Evagre le Pontique a exposé sa philosophie ascétique, centrée sur la notion d'une liste de vices à combattre et de vertus correspondantes, dans plusieurs traités, dont certains ont déjà fait l'objet d'éditions critiques. Le présent travail consiste en une introduction, une édition, et une traduction de deux textes occupant une place particulière dans l'œuvre d'Evagre. Le traité adressé au moine Euloge, et celui qui décrit les Vices opposés aux Vertus, qui apparaît comme un appendice au précédent dans une bonne partie de la tradition manuscrite, présente des spécificités en termes de style et de doctrine qui ont pu faire douter de son authenticité. Une étude approfondie des témoins manuscrits, à la fois de l'original grec et des différentes versions en langues orientales, syriaque, arabe, arménien, géorgien et éthiopien, qui en sont conservées, a permis de confirmer l'authenticité du traité et d'en établir un texte sûr. Ils ont en effet subi de nombreux aléas au cours de leur transmission; outre les dégâts matériels, les œuvres d'Evagre ont surtout circulé en grec sous le nom de Nil d'Ancyre, en raison de la condamnation qui a frappé Evagre, pour son Origénisme supposé, au concile de Constantinople II en 553. Le commentaire accompagnant l'édition permet d'évaluer la proximité de la pensée d'Evagre avec celle du docteur Alexandrin, ainsi que de mettre en lumière la genèse, l'expression et la postérité de la doctrine évagrienne par excellence, celle de la liste des vices, dans le contexte philosophique et ascétique où elle a pris naissance. / Evagrius Ponticus expounded his ascetic philosophy, centered on the notion of a list of vices and corresponding virtues, in several treatises, several of which have already been critically edited. The present work consists of an introduction, an edition, and a French translation of two texts which stand out, to a certain degree, within the Evagrian opus. The treatise addressed to the monk Eulogius, along with its appendix describing the Vices opposed to Virtues, which appears adjoined to the former in a majority of manuscripts, display stylistic and doctrinal characteristics which have often called its authenticity into question. A detailed study of the manuscript testimony, both of the Greek original and of the various oriental versions (Syriac, Arabic, Armenian, Georgian and Ethiopic), has allowed us to confirm the treatises' authenticity and to establish their text reliably, as it can be seen to have suffered considerable turmoil during its transmission. Aside from material damage, Evagrius' works, in the Greek medium, were mainly distributed under the name of Nilus of Ancyra, owing to Evagrius' condemnation for alleged Origenism, at the council of Constantinople II in 553. The accompanying commentary aims at addressing the proximity of Evagrian thought with the legacy of Origen, as well as highlighting the formation, formulation, and posterity of that most remarkable of Evagrian doctrines, the list of vices, and the philosophical and ascetic context wherein it originated.

O objetivo da pesquisa nesta dissertação foi a de dar a conhecer o conceito de generosidade demonstrado pelas crianças aos 6, 9 e 12 anos de idade, e as diferenças apresentadas entre as crianças da escola pública e particular. Através de entrevista clínica e aplicação de dilemas, foram submetidas 120 crianças: 20 em cada faixa etária para cada classe social, dividida entre os dois sexos. Os dados demonstraram que o conceito de generosidade forma-se precocemente nos indivíduos, e que maior clareza de sua definição cresce dos 06 aos 12 anos, contudo, não foram encontradas diferenças no desenvolvimento moral entre as crianças das duas classes. Outras virtudes, como a amizade e a fidelidade, surgiram nos inquéritos como vivencias intrinsecamente relacionadas à formação do conceito de generosidade. / The objective of this research was to know the concept of generosity demonstrated by children who were 6, 9 and 12 years old, and the differences presented between children from public and private schools. Through clinical research and dilemma presenting, 120 children were analyzed. They were divided in two society class groups, 20 in each age group and divided between the two genders. Data have demonstrated that the generosity concept is formed early in individuals, and that the definition gets clearer between the ages of 6 and 12.|There were no moral development differences between the two classes however. Other virtues, like friendship and loyalty appeared in questionnaires as experiences intrinsically related to the formation of the generosity concept.

Nos contextos de pesquisa sobre patrimônio imaterial da humanidade e sobre instituições educacionais e formação do indivíduo, e desejoso de contribuir com subsídios para a implementação da Lei 10.639/03, defino como objetivo da presente investigação verificar e descrever peculiaridades educacionais do iromb, rito de iniciação e passagem da adolescência para a vida adulta, praticado pelo grupo étnico wongo, da República Democrática do Congo (RDC). Enfatizo seu significado sóciocultural e o quadro de valores e virtudes por ele privilegiado. Os dados de pesquisa advêm de fontes bibliográficas e de fontes orais de informação. Os informantes foram entrevistados em Bandundu e Kinshasa, estados da RDC, por três pesquisadores a quem supervisionei via telefone, Internet e correio. Do vasto universo teórico utilizado para a análise e interpretação dos dados destaco a contribuição de Ki-zerbo (2006), Kisimba (1997), Kumarer (1979), Mudiji (1989), Mungala (1999), Martinez (1989), Hampaté Bâ (1982) e Vansina (1982). Tendo privilegiado o tema relativo ao significado sóciocultural do iromb e o quadro de valores e virtudes por ele privilegiado, concluo que esse rito de iniciação e passagem cumpre relevante papel na formação de indivíduos solidários e conscientes de seus deveres e direitos na coletividade por eles integrada. Ao nível individual o iromb pode ser visto como um conjunto de recursos que têm por finalidade orientar para o reconhecimento dos direitos e deveres de cada indivíduo em seu grupo; explicitar o status e os papéis que competem a cada um e, ainda, promover possibilidade de acesso a formas elevadas de espiritualidade e de criatividade. Ao nível grupal esse rito, realizado no interior de sociedades iniciáticas, promove um diálogo entre as forças do destino de cada um e as exigências da vida social, como se a sociedade tomasse em suas mãos os destinos individuais para melhor realização dos propósitos pessoais e coletivos. Caracterizado por um conjunto de procedimentos nos quais interagem o sagrado e o profano, o iromb visa assegurar unidade e continuidade ao grupo. / In the context of the researches about the immaterial heritage of the humanity and about educational institutions and individual formation, we would like to bring subsidies for the introduction of the brazilian law 10.639/03. The objective of this research is to verify and describe educational particularities of iromb, an initiation rite which is the passageway from teen to adult life practiced by the wongo ethnic group of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). I emphasize its socio-cultural meaning, the values and vertues priveleged by the wongo people. The data are from bibliographic and oral sources. Our informers were interviewed by three researchers by phone, internet and by mail in Bandundu and Kinshasa, states of DRC. From the big theoretical universe used for our analysis and interpretation of our data, I would like to point out the contributions of the following authors: Ki-zerbo (2006), Kisimba (1997), Kumarer (1979), Mudiji (1989), Mungala (1999), Martinez (1989), Hampaté Bâ (1982) and Vansina (1982). As I have privileged the topic about the socio-cultural rite of iromb and its board of values and virtues, I conclude that this initiation rite and passage hás a very important function in the formation of supportive individuals, conscious of their rights and duties in their community. At the individual level, iromb can be seen as a collection of resources which intend to advise people about the recognition of their rights and duties in their community; it intends also to make clearer the status and the role of each other and even, to promote possibilities to get access to high forms of spiritualism and creativity. At the group level, as this rite is realized into initiatory societies, it promotes a dialogue between individual destiny forces of each group member and the requirements of social life, as if the society had taken into its hands the individuals destiny to make better the individual and common intentions. Characterized by a collection of procedures in which the holy and the non-believer interact, the iromb rite intend to ensure unity and continuation to the wongo group.

Nos contextos de pesquisa sobre patrimônio imaterial da humanidade e sobre instituições educacionais e formação do indivíduo, e desejoso de contribuir com subsídios para a implementação da Lei 10.639/03, defino como objetivo da presente investigação verificar e descrever peculiaridades educacionais do iromb, rito de iniciação e passagem da adolescência para a vida adulta, praticado pelo grupo étnico wongo, da República Democrática do Congo (RDC). Enfatizo seu significado sóciocultural e o quadro de valores e virtudes por ele privilegiado. Os dados de pesquisa advêm de fontes bibliográficas e de fontes orais de informação. Os informantes foram entrevistados em Bandundu e Kinshasa, estados da RDC, por três pesquisadores a quem supervisionei via telefone, Internet e correio. Do vasto universo teórico utilizado para a análise e interpretação dos dados destaco a contribuição de Ki-zerbo (2006), Kisimba (1997), Kumarer (1979), Mudiji (1989), Mungala (1999), Martinez (1989), Hampaté Bâ (1982) e Vansina (1982). Tendo privilegiado o tema relativo ao significado sóciocultural do iromb e o quadro de valores e virtudes por ele privilegiado, concluo que esse rito de iniciação e passagem cumpre relevante papel na formação de indivíduos solidários e conscientes de seus deveres e direitos na coletividade por eles integrada. Ao nível individual o iromb pode ser visto como um conjunto de recursos que têm por finalidade orientar para o reconhecimento dos direitos e deveres de cada indivíduo em seu grupo; explicitar o status e os papéis que competem a cada um e, ainda, promover possibilidade de acesso a formas elevadas de espiritualidade e de criatividade. Ao nível grupal esse rito, realizado no interior de sociedades iniciáticas, promove um diálogo entre as forças do destino de cada um e as exigências da vida social, como se a sociedade tomasse em suas mãos os destinos individuais para melhor realização dos propósitos pessoais e coletivos. Caracterizado por um conjunto de procedimentos nos quais interagem o sagrado e o profano, o iromb visa assegurar unidade e continuidade ao grupo. / In the context of the researches about the immaterial heritage of the humanity and about educational institutions and individual formation, we would like to bring subsidies for the introduction of the brazilian law 10.639/03. The objective of this research is to verify and describe educational particularities of iromb, an initiation rite which is the passageway from teen to adult life practiced by the wongo ethnic group of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). I emphasize its socio-cultural meaning, the values and vertues priveleged by the wongo people. The data are from bibliographic and oral sources. Our informers were interviewed by three researchers by phone, internet and by mail in Bandundu and Kinshasa, states of DRC. From the big theoretical universe used for our analysis and interpretation of our data, I would like to point out the contributions of the following authors: Ki-zerbo (2006), Kisimba (1997), Kumarer (1979), Mudiji (1989), Mungala (1999), Martinez (1989), Hampaté Bâ (1982) and Vansina (1982). As I have privileged the topic about the socio-cultural rite of iromb and its board of values and virtues, I conclude that this initiation rite and passage hás a very important function in the formation of supportive individuals, conscious of their rights and duties in their community. At the individual level, iromb can be seen as a collection of resources which intend to advise people about the recognition of their rights and duties in their community; it intends also to make clearer the status and the role of each other and even, to promote possibilities to get access to high forms of spiritualism and creativity. At the group level, as this rite is realized into initiatory societies, it promotes a dialogue between individual destiny forces of each group member and the requirements of social life, as if the society had taken into its hands the individuals destiny to make better the individual and common intentions. Characterized by a collection of procedures in which the holy and the non-believer interact, the iromb rite intend to ensure unity and continuation to the wongo group.

To explore relational processes of couple’s satisfaction this study drew on the relational spirituality framework (Mahoney, 2010) in order to test a relational religiosity model to evaluate the effects of public, private, ideological, intellectual, and experiential religiosity that were mediated by relational virtues of commitment, sacrifice, forgiveness, and sanctification and relational equality on couple’s satisfaction in two cultures. Data for this component used convenience samples of English-speaking respondents (hereafter American sample; n = 1,529) and Russian-speaking respondents (hereafter Russian sample; n = 529). Results provided evidence to partially support relational religiosity model; specifically commitment, while a statistically significant intervening element, worked alongside other relational virtues such as (a) sanctification, as hypothesized, to positively mediate the indirect effect of ideological religiosity on couple’s satisfaction for the American men, (β = .17, 95% BCa CI [.11, .24], p < .001); (b) sanctification, as hypothesized, to positively mediate the indirect effect of experiential religiosity for the Russian men (β = .39, 95% BCa CI [.12, .65], p = .002); and (c) sacrifice and forgiveness, contrary to the hypotheses, to negatively mediate the indirect (β = -.20, 95% BCa CI [-.35, -.06], p = .005) and total (β = -.27, 95% BCa CI [-.43, -.12], p = .001) effects of ideological religiosity on couple’s satisfaction among Russian women. The second approach to this topic followed the family systems perspective, to examine the effect of religiosity on respondents’ own and their partners’ satisfaction with the relationship via the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006). This dyadic approach used samples of 435 American couples (n = 870) and 129 Russian couples (n = 258). The results provided evidence to support an actor effect of husbands’ religiosity on their own couple’s satisfaction for the American (t = 2.00, p = .046, β = .15, 95% CI [.01, .29]) and Russian (t = 3.65, p < .001, β = .45, 95% CI [.21, .70]) husbands. Moreover, APIM testing provided sufficient evidence to support a positive partner effect in that husband’s religiosity predicted their wives’ satisfaction with the relationship in the American (t = 2.06, p = .041, β = .17, 95% CI [.01, .33]) and Russian (t = 2.77, p = .006, β = .37, 95% CI [.11, .64]) couples. The parallels between the cultures strongly resembled existing cross-cultural dyadic scholarship providing compelling evidence to support cultural similarities rather than differences and suggesting that cross-cultural relational dissimilarities might not exist in the ways religiosity is linked to couple’s satisfaction; however, the differences between male and female respondents in each culture might be worth studying further. Additionally, this dissertation’s results and scholarship mentioned above reveal that religiosity and couple’s satisfaction may be indifferent to cultural variations suggesting these phenomena may be universal rather than culture-specific. Outcomes of this dissertation may benefit researchers, educators, policy makers, and practitioners who are interested in relationship virtues and religiosity's effect on couple’s satisfaction, which is known to provide a positive connection to the psychological, social, physical, and spiritual well-being of couples.

A proposition ontology occupies a potentially rich and foundational place in a good deal of contemporary philosophical theorizing. Some of the biggest roadblocks to a wider acceptance and employment of propositions have been legitimate worries about their nature, or ontological "explanatory" power of theories that employ them. This dissertation attempts to understand and construct a deflationary or minimalist understanding of the notion of a proposition and its theoretical roles. On the basis of this understanding, following Stephen Schiffer (2003), I attempt to construct an ontology of propositions -focusing on general propositions- which avoids or dissolves the most pressing worries about their ontological nature, and the epistemological and explanatory statuses of propositions. In chapter one, I discuss the primary theoretical motivations for positing propositions, and argue for a general set of ontological constraints that fall out of a consideration of entities posited according to these motivations. In chapter two, after arguing that propositions are substantially ontologically independent of mind and language, I argue that propositions are conceptually mind- dependent, but that conceptual dependence of this kind does not amount to any sort of ontological dependence. In chapter three, drawing heavily on the work of Stephen Schiffer (2003), I substantially address the epistemological worries about propositions, arguing that propositions are pleonastic entities whose natures and existence we can know simply by reflecting on our proposition- introducing linguistic practices. In chapter four, I argue that propositions may or may not, in virtue of their status as pleonastic entities, play any substantial explanatory role, but that by utilizing the notion of a proposition, which, according to the pleonastic conception of them, guarantees their existence independent of our practices, is useful and perhaps indispensable to certain of our communicative and epistemic practices. Our propositional linguistic practices, involving essentially our reference to propositions, are thus pragmatically justified.

The purpose of this study is to find the virtue ethics John Bunyan presents in Pilgrim´s Progress part 1, compared with the virtues Max Weber presents, and then try Weber´s theory on the empirical data, Pilgrim´s Progress. When I compare the virtues in Weber´s theory with the virtues in Pilgrim´s Progress, I interpret Weber´s theory as limited. From Weber´s theory emerges the puritan virtues: fulfillment of duty, struggle, self-control and live simply. He also mentions gratitude to God and helpfulness to other people, but this is shown through work in the society. These virtues can also be found in Pilgrim´s Progress. The fulfillment of duty in Weber´s theory is mainly focused on work-ethic, while I interpret the fulfillment of duty in Pilgrim´s Progress more focused on the struggle with the Belief in God. The virtues self-control and to live simply is clearly seen in both sources, which strengthens this part of Weber´s theory. The most interesting thing is that I found several virtues in Pilgrim´s Progress, which Weber did not attributed any significant. These are: forgiveness, help, spiritual communion, and gratitude to God.

This essay aims to examine Martha Nussbaum's proposal for a classical defense of reform in liberal education and her critique of utility thinking in higher education. I want to explore how Nussbaum uses history to create an ethical alternative that cultivates both moral and intellectual virtues, which she considers to be crucial for the survival of democracy. In examining Nussbaum's use of Aristotle, I focus on her work as a proposal for institutional implementation of an Aristotelian epistemology and the cultivation of the individual as an ethical political subject. This study highlights the epistemological, educational and political ideas that form the basis of Nussbaum's ideals. I intend, however, to go beyond a contextualizing reading and thus establish a dialogue with a radical intersubjectivity to respond to Nussbaum's ambitions to recognize human vulnerabilities as assets for reason. From this perspective, I problematise Nussbaum's aspirations for reform and argue that she maintains a loyalty to an ideal that stands in contrast to the possibilities for epistemological and thus ethical political change.

Disertacija skirta geriausio paaiškinimo išvedimo (GPI) analizei. Pirma, tyrimas eksplikuoja, kas yra GPI, ką žymi sąvoka aiškinamoji galia. Antra, tyrimas įvertina GPI pretenzijų į tiesą apginamumą – ar teisinga yra hipotezė, jeigu ji yra geriausias tam tikro reiškinio paaiškinimas. GPI skleidžiamas kaip materialaus samprotavimo forma, kuri priskiria teisingumą toms hipotezėms, kurios tarp savo varžovių pasižymi aukščiausiu aiškinamųjų veiksnių laipsniu: mažiausiai prieštarauja pripažintam žinojimui, unifikuoja svarbiausius reiškinius, yra giliausias paaiškinimas ir yra paprasčiausias paaiškinimas. Kritikuojamas tikimybinis požiūris į GPI. Išskiriami ir aprašomi keturi literatūroje randami GPI kaip vedančio į tiesą pagrindimo būdai: patikimumo-koherentinis, evoliucinis, tikimybinis bei empirinis-istorinis. Teigiama, kad nors GPI padeda įvertinti paaiškinimų tikimybių pasiskirstymą ir yra plačiai paplitusi praktika, dėl prastos atrankos argumento, galimo aiškinamųjų veiksnių nebendramatiškumo, pesimistinės indukcijos argumento ir argumento „atsarga gėdos nedaro“ žinomi GPI kaip vedančio į tiesą pagrindimo būdai nėra pakankami – GPI išvadų teisingumas yra atsitiktinis. / The dissertation analyses inference to the best explanation (IBE). Firstly, the thesis explicates the concept of IBE, it analyzes what does the concept of explanatory power stands for. Secondly, the thesis evaluates the tenability of the truth aspirations of IBE, it analyzes to what extent a hypothesis can be claimed to be true, given that it is the best explanation for some phenomenon of interest. IBE is explicated as a form of material inference that ascribes truth to the hypothesis that has the highest degree of explanatory virtues among its competitors: is the most consistent with approved background knowledge, unifies the most the relevant phenomena, is the deepest explanation and is the most simple explanation. Probabilistic approaches to IBE are criticized. Four basic ways of justification of the truth-conduciveness of IBE that can be discerned in the literature are described: reliabilist-coherentist, evolutionary, probabilistic and empirical-historical. The thesis concludes that while IBE could facilitate the determination of probability distributions and is a wide psychological practice, due to the bad lot argument, possible incommensurability of explanatory virtues, pessimistic induction and better safe than sorry beliefs all the four ways of justification of IBE in terms of truth-conduciveness cannot be taken for granted which leaves IBE only accidentally valid.

The dissertation analyses inference to the best explanation (IBE). Firstly, the thesis explicates the concept of IBE, it analyzes what does the concept of explanatory power stands for. Secondly, the thesis evaluates the tenability of the truth aspirations of IBE, it analyzes to what extent a hypothesis can be claimed to be true, given that it is the best explanation for some phenomenon of interest. IBE is explicated as a form of material inference that ascribes truth to the hypothesis that has the highest degree of explanatory virtues among its competitors: is the most consistent with approved background knowledge, unifies the most the relevant phenomena, is the deepest explanation and is the most simple explanation. Probabilistic approaches to IBE are criticized. Four basic ways of justification of the truth-conduciveness of IBE that can be discerned in the literature are described: reliabilist-coherentist, evolutionary, probabilistic and empirical-historical. The thesis concludes that while IBE could facilitate the determination of probability distributions and is a wide psychological practice, due to the bad lot argument, possible incommensurability of explanatory virtues, pessimistic induction and better safe than sorry beliefs all the four ways of justification of IBE in terms of truth-conduciveness cannot be taken for granted which leaves IBE only accidentally valid. / Disertacija skirta geriausio paaiškinimo išvedimo (GPI) analizei. Pirma, tyrimas eksplikuoja, kas yra GPI, ką žymi sąvoka aiškinamoji galia. Antra, tyrimas įvertina GPI pretenzijų į tiesą apginamumą – ar teisinga yra hipotezė, jeigu ji yra geriausias tam tikro reiškinio paaiškinimas. GPI skleidžiamas kaip materialaus samprotavimo forma, kuri priskiria teisingumą toms hipotezėms, kurios tarp savo varžovių pasižymi aukščiausiu aiškinamųjų veiksnių laipsniu: mažiausiai prieštarauja pripažintam žinojimui, unifikuoja svarbiausius reiškinius, yra giliausias paaiškinimas ir yra paprasčiausias paaiškinimas. Kritikuojamas tikimybinis požiūris į GPI. Išskiriami ir aprašomi keturi literatūroje randami GPI kaip vedančio į tiesą pagrindimo būdai: patikimumo-koherentinis, evoliucinis, tikimybinis bei empirinis-istorinis. Teigiama, kad nors GPI padeda įvertinti paaiškinimų tikimybių pasiskirstymą ir yra plačiai paplitusi praktika, dėl prastos atrankos argumento, galimo aiškinamųjų veiksnių nebendramatiškumo, pesimistinės indukcijos argumento ir argumento „atsarga gėdos nedaro“ žinomi GPI kaip vedančio į tiesą pagrindimo būdai nėra pakankami – GPI išvadų teisingumas yra atsitiktinis.