Social Sciences, Misc

Body and Soul, the infinite dualism of existenz.

Between medieval sapienza and the duty of silence...because it can be harmfull for other, takes care to transmit and inform in a cultural way.

The Loss of Criteria: essay on the pathological reverie of non-being and not-willing to know. Pathological essay on Being and Not Being Universal Dualism about Contextualism.

A short, clear and complete theory that explains the origins and properties of the human humor instinct, which has been the subject of incomplete research for thousands of years. The paper's theory uses evolutionary psychology and a basic informal equation, and unites the findings of the previous theories, including explaining the logical basis behind many types of humor as well as the common sayings associated with it.

Paper 3 This paper discusses how patriarchy made the name 'man' their Brand. It would guarantee their entitlement to rule and control the masses by repeating man in so many names. Partial lists are shown.

Some 14 months after the official publication of our joint study on ‘cultural additivity’ [1], a question has become larger, and left unanswered. The title of this short piece reflects that question, that is, “is it possible for us to investigate a hypothetical relationship between the working of mindsponge process and the cultural additivity phenomenon?”.

This essay seeks to introduce a philosophy of science communication: Total SciComm or all out science communication. The concept is inspired by the Dutch total football, in which, every player can play at any role. Similarly, in Total Scicomm, the scientific community employs every medium to communicate scientific ideas and engages all scientist in the process. -/- この論文は、科学のコミュニケーションの哲学を紹介することを目指している：Total SciComm (トータルサイコム) またはすべての科学のコミュニケーション。 このコンセプトは、あらゆるプレーヤーがあらゆる役割を果たすことができるオランダ全土のフットボールに触発されています。 同様に、トータルサイコムでは、科学界はあらゆる媒体を使用して科学的アイデアを伝え、その過程ですべての科学者を関与させる。.

The purpose of this paper aims to analyze and find the implementation of the Law for the Protection of Prisoners on parole for inmates certain crimes. This research is a normative legal research, the research includes the study of the principles of law, the systematic study of law, research on synchronization of law, legal history research and comparative law research. The results; (1) Legal Protection for Convicts to obtain parole in the human rights perspective, is given in the form of (...) Preventive Legal Protection and Legal Protection repressive. Preventive Legal protection granted by the government with the aim of preventing prior to the violation. (2) Implementation of parole for inmates of certain criminal acts, in essence, embodies the formulation remissions to the perpetrators of certain criminal offenses have been formulated differently from other criminal by Government Regulation No. 28 of 2006 juntco Government Regulation No. 32 of 1999. (3) Government Regulation No. 99 Year 2012 which discriminates against the Right to organize tightening remissions for prisoners certain crimes such as corruption, drugs and terrorism is violating the hierarchy of legislation. (shrink)

The scientific study of socio-cultural phenomenon requires a translocation of topics elaborated from the social perspective of the individual to a rationally ordered rendition of processes suitable for comprehension from a scientific perspective. Scholarly curiosity seeded from exposure in the natural setting to economic, political, socio-cultural, evolutionary, processes dictates that study of the self, should be a science with a necessary place in the body of world literatures; yet it has proven difficult to find a perspective to contain discussions of (...) topics in a coherent manner for scientific approach: for example, anthropology, the study of mankind, finds difficulty elaborating definition for the orientation of study; it is a member of the same set that contains it. In this presentation, based on features indigenous to a supposed distant perspective that is exposed employing experiences of history and criteria of common sensory perception, it is conjectured that a civilization lifetime pathology is contemporarily active. Example is taken from philosophical and sociological discourses, modern science theory, medicine in pursuit of international health issues, to capture conceptually a role of motions of external agents occurred within the interval of observation, elaboration of concepts, choice of directions, as a source of paradox and confusion. In supposition that does not escape simple logic, ubiquitously appealing to the experience bound senses for understanding, hidden motions, common to both observer and observed, are hypothesized to render from a sense of familiarity, a continued frustration in attaining an understanding of the self and nature. A psychical seduction is proposed to exist, related to historical behaviors associated with centrism and asceticism, produces eccentric interpretations that are bound modernly to logical circular, centric geometrical reasonings; world conceptualizations are conjectured to acquire an avoidance of a state of ‘motionless’ rather than death within selection processes. Projection by the imagination upon the unknown is conjectured to result in a seduction by an active ‘live-wire” embodied to motions occurred to a distant surface. (shrink)

This study investigates the determinants of utilizing open science practice among researchers through structural equation modeling analysis. Drawing on responses from 1,002 Vietnamese students across disciplines, we investigate how self-efficacy, institutional, attitudes, perceived benefits, and value alignment separately predict open science usage. Our enhanced model records better fit indices (CFI = 0.994, TLI = 0.958, SRMR = 0.011) and accounts for 55.6% variance in utilization behavior. Results indicate that self-efficacy is the strongest direct predictor of use (β = 0.478, p (...) < 0.001), while institutional factors possess strong direct (β = 0.184, p < 0.001) as well as indirect effects via attitudinal paths (β = 0.570, p < 0.001). Contrary to our hypotheses, perceived benefits and value alignment did not directly predict use but had mediational effects. The hypothesized roles of language proficiency, research experience, and support from institutions were not supported. These findings integrate psychological and institutional explanations of scientific practice adoption, suggesting that effective interventions need to develop simultaneously researchers’ self-efficacy through intensive training and institutional environments conducive to favorable attitudes toward open science utilization. This empirical model makes theoretical contributions and has practical implications for driving open science adoption in academic settings. (shrink)

(This is one of the essays to be included in a book examining the causes of day-to-day strife in the populations of modern democracies vying to live and assert the freedoms promised to them by systems of governance supposed and expected to represent them.) "If waste may be defined as all that is not being used for the growth and perpetuation of humanity, then health could be said to equate to all that is useful to this self-same objective. It could (...) be considered amiss to minimise such an expansive issue to that very simple definition; yet, recognising the simplicity and abiding by it at the individual level first and then at all levels in society requires acknowledgement, which, logically, should also trigger action." . (shrink)

In an online, participatory class, we interpreted The Dream of the Tabby Cats knowing nothing of the dreamer beyond age and gender, and having none of the dreamer’s associations. Our interpretation included a series of predictions about the dreamer. When it was complete, we asked the bringer of the dream (who had until then been silent and was not visible to us) to give us more information about the dreamer. Later the dreamer herself gave us more information. Of six predictions (...) four were confirmed. The dreamer’s apartment is repeatedly disturbed and, each time, a new cat appears. This record is another iteration of an experiment that will be described more fully in the paper The Dream of the Six-Legged Dog: An Experimental System to Test Meaning, soon to be published. This iteration repeats and confirms the evidence given in that paper. AUDIO RECORD OF CLASS AVAILABLE: link is on first page of the paper you download from this page. (shrink)

(NOTE: This is a transcript of the class. FOR THE FULL PAPER, please click on "Maxson J. McDowell".) A complete transcript of an experiment performed within a class on dream interpretation. Knowing only the dreamers age and gender, we interpreted his dream from its text. Our interpretation included predictions about the dreamer's psychological issues, and about his defenses. It also identified a series of jokes within the dream which would tend to penetrate the dreamer's defenses. When we had finished our (...) 'blind' interpretation, the bringer of the dream gave us more information about the dreamer against which we tested the accuracy of our predictions. A paper on this experiment has been submitted for publication. A link to an AUDIO-RECORDING of this class is given on the first page of this transcript. (shrink)

In an online, participatory class, we interpreted The Dream of Mercury knowing nothing of the dreamer and having none of the dreamer’s associations. Our interpretation included a series of falsifiable predictions about the dreamer. When it was complete, we asked the bringer of the dream (who had until then been silent and was not visible to us) to give us more information about the dreamer. The dreamer is instructed to confront a friendship he had abandoned and, when he does so, (...) is frightened by the inner life he discovers. This record is another iteration of an experiment that will be described more fully in the paper 'The Dream of the Six-Legged Dog: An Experimental System to Test Meaning,' soon to be published. This iteration repeats and confirms the evidence given in that paper. AN AUDIO-RECORD OF COMPLETE CLASS: link is given on first page of the paper you download here. (shrink)

Giving away of some kind of philosophy, to a new shore and horizons.

ABSTRACT Social sciences are sciences that explain the society and its components (individuals and social institutions).The objective of this is to examine social sciences by highlighting key justifications for their existence and making suggestions on how they can be made better in institutions like IUIU. The paper was a result of a review of secondary sources and writings on social sciences by famous scholars and scientists and also a compilation of experiences accumulated over time as an instructor in social sciences, (...) which all were put into the perspective of IUIU. The study showed that social sciences in institutions like IUIU can be made better to make them responsive to societal problems. The increasing reliance of social sciences in providing practical solutions to the too many problems the world today poses critical questions to the disciplines of social sciences and therefore demands pertinent answers on how these will be resolved. One can however note that Social Sciences in some of their disciplines, in the way they are practiced, in the topics of research tackled, and in the solutions put forward, are a direct result of the complex society. In conclusion therefore, Institutions should also borrow from such problems to trim their structures, disciplines and related programs in that same way. IUIU should not be exceptional. (shrink)

Questi appunti si concentrano sul ruolo del Potere e sulla sociologia del Potere. L’analisi classica sul Potere è sempre basata sulla definizione a posteriori del Potere. “La storia di tutta la società, svoltasi fin qua, è storia di lotta di classe” sono le affermazioni che rappresentano il Potere come un effetto di un predeterminato rapporto fra gruppi costituiti. -/- Questi appunti invece vogliono partire dal Potere come un concetto di più alto livello nell’analisi sociologica. -/- Dopo il manifesto dell' Archelogia, (...) disciplina che cerca di sistematizzare il Potere come disciplina, si passa a dare una definizione del Potere e delle sue linee di analisi. -/- Si arriva ad un approccio semiotico (come segno) della verità e si tenta di iniziare dei ragionamenti sulla teoria del valore sotto il profilo dei segni. -/- These notes focus on the role of Power and the sociology of Power. -/- The classic analysis of Power is always based on the a posteriori definition of Power. "The history of the whole society, which has taken place this far, is the history of class struggle" are the statements that represent Power as an effect of a predetermined relationship between constituted groups. -/- These notes instead want to start from Power as a higher level concept in sociological analysis. After the manifesto of Archelogy, a discipline that seeks to systematize Power as a discipline, we move on to give a definition of Power and its lines of analysis. We arrive at a semiotic approach (as a sign) of truth and we try to start reasoning on the theory of value from the point of view of signs. (shrink)

This paper reviews factors influencing Vietnamese youth’s adoption of Fintech, including technology access, perceived usefulness, government support, and financial literacy. While the Vietnamese government has promoted Fintech expansion through financial inclusion strategies and supportive regulations, gaps in financial education remain. Youth engagement with Fintech is shaped by ease of use, user innovativeness, and social influence, though financial risk concerns limit adoption. For sustained growth, focused financial literacy programs and regulatory improvements are essential to unlock Fintech’s potential for economic development and (...) financial inclusion among Vietnamese youth. (shrink)

In this paper, I list a number of commonly cited negative effects of high or rising levels of income inequality and examine the literature in order to assess the statistical and empirical evidence in favor of or against the presence and/or strength of those negative effects. Given the prevalence of the topic of income inequality in contemporary political, economic and social discussions, it's important to have a good understanding of the effects of income inequality and to be able to identify (...) effects that are or are not supported by strong statistical evidence. Such an understanding will also help to improve policies intended to diminish income inequality or to mitigate its effects (such as, for example, progressive taxation or education subsidies). -/- Given the size of the literature, this overview is far from complete. However, it does manage to identify certain negative effects which have a strong factual basis and which vindicate some of the often strongly expressed concerns about income inequality. At the same time, however, the paper identifies other commonly cited effects for which there is no strong evidence or for which the evidence is contradictory. -/- I focus on measurable harms resulting from income inequality and leave aside possible objections of a moral or philosophical nature, although I do mention the latter briefly. (shrink)

There is traditionally a division of labor between economics and economic history, the task of economic history being that of studying the evolving constraints of economic mechanisms. Recent theorizing on endogenous structural change challenges this view: if structural change is endogenous to economic mechanisms, any strict division of labor between causal analysis and structural analysis breaks down. Rather such views call for an integration of causal and structural analysis. This paper looks for such a methodology, noting especially the contributions made (...) by two Swedish economists, Johan Åkerman (1896-1982) and Erik Dahmén (1916-2005). With evolutionary, Marxian, Hayekian and critical realist contributions, the paper examines notions of endogenous structural change with the aim of expounding how the notion can be thought in terms of underlying mechanisms to aid such structural analysis. The findings of endogenous mechanisms underlying structural change are crystallized into a mathematical model and a simple methodological framework. (shrink)

A new dimension beyond criticism, pessimism and dispute.

Anemia, the syntoms of a great disease in the heart of society.

What about polite politics, even in the streets? A brief reflection about sense and violence and representational difference.

Smallholder farmers in climate-sensitive regions face increasing environmental variability, economic marginalization, and limited institutional support, which shape their adaptive strategies. Migration―both seasonal and long-term―has emerged as a critical response. This study investigates how household income and livelihood composition influence migration decisions in Sudurpaschim Pradesh, Nepal, using Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT) and the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF). Drawing on survey data from 327 households, the analysis distinguishes between seasonal non-farm migration as a short-term coping strategy and long-term off-farm migration intention (...) as a forward-looking adaptation pathway. We found that household earning is positively associated with seasonal migration, but the association is alleviated if the income is derived primarily from livestock, consistent with livestock’s buffering and location-bound returns. By contrast, long-term migration intentions depend less on total income and more on income sources and associated vulnerability. High-income households that are reliant on food self-sufficiency or cereal/crop sales are more likely to have long-term migration intentions, whereas those reliant on livestock are less likely—reflecting higher opportunity costs and relative stability. Overall, seasonal migration appears to be a short-term, income-responsive coping strategy, while long-term intentions reflect deeper interactions among livelihood vulnerability, aspirations/capabilities, and structural conditions. Policies should prioritize high–Nature Quotient adaptation strategies, including climate-resilient diversification, integrated mixed-farming systems, and the development of local value-added enterprises, in order to broaden adaptive options and ensure that migration remains a choice rather than a necessity. (shrink)

Introduction National statistics suggest that up to 40% of new teachers will leave their school or the teaching profession within their first five years of teaching. Much of this attrition is associated with work-related burnout, some of which may be preventable with targeted worksite health interventions. Previous research suggests that mindfulness skills may be protective from burnout, ultimately reducing the likelihood of attrition from the profession. Methods This study compared the self-reported levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress with participants’ (...) levels of interpersonal and intrapersonal mindfulness. Participants completed the Professional Quality of Life Inventory and the Mindfulness in Teaching Inventory. Odds Ratios and Relative Risks were calculated using Epi Info. Pearson correlations, linear regression, and ANOVA analyses were completed using SPSS. Chronbach’s alpha values were also calculated to evaluate score reliability of the five constructs. Results Relative Risks and Odds Ratios of having secondary traumatic stress scores of “average/high” were significantly lower for those with high intrapersonal mindfulness scores. Those who reported high intrapersonal mindfulness scores were up to 11 times more likely to report “low” burnout than those who reported low intrapersonal mindfulness scores. Burnout negatively correlated with both intrapersonal mindfulness suggesting that as intrapersonal mindfulness level decreases, burnout increases. ANOVA testing identified significant differences in burnout based on intrapersonal mindfulness level. Conclusion Those who reported high levels of intrapersonal mindfulness had significantly reduced risk of burnout. These results will inform further research in the region regarding mindfulness practice and the experience of burnout among teachers in the region. Thus, mindfulness may be protective from occupation-related burnout for this population. Interventions informed by additional research could reduce the burden of occupation-related burnout and may ultimately contribute toward reduced attrition in the teaching profession. (shrink)

Psychology today pathologizes all aspects of the human condition without ever examining its own ills, which have caused it to become fragmented. People from non-Western backgrounds are often adversely affected by the limitations of the discipline, and often avoid treatment altogether. By contrast, a true “science of the soul” has existed for millennia in all the world’s diverse spiritual cultures. Although a plethora of modern therapies are now available, they are hindered in their efficacy by having become entirely divorced from (...) sacred reality. This work argues that it is necessary to restore this “science of the soul” by drawing on the perspective of non-Western wisdom traditions as understood since time immemorial. Examples are given of the fundamental differences that are found between modern psychology and the traditional psychologies of various religions, which also existed in the West prior to the Enlightenment era. Furthermore, this book will show how non-Western philosophy can help rehabilitate an authentically healing psychology in support of promoting sound mental health in our afflicted modern culture. Sacred psychologies, therefore, afford us the best opportunity to tackle the innumerable challenges that confront human beings today, such as trauma, mental illness, addiction, death, and the meaning of our lives. (shrink)

Nowadays, hardly anything works as it should in Germany. Whether energy supply, digitization, health, pension or infrastructure. More and more often, serious consequences of wrong strategic decisions and an increasingly ideologically shaped dilettantism are becoming visible: Purchasing power and prosperity are dwindling, taxes and fees are increasing, regulative proliferation and bureaucracy are hostile to innovation and a todays shrinking middle class must always harder fight to prevent its own decline as well as not to leave worse conditions to the next (...) generation. If this does not change fundamentally, upcoming decades will face in real time how a nation destroys itself and gambles away the future of its children. Freedom, democracy and the rule of law: If we want to preserve them, we have to rely on competence and quality and not on ideology and mediocrity. Otherwise, one day authoritarian systems will take us over! -/- Kaum etwas funktioniert in Deutschland noch wie es sollte. Ob Energieversorgung, Digitalisierung, Gesundheit, Rente oder Infrastruktur. Immer öfter werden gravierende Folgen strategischer Fehlentscheidungen und eines zunehmend ideologisch geprägten Dilettantismus' sichtbar: Kaufkraft und Wohlstand schwinden, Abgaben und Gebühren steigen, der Regelungswildwuchs und die Bürokratie sind innovationsfeindlich und eine schrumpfende Mittelschicht kämpft heute darum, den eigenen Abstieg zu verhindern und der nächsten Generation keine schlechteren Rahmenbedingungen zu hinterlassen. Wenn sich daran nichts grundlegend ändert lässt sich kommende Jahrzehnte in Echtzeit beobachten, wie eine Nation sich selbst zerstört und die Zukunft ihrer Kinder verspielt. Freiheit, Demokratie und Rechtsstaat: Wollen wir sie erhalten, müssen wir auf Kompetenz und Qualität und nicht auf Gesinnung und Mittelmaß setzen. Denn sonst überrollen uns irgendwann autoritäre Systeme! -/- . (shrink)

Being compassionate and empathic while making rational decisions is expected from healthcare workers across different contexts. But the daily challenges that these workers face, aggravated by the recent COVID-19 crisis, can give rise to compassion and decision fatigue, which affects not only their ability to meet these expectations but has a significant negative impact on their wellbeing. Hence, it is vital to identify factors associated to their exhaustion. Here, we sought to describe levels of compassion and decision fatigue during the (...) pandemic, and to identify factors related to these forms of exhaustion. We collected data using self-reported questionnaires to measure compassion fatigue, decision fatigue, and grit in five intervals from April to November, 2020 (N = 856). Our results showed a negative correlation between grit and compassion and decision fatigue. We also found that under the circumstances studied grit tends to be higher in technicians, nurses, other professionals (psychologists, social workers), and workers at the Emergency Room (ER), and lower in general practitioners. Compassion fatigue tend to be higher for technicians, whereas decision fatigue was lower for specialists, general practitioners, and technicians, and higher for those working at private hospitals. (shrink)

Along with discussing bibliometric analyses’ limitations and potential biases, this paper addresses the growing need for comprehensive guidelines in evaluating bibliometric research by providing systematic frameworks for both peer reviewers and readers. While numerous publications provide guidance on implementing bibliometric methods, there is a notable lack of frameworks for assessing such research, particularly regarding performance analysis and science mapping. Drawing from an extensive review of bibliometric practices and methodological literature, this paper develops structured evaluation frameworks that address the complexity of (...) modern bibliometric analysis, introducing the VALOR framework (Verification, Alignment, Logging, Overview, Reproducibility) for assessing multi-source bibliometric studies. The paper's key contributions include comprehensive guidelines for evaluating data selection, cleaning, and analysis processes; specific criteria for assessing conceptual, intellectual, and social structure analyses; and practical guidance for integrating performance analysis with science mapping results. By providing structured frameworks for reviewers and practical guidelines for readers to interpret and apply bibliometric insights, this work enhances the rigor of bibliometric research evaluation while supporting more effective peer review processes and research planning. The paper also discusses potential areas for further development, including the integration of qualitative analysis with bibliometric data and the advancement of field-normalized metrics, ultimately aiming to support authors, reviewers, and readers in navigating the complexities of bibliometrics and enhancing the meaningfulness of bibliometric research. (shrink)

This paper articulates how the feminist sociologist Dorothy E. Smith provides a phenomenology of the social sciences without committing to a transcendental-phenomenological idealism. That is, in her early methodological work, Smith provides a careful description of both a feminist attitude and its object in social inquiry, which is a description that can be understood as a phenomenology of the social sciences. While sociological inquiry in Smith’s view starts from embodied selves in their everyday context, the social relations sociology ought to (...) inquire into are not immediately visible within this context. For Smith, these social relations are to be understood as relations of ruling (which are, among others, bureaucratic, institutional, economic, political, and cultural in kind) that both materially constrain the activities of women and constitute the meaning of their local worlds. In this paper, I contrast Husserl’s phenomenological account of the attitude and object of the social sciences with Smith’s feminist-materialist account. In doing so, I show how a restriction of sociological research to the everyday world may restrict our understanding of what constitutes its meaning as well as what could enable social change. (shrink)

Military decision-making can be laid open to St. Petersburg paradox: decision-makers may be having strong incentives to violate the continuity axiom by assigning infinite expected value to an outcome. This suggests that either all people who face strong incentives can opt for the expected value and reject continuity or that certain decision-makers are more likely than others to do so. To account for who has in theory higher chances to violate continuity, we should moreover model the personality traits of decision-makers: (...) certain traits—such as high conscientiousness—are associated with patterns of behavior that are more likely to be in accordance with continuity, whereas others—such as high neuroticism, low agreeableness, low conscientiousness and high scores in the dark triad traits—can be at odds with it. It seems therefore plausible that we can map decision-makers’ possible course of action based on how rational agents shape their decision-making based on their personality traits. -/- . (shrink)

Many scholars of organizations see social enterprise as a promising approach to advancing social justice but neglect to scrutinize the normative foundations and limitations of this optimism. This article draws on Rawlsian political philosophy to investigate whether and how social enterprises can support social justice. We propose that this perspective assigns organizations a duty to foster institutional capacity, a concept we define and elaborate. We investigate how this duty might apply specifically to social enterprises, given their characteristic features. We theorize (...) six different mechanisms through which social enterprises might successfully discharge this duty. These results affirm the value of conversation between organizational studies and political philosophy and shed new light on debates regarding social enterprise, institutional theory, and several other topics. (shrink)

The UK has been slack in fulfilling its international obligations regarding human trafficking. The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 has apparently nothing to say about the demand for women trafficked into prostitution, although it addresses the demand for other forms of trfficking though the supply chain provisins in the Act. The UK has disappointed many in condoning prostitution, as Lady Butler-Sloss describes as 'one of the longest standing industries'. However it is one of the longest-standing forms of exploitation. The Act (...) instead, has given much importance to modern -day slavery. An effective way of tackling demand for prostitution and the attendant exploitation would be to make it an offence to purchase someone for sex. Yet perhaps the point is that to curb modern-day slavery is to curb prostitution and pornography, through curbing the supply side. However the UK hasragged its feet over many years, especially when one considers that Internet pornography brings in over £4 billion annually to the UK Gross Domestic Product. (shrink)

This paper synthesizes four studies conducted at a special education independent school and affiliated liberal arts university with teachers, senior high school students, and college learners 18 and up, focusing on applying AI to (1) design course blueprints, (2) create comic strip assignments, (3) mediate interactive Socratic discussions, and (4) use learning data to assist students with disabilities in mathematics classes. Gordon Pask’s cybernetics is used to visualize interactions to show how AI acts as a component in emergent networks of (...) minds in motion. The four sets of results, taken together, showcase how to implement principles of cybernetics in designing AI-mediated collaborative classrooms. Five out of six configurations of AI’s collaborative use outlined by Mike Sharples that the author’s research program has so far explored are presented through the four study scenarios and tied back to grey areas carved out by experts in AI education research concerned with design and implementation, classroom relationships, and assessment. Implications of current progress in the principal investigator’s research and further directions yet to be undertaken in implementing a series of subject-specific educational scenarios to utilize AI as a collaborative coach are discussed. Practical suggestions to shepherd effective AI-mediated curriculum design, classroom problem-solving and information acquisition, as well as nimble student evaluation are provided. (shrink)

Abstract: This article introduces “Historical Darwinism” – also referred to as “Civilizational Evolution” or “Civilizational Renaissance” – as a universal framework for understanding the evolution of civilizations, a framework built on patterns analogous to biological natural selection. It is argued that, throughout world history, long-lasting civilizations have emerged, adapted, and declined through processes resembling cultural survival and regeneration. For instance, the Hittites arose from the Hattians, the Greeks from the Mycenaeans, and the Babylonians from Sumerian and Akkadian civilizations, defining their (...) identities in continuity with their predecessors. From this perspective, myths are not merely products of imagination; rather, they are repositories of collective memory that encode the historical experiences of ancient societies preceding “Civilizational Evolution” in the literary forms of societies after “Civilizational Evolution.” Although “Historical Darwinism” represents a general principle applicable to all long-lived civilizations, this article specifically applies it to Iranian mythology. By examining the narratives of the Shahnameh and other Iranian sources, it is shown that the myths of the Shahnameh and the Avesta reflect civilizational transformations, migrations, and cultural renaissances across the vast land of Aryana during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Apparent contradictions in Iranian sources—such as divergent accounts of origins and the duality of Zoroastrian traditions—are interpreted within this framework not as evidence of historical fabrication but as signs of successive historical reconstructions during the course of “Civilizational Renaissance.” Accordingly, “Historical Darwinism” emerges as a novel approach in the philosophy of mythology, aiming to uncover the historical cores of ancient myths and connect them to the processes of civilizational development and renewal. (shrink)

چکیده: این مقاله "داروینیسم تاریخی" یا "نوزایی تمدنی" را به‌عنوان یک چارچوب جهان‌شمول برای فهم تکامل تمدن‌ها معرفی می‌کند؛ چارچوبی که بر الگوهایی مشابه انتخاب طبیعی زیستی بنا شده است. استدلال می‌شود که در سراسر تاریخ جهان، تمدن‌های دراز مدت در فرآیندهایی شبیه بقا و نوزایی فرهنگی پدید آمده، سازگار شده و افول کرده‌اند: برای نمونه، هیتی‌ها از حاتی‌ها، یونانی‌ها از میسینی‌ها، و بابلی‌ها از تمدن سومر و اکد برخاسته و هویت خود را در امتداد ایشان تعریف نموده‌اند. در این (...) چشم‌انداز، اسطوره‌ها صرفاً ساخته‌های خیال‌پردازانه نیستند، بلکه گنجینه‌هایی از حافظه جمعی‌اند که تجربه‌های تاریخی جوامع کهن پیش از "نوزایی تمدنی" را در قالب‌های ادبی جوامع پس از "نوزایی تمدنی" رمزگذاری کرده‌اند. هرچند "داروینیسم تاریخی" یک قانون کلی برای همه تمدن‌های درازمدت است، اما این مقاله آن را به ‌طور خاص در اسطوره‌شناسی ایرانی به کار می‌گیرد. با بررسی روایت‌های شاهنامه و دیگر منابع ایرانی، نشان داده می‌شود که اسطوره‌های شاهنامه و اوستا بازتاب‌دهنده دگرگونی‌های تمدنی، مهاجرت‌ها و نوزایی‌های فرهنگی در سرزمین وسیع آریانا در عصر برنز و آهن هستند. تناقض‌های ظاهری در منابع ایرانی ــ همچون روایت‌های متفاوت از خاستگاه‌ها و دوگانگی سنت‌های زرتشتی ــ در این چارچوب نه نشانی از جعل تاریخ، بلکه شواهدی از بازسازی‌های متوالی تاریخی در جریان "نوزایی تمدنی" تفسیر می‌شوند. بر این اساس، "داروینیسم تاریخی" به ‌مثابه رهیافتی نو در فلسفه اسطوره‌شناسی، کوششی است برای کشف هسته‌های تاریخی اساطیر کهن و پیوند دادن آنها با روند شکل‌گیری فرگشت و نوزایی‌های تمدنی. (shrink)

The local opposes the global or the macro opposes the micro and vice versa, respectively. This dialectical relationship further exposes that scales are socially and politically constructed, representative of a phenomena that is relational, and is thus of important consideration in analysis beyond simple labeling. That is, scale represents more than ‘size’ and ‘complexity’, but also reveals the relational. It is the relational—the relationship between the ‘global’ and its contents or the ‘local’—which provides for or is wont for analytic complexity (...) and theorizing. (shrink)

We introduce a new theorem in social choice theory built on a path integral approach which will show that, under some reasonable conditions, there is a unique way to aggregate individual preferences based on fuzzy sets into a social preference based on probabilities, and that this way is invariant under any permutation of alternatives. We then apply this theorem to the case of democratic decision making with data of the behaviour and voting preferences of voting agents and show that there (...) is a tradeoff between fairness and efficiency and that no voting system can achieve both simultaneously. (shrink)

In Turkey, city hospitals play a significant role in the provision of healthcare services. This survey looked at the level of satisfaction with various hospitals. In the study, social media was one of the tools. The hospitals' websites were used to compile satisfaction ratings. After that, content analysis was used to look at the hospitals' indicators for technological, communicative, and physical quality. The study considered hospitals with 1200 beds or greater as a sampling factor in hospital selection. Hospitals are classified (...) with the designation "Hospital" in objectives of information security and ethics. Encoding was carried out like Hos1, Hos2, Hos3, etc. for every hospital. The results of this article, which are considered significant research findings, are believed to had an important effect on improving hospital service requirements. Additionally, improvements can be made in health service delivery in line with the opinions of stakeholders. Additionally, the importance of patient satisfaction in terms of health tourism was emphasized. (shrink)

This study explores experiences of ex-incels—men who have withdrawn from incel communities—through eleven qualitative interviews analysed using R.W. Connell’s hegemonic masculinity (HM) framework. Findings reveal some ex-incels adopt flexible masculinities, while others struggle with prescriptive norms perpetuated by the anti-feminist ‘manosphere’. Findings spotlight identity reconstructions, where men both reject and remain influenced by rigid archetypes, performing hybrid masculinities. This study deepens understanding of incel ideology, its impact on identity, and interplay between inceldom and masculinities via contributing to hybrid masculinities theorising. (...) Insights presents applications for gender theory and inform further research on HM’s influence within unique cultural contexts. (shrink)

This article examines 100 convicted case files of cybercriminals, 80 of which concern online romance fraud. While all were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Nigeria, many involve multiple offenses, including crypto investment fraud and hacking. The study provides critical insights into offender profiles and the criminal justice system’s approach to cybercrime enforcement. Drawing on the Space Transition Theory (STT), the study highlights the transient and intermittent nature of criminal activities in cyberspace. The findings reveal that most (...) offenders are young males aged 18–28, predominantly university undergraduates or graduates. Notably, 96% of offenders hail from southern Nigeria, and 80% of crimes involve romance fraud. While perceptions of leniency in cybercrime punishments persist, 96% of offenders acted as primary perpetrators, with 2% serving as mules or accomplices and another 2% adopting dual roles. By relying on actual case files of online offenders rather than online profiles, which are often fake, this study offers unique insights that can inform future research and support evidence-based strategies to address cybercrime in Nigeria and beyond. (shrink)

This article explores the intricate interplay between affective labour, quasi-objects, and board games, spotlighting the ancient game of Hnefatafl. Leveraging Italo Calvino’s light/heavy distinction, we challenge the notion that games are mere lighthearted diversions, exposing their ideological weight. The discussion positions board games within the broader context of politics, culture, and media, presenting two fundamental propositions: first, that board games require affective labour from players to activate their political and ideological content; second, that games function as quasi-objects, as described by (...) Michel Serres, which blur the line between subject and object and contribute to the formation of political communities. The article illustrates how these games reflect and reproduce social structures and hierarchies through the historical development of board games, from ancient race games to modern war games. The case study of Hnefatafl underscores the cultural and political significance of board games. It explores how the game’s rules and structure mirror and reinforce societal values, particularly in the context of Old Norse martial culture. This means that games reproduce society by feeding back on cultural realities, both reflecting and constructing them. It illustrates that through this cultural reflection, board games also designate communal values and individual status. (shrink)

The advancement of genome sequencing technology and its potential application in newborn screening is being discussed in various countries. Genomic newborn screening (gNBS) can provide parents with information about their child's genetic susceptibility for known disorders. However, it also presents ethical and psychosocial challenges. This study was carried out with a view toward the possible introduction of gNBS in Germany. Due to the existing challenges, it is crucial to understand different perspectives of relevant groups in Germany before implementing gNBS. Four (...) online focus groups were conducted with parents, patient representatives, and healthcare professionals to explore perceived opportunities and challenges, as well as needs regarding a potential gNBS program. Discussions with altogether 24 participants were semi-structured using a pre-defined interview guide. Sessions were audio-visually recorded and transcripts were analyzed using a structuring qualitative content analysis combining both deductive and inductive methods. Participants expressed positive views about gNBS but also reservations about a gNBS program and posed requirements for operating conditions. One salient theme that emerged was hope for certainty through gNBS in the face of numerous uncertainties. The study complements the perspective of patient representatives, providing further insight into the subject matter. This is a valuable contribution as they possess a comprehensive understanding of the medical, psychological, and ethical considerations involved. Patient representatives placed particular emphasis on the advantages of avoiding a diagnostic odyssey and the significance of support systems. The results provide first insights into different views on gNBS in Germany. These views can inform the potential preparation of a gNBS program in Germany, particularly with regard to information and consent requirements. Implications for practice, such as informing and educating parents about gNBS during pregnancy, can be derived from the study. -/- WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC: -/- Previous studies have indicated that there is significant public and—more particularly parental—interest in genomic newborn screening (gNBS). However, discrepancies exist regarding preferences for the scope of reported results, including differences between the views of healthcare professionals, parents, and the public. -/- WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO THE TOPIC: -/- This study offers insights into various perspectives on the potential implementation of gNBS in Germany, highlighting divergent views of healthcare professionals and parents, while also introducing a novel and valuable contribution by including the viewpoints of patient representatives. (shrink)

Emergent religious groups (ERGs) are an innovative but chronically understudied and misunderstood realm of contemporary religion. This may be due to notorious difficulties encountered when estimating the size of populations involved with emergent religious groups at any given time. The purpose of this article is to estimate the percentage of the U.S. population involved with ERGs over the past 50 years. Findings from three national surveys suggest .2-2.2% of the United States population involved with ERGs regardless of year. ERGs are (...) a viable case for quantitative sociologists of religion, which has hitherto been dominated by qualitative case study, although creativity and further research is needed to verify the findings. (shrink)

Este libro reúne una serie de contribuciones que abordan, desde distintas disciplinas y enfoques, el diseño, la implementación y la evaluación de las políticas de protección social en América Latina. Los capítulos son reformulaciones de los problemas y respuestas presentados en el Workshop Internacional “Protección social y pobreza: abordando la multidimensionalidad del problema”, llevado a cabo en mayo de 2024. Durante el evento, se presentaron estudios sobre el impacto de los programas de transferencia de ingresos en países del Cono Sur, (...) como Argentina, Uruguay, Brasil y México. La obra refleja la multidimensionalidad del problema, integrando análisis normativos, económicos y políticos, así como perspectivas etnográficas y jurídicas. A través del estudio de casos como el Programa Prospera (México), el Programa Bolsa Família (Brasil) y el programa Acompañamientos de Familia (Argentina), el libro ofrece una mirada crítica sobre los alcances y desafíos de estos programas en el contexto de la pobreza y la exclusión social en la región. A partir de estas experiencias, no solo se busca evaluar las políticas actuales, sino también reflexionar sobre estrategias futuras para enfrentar estos desafíos. (shrink)