Jerry Fodor and Ernest Lepore (1999/2002) frame the debate over meaning holism in terms of a distinction between meaning atomism and meaning anatomism. The former holds that the meaning of an expression E is determined by some relation between E and some extra-linguistic entity. The latter holds that the meaning of E is at least partly determined by some of E’s “inward” relations (IRs) with other expressions in the very language. They (1992) argue that meaning anatomism inevitably collapses into meaning (...) holism, which is the view that the meaning of E is determined by E’s IRs with every other expression in the very language because there is no principled distinction for the anatomist to divide the meaning-determining IRs from the non-meaning-determining ones. In response, the non-holistic anatomist urges that Fodor and Lepore’s no-principled-basis consideration is groundless because the lack of a generally accepted criterion for such a distinction does not undermine the viability of the distinction itself. While this point is well taken, I think that Fodor and Lepore are onto an important question here. That is, what does it make non-holistic anatomism distinctive from its holistic counterpart if without a principled basis for the distinction among IRs? I look into this question and give an alternative argument from Fodor and Lepore’s to suggest that non-holistic anatomism cannot bypass the no-principled-basis consideration. The non-holistic anatomist will need a principled distinction in kind between IRs to back her point. (shrink)

Cross-border tourism, which involves travel across international boundaries, plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation. However, it also presents unique challenges, including regulatory discrepancies, infrastructure disparities, and economic policies that impact tourism flows. Addressing these issues effectively can enhance the benefits of cross-border tourism while mitigating its limitations.

As humanity grapples with increasingly unpredictable weather and intensifying climate extremes, scientists are calling for not only reliable long-term climate projections but also timely and accurate short-term forecasts—a practice now referred to as climate “nowcasting”. A crucial yet often underestimated player in this endeavor is aerosols—tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, originating from both human activities such as industrial pollution and wildfires, and natural sources like desert dust and sea spray.

Sand is an indispensable yet often overlooked component of modern life—embedded in the concrete of our cities, the glass of our windows, the roads beneath our feet, and even the electronics we rely on daily. However, few recognize that sand is the world’s most heavily extracted resource, with over 50 billion tonnes mined annually, far exceeding its natural replenishment rate. This unchecked extraction has triggered a global sand crisis, contributing to severe ecological degradation, deepening social inequalities, and undermining the foundations (...) of sustainable development. (shrink)

Du lịch xuyên biên giới, liên quan đến việc đi lại qua các ranh giới quốc tế, đóng một vai trò quan trọng trong việc thúc đẩy tăng trưởng kinh tế, trao đổi văn hóa và hợp tác khu vực. Tuy nhiên, nó cũng đặt ra những thách thức riêng, bao gồm sự khác biệt về quy định, sự chênh lệch về cơ sở hạ tầng và các chính sách kinh tế ảnh hưởng đến dòng khách du lịch. Việc giải (...) quyết hiệu quả những vấn đề này có thể tăng cường lợi ích của du lịch xuyên biên giới đồng thời giảm thiểu những hạn chế của nó. (shrink)

Với khối lượng kiến thức khoa học chuyên sâu gia tăng và thông tin đại chúng phổ biến về vấn đề biến đổi khí hậu, nhận thức về tình trạng nguy ngập của sức khỏe hệ sinh thái toàn cầu đã trở nên đầy đủ hơn rất nhiều.

Thời trang nhanh vốn được biết đến là ngành công nghiệp tỷ đô với những cuộc chạy đua giữa các thương hiệu để cho ra mắt những thiết kế mới liên tục, đi cùng với đó là thời gian từ khâu sản xuất tới khi bị vứt bỏ ngày càng bị cắt ngắn để tối đa hóa lợi nhuận. Đây là một ví dụ rất điển hình của văn hóa thâm hụt sinh thái trong giới kinh doanh [1]. Cũng vì (...) lý do này, ngành công nghiệp thời trang đã bị chỉ trích vì tạo ra nhiều ảnh hưởng tiêu cực đến môi trường, như thải ra 10% tổng lượng khí thải carbon, là ngành công nghiệp xả nước thải lớn thứ 2 trên thế giới, và chỉ riêng việc giặt các loại vải dệt tổng hợp như polyester đã thải ra 35% tổng số hạt vi nhựa trong đại dương [2]. (shrink)

Có thể tất cả chúng ta đều đã nghe đâu đó về cụm từ biến đổi khí hậu và sự nóng lên của trái đất, và kèm theo đó là những hậu quả nghiêm trọng của nó. Tuy nhiên, các thông tin và khái niệm đấy không còn xa xôi trên sách báo hay các nghiên cứu khoa học nữa, mà đang dần trở nên rõ ràng hơn. Điều này đồng nghĩa với việc tình hình biến đổi khí hậu đã (...) trở nên rất nguy cấp. (shrink)

Wild Wise Weird by Quan-Hoang Vuong is a delightful anthology that brings to life the whimsical world of a wise, solitary Kingfisher navigating a vibrant bird village. Each story blends humor and thoughtful commentary, creating a journey filled with both charm and valuable insight.

Với mục đích tìm ra các nhân tố tác động tới quyết định mua sắm qua nền tảng mạng xã hội Tiktok của sinh viên trên địa bàn TP. Hà Nội, nghiên cứu xây dựng mô hình dựa trên thuyết hành động hợp lý (TRA), thuyết hành vi dự định (TPB) và một số lý thuyết khác, đồng thời, sử dụng phương pháp định lượng và sử dụng phần mềm SPSS nhằm phân tích và kiểm định mô hình các nhân (...) tố tác động. Kích cỡ mẫu dự kiến là 320 sinh viên mua sắm trực tuyến thông qua mạng xã hội Tiktok tại Hà Nội. Thời gian khảo sát từ tháng 4/2024 đến tháng 5/2024. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy, Quyết định mua hàng qua mạng xã hội Tiktok của sinh viên tại TP. Hà Nội chịu tác động của 6 nhân tố bao gồm: (1) Nhận thức về tính hữu dụng; (2) Lòng tin; (3) Cảm nhận rủi ro; (4) Thương hiệu; (5) Ảnh hưởng xã hội và (6) Khuyến mãi. Từ đó, nghiên cứu đề xuất một số giải pháp nhằm cải thiện, tối ưu các hoạt động kinh doanh và mua bán trực tuyến trong thời đại số hiện nay. -/- [The purpose of the research is to find out the factors that affect students’ shopping decisions via the social networking platform Tiktok in Hanoi city, researching and building a model based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and several other theories, at the same time, using quantitative methods and SPSS software to analyze and test the model of influencing factors. The expected sample size is 320 students shopping online through the social network Tiktok in Hanoi. The survey time is from April 2024 to May 2024. The results of the study show that students’ purchasing decisions via the social network Tiktok in Hanoi city are influenced by six factors including (1) Perception of usefulness, (2) Trust, (3) Perceived risk, (4) Brand, (5) Social influence, and (6) Promotion. From the research results, the author proposes several solutions to improve and optimize online business and purchasing activities in today’s digital age.]. (shrink)

Hôm nay, ông Bói Cá cùng xóm ghé nhà tôi chơi. Trông mặt mày ông ấy rạng rỡ, vui tươi lắm. Ông hào hứng khoe rằng dạo gần đây lại được mời tham dự Hội nghị Triết học Nhân văn ở tận ao Amazon bên Mỹ, nơi ông được mọi người khen ngợi nức nở.

Văn hóa Xóm chim được khen là có trí khôn không tuổi.

The Evaluative Judgment Theories of Emotion mainly suggest that emotions can be reduced to evaluative beliefs or judgments. Specifically, evaluative beliefs are necessary but not sufficient conditions for evaluative judgments. And reducing emotions to evaluative judgments requires the subject’s conceptualizing ability. However, the Evaluative Judgment Theories of Emotion has many problems, including that evaluative beliefs are neither sufficient nor necessary for emotions; the evaluative judgment theory of emotion presupposes the subject’s conceptual content, but conceptual content is not a necessary and (...) sufficient condition for emotions; the requirement of conceptualization ability for evaluative judgments is too high, which makes emotions overintellectualize; and the add-on strategy of emotions cannot save the evaluative judgment theory of emotions as well. (shrink)

Với sự phát triển nhanh chóng của công nghệ, các ngành vốn đòi hỏi trải nghiệm thực tế cũng dần thích nghi. Du lịch ảo là một trong những mô hình mới mẻ, cho phép du khách trải nghiệm điểm đến một cách sống động thông qua công nghệ 3D hoặc mô phỏng thực tế. Tuy nhiên, nhóm tác giả không xem đây chỉ là một quá trình một chiều, mà còn là sự tương tác giữa nhà cung cấp dịch (...) vụ và khách hàng [1]. Quá trình doanh nghiệp tìm hiểu và đáp ứng nhu cầu của khách hàng để tạo ra những sản phẩm du lịch phù hợp chính là quá trình "đồng sáng tạo giá trị" trong du lịch ảo. (shrink)

Bài nghiên cứu của nhóm tác giả người Việt đánh giá hiệu quả của chính sách phát triển xanh đối với Kitakyushu, một thành phố công nghiệp nặng nhưng nổi tiếng với khả năng kiểm soát ô nhiễm môi trường, đã lọt vào Top Trending của tạp chí Palgrave Communications thuộc Nature Research, không lâu sau khi được công bố.

According to social scientists, people’s beliefs about climate change are more strongly influenced by cultural values than concrete evidence. But how could disheartening climate news help shape their socio-cultural values and beliefs? Some explanations follow.

Recent studies have demonstrated neural overlap between resting state activity and self-referential processing. This “rest-self” overlap occurs especially in anterior cortical midline structures like the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (PACC). However, the exact neurotemporal and biochemical mechanisms remain to be identified. Therefore, we conducted a combined electroencephalography (EEG)-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study. EEG focused on pre-stimulus (e.g., prior to stimulus presentation or perception) power changes to assess the degree to which those changes can predict subjects’ perception (and judgment) of subsequent (...) stimuli as high or low self-related. MRS measured resting state concentration of glutamate, focusing on PACC. High pre-stimulus (e.g., prior to stimulus presentation or perception) alpha power significantly correlated with both perception of stimuli judged to be highly self-related and with resting state glutamate concentrations in the PACC. In sum, our results show (i) pre-stimulus (e.g., prior to stimulus presentation or perception) alpha power and resting state glutamate concentration to mediate rest-self overlap that (ii) dispose or incline subjects to assign high degrees of self-relatedness to perceptual stimuli. (shrink)

Spinoza’s philosophy presents a radical reinterpretation of miracles and laws, rejecting traditional views of miracles as breaches in the natural order. This paper argues that for Spinoza, natural law, which directly follows from God, governs the universe with necessity, while civil and physical laws are human inventions. Some events are considered miracles because they contradict the latter laws due to people’s ignorance of the true causes. By analyzing Spinoza’s typology of laws and his views on extension, I contend that physical (...) laws depend on human imagination and thus cannot be equated with natural law. The paper examines Spinoza’s rejection of miracles as supernatural events, demonstrating how they instead reveal the limits of human understanding of natural causality. This study reconciles Spinoza’s rationalist commitments with his critique of human cognition’s capacity to represent the divine. This rethinking of laws and miracles offers new insights into Spinoza’s metaphysics and its implications for his philosophy of science and theology. (shrink)

Since 2019, Northeastern post-industrial culture has been a popular topic of discussion; the general public refers to it as the Northeastern Renaissance. Crises of identity, honor, and faith have been recurring themes in several Northeastern films released in recent years. Furthermore, these cinematic narratives frequently generate somber humor by presenting an enormous contrast between ideals and actuality. The article examines how the post-industrial narrative context of Northeast China has influenced audio-visual cultural products and contemporary Chinese popular culture. To elucidate the (...) fundamental aspect of the Northeast narrative, the article’s author employs the absurd theory of Albert Camus. The main structure and viewpoints of the article are as follows: The first is after presenting individuals’ contemplations on the Northeastern Renaissance-instigated post-industrial narrative of the Northeast. In the following sections, the article explores the narrative context of post-industrial audio-visual works in Northeast China, focusing on the absurdity depicted in the documentary Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2002). The authors’ analysis reveals how the documentary captures the socio-economic decline and the resulting human experiences of absurdity and dislocation. Key findings indicate that the narrative structure and visual style effectively convey the bleak realities of post-industrial life, offering critical insights into the region’s socio-cultural transformation. These findings suggest that future research should explore the intersection of visual media and social change in other post-industrial contexts. -/- . (shrink)

The article will be divided into three parts: 1. Explain the literary origins of the nesting pattern and its relationship to cinema narrative, and analyse the nesting tactics commonly used in films under Hollywood’s classical narrative. 2. Describe the variations in nested structures in films made in the 1990s, focusing on self-reflexive nesting, which emerged as a new model beyond conventional nesting during this period. 3. Distinguish the literary style of embedded narratives from the visual recognition mode and provide an (...) example of how the latter is used in films to create impossible puzzles. (shrink)

Theo một nghiên cứu mới được công bố trên tập san Environmental Chemistry Letters của các nhà khoa học Nhật Bản, vi nhựa đã được phát hiện trong các đám mây xung quanh Núi Phú Sĩ và Núi Oyama ở độ cao khoảng 1300-3776 m.

Starbucks, nhãn hiệu cà phê nổi tiếng toàn cầu, đã và đang truyền thông về việc theo đuổi mục tiêu phát triển bền vững trong nhiều năm liền. Công ty đã đặt mục tiêu sử dụng hiệu quả tài nguyên vào năm 2030, với việc giảm 50% khí thải carbon, nước, và chất thải.

Văn hóa thặng dư sinh thái là tập hợp các thái độ, giá trị, niềm tin và hành vi bảo vệ và tôn tạo môi trường được chia sẻ bởi một cộng đồng nhằm giảm tác động tiêu cực của con người tới môi trường, giúp bảo tồn và phục hồi thiên nhiên [1]. Đây được xem là giải pháp để con người có thể sống hòa hợp với thiên nhiên và hướng tới bảo vệ môi trường một cách dài (...) hạn và bền vững. (shrink)

Tốc độ tăng của tổn thất kinh tế gây ra bởi nạn xâm nhập sinh học cao hơn gấp 2 lần so với các loại tổn thất khác do thiên nhiên gây ra.

“Non-Self from the perspective of the Gene” November 2021, Buddhism and Culture (a Korean-language Buddhist magazine sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Korean Buddhism), Korea.

From Groundwork for the metaphysics of morals and Critique of practical reason, we can deduce Kant's interpretation of the concept of freedom, which has undergone a change from practical freedom to transcendental freedom, and the deduction of freedom has been perfected, the rational facts have been put forward to provide the basis of free deduction. The reason for the change is that freedom as the basis of theoretical practice is assumed and predetermined, how the cause and effect of freedom as (...) will may not be explained, and the nature of freedom is not defined clearly, the legitimacy and authority of the moral law is not established. After the transformation, the problem was solved. Although rigour raises questions about the universality of Kant’s moral law, Onora Sylvia O’Neill and others argue that Kant’s moral law is a product of virtue ethics, not a normative ethic, Kant's moral law still can instruct us in ethical life. (shrink)

The transition to renewable energy is a crucial step in combating climate change, yet it presents unexpected ecological challenges. Wind and solar power, while essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, require substantial land and airspace, which can disrupt ecosystems and endanger wildlife. This has given rise to the “green–green dilemma”—where renewable energy expansion (green energy) can conflict with biodiversity conservation (green environment). Addressing this dilemma is critical to ensuring that climate action does not come at the cost of ecological integrity.

“Buddhism Evolving” December 2021, Buddhism and Culture (a Korean-language Buddhist magazine sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Korean Buddhism), Korea.

The deceptive clues in the impossible puzzle film confirm the viewer’s internal expectations and allow retrospective attributing. In the film, a transcendental object negates an internal expectation, causing a retrospective blockage. Retrospectivity does not stop there; the transcendental object reinterpreting deceptive clues in the associative area leads to repeated attribution. This article consists of three parts. First, it discusses impossible puzzle films in the context of complex narrative classification. The following section introduces the Jungian concept of synchronicity and illustrates how (...) it works. The article concludes with a case study of Long Day’s Journey into Night (2018), which contains more complicated puzzles and explains how mind-game narrative techniques create deceptive clues and induce deceptive retrospective attribution. (shrink)

The development of cognitive neuroscience allows scientists to locate areas of brain activity corresponding to consciousness activities through advanced technology. The philosophical basis of cognitive neuroscience is physicalism, which reduces the activity of consciousness into the product of biological brain activity, but there are many drawbacks to this strong physicalism reductionism. Mind-brain identity theory in neuroscience and the computational doctrine in cognitive science show that the theory of physical reductionism can never explain the causal relationship between mental properties and physical (...) properties and physicalism contains the tendency of dualism. In addition, dualism combines with materialism to develop a new dualism of naturalistic tendencies and gain new opportunities for development. It is further demonstrated that the rationality of dualism and mental state cannot be wholly reduced to a physical state. (shrink)

Starting from the many-world interpretation of quantum mechanics, this work gives a holistic view of consciousness. The entirety is complete and does not possess any particular physical properties or subjective experience. It is the superposition of all possibilities. Its partition, however, gives rise to physical properties and subjective experience simultaneously. They play complementary roles to each other. The latter cannot be conveyed to a third person, and cannot be reduced to the former. It in fact fills the informational gap which (...) is impossible for the former to fill. The casual effect and the privilege of subjective experience are related to the role it plays, which is to identify the subject's self location. (shrink)

Davidson’s theory of agency aims to solve the dilemma that the same action can be both intentional and not intentional. He explains primitive actions using primarily bodily movements and argues that event-causality can be described through the “accordion effect”, but not agent-causality. And Davidson uses reasons as causes to explain the actions and responds to five objections. In this paper, I critique Davidson’s argument, pointing out that he ignores certain factors in the belief-desire model, such as emotions. And his sentence (...) holism has a problem because individual words that express complete thoughts can explain actions in language games. As a result, Davidson’s criticism of Wittgenstein is not reasonable. (shrink)

Dans la République, le poète est condamné sans appel et expulsé de la cité pour avoir introduit la fausseté dans l’âme des citoyens à l’aide d’images. Or, dans ce dialogue, comme dans tous les autres, Platon n’hésite jamais à produire lui-même des images, en créant des mythes et des personnages imaginaires. « Parler par images » (δι’ εἰκόνων λέγειν), ou par ce qui semble être sans être, est ainsi le point de convergence et le point de divergence entre Platon et (...) les poètes. Comment comprendre alors cette double attitude de Platon que l’on retrouve dans ses critiques du faux et dans les usages qu’il en fait dans les dialogues? Comment le faux, en faisant naître le non-être, dispose-t-il d’une telle puissance sur l’âme, capable d’orienter celle-ci tantôt vers la vérité, tantôt vers un monde d’illusions où elle se réjouit de ce qui n’a aucun moyen d’exister? (shrink)

According to Donald Davidson, an akratic action is opposed to the agent’s better judgment if the agent act freely and intentionally. Davidson says akratic actions are possible and all akratic actions are irrational. However, although akratic actions are possible, akratic actions could be rational. The reasons are that some of these actions are rational; these rational akratic actions are caused by some emotions sometimes, while some emotions cannot make akratic actions rational, including excessive negative emotions, recalcitrant emotions, etc. Therefore, it (...) is reasonable to explain akratic actions caused by these emotions and these emotions not play a rational role in akratic actions. (shrink)

Climate change and livestock production are deeply interconnected. Livestock contributes significantly to climate change while simultaneously being heavily impacted by it, creating a critical sustainability challenge for our planet. Globally, livestock are responsible for about 14.5% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily methane and nitrous oxide, which are potent warming agents. Methane, produced during the digestive process (enteric fermentation) of ruminants like cattle, sheep, and goats, accounts for a significant portion of livestock emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions mainly arise from (...) manure management and fertilization processes in feed production. Additionally, land-use changes, driven by increasing demands for grazing and feed crops, further exacerbate carbon emissions. (shrink)

In recent years, China’s air quality has significantly improved, driven by ambitious environmental policies such as the “Action Plan for Air Pollution Prevention and Control” and the “Three-Year Action Plan to Win the Blue Sky Defense War”. However, the evolving characteristics of pollution sources—including shifts in their distribution, composition, and emission patterns—have made it increasingly difficult to locate the origins of air pollutants accurately. Conventional methods, which primarily depend on ground-based measurements and model simulations, often suffer from substantial uncertainties, sometimes (...) exceeding 200-300%, thereby limiting their reliability and practical utility. (shrink)

Temporal Changes in Ovarian Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone mRNA Levels by Gonadotropins in the Rat Sung Ho Lee, Eun-Seob Song, Sun Kyeong Yu, Changmee Kim, Dae Kee Lee, Wan Sung Choi l and Kyungjin Kim* Department of Molecular Biofogy and SRC for Cell Differentiation, Seoul National University, Seoul 150-742, Korea; IDepartment of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Gyeongsanf; National University, Chinju 660-280, Korea (Recei·. cd on December 29, 1993) The present study examines whether gonadotropins are involved in the regulation of ovarian GnRH gene (...) expression and how ovarian GnRH gene expression temporalJy correlates with alterations in hypothalamic GnRH, pituitary LH~ gene expression in respons to gonadotropins. Hypothalamic and ovarian GnRH mRNA and pituitary LH~ mRNA levels were determined by respective RNA-blot hybridizations, and ovarian GnRH and estradiol contents and serum LH levels were measured by respective radioimmunoassays. Three animal models such as 1) PMSG-treated, 2) PMSG and heG-treated immature rats and 3) proestrous stage of adult rats were used. Immature rats (25-days old) were administered with PMSG (10 iu) at 10:00 hand 48 h later with heG (10 iu) to induce ovulation. In the PMSG-injected model, hypothalamic GnRH mRNA levels were markedly augmented about 9-fold at 50 h, and pituitary LH mRNA 3-fold at 52 h after PMSG administration. Serum LH levels were increased to the preovulatory surge levels at 56 h, and ovarian GnRH mRNA levels were augmented 4-fold at 60 h after PMSG injection. Administration of heG also induced a marked enhancement in ovarian GnRH mRNA levels in comparison to the values shown in both intact and PMSGtreated rats at 52 hand 54 h, respectively. In the proestrous stage of normal adult rats, pituitary LH~ mRNA levels were peaked at 16:00 h. The preovulatory LH surge was evident at 4 h before increment in ovarian GnRH mRNA levels as shown in PMSG-treated rats. The present study clearly showed the sequential increase in hypothalamic GnRH mRNA, pituitary LH~ mRNA and ovarian GnRH mRNA levels, indicating that ovarian GnRH may play a possible role in the control of follicular maturation and the ovulation process. (shrink)

This paper studies the epistemic failures to reach understanding in relation to scientific explanations. We make a distinction between genuine understanding and its negative phenomena—lack of understanding and misunderstanding. We define explanatory understanding as inclusive as possible, as the epistemic success that depends on abilities, skills, and correct explanations. This success, we add, is often supplemented by specific positive phenomenology which plays a part in forming epistemic inclinations—tendencies to receive an insight from familiar types of explanations. We define lack of (...) understanding as the epistemic failure that results from a lack of an explanation or from an incorrect one. This can occur due to insufficient abilities and skills, or to fallacious explanatory information. Finally, we characterize misunderstanding by cases where one’s epistemic inclinations do not align with an otherwise correct explanation. We suggest that it leads to potential debates about the explanatory power of different explanatory strategies. We further illustrate this idea with a short meta-philosophical study on the current debates about distinctively mathematical explanations. (shrink)

Machery et al. presented data suggesting the existence of cross-cultural variation in judgments about the reference of proper names. In this paper, we examine a previously overlooked confound in the subsequent studies that attempt to replicate the results of Machery et al. using East Asian languages. Machery et al. and Sytsma et al. claim that they have successfully replicated the original finding with probes written in Chinese and Japanese, respectively. These studies, however, crucially rely on uses of articleless, ‘bare noun (...) phrases’ in Chinese and Japanese, which according to the linguistic literature are known to be multiply ambiguous. We argue that it becomes questionable whether the extant studies using East Asian languages revealed genuine cross-cultural variation when the probes are reevaluated based on a proper linguistic understanding of Chinese and Japanese bare noun phrases and English definite descriptions. We also present two experiments on native Japanese speakers that controlled the use of ambiguous bare noun phrases, the results of which suggest that the judgments of Japanese speakers concerning the reference of proper names may not diverge from those of English speakers. (shrink)

"Sapiolatry," the excessive reverence and idolization of historical figures renowned for their wisdom, poses a significant challenge to critical thinking and innovation. In the article "Say Goodbye to Plato," we delve into the concept of sapiolatry and its implications for our engagement with the teachings of revered figures like Plato. By exploring the roots, consequences, and the case of Plato, we highlight the necessity of moving beyond uncritical adoration towards a more dynamic and contextual interpretation of ancient wisdom. The article (...) advocates for a balanced and critical approach to studying the teachings of revered figures, emphasizing the importance of adapting their wisdom to address contemporary issues and foster innovation. (shrink)

CONTENT 1. Misconceptions of Darwin's Theory of Evolution 2. Darwinism against Essentialism and the Concept of Species 3. Function and Biological Explanation 4. The Gene 목차 1. 다윈의 진화론에 대한 오해들 2. 본질주의에 대한 진화론의 반대와 종(Species)의 개념 3. 기능(function)과 생명과학적 설명 4. 유전자 맺음말.

"Dependent Arising in Life and Environment" March 2021, Buddhism and Culture (a Korean-language Buddhist magazine sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Korean Buddhism), Korea 생명과 환경이 보여주는 연기(緣起)의 진리.

This paper connects the hard problem of consciousness to the interpretation of quantum mechanics. It shows that constitutive Russellian pan(proto)psychism (CRP) is compatible with Everett’s relative-state (RS) interpretation. Despite targeting different problems, CRP and RS are related, for they both establish symmetry between micro- and macrosystems, and both call for a deflationary account of Subject. The paper starts from formal arguments that demonstrate the incompatibility of CRP with alternative interpretations of quantum mechanics, followed by showing that RS entails Russellian pan(proto)psychism. (...) Therefore, CRP and RS are mutually supportive. It then provides a unified ontological picture by combining CRP and RS. The challenge faced by CRP, the combination problem, can be resolved by adopting a RS version of quantum mechanics. Technically, this is achieved by a co-consciousness relation capable of explaining the difference between first-person and third-person perspectives. The hierarchical structure of the relation removes any concern on the structural mismatch between the physical and the phenomenal. (shrink)

“Stem Cells Dependently Arising and Empty” May 2021, Buddhism and Culture (a Korean-language Buddhist magazine sponsored by the Foundation for the Promotion of Korean Buddhism), Korea.

Văn hóa thặng dư sinh thái là tập hợp các thái độ, giá trị, niềm tin và hành vi bảo vệ và tôn tạo môi trường được chia sẻ bởi một cộng đồng nhằm giảm tác động tiêu cực của con người tới môi trường, giúp bảo tồn và phục hồi thiên nhiên. Đây được xem là giải pháp để con người có thể sống hòa hợp với thiên nhiên và hướng tới bảo vệ môi trường một cách dài hạn (...) và bền vững. Việc phổ biến và xây dựng văn hóa thặng dư môi trường trên quy mô dân số lớn hẳn sẽ gặp nhiều khó khăn, nhưng không phải là không thể. Thành phố Kiel – có dân số xấp xỉ 250 nghìn người và cũng là thành phố đầu tiên của Đức nhận được chứng nhận Zero Waste (Không Rác thải) từ tổ chức Zero Watse Eurpoe (Không Rác thải Châu Âu) – là một ví dụ điển hình. (shrink)

죽고 다시 태어나는 반복의 과정을 논하는 불교의 윤회설은 끊임없이 변화하는 생명현상의 본래 모습을 그대로 보여준다. 어느 생명체도 변하지 않고 영구한 것은 없다. 오래된 개체의 삶이 끝나고 새로운 삶이 시작되는 반복의 자연현상이 윤회이다. 본고는 윤회를 생명과학적으로 해석하며 삼라만상에서 일어나는 윤회란 개체들뿐만 아니라 세포와 분자선상에서도 일어나는 자연스런 생명현상임을 밝히겠다.

The present study examines the physiological alterations in prolactin (PRL) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and serum PRL levels during the rat estrous cycle and the effed of naloxone, an endogenous opioid peptide receptor antagonist, on PRL gene expression during the rat estrous cycle. Adult female rats exhibiting at least two consecutive 4-day estrous cycles were used in this study. A single injection of naloxone (2mg/kg b.w.) or saline was given sc 30 mm prior to decapitation. Animals were sacrificed at 10:00 (...) h of each stage of the estrous cycle, and at 2-h intervals from 10:00 h to 20:00 h during the proestrus. PRL mRNA and serum PRL levels were determined by an RNA-blot hybridization with the rat PRL cDNA probe and by a PRL radioimmunoassay, respectively. PRL mRNA and serum PRL levels were not dramatically altered in the morning of each stage of diestrus I, II, and proestrus, and naloxone failed to modify the two parameters. During estrus naloxone clearly suppressed serum PRL levels, but it was unable to modify PRL mRNA levels. A more detailed examination of the proestrus stage revealed that PRL mRNA and serum PRL levels fluctuated as a function of time: PRL mRNA levels reached a maximum level at 12:00 h and gradually decreased until 18:00 h. PRL mRNA levels then rose at 20:00 h. No difference in PRL mRNA levels between the control and naloxone-treated groups was observed. Changes in serum PRL level during proestrus were conversely related to changes in PRL mRNA: serum PRL levels were low from 10:00 h to 14:00 h, then increased and reached a maximum level at 16:00-18:00 h. Following then, serum PRL levels were decreased. Naloxone was effective in suppressing the characteristic afternoon surge of PRL from 16:00 h to 20:00 h. These data clearly showed that alterations in PRL mRNA levels were conversely correlated with changes in serum PRL levels on proestrus, indicating differential regulation of PRL gene expression and secretion. (shrink)