A presente pesquisa tem o objetivo de estudar os princípios de investigação dos seres vivos tendo como parâmetro a concepção hilemórfica dos entes naturais em Aristóteles. Para tanto, em primeiro lugar, analisaremos o hilemorfismo tal como exposto no Livro II da Física, a fim de investigarmos a doutrina da matéria e forma, no contexto em que ela desempenha um papel fundamental para a elaboração de uma concepção que é capaz de mostrar os modos pelos quais os entes se constituem na natureza. Em segundo lugar, examinaremos os princípios de investigação dos seres vivos no Livro I das Partes dos Animais, de modo a identificar os fundamentos conceituais nos quais ele se sustenta. Assim, veremos em que medida a doutrina da matéria e forma desempenha uma função determinante na análise relativa aos organismos vivos. / The present research aims to study the principles of investigation of living beings, from hylemorphic conception as a parameter of explanation of natural beings in Aristotle. To do so, first, well analyze the hylemorphism as set out in Book II of Physics in order to investigate the doctrine of matter and form, in which it plays a key role in the development of a conception that is able to show the ways in which beings are formed in nature. Second, well examine the principles of living beings in Book I of the Part of Animals, in order to identify the conceptual foundations on which it holds. So we\'ll see how far the doctrine of matter and form plays a decisive role in the analysis relating to living organisms.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:16:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos A Bossolani.pdf: 436472 bytes, checksum: d76c74580a30bb37723d40125c9e664b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-09 / The main motivation of this work was the growing popularization, among scientists, of a theory which asserts that the biological evolution may be guided by the cultural evolution. Known as the Baldwin Effect, it asserts that when things to be learned become relatively fixed, this creates an evolutionary pressure for those things to be incorporated genetically, by natural selection. The work started with the verification that there are several occurrences of an effect similar to the Baldwin Effect, where one, more flexible, evolutionary level guides the evolution of another level, less flexible. The problem approached by the research was the inexistence of a single explanation for these several occurrences. Of theses occurrences, the evolution of software was taken as the work s object of studies. Its teleological aspect can be more clearly appreciated by observing that the evolution of the programming languages is guided by the evolution of the programs, and that every program is written using a programming language. Since programs change more quickly as the languages, those more successful tend to be incorporated or to determine which characteristics should be present in the next generation of languages, guiding, in this manner, their evolution. Given the relationship between software and language, the main objective of the work is to demonstrate that the teleological aspect of the software evolution originate, mainly, from the role played by semiosis in it. Bibliographical research is used as the methodology of work, and the theoretical background used is Semiotics and other elements of Peirce s evolutionary philosophy. The work presents, at first, the theoretical foundations, explaining how evolution corresponds to the action of sign and why this process is teleological. Next, it approaches the software evolution presenting situations where this can be observed. By pointing a concrete situation where evolution is guided, and by demonstrating what this is caused by the action of sign, the work has contributed to the area of communication and semiotics in two manners: it makes evident the relationship between computation and semiosis and argues in favor of the importance of the sign action in evolution, calling attention to its teleological aspect / A motivação principal da presente dissertação foi a crescente popularização, entre os cientistas, de uma teoria de que a evolução biológica pode ser guiada pela evolução cultural. Conhecida como efeito Baldwin, ela afirma que, quando as coisas a serem aprendidas se tornam relativamente fixas, cria-se uma pressão evolutiva para que elas sejam incorporadas geneticamente, via seleção natural. O trabalho partiu da constatação de que existem diversas ocorrências de um efeito similar ao efeito Baldwin, nas quais um nível evolutivo mais flexível guia a evolução de outro nível, menos flexível. O problema abordado pela pesquisa é a inexistência de uma explicação única para essas diversas ocorrências. Dessas ocorrências, a evolução do software foi adotada como objeto de estudos do trabalho. Seu aspecto teleológico pode ser mais claramente apreciado ao se observar que a evolução das linguagens de programação é guiada pela evolução dos programas, e que todo programa é escrito utilizando uma linguagem de programação. Como os programas mudam mais rapidamente do que as linguagens, os mais bem sucedidos tendem a ser incorporados ou determinar que características devem estar presentes na próxima geração de linguagens, guiando assim sua evolução. Diante da relação entre software e linguagem, o principal objetivo do trabalho é demonstrar que o aspecto teleológico da evolução do software decorre, principalmente, do papel que a semiose exerce nela. A pesquisa bibliográfica é utilizada como metodologia de trabalho, e é adotada como base teórica a semiótica e outros elementos da filosofia evolucionista de Peirce. O trabalho apresenta, primeiramente, os fundamentos teóricos, explicando como a evolução corresponde à ação do signo e porque esse processo é teleológico. Em seguida, aborda a evolução do software apresentando situações nas quais isso pode ser observado. Ao apontar uma situação concreta na qual a evolução é guiada e ao demonstrar que isso se deve à ação do signo, o trabalho contribui para a área de comunicação e semiótica de duas maneiras: evidencia a relação entre computação e semiose e argumenta em favor da importância da ação do signo na evolução, chamando a atenção para o seu aspecto teleológico

Este trabalho apresenta o argumento que Tomás de Aquino (1225-1274) oferece como a quinta das vias para demonstrar a existência de Deus na Suma de Teologia. O foco desta apresentação não é explorar o contexto histórico em que o argumento se originou, nem examinar as fontes gregas, latinas e islâmicas sobre as quais Tomás teria se baseado, mas sim analisar a possibilidade de sustentá-lo de modo atemporal como um argumento plausível a favor da existência de Deus. Minha intenção é oferecer boas razões em seu favor e rebater as objeções mais notórias em contrário, apontando os limites explicativos do argumento e oferecendo sugestões para fortalecê-lo. Inicio distinguindo diferentes tipos de teleologia e de argumentos teleológicos pela existência de Deus, comparando a quinta via com os demais argumentos teleológicos de Tomás e com o argumento de William Paley pelo projeto inteligente (Intelligent Design). Em seguida, passo à análise da própria via, mostrando evidências das inclinações e tendências a fins a que Tomás faz referência e tratando das teses metafísicas que defende a partir da observação destas inclinações. Também ofereço respostas às objeções que pretendem que esta teleologia seja redutível a leis de natureza ou ao acaso. No último capítulo, considero a segunda parte da quinta via, que afirma que tais inclinações em direção a fins dependem em última instância de uma inteligência ordenadora que seria Deus. Analisando, ao fim, em que medida procedem as objeções de que esta conclusão não passa de um antropomorfismo injustificado e de que Tomás vai além do que lhe permite a conclusão ao considerar que esta inteligência é Deus. / This work presents the argument Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) offers as the fifth of his ways to demonstrate the existence of God in the Summa Theologiae. The main point of this presentation is not to explore the historical context in which the argument was written, neither to examine the Greek, Latin and Islamic sources upon which Thomas could have based himself, but rather to analyze the possibility of sustaining it timelessly as a plausible argument in favor of God’s existence. My purpose is to offer good reasons in its favor and to rebut the most notorious objections against it, pointing out the explanatory limits of the argument, and providing suggestions to strengthen it. I start by distinguishing different sorts of teleology and of teleological arguments for the existence of God, then I compare the Fifth Way with others teleological arguments formulated by Thomas and with the argument of William Paley for the “inteligente design” hypothesis. I also analyze the way itself, pointing out evidences for the inclinations and tendencies towards ends that Thomas refers to, also dealing with the metaphysical theses that Thomas defends based on the observation of these inclinations. Moreover, I offer answers to objections that intend to reduce teleology to laws of nature or to chance. In the last chapter, I consider the second part of Fifth Way, which affirms that those inclinations towards ends ultimately depend on an ordering intelligence that would be God. Lastly, I examine to what extent are valid the objections that claim this conclusion is simply an unjustified anthropomorphism and that Thomas goes beyond what his conclusion allows him when he takes this intelligence to be God.

<p>Keywords: Immanuel Kant (</p><p>narratives in European naturalism and political anatomy. Yet the concept surfaces in gender historical research on the period in foot notes and cursory remarks. This paper interrogates why epigenesis has been eradicated from the historical consciousness of today’s scholarship on gender politics. By honing in on the weirdness, a term borrowed from Lorraine Daston, in and of Immanuel Kant’s (1724-1804) theory on animal generation I show how an alertness it requires a re-evaluation of views on "political anatomy" taken-for-granted in scholarship, but also of Kant’s philosophy itself. The endeavour is divided into three main sections.</p><p>In the first, I situate the failure of Kant-scholars to, in the words of John H. Zammito, "stabilize" epigenesis by exploring the hitherto unacknowledged peculiarity of Kant’s use racial hybridity to ‘prove’ the theory. In the second, the analysis departs from the notion ‘modern sex difference’ and show that a reading of epigenesis requires a re-thinking of sexed bodily identity in terms of conflict and contradiction. The third section reads this strife in light of Kant’s experience of "astonishment", a cognitive mode, I argue, designed to resolve both physiological and ideological inconsistencies. The antinomy of sex differentiation is in a concluding section juxtaposed with Kant’s phrase "eloquent speechlessness" in which the gender practice activated in the writing of, about, and on epigenesis is compared to the structure informing moral philosophy’s definition of lies.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The notion of the organism has a somewhat ambiguous status in Kant’s philosophy. On the one hand it belongs to natural science, on the other hand it is based on an analogy with the structure of reason. Biology therefore has a peculiar place among the sciences according to Kant: it is a natural science constituted by the use of a regulative maxim. The present study places Kant’s views on biological teleology in the larger context of transcendental idealism. It consists of five essays. The first one treats the notions of things in themselves and appearances, arguing for an interpretation in terms of two aspects or perspectives rather than two worlds. The importance of the discursivity of our cognitive capacity is stressed, as well as the need to separate Kant’s various reflective perspectives. In the second essay this interpretation is applied to the third section of the Groundwork, arguing that this text does not belong to theoretical metaphysics, but rather to the articulation of a specifically practical perspective. The third essay discusses similarities and differences between Kant’s a priori conditions for cognition and conceptions of innate ideas in the rationalist tradition. Kant’s comparison of the system of categories with the biological theory of epigenesis is considered in connection to eighteenth century theories of generation. The comparison is viewed as an analogy rather than as a naturalistic theory of the a priori. In the fourth essay Kant’s account of functional attribution in biology is explicated in the context of the present day debate of the issue. It is claimed that Kant’s neo-Aristotelian approach avoids some of the difficulties in the dominant naturalistic accounts of today. Kant’s view differs from the Aristotelian in that it involves a distinction of levels, making it possible to take functional attributions on the one hand as objective from the standpoint of biology but on the other hand as having a merely regulative status from a philosophical point of view. In the fifth essay an interpretation of the antinomy of teleological judgment in the Critique of Judgment is offered. The antinomy is taken to consist in the dialectical tendency to treat the regulative maxims of teleology and mechanism as constitutive principles. The difference between the discursivity of the human understanding and the idea of a non-discursive understanding, an important theme in Kant’s solution of the antinomy, puts the question of biological teleology in relation to central tenets of transcendental idealism.

Keywords: Immanuel Kant ( narratives in European naturalism and political anatomy. Yet the concept surfaces in gender historical research on the period in foot notes and cursory remarks. This paper interrogates why epigenesis has been eradicated from the historical consciousness of today’s scholarship on gender politics. By honing in on the weirdness, a term borrowed from Lorraine Daston, in and of Immanuel Kant’s (1724-1804) theory on animal generation I show how an alertness it requires a re-evaluation of views on "political anatomy" taken-for-granted in scholarship, but also of Kant’s philosophy itself. The endeavour is divided into three main sections. In the first, I situate the failure of Kant-scholars to, in the words of John H. Zammito, "stabilize" epigenesis by exploring the hitherto unacknowledged peculiarity of Kant’s use racial hybridity to ‘prove’ the theory. In the second, the analysis departs from the notion ‘modern sex difference’ and show that a reading of epigenesis requires a re-thinking of sexed bodily identity in terms of conflict and contradiction. The third section reads this strife in light of Kant’s experience of "astonishment", a cognitive mode, I argue, designed to resolve both physiological and ideological inconsistencies. The antinomy of sex differentiation is in a concluding section juxtaposed with Kant’s phrase "eloquent speechlessness" in which the gender practice activated in the writing of, about, and on epigenesis is compared to the structure informing moral philosophy’s definition of lies.

The aim of this study is to make an inquiry on the nature and the development of dualities in Bergson&rsquo / s philosophy. Since the nature of each duality differs from the others and the dualistic pattern inherent in Bergsonian philosophy is subject to change, we base our study on a chronological structure in order to comprehend better how this pattern changes. We claim that such an inquiry will yield relevant outcomes with regard to ontological and epistemological evolution of Bergson&rsquo / s thought. To state more precisely, we are of the idea that the modification in the dualistic pattern in Bergson&rsquo / s ontology is reflected in a parallel manner in his epistemology. The fundamental question that shows us the way to follow in our study is whether the elements of the dualities (whether they be ontological or epistemological) are reconciled by Bergson or they are left as absolutely distinct elements. At the end of the inquiry regarding that question, which we believe can be taken as an inspiring point in developing new approaches especially to epistemological problems, our conviction is that Bergson points out to a meeting point.

Due to the fact that Scripture is the authoritative Word of God (Belgic Confession. Article 5), the infallible written Word of God. is and stays the basis for Christian ethics. Scripture is not just another single source for Christian ethics among other sources, but it is the decisive source among all other sources. The question then arises - how is it possible in the ever-changing life situation of the modem day context of society? In an ever increasing secularized society places the Christian life and also the Christian ethics under more pressure. The acceptance of the authority of Scripture is therefore indispensable for Christian ethics. Scripture does however not present a text as an absolute answer for every possible or similar ethical problem. The deep-seated principles of Scripture must be exposed. From these principles norms should be derived that is applicable to the modem problem. The problem statement that follows from this culminates as the following: Can a thematic analysis of the Biblical dogma present a fundamental working foundation for Christian ethics in modem day society and serve as a corrective for the problematic approaches of a biblicistic as well as an over critical view of Scripture for the basis of ethics? The central theoretical argument of the study is the following: A thematic analysis of the Biblical dogma can indeed present a fundamental, working foundation for Christian ethics in modem day society and can serve as a corrective for the problematic approaches of a biblicistic as well as an over critical view of Scripture for the basis of ethics. In the second chapter the definitions of what could be defined as Christian ethical perspectives and principles is examined. In other words, the purpose of the chapter is to examine and to give a broad overview of the understanding of ethics, morality, morals etc. The qualified deontological approach is chosen due to the fact that normative approach with its focus on Scripture as authoritative therein plays a big role. The third chapter focuses on which view of Scripture and use of Scripture is normally applied in Reformed ethics in the use or interpretation of Scripture. Special attention is given to the authority of Scripture, view of Scripture and an attempt is made to convey the hermeneutical points of departure (axioms) in order to derive an intra-biblical use of Scripture. The chapter comes to the conclusion that even though the Christian ethicist does have in theory at his disposal a biblical-founded hermeneutical model it does not safeguard him against a faulty use or interpretation of Scripture in practice in the fourth chapter the present-day Scriptural principles that serves as basis and cadre for the interpretation of Scripture in light of the answering of Christian ethical questions is examined. In light of the present-day situation seems that although there is a sound hermeneutical axiom that serves as filters in the interpretation of Scripture in the reformed ethics, in practice either a biblicistic or a Criticism of Scripture approach to Scripture is chosen. The approaches of the fundamentalistic/biblicistic and Criticism of Scripture is examined and m e s to the conclusion that both, in their own way, does bring the authority and the message of Scripture in disrepute. In the event of the fundamentalistic and biblicistic approach the divine inspiration character of Scripture is overemphasized and all Scriptural Utterances is treated on the same level to such an instance that everything is sanctioned. In the event of the Criticism of Scripture the human fallible character is again overemphasized to the extent that the normative authority of Scripture for Christian ethics is not taken into account . The chapter comes to the conclusion mat a "third way” must be examined to circumvent the many pitfalls of either a fundamentalistic/biblicistic of Criticism of Scripture in the interpretation of Scripture in light of a modem day ethical problem. In the fifth chapter an adjudication and evaluation of the quality of the use or Interpretation of Scripture in light of capital punishment within the biblical view of a right to life is given as a representative of modem day ethical problems. In light of the principles given in Chapter 3 and 4 it is shown that Scripture is most often misused despite fair hermeneutical principles Only to reflect the ethicist own preconceived ideas. The last chapter indicates an approach that might possibly serve as an alternative/valid use or interpretation of Scripture in reformed ethics other than a typical biblicistic/fundamentalistic or Criticism of Scripture approach. The chapter draws to the conclusion that the contextual-paradigmatic approach is at this time the only capable approach of acknowledging the proper interpretation of Scripture to shed some light on the ethical problems of modem day society, without stepping into the boundaries of either a biblicistic/fundamentalistic of Criticism of Scripture interpretation of Scripture. The contextual-paradigmatic approach succeeds in preventing the ethicist to misinterpret Biblical texts that seems to be of importance to the debate of capital punishment and to make a scientific contribution lo important debates in South Africa today, especially those related to the interpretation of the Bible and its use in the development of South Africa. In this way an attempt is made to contribute towards and to provide guidelines for a healthy and responsible society and for the functioning of Christians within the current South African state. The message of the Bible must thus be established in a responsible and valid way, and communicated effectively to society. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Este trabalho apresenta o argumento que Tomás de Aquino (1225-1274) oferece como a quinta das vias para demonstrar a existência de Deus na Suma de Teologia. O foco desta apresentação não é explorar o contexto histórico em que o argumento se originou, nem examinar as fontes gregas, latinas e islâmicas sobre as quais Tomás teria se baseado, mas sim analisar a possibilidade de sustentá-lo de modo atemporal como um argumento plausível a favor da existência de Deus. Minha intenção é oferecer boas razões em seu favor e rebater as objeções mais notórias em contrário, apontando os limites explicativos do argumento e oferecendo sugestões para fortalecê-lo. Inicio distinguindo diferentes tipos de teleologia e de argumentos teleológicos pela existência de Deus, comparando a quinta via com os demais argumentos teleológicos de Tomás e com o argumento de William Paley pelo projeto inteligente (Intelligent Design). Em seguida, passo à análise da própria via, mostrando evidências das inclinações e tendências a fins a que Tomás faz referência e tratando das teses metafísicas que defende a partir da observação destas inclinações. Também ofereço respostas às objeções que pretendem que esta teleologia seja redutível a leis de natureza ou ao acaso. No último capítulo, considero a segunda parte da quinta via, que afirma que tais inclinações em direção a fins dependem em última instância de uma inteligência ordenadora que seria Deus. Analisando, ao fim, em que medida procedem as objeções de que esta conclusão não passa de um antropomorfismo injustificado e de que Tomás vai além do que lhe permite a conclusão ao considerar que esta inteligência é Deus. / This work presents the argument Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) offers as the fifth of his ways to demonstrate the existence of God in the Summa Theologiae. The main point of this presentation is not to explore the historical context in which the argument was written, neither to examine the Greek, Latin and Islamic sources upon which Thomas could have based himself, but rather to analyze the possibility of sustaining it timelessly as a plausible argument in favor of God’s existence. My purpose is to offer good reasons in its favor and to rebut the most notorious objections against it, pointing out the explanatory limits of the argument, and providing suggestions to strengthen it. I start by distinguishing different sorts of teleology and of teleological arguments for the existence of God, then I compare the Fifth Way with others teleological arguments formulated by Thomas and with the argument of William Paley for the “intelligent design” hypothesis . I also analyze the way itself, pointing out evidences for the inclinations and tendencies towards ends that Thomas refers to, also dealing with the metaphysical theses that Thomas defends based on the observation of these inclinations. Moreover, I offer answers to objections that intend to reduce teleology to laws of nature or to chance. In the last chapter, I consider the second part of Fifth Way, which affirms that those inclinations towards ends ultimately depend on an ordering intelligence that would be God. Lastly, I examine to what extent are valid the objections that claim this conclusion is simply an unjustified anthropomorphism and that Thomas goes beyond what his conclusion allows him when he takes this intelligence to be God.