DA - Filosofía y Letras - Tesis doctorales
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10171/5049
See
2 results
Results
- Human cognitive abilities in the lower paleolithic. The role of material culture in human evolution(2018-05-05) Byrne, B. (Beatriz); Güell-Pelayo, F. (Francisco); Murillo, J.I. (José Ignacio)Developments in Experimental and Cognitive Archaeology in the last two decades, together with those of Comparative Psychology and Cognitive Psychology, have allowed us to determine and understand in more detail how the mind of hominids worked from the beginning of human evolution. Experimental and Cognitive Archaeology have made it possible to know in detail the manufacturing processes of stone tools, the only type of material capable of surviving the passing of time, as well as the cognitive abilities necessary for their manufacture. Wider and deeper research into the behaviour of great primates both in the wild and in captivity have allowed a better and more detailed understanding of their cognitive abilities. While all approaches recognize the existence of qualitative or quantitative limits in the cognitive abilities of great apes with respect to humans there is a lack of agreement about which of those abilities make us really human and when they appear. This is partly due to lack of understanding about the nature of cognition. The present study applies the findings of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, interpreted by Leonardo Polo, on human and animal cognition to the manufacturing and use of Paleolithic stone tools, including the oldest ones from the Lower Paleolithic, in order to determine the type of cognitive abilities required for their manufacture. Special attention is given to the oldest stone tools dating from 3.3 to 2.34 million years ago. It specifically focuses on the necessary use of abstract thinking, as well as on practical reason or the faculty of means and not only the use of the collatio sensibilis or sensitive comparison of Thomas Aquinas.
- A theoretical analysis of society and the common good in Aristotelian tradition and modern liberalism ethos(Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Navarra (Publicaciones digitales del GRISO), 2012) Njenga, G.N. (George Ngethe); Alvira, R. (Rafael)This thesis is an attempt at renegotiating and deliberating on the principles of modern liberalism, capitalism and democracy from the perspective of the Aristotelian common good of society. Those who govern, judge and make laws play a fundamental role in ensuring and preserving the common good of society. The philosophies underlying human societies and institutions at the beginning of the 21st century largely describe themselves as liberalists, republican, democrat, capitalist or socialist. These form the predominant philosophies since the ‘iron curtain’ fell in 1989. However, strife and conflict still underlie the apparent social cohesion in western society. Capitalism distinguishes itself in difference, conflict, and caprice. Social institutions and ideas are relative but jealously guarded. Each powerful rival interest seeks social cooperation without any metaphysical, philosophical, or religious presuppositions. In the fierce competition for markets, technological advancement and complexity in military warfare, there is a constant fear that capitalism may progress towards the tyranny of the mighty. On the strength of Aristotle’s Politics, we renew the call to civic humanism, which questions the predominance of western individualism, capitalism, liberalism and democracy and their predominant philosophies.