<p>There is longstanding interpretive dispute between commentators over Spinoza’s commitment to <i>necessitarianism</i>, the doctrine that all things are metaphysically necessary and none are contingent. Those who affirm Spinoza’s commitment to the doctrine adhere to <i>the necessitarian interpretation</i> whereas those who deny it adhere to what I call <i>the semi-necessitarian interpretation</i>. As things stand, the disagreement between commentators appears to have reached an impasse. Notwithstanding, there seems to be no disagreement among commentators on the question of necessitarianism’s philosophical plausibility as a metaphysical view: the doctrine is wildly untenable. This consensus view is more relevant to the interpretive debate than few have recognized, since leading semi-necessitarian commentators take the doctrine’s alleged absurdity to be one of the most compelling reasons (if not <i>the</i> most compelling reason) to prefer their reading over the necessitarian interpretation: for, as a matter of methodological principle, great philosophers like Spinoza should not be ascribed ridiculous views in the absence of better evidence. </p> <p>This dissertation seeks to defend Spinoza’s commitment to necessitarianism on both the interpretive and philosophical fronts. I argue not only that the necessitarian interpretation of Spinoza is more plausible than the semi-necessitarian interpretation on textual grounds, but that Spinoza’s necessitarianism is a serviceable philosophical view whose tenability has been almost entirely overlooked and perfunctorily rejected. The principal basis upon which I build this defense is Spinoza’s rich and fascinating view of essences—what I simply refer to as his <i>essentialism</i>. Spinoza’s essentialism forms the bedrock of his metaphysics and is significant not least because it underlies and informs doctrines like his necessitarianism. Spinoza’s essentialism supplies resources to answer not just interpretive problems associated with necessitarianism, but philosophical challenges to the plausibility of the doctrine. My defense of Spinoza’s necessitarianism on philosophical grounds also offers a novel way of getting past much of the current interpretive impasse among commentators by effectively undercutting the methodological motivation for the semi-necessitarian reading. In addition to my defense on the interpretive front, then, my defense on the philosophical front provides supplementary reason to <i>a fortiori</i> favor the necessitarian reading of Spinoza.</p>

According to the dominant tradition in Christianity and many other religions, human beings are both knowers and actors: beings with conscious beliefs about the world who sometimes act intentionally guided by these beliefs. According to philosopher of mind Robert Cummins the “received view” among philosophers of mind is epiphenomenalism, according to which mental causation does not exist: neural events are the underlying causes of both behavior and belief which explains the correlation (not causation) between belief and behavior. Beliefs do not, in virtue of their semantic content, enter the causal chain leading to action, beliefs are always the endpoint of a causal chain. If that is true the theological anthropology of many religious traditions is false. JP Moreland draws attention to two different ways of doing metaphysics: serious metaphysics and shopping-list metaphysics. The difference is that the former involves not only the attempt to describe  the phenomena one encounter, it also involves the attempt of locating them, that is explaining how the phenomena is possible and came to be given the constraints of a certain worldview. For a physicalist these constraints include the atomic theory of matter and the theories of physical, chemical and biological evolution.   Mental properties are challenging phenomena to locate within a physicalist worldview, and some physicalists involved in “serious metaphysics” have therefore eliminated them from their worldview. Most however accept them, advocating “non-reductive physicalism” according to which mental properties supervene on physical processes. Even if one allow mental properties to supervene on physical processes, the problem of mental causation remains. If mental properties are irreducible to and therefore distinct from physical properties, as the non-reductive physicalists claim, they cannot exert causal powers if one accepts the causal closure of the physical domain – which one must, if one is a “serious physicalist” according to physicalist philosopher of mind Jaegwon Kim.   Alvin Plantinga, in his Evolutionary Argument against Naturalism, shows that if mental properties, such as the propositional content of beliefs, are causally inefficacious, then evolution has not been selecting cognitive faculties that are reliable, in the sense of being conducive to true beliefs. If the content of our beliefs does not affect our behavior, the content of our belief is irrelevant from an evolutionary standpoint, and so the content-producing part of our cognitive faculties are irrelevant from an evolutionary standpoint. The “reliability” – truth-conduciveness – of our cognitive faculties can therefore not be explained by evolution, and therefore not located within the physicalist worldview. The only way in which the reliability of our cognitive faculties can be located is if propositional content is relevant for behavior.   If we however eliminate or deny the reliability of our cognitive faculties, then we have abandoned any chance of making a rational case for our position, as that would presuppose the reliability that we are denying. But if propositional content is causally efficacious, then that either – if we are non-reductive physicalists and mental properties are taken to be irreducible to physical properties – implies that the causal closure of the physical domain is false or - if we are reductive physicalists and not eliminativists regarding mental properties - it shows that matter qua matter can govern itself by rational argumentation, in which we have a pan-/localpsychistic view of matter. Either way, we have essentially abandoned physicalism in the process of locating the reliability of our cognitive faculties within a physicalist worldview. We have also affirmed the theological anthropology of Christianity, in so far as the capacity for knowledge and rational action is concerned. Keywords: Philosophy of mind, mental causation, reductionism, physicalism, the evolutionary argument against naturalism, the myth of nonreductive materialism, Alvin Plantinga, Jaegwon Kim

Três são os objetivos centrais deste trabalho: (a) especificar, por meio de uma reconstrução histórico-evolutiva do pensamento teórico, os elementos constitutivos (objeto, método, princípios primeiros, teoria da verdade e comunidade científica) e as exigências normativas (objetividade, coerência, clareza e transparência, justificação e consensualização) de um empreendimento que pretenda se qualificar como ciência, de modo propor uma concepção analógica de ciência que possa ser aplicável ao campo do direito; (b) identificar e detalhar os três diferentes paradigmas científicos que se desenvolveram no direito tributário brasileiro (Empírico-econômico, Normativo-comportamental e Formalista-linguístico), de modo a analisar, criticamente, os seus pressupostos teóricos, buscando, com isso, demonstrar a insuficiência dos modelos teóricos que foram até hoje utilizados no campo da ciência tributária brasileira, principalmente em razão do seu reducionismo explicativo; e (c) propor uma concepção mais abrangente e complexa de ciência jurídica – pautada na concepção de ciência prática (scientia practica) desenvolvida pela tradição filosófica aristotélico-tomista – a qual teria pretensões de, não apenas descrever o direito positivo, mas também de explicar, esclarecer e tornar mais inteligível as diferentes dimensões do fenômeno tributário, não apenas no que se refere ao momento da positivação das normas jurídicas, mas também no que se refere aos momentos anteriores e posteriores a esse processo, ou seja, que também se dedique a analisar os motivos, causas, efeitos, consequências e fins das normas de tributação. Portanto, a concepção de ciência prática aplicável ao direito tributário pressupõe o desenvolvimento de uma dimensão formal, material, eficiente/instrumental e final do seu respectivo objeto de estudo, o que culmina na elaboração de uma deontologia tributária, de uma ontologia tributária, de uma metodologia tributária e de uma teleologia tributária. / Three are the central goals of this thesis: (a) first to specify, by means of a historical and evolutionary reconstruction of the scientific thought, which are the constitutive elements (object, method, first principles, theory of truth and scientific community) and the normative requirements (objectivity, consistency, clarity and transparency, justification and consensualization) of a theoretical enterprise that intends to affirm itself as scientific, as to propose an analogical conception of science that could be applied to the field of Law; (b) to identify and detail the three different scientific paradigms that have been developed in Brazilian Tax Law (Empirical-economical, Normative-behavioral and Formalistic-linguistic), in order to, critically, analyze its theoretical assumptions, seeking to demonstrate the inadequacy of these theoretical models applied in Brazilian Tax Law, especially because of their explanatory reductionism; and (c) to propose a more comprehensive and complex notion of legal science, based on the conception of practical science (scientia practica) – based on the philosophical tradition of Aristotle and Aquinas – which would have claims, not only describe the positive law, but also to explain, clarify and make more intelligible the different dimensions of the taxation phenomenon, not only regarding the procedure that creates legal norms, but also that pays attention to the moments that come before and after this process, namely, that also focuses on analyzing the motives, causes, effects, consequences and ends of taxation. Therefore, a concept of practical science applicable to Tax Law demands the development of a formal, a material, an efficient/instrumental and a finalistic dimension of its object of study. This will require a Theory of Taxation that has a Deontological aspect, an Ontological aspect, a Methodological aspect and a Teleological aspect.

Três são os objetivos centrais deste trabalho: (a) especificar, por meio de uma reconstrução histórico-evolutiva do pensamento teórico, os elementos constitutivos (objeto, método, princípios primeiros, teoria da verdade e comunidade científica) e as exigências normativas (objetividade, coerência, clareza e transparência, justificação e consensualização) de um empreendimento que pretenda se qualificar como ciência, de modo propor uma concepção analógica de ciência que possa ser aplicável ao campo do direito; (b) identificar e detalhar os três diferentes paradigmas científicos que se desenvolveram no direito tributário brasileiro (Empírico-econômico, Normativo-comportamental e Formalista-linguístico), de modo a analisar, criticamente, os seus pressupostos teóricos, buscando, com isso, demonstrar a insuficiência dos modelos teóricos que foram até hoje utilizados no campo da ciência tributária brasileira, principalmente em razão do seu reducionismo explicativo; e (c) propor uma concepção mais abrangente e complexa de ciência jurídica – pautada na concepção de ciência prática (scientia practica) desenvolvida pela tradição filosófica aristotélico-tomista – a qual teria pretensões de, não apenas descrever o direito positivo, mas também de explicar, esclarecer e tornar mais inteligível as diferentes dimensões do fenômeno tributário, não apenas no que se refere ao momento da positivação das normas jurídicas, mas também no que se refere aos momentos anteriores e posteriores a esse processo, ou seja, que também se dedique a analisar os motivos, causas, efeitos, consequências e fins das normas de tributação. Portanto, a concepção de ciência prática aplicável ao direito tributário pressupõe o desenvolvimento de uma dimensão formal, material, eficiente/instrumental e final do seu respectivo objeto de estudo, o que culmina na elaboração de uma deontologia tributária, de uma ontologia tributária, de uma metodologia tributária e de uma teleologia tributária. / Three are the central goals of this thesis: (a) first to specify, by means of a historical and evolutionary reconstruction of the scientific thought, which are the constitutive elements (object, method, first principles, theory of truth and scientific community) and the normative requirements (objectivity, consistency, clarity and transparency, justification and consensualization) of a theoretical enterprise that intends to affirm itself as scientific, as to propose an analogical conception of science that could be applied to the field of Law; (b) to identify and detail the three different scientific paradigms that have been developed in Brazilian Tax Law (Empirical-economical, Normative-behavioral and Formalistic-linguistic), in order to, critically, analyze its theoretical assumptions, seeking to demonstrate the inadequacy of these theoretical models applied in Brazilian Tax Law, especially because of their explanatory reductionism; and (c) to propose a more comprehensive and complex notion of legal science, based on the conception of practical science (scientia practica) – based on the philosophical tradition of Aristotle and Aquinas – which would have claims, not only describe the positive law, but also to explain, clarify and make more intelligible the different dimensions of the taxation phenomenon, not only regarding the procedure that creates legal norms, but also that pays attention to the moments that come before and after this process, namely, that also focuses on analyzing the motives, causes, effects, consequences and ends of taxation. Therefore, a concept of practical science applicable to Tax Law demands the development of a formal, a material, an efficient/instrumental and a finalistic dimension of its object of study. This will require a Theory of Taxation that has a Deontological aspect, an Ontological aspect, a Methodological aspect and a Teleological aspect.

Três são os objetivos centrais deste trabalho: (a) especificar, por meio de uma reconstrução histórico-evolutiva do pensamento teórico, os elementos constitutivos (objeto, método, princípios primeiros, teoria da verdade e comunidade científica) e as exigências normativas (objetividade, coerência, clareza e transparência, justificação e consensualização) de um empreendimento que pretenda se qualificar como ciência, de modo propor uma concepção analógica de ciência que possa ser aplicável ao campo do direito; (b) identificar e detalhar os três diferentes paradigmas científicos que se desenvolveram no direito tributário brasileiro (Empírico-econômico, Normativo-comportamental e Formalista-linguístico), de modo a analisar, criticamente, os seus pressupostos teóricos, buscando, com isso, demonstrar a insuficiência dos modelos teóricos que foram até hoje utilizados no campo da ciência tributária brasileira, principalmente em razão do seu reducionismo explicativo; e (c) propor uma concepção mais abrangente e complexa de ciência jurídica – pautada na concepção de ciência prática (scientia practica) desenvolvida pela tradição filosófica aristotélico-tomista – a qual teria pretensões de, não apenas descrever o direito positivo, mas também de explicar, esclarecer e tornar mais inteligível as diferentes dimensões do fenômeno tributário, não apenas no que se refere ao momento da positivação das normas jurídicas, mas também no que se refere aos momentos anteriores e posteriores a esse processo, ou seja, que também se dedique a analisar os motivos, causas, efeitos, consequências e fins das normas de tributação. Portanto, a concepção de ciência prática aplicável ao direito tributário pressupõe o desenvolvimento de uma dimensão formal, material, eficiente/instrumental e final do seu respectivo objeto de estudo, o que culmina na elaboração de uma deontologia tributária, de uma ontologia tributária, de uma metodologia tributária e de uma teleologia tributária. / Three are the central goals of this thesis: (a) first to specify, by means of a historical and evolutionary reconstruction of the scientific thought, which are the constitutive elements (object, method, first principles, theory of truth and scientific community) and the normative requirements (objectivity, consistency, clarity and transparency, justification and consensualization) of a theoretical enterprise that intends to affirm itself as scientific, as to propose an analogical conception of science that could be applied to the field of Law; (b) to identify and detail the three different scientific paradigms that have been developed in Brazilian Tax Law (Empirical-economical, Normative-behavioral and Formalistic-linguistic), in order to, critically, analyze its theoretical assumptions, seeking to demonstrate the inadequacy of these theoretical models applied in Brazilian Tax Law, especially because of their explanatory reductionism; and (c) to propose a more comprehensive and complex notion of legal science, based on the conception of practical science (scientia practica) – based on the philosophical tradition of Aristotle and Aquinas – which would have claims, not only describe the positive law, but also to explain, clarify and make more intelligible the different dimensions of the taxation phenomenon, not only regarding the procedure that creates legal norms, but also that pays attention to the moments that come before and after this process, namely, that also focuses on analyzing the motives, causes, effects, consequences and ends of taxation. Therefore, a concept of practical science applicable to Tax Law demands the development of a formal, a material, an efficient/instrumental and a finalistic dimension of its object of study. This will require a Theory of Taxation that has a Deontological aspect, an Ontological aspect, a Methodological aspect and a Teleological aspect.

Submitted by Marlene Santos (marlene.bc.ufg@gmail.com) on 2016-07-29T18:41:01Z No. of bitstreams: 3 Dissertação - Marcelo dos Santos Marques - 2015.pdf: 3772404 bytes, checksum: 32371345ed6d093405d2e70a3d3e2d1b (MD5) Ata de Defesa - Marcelo dos Santos Marques - 2015.pdf: 513330 bytes, checksum: d5f2857a3c04bd9bf2645c2548521037 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-08-01T13:47:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 3 Dissertação - Marcelo dos Santos Marques - 2015.pdf: 3772404 bytes, checksum: 32371345ed6d093405d2e70a3d3e2d1b (MD5) Ata de Defesa - Marcelo dos Santos Marques - 2015.pdf: 513330 bytes, checksum: d5f2857a3c04bd9bf2645c2548521037 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-01T13:47:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 Dissertação - Marcelo dos Santos Marques - 2015.pdf: 3772404 bytes, checksum: 32371345ed6d093405d2e70a3d3e2d1b (MD5) Ata de Defesa - Marcelo dos Santos Marques - 2015.pdf: 513330 bytes, checksum: d5f2857a3c04bd9bf2645c2548521037 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-27 / This study takes a look at the transformative potential of transdisciplinary education, in contrast to the reductionist thinking of the current establishment, showing how reductionism is still strong in higher education institutions, despite the findings of quantum physics, dated at the beginning of the last century. The research subjects are students of undergraduate and graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goiás (UFG). The transdisciplinary model of education was inserted into the medical school UFG through two elective courses: the first is Pronto Sorriso, this is a free core for the graduate students of the Faculty of Medicine and other areas of health; the second discipline is the Humor in Care, offered in the graduate programs in Health Sciences and Health Education. The use of humor as a tool to break the rigidity of the health professional attitude towards the patient, opens the possibility of care holistic treatment instead of fragmented, serving as a counterpoint to the biomedical model that brought aridity to sterile hospital landscape and the relationship patient caregiver. The problem raised in this research was to investigate how the paradigm shift and the inclusion of education transdisciplinary model are contributing to the humanization, the cross-training of students and changing landscape in health education. The theoretical showed the hype caused by the biomedical model robotized work of health professionals by placing them on a pedestal that only causes distancing from the patient. Therefore, the objective was to analyze and evaluate the relevance of transdisciplinary education in crosstraining of the above students, focusing on the teaching-learning relationships and patient caregiver and perception of the landscape where they are inserted. The justification of this research is in urgent transformation of the biomedical model. The increasingly verticalized and further development of medical science is reducing the service, almost exclusively, to the pathology. The health worker is getting insensitive and teaching model in medical colleges are getting sick students. For the survey data I utilized as instrument the Clowns doctors’ reported visits produced by the graduate students, the texts assessment completion of Humor discipline in Caring for graduate students, interviews with monitors from Pronto Sorriso and notes made over the years teaching at UFG. The analysis was performed according to the parameters of Laurence Bardin content analysis, separating the data into categories for later interpretation. As a result we can say that the Pronto Sorriso and Humor in Care are trans-forming educational practices that contribute to the rescue of humanization of health professionals. There is a great satisfaction and gratitude of the students because they belong to a project that was meaningful to the people they watched, demonstrating clearly that treating only the conditions is no longer enough, revealing the search for a new position in caregiver - patient relationship . The project developed within the UFG is presented as effective model of transdisciplinary education that contributes to a new vision in the training process of health professionals, may serve as an example to other higher education institutions. Finally, I present the systematization of the games and discussions that have been developed over the years of work teaching at UFG, are possibilities to assist other educators who perchance resolve go down that route. Currently, the model reported in this research has reached the Faculty of Medicine, PUC-Goiás, School of Medicine UniEVANGÉLICA in Annapolis, the Faculty of Medicine of Araguaína in Tocantins and the Faculty of Education of the State University of Mato Grosso. Finally it is concluded that transdisciplinarity is transforming agent of the landscape and the status quo, thus a transformative opportunity for the model of science and hegemonic education in health education. / Este estudo lança um olhar sobre o potencial transformador da educação transdisciplinar, em contraponto ao pensamento reducionista do establishment atual, mostrando como o reducionismo ainda é forte nas Instituições de Ensino Superior, apesar das descobertas da física quântica, datadas no início do século passado. Os sujeitos da pesquisa são os estudantes da graduação e da pós graduação da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG). O modelo transdisciplinar de educação foi inserido na faculdade de medicina da UFG através de duas disciplinas optativas: a primeira é o Pronto Sorriso, trata-se de um núcleo livre destinado aos estudantes de graduação da Faculdade de Medicina e outras áreas da saúde; a segunda disciplina é o Humor no Cuidar oferecida nos programas de pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde e do Ensino em Saúde. A utilização do humor como ferramenta para quebrar a rigidez da postura do profissional de saúde diante do paciente, abre a possibilidade do cuidado holístico no lugar do tratamento fragmentado, servindo de contraponto ao modelo biomédico que trouxe a aridez esterilizada à paisagem hospitalar e à relação cuidador paciente. O problema levantado nesta pesquisa foi verificar como a mudança de paradigma e a inserção do modelo transdisciplinar de educação estão contribuindo na humanização, na trans-formação dos estudantes e na alteração da paisagem na educação em saúde. O referencial teórico evidenciou os exageros provocados pelo modelo biomédico que robotizou o trabalho dos profissionais da área de saúde colocando-os em um pedestal que só provoca distanciamento do paciente. Por conseguinte, o objetivo foi analisar e avaliar a relevância da educação transdisciplinar na trans-formação dos estudantes supracitados, com foco nas relações de ensino-aprendizagem e de cuidador paciente e na percepção da paisagem onde os mesmos encontram-se inseridos. A justificativa desta pesquisa se encontra na urgência de transformação do modelo Biomédico. O desenvolvimento cada vez mais verticalizado e aprofundado da ciência médica está reduzindo o atendimento, quase que exclusivamente, à patologia. O profissional de saúde está ficando insensível e o modelo de ensino nas faculdades de medicina está adoecendo seus estudantes. Para o levantamento dos dados utilizei como instrumentos os relatórios de visita dos doutores palhaços produzidos pelo estudantes da graduação, os textos de avaliação de conclusão da disciplina Humor no Cuidar dos estudantes da pós-graduação, as entrevistas realizadas com os monitores do Pronto Sorriso e as anotações feitas ao longo dos anos lecionando na UFG. Já a análise foi feita seguindo os parâmetros da Análise de Conteúdo de Laurence Bardin, separando os dados em categorias para posterior interpretação. Como resultado é possível afirmar que o Pronto Sorriso e o Humor no Cuidar são práticas educativas trans-formadoras que colaboram para o resgate da humanização dos profissionais de saúde. Existe uma grande satisfação e a gratidão dos estudantes por pertencerem a um projeto que foi significativo para as pessoas que eles assistiram, demonstrando com clareza que tratar somente das patologias já não é o bastante, revelando a busca por uma nova postura na relação cuidador – paciente. O projeto desenvolvido dentro da UFG se apresenta como modelo eficaz de educação transdisciplinar que colabora para uma nova visão no processo de formação dos profissionais de saúde, podendo servir de exemplo para outras Instituições de Ensino Superior. Por fim, apresento a sistematização dos jogos e discussões que foram desenvolvidos ao longo dos anos de trabalho lecionando na UFG, são possibilidades para auxiliar outros educadores que por ventura resolvam enveredar por esse caminho. Atualmente, o modelo relatado nesta pesquisa já atingiu a Faculdade de Medicina da PUC-Goiás, a Faculdade de Medicina da UNIEVANGÉLICA em Anápolis, a Faculdade de Medicina de Araguaína no Tocantins e a Faculdade de Pedagogia da Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso. Finalmente conclui-se que transdisciplinaridade é agente transformador da paisagem e do status-quo, sendo assim uma possibilidade transformadora para o modelo de ciência e de educação hegemônicos no ensino em saúde.

Technologie en vogue pour les uns et domaine de recherche scientifique pour les autres, l’Intelligence Artificielle (IA) constitue avant tout un projet idéologique : celui de façonner une créature artificielle « à l’image de l’Homme » (Breton, 1995). Toutefois, l’engouement médiatique face à l’IA retranscrit un débat exclusivement centré sur les possibilités qu’elle génère et les enjeux qu’elle soulève. Essentielle à la compréhension du phénomène social, l’étude sociologique de l’évolution de ce projet idéologique constitue un manque auquel ce mémoire entend combler. Il s’agit d’établir sur quelle conception de l’être humainhomme et de son intelligence s’est développé ce projet. Ce travail de recherche porte sur les représentations de l’intelligence véhiculées par les discours médiatiques centrés sur l’IA. Analyser les représentations sociales de l’intelligence dans une perspective constructiviste permet non seulement de mieux appréhender le phénomène social qu’est l’IA, mais nous éclaire par-dessus tout sur la vision de l’être humain qu’elle suppose. Nous tenterons de démontrer en quoi l’IA s’est développée sur la base d’une représentation réductrice de l’Hommeomme et de son intelligence, sans jamais que les fondements de cette assise ne soient évoqués tant ils sont dissimulés aux confins des représentations sociales. D’autant que ce « paupérisme épistémique » (Robillard, 2019 : 3) n’est pas sans effet : de réels choix scientifiques en découlent entraînant la mise sur le marché d’applications concrètes qui guident et transforment notre quotidien. C’est pourquoi une réflexion de fond est de rigueur. Ce mémoire rend ainsi compte des intérêts sociaux affectés par la rationalité instrumentale technocratique. / Popular technology for some and field of scientific research for others, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an ideological project above all: shaping an artificial creature "in the image of Man" (Breton, 1995). However, the media's enthusiasm for AI reflects a debate that focuses exclusively on the opportunities it generates and the issues it raises. Essential to the understanding of the social phenomenon, the sociological study of the evolution of this ideological project constitutes a gap that this thesis intends to fill. The aim is to establish on what conception of the human being and his intelligence this project has developed. This research work focuses on the representations of intelligence conveyed by media discourses focused on AI. Analyzing the social representations of intelligence from a constructivist perspective not only allows us to better understand the social phenomenon that is AI, but also sheds light on the vision of the human being that it implies. We will try to demonstrate how AI has been developed on the basis of a reductive representation of Man and his intelligence without ever mentioning the foundations hidden on the edges of social representations. Especially since this "epistemic pauperism" (Robillard, 2019: 3) is not without effect: real scientific choices result from it, leading to the launch of concrete applications that guide and transform our daily lives. That is why a thorough reflection is required. This thesis thus aims to point out social interests affected by technocratic instrumental rationality.

The human being and her behavior is complex. Research has shown serendipity and chance to play a great part in the scientific research praxis, still the complexity of human information retrieval is not fully acknowledged in modern libraries. This master thesis compares two different worldviews; the mechanistic and the organic. This in order to understand why information seeking today is increasingly linear when human information behavior is not. The way people believe the world to work reflects on how libraries and information seeking work. The mechanistic worldview, comparing the world to a machine, is rooted in humanity since the seventeenth century and is still shaping our world and institutions. Today databases and linear searches are pushing physical books off shelves to make room for computers and searching on limiting linear mechanical terms instead of complex human ones. This pattern often occurs without adequate questioning and online information is argued to be even more available to patrons than the physical library.  This thesis uses complexity theory and philosophical method to broaden perspectives and question linear searches in scientific information retrieval. It aims to highlight the importance of complex information retrieval and physical browsing for scientific innovation and creativity. Erdelez's original information encountering method was used to obtain source material for philosophical analysis. Philosophical method and complexity theory is used throughout the text to analyze the linear worldview leading up to a joint argumentative summary at the end of every chapter bringing the text forward.  The thesis contains a field study with semi-structured interviews with librarians at the Picture Collection, New York Public Library. This highlights the value of physical browsing through the strong criticism that arose from patrons when the library wanted to archive the unique and browsable research collection.  The result of the thesis argues that the linear technological development in libraries with less physical collections, librarian encounters, passive information gathering and random information paths without underlying commercial drivers create more like-mindedness instead of innovation. This significantly reducing the possibility of interdisciplinary discoveries. A technical development that at an alarming rate shifts information from being sought by people, to people being sought by information.  This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

The mission over the last few decades, especially of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has focused on “confessionalism”. In this specific sense of mission growth—numeric growth— has been a priority, and, unfortunately, not caring for “broken” people. The emphasis has been placed on the age-old proclamation of the “truth”, at the expense of social involvement, as it seems that “truth” transcends the needs of people, even of Christians. This has led to the restricting of the scope of pastoral care, and has limited it to an “applied theology”, where the Old Testament and New Testament studies have dictated its structure and methodology. Within Adventism its view and use of Scripture has dominated its ministry, indicating a number of different methods and approaches. These differences in both the conservative and the liberal orientations only represent their own possibilities. These approaches are the result of a basic understanding of Scripture as a body of divine teachings that needs to be accepted, believed, and obeyed. Consequently, this perception has moved the focus away from caring to the “so-called” correct doctrine of “truth” and proclamation. Postmodernism, however, is challenging the assumptions of modernism and is now confronting us with the understanding that there is no “objective truth”, and that there cannot be a completely detached observer. We observe reality, experience and Scripture not objectively, but rather discern them through the eyes of our own context, experience and history. The thesis, therefore, postulates as useful, just and proper that we experience reality in a narrative fashion within a secular postmodern world. It is through stories that we grasp and appreciate the important factors in our lives. Consequently, a narrative approach is appraised as being a more meaningful tool in approaching Scripture and pastoral care. Narratives are like rituals, they preserve the memory of past events in a way that they still have power for us in the present. As Jesus is a servant of everybody His narratives are transposed and they become accounts of our involvement in the lives of our fellow “sufferers”. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

英國哲學家帕費特（Derek Parfit）在《理由與人格》（Reasons and Persons）中主張人格存活中重要的不是同一性，而是有正確原因的心理持續性與聯繫性（關係R）。這樣的化約主義式觀點，帕費特強調這不是西方國家才有的論點，他主張佛陀本來也會同意化約主義的觀點。佛陀「本來也會同意」的意思是指帕費特把佛陀所闡釋的無我思想視為比化約主義更極端的「消除式的化約主義」。在人格的本質上，帕費特反對笛卡兒的獨立精神實體，主張只有當我們是離開大腦、軀體以及各種心物理事件而單獨存在的實體，我們的同一性才是確定的。初期佛教為否定婆羅門教的「梵」，同樣是否定有常住、獨存的靈魂。在這相類似的理論基調上，是否真如帕費特所言佛教無我思想是「消除式的化約主義」的代表。又，帕費特這樣的主張是否顯現出其對佛教無我思想的理解與佛陀闡述的無我思想有所出入。這些問題將是本文所要釐清的重點。本論文的研究方向是從帕費特關於人格同一理論的化約主義式觀點切入，來審視佛陀無我思想。 / Derek Parfit in Reasons and Persons (1984) claims that in survival personal identity is not what matters, what matters is psychological connectedness and/or continuity with the right kind of cause (Relation R). He asserts this reductionist view of persons that Buddha would have agreed. It means that the Buddha’s view of persons is Eliminative reductionism. Regarding the nature of persons, Parfit denies the Cartesian View (a Cartesian Ego), he says that only if we are separately existing entities can it be true that our identity must be determinate. To against ‘Brahman’, Buddha denies a permanent, separately existing Self as well. The question arises at the gap between Buddha’s view of persons and Parfit’s so-called Eliminative Reductionism. This paper starts with Parfit’s Reductionist view of persons and discusses no-self theory in Early Buddhism.