In 2017, Italy passed a law that provides for a systematic discipline on informed consent, advance directives, and advance care planning. It ranges from decisions contextual to clinical necessity through the tool of consent/refusal to decisions anticipating future events through the tools of shared care planning and advance directives. Nothing is said in the law regarding the issue of physician assisted suicide. Following the DJ Fabo case, the Italian Constitutional Court declared the constitutional illegitimacy of article 580 of the criminal (...) code in the part in which it does not exclude the punishment of those who facilitate the suicide when the decision has been freely and autonomously made by a person kept alive by life-support treatments and suffering from an irreversible pathology, the source of physical or psychological suffering that he/she considers intolerable, but fully capable of making free and conscious decisions. Such conditions and methods of execution must be verified by a public structure of the national health service, after consulting the territorially competent ethics committee. This statement admits, within strict and regulated bounds, physician assisted suicide, so widening the range of end-of-life decisions for Italian patients. Future application and critical topics will be called into question by the Italian legislator. (shrink)

Causal understanding is a defining characteristic of human cognition. Like many animals, human children learn to control their bodily movements and act effectively in the environment. Like a smaller subset of animals, children intervene: they learn to change the environment in targeted ways. Unlike other animals, children grow into adults with the causal reasoning skills to develop abstract theories, invent sophisticated technologies and imagine alternate pasts, distant futures and fictional worlds. In this Review, we explore the development of human-unique causal (...) learning and reasoning from evolutionary and ontogenetic perspectives. We frame our discussion using an ‘interventionist’ approach. First, we situate causal understanding in relation to cognitive abilities shared with non-human animals. We argue that human causal understanding is distinguished by its depersonalized (objective) and decontextualized (general) representations. Using this framework, we next review empirical findings on early human causal learning and reasoning and consider the naturalistic contexts that support its development. Then we explore connections to related abilities. We conclude with suggestions for ongoing collaboration between developmental, cross-cultural, computational, neural and evolutionary approaches to causal understanding. (shrink)

Central to the particularist project, one that has become the consensus in the philosophy of conspiracy theory theory, is the claim that a general dismissal of these things called `conspiracy theories' is unsustainable. That is, if we want to say a conspiracy theory is suspicious such that we should not believe it, then we have to engage in at least some investigation of it. Particularists have detailed just why a general attitude of skepticism towards conspiracy theories is implausible; they have, (...) in effect, created the case against generalism. The case for particularism, then, has largely been about challenging and rebutting generalist arguments. But what of the bigger picture? If particularists argue that we should not assume conspiracy theories are mad, bad, or dangerous but, rather, investigate them, then how should we go about that investigation? In this paper I describe (some) of the preliminary concerns the particularist (and the generalist) needs to account for when developing an ethics of investigation into these things called `conspiracy theories.' Whilst this paper does not provide a framework for the investigation of conspiracy theories, it provides the framework for such a framework. (shrink)

Obsession toward technology has a long background of parallel evolution between humans and machines. This obsession became irrevocable when AI began to be a part of our daily lives. However, this AI integration became a subject of controversy when the fear of AI advancement in acquiring consciousness crept among mankind. Artificial consciousness is a long-debated topic in the field of artificial intelligence and neuroscience which has many ethical challenges and threats in society ranging from daily chores to Mars missions. This (...) paper deals with the impact of AI-based science fiction films in society. This study aims to investigate the fascinating AI concept of artificial consciousness in light of posthuman terminology, technological singularity and superintelligence by analyzing the set of science fiction films to project the actual difference between science fictional AI and operational AI. Further, this paper explores the theoretical possibilities of artificial consciousness through a range of neuroscientific theories that are related to AI development. These theories are built toward prospective artificial consciousness in AI. This study discloses the posthuman fallacies that are built around the fear of AI acquiring artificial consciousness and its outcome. (shrink)

Panpsychism is the view that all things are associated with consciousness. Panpsychism has a number of significant theoretical implications, with respect to the mind–body problem and other problems in metaphysics. Here I will consider one of its potential practical or ethical implications; specifically, whether, if panpsychism is true, it follows that 'we are all one', in a sense that implies that egoism (understood as bias towards what we normally take to constitute the self or ego) is not only immoral but (...) fundamentally irrational (or imprudent). (shrink)

This introduction to a special section on algorithmic thought provides a framework through which the articles in that collection can be contextualised and their individual contributions highlighted. Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI). This special section reflects on this AI boom and its implications for studying what thinking is. Focusing on the algorithmic character of computing machines and the thinking that these machines might express, each of the special section’s essays considers different (...) dimensions of algorithmic thought, engaging with a diverse set of epistemological questions and issues. (shrink)

There is growing attention towards atypical brain-body interactions and interoceptive processes and their potential role in psychiatric conditions, including affective and anxiety disorders. This paper aims to synthesize recent developments in this field. We present emerging explanatory models and focus on brain-body coupling and modulations of the underlying neurocircuitry that support the concept of a continuum of affective disorders. Grounded in theoretical frameworks like peripheral theories of emotion and predictive processing, we propose that altered interoceptive processes might represent transdiagnostic mechanisms (...) that confer common vulnerability traits across multiple disorders. A deeper understanding of the interplay between bodily states and neural processing is essential for a holistic conceptualization of mental disorders. (shrink)

The model of language can relatively concretely reveal the mechanism of the epistemology, which is extended by the ontology that takes “person” as the unit. It unveils an intuitable dimension to represent the epistemolog’s paradigm and limitations. Deriving from the inherent relation between epistemology and ontology, the retrospection of the epistemology’s ontological origin can be actualized by locating or grasping the epistemological first person’s ontological essence. Hence, the illusional and frail essence of the ontology behind this epistemology would be uncovered. (...) “Person” is not a stable unit in the ontological world, since the application of this unit stimulates the development of the operating style of the epistemology which relies on the supplement of paradox. After this study that intends to get the epistemological and ontological truth of the current using nominative, the new era of one or more unknown but solid epistemology and its ontology will be gradually recognized. Furthermore, the circumstance of past and current philosophical study is going to be changed. (shrink)

This introduction to this special issue of Inquiry looks at recent work in the philosophy of conspiracy theory theory. Looking at two related worries expressed in the wider conspiracy theory theory (the academic study of conspiracy theories) – the Problem of Conspiracy Theories and the Problem of Conspiracy Theorists – this special issue argues that recent work in the philosophy of conspiracy theories is getting all the more closer to not just an epistemic understanding of what, if anything, is wrong (...) with belief in conspiracy theories, but also a framework for both investigating conspiracy theories and understanding how we should talk about the beliefs of conspiracy theorists. (shrink)

When it comes to Quine's position on the naturalization of epistemological inquiry, it is generally considered that as the first and most important step, that position implies the abandonment of Cartesianism and the skepticism it implies. However, here we will argue that such a diagnosis is inappropriate, and that, in principle at least, Quine's attitude towards skepticism, even of the Cartesian type, is much more flexible than is usually thought, and perhaps even than Quine himself thought. In this regard, we (...) will try to show how Quine was actually the one who accepted what Barry Stroud called the 'conditional correctness of skepticism (Cartesianism)' and not the logical positivists, and that the main reason for this is that he recognized the autonomy of the discourse (‘epistemology’s meta-context’) established by Descartes. (shrink)

This article appeals to the table of nothingness (Nichts) occurring within Kant's Critique of Pure Reason to assess three recent accounts of nothingness - by Graham Priest, Filippo Costantini, and Filippo Casati & Naoya Fujikawa - under the light of folk preconceptions about nothingness. After defining the two strongest preconceptions as the absence of unrestrictedly everything (nihil absolutum) and the idea of nothingness as a self-contradictory item (nihil negativum), I argue that both might be read as two Aristotelian connected homonyms, (...) rather than conflating them into a single item (as Priest's and Casati and Fujikawa's accounts seem to do), or dropping the idea of the nihil absolutum, as Costantini's account does. (shrink)

The outputs of generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) are often called “synthetic” to imply that they are not natural but artificial. Against that use of the term, this article focuses on a different denotation of synthesis, stressing the unifying and compositional aspects of anything synthetic. The case of large language models (LLMs) is used as an example to address synthesis philosophically alongside notions of representation in contemporary computational systems. It is argued that synthesis in generative AI should be understood as (...) a search for unity that is fundamental to the making of a representational reality. This representational reality, internal to computation, is a stable (if imperfect) whole, a togetherness of distributed representations. The article thus demonstrates that developing the philosophical concept of synthesis to investigate today’s generative AI involves examining how structuring occurs in LLMs and studying the kinds of forms that structuring results in. (shrink)

Amazon Book Review Series of “Wild Wise Weird”.

Cultural tourism is one of the oldest and most prosperous tourisms in the world, which dates back to the history of cultural culture. The prosperity of cultural tourism will lead to economic development and cultural and social changes. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the role of factors affecting cultural tourism in economic development and cultural and social changes. This article explains the characteristics of cultural tourism and its importance in all-round growth and development according to the (...) image of cultural tourism. This research seeks to answer the basic question, what are the factors affecting the development of cultural tourism? What strategies can be formulated and presented for the development of cultural tourism in the country? The presented research method is mixed in terms of practical purpose and descriptive in terms of data collection. For this purpose, after stating the topic and examining the background of the research, the role of factors affecting cultural tourism in economic development and social effects was identified. The results showed that cultural tourism has an effect on both economic and cultural variables of the tourism area. Also, according to the findings of the research, among the identified factors, the factors of providing information about cultural places and their history, promoting tourism businesses for tourist, and creating security are more important than other factors in the development of tourism. (shrink)

Steven Vogel and Albert Borgmann have much in common. Both thinkers agree we collectively and materially build our environment. Both also believe communal discussion is essential for constructing better environments. Yet Borgmann does not hesitate to speak of “eloquent things,” while Vogel insists on nature’s silence. This essay examines that disagreement, arguing Vogel’s position is made stronger by the inclusion of what Borgmann calls “deictic discourse.” Such discourse testifies to the goodness of things, but without being either straightforward first-person speech, (...) or the kind of ventriloquism that worries Vogel. Deictic discourse does not eschew responsibility; it accepts a deep responsibility not only for the practices it advocates, but for the wellbeing of its subject. The essay concludes by arguing deictic discourse plays a crucial and ineliminable role in the type of transparent conversations about practice Vogel promotes. (shrink)

This study introduces and evaluates the GIBAC Learning Model, aimed at enhancing students’ mathematical communication skills in Indonesian secondary schools, achieving an impressive 30% increase in students’ mathematical communication skills as evidenced by the n-gain method and dependent t-test analysis. Grounded in cooperative learning theory and motivation, the model integrates local academic culture and promotes student independence, offering a promising avenue for educational advancement in Indonesia. Employing a Mixed Methods approach, data from three secondary schools were collected via cluster random (...) sampling, encompassing interviews, observations, expert assessments, and questionnaires. Analysis reveals the model’s effectiveness in improving mathematical communication skills, underscoring its relevance to Indonesian educational practices. Practical implications for teachers emphasize the integration of cultural aspects and student autonomy in mathematics education, thereby contributing to the advancement of educational literature through Indonesian innovation and cultural adaptation in pedagogical frameworks. (shrink)

This book critically examines the Confucian political imagination and its influence on the contemporary Chinese dream of a powerful China. It views Confucianism as the ideological supplement to a powerful state that is challenging Western hegemony, and not as a political philosophy that need not concern us. Eske Møllgaard shows that Confucians, despite their traditionalist ways, have the will to transform the existing socio-ethical order. The volume discusses the central features of the Confucian political imaginary, the nature of Confucian discourse, (...) Confucian revivals, Confucian humanism and civility, and the political ideal of the Great Unity. It concludes by considering if Confucianism can be universalized as an ideology in competition with liberal democracy. (shrink)

There are two metaphysical pictures of spacetime: The evolutionary picture and the all-at-once picture. According to the evolutionary picture, spacetime is nothing but the evolution of space over time. In contrast, the all-at-once picture considers spacetime as ‘a global, four-dimensional boundary value problem’ that can be solved only in an all-at-once manner, i.e. as a whole which is fundamentally four-dimensional and non-decomposable into spatial and temporal parts. The two most-known formulations of general theory of relativity, i.e. the Hamiltonian (or the (...) canonical) and the Lagrangian (or the standard) formulations, enjoy the evolutionary and all-at-once pictures of spacetime respectively. Here, we have argued that (1) the all-at-once picture is more aligned with the philosophy of relativity theory, i.e. uniting space and time into spacetime, (2) the evolutionary picture is not as general as the all-at-once, since only in special cases, such as globally hyperbolic spacetimes, is it possible to deal with spacetime as the evolution of a spatial slice over time, and (3) the all-at-once picture paves the way to better understanding _four-dimensional_ physical entities, like event horizons, which cannot be explained within an evolutionary picture without raising a paradox. Therefore, the evolutionary picture is neither the _fundamentally-true_ nor the _naturally-chosen_ picture of spacetime. Rather, we choose the evolutionary picture for practical and computational reasons. While the all-at-once picture seems a more appropriate description of the quantum and cosmological reality, the evolutionary picture can be applied occasionally and locally, or quasi-locally, and is not the proper metaphysical picture of spacetime at the fundamental level of reality. (shrink)

Using delay differential equations to study mathematical models of Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease is important to show how important it is for synchronization between basal ganglia loops to work together. We used the delay circuit RLC (resistor, inductor, capacitor) model to show how the direct pathway and the indirect pathway in the basal ganglia excite and inhibit the motor cortex, respectively. A term has been added to the mathematical model without time delay in the case of the hyperdirect pathway. (...) It is proposed to add a non-linear term to adjust the synchronization. We studied Hopf bifurcation conditions for the proposed models. The desynchronization of response times between the direct pathway and the indirect pathway leads to different symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Tremor appears when the response time in the indirect pathway increases at rest. The simulation confirmed that tremor occurs and the motor cortex is in an inhibited state. The direct pathway can increase the time delay in the dopaminergic pathway, which significantly increases the activity of the motor cortex. The hyperdirect pathway regulates the activity of the motor cortex. The simulation showed bradykinesia occurs when we switch from one movement to another that is less exciting for the motor cortex. A decrease of GABA in the striatum or delayed excitation of the substantia nigra from the subthalamus may be a major cause of Parkinson's disease. An increase in the response time delay in one of the pathways results in the chaotic movement characteristic of Huntington's disease. (shrink)

Informed and guided by ecosystemic thinking, the author addresses the question: What do we need to learn for the sake of dwelling and flourishing with our ‘natural others’ (human beings and all else that exists in our planet) in our era of technological dominance and perverse economic growth which, like a runaway train, continues to accelerate at the expense of natural, social and human capital? Through the storied experiences of Jean Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, and Max Weber, the fundamental character (...) of dwelling is interpreted as being-at-home in our world by safeguarding, caring and being a gracious guest in our mutual relationship with natural others. As earthly dwellers the author makes a case for the need to _ever learn_ to be _Guardians_ and _Gracious Guests_ of our natural others by bringing heart and soul into our relationships, including business relationships. This reflective article concludes with three practical exercises for being a Guardian and a Gracious Guest that can be used in organizations and in classrooms. Practical, not in terms of “how-to” but rather practice as a choice and decision between possibilities. (shrink)

In this paper, I propose an interpretation for the semantics of intentionality that Graham Priest uses in constructing his Modal Meinongianism, in Towards Non-Being. More precisely, I will focus only on the issue of existence as a metaphysical notion. In this regard, my claim is that the monadic predicate of existence is not capable of constructing a full-fledged metaphysical notion of existence, or, in other words, it is not well equipped to account for all the modes of being that Modal (...) Meinongianism implies. In trying to support my claim, I will use a strategy of reasoning that employs a hierarchical conceptual structure, meaning that there are some primary concepts that determine the meaning of all the others. In this case, noneism is the primary notion. By using this type of reasoning, I will conclude that existence can be interpreted as world-dependable, meaning that the ontological nature of a world determines the ontological nature of the objects in its domain. In this case, existence can be seen as simple membership in a particular world. (shrink)

This research, titled "The Triliteral Root (ʿAgnosia) in the Holy Quran: This paper aims at offering both linguistic and semantic analysis of the triliteral root “ʿ-Agnosia” in the Quran: A Linguistic Study. Incredibly, the language study of The Holy Quran is an academic interest to date, with the Holy Scripture being an ocean of knowledge. This research resulted from the need to be more precise in understanding some of the suras and certain features of Arabic and the Quran in particular (...) some aspects of the root “ʿ-Agnosia” which is mentioned in some verses of the Quran with different meaning in Arabic. The work is divided into three sections each discussing a facet of the root ‘ʿAgnosia’ In the first place, the morphological and phonological properties of the root ‘ʿ ʿAgnosia’ with reference to the Quran. This is how this root expands the quantitative and qualitative meaning sphere of Quranic Arabic and adds its variety to the language, in general. The second section is therefore concerned with the phonic properties of the root: the place and the manner of articulation of the letters making up the root, and the phonological regularity which may be gleaned from the use of the root. The present analysis proves useful to throw the light on the auditory profile and the rhythm pattern of the root and how it is intoned in quranic recital with harmony and precision. The third section is devoted to the relations of this root with the internal structure of the words and phrases of the Quranic text: analysis of the morphological aspect of “ʿ- ʿAgnosia” In addition, identification and differentiation of number of forms and derivations of the root and correlation with the variables of the verses where it is used to determine the significance of the root in the verses of QURAN. When this analysis is done, not only works of classical and modern linguistics in reference to the root are reviewed and discussed and but also interpretations of the Quran. In the final section of the study, the authors reiterate the findings of investigation also bringing out the major ideas regarding the centrality of the root for enhancing the proclamatory task of the Quran as the Word of God. It is in this light, then, that this study aims at contributing to the existing body of knowledge on Quranic linguistics through a word by word examination of a particular root, the lack of which greatly hinders meaning construction in the Quran. It serves at making the reader to be appreciate on the difficulty in the language of the Quran and that the writers took their time to pen down the Quran. The study concludes by tabulating the basic findings in addition to identifying the sources that have been used in the course of the study. I pray to Allah, the Almighty Allah to shower his blessings to this work and any other further research to be made on the linguistic miracles of the Holy Quran. (shrink)

Rising rates of female incarceration within the United States are incompatible with the lack of federal standards outlining the rights of incarcerated mothers and their children. A robust body of evidence demonstrates that prison nurseries, programmes designed for mothers to keep their infants under their care during detainment or incarceration, provide essential and beneficial care that could not otherwise be achieved within the current carceral infrastructure. These benefits include facilitation of breastfeeding, bonding during a critical period of child development, and (...) decreased recidivism rates for participants. Legal precedent exists to support the rights of the mother to continue to parent their child but remains in stark opposition to current prison infrastructure that could allow them to do so. Existing state policies also have inconsistent mechanisms for determining child eligibility and should move to centre decision-making on a case-by-case basis. This work will demonstrate that a just society, supported by law and ensuring maternal–child welfare supports the establishment of prison nursery programmes as a part of the existing right to healthcare for incarcerated individuals. (shrink)

The legal framework governing claims of medical negligence is extensively documented within South African (SA) jurisprudence, with a predominant focus on the liability of medical practitioners. In contrast, the liability of pharmacists has received comparatively scant attention. This issue was recently highlighted by a case in which a woman from the Western Cape initiated legal action against Clicks, a leading health, beauty and wellness retailer and SA’s largest retail pharmacy chain, alleging that the provision of incorrect medication nearly cost her (...) life. At the time of writing, the case has yet to advance to trial. This article explores the legal and ethical dimensions of medical negligence attributed to pharmacists within the context of their professional duties. Additionally, it investigates how similar cases are adjudicated in foreign jurisdictions, with a specific focus on the US. (shrink)

While the term and concept of neurodiversity emerged within autistic communities, it has never been limited to autism. As Knopes reviews, neurodiversity scholars have identified meaningful overlaps...

Abraham a Sancta Clara adıyla ünlenen Johann Ulrich Megerle 17. yüzyılda Almanca konuşulan coğrafyanın en önde gelen vaizlerindendir. Arkasında bıraktığı yaklaşık 600 kitaplık külliyatıyla da büyük bir yazardır. Ünü kendinden sonraki yüzyıllara sarkmış, Goethe’den Schiller’e ve Heidegger’e kadar uzanmıştır. Türklerin II. Viyana Kuşatması sırasında yazdığı eseri o dönemde Avrupa’nın Türklere bakışını göstermek açısından son derece önemlidir. Bu makale onun Auff, auff, ihr Christen! başlıklı meşhur eserini metin çözümlemesi yöntemi kullanarak ayrıntılarıyla incelemekte, 17. yüzyıl Viyana’sından hareketle nasıl bir Türk ve Müslüman (...) portresi çizildiğini sorgulamaktadır. Çözümlemede Sancta Clara’nın Türkleri barbarlık ve vahşilik ekseninde son derece olumsuz sıfat ve adlandırmalarla nitelediği görülmektedir. Bununla birlikte çözümlenen eseri daha ilginç kılan nokta, olumsuz sıfatların yanında Türklerin meziyetlerini de dile getirmesidir. Yazarın yaşadığı başkenti kuşatan düşman hakkında eserin kayda değer bir kısmını olumlu yönlere ayırması ilginç veriler sunmaktadır. (shrink)

In this paper, I am going to explore an alternative explanation of causation in Graham Priest’s modal meinongianism. Priest proposes an understanding of causation, which is either too confusing, or against the metaphysical core of modal meinongianism. In his proposals, causation is discussed in the context of defining purely fictional and abstract objects, by using a counterfactual approach. In this case, causation is understood as an existence-entailing relation. I will argue that such an account of causation proves ineffective. Instead, I (...) will give another interpretation for causation, which is based on Peter Menzies and Huw Price’s version of agency theory of causation. My interest in studying such a particular subject is to find an answer which is to be used in a further research. The end result of my work will be the fact that causation as agency can, at best, be useful in understanding intentional acts, but not suitable for explaining what it means for a particular object to causally interact with us. (shrink)

Technological evaluations have significantly enhanced college students’ fine arts competence development by providing advanced tools and platforms that foster creativity, improve technical skills, and enable innovative artistic expression. In this study 500 college students were mentioned as participators. The variables Technological Tools, Technical Proficiency, Advanced Technologies, Creativity and Innovation, Online Platforms, Skill Development, and Collaborative Competencies are built to evaluate various aspects of technological and creative capabilities in educational and professional settings. Fine arts competitions like the (Artificial Intelligence) AI art (...) contest, digital choreography competition, and speech AI innovation challenge are held for the students to improve their skill development. The questionnaires are taken to measure the student's technological skills development based on before and after competitions. The SPSS software version 28 is used to statistically analyze the data with multiple regression analysis and pearson correlation analysis. The results showed that the integration of technological tools and platforms significantly improved college student's technical proficiency, creativity, and collaborative skills in fine arts. Students exhibited notable enhancements in skill development and engagement with advanced technologies post-competition. Technology significantly enhances fine arts education by improving students' artistic skills and collaboration. Embracing digital tools offers valuable opportunities to enrich curricula and foster innovation. (shrink)

In the last decade literature focused on a “less is more” approach has been primarily represented by clinical cases describing the excesses of an aggressive, redundant, non-personalized, and non-respectful medicine. Most of these articles focus on a “more is worse” approach and centre around the downstream negative consequences of medical overuse. Having identified a gap in the literature on the experience and practice of less, rather than the harms of excess, we carried out an exploratory qualitative study into how a (...) “less is more” approach works in practice. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was adopted to allow us to examine the realm of lived experience as a valid data source and as a path from which to understand a “less is more” approach “from the bedside.” A Phenomenology of Practice was chosen as a more specific frame for this research because of its added focus on action and practical application in professional settings. Seventy stories written by physicians, patients, nurses, caregivers, and other health professionals have been received and analysed. These stories were gathered as part of a project called “Slow Stories” which aimed to collect clinical cases that have been positively resolved by adopting a “less is more” approach to patient care. After having conducted an in-depth analysis, separately and as a group, the researchers identified five key phenomenological themes; Time to relate is time to heal; Doing more does not mean doing better; Settings for a slow medicine; Slow care at the end of life; and Personalized vs. standardized treatment. Each of these themes offers insights into how a “less is more” approach can be used in practice and illustrates how a “less is more” strategy can play a significant role in positively resolving certain clinical cases. (shrink)

Hospital ethics committees (HECs) are relatively new in non-Western countries. This article examines the effectiveness of a HEC established in Bursa/Turkey over ten years, aiming to contribute insights for the wider implementation and enhancement of HECs. The evaluative methodology combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to assess its effectiveness. Patients are the primary users of the HEC, although applications from physicians, hospital managers, and the Patient Rights Board are also observed. Surgical specialities account for the majority of applications, particularly from obstetrics (...) and gynecology, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine. The study identifies the types of applications, with malpractice claims, ethical inquiries, and access-related complaints being the most common. Despite many healthcare professionals encountering ethical dilemmas, the HEC was underutilized for consultations due to factors such as low awareness, perceived autonomy challenges, and skepticism regarding its efficacy. Additionally, the study describes how HEC recommendations contribute to policy development, addressing organizational issues and promoting ethical practices. The decision-making process within the HEC was also scrutinized, emphasizing the necessity of a structured methodology for moral deliberation. Concerns are raised about committee members lacking specific training in ethical analysis, potentially resulting in biases and suboptimal decisions. Contextual factors, including institutional culture and economic considerations, are also recognized for their influence on decision-making. This analysis highlights the multifaceted nature of HECs and the challenges they face in achieving effectiveness. It underscores the need for standardized measures, improved training for committee members, and contextual awareness to enhance the impact and functionality of HECs in healthcare institutions. (shrink)

The use of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia is common and recommended because they focus on the underlying problem and well-being of the person. The promotion of well-being is a relevant dimension in person-centred care, where the aim is to confirm the person’s ‘personhood’. Most literature about ethics in dementia care instructs us on how and when to include people with dementia in our research. Little is written about the ethical aspects regarding the use of psychosocial interventions in daily (...) care. In clinical practise, several challenges arise about the use of psychosocial interventions. Those include questions about the person’s ability to participate in decision-making and how we know what is best for them. Furthermore, we must consider what kinds of psychosocial interventions are best for everybody, or if intervention causes discomfort for the person. This article emphasizes the necessity to consider the ethical aspects of the implementation of psychosocial interventions while taking into consideration the persons individual needs. A particular ethical challenge arises when a person with dementia is unable to express themselves verbally. Therefore, it is essential that the staff know the history and preferences of each person with dementia. The ethical aspects of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia will be discussed using Beauchamp and Childress four ethical principles: respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. The person-centred approach proposed by Kitwood’s and Brooker. (shrink)

In South Sulawesi Province of Indonesia, stunting poses a significant challenge, with minimal reduction observed in recent years according to BPS data. Despite a notable increase in government spending to address stunting, this research aims to analyze the impact of government expenditures (DAK, Regional Expenditures, Village Funds) on the Human Development Index (HDI) and the prevalence of stunting in 2022. This quantitative study involves 21 districts and 3 cities in South Sulawesi Province. Quantitative analysis using Eviews 13 reveals that DAK, (...) Regional Expenditures, and Village Funds have a direct positive effect on increasing the HDI in Barru District but do not directly influence stunting reduction. Collaboration among various Local Government Agencies (OPDs), stakeholder training, and innovations like the "One Day One Egg" program contribute to addressing stunting. Cross-sectoral synergy is key in combating stunting in this region. (shrink)

A kolozsvári filozófus az elmúlt három esztendőben született tanulmányait egybe szerkesztve készítette új könyvét. Célja mintegy in statu nascendi bemutatni a politikai filozófiát, hogyan reflektálnak a kortárs politikai filozófiák a társadalmat érő politikai kihívásokra. Címéhez híven valóban egyfajta bevezetés Korunk politikai filozófiájába, mégpedig olyan csomóponti és tagadhatatlanul ma is aktuális, eleven témák kapcsán, mint az emberi jogok doktrínája, nemzeti szuverenitás vs. Európai integráció, multikulturalizmus és a bevándorlás problémája. A szerző legfőbb eszmei iránytűje ezúttal is Hannah Arendt, rá hivatkozva vallja, hogy (...) a politikában maximum arra törekedhetünk, hogy véleményünk reprezentatív legyen. A teljes igazság platóni ideájának megragadása helyett a filozófus feladat, hogy a szókratészi kételyt tanítsa, a politikai filozófia értelme pedig annak megmutatása, hogy ahogyan mi magunk a politikáról gondolkodunk, minden, csak nem evidens. A nyolc tanulmány bibliográfiával és névmutatóval kiegészített gyűjteménye elsősorban a szakemberekhez szól, de a saját politikai meggyőződéseik megkérdőjelezésére nyitott művelt nagyközönségnek is ajánlható. (shrink)

Prenatal ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic examination. Despite the recognized diagnostic value, this technology raises complex ethical questions. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis that coherently maps the ethical challenges raised by prenatal ultrasound examination, both 2D and 3D. We performed a systematic literature review. Six databases were systematically searched. The results highlight how concerns related to beneficence, informed consent, and autonomy are mainly related to routine use of prenatal ultrasound in the clinical context, while (...) considerations linked to overmedicalization of pregnancy, discrimination, and fetal ontology were often reported in relation to the impact ultrasound is having on medicine and society. Ethical issues in the context of pre-abortion ultrasound, obstetric practices in low-income settings, and keepsake ultrasound imaging were also greatly discussed. Since prenatal ultrasound practices critically impact pregnant people’s autonomy and their role within pregnancy, we conclude that information providing strategies should be developed to appropriately inform pregnant people about the nature, purpose, risks, and choices revolving around prenatal ultrasound. In addition, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate the social and clinical dimensions of prenatal ultrasound, future research should focus on examining if and how such dimensions should be reconciled. (shrink)

It is often argued (and feared) that the human capacity to pay attention is being transformed by computational technologies. Are computing machines distraction machines? This article takes this question as its starting point in order to address concerns about attention deficits vis-à-vis questions and issues about the mechanisation of cognitive procedures. I will claim that, when approaching the attention ecology of the twenty-first century, it is necessary to differentiate between augmentation and automation. While augmentation implies the extension of predefined forms (...) or modes of behaviour, contemporary developments in computational automation ask us instead to consider the possibility of moving beyond phenomenological analogies. The article will thus discuss how transformations in the capacity to pay attention in a computational age need to be analysed in relation to the emergence of quasi-autonomous artificial cognitive agents driven by AI technologies, such as those known as machine learning. I will argue that these artificial cognitive agents can no longer be described in terms of technological add-ons to pre-existing human cognitive capacities. Today, we think alongside machines that are, is a sense, already thinking. Similarly, we pay attention alongside machines that are, in a sense, already paying attention. The challenge for philosophy and cultural theory is that of moving beyond ‘projectionist’ conceptions of such technological agency. This challenge, however, also involves overcoming the anthropomorphism that is implicit in expression such as ‘thinking machines’. In a century where robot-to-robot communications have outpaced and outnumbered human-machine interactions, these artificial cognitive agents are not just reframing the human capacity to pay attention: they are also re-structuring the conditions for such capacity. Addressing the conditions for attention beyond augmentation and vis-à-vis computational automation involves considering the role and scope of both human and algorithmic decision-making, and engaging with the ways in which the humanities can intervene upon contemporary complex cognitive scenarios. (shrink)

A guide for everyone involved in medical decision making to plot a clear course through complex and conflicting benefits and risks.

Human opacity is the intrinsic quality of unknowabil- ity of human beings with respect to machines. The descriptive rela- tionship between humans and machines, which captures how much information one can gather about the other, can be explicated using an opacity-transparency relationship. This relationship allows us to describe and normatively evaluate a spectrum of opacity where humans and machines may be either opaque or transparent. In this paper, we argue that the advent of Affective Computing (AC) has begun to shift (...) the ideal position of humans on this spectrum towards greater transparency, while much of this technology is shifting towards opacity. We explore the implications of this shift with regard to the affective information of humans and how the threat to human opacity by AC systems has various adverse repercussions, such as infringement of one’s autonomy, deception, manipulation, and increased anxiety. There are also distributive consequences that expose vulnerable groups to unjustified burdens and reduce them to mere profiles. We further provide an assessment of current AC technology, which follows the descriptive relationship between humans and machines from the lens of opacity and transparency. Finally, we foresee and address three possible objections to our claims. These are the beneficence of AC systems, their relation to privacy, and their restrictive capacity to capture human affects. Through these arguments, the paper aims to bring attention to the ontological relationship between humans and machines from the perspective of opacity and transparency while emphasizing on the gravity of the ethical concerns raised by their threat to human opacity. (shrink)

Os capítulos aqui reunidos desdobram as temáticas do “corpo”, da “vida” e da “biopolítica” em assuntos que percorrem a epistemologia das ciências da vida, a arqueologia foucaultiana das ciências empíricas, a crítica de Foucault à psicanálise, a questão da loucura e da psiquiatria em torno da mulher e das questões de gênero, os dispositivos de segurança e biopolíticos envolvendo a noção de população, as relações entre subjetividade e verdade, o problema do governo de si e dos outros e as novas (...) publicações atribuídas a Foucault desde a recente publicação de As Confissões da Carne. Os trabalhos - de Gustavo Caponi (UFSC), José Ternes (UFG), Pedro Cattapan (UFF), Sandra Caponi (UFSC), Regiane Collares (UFCA), Fabio Gesueli (UNICAMP) e Malcom Rodrigues (UEFS/UFBA) contribuem com diversas discussões em torno de Foucault. -/- As contribuições são resultado do I e II Encontro de Estudos sobre Michel Foucault, eventos nacionais ocorridos em 2020-2021 e organizados pelo projeto de extensão da UFF - IHS - RPS intitulado “Introdução ao pensamento de Michel Foucault - Grupo de Estudos Jaguar do Fucô”, coordenado por Alessandra Daflon e Marcio Miotto. Os temas dos dois eventos foram “História da Sexualidade e Biopolítica” e “Corpo e Vida em Foucault”. Elas fomentaram verdadeiros diálogos extensionistas a partir dos estudantes de graduação da UFF. O livro é dedicado a Roberto Machado e Heliana Conde, entusiastas do evento e do grupo de extensão. (shrink)

2024 International Conference on Language Research and Communication (ICLRC 2024) held September 20-22, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a tremendous honor for the CambridgeInnovation Center (Singapore) to serve as the collaborative institution to enhance collaboration and mutually develop for being an international platform. ICLRC 2024 focuses on high quality presentations and papers that address contemporary issues on fundamental research leading to new methods, or adaptation of existing methods for new applications related to the topics of language studies and (...) cultural communication. It aims to deliveran outstanding global forum for academics, researchers, scientists, engineers, students in the worldto link up, exchange information and discussion. The conference has 6 keynote speeches and 9 invited speeches in total, and it has drawn about 120 delegates from 9 countries (China, India, Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Philippines). The conference comprised a diverse spectrum of highly technical presentations by keynote and invited speaker sessions and authors of submitted papers. We are pleased to present the SHS Web of Conferences of the ICLRC 2024 and we sincerely hope that all participants and interested readers would be benefited from this proceedings. We want toexpress our heartfelt appreciation to our contributors, sponsors, colleagues and associations thahelped make this conference successful. We’d also want to thank everyone on the committees and editorial board for the assistance and feedback. We expect this conference would encourage future language studies and cultural communication research, We look forward to seeing all of you at the next ICLRC. (shrink)

The author thinks d m armstrong has correctly explicated his own earlier analysis but that his criticisms are unfounded. The position armstrong takes is actually analogous to the author's in terms of right-Left distortion in mirrors. The author concludes that armstrong should say what "people are doing if they are not perceiving" which would take him into the "quagmire of sense-Data theories." (staff).