Lessons from a Neo-Aristotelian Theory Based on Evolutionary Science to the Field of Organizational Innovation.

This article's goal is to understand innovation factors (e.g., job autonomy and knowledge sharing) through the lens of a neo-Aristotelian theory based on evolutionary science in order to show that this paradigm of analysis provides a richer understanding of this organizational phenomenon, and consequently better support for the deliberation on what measures to implement when the objective is to make the organization prone to innovate.

The Essence of What it Is to Act Rationally: A Perspective on Distinctively Human Action Based on Aristotelian Philosophy and Evolutionary Science.

The purpose of this article is to understand the distinctively human behavior from Aristotelian ethics and evolutionary science to offer a perspective of what it means to act rationally. We argue that this way of acting is characterized by a decision informed by the analysis of whether or not it is worth pursuing an end, and by certain means, which takes place through a weighting of consequences from the body of knowledge that the person has so far We also argue that such a process can occur quickly (and requiring a less cognitive effort) or slowly (and demanding more cognitive effort), depending on whether or not the person has previous experiences of choices that have generated good consequences in the type of context presented; What does it mean for a person to have or not rational heuristics established in their minds, which are those that are connected to the most current network of "whys" and that has been consolidated precisely because they have proven effective in pointing out what is best to do in that kind of context. Finally, we apply the perspective we are offering to evidence three imprecise notions about "acting rationally".

An Integrative Hypothesis of Brain Evolution.

The purpose of this article is to reconcile the hypotheses that: (1) brain evolution occurred due to a change in diet, and (2) it occurred due to pressures related to understanding more and more about the underlying causes, such as understanding increasingly complex manipulative and cooperative intentions on the part of the other, as well as understanding reality itself (and how to interact with it beyond group issues). I argue that the ingestion of fat, a highly energy-efficient food, would have unlocked the evolutionary process that culminated in the emergence of the practice of reasoning about underlying causes; and that the consolidation of such a practice resulted in a continuous pressure to increase cognition about "whys"; so that many explanations ended up imposing the need for additional ones, and with that came a high level of awareness and the need for the brain to evolve not only in terms of providing a higher level of cognition but also in size.

Basic Evaluation Process and some Associated Phenomena, Such as Emotions and Reactive Defense of Beliefs.

The goal of this article is to develop a theory about the evaluation process in order to offer a perspective that is potentially capable of parsimoniously explaining a series of phenomena. I argue that not only is categorical thinking shared by humans and other animals, but also certain types of categorization ("what is something?"; "what end to seek?"; "by what means?"; "was there success in accomplishing the end?"), which I understand to be aligned in a mat of categorizations, constituting what I call the basic evaluation process. I hypothesize that within this evaluation process there are five options for basic categorizations pathways (BCP), namely: "identification of patterns in the novelty"; "acquisition of the benefit", "promotion of the good of the other"; "elimination of the threat"; and "escape the threat". Thus, the basic evaluation process would follow a certain path depending on the type of categorization "what is something?" performed ("a novelty", "a benefit", "an ally (or potential ally) in difficulty", "a threat that can be eliminated", or "a threat that cannot be eliminated"). Finally, I defend the idea that if the mental architecture of humans is composed of ancestral structures such as BCPs, it is then possible to locate BCP as being at the root of innumerable subjective phenomena of our species.

The Negative Core Beliefs Inventory: Development and Psychometric Properties.

Although the core belief construct is central in A. T. Beck's cognitive theory, little empirical research has been conducted to date to establish its psychometric properties as well as the way it explains manifestations of psychopathology. The aims of this study were to develop and provide the first evidence of validity and reliability of a new measure of core beliefs that quantifies negative core beliefs about the self (nCB-S) and negative core beliefs about others (nCB-O). Results indicated that this measure has adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Factor analyses confirmed that nCB-S and nCB-O fall on separate dimensions, and they provided preliminary evidence that nCB-S can be separated further into (a) helplessness/inferiority, (b) helplessness/vulnerability, (c) unlovability, and (d) worthlessness. Consistent with expectations, the scores on the nCB-S and nCB-O scales correlated positively with reports of negative experiences in childhood, attachment styles, anxiety, and depression. These preliminary results suggest that core beliefs can be measured in a reliable and valid manner and that the instrument proposed in this article can be used in studies designed to validate aspects of A. T. Beck's cognitive theory.