This paper aims at helping trainees to overcome the difficulties they face when dealing with Arduino platform by describing the design of a desktop based intelligent tutoring system. The main idea of this system is a systematic introduction into the concept of Arduino platform. The system shows the circuit boards of Arduino that can be purchased at low cost or assembled from freely-available plans; and an open-source development environment and library for writing code to control the board topic of Arduino (...) platform. The system is adaptive with the trainee’s individual progress. The system functions as a special tutor who deals with trainees according to their levels and skills. Evaluation of the system has been applied on professional and unprofessional trainees in this field and the results were good. (shrink)

This article reviews the political thought of one of the most important figures during the Islamic resurgence in the 20th century, Abul A’la Maududi. The thought of Maududi is often read superficially by either those desiring to portray him as politically ‘liberal’ and ‘progressive’ as well as ‘backwards’ and ‘conservative’. The core of debates surrounding Maududi’s support for liberal democratic principles such as equality, freedom, democratic elections, and the like are pinpointed and reviewed individually, according to two main primary (...) texts, Islamic Way of Life, and Islamic Law and Constitution. The themes that are covered by the article concern (a) the meaning of his term ‘theodemocracy’; (b) Maududi’s understanding of the ‘shurah council’ (advisory council to the Caliph) and its meaning in terms of popular sovereignty; and (c) the people’s role in maintaining rule of law and the office of the Caliph. It is argued that after a review of these concepts within their respective contexts, the argument attempting to show Maududi as an ‘innovator’ or ‘progressive’ in terms of his application of Islamic law in his modern-day ideal for an Islamic state collapses. Rather, it is shown that Maududi clearly envisioned the ideal Caliphate as one established by the prophet Muhammad and his companions (the ‘Rashidūn Caliphate’) and affirmed Divine sovereignty over the general concept of ‘popular sovereignty’ as conceived by western political thought. (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)

This book's core is exploring Islam Tan Malaka, later characterized as progressive Islamic thought. To demonstrate this, the author uses the theory sociology of knowledge formulated by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann, as well as the philosophy of science of critical realism formulated by Roy Bhaskar, as an approach to analysis. The result is the concept of Madilog as a progressive Islamic method that gave birth to the concept of monotheism as the foundation for the existence (...) of social justice, which later became the foundation for Human Rights (HAM), gender equality, pluralism, and unity of ummah. These concepts are conditionally interconnected based on the principle of causality and the laws of dialectics. This conceptual construction is what the author calls progressive Islam Tan Malaka. (shrink)

The social reality of contemporary Muslims is characterized by the dominance of the social system of capitalism. As a reality, this system forces every individual or group of Muslims to live on the mechanisms of capitalism. The events of September 11, 2001, identified as being carried out by certain Islamist movements, are a tangible product of the mechanism, along with the response of other Islamic movements to Islamism itself. The social system of capitalism has contrasted the dynamics of Islamic movements, (...) both radical, moderate, and liberal. The dominance of the social system of capitalism and the dynamics of the Islamic movement are problems as well as triggers for the existence of Progressive Islam. These problems are the basis for the author to assume that Tan Malaka's Islamic thought has a Progressive Islamic character. In addition, Tan Malaka's Islamic thinking is also by progressive Islamic agendas, namely, formulating reality-based thinking methods, reconceptualizing tawhid, creating social justice, upholding Human Rights (HAM), gender equality, pluralism, and reviving the unity of the people. To prove this assumption, the author formulates two main problems, namely, what is the external reality of Tan Malaka Progressive Islam? What is the process of objectivization and internalization of Tan Malaka's Islamic ideas? This is answered using two theories, namely, the Progressive Islamic theory and the sociology of knowledge theory. The first theory is used to target Tan Malaka's Islamic ideas. While the second theory functions as an analytical approach (externalization, objectivization, and internalization). The conclusions of this study are: First, Tan Malaka's progressive Islamic externalities are the social system of capitalism, the dynamics of Modern Political Islam, and Marxism. Second, Tan Malaka's progressive Islamic objectivization process took place within the government institutions of the Dutch East Indies, the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), the Communist International (Comintern), and the United Struggle (PP). Third, Tan Malaka's progressive Islamization is MADILOG as a method of Progressive Islamic thought, tawhid as the foundation of social justice, social justice as the foundation of Human Rights (HAM), gender equality, pluralism, and the unity of the people. (shrink)

This article examines the relationship between progressive Islam, Marxism, and Tan Malaka. Progressive Islam is one of the new movements in contemporary Islamic dynamics. Marxism is a tradition of thought. Tan Malaka is one of the Muslim leaders who uses the tradition of Marxism in every thought and struggle. This article uses the method of philosophy with the technique of historical-factual study of figures. Data analysis uses the concept of externalization from the sociological theory of knowledge. (...) The result is that Marxism is one of the external spaces of progressive Islam, where its characters externalize. Similarly to progressive Islamic figures, Tan Malaka also externalized Marxism, so that he could have knowledge about Marxism. Thus Marxism became the connecting bridge between progressive Islam and Tan Malaka. This is the relationship between progressive Islam, Marxism, and Tan Malaka. (shrink)

Progressive Islam is a relatively new Islamic movement in the dynamics of the Contemporary Islamic movement. Progressive Islam places the domination of the social system of capitalism as its main problem. Progressive Islam aims to create change, which is pursued through the realization of its agenda, one of which is formulating a reality-based method of thinking. The problems and agenda of Progressive Islam parallel the problems and formulation of method of thought Tan (...) Malaka. Tan Malaka has been against the social system of capitalism. Tan Malaka has a methodological work based on reality, MADILOG. This study aims to show the parallels between Progressive Islam and Tan Malaka, and to position MADILOG as a method of Progressive Islamic thought. This study uses qualitative research methods with literature study techniques. The data in this study were analyzed using the sociology of knowledge approach and the philosophy of critical realism. The result is that the parallel between Progressive Islam and Tan Malaka lies in four aspects. Then, MADILOG can be positioned as a method of Progressive Islamic thought. (shrink)

This article examines the integration of the Gulen Movement into the neoliberal economy. In spite of the Gulen Movement currently undergoes a severe persecution under President Erdogan and charged as FETO (FethullahTerrorist Organization), Gulen’s success story in the economy is of interest for any Islamic movements to emulate. In contrast to those belong to the revivalist Islam that rejects the neo-liberal economy, Gulen does accept the neoliberal economy. He integrates neoliberalism into Islam, and vice versa. Gulenacceptance of the (...) neo-liberal economy, in turn, encouraged his movement to adopt for further neoliberal principles such as human rights, multiculturalism, cosmopolitanism, etc. Since Gulen willingly immerses in the neo-liberalist system, he could be categorized into a progressive Islam. Nevertheless, Galen shows his critical attitude toward the capitalist economy despite his acceptance of the system. This article argues that Gulen’s adoption of the neo-liberal economy is a method of da’wah. This article calls it as ‘da’wah in the economic field’.As it is the case, Gulen’s adoption of neo-liberal economics does not appear simultaneously once, rather through gradual processes in which it goes through three stages of his da’wah: individual transformation, social transformation, and the state. (shrink)

In this paper I make a case for a genuine and legitimate role for philosophy in modern Islamic culture. However, I argue that in order to make any progress towards reinstating such philosophical activity, we need to look deep into the nature and essence of modern philosophy. In this paper I aim to do this precisely by challenging modern philosophy’s self conception as an absolute critique (i.e. a critique of everything/anything). I argue that such a conception is not only misconceived, (...) it is also ideological in character. Looking back to its origins, I develop a genealogy of modern philosophy’s self-understanding in order to deconstruct it and disassociate it from other possible alternative conceptions of philosophy. I argue that we should reject the notion of philosophy as absolute critique, as it is ideologically motivated and oppressive. Instead, I argue for a more modest conception of philosophy as a subject which provides tools for developing human powers of reflection. (shrink)

Although Theravada Buddhism and Roman Catholicism agree on the moral justification for palliative sedation, they differ on the premises underlying the justification. While Catholicism justifies palliative sedation on the ground of the Principle of Double Effect, Buddhism does so on the basis of the Third Noble Truth. Despite their theological differences, Buddhism and Catholicism both value the moral significance of the physician’s intent to reduce suffering and both respect the sanctity of life. This blurs the demarcation line between Buddhism and (...) Catholicism regarding the moral justification of palliative sedation. -/- . (shrink)

ASP.net is one of the most widely used languages in web developing of its many advantages, so there are many lessons that explain its basics, so it should be an intelligent tutoring system that offers lessons and exercises for this language.why tutoring system? Simply because it is one-one teacher, adapts with all the individual differences of students, begins gradually with students from easier to harder level, save time for teacher and student, the student is not ashamed to make mistakes, and (...) more. Therefore, in this paper, we describe the design of an Intelligent Tutoring System for teaching ASP.net to help students learn ASP.net easily and smoothly. Tutor provides beginner level in ASP.net. Finally, we evaluated our tutor and the results were excellent by students and teacher. (shrink)

We provide two programmatic frameworks for integrating philosophical research on understanding with complementary work in computer science, psychology, and neuroscience. First, philosophical theories of understanding have consequences about how agents should reason if they are to understand that can then be evaluated empirically by their concordance with findings in scientific studies of reasoning. Second, these studies use a multitude of explanations, and a philosophical theory of understanding is well suited to integrating these explanations in illuminating ways.

Recent developments in our globalized world are beginning the scholarly world to answer the question pertaining to the relationship between Islam—a “faith”—and politics and governance. In order to understand the Islamic worldview from the perspective of Ibn Khaldun, with whom many modern Islamists would agree with, a comparison is made with early progenitors of liberalism and the social contract, John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. By understanding the fundamental differences between the theorists, and how Ibn Khaldun’s is completely separate from (...) the western tradition, it becomes easier to understand exactly why Islamic models of governance are at direct odds with the west. The main difference between the two models of governance is the use of a fundamental criteria determining right from wrong, as opposed to Hobbes’ and Locke’s theories being based purely on assumption that the validity of their respective arguments is based upon the theory’s acceptance among the people. In other words, western political theorists lack the consistency and justification for their theories, at least from the Islamist point of view. (shrink)

Abstract: This cross sectional study was conducted with the purpose to find out the causes of stress among university students. This study was carried out in Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period of November 2017 to January 2018. Convenience sampling technique was adapted for the selection of respondents for data collection. A quantitative method was used in gathering and analyzing the data. For this purpose, structured questionnaires were distributed to the students of Jahangirnagar University. The results obtained show (...) the different factors that cause stress among the students of Jahangirnagar University. According to 86% of 200 respondents, future worry was the most effective factor causing stress. 70.5% respondents thought examination tension as a major cause of stress. According to 61% respondents, working with news people also was a source of stress. 61% respondents said that, lots of group work caused stress among them. Relationship conflict was admitted as a major source of stress by 59.5% respondents. 55.5% respondents felt stressed due to financial crisis and also for failure in combing job with study. Misunderstanding class lectures, bad living condition, lower academic grade were also major causes of stress among respondents. This study also identified the level of stress among the respondents. It revealed that, among 200 respondents, 61.5% were moderately stressed, 18.5% were stressed with low level and 20% respondents had high level of stress. (shrink)

This paper discusses the existence and nature of suffering as understood by Buddhism and Augustinian Christianity. The Buddha taught suffering as arising from human desire, while Saint Augustine believed it to be a direct result of human free will. In both traditions, the existence of suffering is linked directly to humans, whether it is in their ability to have desires or will freely. These two accounts of suffering and evil are presented in the first section, along with how their respective (...) conceptions of suffering are affected by the law of karma (in Buddhism) and the necessary existence of evil (in Christianity). Then in the second section, these two accounts are evaluated by analyzing the problem of presupposing free will within the karmic conception of existence and why St. Augustine's Free Will theodicy is insufficient to warrant the existence of evil in light of the existence of a benevolent God. The paper concludes by arguing that both Buddhism and Christianity (at least as espoused by St. Augustine) link evil to humans and as a consequence of their actions. And although these two respective understandings have great philosophical merit and could help their followers deal with evil, it is still unable to address the metaphysical existence of suffering in its entirety. (shrink)

No USA president in history has received as much opposition as Donald Trump has from all three components of the Establishment, namely the financial establishment, the political establishment and the corporate media establishment. The election of Donald Trump to the office of presidency is marked with dozens of historical first events that are anything but lackluster, yet a bleak picture of Fascism has been painted to describe Trump. This is an extraordinary piece of disinformation, as no modern president has been (...) more consistent in plainly saying what he will do regarding US military and geopolitical goals, both outside and in office. This, even though his stated position is clearly opposite to the wishes of the dominant cabal, supported by both parties, and to US foreign policy since WWII. USA history is not very long, but Trump presidency and his inaugural speech marked a historic starting point for this 'democracy'. Every sentence of Donald J. Trump's inaugural speech was a departure from diplomacy. Knowing what diplomacy actually means, it's a great step toward transparency. It is the best thing that happened in US political history. It is no surprise the Media established completely flipped, the political establishment gasped, and the financial establishment started to conspire a different strategy (George Soros declaring he wants Trump presidency to fail). In the mean time, the typically apolitical science and technology establishment declared Trump completely unfit for the office that he has just been elected to. Trump’s inaugural speech that contained phrases like, "It's time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget, that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots", was in sharp contrast to how Abraham Lincoln viewed America, when he said, "I, as much as any other man, stand in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race… I have no purpose to introduce political and social equality between the white and the black races." Trump’s embrace of humanity and righteousness was reminiscent of Prophet Muhammad’s last sermon at the pilgrimage, where he said over 1400 years, "An Arab is no better than a non-Arab, and a non-Arab is no better than an Arab; a red man is no better than a black man and a black man is no better than a red man – except if it is in terms of piety." Yet, Trump took oath of office swearing on the bible used by Abraham Lincoln. In this two-part paper, the key research question answered is what Trump presidency stands for. In answering this question, the first part deconstructs some of the dominant theories of Fascism. Then, a delinearized history is constructed in order to understand how democracy, as applied in USA, has an inevitable outcome of achieving the same goals as a Fascist regime. The concept of religious extremism, including “Islamic terrorism” or “radical Islam” is also discussed with relevance to ‘war on terror’. The history of US presidency then shows that the office of presidency is used as a tool to advance a Fascist agenda, albeit being packaged as USA exceptionalism. The ground is set for part 2 that analyses the rise of Trump and the demise of DNC integrity, followed by deconstruction of various allegations against Trump. (shrink)

This research is concerned with understanding the factors behind the trade-off between child labor and child schooling, given the well-documented links between the two. It examines parents' behavior in their decision-making on their children's schooling or practicing child labor. Depending on qualitative research methods including 28 semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions conducted in the rural areas of Bangladesh in 2020, this study reveals the following: subsistence needs compel households, particularly the ultra-poor and the female-headed, to trade off child (...) labor with schooling; due to higher demand of labor, parents engage their children into work instead of schooling; parents of labor-intensive occupations tend to trade off child labor with schooling; sexual division of labor remains obvious; finally, credit constraints and cultural beliefs have negative impacts on parental decision-making on child schooling. Interventions aiming to reduce child labor and increase schooling in these rural areas must remain mindful of the socio-economic and cultural needs. (shrink)

The sunflower seed is the seed of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus). The methanol extract of seeds of Helianthus annuus were screened for analgesic activity in mice model to systematically explore the medicinal values of the plant. Acetic acid induced writhing and hot plate methods were used to confirm the central and peripheral analgesic action. In case of acetic acid-induced writhing test the extract showed significant (P <0.05) analgesic potential at doses 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (50.35 and 57.85% inhibition, (...) respectively). In the hot plate method, increase (p < 0.05) of latency period was also observed in comparison to standard aspirin. At 60 minutes, the latency period of two different doses (100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) was found at 13 ± 0.91 and 16.5 ± 1.55 second. The results obtained support the use of Helianthus annuus seeds in painful conditions acting both centrally and peripherally. (shrink)

Helianthus annuus seeds contain various chemical components and evaluate different biological activities. The present study was carried out to investigate the central nervous system (CNS) activity of methanolic extract of Helianthus annuus seeds in mice model. General behaviour, antidepressant activity and anxiolytic activity was observed. The results revealed that the methanol extract of Helianthus annuus seeds at 100 and 200 mg/kg caused a significant increase in the spontaneous activity (general behavioural profile), moderate increase in anxiolytic activity (light-dark box and elevated (...) plus maze test) and remarkable increase in antidepressant activity (tail suspension test). The results suggest that methanol extract of Helianthus annuus exhibit significant antidepressant and moderate anxiolytic activity in tested animal models. (shrink)

A community based cross-sectional study was carried out by a self-structured questionnaire on 168 participants aged between 18 and 60 years at two arsenic prone area of Bangladesh to determine the association between extent of depression and socio-demographic as well as illness characteristics in arsenicosis population. The mean age ± SD was 42 ± 10.15 years. Female respondents were almost twice (63.1%) than the males (36.9%) in this study. Most of the respondents (94.0%) were shallow tube well water user. Among (...) them most (80.0%) of the respondents were detected as arsenic contaminated water consumer over more than six months. Study estimated that almost half (44.3%) of the participants had suffered from mild to moderate depression in the moderate arsenicosis group. Less than quarter (20.8%) participants suffered severe depression in severe arsenicosis group. Quarter (26.7%) had mild arsenicosis with no depression. This difference was not significant. Gender had significant influence on proportion of level of depression. Females significantly suffered more from depressive symptoms than males. More than two third of the female respondents suffered from some kind of depressive symptoms; where less than one third of the males were suffered from depressive symptoms. Age has no significant relation with depression. Respondents who were 48 years and above age group had highest percentages of severe depressive symptoms (35.8%). This age group also suffered from highest percentage of mild to moderate depression (37.1%). Though most of the respondent (85.1) had no diabetes and hypertension. Respondents with physical illness suffered more from some sorts of depression than those without illness, but the result is not statistically significant. We understood that depression has health challenges in adult arsenicosis patients. Therefore, physicians should take account depression in their treatment management when deal with arsenicosis patients. (shrink)

Background: Tuberculosis is among the major causes of illness and death worldwide especially in Asia. Smoking is associated with recurrent tuberculosis and its related mortality. Also, it could affect clinical manifestations, bacteriological conversion and outcome of treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of tobacco smoking, history of previous quit attempts and attitude towards quitting in tuberculosis patients. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study done amongst tuberculosis patients presented to DOTS corner of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. 315 (...) patients entered the study as "First Come First Serve". Selfreported questionnaires were designed according to the standard questionnaires of smoking pattern. Results: Sixty one percent (61%) patients (n=192) were smoker before the diagnosis of tuberculosis. 51.1% were current smokers at the time of interview and were continuing smoking after the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Only 10.2% discontinued smoking after diagnosis. 68.2% smokes less than 10 cigarettes per day. 53.1% was between 31-50 age group. 21-30 is the commonest age group (62%) to start smoking is and 66.1% smoked less than 10 years before diagnosis. To reduce stress was the most common cause to continue smoking (48.9%). 71.9% smokers showed keen interest to stop smoking. Conclusion: Considering the prevalence of smoking in tuberculosis patients, evaluation of tobacco smoking status in such patients and motivating them to quit smoking could be considered as important steps in their treatment process. (shrink)

Background: Multi Drug Therapy approved by WHO is the best treatment option for Leprosy. There is a significant decline of mortality and morbidity after the introduction of multi drug therapy. But the adverse effects causing changes in clinical and laboratory parameters to multi drug therapy are the main limiting obstacle for the treatment course completion. Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the effects on routine laboratory parameters including hematological and biochemical changes before, during and after the (...) treatment of multi drug therapy in leprosy. Methodology: A descriptive cohort hospital based study on 85 multi drug therapy treated leprosy patients using standard laboratory tools for routine investigations for 18 months. Results: During the one year multidrug treatment period, most of the routine laboratory parameters showed mild to moderate change from normal level during the first 3 months with gradual recovery in the following months. Complete blood count assessment revealed mild decline in Hb, PCV, MCH, MCHC, and moderate decline in WBC and Platelet count. A mild increase in liver function tests (Bilirubin, AST, ALT, Alkaline phosphatase) and renal function tests (S.Creatinine, b. Urea) was observed. A moderate decline in S. Sodium with mild increase in S. Potassium was found on investigating S. Electrolytes. Patients were fully recovered from all hemato-biochemical adverse effects after 6 months of completion of the multi drug therapy. Conclusion: Despite of mild to moderate hematological and biochemical adverse reactions with multi drug therapy, recovery was excellent after 6 months of completion of therapy. (shrink)

Background: Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease having major burden on humans over thousands of years. If untreated, it results in permanent damage to various systems and organs. So we designed this study to evaluate the neurological complications in early stage in adult leprosy patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to find out the pattern of neurological manifestations among adult leprosy patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional hospital-based study on 85 adult tribal leprosy patients was conducted in (...) a district level health care facility from January to December 2014 using simple, direct, standardized questionnaire including history and neurological examinations. Results: The commonest age group affected was 18–30 years (62.4%). Male group was predominant (68.2%). Majority cases (66%) had multibacillary leprosy. At first visit 72.7% cases with neurological findings could not be diagnosed correctly by primary health care personnel. More than six months were required for correct diagnosis in 61.2% cases. Numbness was the commonest (74.5%) neurological symptom. In upper limb, motor findings were predominant with wasting in 50.9% cases. In lower limb, sensory findings were predominant with stock pattern sensory impairment being the commonest (56.4%). Ulnar nerve was the commonest peripheral nerve to enlarge with tenderness. Facial nerve was the commonest cranial nerve involved. All cases with multiple cranial nerves involvement were of multibacillary type. Due to physical disability 92.7% cases lost their jobs. (shrink)

Background: Hazardous use of alcohol is a public health problem which accounts for 4.0% of global burden of disease. There are very few studies about alcohol consumption trend among tribal in Bangladesh. We investigated the pattern and trend with reasons for alcohol use in Hill Tract dwellers with the aim to increase the awareness of this problem. Objective: To identify the pattern of alcohol use and its effect among the tribal so that effective measures can be taken to eliminate the (...) social evil. Materials and method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among tribal community of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Rangamati district, Bangladesh between June 2014 to February 2015. Out of 846 people coming in ‘Naniarchor’ and ‘Langadu’ upazila health complexes 716 (84.6%) constituted the study group. The CAGE test was used as a screening test in determining alcohol dependence. Results: The prevalence of alcohol consumption among tribal is 48.9%. Rural areas (65%) are the most vulnerable area. Home-made alcohol (61%) was the most patronized alcoholic beverage. Most of the cases (82%) started alcohol before 30 years of age and 46% participants took alcohol daily. To get pleasure is the commonest factor for taking alcohol (57%). Physical and mental degenerations were found in most of the alcoholic cases (88%). Conclusion: The results of the present study are likely to increase the awareness of the problem in hill areas and help the concerned authorities to shape the requisite alcohol control policies in these regions. (shrink)

Introduction: The incidence of chronic low back pain (LBP) is very high in Bangladesh. There is a high prevalence of psychiatric diseases among chronic low back pain patients. But primary care physicians and specialists do not screen this association. The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence and pattern of psychiatric diseases in chronic low back pain patients. Materials and methods: A prospective cross-sectional hospital-based study of 135 chronic low back pain patients using simple, direct, standardized questionnaire including (...) history and detailed psychiatric evaluation by a consultant psychiatrist from January to December 2014. Results: A total 69 chronic low back pain patients (51.1%) were diagnosed with psychiatric problems. Predominant group were female (65.9%), above 40 years of age (60.7%). Depression (44.9 %) and anxiety (31.9%) were the major psychiatric illness diagnosed (76.8%). Only 17.4 % patients expects complete cure. Fear of disease outcome was the commonest precipitating factor found (66.6%). With the adjuvant psychiatric management, 81.1% showed improvement clinically. Conclusion: Detecting the level of psychiatric illness among chronic low back pain patients at early stage will improve the treatment outcome. A referral system to psychiatrists by physicians needs to develop to screen the mental disorder symptoms to treat the problem. (shrink)

Background: Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease having major burden on humans over thousands of years. If untreated, it results in permanent damage to various systems and organs. So we designed this study to evaluate the neurological complications in early stage in adult leprosy patients. Objective: The aim of this study was to find out the pattern of neurological manifestations among adult leprosy patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional hospital-based study on 85 adult tribal leprosy patients was conducted in (...) a district level health care facility from January to December 2014 using simple, direct, standardized questionnaire including history and neurological examinations. Results: The commonest age group affected was 18–30 years (62.4%). Male group was predominant (68.2%). Majority cases (66%) had multibacillary leprosy. At first visit 72.7% cases with neurological findings could not be diagnosed correctly by primary health care personnel. More than six months were required for correct diagnosis in 61.2% cases. Numbness was the commonest (74.5%) neurological symptom. In upper limb, motor findings were predominant with wasting in 50.9% cases. In lower limb, sensory findings were predominant with stock pattern sensory impairment being the commonest (56.4%). Ulnar nerve was the commonest peripheral nerve to enlarge with tenderness. Facial nerve was the commonest cranial nerve involved. All cases with multiple cranial nerves involvement were of multibacillary type. Due to physical disability 92.7% cases lost their jobs. Conclusion: In this study neurological involvement was found associated with severe disability. ! (shrink)

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare oral Artemether-Lumefantrine to intravenous Quinine by exploring its effectiveness in cerebral malaria in hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: A randomized prospective study was conducted among 64 hospitalized cases of cerebral malaria. One group of patients was treated with intravenous Quinine and another group was treated with oral Artemether-Lumefantrine. Response in clinical, laboratory parameters and outcome of treatment were noted every eight hours. Results: Oral Artemether-Lumefantrine showed almost similar response in clinical and (...) laboratory parameters with median temperature (101º F), pulse rate (102 b/m), systolic BP (110mmHg), GCS (12), hemoglobin (9.8 g/dl), WBC (9000/μl), platelet (130000/μl), B. glucose (101 mg/dl), S. creatinine (1.8 mg/dl), ALT (32 U/L), mean disappearance time of parasite from blood (40 hours), and mean time for regaining full consciousness (30 hours). Final outcome was also similar in both drugs with only 1 death (3.1%) reported in each group. Conclusion: In cerebral malaria intravenous Quinine or oral Artemether-Lumefantrine therapy does not have any statistically significant difference in terms of clinical parameter, laboratory parameter and final outcome. (shrink)

Abstract: ASP dot net is one of the most widely used languages in web developing of its many advantages, so there are many lessons that explain its basics, so it should be an intelligent tutoring system that offers lessons and exercises for this language.why tutoring system? Simply because it is one-one teacher, adapts with all the individual differences of students, begins gradually with students from easier to harder level, save time for teacher and student, the student is not ashamed to (...) make mistakes, and more. Therefore, in this paper, we describe the design of an Intelligent Tutoring System for teaching ASP dot net to help students learn ASP dot net easily and smoothly. Tutor provides beginner level in ASP dot net. Finally, we evaluated our tutor and the results were excellent by students and teacher. (shrink)

Objectives: The aim of this study is to find out the prevalence and outcome of falciparum malaria with neurological manifestations. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional hospital-based study of 318 falciparum malaria patients using simple, direct, standardized questionnaire with history, lab investigations and neurological examination from January 2014 to December 2014. Results: July was the most vulnerable month for falciparum malaria causing the highest hospital admission (48.8%) and death (29.3%). The commonest age group affected was 15- 30 years (49.2%). Prevalence (...) of neurological manifestations was 58.8%. Altered sensorium (48.7%) was the most frequent neurological manifestation, followed by abnormal behavior (19.8%) and convulsions (15.5%). Case fatality rate was very high with neurological manifestations, highest with altered sensorium (31.3%). Only 71.1% knows about the neurological manifestations showing very poor perception among tribal. Primary health care providers also failed to diagnose most of the cases (69%) which presented with neurological features. Conclusion: Falciparum malaria with neurological involvement is associated with increased mortality. By documenting different neurological patterns of falciparum malaria and by trained health care personnel, mortality and morbidity rates can be reduced by early diagnosis and management. (shrink)

Background: Oral health of women is often neglected during pregnancy. We need to address this issue in a developing country's perspective,as oral healthcare is not an integral part of antenatal protocols. Objective: To evaluate the oral health status of pregnant women using the Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S) Score as well as explore oral hygiene practice by them and conduct a mini-assessment of their knowledge of oral health. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using data by using a semi-structured questionnaire (...) among 170 pregnant women attending an antenatal center in Dhaka city, Bangladesh, from March to August 2018. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire containing the OHI-S index was used for data collection. Dental mirror and probe were used for oral hygiene assessment. Results: The mean age of the participants was 24.22±5.07 years. 140(82.4%) were found to use toothbrushes as a tooth-cleaning aid and 146(85.9%) used toothpaste as a tooth cleaning material. Among them, 132(94.3%) were found to brush at least once a day. The predominant health problems identified by clinical examination among those pregnant women were gum bleeding, mild to severe periodontitis, halitosis (bad breath), and loose teeth. The majority did not know the safe period of dental treatment and the consequences of having poor oral health during pregnancy. The overall oral hygiene status of the maximum number of pregnant women was 'Fair' (50.6%) (OHI-S score 0-1.2), while 39.4% had 'Poor' oral hygiene status (OHI-S score 1.3-3.0) and only 10% had 'Good' oral hygiene status (OHI-S score 3.1-6.9). Conclusion: Pregnant women in Bangladesh suffer from various oral health issues during pregnancy; however, they exhibit that they do not address this issue due to a lack of awareness and other factors. Hence, it is crucial to plan and implement effective oral health programs for pregnant women all over the country. (shrink)

Background: Oral health of women is often neglected during pregnancy. We need to address this issue in a developing country’s perspective, as oral healthcare is not an integral part of antenatal protocols. -/- Objective: To evaluate the oral health status of pregnant women using the Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S) Score as well as explore oral hygiene practice by them and conduct a mini-assessment of their knowledge of oral health. -/- Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using data by using (...) a semi-structured questionnaire among 170 pregnant women attending an antenatal center in Dhaka city, Bangladesh, from March to August 2018. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire containing OHI-S index was used for data collection. Dental mirror and probe were used for oral hygiene assessment. -/- Results: The mean age of the participants was 24.22±5.07 years. 140(82.4%) were found to use toothbrushes as a tooth-cleaning aid and 146(85.9%) used toothpaste as a tooth cleaning material. Among them, 132(94.3%) were found to brush at least once a day. The predominant health problems identified by clinical examination among those pregnant women were gum bleeding, mild to severe periodontitis, halitosis (bad breath), and loose teeth. The majority did not know the safe period of dental treatment and the consequences of having poor oral health during pregnancy. The overall oral hygiene status of the maximum pregnant women was ‘Fair’ (50.6%) (OHI-S score 0-1.2), while 39.4% had ‘Poor’ oral hygiene status (OHI-S score 1.3-3.0) and only 10% had ‘Good’ oral hygiene status (OHI-S score 3.1-6.9). -/- Conclusion: Pregnant women in Bangladesh suffer from various oral health issues during pregnancy; however, they exhibit that they do not address this issue due to a lack of awareness and other factors. Hence, it is crucial to plan and implement effective oral health programs for pregnant women all over the country. (shrink)

This paper is a part-review analysis into the modern conception of both the word and Jihād and the violent nature of Islam. In order to develop an overarching modern theory of Jihād, current opinions and general argumtations in the literature are examined. Two theories have emerged in defining Islam and the role of Jihād in Islam. The first is that of the so-called Muslim apologists; scholars who define Jihād as mainly a personal struggle, and whose physical application (...) (warfare) is only in self-defence of the Islamic community. The second sponsors the concept of ‘offensive’ Jihād: that Islam is imperialistic and has a vision of global domination. The stark contrast in the divisions that the scholarship have are indicative of two opposing parties, likely each basing their respective policy positions on beliefs on the nature of Islam as a violent of peaceful ‘religion’. (shrink)

Generation of clean energy is one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Solar energy is the most abundantly available renewable energy source which would be supplying more than 50 of the global electricity demand in 2100. Solar cells are used to convert light energy into electrical energy directly with an appeal that it does not generate any harmful bi products, like greenhouse gasses. The manufacturing of solar cells is actually based on the types of semiconducting or non semiconducting (...) materials used and commercial maturity. From the very beginning of the terrestrial use of Solar Cells, efficiency and costs are the main focusing areas of research. The definition of so called emerging technologies sometimes described as including any technology capable of overcoming the Shockley-Queisser limit of power conversion efficiency 33.7 percent for a single junction device. In this paper, few promising materials for solar cells are discussed including their structural morphology, electrical and optical properties. The excellent state of the art technology, advantages and potential research issues yet to be explored are also pointed out. Md. Samiul Islam Sadek | Dr. M Junaebur Rashid | Dr. Zahid Hasan Mahmood "Emerging Next Generation Solar Cells: Route to High Efficiency and Low Cost" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-1 | Issue-4 , June 2017 . (shrink)

This paper evaluates the economic effects of a politically communitarian model of family ties towards the pension crisis in developing countries. The use of a Canadian - an individualist-oriented political economic pension system - is compared to a religiously and culturally communitarian form of family care in Bangladesh, a country slowly feeling the effects of the pension crisis. The analysis concludes, based on theoretical and economic evidence, that it is not in the social or economic interest of Bangladesh or similar (...) countries to use the same policies currently being deployed by Canada and most other OECD countries. This paper is the first of its kind to apply socioeconomic costs and benefits of developed countries’ policies and apply them to the context of a developing country—keeping in mind the cultural aspect and its implications. It aims at bringing back original ethical and moral values with a social orientation that should inspire all stakeholders to ensure family self-regulation that converge toward a solid foundation of communitarian principles. (shrink)

A cross-sectional, descriptive study was done at a rural high school in Zakiganj Upazila of Sylhet District, Bangladesh, between January and December of 2014, to determine knowledge and practice of oral health and hygiene and oral health status among school going adolescents. Students from three classes: class VIII, IX and X, and aged 12-16 years were taken for the study. Study samples were collected by using simple random sampling technique. A total of 90 students were divided into two age groups: (...) 12-14 years and 15-16 years. A pre-designed, self-administered questionnaire was used for demographic survey and knowledge of oral health and hygiene (a 10-point questionnaire) and practice (a 7-point questionnaire). Then a plane mouth mirror and periodontal probe was used for examining oral health status in those school children. Oral hygiene status was measured by simplified Green and Vermillion Oral Hygiene Index. The mean age of the respondents was 14.37±0.50 years. Females were 68 (75.6%) and males were 22 (24.4%). 31 (34.4%) were from class VIII, 30 (33.3%) from class IX and 29 (32.2%) were from class X. 33.3% of the respondents have scored below the mean of the total knowledge score while 66.7% has scored above the mean (6.86±2.05). Pearson’s correlation coefficient (+0.342) revealed that an increase in knowledge score would lead to increase in practice score. The younger group had higher mean knowledge score than older group (7.15+1.35 vs. 6.58+2.54; P=0.017); however, no significant difference was found between males and females (6.90±1.74 vs. 6.85±2.15; P=0.432). There was no significant difference in Debris Index (DI), Calculous Index (CI) and Oral Health Index (OHI) scores in between age groups and genders. On educational status, significant difference was observed only in OHI score (P=0.001) among those three classes of students. Overall, only 31% had good oral hygiene, while 59% respondents had fair and 10% had poor oral hygiene status. (shrink)

Background: Socio-epidemiological data of dental caries helps to plan effective community interventions. Objective: To estimate the prevalence and assess the experience of dental caries among school going adolescents in a rural area of Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was donein Sylhet District in Bangladesh, between January and December of 2014. Students of class VIII, IX and X, aged 12-16 years were taken for the study. A total of 90 studentswere divided into 12-14 years and 15-16 years age groups using simple (...) random sampling technique. A pre-designed, self-administered questionnaire was used for demographic survey. Students were examined for dental caries. Assessment of Experience of dental caries was done by Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth (DMFT) index. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 14.37±0.50 years. Females were 68(75.6%) and males were 22(24.4%). 31(34.4%), 30 (33.3%) and 29(32.2%) were from VIII, IX and X respectively. The older age group (15-16 years) had more decayed teeth than that of 12-14 years group (2.28 vs. 1.46; p=0.04). The mean DMFT score was lower in male compared to female (1.43 vs. 2.30; p>0.05).There was significant difference in the total DMFT score among the classes (p=0.009). Mean DMFT score was 1.88. Caries prevalence was 42.2% in the maxillary arch and 58.9% in the mandibular arch. Among males, the mandibular arch showed a higher caries level (63.64%) than the maxillary arch (40%), while in females, in maxillary and mandibular archeswere 42.64% and 42.65% respectively (p>0.05). Conclusion: 64.4% of the study population had dental caries with male predominance; mandibular arch was more involved. (shrink)

Background: The study aimed to explore the perception of mothers of adolescent girls and health service providers in urban slums toward HPV vaccination. Methodology: A cross-sectional mixed-method study in the slums of Rayer Bazaar, Kamlapur and Mohakhali was conducted. The quantitative part included a household survey of mothers (n=150) and service providers (n=30) through a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire and qualitative interviews included in-depth interviews (IDI) with mothers (n=10) and key-informant interviews (KII) with service providers (n=10). Results: Around 96% of mothers (...) had never heard of HPV, and 98% were unaware that the virus's transmission could be halted. Only 3.3% of mothers were aware that HPV can cause cervical cancer, although, during IDI, it was seen that the majority of mothers said that cervical cancer is a communicable disease. Nearly 98% of mothers wanted their daughters to get vaccinated. Service providers had a good understanding of HPV, HPV vaccine, and cervical cancer. All service providers during KII agreed that if they had received adequate training on HPV vaccination and cervical cancer, they could have treated their patients better. Conclusion: The findings of this study have important implications for the design and advocacy of HPV immunization programs in Bangladesh. (shrink)

This report describes a questionnaire-based study on 309 adult patients attending the Dental Outpatients Department of Bangladesh Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka during December 2000 to March 2001. The aim of the study was to determine the oral health knowledge of the patients in relation to their age, gender, economic and educational status. Almost two third (63.1%) of the subjects correctly said that pan chewing was bad for teeth. Three fourth (78.3%) of the subjects gave correct answer on question of (...) how to prevent teeth decay. When question was asked about cause of teeth decay, bleeding gum and action of fluoride on teeth, only 38.2%, 41.4% and 32.3% could give correct answer respectively. With a few exceptions, knowledge of oral health was comparatively poor among the older generation, females, less educated and less privileged group. (shrink)

Contemporary Islam presents Europe in particular with a political and moral challenge: Moderate-progressive Muslims and radical fundamentalist Muslims present differing visions of the relation of politics and religion and, consequently, differing interpretations of freedom of expression. There is evident public concern about Western “political correctness,” when law or policy accommodates censorship of speech allegedly violating religious sensibilities. Referring to the thought of philosopher Baruch Spinoza, and accounting for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Universal Islamic Declaration of (...) Human Rights, and various empirical studies on the religious convictions of Muslims, it is argued here that: (1) sovereign European state powers should be especially cautious of legal censorship of speech allegedly violating Muslim religious sensibilities; and (2) instead of legal moves to censorship, European states should defer to the principle of separation of religion and state (political authority). Further, a reasonable interpretation of Islamic jurisprudence allows that matters of religious difference may be engaged and resolved by appeal to private conscience and ethical judgment, rather than by appeal to public law per se. In so far as they are 1 representative of contemporary scholarship, the interpretative positions of Ziad Elmarsafy, Jacques Derrida, and Nasr Abū Zayd are presented in illustration of this latter point. (shrink)

New Atheists and Anti-Theists (such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Christopher Hutchins) affirm that there is a strong connection between being a traditional theist and being a religious fundamentalist who advocates violence, terrorism, and war. They are especially critical of Islam. On the contrary, I argue that, when correctly understood, religious dogmatic belief, present in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is progressive and open to internal and external criticism and revision. Moreover, acknowledging that human knowledge is (...) finite and that humans are fallible and have much to learn, dogmatic religious believers accept that they ought to value and seek to acquire moral and intellectual virtues, including the virtues of temperance and reasonability. (shrink)

Many theistic religions place a high value on faith in God and some traditions regard it as a virtue. However, philosophers commonly assign either very little value to faith in God or significant negative value, or even view it as a vice. Progress in assessing whether and when faith in God can be valuable or disvaluable, virtuous or vicious, rational or irrational, or otherwise apt or inapt requires understanding what faith in God is. This Special Issue on the normative appraisal (...) of faith in God for Religious Studies includes nine articles, from a diverse range of perspectives, which explore issues related to the core questions ‘What is faith in God?’ and ‘What normative questions about faith in God need to be addressed?’ In this Introduction, we briefly introduce each article. (shrink)

It is, without a doubt, a difficult task to address at once the state of philosophy as embodied by the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy and the place of one’s own thought within it. This is the task that a co-director’s address tries to fill. Whether with a critical reexamination of the phenomenological mode of seeing distinctive of SPEP, of philosophical progress, or of the place of transcontinental philosophy, prior co-directors found ways to subtly chart the windings and turns (...) of the many streams that assemble to form this society.We seem to be, however, at a different juncture, so that another... (shrink)

THE EXISTENTIAL CONDITION OF THE IJAWS IN THE EMERGING SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MILIEU OF NIGERIA. By Ebo Socrates, PhD. -/- Nigeria is a hybrid nation of over two hundred and fifty ethnic nationalities. The Ijaws as a people among the multitude of peoples that have come to constitute the geographic expression and sovereign entity known as Nigeria, find themselves enmeshed in the fluctuating socio-economic milieu of Nigeria. They as well as other ethnic nationalities that constitute Nigeria, found themselves bound to (...) the contingencies and exigencies of the nation-state called Nigeria not by act of will or treaty but by the Lugardian fiat which in itself was a full expression of the British imperialist will to power. By fiat and history, a country was made; the country is Nigeria, its people simply are; a fact of history. Their mode of being however, is a confluence of contraction and progress. So many models of nationhood explicates Nigeria. But Nigeria, is undeniably a “torn” nation. In the words of Samuel Huntington, a nation of conflicting civilizations: the Islamic civilization and the Judeo-Christian civilization. The Ijaws, an oil rich minority tribe found themselves entwined and involved in the destiny of this phenomenal nation called Nigeria. Has such an entwinement been a curse or blessing? Have the Ijaws significant power in the organogram of the Nigerian nationhood? Are they tossed about by the tide and flow of events or are they active movers in the making of the Nigerian history? This paper critically looks at these existential realities and elucidates the existential condition of the Ijaws in the contemporary Nigeria . (shrink)

The monopolistic tendency of modern science in asserting itself as the exclusive interpreter of the human psyche or mind through its psychology does so while negating the most crucial dimension that makes it a complete psychology, the metaphysical order as is found across the world in all times and places. The reductionistic turn of modern Western psychology away from its metaphysical roots has deformed the original “science of the soul” rendering it null and void. That spirituality and metaphysics have been (...) marginalized and deemed irrelevant in modern science was assumed to be the logical course of progress. Ironically, however, their fundamental absence is the reason contemporary psychology is in disarray. Numerous individuals may see this as preposterous and think that to suggest this is to turn back the clock to the dark ages of knowledge. However, if psychology is returned to its origin in metaphysics, sacred science, and spiritual principles, it can again become worthy of being called a “science of the soul.” This interview with Islamic philosopher, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, on the discipline of psychology explores the original meaning of the “science of the soul” as it is understood across the diverse cultures of the world. (shrink)

Religious experience is one of the fundamental problems of the philosophy of religion. Although it has entered the literature as a proof of God; discussions focus on its nature. The basic approaches to the nature of religious experience are: religious experience as a feeling, religious experience as a perception, religious experience as a comment. The main reason that makes the nature of religious experience controversial is that it consists of two concepts that have a wide range of meaning, such as (...) religion and experience. The meanings that individuals and traditions attach to these two concepts determine the understanding of religious experience. The beginning of religious experience as a term corresponds to the periods of Protestantism. With the emphasis of Enlightenment on the mind, the meanings attributed to religious experience have been reduced and narrowed. In the literature, religious experience is unclear, cannot be transferred to others, instant and extraordinary experiences. The preliminary acceptance of this article is that the meanings attributed to the term religious experience are narrowed and it is wrong to use the term in the same sense for different traditions. This article assumes that the reader knows the current discussion of the problem. Rather than reacting to the concerns of current debate, it takes a more proactive and pre-opener approach. Rather than reacting to the concerns of the current debate, it takes a more proactive approach to the subject. This paper will present a different reading of religious experience than the literature as a problem of the Philosophy of Religion. In this context, the concept of God, universe and human being in al-Ghazali will be firstly revealed as the ontological background of religious experience; then a description of the concept of religious experience will be proposed on this ontological basis. If you mean an experience related to religion, which is within religious boundaries with religious experience; Islam for a Muslim, that all experiences that cater to all aspects of human existence and religious boundaries cannot be the person to enter into any human experience that is experienced throughout the religious life. Certainly, here we can talk about the experiences that religion has ordered and forbidden, or in other words, experiences that religion regards as positive or negative. If an experience related to God is meant for religious experience, here are two cases: when the truth comes to the essence and attributes of God, the human experience does not reach there and in this sense, a religious experience is not possible. If the acts of God are mentioned; all the experiences that people live in are religious in this sense, because everything outside of their own is a deed of God, and whatever happens in the world of being, takes place within God's deeds. Here, too, whether or not people are aware of it, can be mentioned in other words, from conscious and unconscious religious experiences, which is the deciding factor. Faith, then, can be regarded as the first step of the conscious religious experience. If you are referring to experiences that seem to be unusual for those who are religious and have no religious experience, it is an extraordinary experience to go on a journey itself, compared to not going on a journey. That is to say, the faith itself, which is to ascend to a journey to perfection, is an extraordinary experience compared to those who are not on this path, that is, those who do not have it. For instance for children, the experiences of the elders are extraordinary, and therefore being ordinary and extraordinary is a relative concept. It is necessary to acknowledge the differences in conscious religious experiences mentioned above in the meaning of intense and deep living in themselves. There is a deeper and more intense experience that expresses progress in a journey that leads to God in the sense of the strengthening of faith. This is the kind of experience that most people have not experienced in this sense that the task of the person who is experienced in his own journey is not to stick to them and continue on their way. So living out of order for a Muslim is seen as a barrier that must be encountered and which should not be lingered on, while experiencing something extraordinary has a distinctive place for religious experience in current debates. The issue is not that they cannot be explained but they are not deliberately explained due to the fear of misunderstanding. This can be regarded as a method of education that older adults use to train minors. As a result, if we would define a religious experience according to al-Ghazali, we can say that religion is a journey made towards God, and religious experience is the experience of traveling to God. Traveling to him means to get close to Him, but this approach is not in spatial means but in perfection means. So, religious experience is the journey to perfection of the man himself. Man's perfection is to have the attributes of God who have absolute perfection. These attributes are present in man's own essence. What a person must do, is to place an effort to make these virtual adjectives real. This journey is basically an existential necessity as it provides the happiness that is essential to human existence. In this journey, which can be understood as becoming a human being who was born as a human being. It should also be added that it is not possible to be absolutely perfect and to reach the reality of God himself in this endless journey of perfection. Therefore, the absolute perfection belongs to God, and it is necessary to understand the concept of perfect human being as a person who has traveled in the journey to perfection. (shrink)

Since the beginning of humanity and up till now, education is a cornerstone in building human communities. No real social development will take place unless there are scientific and specific education principles. Pursuing the human march is the best example. During the Greek times, the philosophers focused their attention on education. Plato's Academy and Lyceum Aristotle's are educational institutes which produced designs for educational curricula delineated by Plato in his Republic and Aristotle in Nichomachean Ethics. Within Islamic heritage, Prophet Mohamed (...) (Peace Be Upon Him) freed the prisoner of war when he taught ten Muslims literacy. Muslim thinkers focused on education .Al- Farabi was a cultural adviser for organizing educational affairs at the court of Sayf ad-Daulah Ibn Hamdan in Damascus, and during the rule of sultan Abo Yakub Youssef ,Ibn Tufail organized the educational affairs in Al Andalus. Dar Al Hekma in Baghdad is a model for the standard educational institute in Arab Muslim civilization. The curriculum is the practical translation of educational objectives, plans and orientations. Curricula makers seek to make better live in human societies. Most contemporary societies departed the traditional curriculum which based on students theoretical knowledge. Accordingly their perception is confirmed through tests. This transformation took place as a result of the industrial revolution which focused on vocational education in addition to what the two great philosophers Francis Beckon, Jean Jack Roseau and the fruits of the psychological though which connects between cognitive education and physical, mental and emotional preparation. For all these reasons as well as other reasons, the curriculum with its modern concept that contradicts with the classical concept, is the result of the interaction between the student, the teacher, the environment, and the culture of the society. The affecting factors are human, social, natural and intellectual . Countries differ in the design of curricula. Some develop them according to the needs of work market while other countries consider the opposite. It is not the market which controls science and culture. Rather, culture drives the market but slow reading affirms that curricula should be developed according to the needs of their societies. Thus, we witness variations taking place in our educational curricula from time to time. We always call upon the most progressive and tend to the most preferable. In this paper, I discussed a number of issues to answer the research main question: why do we develop curricula in human and social sciences? (shrink)

This chapter serves as an opinionated introduction to the problem of convergence (that there is no clear convergence to the truth in philosophy) and the problem of peer disagreement (that disagreement with a peer rationally demands suspending one’s beliefs), and some of the issues they give rise to, namely, philosophical skepticism and progress in philosophy. After introducing both topics and surveying the various positions in the literature we explore the prospects of an alternative, hinge-theoretic account.

Modest pessimism about philosophical progress is the view that while philosophy may sometimes make some progress, philosophy has made, and can be expected to make, only very little progress (where the extent of philosophical progress is typically judged against progress in the hard sciences). The paper argues against recent attempts to defend this view on the basis of the pervasiveness of disagreement within philosophy. The argument from disagreement for modest pessimism assumes a teleological conception of progress, according to which the (...) attainment of true answers to the big philosophical questions, or knowledge of them, is the primary goal of philosophy. The paper argues that this assumption involves a misconception of the goal of philosophy: if philosophy has a primary goal, its goal is the understanding of philosophical problems rather than knowledge of answers to philosophical questions. Moreover, it is argued that if the primary goal of philosophy is such understanding, then widespread disagreement within philosophy does not indicate that philosophy makes little progress. (shrink)

This chapter explores the place of remorse in Sophie de Grouchy’s moral theory, as presented in her 1798 work, Letters on Sympathy, which was originally published with her translation of Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments. I argue that, for Grouchy, a cultivated sense of remorse weakens our self-conceit by drawing our attention to the ways in which we harm others, even for seemingly justifiable reasons. In so doing, we are led to recognize the equal standing of others, which gives (...) rise to the “sentiment of natural equality.” This “sentiment of natural equality” places a check on our norms and institutions and allows for the potential of moral progress. While Grouchy frames the Letters as a commentary on Smith’s writings, her discussion of remorse, equality, and moral progress shows her to be a bold and original thinker, and one worth taking seriously. (shrink)

There is, in some quarters, concern about high–level machine intelligence and superintelligent AI coming up in a few decades, bringing with it significant risks for humanity. In other quarters, these issues are ignored or considered science fiction. We wanted to clarify what the distribution of opinions actually is, what probability the best experts currently assign to high–level machine intelligence coming up within a particular time–frame, which risks they see with that development, and how fast they see these developing. We thus (...) designed a brief questionnaire and distributed it to four groups of experts in 2012/2013. The median estimate of respondents was for a one in two chance that high-level machine intelligence will be developed around 2040-2050, rising to a nine in ten chance by 2075. Experts expect that systems will move on to superintelligence in less than 30 years thereafter. They estimate the chance is about one in three that this development turns out to be ‘bad’ or ‘extremely bad’ for humanity. (shrink)