Alex Pereira De Araújo

The Stoic understanding of virtue is often taken to be a non-starter. Many of the Stoic claims about virtue – that a virtue requires moral perfection and that all who are not fully virtuous are vicious – are thought to be completely out of step with our commonsense notion of virtue, making the Stoic account more of an historical oddity than a seriously defended view. Despite many voices to the contrary, I will argue that there is a way of making sense of these Stoic claims. Recent work in linguistics has shown that there is a distinction between relative and absolute gradable adjectives, with the absolute variety only applying to perfect exemplars. I will argue that taking virtue terms to be absolute gradable adjectives – and thus that they apply only to those who are fully virtuous – is one way to make sense of the Stoic view. I will also show how interpreting virtue theoretic adjectives as absolute gradable adjectives makes it possible to defend Stoicism against its most common objections, demonstrating how the Stoic account of virtue might once again be a player in the contemporary landscape of virtue theorizing.

Even though the virtues may be interconnected, it seems obviously possible to have one of the virtues without having them all. Some have defended the unity thesis against this concern by arguing that the virtues are still unified in their ideal forms. The problem with this defense is that it simply admits that the unity thesis, as traditionally conceived, is mistaken, taking the unity of the virtues to be limited to the ideal case. In this paper, I outline a blueprint for how the ideal virtue response can be used to defend the original unity thesis.

This book investigates context-sensitivity in natural language by examining the meaning and use of a target class of theoretically recalcitrant expressions. These expressions – including epistemic vocabulary, normative and evaluative vocabulary, and vague language – exhibit systematic differences from paradigm context-sensitive expressions in their discourse dynamics and embedding properties. Many researchers have responded by rethinking the nature of linguistic meaning and communication. Drawing on general insights about the role of context in interpretation and collaborative action, I develop an improved contextualist theory of CR-expressions within the classical truth-conditional paradigm: Discourse Contextualism. The aim of Discourse Contextualism is to derive the distinctive linguistic behavior of a CR-expression from a particular contextualist interpretation of an independently motivated formal semantics, along with general principles of interpretation and conversation. It is shown how in using CR-expressions, speakers can exploit their mutual grammatical and world knowledge, and general pragmatic reasoning skills, to coordinate their attitudes and negotiate about how the context should evolve. The book focuses primarily on developing a Discourse Contextualist semantics and pragmatics for epistemic modals. The framework is also applied to other categories of epistemic vocabulary, normative and evaluative vocabulary, and vague adjectives. Similarities/differences among these expressions, and among context-sensitive expressions more generally, have been underexplored. Accounts are developed of (e.g.) the role of presupposition in collaborative action and discourse; the interpretation of context-sensitive expressions in embedded contexts; interactions among logic, semantics, pragmatics, metasemantics, and substantive normative issues; the role of truth and truth-value intuitions in semantic theorizing; allegedly "subjective" attitude verbs such as 'find'; and vagueness ("Vagueness as Contextual Indecision"), which may be of broader interest. The development of Discourse Contextualism in this book sheds light on general features of meaning and communication, and the diverse ways context affects and is affected by uses of language.

This book combines insights from philosophy and linguistics to develop a novel framework for theorizing about linguistic meaning and the role of context in interpretation. A key innovation is to introduce explicit representations of context — assignment variables — in the syntax and semantics of natural language. The proposed theory systematizes a spectrum of “shifting” phenomena in which the context relevant for interpreting certain expressions depends on features of the linguistic environment. Central applications include local and nonlocal contextual dependencies with quantifiers, attitude ascriptions, conditionals, questions, and relativization. The result is an innovative, philosophically informed compositional semantics compatible with the truth-conditional paradigm.

The Mass Density approach to GRW (GRWm for short) has been widely discussed in the quantum foundations literature. A crucial feature of GRWm is the introduction of a Criterion of Accessibility for mass, which allows to explain the determinacy of experimental outcomes thus also addressing the tails problem of GRW. However, the Criterion of Accessibility leaves the ontological meaning of the non-accessible portion of mass utterly unexplained. In this paper I discuss two viable approaches to non-accessible mass, which I call anti-realist and realist, and will defend the latter. First, I show that the anti-realist approach suffers from various objections. Second, I develop an account of non-accessible mass density states as objectively indeterminate states of affairs.

This thesis has two parts. In Part I there is an argument for the conclusion that a linguistic phenomenon known as (radical) context-sensitivity is to be expected given the limitations of those who use language to reason about empirical states of affairs. The phenomenon arises as a consequence of a process that must be performed to use language to reason validly. In Part II it is explained why the phenomenon, understood in light of the discussion of Part I, does not threaten the possibility of communication. Some potential readers might be interested to know that in Part I there's a fair amount of exegesis of arguments for the existence of (radical) context-sensitivity put forward by Charles Travis. Some potential readers might be interested to know that in Part II use is made of work by Erving Goffman and some conversation analysts.

This Special Collection focuses on both theoretical and practical dimensions of the smart healthy age-friendly environments (SHAFE). The SHAFE concept is more and more widely discussed and used in the fields and interventions related to population ageing and intergenerational relationships around the world. The SHAFE idea is one of the most recent iterations of the age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC) concept that was introduced by the World Health Organization in 2007. The discourse on the development of standards for adapting cities and communities to the needs of older adults and ageing societies initially focused on eight domains: housing, transportation, outdoor spaces and buildings, community support and health services, communication and information, social participation, respect, and social inclusion as well as civil participation and employment. The SHAFE concept launched in 2018 by the Cáritas Diocesana de Coimbra, AFEdemy, and their Stakeholders Network is adding three additional layers to the AFCC in order to more dynamically take into account diverse needs and capacities of ageing societies, design accessible products, services and infrastructure to people of all ages as well as solutions related to the contemporary social, health, and environmental challenges. In the first layer, the SHAFE idea supports citizen development in terms of digital skills needed in using smart age-friendly solutions, understanding data processing and management, increasing health literacy, improving civil participation and engagement, as well as maintaining or improving their social networks and relationships. In the second layer, the SHAFE concept focuses on environmental-oriented solutions such as retrofitting and adapting the housing stock, fostering accessibility of public spaces and transport, implementing climate-neutral solutions, and promoting health and well-being in the workplace. Finally, the third layer of the SHAFE concept concentrates on health and care by promoting reliable, safe and accessible big data and artificial intelligence-based solutions, implementation of robust and interoperable digital infrastructures, fostering the development of integrated, personalised, affordable and person-centred solutions, implementing new guidelines and long-term funding solutions and business models as well as training care professionals on digital skills. Goals of this Special Collection: (1) to discuss the theoretical basis of the SHAFE, including critical appraisal and review of this concept; (2) to identify and share the best practices and innovations related to the implementation of SHAFE; (3) to debate on governance modes, management solutions as well as evaluation and impact assessment tools relevant for SHAFE; (4) to gather knowledge and know-how regarding challenges in the areas of management, financing, designing, implementing, testing, and maintaining the sustainability of SHAFE-related products, services, and infrastructures; and (5) to recognise and analyse insights for the potential revisions and updates of the SHAFE concept.

Decision theory and folk psychology both purport to represent the same phenomena: our belief-like and desire- and preference-like states. They also purport to do the same work with these representations: explain and predict our actions. But they do so with different sets of concepts. There's much at stake in whether one of these two sets of concepts can be accounted for with the other. Without such an account, we'd have two competing representations and systems of prediction and explanation, a dubious dualism. Folk psychology structures our daily lives and has proven fruitful in the study of mind and ethics, while decision theory is pervasive in various disciplines, including the quantitative social sciences, especially economics, and philosophy. My interest is in accounting for folk psychology with decision theory -- in particular, for believe and wanting, which decision theory omits. Many have attempted this task for belief. (The Lockean Thesis says that there is such an account.) I take up the parallel task for wanting, which has received far less attention. I propose necessary and sufficient conditions, stated in terms of decision theory, for when you're truly said to want; I give an analogue of the Lockean Thesis for wanting. My account is an alternative to orthodox accounts that link wanting to preference (e.g. Stalnaker (1984), Lewis (1986)), which I argue are false. I argue further that want ascriptions are context-sensitive. My account explains this context-sensitivity, makes sense of conflicting desires, and accommodates phenomena that motivate traditional theses on which 'want' has multiple senses (e.g. all-things-considered vs. pro tanto).

« Qu’est-ce que la philosophie et quel est son rôle aujourd’hui? Entre juillet et octobre 1966, quelques mois après la parution des Mots et les Choses, Michel Foucault, dans un manuscrit très soigneusement rédigé mais qu’il ne publiera pas, apporte sa réponse à cette question tant débattue.À la différence de ceux qui, à l’époque, s’attachent à dévoiler l’essence de la philosophie ou à en prononcer la mort, Foucault l’appréhende, dans sa matérialité, comme un discours dont il convient de dégager l’économie eu égard aux autres discours (scientifique, fictif, ordinaire, religieux) qui circulent dans un contexte donné.Le Discours philosophique propose ainsi une nouvelle manière de faire l’histoire de la philosophie, qui la décentre du commentaire des grands philosophes. Nietzsche y occupe toutefois une place particulière car il inaugure une conjoncture où la philosophie devient une entreprise de diagnostic du présent. Il revient en effet désormais à la philosophie de dire, à partir de l’« archive intégrale » d’une culture, ce qui en fait l’actualité.Si L’Archéologie du savoir, consacré aux enjeux méthodologiques d’un tel projet, s’y annonce, nulle part autant que dans Le Discours philosophique Michel Foucault n’aura explicité les ambitions de son programme intellectuel.»--

Foucault n'aimait pas les logiques de l'identité : celles-ci témoignent de l'assignation de nos discours aux figures de l'autorité ou de la vérité ; mais cette assignation pousse aussi sa prise au-delà de nos discours, jusque dans nos vies, alors vouées à décliner leur identité, à s'identifier à des formes de vie qui sont aussi des normes de vies. Il importe d'analyser de manière détaillée les ressorts théoriques et pratiques de ces logiques d'assignation identitaire ainsi que leurs effets individuels et collectifs. Mais il faut également se demander, avec Foucault et pour une part à partir de sa pensée, si refuser les logiques de l'identité est non seulement possible mais surtout souhaitable pour des sujets qui, s'ils ne sont pas « identifiés » ou identifiés comme de « bons » sujets, peuvent aussi bien souffrir de cette absence d'identité qui fait d'eux des entités spectrales et vulnérables : des identités négatives, abandonnées dans les marges de la reconnaissance politique et sociale, et ne bénéficiant d'aucune ressource pour déployer leur puissance d'agir et leur mode d'existence.

Sikhism is the world's fifth-largest religion. It was founded during the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. Its adherents are known as Sikhs. Currently, there are about 30 million Sikhs worldwide. Most of them live in the Indian state of Punjab. As per Sikh tradition, Sikhism was established by Guru Nanak (1469–1539) and subsequently led by a succession of nine other Gurus. Before his death, the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), bestowed the status of Guru to the sacred scripture of Sikhs, Adi Granth, which is presently known as Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) [1]. The Adi Granth was first compiled by Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, in 1604. Its second and final version has been the handiwork of Guru Gobind Singh, who added the hymns of his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru [2], at Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Punjab, in 1705. The holy Sikh scripture, SGGS, contains 1430 pages of text in poetry form. In addition to the hymns of the six Sikh Gurus and four Sikhs, it includes hymns composed by fifteen saints (Bhagats) and eleven poet laureates (Bhats) of the Guru's court. Muslims and Hindus, Brahmins, and "untouchables" all come together in one congregation to create a universal scripture. It is a compendium of mystic, metaphysical and religious poetry written or recited between the 12th and 17th centuries in the Indian sub-continent [3]. Sri Guru Granth Sahib, through its comprehensive worldview, offers a perfect set of values and an applicable code of conduct. Its cardinal message addresses the welfare of all humans irrespective of their caste, colour, creed, culture, and religion. SGGS emphasizes love, respect, empathy, and acceptance of others' existence. It prohibits us from infringing on the freedom and rights of others. The life and works of the Sikh Gurus exemplify the practicability of these ideas. Their inter-faith dialogues highlighted that human unity and oneness could be achieved through tolerance, communication, and respect for others [4]. Besides a matchless elaboration of spirituality, Sri Guru Granth Sahib enshrines a powerful expression of the message of revolutionary ideals of social welfare, human rights, multicultural distinctness, and religious freedom. In the present era, when the threats and fear of interfaith conflicts, military aggression, terrorism, etc., have overpowered human sentiments, the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib are even more relevant to resolving all these problems.