AutoRicerca

AutoRicerca is the journal of the LAB – Laboratorio di Autoricerca di Base (Laboratory of Basic Self-Research), whose mission is to publish texts (in Italian and English) on inner and outer research. Standing outside the usual editorial categories, AutoRicerca offers to its readers writings of value (articles, dialogues, manuals, monographs, stories...) personally selected by the Editor.

Recognizing the importance of a foundational and integral approach to knowledge, the published works explore the frontier between the different fields of investigation. Even when of university level, they strive to remain accessible to the generic reader, provided s/he has curiosity, a pinch of scientifico-philosophical culture, and openness towards all-round research. However, AutoRicerca does not only want to provide theoretical and practical knowledge, but also to inspire. For this, among its pages you will find texts that can open not only the reader’s mind, but also her/his heart.

In accordance with the Berlin Declaration, which states that the dissemination of knowledge is only half complete if the information is not made widely and readily available to society, AutoRicerca is an open access journal. This means that the volumes in electronic format are freely downloadable from the LAB’s site. The open access to the electronic version does not preclude the possibility to order the paper volumes, the purchase of which is a way to support the mission of the journal.

Is AutoRicerca a peer reviewed journal?

AutoRicerca is not a conventionally peer reviewed journal. Indeed, articles and essays are selected by the editor based on their interest, importance, and ability to inspire. This means that the journal’s policy is to place full responsibility for the content of publications on the authors, rather than on peer reviewers.

Note that although peer review is today one of the distinctive features of academic publishing, not all scientific journals use external referees and not all scientists rely on reviewed paper in their research. To give an example, physicists usually rely on the unreviewed articles that are uploaded on the electronic archive of Cornell University.

Many studies have also demonstrated that the level of reliability of scientific peer review has remained very low over time; hence, despite its interest in science, it certainly not able to guarantee the relevance and accuracy of a publication, but rather, more often than not, its ability to conform to the “forma mentis” of the moment.