A new formulation involving fulfillment of all the Kolmogorov axioms is suggested for acomplete probability theory. This proves to be not a purely mathematical discipline. Probability theory deals with abstract objects—images of various classes of concrete objects—whereas experimental statistics deals with concrete objects alone. Both have to be taken into account. Quantum physics and classical statistical physics prove to be different aspects ofone probabilistic physics. The connection of quantum mechanics with classical statistical mechanics is examined and the origin of the (...) Schrödinger equation is elucidated. Attention is given to the true meaning of the wave-corpuscle duality, and the incompleteness of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is explained. (shrink)

Some problems relating to the probabilistic description of a free particle and of a charged particle moving in an electromagnetic field are discussed. A critical analysis of the Klein-Gordon equation and of the Dirac equation is given. It is also shown that there is no connection between commutativity of operators for physical quantities and the existence of their joint probability. It is demonstrated that the Heisenberg uncertainty relation is not universal and explained why this is so. A universal uncertainty relation (...) for canonically conjugate coordinates and momenta is suggested. (shrink)

General regularities related toLagrangian andHamiltonian equations are revealed. Probability distributions for functions ofHamiltonian random variables are considered. It is shown that all probability distributions of this kind are fully determined by the probability distributions for the random variables satisfying the corresponding Lagrangian equations. Some formulas related tocanonically conjugate operators are given. The similarity of these formulas to those related to Hamiltonian random variables is demonstrated. The “quantum approach” to the treatment of Hamiltonian random variables is discussed, and the origin of (...) some peculiarities related to this approach is elucidated; it is explained, in particular, why it is impossible to form the joint probability density for canonically conjugate random variables when using this approach. The peculiarities revealed prove to be common for any objects possessing Hamiltonian random variables, irrespective of the nature of the objects, and coincide, therefore, with those in quantum mechanics. The existence of joint probability distributions for canonically conjugate random variables in the general case is demonstrated through the calculation of the corresponding joint mathematical expectations in an illustrative example. This proves, in particular, that joint probability distributions for canonically conjugate coordinates and momenta exist indeed in the case of mechanical microsystems. The results obtained prove once again that the pecularities of quantum mechanics are not related to the specificity of the measurements of physical quantities for microsystems. (shrink)

A universal, unified theory of transformations of physical systems based on the propositions of probabilistic physics is developed. This is applied to the treatment of decay processes and intramolecular rearrangements. Some general features of decay processes are elucidated. A critical analysis of the conventional quantum theories of decay and of Slater's quantum theory of intramolecular rearrangements is given. It is explained why, despite the incorrectness of the decay theories in principle, they can give correct estimations of decay rate constants. The (...) reasons for the validity of the Arrhenius formula for the temperature dependence of an intramolecular rearrangement rate constant are discussed. A criterion for the possibility of a proper intramolecular rearrangement is given. The issue of causality in quantum physics is settled. (shrink)

Some basic problems of the probabilistic treatment of fields are considered, proceeding from the fundamentals of the complete probability theory. Two essentially equivalent definitions of random fields related to continuous objects are suggested. It is explained why the conventional classical probabilistic treatment generally is inapplicable to fields in principle. Two types of finite-dimensional random variables created by random fields are compared. Some general regularities related to Lagrangian and Hamiltonian partial equations, obtainable proceeding from the corresponding sets of ordinary differential equations, (...) are revealed by using the functional derivative defined anew. It is shown that Hamiltonian random fields give rise to two types of Hamiltonian random variables, variables of the second type being those considered in the author's previous paper and immediately suited to the quantum approach. The results obtained are illustrated by some general examples. Critical remarks concerning second quantization are made, demonstrating the artificiality of this method. It is emphasized that the given probabilistic consideration of fields cannot be directly applied to, for instance, the electromagnetic field, which needs a special treatment. (shrink)

It is shown that no concrete particle can have zero rest mass. A separate photon is proven to be a concrete particle. The nonexistence of the electromagnetic field as an independent physical reality is demonstrated. The existence of a subatomic electromagnetic particle of a very small rest mass, theemon, instead of the electromagnetic field, is stated. The compatibility of the notion of the emon with the special relativity theory is elucidated. Some corollaries of the existence of the emon as well (...) as the possibilities of determining its rest mass are discussed. The explanations of the relativity aberration and Doppler effect in terms of the emon are given. The importance of the principle of concreteness of experiments is emphasized and illustrated. Some related problems are noticed. (shrink)

For certain methodological and historical reasons, the science of probability (probabilistics) had never been constructed before as a single whole, and it has basically split into probability theory and into statistics. One of the reasons was the neglect of an extremely important methodological principle which reads: It is necessary to distinguish strictly between concrete objects and abstract objects. This principle is displayed and exemplified. Its use has made it possible to discover the basic phenomenon of probalilistics and to construct the (...) science, whose outlines are given. The application of probabilistics to physics gives rise to probabilistic physics, whose particular domains are, among others, both classical statistical physics and quantum physics. The actual meaning of quantum physics becomes quite clear and no artificial interpretation of it proves to be necessary. (shrink)

The Vygotsky Anthology brings together, for the first time, a selection of extracts from the best translations available of Vygotsky's writings, spanning the entire arc of his career. Vygotsky was arguably one of the greatest educational psychologists of the 20th century. Grounded in his experience as a teacher, an expert in special education, a research psychologist and an outstanding theorist, the editors of this unique anthology chart his enormous influence on professionals working in education and child development around the world. (...) The extracts are introduced by the editors' commentaries, helpfully setting them in the context of Vygotsky's life and work, providing a collection of work that adequately represents his writing, and conveying some of the great pleasures of reading him. In the passages selected here, his voice is clearly heard, the intellectual brilliance of his insights is reflected, his line of argument is clear, and his humour and humanity are evident. With its inclusion of recent translations of essential texts, this anthology will help students to understand the full diversity of Vygotsky's influence on today's classrooms. Seen as a companion volume to Myra Barr's previous work Vygotsky the Teacher (Routledge, 2022), the value of this text to teachers, educational psychologists, and other practitioners working in the field of education and child development, will be significant and lasting. It is a key reference book for new generations of Vygotsky students. (shrink)

Part I: Consciousness and the metaphysics of experience. Orientations. What I believe. The privacy of experience. Final causes. The importance of subjectivity : an inaugural lecture. Is consciousness mysterious? Consciousness. The distinctiveness of American philosophy. The world of description and the world of acquaintance -- Part II: The metaphysics of time and the absolute. The unreality of time. Ideal immortality. Russell and Bradley on relations. The self and its world in Bradley and Husserl. Absolute idealism. Pantheism -- Part III: Ethics, (...) animal rights, and the environment. The greatest happiness principle. Is the esse of intrinsic value percipi? Pleasure, pain and value. Metaphysics, physicalism, and animal rights. Vivisection, morals, medicine : commentary from an antivivisectionist philosopher. Non-human rights : an idealist perspective. Are there intrinsic values in nature? An idealist's prayer for the world. (shrink)

. This paper examines the association between long-term compensation and corporate social responsibility for 90 publicly traded Canadian firms. Social responsibility is considered to include concerns for social factors and the environment, 564-578; Kane, E. J., 341-359). Long-term compensation attempts to focus executives efforts on optimizing the longer term, which should direct their attention to factors traditionally associated with socially responsible executives. As hypothesized, we found a significant relationship between the long-term compensation and total CSR weakness as well as the (...) product/environmental weakness dimension of CSR. In addition, we found a marginally significant relationship between long-term compensation and total corporate responsibility. Our findings are that executives long-term compensation is associated with a firms environmental actions, and that firms that utilize long-term compensation are more likely to mitigate product/environment weaknesses than those that do not. Implications for practice and research are discussed. (shrink)

Ṣadr, Muḥammad Bāqir; Islamic philosophy; 20th century.

Junior researchers can be abused and bullied by unscrupulous senior collaborators. This article describes the profile of a type of serial abuser, the White Bull, who uses his academic seniority to distort authorship credit and who disguises his parasitism with carefully premeditated deception. Further research into the personality traits of such perpetrators is warranted.