A neo-aristotelian perspective on the need for artificial moral agents (AMAs)

We examine Van Wynsberghe and Robbins (JAMA 25:719-735, 2019) critique of the need for Artifcial Moral Agents (AMAs) and its rebuttal by Formosa and Ryan (JAMA 10.1007/s00146-020-01089-6, 2020) set against a neo-Aristotelian ethical background. Neither Van Wynsberghe and Robbins (JAMA 25:719-735, 2019) essay nor Formosa and Ryan’s (JAMA 10.1007/s00146-020-01089-6, 2020) is explicitly framed within the teachings of a specifc ethical school. The former appeals to the lack of “both empirical and intuitive support” (Van Wynsberghe and Robbins 2019, p. 721) for AMAs, and the latter opts for “argumentative breadth over depth”, meaning to provide “the essential groundwork for making an all things considered judgment regarding the moral case for building AMAs” (Formosa and Ryan 2019, pp. 1–2). Although this strategy may beneft their acceptability, it may also detract from their ethical rootedness, coherence, and persuasiveness, characteristics often associated with consolidated ethical traditions. Neo-Aristotelian ethics, backed by a distinctive philosophical anthropology and worldview, is summoned to fll this gap as a standard to test these two opposing claims. It provides a substantive account of moral agency through the theory of voluntary action; it explains how voluntary action is tied to intelligent and autonomous human life; and it distinguishes machine operations from voluntary actions through the categories of poiesis and praxis respectively. This standpoint reveals that while Van Wynsberghe and Robbins may be right in rejecting the need for AMAs, there are deeper, more fundamental reasons. In addition, despite disagreeing with Formosa and Ryan’s defense of AMAs, their call for a more nuanced and context-dependent approach, similar to neo-Aristotelian practical wisdom, becomes expedient

Hall-effect and resistivity measurements in CdTe and ZnTe at high pressure: Electronic structure of impurities in the zincblende phase and the semi-metallic or metallic character of the high-pressure phases

We carried out high-pressure resistivity and Hall-effect measurements in single crystals of CdTe and ZnTe up to 12 GPa. Slight changes of transport parameters in the zincblende phase of CdTe are consitent with the shallow character of donor impurities. Drastic changes in all the transport parameters of CdTe were found around 4 GPa, i.e. close to the onset of the cinnabar to rock-salt transition. In particular, the carrier concentration increases by more than five orders of magnitude. Additionally, an abrupt decrease of the resistivity was detected around 10 GPa. These results are discussed in comparison with optical, thermoelectric, and x-ray diffraction experiments. The metallic character of the Cmcm phase of CdTe is confirmed and a semi-metallic character is determined for the rock-salt phase. In zincblende ZnTe, the increase of the hole concentration by more than two orders of magnitude is proposed to be due to a deep-to-shallow transformation of the acceptor levels. Between 9 and 11 GPa, transport parameters are consistent with the semiconducting character of cinnabar ZnTe. A two orders of magnitude decrease of the resistivity and a carrier-type inversion occurs at 11 GPa, in agreement with the onset of the transition to the Cmcm phase of ZnTe. A metallic character for this phase is deduced.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

Los Principios Wates de Gobierno Corporativo para Grandes Empresas Privadas

Surgieron tras un intenso debate sobre la responsabilidad de las Grandes Empresas Privadas hacia los stakeholders y la sociedad. Responden a la necesidad de establecer unas normas mínimas más estrictas par el gobierno corporativo y la presentación de informes de las Grandes Empresas Privadas

Performance of baited underwater video for estimating abundance of spiny lobsters

Baited underwater video (BUV) is increasingly been used to sample fish species but lobsters are potentially good candidates for sampling with BUV as they are attracted to bait due to their scavenging habits. We built a cost effective BUV system to sample Palinurus elephas, a Mediterranean deep-water lobster. Camera deployments were performed at the Columbretes Islands MPA. We compared the standard method of estimating abundance with BUV, by recording the maximum number (Nmax) of individuals at any one point on the tape, with the estimated true number of lobsters having attended the bait (Ntot). We found it possible to use images of unique body patterns for identifying individuals over time. The highest Nmax - 6 lobsters in the field of view - was lower than the total number of lobsters estimated by identifying individuals in all three recordings - total of 7 to 11 individual lobsters. This highlights the extent of underestimation of abundance derived from Nmax estimates (Mean Nmax = 4 as opposed to Ntot= 8.6 by tracking individuals). Measurement of lobster size was trouble free with the coefficient of variation of all measurements being low. However, all measurements were biassed due to calibration problems related to lobster height above the bait bag. Taking into account the relatively low cost of the units, coupled with the ability of this system to work to depths impractical for visual surveys, we propose that this non-intrusive method will be useful for sampling deep water lobster

Switcher-random-walks: a cognitive-inspired mechanism for network exploration

Semantic memory is the subsystem of human memory that stores knowledge of concepts or meanings, as opposed to life specific experiences. The organization of concepts within semantic memory can be understood as a semantic network, where the concepts (nodes) are associated (linked) to others depending on perceptions, similarities, etc. Lexical access is the complementary part of this system and allows the retrieval of such organized knowledge. While conceptual information is stored under certain underlying organization (and thus gives rise to a specific topology), it is crucial to have an accurate access to any of the information units, e.g. the concepts, for efficiently retrieving semantic information for real-time needings. An example of an information retrieval process occurs in verbal fluency tasks, and it is known to involve two different mechanisms: -clustering-, or generating words within a subcategory, and, when a subcategory is exhausted, -switching- to a new subcategory. We extended this approach to random-walking on a network (clustering) in combination to jumping (switching) to any node with certain probability and derived its analytical expression based on Markov chains. Results show that this dual mechanism contributes to optimize the exploration of different network models in terms of the mean first passage time. Additionally, this cognitive inspired dual mechanism opens a new framework to better understand and evaluate exploration, propagation and transport phenomena in other complex systems where switching-like phenomena are feasible.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. Accepted in "International Journal of Bifurcations and Chaos": Special issue on "Modelling and Computation on Complex Networks

Bioaccumulation of inorganic elements in dreissena polymorpha from the Ebro river, Spain: could zebra mussels be used as a bioindicator of the impact of human activities?

Dreissena polymorpha is among the top 100 most harmful invasive species in aquatic habitats. European Directive 2013/39/UE establishes Environmental Quality Standards for biota because it has been demonstrated that pollutants bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. This study evaluated bioaccumulation of inorganic elements in the soft tissues of D. polymorpha in order to assess the usefulness of zebra mussels as a bioindicator of contaminant presence in super fi cial waters. Concentrations of 66 elements were measured in order to evaluate their relation- ship with nearby anthropogenic activity and to the values recommended by Environmental Quality Standards for biota. Bivalves were col- lected from four sample points along the Ebro River Basin (Spain), where diverse human activities are carried out. Zebra mussels accumulate toxins in soft tissue during their life cycle, including Al, Cr, Fe, Hg, Pb, Th, Cd and U. The highest levels of accumulation corresponded to elements associated with human activity in the area, showing the impact of anthropogenic actions on biota. D. polymorpha not only supplies information about current water quality but also acts as a witness of past water quality by bioconcentrating toxic elements present in the environment and providing relevant results about historical water contamination. In conclusion, D. polymorpha is a harmful and dangerous invasive species, but its pervasiveness means that it can be used as a bioindicator to assess current and past presence of elements in water

Tag shedding estimation in Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787)

In this paper a numerical method for tag shedding calculation from double tagging data was used to estimate the tag loss rate in Palinurus elephas from capture-mark-recapture experiments. Four consecutive experimental surveys during years 1999-2002 inside the Columbretes islands marine reserve (CIMR) were carried out and the captured spiny lobsters were dorso-laterally double-tagged with T-bar anchor tags on both sides between the first and second abdominal segments. The recaptures during the following years (2000-2008) were recorded and the evolution of the proportion of single- and double-tagged specimens was analysed. The immediate tag loss produced after tagging could not be accurately modelled, but in view of the results is believed to be low. The probability of tag loss per year was estimated in 6% (sexes combined). The factors causing this tag loss and the repercussion of this rates of shedding on further studies are examine

Double tagging experiments and tag loss in Palinurus elephas

Publicado