The book does not deliver on the bonding with Indian religion suggested by the title. Indian religion gets a few pages on each of being, consciousness, and bliss. The rest of the book is an all out frontal attack on naturalism, or, as Hart mostly says, ‘materialism’, on these topics. However, the book is far from being completely negative. Hart sets out a full account of his own position.He writes clearly and entertainingly, but the book is rather long, and the (...) length of the paragraphs—often one and a half to two pages—makes for tiresome reading. It may be that the best way of tackling the book is to read the last section, ‘Illusion and Reality’, first. That is a quality philosophy essay in its own right, and it displays Hart’s writing to advantage.It also presents some of the main themes of the book, one of which is that much of the current debate between theism and atheism is not about God at all, but about ‘demiurges’. A demiurge constructs camera eyes or pieces together rotary flag. (shrink)

'Numbers and Proofs' presents a gentle introduction to the notion of proof to give the reader an understanding of how to decipher others' proofs as well as construct their own. Useful methods of proof are illustrated in the context of studying problems concerning mainly numbers (real, rational, complex and integers). An indispensable guide to all students of mathematics. Each proof is preceded by a discussion which is intended to show the reader the kind of thoughts they might have before any (...) attempt proof is made. Established proofs which the student is in a better position to follow then follow. Presented in the author's entertaining and informal style, and written to reflect the changing profile of students entering universities, this book will prove essential reading for all seeking an introduction to the notion of proof as well as giving a definitive guide to the more common forms. Stressing the importance of backing up "truths" found through experimentation, with logically sound and watertight arguments, it provides an ideal bridge to more complex undergraduate maths. (shrink)

This Article focuses both on the changes that have been made to the legal framework governing post-separation parenting of children in Australia, as well as the processes and discourses via which these matters have been dealt with and debated. Alone among comparable common law jurisdictions such as Canada, the United States, and England, Australia’s family law legislation, and the significant changes made to it in the past fifteen years, can be seen to have been particularly responsive to the lobbying of (...) fathers’ rights groups. It will be suggested that changes to the legislative framework that governs family law in Australia have taken place, at best, without any clear rationale or need and perhaps more problematically, have at times flown in the face of, rather than been undertaken by reference to, the evidence-based research about post-separation parenting practices and what we know about children’s welfare or best interests, the paramount consideration that underpins decision-making in this field. The purpose of this discussion is to attempt to posit some possible explanations for this distinctive path of Australian family law “reform”. (shrink)

Volume 18, Issue 5, October 2019, Page 475-486.

Several items in this issue of the Hastings Center Report try to fill gaps or resolve uncertainties in the regulatory systems that govern research on human subjects. The biggest of these items is a special report, published as a supplement to the issue, that considers a long‐running and vexing regulatory problem: the uncertain relationship between the two sets of federal regulations for research. The goal of the report is to provide guidance.The lead article inside the issue addresses a problem generated (...) by newly emerging genomic research. How should potential subjects be informed of the possibility of incidental findings? When and how should such findings be passed along to them? Paul Appelbaum and colleagues argue that routine approaches to informed consent will probably not work, and they develop four alternative approaches. One of the essays in the issue, by Joseph Fins of New York Cornell Medical Center, poses questions about the relationship between regulations and ethics. “Is it always enough,” Fins asks, “to abide by the rules and regulations for human subjects research? (shrink)

This Article traces the trajectory of negotiated rulemaking within American administrative law. The popularity of negotiated rulemaking - among scholars, politicians, and regulators - has waxed and waned since its start in the 1980s. This Article describes and assesses these shifts, charting the birth of negotiated rulemaking, its incorporation into the APA, and its infrequent use in recent years. In mapping the rise and fall of negotiated rulemaking, we focus on two particular critiques - that it violates normative commitments to (...) expertise and rationality in bureaucratic decision making, and that it fails to deliver on its promises of faster rulemaking and less litigation. This Article contends that the first critique is overblown and that the second is true in some instances but not in others. We argue that negotiated rulemaking is most valuable when the appropriate negotiating parties can be easily identified, when they are likely to make concessions and build rapport with each other, and when traditional methods of rulemaking have become ossified. (shrink)