Publication Ethics

The Revista de Filosofía UCSC conducts its activities in accordance with the principles of integrity, academic rigor, responsibility, impartiality, transparency, and editorial independence. This policy establishes the ethical responsibilities of those involved in its processes and the procedures for preventing and addressing publication misconduct.

The journal takes as its framework of reference the Core Principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the guidance published by that organization for journals and editorial teams, particularly its guidelines on retractions and expressions of concern. The full texts of these documents are linked at the end of this policy. This policy applies to authors and reviewers, the Editorial Team, the Editorial Board, guest editors, and any other person involved in the receipt, assessment, decision-making, or publication of the journal’s contents.

All published content is subject to editorial oversight. Research articles and translations are additionally subject to external peer review in accordance with the policy on Editorial process and peer review.

Editorial bodies

The Editorial Team consists of the Editor-in-Chief and the Associate Editors listed on the Editorial Team page. The Editor-in-Chief makes decisions concerning manuscripts, while the Associate Editors assist in editorial management and replace the Editor-in-Chief in the circumstances provided for in this policy.

The Editorial Board, composed predominantly of scholars from other institutions, performs an academic advisory role. Its members do not review manuscripts and do not ordinarily participate in decisions concerning them. Exceptionally, one of its members may be appointed to manage a manuscript or examine an ethical matter in the circumstances provided for in this policy. The exercise of these editorial functions does not make that person a reviewer of the manuscript and does not replace external peer review where such review is required.

Editorial independence

Decisions concerning manuscripts are made by the Editor-in-Chief or by the person replacing them when a conflict of interest arises. Decisions take into account the manuscript’s alignment with the journal’s focus and scope, its academic quality and relevance, the review reports, and compliance with the journal’s editorial policies.

Editorial independence does not imply the absence of a defined academic profile. Alignment with the journal’s focus and scope constitutes a legitimate selection criterion; this criterion defines the problems and traditions of interest to the journal, not the conclusions that a manuscript must uphold. No institutional authority, funding source, commercial interest, or person outside the editorial procedure may determine the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript or require it to support predetermined conclusions.

Reviewers’ reports constitute reasoned recommendations and are not binding decisions. The Editor-in-Chief may depart from them when sufficient academic or ethical reasons exist. In such cases, the reasons will be recorded in the editorial file and communicated to the authors.

Ethical responsibilities

Authors are responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of the works submitted, compliance with applicable ethical and legal requirements, and the truthfulness of declarations provided to the journal. Requirements concerning originality, plagiarism, redundant publication, authorship, the use of protected materials, and translation permissions are established in the policy on Integrity, originality and authorship. Authors must cooperate with requests for information, clarification, or correction made during the editorial process or after publication.

Reviewers must accept only assignments for which they possess sufficient expertise. They must act impartially, provide reasoned and respectful comments, disclose any conflict of interest, and maintain the confidentiality of the materials received.

The Editorial Team must apply the journal’s policies consistently, select competent reviewers, protect the confidentiality of the process, document relevant decisions, and act upon possible ethical breaches. The journal will promote the periodic updating of its members in publication ethics, taking COPE guidance as a reference, and will provide reviewers with written instructions concerning their responsibilities.

All persons involved in the process must maintain professional and respectful conduct. The journal will not tolerate harassment, intimidation, retaliation, personal denigration, or improper pressure.

Impartiality, non-discrimination and language use

Manuscripts are assessed according to their content, academic merit, and alignment with the journal’s focus and scope. Editorial decisions may not be based on the nationality, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, religion, political position, or institutional affiliation of the authors.

In order to safeguard institutional diversity among authors, and in accordance with the Regulations for Academic Journals of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, the journal ensures that articles affiliated with UCSC do not exceed 10% of the works published over a rolling twelve-month period. This measure may affect the scheduling of publication of such works, but not the assessment of their academic merit, which is governed by the same criteria applicable to any other submission.

Theoretical, philosophical, political, or religious disagreement does not in itself constitute grounds for rejection or a conflict of interest. Critical and reasoned examination of controversial concepts, doctrines, texts, or practices does not in itself constitute discriminatory expression.

Contributions must use clear, precise, and respectful academic language, free from discriminatory expressions, personal denigration, and unjustified stereotypes. The journal does not impose a specific form of inclusive language and accepts strategies compatible with the grammatical norms of the language of the manuscript, including generic or collective nouns, paired forms, and impersonal constructions. Non-standard morphological forms may be used only when they are themselves the object of analysis or form part of a direct quotation.

Conflicts of interest

A conflict of interest exists when a personal, family, academic, intellectual, professional, institutional, or financial relationship or interest may affect, or may reasonably appear to affect, a person’s impartiality in the editorial process. Membership in an organization with a direct interest in the conclusions of the manuscript may also constitute a conflict of interest.

Potential conflicts include, among other circumstances, affiliation with the same institution, team, or project; a relationship of co-authorship, collaboration, or academic supervision within the previous three years; a close hierarchical or personal relationship; a professional dispute; a financial interest related to the manuscript; prior participation in its preparation; or the possibility of obtaining a direct benefit or suffering a direct disadvantage as a result of its publication.

Researching the same topic, belonging to the same philosophical tradition, holding a different position, being cited in the manuscript, or having published work relevant to its development does not in itself constitute a conflict. However, if the manuscript directly examines the work of a potential reviewer and this may compromise that person’s impartiality, the circumstance must be disclosed to the Editor-in-Chief.

All authors must disclose their conflicts of interest, including when they must state that no conflicts exist. Reviewers, editors, and any other persons involved in a manuscript must disclose any potential conflict before accepting their role or as soon as they become aware of it.

Depending on the nature of the conflict, the Editor-in-Chief may require the affected person to recuse themselves, appoint a replacement, reassign the manuscript, or adopt any other measure necessary to preserve impartiality. When the conflict affects the Editor-in-Chief, management and decision-making will be assigned to an Associate Editor without a conflict of interest or, if the conflict also affects the Associate Editors, to a member of the Editorial Board external to UCSC and without a conflict of interest, appointed specifically for that manuscript.

Submissions by members of the journal

Members of the Editorial Team or Editorial Board may submit contributions to the journal, but they will receive no preferential treatment and may not participate in the handling of their submissions.

When the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor is an author or co-author of a manuscript, it will be managed by a member of the Editorial Board external to UCSC and without a conflict of interest, appointed specifically for that case. This person will act as an ad hoc editor: they will conduct the preliminary editorial assessment, select the external reviewers, and make the editorial decision. They will not act as a reviewer of the manuscript, and the work will undergo the same external review procedure applicable to any other submission in its category.

Authors affiliated with the journal will be excluded from access to the manuscript on the platform, the reports, the deliberations, and the decision. Manuscripts submitted by members of the Editorial Board will follow the ordinary procedure, with the author likewise excluded from any involvement in their handling.

If the manuscript is published, the article will include a note stating the author’s relationship with the journal and identifying the person who managed the editorial process. The same rules apply to guest editors and special issues. No person may manage their own manuscript or a manuscript in relation to which they have a conflict of interest.

Ethical oversight of research

Ordinary philosophical analysis of works, documents, translations, or textual corpora does not in itself require approval by an ethics committee. However, when research involves persons or communities, interviews, surveys, non-public testimonies, personal or sensitive data, groups in vulnerable situations, or other matters subject to ethical oversight, it must comply with the applicable institutional and legal requirements.

Where required, authors must have obtained prior approval from a competent and duly accredited or recognized ethics committee. At the time of submission, they must provide the approval document and identify the committee, date, and approval code or number. Where relevant, they must also declare that informed consent was obtained and describe the measures adopted to protect the identity, privacy, and confidentiality of participants.

If the research is exempt from ethical approval, the exemption must be documented by the competent committee where institutional rules so require. In other cases, authors must explain the basis for the exemption, and the Editor-in-Chief may seek the opinion of an independent committee or specialist. Such consultation does not replace any prior approval that should have been obtained and does not permit retrospective ethical authorization.

Confidentiality, personal data and integrity of the process

Manuscripts, supplementary files, reports, and editorial communications are confidential and may be accessed only by those who need to participate directly in their management, evaluation, or decision. The personal data of authors and reviewers are processed in accordance with the policy on Privacy and use of information and current Chilean legislation on personal data protection, and are used exclusively for editorial management and other purposes legitimately disclosed by the journal.

Editors and reviewers may not share, use, or exploit for their own purposes the unpublished content of a manuscript, nor may they enter or upload, in whole or in part, manuscripts or associated materials into generative artificial intelligence systems. The remaining conditions applicable to these tools are established in the policy on Use and limits of artificial intelligence.

The Editorial Team and reviewers may not request the addition of irrelevant references to the journal, their own publications, or those of third parties. Any bibliographic recommendation must be academically justified. Manipulation of peer review, impersonation, citation agreements, or any practice intended to improperly alter the editorial process or bibliometric indicators is likewise prohibited.

Response to possible ethical breaches

The journal will examine allegations or suspicions of ethical breaches arising before, during, or after publication, taking as a reference the COPE guidance and flowcharts applicable to each case. Communications may be sent to revistadefilosofia@ucsc.cl, and receipt will be acknowledged within five working days. Anonymous communications may be considered when they provide sufficiently specific and verifiable information.

The examination will be conducted by the Editor-in-Chief together with a member of the Editorial Board who has no conflict of interest in the case. When the allegation concerns the Editor-in-Chief or an Associate Editor, the examination will be conducted by two members of the Editorial Board external to UCSC and without conflicts of interest. When it concerns a member of the Editorial Board, that person will be completely excluded from the examination. If the nature of the case makes it impossible to constitute a sufficiently independent internal body, the journal may seek the participation of external specialists without conflicts of interest.

The persons concerned will be informed of the relevant facts and will have fifteen working days to provide their explanation and supporting information before a decision is made. The information communicated must be sufficient to allow them to respond substantively to the issues raised.

The identity of any person making an allegation will remain confidential throughout the procedure, except with that person’s express consent or where disclosure is required by law. The journal will not take adverse measures against anyone who reports a possible breach in good faith.

The submission of an allegation does not mean that a breach has been established. Decisions must be based on the available evidence and distinguish between honest error, negligence, and deliberate misconduct. The journal will seek to conclude the examination within sixty working days and will inform the persons concerned when the complexity of the case requires additional time.

Depending on the nature of the case, the journal may request additional information, suspend the editorial process, or consult specialists, ethics committees, or other competent bodies. Where sufficient evidence exists and the nature or seriousness of the circumstances warrants it, the journal may communicate the matter to the relevant institution of affiliation or another competent body so that it may conduct any investigation falling within its authority.

Before publication, the journal may allow the process to continue, request clarification or revisions, temporarily suspend the decision, or reject the manuscript. If the content has already been published, the policy on Complaints, appeals, corrections and retractions will apply.

No automatic sanctions will be imposed. Any editorial restriction, such as the temporary suspension of new submissions from an author, must be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the circumstances, be duly reasoned, and be subject to appeal.

Complaints, appeals and updating

Objections concerning the editorial procedure, a decision, the management of a conflict of interest, or a possible breach will be handled in accordance with the policy on Complaints, appeals, corrections and retractions and will be examined by a person who did not participate in the decision being challenged.

The journal will maintain internal records of relevant ethical decisions and will periodically review this policy, as well as whenever COPE guidance, applicable regulations, or the procedures actually used by the journal change, in order to ensure that the information published reflects its editorial practice.

Reference documents