In this article we introduce the reader to the reasons that led to this collection: an interdisciplinary exploration aimed at renewing interest in Luigi Einaudi’s search for «good government», broadly understood as «good society». Prompted by the Einaudian quest, the essays – exploring philosophy of law, economics, politics and epistemology – develop the issue of good government in several forms, including the relationship between public and private, public governance, the question of freedom and the complexity of the human in contemporary (...) societies. The common thread of these essays is that problematic but indissoluble knot that tells us something deeply human: our being torn between homing and roaming, institutional and individual, law and freedom, real and ideal. (shrink)

İksîrü’s-seâdât fî esrâri’l-İbâdât was written by Burhaneddin Ahmed es-Sivasî who is one of the most important figures of Turkish Islamic history and a scholar, sufi, poet, judge and ruler on the year h.798/m.1396 in Sivas. In this book, mysteries of the worship are explained after three complementary introductory chapters regarding the conception of being. The author first deals with the being, its nature and its reason in order to clarify the mysteries of the worship in human mind with a meaningful (...) framework. Then he explains the mysteries of worship by means of verses from the Quran and hadiths. Kadı Burhaneddin interprets the real meanings of worship for human being with the concept of poise. He thinks that worship is the most important means that secure human being against deviations from poise. Putting forward why the religious orders are imposed is a scholarly activity and this activity is broad enough as comprising all religious decrees. Wisdoms, beauties, benefits and utilities within religious orders are known through this activity. This book which is the basic reference of our paper can be included within the scope of the science of hikmetü’t-teşrî (reason of legislation) that explains the causes behind the orders and prohibitions of the religion. Some explanations put forward here should be evaluated having regard to theories of appearance and manifestation. (shrink)

This poised and articulate volume addresses an area of pragmatist philosophy as yet relatively unexplored in pragmatism's welcome revival. Neopragmatism's preoccupation with changing philosophers' view of the relation between language (or as Rorty puts it: "vocabularies") and reality, has largely focussed their discussions on the 'metaphysics & epistemology', rather than the 'value' side of philosophy, apart from Rorty's brief flirtations with edifying Western political discourse. Yet the nature of truth in ethics has been a topic of keen discussion in recent (...) mainstream philosophy, and it's widely acknowledged that pragmatism has original and interesting things to say about truth. This book seeks to contribute in particular to discussions of objectivity in ethics which are arguably somewhat bogged down in a wealth of finely divergent terminologies and positions: prescriptivism, fictionalism, intuitionism, quasi-realism and expressivism, to name just a few. Heney organises her own discussion around a distinction between cognitivism and non-cognitivism about moral claims. (shrink)

The Shape of Agency offers interlinked explanations of the basic building blocks of agency, as well as its exemplary instances. The first part offers accounts of a collection of related phenomena that have long troubled philosophers of action: control over behaviour, non-deviant causation, and intentional action. These accounts build on earlier work in the causalist tradition, and undermine the claims made by many that causalism cannot offer a satisfying account of non-deviant causation, and therefore fails as an account of intentional (...) action. The second part turns to modes of agentive excellence—ways that agents display quality of form—providing a novel account of skill, including an account of the ways that agents display more or less skill. Shepherd discusses the role of knowledge in skill, and concludes that while knowledge is often important, it is inessential. This leads to a discussion of the way that knowledge of action and knowledge of how to act informs action execution. Knowledgeable action includes a unique epistemic underpinning: in knowledgeable action, the agent has authoritative knowledge of what she is doing and how she is doing it when and because she is poised to control her action by way of practical reasoning. (shrink)

Some language encourages essentialist thinking. While philosophers have largely focused on generics and essentialism, I argue that nouns as a category are poised to refer to kinds and to promote representational essentializing. Our psychological propensity to essentialize when nouns are used reveals a limitation for anti-essentialist ameliorative projects. Even ameliorated nouns can continue to underpin essentialist thinking. I conclude by arguing that representational essentialism does not doom anti-essentialist ameliorative projects. Rather it reveals that would-be ameliorators ought to attend to the (...) propensities for our representational devices to essentialize and to the complex relationship between essentialism and prejudice. (shrink)

Despite the recent backlash against epistemic consequentialism, an explicit systematic alternative has yet to emerge. This paper articulates and defends a novel alternative, Epistemic Kantianism, which rests on a requirement of respect for the truth. §1 tackles some preliminaries concerning the proper formulation of the epistemic consequentialism / non-consequentialism divide, explains where Epistemic Kantianism falls in the dialectical landscape, and shows how it can capture what seems attractive about epistemic consequentialism while yielding predictions that are harder for the latter to (...) secure in a principled way. §2 presents Epistemic Kantianism. §3 argues that it is uniquely poised to satisfy the desiderata set out in §1 on an ideal theory of epistemic justification. §4 gives three further arguments, suggesting that it (i) best explains the objective normative significance of the subject's perspective in epistemology, (ii) follows from the kind of axiology needed to solve the swamping problem together with modest assumptions about the relation between the evaluative and the deontic, and (iii) illuminates certain asymmetries in epistemic value and obligation. §5 takes stock and reassesses the score in the debate. (shrink)

Once lively debates concerning the philosophical significance of self-fulfilling science, or the causal contribution of science to bringing about the states of affairs it depicts, lapsed in the 1970s. Recent claims concerning the influence of economic theory on the behavior it predicts or explains seem poised to revitalize discussion, yet lack of clarity abounds concerning the key features of such cases and the philosophical issues to which they might be relevant. In this paper, I examine a paradigmatic case of self-fulfilling (...) science, clarify its key features, and critically discuss two existing approaches to understanding such phenomena. Ultimately, I suggest a novel approach more well-suited to analyzing such cases and exploring their philosophical significance. (shrink)

Augmented reality (AR) technologies function to ‘augment’ normal perception by superimposing virtual objects onto an agent’s visual field. The philosophy of augmented reality is a small but growing subfield within the philosophy of technology. Existing work in this subfield includes research on the phenomenology of augmented experiences, the metaphysics of virtual objects, and different ethical issues associated with AR systems, including (but not limited to) issues of privacy, property rights, ownership, trust, and informed consent. This paper addresses some epistemological issues (...) posed by AR systems. I focus on a near-future version of AR technology called the Real-World Web, which promises to radically transform the nature of our relationship to digital information by mixing the virtual with the physical. I argue that the Real-World Web (RWW) threatens to exacerbate three existing epistemic problems in the digital age: the problem of digital distraction, the problem of digital deception, and the problem of digital divergence. The RWW is poised to present new versions of these problems in the form of what I call the augmented attention economy, augmented skepticism, and the problem of other augmented minds. The paper draws on a range of empirical research on AR and offers a phenomenological analysis of virtual objects as perceptual affordances to help ground and guide the speculative nature of the discussion. It also considers a few policy-based and designed-based proposals to mitigate the epistemic threats posed by AR technology. (shrink)

Abstract: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into drug discovery is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry by accelerating the development of novel therapeutics. AI-powered tools enable researchers to process vast datasets, identify drug candidates, and predict their efficacy and safety with unprecedented speed and accuracy. This paper explores the transformative impact of AI on drug discovery, highlighting key advancements in machine learning algorithms, deep learning, and predictive modeling. Additionally, it addresses the challenges associated with AI implementation, including data quality, regulatory hurdles, (...) and ethical considerations. By analyzing case studies of AI-driven pharmaceutical breakthroughs, this paper underscores AI's potential to streamline drug development, reduce costs, and address unmet medical needs. The future of drug discovery is poised to shift dramatically as AI continues to advance, offering promising solutions for improving human health. (shrink)

The Metaverse is poised to transform the digital landscape by providing immersive, interactive, and persistent 3D virtual worlds. For the Metaverse to achieve its full potential, it requires robust, scalable, and low-latency cloud infrastructure to deliver seamless and immersive experiences to users. This paper explores the design considerations for cloud infrastructure tailored to the Metaverse, including scalability, low-latency networking, and high-performance computing. We examine key challenges such as real-time rendering, massive concurrent user support, data storage, and security. Furthermore, we analyze (...) the use of edge computing, content delivery networks (CDNs), and specialized cloud services to address these challenges. Through case studies of current metaverse platforms and cloud providers, we highlight emerging solutions and technologies that can support the Metaverse’s growing demands. Finally, the paper presents future directions in cloud architecture that will facilitate the widespread adoption of the Metaverse, while ensuring an immersive, scalable, and secure environment for users. (shrink)

We can be aware of particulars, properties, events, propositions, facts, skills, and qualia. We can also have knowledge of and be conscious of a similar range of objects. We can, furthermore, be ignorant of such objects. Awareness is quite clearly related to knowledge, consciousness, and ignorance. But how? This entry explores some of the ways that awareness is (not) related to knowledge, consciousness, and ignorance. It also explores some of the ways that awareness might be required by, and thus fundamental (...) to, these other relations. The emerging insight is that additional clarity on the nature of awareness stands poised to add clarity to a wide range of philosophical issues in both epistemology and the philosophy of mind. (shrink)

In our book, Why Machines Will Never Rule the World, Jobst Landgrebe and I argue that we can engineer machines that can emulate the behaviours only of simple systems, which means: only of those systems whose behaviour we can predict mathematically. The human brain is an example of a complex system, and thus its behaviour cannot be emulated by a machine. We use this argument to debunk the claims of those who believe that large language models are poised to achieve (...) a level of intelligence that will equal or even surpass that of the human brain. The essay was published under the title "Why Machines Will Never Rule the World". (shrink)

The Guggenheim’s spring retrospective of the seminal Swedish painter, Hilma Af Klint, has, naturally, evoked a multitude of art critics and visual culture scholars who laud her radical abstraction which, at the beginning of the 20th century, preceded Kandinsky, Malevich, Mondrian. Yet, where much attention has been given to the symbology and motifs riddling Klint’s work – bold, private, untethered and nonrepresentational as they are – there has been a modicum of nuanced thought on how, exactly, esotericism and theology fomented (...) Klint’s pedagogical projects. Jillian Steinhauer, for instance, has underscored Klint’s naturalistic watercolors; featuring flowers and lifelike drawings of women; Summer Landscape (1888) suggests Klint’s technical aptitude for rendering light. Jadranka Ryle, in a clever article titled “Reinventing the Yggdrasil,” invokes Klint’s motif of the Yggdrasil, or the holy tree of Norse mythology, as a political axle for Nordic romanticism. Ryle makes the claim that by redirecting the Yggdrasil towards androgynous abstraction, Klint’s engagement with Norse mythology subverts the nationalist and patriarchal romanticism that previously characterized the nineteenth century’s use of the Yggdrasil. Others have adroitly uncovered biographical fragments from Klint’s life, detailing how she and four friends formed De Fem (“the Five”), an exclusively female coven that met weekly, praying, meditating, and holding seances to commune with spiritual guides. Rather than poise the Swedish maverick within the cannon of abstraction qua a political praxis, feminist subject-being, or historiography – projects that have been exhaustively overwrought, to the point of rendering Klint’s work both mute and reductively technical– I would like to take this time to closely examine simply one of Klint’s paintings and foreground it as an axiomatic modernist injunction between metaphysics and epistemology. (shrink)

In this paper, I argue that embodied cognition, like many other research traditions in cognitive science, offers mostly fallible research heuristics rather than grand principles true of all cognitive processing. To illustrate this claim, I discuss Aizawa’s rebuttal of embodied and enactive accounts of vision. While Aizawa’s argument is sound against a strong reading of the enactive account, it does not undermine the way embodied cognition proceeds, because the claim he attacks is one of fallible heuristics. These heuristics may be (...) helpful in developing models of cognition in an interdisciplinary fashion. I briefly discuss the issue of whether this fallibility actually makes embodied cognition vulnerable to charges of being untestable or non-scientific. I also stress that the historical approach to this research tradition suggests that embodied cognition is not poised to become a grand unified theory of cognition. (shrink)

This paper indicates how continental philosophy may contribute to a diagnostics of contemporary life sciences research, as part of a “diagnostics of the present”. First, I describe various options for an oblique reading of emerging scientific discourse, bent on uncovering the basic “philosophemes” of science. Subsequently, I outline a number of radical transformations occurring both at the object-pole and at the subject-pole of the current knowledge relationship, namely the technification of the object and the anonymisation or collectivisation of the subject, (...) under the sway of automation, ICT and big machines. Finally, I further elaborate the specificity of the oblique perspective with the help of Lacan’s theorem of the four discourses. Philosophical reflections on contemporary life sciences concur neither with a Master’s discourse, nor with university discourse, nor with what Lacan refers to as hysterical discourse, but rather with the discourse of the analyst, listening with evenly-poised attention to the scientific files in order to bring to the fore the cupido sciendi which both inspires and disrupts contemporary life sciences discourse. (shrink)

Despite its aesthetic appeal, the Iranian resort Majara is poised to be a sore point among local residents. Looking at the 200 vibrant oddly-shaped domes might make you feel you’re on a Wes Anderson movie set.The Majara Residence overlooking the Persian Gulf offers homes and resort-like accommodation, complete with cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, tourist information, a prayer room, laundry, storage and more. Located at Hormuz (or Ormuz) Island, a historic port off the southern coast of Iran, the project is designed (...) to attract tourists to the small island and serve as an alternative to high-rise developments traditionally used to house visitors. Presence in Hormuz 2 is a series of urban development projects designed by the Tehran-based ZAV Architects. Majara (which means adventure) is the second phase of this multipurpose cultural residence, aimed at binding together the lives of local people and visitors culturally and economically. On the verge of opening, this project has been heavily criticised by environmental activists and urban experts citing ecological, economic, cultural and social concerns. Such projects have made locals mere servants in service of investors, which impedes the enhancement of their quality of life. (shrink)

Social movements possess transformative and progressive power. In this paper, I argue that how this is so, or even if this is so, depends on one's explanatory framework. I consider three such explanatory frameworks for social movements: methodological individualism, collectivism, and complexity theory. In evaluating the various appeals and weaknesses of these frameworks, I show that complexity theory is uniquely poised to capture the complex and dynamic reality of the social world.

This paper engages in what might be called anticipatory virtue epistemology, as it anticipates some virtue epistemological risks related to a near-future version of brain-computer interface technology that Michael Lynch (2014) calls 'neuromedia.' I analyze how neuromedia is poised to negatively affect the intellectual character of agents, focusing specifically on the virtue of intellectual perseverance, which involves a disposition to mentally persist in the face of challenges towards the realization of one’s intellectual goals. First, I present and motivate what I (...) call ‘the cognitive offloading argument’, which holds that excessive cognitive offloading of the sort incentivized by a device like neuromedia threatens to undermine intellectual virtue development from the standpoint of the theory of virtue responsibilism. Then, I examine the cognitive offloading argument as it applies to the virtue of intellectual perseverance, arguing that neuromedia may increase cognitive efficiency at the cost of intellectual perseverance. If used in an epistemically responsible manner, however, cognitive offloading devices may not undermine intellectual perseverance but instead allow us to persevere with respect to intellectual goals that we find more valuable by freeing us from different kinds of menial intellectual labor. (shrink)

The present chapter discusses the implications of virtual reality for the theory and practice of embodied cognitive science. The chapter discusses how recent technological innovations are poised to reshape our understanding of the materially-embodied and environmentally-situated mind, providing us with a new means of studying the mechanisms responsible for intelligent behavior. The chapter also discusses how a synthetically-oriented shift in our approach to embodied intelligence alters our view of familiar problems, most notably the distinction between embedded and extended cognition. The (...) chapter concludes by challenging the idea that virtual worlds ought to be seen as nothing more than a scientific ‘sandpit’ for the study of the embodied mind. Some forms of embodied intelligence can, I suggest, exist solely in virtual reality. In this sense, the ‘Matrix’ is not just a means of testing ideas about the forms of embodied intelligence that inhabit our own physical reality; it is also a means of creating entirely new forms of embodied intelligence. It is by building virtual worlds that we open the door to a new reality—one that is home to a potentially infinite variety of embodied, embedded, and perhaps even extended beings. (shrink)

Many neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases and other brain disorders are accompanied by impairments in high-level cognitive functions including memory, attention, motivation, and decision-making. Despite several decades of extensive research, neuroscience is little closer to discovering new treatments. Key impediments include the absence of validated and robust cognitive assessment tools for facilitating translation from animal models to humans. In this review, we describe a state-of-the-art platform poised to overcome these impediments and improve the success of translational research, the Mouse Translational Research (...) Accelerator Platform (MouseTRAP), which is centered on the touchscreen cognitive testing system for rodents. It integrates touchscreen-based tests of high-level cognitive assessment with state-of-the art neurotechnology to record and manipulate molecular and circuit level activity in vivo in animal models during human-relevant cognitive performance. The platform also is integrated with two Open Science platforms designed to facilitate knowledge and data-sharing practices within the rodent touchscreen community, touchscreencognition and mousebytes. Touchscreencognition includes the Wall, showcasing touchscreen news and publications, the Forum, for community discussion, and Training, which includes courses, videos, SOPs, and symposia. To get started, interested researchers simply create user accounts. We describe the origins of the touchscreen testing system, the novel lines of research it has facilitated, and its increasingly widespread use in translational research, which is attributable in part to knowledge-sharing efforts over the past decade. We then identify the unique features of MouseTRAP that stand to potentially revolutionize translational research, and describe new initiatives to partner with similar platforms such as McGill’s M3 platform. (shrink)

THESIS ABSTRACT The life of Catholic reformer Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples, 1455- 1536, spanned the threshold between Medieval and Renaissance eras. Like other humanists, Lefèvre synthesized philosophical, theological and scientific theories and practices — of such is his unpublished treatise De Magia naturali, On Natural Magic. I elucidate Lefèvre’s focus on universal mystical metaphors of divine union, in order to offer a simpler view into the evolution of his writings. Engaging historic-intellectual background in critical analysis of Book II, I address the (...) conflicting political, religious, and academic opinions of natural magic, demonstrating that current Academia is poised to expand the historical, “theoretical” treatment of natural magic to engage it as a phenomenological, “practical” human experience. In De Magia naturali Book II, Lefèvre decloaks mythology, philosophy, astrology, literature and religion to a scientific theory, practice and experience of number as Idea. He reveals how the limit of metaphorical imagery is duality, the binary Coincidence of Opposites, symbolized by the number 2. The magic in Lefèvre’s number mysticism is human experience of numerical ascension from man to God, achieved through the number 3, the love-nexus re-uniting 2 into One, duality into unity. Renaissance humanists conceived of this prisca theologia, pristine or ancient theology, as embodied in the Christian Trinity through the Spirit of Christ. Current Academia is responsible to teach this wisdom tradition from a multicultural, interdisciplinary worldview, as I posit the humanists intended. (shrink)

Depression is vastly heterogeneous in its symptoms, neuroimaging data, and treatment responses. As such, describing how it develops at the network level has been notoriously difficult. In an attempt to overcome this issue, a theoretical “negative prediction mechanism” is proposed. Here, eight key brain regions are connected in a transient, state-dependent, core network of pathological communication that could facilitate the development of depressive cognition. In the context of predictive processing, it is suggested that this mechanism is activated as a response (...) to negative/adverse stimuli in the external and/or internal environment that exceed a vulnerable individual’s capacity for cognitive appraisal. Specifically, repeated activation across this network is proposed to update an individual’s brain so that it increasingly predicts and reinforces negative experiences over time—pushing an individual at-risk for or suffering from depression deeper into mental illness. Within this, the negative prediction mechanism is poised to explain various aspects of prognostic outcome, describing how depression might ebb and flow over multiple timescales in a dynamically changing, complex environment. (shrink)

What role, if any, do ‘seemings’ play in philosophy? Clarifying the relevant type of philosophical inquiry will enable us to pinpoint what epistemic contributions ‘seemings’ could make thereto. It will also reveal what turns on the question—nothing less, I propose, than the very possibility of philosophy. However, the answer I develop appeals not to seemings, but rather to intuitions conceived as a particular type of presentation—a “consciousness of seizing upon” how the world is, as Husserl put it. After distinguishing presentations (...) from seemings, I prise apart two kinds of presentational phenomenology, eventually arguing that the ‘contentful’ sort is poised to do the needed epistemic work. (shrink)

I explain why, from the perspective of knowledge-centric anti-luck epistemology, objective act consequentialist theories of ethics imply skepticism about the moral status of our prospective actions and also tend to be self-defeating, undermining the justification of consequentialist theories themselves. For according to knowledge-centric anti-luck epistemology there are modal anti-luck demands on both knowledge and justification, and it turns out that our beliefs about the moral status of our prospective actions are almost never able to satisfy these demands if objective act (...) consequentialism is true. This kind of applied moral skepticism introduces problematic limits on our ability to use objective act consequentialism’s explanatory power as evidence for its truth. This is, in part, a product of higher-order defeat as I explain in the final section. There is, however, a silver lining for objective act consequentialists. For there is at least one type of objective act consequentialism, prior existence consequentialism, that is poised to avoid at least some of the epistemic problems discussed in this paper. (shrink)

Philip Kitcher has argued for a causal correspondence view of truth, as against a deflationary view, on the grounds that the former is better poised than the latter to explain systematically successful patterns of action. Though Kitcher is right to focus on systematically successful action, rather than singular practical successes, he is wrong to conclude that causal correspondence theories are capable of explaining systematic success. Rather, I argue, truth bears no explanatory relation to systematic practical success. Consequently, the causal correspondence (...) view is not in a better position to explain success than the deflationary view; theories of truth are the wrong place to look for explanations of systematic practical success. (shrink)

Mandatory minimum sentencing provisions have been a feature of the U.S. justice system since 1790. But they have expanded considerably under the war on drugs, and their use has expanded considerably under the Trump Administration; some states are also poised to expand drug-related mandatory minimums further in efforts to fight the current opioid epidemic. In this paper I outline and evaluate three prominent arguments for and against the use of mandatory minimums in the war on drugs—they appeal, respectively, to proportionality, (...) consistency, and efficiency. I ultimately defend the view that the use of mandatory minimums in the war on drugs is unjust. -/- . (shrink)

As one of the seminal theorists further developing François Laruelle’s politically-poised “non-standard philosophy,” Katerina Kolozova’s approach to animality and feminism is part of a particular post-humanist Marxist continuum (which includes Rosi Braidotti, Luce Irigaray, Donna Haraway and N. Katherine Hayles). Nonetheless, Kolozova distinguishes herself from this lineage by adhering to Laruelle’s method, liquidating philosophy of its anthropomorphic nexus. Thus, Kolozova also belongs to a more recently inaugurated and nascent tradition, working in tandem with post-Laruellean philosophers of media, technology, aesthetics and (...) feminist critique, such as Bogna Konior, Yvette Granata, Jonathan Fardy and John Ó Maoilearca. Within this variegated assemblage, Kolozova’s most recent project, Capitalism’s Holocaust of Animals(2019), saliently reconciles and radicalizes Haraway’s epochal dyad of the “inhuman”—a bifurcation riven by technology on one node and the animal on the other—by a resolution of superlative unity. This methodology, adhering to Laruelle’s system of“synthesis-without-synthesizing” attempts to dissolve the spectral chimeras that have haunted philosophy’s metaphysical heredity, proffering a generic identity. (shrink)

In the era of big data and distributed ecosystems, understanding the origin, flow, and transformation of data across complex infrastructures is critical for ensuring transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making. As data-driven enterprises increasingly rely on hybrid cloud architectures, data lakes, and real-time pipelines, the complexity of tracking data movement and transformations grows exponentially. Traditional data lineage solutions, often based on static metadata extraction or rule-based approaches, are insufficient in dynamically evolving environments and fail to provide granular, context-aware insights. This research (...) introduces an AI-augmented, cognitive graph-based framework for autonomous data lineage, designed to enhance data traceability in large-scale and heterogeneous data ecosystems. The framework leverages cutting-edge machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and graph-based reasoning techniques to enable intelligent discovery, semantic interpretation, and continuous monitoring of data assets throughout their lifecycle. The core of the solution lies in the construction of a dynamic cognitive graph that represents relationships between datasets, processes, systems, and users, enriched with contextual annotations and temporal dimensions. Our architecture incorporates self-learning mechanisms, enabling adaptive lineage discovery and automated anomaly detection. By applying reinforcement learning and stream analytics, the framework not only maps data flows in real time but also evolves with system changes, schema variations, and business logic updates. It provides both forward and backward traceability, supports impact analysis, and enhances compliance auditing capabilities. Furthermore, our system is capable of processing both structured and unstructured metadata, employing advanced NLP models to extract implicit lineage information from data dictionaries, SQL queries, and documentation. The result is a holistic, intelligent, and scalable data lineage solution that reduces manual intervention, mitigates operational risks, and supports regulatory compliance frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX. Experimental evaluations conducted in hybrid cloud environments using tools such as Apache Kafka, Neo4j, Spark, and Python-based ML libraries demonstrate a significant improvement in lineage coverage, anomaly detection accuracy, and system scalability. Compared to conventional lineage tools, our AI-augmented framework delivers a 30% increase in traceability precision and a 40% reduction in manual effort required for lineage tracking and governance. This research lays the foundation for a new paradigm in data governance, where AI not only enhances observability but enables autonomous cognition within data infrastructure. The framework is poised to play a critical role in enabling data democratization, operational agility, and enterprise-wide data literacy. (shrink)

This volume aims to develop a philosophical diagnostic of the present, focussing on contemporary technoscience. psychoanalysis submits contemporary technoscientific discourse to a symptomatic reading, analysing it with evenly-poised attention and from an oblique perspective. Psychoanalysis is not primarily interested in protons, genes or galaxies, but rather in the ways in which they are disclosed and discussed, focussing on the symptomatic terms, the metaphors and paradoxes at work in technoscientific discourse. This monograph presents a psychoanalytical assessment of technoscience. The first four (...) chapters provide a short introduction into the psychoanalysis of technoscience, its basic concepts and methods, as developed Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung, Gaston Bachelard and Jacques Lacan. In subsequent chapters, this approach is fleshed out with the help of case histories (palaeoanthropology, classical conditioning and virology). Psychoanalysis reveals that, rather than by disinterested curiosity, technoscience is driven by desire, resistance and the will to control. Moreover, the focus is on primal scenes, such as Dubois’ quixotic quest for the missing link and Pavlov’s discovery of the conditioned reflex. In addition, psychoanalysis opts for triangulation: understanding technoscientific research by comparing it to “different scenes”: to genres of the imagination, notably novels, so that, in this volume, the discovery of a Homo erectus skull by Dubois is compared to missing link novels by Jules Verne and Jack London (dating from the same period), Pavlov’s discovery of the conditioned reflex is compared with B.F. Skinner’s novel Walden Two and virology as a research field is considered through the lens of viral fiction. (shrink)

The Future of Human Reproduction and Family Structure -/- Introduction -/- The future of human reproduction and family structure is set to undergo profound transformations due to advancements in science, technology, and shifting societal values. Breakthroughs in artificial reproduction, gene editing, AI-assisted parenting, and new family models are poised to redefine what it means to conceive, raise children, and form families. As these changes unfold, they will challenge traditional concepts of marriage, parenthood, and biological reproduction. This essay explores the potential (...) future of human reproduction and family structure, examining the scientific, ethical, and social implications. -/- 1. The Future of Human Reproduction -/- A. Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) and Genetic Engineering -/- Scientific advancements are making reproduction more accessible and customizable, allowing individuals to control fertility and genetic traits like never before. -/- 1. Artificial Wombs (Ectogenesis) -/- Artificial wombs, or ectogenesis, could enable embryos to develop outside the human body. This technology would: -/- Help individuals unable to carry pregnancies. -/- Reduce health risks associated with childbirth. -/- Offer reproductive freedom to same-sex couples and single individuals. -/- However, artificial wombs may raise ethical concerns about the emotional and psychological impact on maternal bonding and child development. Additionally, they may lead to commercialized pregnancy, where companies provide “womb services” for those who can afford them. -/- 2. Gene Editing & Designer Babies -/- Gene-editing tools like CRISPR allow parents to modify embryos to: -/- Eliminate genetic diseases. -/- Enhance intelligence, physical abilities, and even personality traits. -/- While this technology offers great potential for eradicating inherited disorders, it could also create genetic inequality between those who can afford enhancements and those who cannot, leading to the emergence of a genetic upper class. Governments may implement strict regulations, but underground markets for genetic enhancements could emerge. -/- 3. Lab-Grown Gametes -/- Scientists are developing methods to create sperm and eggs from stem cells, which could enable: -/- Infertile individuals to have biological children. -/- Single individuals to conceive without a partner. -/- While this could redefine reproduction by making parenthood accessible to all, it also raises ethical questions about whether parenthood should be solely based on biological connection or expanded to include other forms of caregiving. -/- B. Cloning and Synthetic Biology -/- 1. Human Cloning -/- While human cloning is currently illegal in most countries, advances in genetic engineering may eventually make it possible. Cloning could: -/- Allow individuals to reproduce without a partner. -/- Be used for medical purposes, such as replacing lost children. -/- Raise existential concerns about individuality and identity. -/- However, human cloning raises profound ethical concerns, including human rights, consent, and the potential exploitation of cloned individuals for labor or military purposes. -/- 2. Synthetic Embryos & Artificial Life -/- Scientists are developing synthetic embryos without using sperm or eggs, which could: -/- Enable reproduction without biological parents. -/- Help infertile individuals conceive. -/- Lead to new ethical dilemmas regarding the moral status of artificially created life forms. -/- If synthetic embryos become a reality, society may need to redefine what it means to be “human” and whether artificial life forms deserve legal rights. -/- C. Population & Environmental Considerations -/- 1. Controlled Population Growth -/- As overpopulation threatens global resources, some governments may: -/- Regulate reproduction using artificial reproductive technologies. -/- Implement birth quotas to maintain ecological balance. -/- Encourage reproduction in aging societies facing workforce decline. -/- These policies would raise ethical questions about personal freedom versus societal needs. -/- 2. Reproduction in Space -/- If humans colonize planets like Mars, reproduction in space will require: -/- Artificial wombs to protect embryos from cosmic radiation. -/- Genetic modifications to help humans adapt to low gravity. -/- New family structures, as space-born humans may develop unique physical traits. -/- This could lead to divergent human evolution, with space-born individuals differing from Earth-born humans over generations. -/- 3. The Future of Family Structure -/- A. Non-Traditional Family Models -/- 1. Multi-Parent Families -/- Technologies like three-parent IVF already exist, and in the future, more than two people may be able to contribute genetic material to a child. This could: -/- Redefine legal parenthood. -/- Enable new forms of family structures. -/- Challenge traditional parenting norms. -/- Laws will need to adapt to recognize multi-parent families and their rights. -/- 2. Single-Parent by Choice -/- With advanced reproductive technologies, more individuals will choose to have children without a partner. This will: -/- Normalize single parenthood. -/- Reduce societal pressure to marry for reproductive purposes. -/- Create new legal structures for co-parenting agreements. -/- B. Changes in Marriage & Parenting Norms -/- 1. Declining Marriage Rates -/- With reproduction becoming independent of relationships, marriage may decline, as people prioritize: -/- Career advancement. -/- Personal fulfillment. -/- Alternative forms of companionship. -/- 2. Co-Parenting Arrangements -/- People may legally agree to co-parent a child without being romantically involved. This would: -/- Offer a stable upbringing without traditional marriage. -/- Encourage partnership-based parenting. -/- Reduce legal disputes over custody. -/- 3. Extended Family Networks -/- Due to economic pressures, multi-generational households may become more common, with grandparents playing a bigger role in raising children. -/- C. AI & Robotics in Parenting -/- 1. AI Parenting Assistants -/- AI-driven robots may assist in: -/- Childcare and education. -/- Emotional development and mentorship. -/- Reducing parental stress. -/- However, heavy reliance on AI could impact traditional parent-child bonding. -/- 2. AI-Generated Children (Digital Offspring) -/- In the future, some people may choose to raise AI-based virtual children in digital environments instead of having biological kids. These “children” could: -/- Simulate real human relationships. -/- Reduce the need for biological reproduction. -/- Raise ethical questions: If AI children learn and grow, are they “alive”? -/- 3. Key Ethical and Social Questions -/- As these technologies reshape reproduction and family life, several ethical concerns arise: -/- 1. Genetic Inequality: Will access to genetic enhancements create a class divide? -/- 2. State vs. Individual Rights: Should governments regulate reproduction? -/- 3. Redefining Parenthood: Who qualifies as a parent in multi-parent or AI-assisted families? -/- 4. Traditional vs. Technological Families: Will humans still value biological reproduction, or will artificial and digital life forms become part of the family? -/- Conclusion -/- The future of human reproduction and family structure will be radically transformed by scientific advancements, shifting social norms, and ethical dilemmas. While artificial wombs, gene editing, and AI parenting promise greater reproductive freedom and inclusivity, they also pose existential challenges about human identity, societal structures, and the ethics of life creation. As these technologies advance, societies must carefully navigate their implications to ensure that progress benefits all of humanity while safeguarding fundamental rights and values. -/- . (shrink)

The convergence of quantum computing and machine learning is poised to revolutionize the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Quantum computing offers the potential to exponentially speed up computations, which can be leveraged to overcome the limitations of classical computing in training and inference for machine learning models. Quantum algorithms promise to enhance machine learning tasks, such as optimization, data processing, and pattern recognition, by solving problems that are computationally infeasible for classical machines. This paper explores the synergy between quantum computing (...) and machine learning, focusing on the quantum-enhanced capabilities in AI. We review current research on quantum machine learning (QML) algorithms, discuss their theoretical underpinnings, and present promising applications in areas such as optimization, natural language processing, and drug discovery. Furthermore, we address the challenges and future directions in merging quantum computing with AI, highlighting the potential for accelerated AI solutions and transformative advancements in various industries. (shrink)

High-Performance Computing (HPC) has become a cornerstone for enabling breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) by offering the computational resources necessary to process vast datasets and optimize complex algorithms. As AI models continue to grow in complexity, traditional HPC systems, reliant on central processing units (CPUs), face limitations in scalability, efficiency, and speed. Emerging technologies like quantum computing and specialized hardware such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are poised to address these (...) challenges. This research paper explores various HPC techniques used to optimize and accelerate AI algorithms, focusing on quantum computing’s potential for parallelism and specialized hardware's capabilities in delivering faster computation and energy efficiency. It delves into current advancements, comparative analyses of different HPC methods, and the integration of hybrid quantum-classical approaches to further enhance AI optimization. The study also examines the challenges of implementing these technologies at scale, with an eye toward the future of AI acceleration and the role of HPC in maintaining energy efficiency while meeting computational demands. Through this investigation, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of how quantum computing and specialized hardware are reshaping the landscape of AI, paving the way for more advanced, efficient, and sustainable AI solutions. (shrink)

Water is regarded as indefeasible necessity of human civilization. In the South Asia region, the groundwater resource is poised as essence of life, security and development. Bangladesh is not an exception from that. Due to scarcity as well as disproportionate availability of surface water supply, the groundwater resource is veered into vital source to undergird heavy demand of water supply for livelihoods, industrial and agricultural purposes. Considering these, the groundwater resource governance is crucial since it is the mainstay of upholding (...) economic, social and development rights; failure to ensure proper governance would only drag the country into the tentacles of environmental scourge, conflict and food insecurity. The paper endeavors to analyze the role and significance of civil society on groundwater resource management. It explores the nature of challenges that civil society is encountering during its engagement with groundwater resource governance. This paper undertakes to outline national legislative and policy response to groundwater resource management in Bangladesh. It also scrutinizes in detail of groundwater resource aspect in international law and would reveal that, considering the gravity of the issue, both the domain of international law and national law contribute below the par to the issue. The paper further contends that existing legislative and policy structure of Bangladesh eventually maims the civil society from contributing and bars it to facilitate effective participation of the commons. In the concluding remarks, the paper highlights suggested recommendations stemming from discussions, observations and policy reports to bolster the affiliation of civil society in the governance of groundwater resource. (shrink)

"Genius AI" is an innovative SaaS platform poised to revolutionize the landscape of artificial intelligence tools. This dynamic platform integrates a diverse array of AI functionalities, including conversation generation, code generation, music generation, and video generation, all in one centralized hub. At its core, Smart AI harnesses cutting-edge machine learning algorithms and neural networks to empower users with unparalleled capabilities. The conversation generation feature enables seamless interaction with users through natural language processing, facilitating engaging and lifelike conversations. At its core, (...) Smart AI harnesses cutting-edge machine learning algorithms and neural networks to empower users with unparalleled capabilities. The conversation generation feature enables seamless interaction with users through natural language processing, facilitating engaging and lifelike conversations. At its core, Smart AI harnesses cutting-edge machine learning algorithms and neural networks to empower users with unparalleled capabilities. The conversation generation feature enables seamless interaction with users through natural language processing, facilitating engaging and lifelike conversations. For developers and coders, Smart AI offers a ground breaking code generation tool, streamlining the process of software development by automatically generating code snippets tailored to specific requirements and programming languages. Moreover, music aficionados can leverage Smart AI's advanced algorithms to compose original melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, personalized to suit any style or genre. Meanwhile, the video generation functionality empowers content creators with the ability to effortlessly produce high-quality videos, complete with customizable elements and visual effects. With its user-friendly interface and scalable architecture, Smart AI caters to a broad spectrum of industries and applications, from e-commerce and marketing to entertainment and education. Whether enhancing customer engagement, accelerating software development, or fostering artistic expression, Smart AI unlocks endless possibilities for innovation and creativity. Join the forefront of AI-driven transformation with Smart AI and redefine the way we interact with technology. (shrink)

Generative AI, powered by advanced machine learning models such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Transformer-based architectures, is poised to reshape a wide array of industries. From automating content creation to transforming healthcare diagnostics and manufacturing processes, the potential applications of generative AI are vast and varied. This paper examines the future trajectory of generative AI and its impact across multiple sectors, including creative industries, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. The research explores the current state of generative AI technologies, identifies emerging (...) trends, and evaluates the challenges and opportunities that these innovations present for businesses and society. With a focus on both the technological advancements and the broader societal implications, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the transformative role of generative AI. (shrink)

Purpose – With the growing demand for ethical standards in the prevailing business environment, ethical leadership has been under increasingly more focus. Based on the social exchange theory and social learning theory, this study scrutinized the impact of ethical leadership on the presentation of ethical conduct by employees through the ethical climate. Notably, this study scrutinized the moderating function of the person organization fit (P-O fit) in relation to ethical climate and the ethical conduct of employees. -/- Design/methodology/approach – To (...) evaluate the research hypotheses, two-wave data were collected from 295 individuals who are currently employed in various Iraqi organizations (i.e. manufacturing, medical, and insurance industries). -/- Findings – In line with the hypotheses, the outcomes from a sample of 295 workers working in different Iraqi entities exhibited a positive relationship between the ethical behavior of leaders and the ethical conduct of employees in the ethical climate. Moreover, it was observed that the P-O fit of employees moderated the relationship between ethical climate and the ethical conduct of employees such that the relationship was more robust for those with a high P-O fit in comparison to those with a low P-O fit. -/- Research limitations/implications – The primary limitation of this study is in the data, which was obtained from a single source. Although the study conducted two surveys and utilized a mediation and moderation variables model that was less likely to be influenced by common method bias (CMB) (Podsakoff et al., 2012), one cannot completely rule out CMB. Apart from the potential effects of the CMB, the consistency of the empirical findings could have also been compromised since self-reported data were utilized in measuring ethical behavior, which can be a very complex and sensitive issue. For this reason, the social desirability response bias cannot be ruled out completely. When possible, future studies must gather data from multiple sources. Furthermore, supervisors must evaluate the ethical behavior of employees. Another limitation was that the findings of this study were based on a sample in a Middle Eastern cultural context such as in Iraq. Perhaps, the particular cultural features of this context, which encompassed, among other things, strong adherence to religious values (Moaddel, 2010), could have influenced the findings of this study. It is true that the effects of differences (P–O fit) are highly likely to replicate across cultural contexts (Triandis et al., 1988). However, it can be seen that further studies are needed to evaluate the context-sensitivity of these findings (Whetten, 2009) by analyzing other cultures, where the importance of religiosity is on the decline (i.e. in Western countries, Ribberink et al., 2018) or where the cultural features are very much different from those that apply to Iraq. Lastly, other external factors were not taken into account by this study as it tried to explain ethical behavior. Ethics is a highly complex subject and is influenced by numerous variables at the organizational, individual, and external environment levels. Thus, caution must be observed when making inferences from the present study which, to a certain degree, offered a simplified version of ethical behavior by concentrating on a few variables such as the Arab culture’s traditional ideology, which dominates even science (Abu Khalil, 1992). In addition, there are political conflicts in the Middle Eastern cultural context such as what is happening in Iraq (Harff, 2018). Thus, it is important to include such aspects in future researches. -/- Practical implications – In terms of management, the findings send a clear signal to those in the upper echelon that, without ignoring the issue of ethics in organizations, employees are a critical aspect to be taken into account to encourage ethical behavior at the workplace. This study has important practical implications. First, this study determined that ethical leadership (here, of the supervisors) positively influences the behavior of subordinates (refers to the supervisors here); this, in turn, further improves the ethical behavior of employees. It is vital that managers or supervisors are motivated to practice ethical leadership because they directly influence the employees. It has been suggested that top managers, especially chief executive officers, have the ability to shape the ethical climate, which also influences the ethical behavior of employees further. This study offered several feasible ways that managers can apply to achieve that. In particular, top managers may utilize the ethical climate as a way of communicating the ethical values that they have to their subordinates, thereby serving as a motivation for the subordinates to adopt ethical behavior. It was also suggested by this study that ethical climate and the P–O fit may, to some degree, substitute each other as they influence the ethical behavior of employees. Therefore, firms that were identified to have a low level of ethical standards, practices, and policies, at least from the employees’ perspective, are better poised to conduct ethical issues in order to construct the ethical behavior of their subordinates. More importantly, it is highly essential that the value congruence between an organization and its followers be considered. -/- Social implications – This study highlighted the notion of ethics and how it’s essential for society. Ethics refers to the norms, standards, and values that direct the behavior of an individual. Ethical behavior is vital in society because we need to be treated with respect as human beings. -/- Originality/value – This study responds to recent calls for more research to identify factors that may strengthen or mitigate the influence of ethical behavior in the workplace such as ethical leadership, ethical climate, and Person–Organization. (shrink)

Scholarly processes play a pivotal role in discovering, challenging, improving, advancing, synthesizing, codifying, and disseminating knowledge. Since the 17th Century, both the quality and quantity of knowledge that scholarship has produced has increased tremendously, granting academic research a pivotal role in ensuring material and social progress. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to enable a new leap in the creation of scholarly content. New forms of engagement with AI systems, such as collaborations with large language models like GPT-3, offer affordances that (...) will change the nature of both the scholarly process and the artifacts it produces. (shrink)

Generative AI, powered by advanced machine learning models such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Transformer-based architectures, is poised to reshape a wide array of industries. From automating content creation to transforming healthcare diagnostics and manufacturing processes, the potential applications of generative AI are vast and varied. This paper examines the future trajectory of generative AI and its impact across multiple sectors, including creative industries, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing. The research explores the current state of generative AI technologies, identifies emerging (...) trends, and evaluates the challenges and opportunities that these innovations present for businesses and society. With a focus on both the technological advancements and the broader societal implications, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the transformative role of generative AI. (shrink)

In Embracing Paradox, Evolving Language, L.E. Maroski proposes that humanity is poised on the cusp of a transformation of consciousness that requires not only a shift in values and perspectives, but also a shift in a basic technology we take for granted—language. Because we use language to create social structures and institutions, including education, governance, and our most intimate relationships, the structure of our language contributes to the way we structure those creations. Maroski questions the cultural assumptions that are built (...) into the structure of language—primarily English—and invites the reader to imagine and ultimately to help develop novel structures of language that arise from different assumptions. To do so, she shows how we can draw inspiration from paradoxical topological forms, such as the Möbius strip and Klein bottle, as they embody both unity and duality/multiplicity. By seeing our reality not simply in terms of either/or but also in terms of both (many)/and, perhaps our feelings of fragmentation and the stultifying oppositions that have polarized society can transform into appreciation for the wholeness of all existence. (shrink)

In Christ Brings All Newness: Essays, Reviews, and Reflections, Robert P. Imbelli, a theologian with a storied vocation as a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, offers a rich theological corpus explicitly grounded in Vatican II’s transformative vision. A scholar who bore witness to the unfolding of the council while studying in Rome, Imbelli carries the torch of its teachings through over five decades of preaching and teaching. With a Ph.D. in theology from Yale University, he has cultivated a (...) nuanced and sober understanding of the Catholic imagination, reflected in his previous award-winning work, Rekindling the Christic Imagination. In this current volume, Imbelli delves into the inexhaustible newness of Jesus Christ, examining how this novum has been, and ought to be, the pulsating heart of Catholic thought and praxis. The collection is poised as a bridge spanning scholarly exegesis and pastoral ministry, calling believers to re-encounter the transformative presence of Christ in an era where such a center often seems perilously close to erosion. (shrink)

Blockchain technology, initially developed to support cryptocurrencies, has farreaching implications for global financial systems. Its decentralized, immutable, and transparent nature has the potential to revolutionize the way financial transactions are conducted, stored, and verified. Beyond cryptocurrency, blockchain is being explored for its applications in improving efficiency, security, and transparency across various sectors of the financial industry, such as payments, lending, and regulatory compliance. This paper explores the transformative impact of blockchain on financial systems and its relationship with cryptocurrency. By examining (...) the technological, economic, and regulatory aspects, the paper highlights the opportunities and challenges blockchain presents to traditional financial institutions and markets. The integration of blockchain technology is poised to reshape the future of finance by fostering greater decentralization and democratization of financial services. (shrink)

Recent years have seen growing public concern about the effects of persuasive digital technologies on public mental health and well-being. As the draws on our attention reach such staggering scales and as our ability to focus our attention on our own considered ends erodes ever further, the need to understand and articulate what is at stake has become pressing. In this ethical viewpoint, we explore the concept of attentional harms and emphasize their potential seriousness. We further argue that the acknowledgment (...) of these harms has relevance for evolving debates on digital inequalities. An underdiscussed aspect of web-based inequality concerns the persuasions, and even the manipulations, that help to generate sustained attentional loss. These inequalities are poised to grow, and as they do, so will concerns about justice with regard to the psychological and self-regulatory burdens of web-based participation for different internet users. In line with calls for multidimensional approaches to digital inequalities, it is important to recognize these potential harms as well as to empower internet users against them even while expanding high-quality access. (shrink)

The currently used humanity model is chaotic, devoid of logic or coherence. In Part 1 of this two-part paper, we examined human traits of a scientific model in absence of ‘born sinner’ starting point. We demonstrated that the so-called ‘viceroy model’ that is characterized as scientifically sustainable can replace the existing models that are based on fear and scarcity. Part Two of the paper deals with adequate definition of moral campus that conforms to the viceroy model. In this paper, it (...) is shown that the talk of morality or a moral compass is aphenomenal in absence of strict necessary and sufficient conditions. It also follows that natural justice can only be followed after defining the term ‘natural’ with the same scientific rigor as that of the viceroy model. Once these terms are consistently defined, one is well poised to talk about inalienable rights, moral compass, environmental sustainability, and humanity. The immediate consequence of this model is the demonstration that currently used governance models, such as democracy, is inherently implosive and must be replaced with a new model that is in conformance with the scientific definition of ‘natural’. This emerging model is free from inconsistencies and will remain effective as a governance tool that optimizes individual rights and balances with the right of the state as well as a Creator. It is concluded that this model offers the only hope of maximizing individual liberty without compromising universal peace and natural justice. At this point, morality and legality become equivalent to each. The implications of this paper are overwhelming, making all current judicial actions immoral, in essence repudiating the entire Establishment as little more than a mafia entity, bringing back ‘might is right’ mantra, packaged as ‘social progress’. The paper finally shows how a standard that is necessarily and sufficiently universal can become impetus for a true knowledge. (shrink)

Blockchain technology, initially popularized by cryptocurrencies, is now poised to revolutionize various industries, with supply chain management being one of the most promising areas for its application. Blockchain's decentralized, transparent, and immutable nature offers significant advantages over traditional supply chain management systems, particularly in enhancing traceability, security, efficiency, and reducing fraud. This paper explores the role of blockchain in transforming global supply chains, focusing on its ability to streamline operations, improve transparency, and ensure the integrity of transactions across a network (...) of stakeholders. Through real-world case studies and a comprehensive review of existing literature, the paper evaluates how blockchain is reshaping supply chain practices and the challenges and opportunities it presents for organizations worldwide. (shrink)

Philosophy &Public Affairs, Volume 51, Issue 4, Page 413-449, Fall 2023.