This is a book review of Paul Hoyningen-Huene's Reconstructing Scientific Revolutions: Thomas S. Kuhn's Philosophy of Science.

Transoral laser microsurgery applies to the piecemeal removal of malignant tumours of the upper aerodigestive tract using the CO2 laser under the operating microscope. This method of surgery is being increasingly popularised as a single modality treatment of choice in early laryngeal cancers (T1 and T2) and occasionally in the more advanced forms of the disease (T3 and T4), predomi- nantly within the supraglottis. Thomas Kuhn, the American physicist turned philosopher and historian of science, coined the phrase ‘paradigm shift’ (...) in his groundbreaking book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. He argued that the arrival of the new and often incompatible idea forms the core of a new paradigm, the birth of an entirely new way of thinking. This article discusses whether Steiner and col- leagues truly brought about a paradigm shift in oncological surgery. By rejecting the principle of en block resection and by replacing it with the belief that not only is it oncologically safe to cut through the substance of the tumour but in doing so one can actually achieve better results, Steiner was able to truly revolutionise the man- agement of laryngeal cancer. Even though within this article the repercussions of his insight are limited to the upper aerodigestive tract oncological surgery, his willingness to question other peoples’ dogma makes his contribution truly a genuine paradigm shift. (shrink)

The theory of science that Thomas Kuhn built in the Structure of Scientific Revolutions was considered as a hypothetical framework in this study. Since the publication of the work, many questions have arisen that call for a psychology of science. These questions are moved to another dimension through the knowledge of the decision made within Galileo Affair, which occupies an important place in modern science, fundamentally arising from an epistemic struggle and emerging out of an unscientific base rather than (...) the charge of unholiness. Abandoning the perspective which evaluates these questions within a historical process as a weak side of the Kuhnian theory of science, this study challenges the current approaches with an alternative approach. The epistemic complexity in the Kuhnian theory of science is an imperative complexity caused by human factors. From this perspective, there are potential questions for psychology of science as a field of study based on Kuhnian epistemology and it can be assumed that new problems may appear when the other epistemological questions which assumed as “answered” are reviewed in the scope of this study. The main thesis of this study is that psychology of science is possible as a valid and operationalizable research program based on Kuhnian theory of science. (shrink)

In this paper, I provide an interpretation of ontological aspects of Kuhn's theory of science.

Nugayev’s book is one of the first Soviet monographs treating the theory change problem. The gist of epistemological model consists in consequent account of intertheoretical relations. His book is based on the works of Soviet authors, as well as on Western studies (K.R. Popper, T.S. Kuhn, I. Lakatos, P. Feyerabend et al.) Key words: epistemological model, Soviet philosophy, Western studies .

The aim of this chapter is to explore the relationship between Kuhn’s views about science and scientific realism. I present an overview of key features of Kuhn’s model of scientific change. The model suggests a relativistic approach to the methods of science. I bring out a conflict between this relativistic approach and a realist approach to the norms of method. I next consider the question of progress and truth. Kuhn’s model is a problem-solving model that proceeds by (...) way of puzzles and anomalies rather than progress toward truth. I explore Kuhn’s views about scientific progress in connection with scientific realist views about truth and progress. This leads to consideration of Kuhn’s views about the incommensurability of paradigms, as well as brief consideration of an anti-realist interpretation of his talk of world-change. I conclude by indicating that the scientific realist may endorse some aspects of Kuhn’s view. (shrink)

The paper takes off from the suggestion of Jouni-Matti Kuukkanen that Kuhn’s account of science may be understood in coherentist terms. There are coherentist themes in Kuhn’s philosophy of science. But one crucial element is lacking. Kuhn does not deny the existence of basic beliefs which have a non-doxastic source of justification. Nor does he assert that epistemic justification only derives from inferential relationships between non-basic beliefs. Despite this, the coherentist interpretation is promising and I develop it (...) further in this paper. I raise the question of whether Kuhn’s account of science can deal with the input objection to coherentism. I argue that the role played by problems in Kuhn’s theory of science ensures that there is input from the external world into scientists’ belief-systems. I follow Hoyningen-Huene in pointing to the causal role played by the external world in determining perceptual states. I next turn to the question of whether Kuhn’s rejection of foundationalism implies coherentism. I argue that Kuhn’s rejection of the one-to-one relation between object and experience is compatible with a foundationalist account of justification. Nor does Kuhn’s rejection of the given entail the same coherentist implications as Sellars’ critique of the myth of the given. (shrink)

Some academics and state officials in Indonesia argue for the adoption of Pancasila as a scientific paradigm for the country's scientific endeavours. They believe that using Pancasila as a foundation could give Indonesian science a distinct and unique character. However, this article seeks to reevaluate the feasibility of Pancasila as a scientific paradigm. By reviewing the literature on Pancasila and the philosophy of science, it arrives at the conclusion that Pancasila cannot serve as a scientific paradigm, either in a narrow (...) or comprehensive sense. Two primary reasons support this conclusion. Firstly, Pancasila lacks the necessary characteristics of a well-established scientific achievement. As a result, it cannot function as a scientific paradigm in the narrow sense defined by Kuhn. Secondly, Pancasila carries theological baggage that surpasses science’s capacity to accommodate it. This aspect prevents Pancasila from becoming a comprehensive scientific paradigm. Consequently, I propose that Pancasila is more suitable as an axiological basis for science, rather than a scientific paradigm. Unlike a scientific paradigm, this axiological foundation does not fall within the epistemic scope of science. (shrink)

This is a review of Alexander Bird's book on Thomas Kuhn.

Relativism in the philosophy of science is widely associated with the work of Thomas Kuhn and Paul Feyerabend. Kuhn and Feyerabend espoused views about conceptual change and variation of scientific method that have apparent relativistic implications. Both held that scientific theories or paradigms may be incommensurable due to semantic variation. Two ways that truth may be relative because of semantic incommensurability will be distinguished. Davidson’s criticism of the idea of an untranslatable language will be discussed, as well as (...) a response to incommensurability based on the causal theory of reference of Kripke and Putnam. A form of relativism with respect to epistemic rationality may also be derived from the claims of Kuhn and Feyerabend about methodological variation. Kuhn’s initial suggestions about paradigm-dependent standards and absence of extra-paradigmatic standards give rise to a view on which rationality is relative to paradigm. Kuhn’s later view that there is a stable set of shared scientific values is less prone to relativistic interpretation. Feyerabend’s claim that “anything goes” suggests an extreme form of relativism, but should be understood instead as the view that all rules of method may be violated in some circumstances. The latter brings Feyerabend’s view into line with Kuhn’s later view. (shrink)

This is an essay review of W. J. Devlin and A. Bokulich (eds.) Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions 50 years on.

This is a book review of Paul Horwich (ed.) World Changes.

This study investigates Thomas Kuhn’s philosophy that had broad influence in philosophy of science by his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and the contributions of his philosophy to Turkish philosophical literature. Kuhnian part of the picture of science debates brings to light considering the works done in Turkey upon the philosophy of Kuhn. In the first part of the thesis, T. Kuhn's life and works are mentioned. The second part focuses on Kuhn's philosophy of science (...) and the concept of paradigm. In the third part, publications on the Kuhnian understanding of science are determined and in the fourth part, finally, general evaluations are made on these publications and studies. (shrink)

Incommensurability was Kuhn’s worst mistake. If it is to be found anywhere in science, it would be in physics. But revolutions in theoretical physics all embody theoretical unification. Far from obliterating the idea that there is a persisting theoretical idea in physics, revolutions do just the opposite: they all actually exemplify the persisting idea of underlying unity. Furthermore, persistent acceptance of unifying theories in physics when empirically more successful disunified rivals can always be concocted means that physics makes a (...) persistent implicit assumption concerning unity. To put it in Kuhnian terms, underlying unity is a paradigm for paradigms. We need a conception of science which represents problematic assumptions concerning the physical comprehensibility and knowability of the universe in the form of a hierarchy, these assumptions becoming less and less substantial and more and more such that their truth is required for science, or the pursuit of knowledge, to be possible at all, as one goes up the hierarchy. This hierarchical conception of science has important Kuhnian features, but also differs dramatically from the view Kuhn expounds in his The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. In this paper, I compare and contrast these two views in a much more detailed way than has been done hitherto. I show how the hierarchical view can be construed to emerge from Kuhn’s view as it is modified to overcome objections. I argue that the hierarchical conception of science is to be preferred to Kuhn’s view. (shrink)

This study investigates Thomas Kuhn’s philosophy that had broad influence in philosophy of science by his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, and the contributions of his philosophy to Turkish philosophical literature. Kuhnian part of the picture of science debates brings to light considering the works done in Turkey upon the philosophy of Kuhn. In the first part of the thesis, T. Kuhn's life and works are mentioned. The second part focuses on Kuhn's philosophy of science (...) and the concept of paradigm. In the third part, publications on the Kuhnian understanding of science are determined and in the fourth part, finally, general evaluations are made on these publications and studies. (shrink)

This is a book review of Errol Morris's book on Kuhn, The Ashtray (Or the Man Who Denied Reality).

The article presents the basic error of Kuhn's philosophy of physics and an attempt to suggest how the philosophy of physics should be practiced.

LTS: Khoa học mở, bao gồm các hợp phần tạp chí mở, dữ liệu mở, phần mềm mở, tài liệu khoa học mở… đang là xu hướng diễn ra ngày càng mạnh trên thế giới. Tại Việt Nam, khoa học mở đã được Hiệp hội Các trường đại học, cao đẳng Việt Nam tiên phong giới thiệu trong một vài năm gần đây. -/- Trong bài viết gốc bằng Tiếng Anh, có tiêu đề "How to move open science from the (...) periphery to the centre", đăng trên University World News ngày 19/11/2022, tác giả Phạm Hiệp đã tổng kết lại sự phát triển của khoa học mở Việt Nam trong hơn một thập kỷ vừa qua. Bản dịch do giải pháp AI (trí tuệ nhân tạo) do Nhóm nghiên cứu Reduvation (Trường Đại học Thành Đô) phối hợp với HTEcom phát triển và thực hiện. (shrink)

The paper presents a realist account of the epistemic objectivity of science. Epistemic objectivity is distinguished from ontological objectivity and the objectivity of truth. As background, T.S. Kuhn’s idea that scientific theory-choice is based on shared scientific values with a role for both objective and subjective factors is discussed. Kuhn’s values are epistemologically ungrounded, hence provide a minimal sense of objectivity. A robust account of epistemic objectivity on which methodological norms are reliable means of arriving at the truth (...) is presented. The problem remains that deliberative judgement is required to determine the relevance and relative significance of a range of methodological norms. A role is sketched for cognitive virtues which may be exercised in the course of the deliberative judgement. (shrink)

What are the reasons for theory change in science? –To give a sober answer a comprehensible model is proposed based on the works of V.P. Bransky, P. Feyerabend , T.S. Kuhn, I. Lakatos, K.R.Popper, V.S. Scwvyrev, Ya. Smorodinsky, V.S. Stepin, and others. According to model the origins of scientific revolutions lie not in a clash of fundamental theories with facts, but of “old” basic research traditions with each other, leading to contradictions that can only be eliminated in a more (...) general theory. The model is illustrated with reference to physics in the early 20th century, the three “old” research programmes in this case being Maxwellian electrodynamics, statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. Modern example, referring to general relativity and quantum field theory, is considered. Key words: Bransky, Feyerabend, Popper, Kuhn, Lakatos, Stepin, Einstein, Lorentz, Planck. (shrink)

Space situational awareness (SSA) is vital for international safety and security, and for the future of space travel. The sharing of SSA data and information should improve the state of global SSA for planetary defense and spaceflight safety. I take steps toward a Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Ontology, and outline some central objectives, requirements and desiderata in the ontology development process for this domain. The purpose of this ontological system is to explore the potential for the ontology research topic to (...) (i) represent SSA general knowledge, data, and entities/objects, (ii) clearly express the meaning of SSA data, and (iii) foster SSA data-sharing. The overall goal and motivation is to (iv) improve our capacity for planetary defense, e.g., from near- or deep-space objects and phenomena, and (v) facilitate safer and peaceful space access, navigation and travel, by improving global SSA. This research is thereby intended only for peaceful space-domain applications and uses, with particular interests in orbital debris. There is little application of ontology to the space domain as compared with other disciplines and little if any ontological development of SSA and related domains. In this respect, this paper offers novel concepts. (shrink)

Hàng năm, việc công bố danh sách các nhà nghiên cứu thuộc tốp 100 ngàn các nhà nghiên cứu có trích dẫn khoa học hàng đầu thế giới theo Cơ sở dữ liệu Scopus là vấn đề rất được cộng đồng khoa học quan tâm. -/- Năm 2021, kết quả này đã tiếp tục được công bố bởi nhóm tác giả gồm TS. John P. A. Ioannidis (giáo sư thực thụ về y khoa, nghiên cứu sức khỏe và chính sách, (...) khoa học dữ liệu y sinh và thống kê học thuộc Đại học Stanford, Mỹ), Jeroen Baas (giám đốc dữ liệu của Nhà xuất bản Elsevier, Hà Lan) và TS. Kevin Boyack (giám đốc điều hành của Công ty SciTech Strategies, Mỹ; chuyên về trắc lượng khoa học). -/- Việc sử dụng Cơ sở dữ liệu Scopus thuộc Nhà xuất bản Elsevier của Hà Lan làm cho kết quả của nhóm tác giả trở nên tin cậy và có ảnh hưởng sâu rộng trong cộng đồng khoa học thế giới bởi lẽ Scopus là một trong hai cơ sở dữ liệu khoa học uy tín nhất trên thế giới hiện nay, bên cạnh Cơ sở dữ liệu Web of Science của Mỹ. -/- Trong năm nay, nhóm tác giả trên công bố các danh sách các nhà nghiên cứu có trích dẫn khoa học cao thuộc tốp 100.000 hoặc tốp 2% trên toàn thế giới gồm xét theo thành tựu trọn đời, thành tựu năm gần nhất và thành tựu theo chuyên ngành. (shrink)

Die Frage nach dem Verhältnis aufeinanderfolgender Theorien rückte spätestens mit der Publikation von T. S. Kuhns einflußreicher Schrift Die Struktur wissenschaftlicher Revolutionen im Jahre 1961 in den Brennpunkt wissenschaftsphilosophischer Untersuchungen. Dabei gibt es im wesentlichen zwei große Lager. Auf der einen Seite stehen Philosophen wie P. Feyerabend und T. S. Kuhn selbst, die den Aspekt der Diskontinuität...

Resumen: La presente contribución aborda el concepto de “evento” en la filosofía reciente de Vattimo en lo que se denomina “el giro kuhniano”, una transformación de la hermenéutica del turinés que se habría volcado hacia los cambios sociales dramáticos y la violencia política. Esto habría ocurrido por la influencia de T.S. Kuhn, invirtiendo el sentido original de la hermenéutica del diálogo a la violencia. A partir de una reflexión ontológica sobre el atentado terrorista contra la revista satírica Charlie Hebdo (...) el 7 de enero de 2015, el texto distingue “evento” de “evento fundante”; Charlie Hebdo sería un evento fundante, kuhnianamente interpretado, un quiebre histórico dentro del horizonte del nihilismo cumplido y el liberalismo metafísico. Este quiebre sugiere enfatizar la oportunidad histórica (ontológica) de que eventos estéticos o religiosos, antes ocluidos por el nihilismo, recuperen un lugar como espacios de sentido y libertad no violentos para el mundo del hombre. (shrink)

It is contended that one of the promising directions for brooding over the problem of incommensurability of paradigms, coined by T. Kuhn and P. Feyerabend, may be associated with the trend of neo-Kantian epistemology, embodied by the writings of Ernst Cassirer. According to Cassirer, the statements fixing connections and relationships between mathematical ideal constructs render a reliable ‘neutral language’ that can serve as a firm ground for comparing the ‘old’ and ‘new’ paradigms. The aim of the paper is to (...) offer Maxwell’s work as a test case against the incommensurability thesis. A case study of the genesis and functioning of a neutral mathematical language related to the Maxwellian solid synthesis of optics and electromagnetism is provided. It is elicited that its basis is constituted by stodgy language of continuum mechanics. The main function of the neutral language was to project the consequences of all the unified partial theoretical schemes (‘old’ rival paradigms) of Ampѐre, Faraday, Biot, Savar et al. onto the grand mathematical model, ‘rewrite’ all known laws in this pervasive mathematical language, compare their conclusions with each other to eliminate contradictions. Eventually the stuff was generalized in a self-consistent system of Maxwell’s equations. (shrink)

The study aimed to assess the impact of diets containing Pornunça hay (Manihot sp) and fresh cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill) on the intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, production, and quality of milk, as well as the economic feasibility of lactating goats. Eight multiparous goats with 30 lactation days were used and distributed in a double Latin square design (4 x 4). The treatments consisted of different proportions of Pornunça hay and fresh cactus pear (60:0; 50:10; 40:20; 30:30) in the diet (...) of lactating goats. Incorporating cactus pear into the diet of lactating goats resulted in a significant decrease in water intake and intake of most evaluated nutrients, directly reflected in the diet effectively consumed by the animals. However, it did not affect milk or fat-corrected milk production. Incorporating cactus pear into the diet of lactating goats resulted in a significant decrease in production costs, water intake, and the intake of most evaluated nutrients. The 30:30 ratio of Pornunça hay and fresh cactus pear in the diet of lactating goats improved the milk production efficiency maintaining a good composition of solids and improved gross profit and benefit/cost ratio. (shrink)

This paper addresses criticisms of the concept of untranslatability which Davidson and Putnam have raised against the incommensurability thesis.

The growing complexity of business operations in today’s global economy has created an increasing demand for integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. SAP, as a leading provider of ERP solutions, has become a transformative tool for businesses seeking to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and maintain competitive advantages. This paper explores how SAP’s integrated solutions enable businesses to efficiently manage key operations, from supply chain management to finance, human resources, and customer relationship management. We analyze the various components of SAP, focusing (...) on its role in digital transformation, cloud computing integration, and data-driven decision-making. Furthermore, the paper discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing SAP in modern enterprises, with case studies highlighting its impact on organizational growth. By examining the latest trends in SAP technologies, including SAP S/4HANA, SAP Cloud, and AI integration, this paper highlights the future potential of SAP as a catalyst for business innovation. (shrink)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects children's ability to communicate, socialize, and engage in learning activities. This project presents the development of a user-friendly web application designed to support children with autism through interactive and educational features tailored to their needs. The application incorporates visual aids, gamified learning modules, speech and text-based communication tools, and progress tracking features. It is developed using modern web technologies to ensure accessibility across devices and ease of use for both children and caregivers. By integrating psychological (...) and pedagogical insights, the application provides personalized learning paths. These paths adjust based on user interaction and progress, helping reinforce positive behavior and learning outcomes. Tools for emotion recognition and routine scheduling are also embedded to support emotional development and daily structure. Parents, educators, and therapists can monitor the child’s activities and performance through a dedicated dashboard, enabling informed decisions and personalized interventions. The system emphasizes security, privacy, and adaptability, ensuring a safe digital environment. The development followed a user-centered approach, involving feedback from parents and specialists during design and testing phases. The outcome is a holistic support system that addresses both educational and emotional needs. The project not only aids autistic children in learning but also empowers their support systems, paving the way for inclusive digital education. Future improvements include AI integration for adaptive learning and expanded multilingual support.. (shrink)

The early and accurate detection of plant diseases plays a vital role in minimizing crop damage and enhancing agricultural productivity. Traditional methods for identifying plant diseases—such as manual observation and expert consultations—are often time-consuming, costly, and reliant on the availability of skilled personnel. To overcome these limitations, this study presents an automated system for plant disease detection using advanced machine learning techniques. The proposed framework utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNNs), specifically pretrained models like ResNet and SqueezeNet, to analyze images of (...) plant leaves and classify them as healthy or diseased. The system begins with the collection and preprocessing of a diverse dataset comprising both healthy and infected leaf samples. Image augmentation techniques such as rotation, scaling, and flipping are applied to increase dataset variability and enhance model robustness. Subsequently, feature extraction is conducted through CNN-based models that capture color, shape, and texture-based characteristics from the leaf images. Transfer learning is employed to finetune the models on the specific dataset, leveraging previously learned features for improved accuracy. The performance of the trained models is evaluated using key metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1- score. Experimental results indicate a high degree of classification accuracy and generalization capability on unseen data. The final model is deployed through a user-friendly interface that can be integrated into mobile or web-based applications, allowing farmers to upload leaf images and receive instant disease diagnosis and possible treatment recommendations. The proposed system holds significant promise for real-world applications, particularly in regions with limited access to agricultural experts. Moreover, its scalability and adaptability pave the way for future extensions to other crops and disease types. This research underscores the transformative potential of machine learning in precision agriculture, offering a cost-effective, scalable, and efficient solution for early plant disease detection. (shrink)

The early detection of plant diseases is essential to preventing crop losses in terms of quantity and productivity. Farmers typically identify illnesses using their prior knowledge or by spending a great deal of time, effort, and experience doing so. Exceedingly challenging to manually monitor plant diseases. In the development of automatic pathogens diagnosis machines, paddy disease detection is crucial . To identify previously known bacterial leaf blight, brown spot, leaf blast, leaf smut, and other narrow illnesses in prior knowledge, we (...) presented a VGG 16 model in this work. Images of various categories diseases are stored in a special data repository, with 80 percent of the data used for training and 20 percent for sample testing. ResNet, Inception v2 and Mobile Net were all used in the model-building process to add benefits. The results of the interpretation show that there is high level picture classification accuracy and low mistake rate. As a result, our model excels at identifying paddy diseases and may be used in practical applications in daily life. (shrink)

This chapter discusses the contributions that standpoint theory and intersectionality make as philosophical methods in bioethics. It opens by articulating foundational claims of standpoint theory and by examining how developing a critical consciousness of power relationships can transform perspectival knowledge into an epistemologically privileged standpoint that challenges the uncritical partiality of dominant perspectives. Next, the analysis of power relationships provided by feminist ethics is used to demonstrate how recognition of differing epistemological perspectives is transformed into feminist standpoint theory. It then (...) examines how the method of intersectionality emerges, in part, from criticisms of feminism’s own shortsightedness and exclusionary practices. Then, a review of the methods of critical race theory describes its origins, basic tenets, and contribution in developing a critical consciousness relevant to bioethics. Finally, the chapter presents key insights from the field of disability studies, demonstrating how lived experiences of disability may provide a standpoint to inform medical and bioethical analysis, particularly in discussions of quality of life. Though perspectives informed by other features of social context are important for bioethical analysis—for example, social class, educational background, linguistic and cultural differences—this chapter focuses on gender, race, and disability to illuminate features of standpoint theory and intersectionality. (shrink)

Justification logics are modal-like logics with the additional capability of recording the reason, or justification, for modalities in syntactic structures, called justification terms. Justification logics can be seen as explicit counterparts to modal logics. The behavior and interaction of agents in distributed system is often modeled using logics of knowledge and time. In this paper, we sketch some preliminary ideas on how the modal knowledge part of such logics of knowledge and time could be replaced with an appropriate justification logic.

Abstract: In this paper, the definition of triple Aboodh transform of fractional order α, where α ϵ [0, 1], is introduced for functions which are fractional differentiable. We also present several properties of this transform. Furthermore, some main theorems and their proofs are discussed.

Abstract: Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA) is breathing disorder syndrome in which the airway tract pauses during sleep due to collapse of pharyngeal airway. It is occurred at the sleep time, with fourth dimensional high resolution in airway tract Obstruction in children and adults with OSA. Here, we the operator places the seeds that includes the Oesopharyngeal air tract and found out a threshold for the first frame in order to determine the affected tissues which blocks the patients pharyngeal tract. In this (...) automated segmentation method it shows the process of MRI studies of the pharyngeal air pathway and enable diagnose of obstructive tissues with the collapse tissues. Region growing method results well in Dice Coefficients compared with manual segmentation. It automatically detects 90% of collapse tissues. This approach leads to segment the pharyngeal pathway correctly. It uses long MRI scans in order to diagnosis the collapsed tissues with graph, accurate details and coefficients in a short span of duration. (shrink)

Abstract— In this paper, we introduce the definition of triple Aboodh transform, some properties for the transform are presented. Furthermore, several theorems dealing with the properties of the triple Aboodh transform are proved. In addition, we use this transform to solve partial differential equations with integer and non-integer orders.

In a reflective and richly entertaining piece from 1979, Doug Hofstadter playfully imagined a conversation between ‘Achilles’ and an anthill (the eponymous ‘Aunt Hillary’), in which he famously explored many ideas and themes related to cognition and consciousness. For Hofstadter, the anthill is able to carry on a conversation because the ants that compose it play roughly the same role that neurons play in human languaging; unfortunately, Hofstadter’s work is notably short on detail suggesting how this magic might be achieved1. (...) Conversely in this paper - finally reifying Hofstadter’s imagination - we demonstrate how populations of simple ant-like creatures can be organised to solve complex problems; problems that involve the use of forward planning and strategy. Specifically we will demonstrate that populations of such creatures can be configured to play a strategically strong - though tactically weak - game of HeX (a complex strategic game).We subsequently demonstrate how tactical play can be improved by introducing a form of forward planning instantiated via multiple populations of agents; a technique that can be compared to the dynamics of interacting populations of social insects via the concept of meta-population. In this way although, pace Hofstadter, we do not establish that a meta-population of ants could actually hold a conversation with Achilles, we do successfully introduce Aunt Hillary to the complex, seductive charms of HeX. (shrink)

The Axis II Work Group of the Task Force on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) has expressed concern that antisocial personality disorder (APD) criteria are too long and cumbersome and that they focus on antisocial behaviors rather than personality traits central to traditional conceptions of psychopathy and to international criteria. R. D. Hare et al describe an alternative to the approach taken in the DSM-III—Revised (DSM-III—R; American Psychiatric Association, 1987), namely, the revised Psychopathy Checklist. The authors also (...) discuss the multisite APD field trials designed to evaluate and compare 4 criteria sets: the DSM-III—R criteria, a shortened list of these criteria, the criteria for dyssocial personality disorder from the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (World Health Organization, 1990), and a 10-item criteria set for psychopathic personality disorder derived from the revised Psychopathy Checklist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (shrink)

This paper draws together as many as possible of the clues and pieces of the puzzle surrounding T. S. Eliot’s “infamous” literary term “objective correlative”. Many different scholars have claimed many different sources for the term, in Pound, Whitman, Baudelaire, Washington Allston, Santayana, Husserl, Nietzsche, Newman, Walter Pater, Coleridge, Russell, Bradley, Bergson, Bosanquet, Schopenhauer and Arnold. This paper aims to rewrite this list by surveying those individuals who, in different ways, either offer the truest claim to being the source of (...) the term, or contributed the most to Eliot’s development of it: Allston, Husserl, Bradley and Bergson. What the paper will argue is that Eliot’s possible inspiration for the term is more indebted to the idealist tradition, and Bergson’s aesthetic development of it, than to the phenomenology of Husserl. (shrink)

Lloyd Humberstone’s recently published Philosophical Applications of Modal Logic presents a number of new ideas in modal logic as well explication and critique of recent work of many others. We extend some of these ideas and answer some questions that are left open in the book.

This paper provides a retrospective and prospective overview of TU Delft’s approach to engineering ethics education. For over twenty years, the Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Section at TU Delft has been at the forefront of engineering ethics education, offering education to a wide range of engineering and design students. The approach developed at TU Delft is deeply informed by the research of the Section, which is centered around Responsible Research and Innovation, Design for Values, and Risk Ethics. These theoretical (...) approaches are premised on the notion that technologies are inherently value-laden, and as such contain the possibility of fostering or hindering moral values. Each of these approaches encourages students to take a proactive attitude with respect to their projects and profession, thinking creatively about – and taking responsibility for – how to both prevent harm and do good via the technologies they help develop. To explain how this is put into practice, this paper sketches a brief history of ethics teaching at TU Delft, outlines current activities, and presents future plans for Bachelor and Master’s level engineering ethics education at TU Delft. (shrink)

This is an edited transcription of Thomas S. Kuhn’s “Does Knowledge ‘Grow’?”.

This study investigates the impact of the ENRICH strategy on improving reading comprehension scores among Grade 11 students. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the study was conducted in three phases. In Phase 1, spanning days 1 to 6, 36 Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) students from Immaculate Conception College of Balayan, Inc. engaged with six literary pieces, reading one piece per day, followed by an assessment to measure comprehension. Phase 2, occurring on days 7 and 8, involved re-reading the same literary (...) pieces, with a second round of assessments to reinforce understanding. In the final phase, on day 9, students completed a third assessment after a final review of the texts. Data analysis revealed statistically significant improvements across the three phases, underscoring the effectiveness of repetitive reading in enhancing long-term comprehension. The findings suggest that the ENRICH strategy can effectively aid students in improving their reading comprehension, which may contribute to better academic performance, heightened reading confidence, and a more positive attitude towards learning. Based on these results, the study advocates for the ENRICH strategy as a valuable tool for bolstering reading comprehension, particularly for students struggling with complex texts. Additionally, it recommends the integration of digital tools and interactive methods to sustain engagement and further enhance reading skills. These insights offer educators and institutions actionable strategies to support literacy development and promote academic success. (shrink)

Current local and national demographic trends have deepened the existing and formed new global demographic processes that have received a new historical reasoning that requires deep scientific research taking into account the influence of the multifactorial global dimension of the modern society development. The purpose of the article is to study the development of global demographic processes and to define the causes of their occurrence, manifestations, implications and prospects for implementation in the first half of the 21st century. The authors (...) have identified and characterized four global demographic processes, namely population growth, migration, increase of tourism, and change in population structure. It is projected that in the 30’s of the 21st century, the number and growth rates of the world population will reach the objective growth and these dynamics over the next two decades will begin to change in the direction of reducing the growth rates, which will lead to gradual stabilization, and eventually reduce the size of the world population. By the middle of the 21st century, one can observe the preservation of the growth rates of international and domestic migration, the growth of international migration flows from the South to the North and from the East to the West, the strengthening of new economically developed centers of gravity (Canada, Australia and New Zealand), the increase in migration of rural population to cities, as well as urbanization and activation of the metropolises development. The share of international tourists in comparison with the world population will be constantly increasing, and the annual growth rate of the number of international tourists will significantly depend on the world economy and may vary at the several percent level. Permanent change will occur in the age, religious-cultural and socio-economic structure of the population. (shrink)

The objective of this study was to evaluate lipid sources, associated with spineless cactus or not, as a strategy for reducing feed costs in goat milk production. Twelve lactating Saanen goats, with an average body weight of 55.0±8.0kg, were distributed in a 4x4 Latin square, with a 2x2 factorial arrangement. The treatments consisted of two lipid sources (coconut peels - CP; and cottonseed - CT), associated or not with “Orelha de Elefante Mexicana” (OEM) spineless cactus. Goats that consumed diets containing (...) cottonseed as the main source of energy showed higher performance indexes (P<0.05). The CP+OEM treatment presented the lowest cost for 1 kg of dry matter (R$ 1.78). The PC diet demonstrated lower daily feeding costs (R$ 2.54). Total revenue was higher for the CT+OEM diet (R$ 8.17), as was net income (R$ 4.19). Therefore, the association of cottonseed with OEM spineless cactus in the feeding of lactating goats is recommended, due to the reduction in feeding costs, especially with roughage, in addition to superior performance, contributing to greater profitability of the activity. Keywords: economic evaluation, fat feeds, milk production, Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw., small ruminants. (shrink)