aggregate impact on the living planet is non-negative. Satisfying the above principles can assure business sustainability in an ethically meaningful way. In this case business performs its duty: not to harm nature or allow others to come to harm.

Repensando la confianza como factor crítico en la gestión organizativa

[ES] La confianza en el mundo de los negocios es un factor esencial que viene siendo estudiado por la literatura del Management desde hace décadas. Partiendo de la propuesta seminal de Mayer et al. (1995), acerca de qué es la confianza y cómo se desarrolla en el seno de las organizaciones, proponemos trazar una crítica constructiva al modelo descrito a partir de las aportaciones de Spaemann, autor de dilatada trayectoria en el marco de la denominada “Filosofía Moral de la Europa Continental”.

Voar até ao comboio dos segredos: a construção de significados partilhados no desenvolvimento do pensamento musical em crianças do 1º ciclo do EB

O presente trabalho pretende ser uma contribuição para o estudo do desenvolvimento do pensamento musical em crianças do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Este tema foi analisado a partir dos processos através dos quais as crianças constroem significados quando estão envolvidas em atividades relacionadas com a composição musical. Esta análise foi produzida a partir de três eixos teóricos fundamentais: A corrente enativa do embodiment, a teoria das emoções e sentimentos de António Damásio, e a Psicologia Cultural. O projeto foi desenvolvido a partir de um estudo longitudinal em que a professora/investigadora, através de vários ciclos de investigação-ação acompanhou o percurso de 72 crianças entre o seu primeiro e terceiro ano de escolaridade, numa escola do 1º Ciclo do Norte de Portugal Os dados foram obtidos a partir da observação participante em sala de aula, notas de campo, gravações áudio e vídeo, conversas exploratórias e diálogos, um questionário/reflexão e self-reports. A análise e interpretação dos dados sugere que atividades relacionadas com a composição musical em pequenos e grandes grupos, quando abordada a partir de temas intimamente ligados aos mundos das crianças, se pode transformar numa plataforma de diálogo baseada em processos emocionais profundos onde as crianças encontram inúmeras oportunidades não só para desenvolver o seu pensamento musical, como também para reconstruir as suas identidades musicais, pessoais e sociais.

The ethical challenges of ubiquitous healthcare

Ubiquitous healthcare is an emerging area of technology that uses a large number of environmental and patient sensors and actuators to monitor and improve patients’ physical and mental condition. Tiny sensors gather data on almost any physiological characteristic that can be used to diagnose health problems. This technology faces some challenging ethical questions, ranging from the small-scale individual issues of trust and efficacy to the societal issues of health and longevity gaps related to economic status. It presents particular problems in combining developing computer/information/media ethics with established medical ethics. This article describes a practice-based ethics approach, considering in particular the areas of privacy, agency, equity and liability. It raises questions that ubiquitous healthcare will force practitioners to face as they develop ubiquitous healthcare systems. Medicine is a controlled profession whose practise is commonly restricted by government-appointed authorities, whereas computer software and hardware development is notoriously lacking in such regimes.

Exploratory study of corporate social responsibility: blogs as a communication tool to enhance company-stakeholders relationships

O conceito de responsabilidade social corporativa (RSE) evoluiu gradualmente do objetivo de satisfazer as expectativas dos acionistas para o cumprimento das expectativas das partes interessadas. Tornou-se um conceito amplamente aceitado e promovido como as empresas enfrentam maiores pressões de atores internos e externos para cumprir objetivos sociais maiores. Assim, elas cada vez mais comunicam sobre os esforços de responsabilidade social delas, a fim de fomentar a confiança e o envolvimento dos stakeholders. Mas o aumento da cidadania global e as novas tecnologias de informação e de comunicação – como as mídias sociaias – está criando uma paisagem desafiador para a comunicação RSE, se traduzindo em escrutínio e ceticismo do público. No entanto, também está criando novas oportunidades para as empresas compartilhar e interagir com as partes interessadas. O estudo analisa especificamente como os blogs corporativos dedicados à comunicação RSE conseguem melhorar as relações entre as empresas e as partes interessadas. Esta pesquisa exploratória da estrutura e das mensagens de 9 blogs corporativos, é baseada em um quadro de análise sobre comunicação RSE em plataformas de mídias sociais desenvolvido por Gomez e Chalmeta (2013). O quadro está melhorado e adaptado para blogs graças à literatura sobre comunicação RSE, mídias sociais e blogs corporativos. Os resultados demonstram que o uso de características de blogs como apresentação, conteúdo e interatividade, é diversificado e reflete estratégias diferentes de comunicação RSE. Blogs permitem às empresas aumentar a visibilidade da comunicação RSE, melhorar a credibilidade e a legitimidade dos esforços de responsabilidade social, e também trazer discussões com os stakeholders. No entanto, demonstramos que as características e recursos dos blogs raramente são totalmente desenvolvidos, sugerindo avenidas para a melhoria no campo da comunicação nas mídias sociais. Especificamente, o uso da interatividade para criar relações baseadas em diálogo entre empresas e stakeholders está até atrasado em relação à extensão das oportunidades oferecidas pelos blogs. Além disso, o grau de utilização das ferramentas de blogs determina a eficácia da comunicação de RSE 2.0 das empresas na criação de relações empresa-stakeholder.

A mediação do diálogo e da reflexão na prática do supervisor pedagógico no município de Jardim de Piranhas/RN

In preparation for reviewing and reflect about the pedagogical practice of teaching supervisor, noting instances of continuing education in service, dialogue-based, reflective and shared as propelling in the construction of theoretical and practical knowledge is that we propose to undertake this research. Based in our professional practice and stimulated by the desire to contribute with the education in the city of Jardim de Piranhas-RN our intention was to highlight issues which arising from practice teaching, especially those guided in the principles of a continuing, dialogic and reflexive teachers training. In that sense we are encouraged to answer the following question. How has been developed the work of teaching supervisor in the city of Jardim de Piranhas and what kind of elements should be constituted by a continuing education in school if those elements are enhanced by a reflexive action and dialogue-based? Thus, we performed studies of theoretical foundation based in Nóvoa (1995, 2001, 2003), where he emphasizes the importance of take in account the practice itself as a source for the study in the construction of a new teaching practice process, in Alarcão (1999; 2001; 2002; 2003), Schön (1995, 2000), Tardif (2003) and Perrenoud (2002), Gomes (1998), Navarro (2005) and Oliveira (2006), among others, provided the basis to discuss the role of reflection and dialogue in the school and classroom. We still emphasize the ideas of Paulo Freire (1981; 1992; 1996; 2001; 2002), which is consistent with the proposal for a reflexive action and training. For this we adopted a methodology based in the qualitative research with field note, intending to observe the strategies which emerge in the educational supervisor practice. This practice should contribute to the training of teachers. In this process we chose three dimensions that provide structure and power in their work. So, we can describe as conceptual, strategic and changeable

Compreensão de natureza e formação do biólogo

Most knowledge and techniques developed by mankind since ancient times had the main purpose to study and understand the various phenomena of Nature. Science, like one of these narratives, works as a translation, transcribing what, is systematically observed. Within the set of transformations on the modern sciences, the dialogue with related areas became quite narrow and, occasionally, functional, and the dialogue with non-related areas, in turn, does not takes place by any matters. The focus of this research is the teaching of Biological Sciences, and the undergraduate courses as strategic places to disseminate a broad understanding of Nature, that broadens the conceptual relations between different disciplinary axes, previously fragmented. In order to do so, I take a four-way metaphorical approach as a methodological construction base. Three of them proposed by Joël de Rosnay, represented by artifacts: The Telescope, The Microscope and the Macroscope. And finally, a proposition that complements the approach, that i named The Naked Eye. In Telescope, which allows a more general construct of a phenomenon, I discuss the teaching of Biological Sciences in Brazil. In the microscope, which allows us to analyze in detail a scenario, I construct a rank of the major courses in biological sciences and propose a discussion on the understanding of nature on the undergraduate programs. In Macroscope, who allows, at the same time, zoom in and out to the phenomenon observed, I call for a transdisciplinary dialogue, based on the authors Ilya Prigogine, Basarab Nicolescu, Henri Atlan and Bruno Latour, which can certainly contribute to the curriculum of the Biologists training programs, that builds knowledge pertinent to a complex observation of Nature. I complete the set of the quaternary reading and understanding of the world from the Naked Eye, as the first strategy of perception in our species. For this, I invite the philosopher of Nature Chico Lucas da Silva as my interlocutor

Evaluation of Binocular Eye Trackers and Algorithms for 3D Gaze Interaction in Virtual Reality Environments

Tracking user’s visual attention is a fundamental aspect in novel human-computer interaction paradigms found in Virtual Reality. For example, multimodal interfaces or dialogue-based communications with virtual and real agents greatly benefit from the analysis of the user’s visual attention as a vital source for deictic references or turn-taking signals. Current approaches to determine visual attention rely primarily on monocular eye trackers. Hence they are restricted to the interpretation of two-dimensional fixations relative to a defined area of projection. The study presented in this article compares precision, accuracy and application performance of two binocular eye tracking devices. Two algorithms are compared which derive depth information as required for visual attention-based 3D interfaces. This information is further applied to an improved VR selection task in which a binocular eye tracker and an adaptive neural network algorithm is used during the disambiguation of partly occluded objects.

Making co-management work in protected areas with indigenous peoples in Bolivia and Peru

Sustainable and equitable management of biodiversity in protected areas inhabited by indigenous peoples is often a challenge. It requires an intercultural dialogue based on local norms of resource use and indigenous knowledge. Moreover, mechanisms that generate economic incentives must be able to compete with income from illegal activities such as logging, mining, and land trafficking. Finally, efforts are needed to ensure that regulations and policies on conservation and resource extraction do not overlap and contradict each other, as this hampers efforts both to conserve biodiversity and to promote development at the local level.