This study investigates the performance of psychopathic individuals on tasks believed to be sensitive to dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) functioning. Psychopathic and non-psychopathic individuals, as defined by the Hare psychopathy checklist revised (PCL-R) [Hare, The Hare psychopathy checklist revised, Toronto, Ontario: Multi-Health Systems, 1991] completed a gambling task [Cognition 50 (1994) 7] and the intradimensional/extradimensional (ID/ED) shift task [Nature 380 (1996) 69]. On the gambling task, psychopathic participants showed a global tendency to choose disadvantageously. Specifically, they showed an (...) impaired ability to show learning over the course of the task. On the ID/ED task, the performance of psychopathic individuals was not significantly different from incarcerated controls on attentional set-shifting, but significant impairments were found on response reversal. These results are interpreted with reference to an OFC and amygdala dysfunction explanation of psychopathy. (shrink)

A qualitative study with an exploratory, descriptive and documentary design that was conducted with the objective of identifying the elements to constitute a method for the analysis of accusations of and proceedings for professional ethics infringements. The method is based on underlying elements identified inductively during analysis of professional ethics hearings judged by and filed in the archives of the Regional Nursing Board of Santa Catarina, Brazil, between 1999 and 2007. The strategies developed were based on the results of an (...) analysis of the findings of fact (occurrences/infractions, causes and outcomes) contained in the records of 128 professional ethics hearings and on the structural elements (statements, rules and practices) identified in five example professional ethics cases. The strategies suggested for evaluating accusations of ethics infringements and the procedures involved in deliberating on ethics hearings constitute a generic proposal that will require adaptation to the context of specific professional ethics accusations. (shrink)

This paper forms an introduction to this issue, the contents of which arose directly or indirectly from a conference in May 2001 on Corruption of scientific integrity? — The commercialisation of academic science. The introduction, in recent decades, of business culture and values into universities and research institutions is incompatible with the openness which scientific and all academic pursuit traditionally require. It has given rise to a web of problems over intellectual property and conflict of interest which has even led (...) to corporate sponsors’ suppressing unfavourable results of clinical trials, to the detriment of patients’ health. Although there are those who see the norms of science developing to recognise the importance of instrumental science aiming at specific goals and of knowledge judged by its value in a context of application, none justifies the covert manipulation of results by vested interest. Public awareness of these problems is growing and creating a climate of opinion where they may be addressed. We suggest a way forward by the introduction of nationally and internationally-accepted guidelines for industrial collaboration which contain proper protections of the core purposes of universities and of the independence of their research. Some codes suggested for this purpose are discussed. We note that some universities are moving to adopt such codes of conduct, but argue the need for strong support from the government through its funding bodies. (shrink)

Translated from the Italian, this work forms part of the author's La philosophie de l'intégralité; it deals dialectically with the essence of being and with existence and reality, throwing interesting light on values, love, and morality. A long appendix presents some critical reflexions on Gentile's "Actualism."--R. D. G.

"Why are there essents rather than nothing?" is the central question of this work. Heidegger here uncovers the meaning of "being" and the history of man's understanding of "being," mainly through a discussion of the origin and overtones of the pertinent Greek and German terms. The style is difficult; the translation on the whole satisfactory.--R. D. G.

Written from the viewpoint of contemporary philosophical analysis, this book provides a simple--and biased--introduction "to philosophical thinking for those students of education in universities and training colleges who would otherwise have no formal contact with philosophy."--R. D. G.

An ever-so-slightly changed version of the author's Introduction à Kierkegaard which appeared in 1946.--R. D. G.

Plato's Republic has proven to be of astounding influence and importance. Justly celebrated as Plato's central text, it brings together all of his prior works, unifying them into a comprehensive vision that is at once theological, philosophical, political and moral. The essays in this volume provide a picture of the most interesting aspects of the Republic, and address questions that continue to puzzle and provoke, such as: Does Plato succeed in his argument that the life of justice is the most (...) attractive one? Is his tripartite analysis of the soul coherent and plausible? Why does Plato seem to have to force his philosopher-guardians to rule when they know this is something that they ought to do? What is the point of the strange and complicated closing Myth of Er? This volume will be essential to those looking for thoughtful and detailed excursions into the problems posed by Plato's text and ideas. (shrink)

An ever-so-slightly changed version of the author's Introduction à Kierkegaard which appeared in 1946.--R. D. G.

This fourth edition has been enlarged by over 400 pages through the addition of 762 new articles and some revision of a number of others. Bibliographies have been updated, and a chronological table added. The best of its kind in Spanish.--R. D. G.

This report describes the rationale, approaches, organization, and resource development leading to a large-scale deletion bin map of the hexaploid wheat genome. Accompanying reports in this issue detail results from chromosome bin-mapping of expressed sequence tags representing genes onto the seven homoeologous chromosome groups and a global analysis of the entire mapped wheat EST data set. Among the resources developed were the first extensive public wheat EST collection. Described are protocols for sequencing, sequence processing, EST nomenclature, and the assembly of (...) ESTs into contigs. These contigs plus singletons were used for selection of distinct sequence motif unigenes. Selected ESTs were rearrayed, validated by 5′ and 3′ sequencing, and amplified for probing a series of wheat aneuploid and deletion stocks. Images and data for all Southern hybridizations were deposited in databases and were used by the coordinators for each of the seven homoeologous chromosome groups to validate the mapping results. Results from this project have established the foundation for future developments in wheat genomics. (shrink)

This volume--one of several in a series on contemporary philosophy in Italy and in the U. S.--presents the principal philosophic and cultural currents in Italy through the works of representative writers. The coverage of philosophy is quite complete. Besides the expected articles on Croce, Gentile, existentialism, neo-scholasticism, and the philosophy of history, there are, among others, articles on analytic philosophy, marxism, and the philosophy of science. The appendix supplies information on Italian philosophic centers, organizations, and journals, as well as brief (...) biographies of the contributors.--R. D. G. (shrink)

Each chapter of this beginning textbook is followed by an extensive list of questions, but bibliography and guides for supplementary source readings are absent. Positions other than St. Thomas's--such as those of Suarez, Scotus, and Kant--are briefly considered on specific issues. --R. D. G.

Polybius in a familiar passage, lists goods moving past Byzantium between the Mediterranean. world and the Black Sea region; among these goods, slaves are accorded a prominent place: …as regards necessities it is an unidsputed fact that the most plentiful supplies and best qualities of of cattle and slaves reach us from the countries lying round the Pontus, while among luxuries the same countries furnish us with an abundance of honey, wax and preserved fish; from the surplus of our countries (...) they take olive-oil and every kind of wine. As for grain, there is give and-take – with them sometimes supplying us when we require it and sometimes importing it from us. (shrink)

This fourth edition of Gentile's well-known work has been augmented by a second part and an appendix, consisting of four late articles which give his last formulation of the problem of religion.--R. D. G.

Volumes XXXIXXXIV of the new critical edition present Gentile's erudite work on the writings of Italian philosophers--mostly minor figures--of the second half of the nineteenth century. He classifies them as Platonists, Positivists, Neo-Kantians, or Hegelians.--R. D. G.

Starting with a Leninist thesis on the identity of dialectic and logic, the author concludes that the only authentic logic is dialectico-materialistic. Lenin predominates; though such logicians as Hilbert, Russell, and Carnap are mentioned, they are not seriously considered.--R. D. G.

A collection of fifteen of the author's writings, dating from 1951, some of which served to awaken Italian interest in sociology by defining and explaining the matter and method of sociological research.--R. D. G.

Documentation is generally lacking in this critique of Roman Catholic positions from the point of view of conservative Calvinism, and both through factual error and misplaced emphasis, the doctrines it discusses often become distorted. --R. D. G.

Time and death are the unifying themes of this work in twelve propositions. Beginning with the self as subject, M. Echeverria is led in successive propositions to the acknowledgment of the Other. With the Other is given the temporal dimension of human experience; this reveals the possibility of living for the world or for eternity. The final proposition states that "the Other, as he will reveal himself at our death, is the final cause of our acts."--R. D. G.

A general introduction to Hegel's philosophic system and dialectical method, from the perspective of Engels, Marx and Lenin.--R. D. G.

"This study attempts to evaluate some main trends in Soviet Marxism in terms of an 'immanent critique,' that is to say it starts from the theoretical premises of Soviet Marxism, develops their ideological and sociological consequences, and reexamines the premises in the light of these consequences." In two sections the author treats "Political Tenets" and the too seldom presented Soviet Ethics, which is most striking for its externalization of values and paucity of content. Written neither for the political theorist nor (...) the ethicist, the work while popular and often superficial presents an interesting and frequently illuminating study. --R. D. G. (shrink)

A valuable survey and appraisal of Kantian exegesis and criticism of the second half of the 19th century, including such philosophers as Liebmann, Paulsen, Riehl, Windelband and Vaihinger. The author divides the critics according to their dominant interest in Kant and so presents studies of Kantian psychology and transcendental ism, rationalism, positivism, and empiricism, among others.--R. D. G.

Newly translated and revised, this book is as pertinent today as when it first appeared in 1930. In it Maritain presents some striking aspects of the personality and work of Aquinas and shows the continued relevance of Thomism. A generous appendix includes bibliographies and reprints of four pertinent papal documents.--R. D. G.

According to the author, human society and everyone in it is insane with fear. The root of our trouble is our ability to think. Since to eliminate thought is to eliminate fear, our cure "is the blind surrender to an indescribable influence," which Woodworth calls "the self."--R. D. G.

"The absolute is the total existence, the last key to existence is existence itself, the fact of existing. That does not say definitely anything. On the contrary it is an imprecise statement," the author tells us. But he does not elaborate.--R. D. G.

Starting with the claim that thus far philosophy has been a total failure, the author remedies the situation by giving us his new principle of trinism, which, if properly applied, will annihilate Communism and establish on earth "something resembling a paradise."--R. D. G.

Beginning from a psychological point of view, the author moves into a strictly phenomenological study of the organization of perception and of consciousness. His thesis is that every field of consciousness has three domains, viz., a theme, a field or background, and a fringe area, each of which has its own type of organization. The work breaks some new ground in phenomenology and contains a sketch of the ontological implications of the study.--R. D. G.