The controversy over vaccines has recently intensified in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with calls from politicians, health professionals, journalists, and citizens to take harsh measures against so-called “anti-vaxxers,” while accusing them of spreading “fake news” and as such, of endangering public health. However, the issue of suppression of vaccine dissenters has rarely been studied from the point of view of those who raise concerns about vaccine safety. The purpose of the present study was to examine the subjective (...) perceptions of professionals (physicians, nurses, researchers) involved with vaccines through practice and/or research and who take a critical view on vaccines, about what they perceive as the suppression of dissent in the field of vaccines, their response to it, and its potential implications on science and medicine. Respondents reported being subjected to a variety of censorship and suppression tactics, including the retraction of papers pointing to vaccine safety problems, negative publicity, difficulty in obtaining research funding, calls for dismissal, summonses to official hearings, suspension of medical licenses, and self-censorship. Respondents also reported on what has been termed a “backfire effect” – a counter-reaction that draws more attention to the opponents’ position. Suppression of dissent impairs scientific discourse and research practice while creating the false impression of scientific consensus. (shrink)

In recent years, inter-medial studies have attracted increasing attention in arts theory. The notion of 'inter-mediality' presupposes that each established art - such as theatre, painting, and cinema - indicates the existence of a particular medium, which preserves its distinct features in translations from art to art and, especially, in its combinations with others in single works. Nonetheless, this field of research is presupposed already in the traditional studies of 'ekphrasis', which focus on the verbal accounts of nonverbal works of (...) art; and in Wagner's notion of Gesamtkuntswerk. This renewed interest generated new fields of research, such as (a) the likelihood of the arts reflecting common grounds; (b) the necessity of a shared metalanguage; (b) the possibility of inter-medial translation; and (d) the inter-medial coexistence within a single work of art, without hindering the reading, interpreting and experiencing abilities of receivers. In honor of Eli Rozik, Ph.D., professor emeritus, former head of the Department of Theatre Studies, and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Tel Aviv University, this collection provides overviews of all these theoretical issues, and tackles the contemporary practical questions that arise from attempts to transgress the boundaries between the established disciplines of arts studies. Considering first the theoretical aspects of inter-art, inter-mediality, and nonverbal literacy, Exploring the Common Grounds of the Arts goes on to discuss by means of performance analysis; dialogues between the arts within a single work; and correspondences between visual and auditory stimuli in musical contexts. It concludes with a discussion of practical examples of inter-mediality in religious representations, official processions, and public performances. (shrink)

This study aims to identify the necessary strategies for the development of a sustainable financial system. For this purpose, a novel approach could be provided for soft computing with Gaussian-based fuzzy DEMATEL approach to understand the significant levels and impact-relation degrees of these criteria. For robustness check, this evaluation has also been performed for triangular and trapezoidal fuzzy sets. There are many novelties of this study. Firstly, computer science has a significant role in the decision-making process. Another specificity is that (...) the use of Gaussian numbers with fuzzy numbers is a new area. In addition, interval type-2 fuzzy sets also provide a significant advantage in decision-making under uncertainty. The results demonstrate that the size of the alternative financing, investment in efficient projects, and effective advertisement/promotions are the most important items to affect the performance of alternative banking system of emerging economies. Hence, it is recommended that the new banking applications should be applied by the state or the state can provide some incentives for foreign banks to invest in emerging economies, such as tax reduction. Another important point is that the financial intermediations should generate a component financial analysis team to examine the financial reports of the companies in detail so that the financial credibility of these companies can be evaluated more effectively. (shrink)

Respect, which is human virtue by its very nature, is a universal feeling and action. Prestige; it is expressed as being respected, valuable, and reliable. These intertwined concepts draw attention basically for nursing, in which interpersonal interactions stand out compared to other professions. Moreover, while continuing the services in a kind of mobilization environment during the pandemic process that we have been faced with since 11 March 2020 and will obviously be affected for a long time in our country, the (...) most common sense and respectful perspectives and approaches are needed. Respectful actions and respectful practices which are also included in the scope of professional ethics are more strategically important as we experience such a mass and historical human experience in which each of us is responsible for each other's health. The reputation of nursing continues to be formed and differentiated with how this profession is perceived by members of the profession and society, influenced by various processes from past to present. In this article, the change/development of the reputation of the nursing profession during the COVID-19 pandemic period was discussed. (shrink)

Background The use of lengthy, detailed, and complex informed consent forms is of paramount concern in biomedical research as it may not truly promote the rights and interests of research participants. The extent of information in ICFs has been the subject of debates for decades; however, no clear guidance is given. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of research participants about the type and extent of information they need when they are invited to participate in (...) biomedical research. Methods This multi-center, cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted at 54 study sites in seven Asia-Pacific countries. A modified Likert-scale questionnaire was used to determine the importance of each element in the ICF among research participants of a biomedical study, with an anchored rating scale from 1 to 5. Results Of the 2484 questionnaires distributed, 2113 were returned. The majority of respondents considered most elements required in the ICF to be ‘moderately important’ to ‘very important’ for their decision making. Major foreseeable risk, direct benefit, and common adverse effects of the intervention were considered to be of most concerned elements in the ICF. Conclusions Research participants would like to be informed of the ICF elements required by ethical guidelines and regulations; however, the importance of each element varied, e.g., risk and benefit associated with research participants were considered to be more important than the general nature or technical details of research. Using a participant-oriented approach by providing more details of the participant-interested elements while avoiding unnecessarily lengthy details of other less important elements would enhance the quality of the ICF. (shrink)

The basic resources of the Islamic Society are generally the Qur'an, the Sunnah, the mind, science and culture. The Islamic society that emerged with the migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 was the beginning of a new civilization. This civilization has created a society based on the unity of belief, which goes beyond the principles of language, color, race, geography, blood ties and nationality. According to the French-born Muslim philosopher Roger Garaudy, this society had a very different, (...) universal and transcendent character than the previous ones. Because the principles of the Arab society from which the prophet came, on the contrary, were based on the principles of tribe, cognate and nationality. While this society was based on the rich-poor, male-female, slave-master and black-white distinctions, the Islamic society abolished all these distinctions and was based on the principles of equality, justice, right, law and piety. The purpose of this society, which is the dual aspect of the Islamic society, which is based on the material and spiritual aspects of the Islamic religion, which is based on happiness in both the world and the hereafter, is to order goodness and prevent evil. Thus, the civilization in question both strengthened its own social structure and contributed to world peace. Garaudy opposes those who say that the Islamic civilization is not original but a product of collection and imitation, and says that this civilization is original and noble and its source is based on revelation. It is a region where great civilizations that left their mark on history such as Sassanid, Byzantine, Mesopotamian, African, Indian and Chinese civilizations were influential in the geography where Islamic civilization spread. While Garaudy attributes the reasons for the collapse of this great civilization, which dominated three continents, to the loss of its lively and dynamic character, he also lists some other reasons. He stated that the most important of these are sectarian bigotry and Muslims' distancing from understanding the Qur'an. According to him, the Qur'an is not a book that addresses only the seventh century. He says that the Qur'an addresses every age on its own terms. During the periods when this address of the divine revelation was fully understood, the Islamic society saw peaks in many areas. For example, during the Andalusian Umayyads, Islamic civilization rose to the position of the most developed country in the world. But when it moved away from its main sources, the decline started and the Islamic civilization went into a collapse. (shrink)

Work examines the interpretation of Dvaita Vedanta and explains the stand-point of Advaita Vedanta.

In our 2021 paper, “Houston: Do we have a problem?”, we argued that contra popular belief, there is no conflict between existence of ETI and theism in general and Christian theism in particular. In this paper we argue further that the existence of ETI, especially ETI who are sophisticated enough to travel space, is evidence for theism. That is, ETI confirms the hypothesis that God exists over its naturalist competitor.

Since the issue of the war against global terrorism emerged, the discourse surrounding the concept of human dignity returns as a normative basis for the protection of basic human rights. The term human dignity has existed since the days of ancient Greek philosophy and was further developed in dialogue with medieval Christian theology and the secular thought of modern times. This article places special emphasis on the understanding of human dignity as defined by a secular thinker and exponent of the (...) Enlightenment, Immanuel Kant. The concept of human dignity as developed by Immanuel Kant is rational and transcends the boundaries of religions, cultures and ideologies; therefore it is suitable as a normative basis for a multicultural society. But the article also does not turn a blind eye to some critical observations offered by adherents of particular ethics concerning the Kantian universal ethics. These critical observations emphasize the ethical principle of substantial solidarity in order to overcome the dangers of anonymity in each model of formal ethics. Keywords: Human dignity, multiculturalism, imperative, ethics, human rights. Abstrak: Sejak isu perang melawan terorisme global muncul, wacana seputar konsep martabat manusia kembali menjadi aktual sebagai basis normatif dalam melindungi hak-hak dasar manusia. Istilah martabat manusia sudah lahir sejak zaman Yunani kuno dan dalam perjalanan sejarah berdialog dengan pandangan teologi Kristen Abad Pertengahan serta pemikiran sekular abad modern. Tulisan ini mencoba memberikan penekanan khusus pada pemahaman tentang martabat manusia seperti dirumuskan oleh pemikir sekular abad pencerahan yakni Immanuel Kant. Konsep martabat manusia yang dikembangkan oleh Immanuel Kant bersifat rasional dan melampaui sekat-sekat agama, ideologi dan budaya; sehingga dipandang layak untuk dijadikan basis normatif sebuah masyarakat multikultural. Akan tetapi, penulis juga tidak menutup mata terhadap beberapa catatan kritis yang diberikan oleh beberapa pengikut etika khusus berkaitan dengan etika universal Kant. Catatan-catatan kritis tersebut menekankan aspek solidaritas substansial dalam etika untuk mengatasi bahaya-bahaya anonimitas dalam setiap model etika formal. Kata-kata Kunci: Martabat manusia, multikulturalitas, imperatif, etika, hak-hak asasi manusia. (shrink)

The main purpose of this paper is to show that left-monotone risk aversion, a meaningful refinement of strong risk aversion, characterizes decision makers for whom deductible insurance is optimal. A second goal is to prove that the deductible’s computation is particularly tractable in the case of Yaari’s decision makers.

Posty do druziv (cherez saĭt "Filosofii︠a︡ v Ukraïni) z sela Shevchenkovoho -- Buty i prahnuty -- Asymetrii︠a︡ butti︠a︡ -- Karl I︠A︡spers "Prosvitlenni︠a︡ ekzystent︠s︡iï. Dosvid prochytanni︠a︡ -- Peremyslyty vse.

İnsan dost olarak kendini bilir. Bu çalışma fıtratı üzerine kendini bilme eyleminde, dost kavra-mının ‘Dost etiği’ bağlamında yerini sorgulamak olacaktır. Dostu kardeş karşılığı kullanmayı denemek istiyorum. Kardeşlik ya dost, fıtrat üzere sorumluluk bilinci olanın kendisi için insanlı-ğı görme biçiminin adıdır. Dost, nesne bir örnek olan üzerinden insanlığın kendini arayış serüve-ninde her bir anda varoluşa dahil olmanın imkanıdır. Bu çalışma dost etiği başlığıyla bu imkânı Yunus Emre üzerinden betimlemeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Evolutionary transitions in individuality (ETIs) involve the formation of Darwinian collectives from Darwinian particles. The transition from cells to multicellular life is a prime example. During an ETI, collectives become units of selection in their own right. However, the underlying processes are poorly understood. One observation used to identify the completion of an ETI is an increase in collective-level performance accompanied by a decrease in particle-level performance, for example measured by growth rate. This seemingly counterintuitive dynamic has been referred to (...) as fitness decoupling and has been used to interpret both models and experimental data. Extending and unifying results from the literature, we show that fitness of particles and collectives can never decouple because calculations of fitness performed over appropriate and equivalent time intervals are necessarily the same provided the population reaches a stable collective size distribution. By way of solution, we draw attention to the value of mechanistic approaches that emphasise traits, and tradeoffs among traits, as opposed to fitness. This trait-based approach is sufficient to capture dynamics that underpin evolutionary transitions. In addition, drawing upon both experimental and theoretical studies, we show that while early stages of transitions might often involve tradeoffs among particle traits, later—and critical—stages are likely to involve the rupture of such tradeoffs. Thus, when observed in the context of ETIs, tradeoff-breaking events stand as a useful marker of these transitions. (shrink)

Evolutionary transitions in individuality (ETIs) are events during which individuals at a given level of organization (particles) interact to form higher-level entities (collectives) which are then recognized as new individuals at that level. ETIs are intimately related to levels of selection, which, following Okasha, can be approached from two different perspectives. One, referred to as ‘synchronic’, asks whether selection occurs at the collective level while the partitioning of particles into collectives is taken for granted. The other, referred to as ‘diachronic’, (...) asks about the origins of the partitioning of particles into collectives. After having presented the two perspectives and a classical formalism used to deal with the levels-of-selection question in the literature, namely the multilevel version of the Price equation, I show that because this formalism treats the levels-of-selection question from a synchronic perspective, it is inadequate to explain ETIs. This is because a fundamental aspect of ETIs is the origin of collectives. From there, I develop a framework for levels of selection compatible with the diachronic perspective. This framework relies on the distinction between what I call, on the one hand, a ‘functional aggregative collective trait’, and on the other hand, a ‘functional non-aggregative collective trait’. After having presented this distinction, I implement it in the Price equation, leading to a new statistical partitioning of this equation which, I argue, represents a causal decomposition more relevant for ETIs. Finally, I exploit this partitioning to explain the critical stages of an ETI. In addition to its explanatory power, a measure of the degree of functional non-aggregativity could be used as a proxy for the degree of individuality of a collective. (shrink)

1. Zakaj začeti z moralo? -- 2. Tisoč zdravic in jutro potem -- 3. Zakaj sem liberalec in zakaj je to tak drek -- 4. Zdravstvene ustanove kot relikt socialistične (ne)odgovornosti -- 5. Kako brez kitajščine razumem Kitajce -- 6. Kako zapreti rudnik urana in postati neviden -- 7. Povest o dobrih ljudeh -- 8. Kralj na Betajnovi ali izvirni zločin oblasti -- 9. Slovenska izgorelost -- 10. Intelektualci -- 11. In na koncu, nam ostane telo.

The model of major transitions in evolution devised by Maynard Smith and Szathmáry has exerted tremendous influence over evolutionary theorists. Although MTE has been criticized for inconsistently combining different types of event, its ongoing appeal lies in depicting hierarchical increases in complexity by means of evolutionary transitions in individuality. In this paper, we consider the implications of major evolutionary events overlooked by MTE and its ETI-oriented successors, specifically the biological oxygenation of Earth, and the acquisitions of mitochondria and plastids. By (...) reflecting on these missed events, we reveal a central philosophical disagreement over the explanatory goals of major transitions theory that has yet to be made explicit in the literature. We go on to argue that this philosophical disagreement is only reinforced by Szathmáry’s recent revisions of MTE in the form of MTE 2.0. This finding motivates us to propose an alternative explanatory strategy: specifically, an interactionist metabolic perspective on major transitions. A metabolic framework not only avoids many of the criticisms that beset classic and revised MTE models, but also accommodates missing events and provides crucial explanatory components for standard major transitions. Although we do not provide a full-blown alternative theory and do not claim to achieve unity, we explain why foregrounding metabolism is crucial for any attempt to capture the major turning points in evolution, and why it does not lead to unmanageable pluralism. (shrink)

The evolution of complex life forms, such as multicellular organisms, is the result of a number of evolutionary transitions in individuality (ETIs). Several attempts have been made to explain their origins, many of which have been internalist (i.e., based largely on internal properties of these life form's ancestors). Here, we show how an externalist perspective, via the ecological scaffolding model in which properties of complex life forms arise from an external scaffold, can shed new light on the question of ETIs. (...) Ultimately, we anticipate progress in the field will occur by recognizing the importance of both the internalist and externalist modes of explanation for ETIs. We illustrate this by considering an extension of the ecological scaffolding model by niche construction in which particles modify the environment which later becomes the scaffold giving rise to collective-level individuality. (shrink)

Endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a valuable procedure which must be learnt and practised, and performing ETI on cadavers is probably the best way to do this, although lesser alternatives do exist. Performing ETI on a cadaver is viewed with a real and reasonable repugnance and if it is done without proper authorisation it might be illegal. Some form of consent is required. Presumed consent would preferably be governed by statute and should only occur if the community is well informed and (...) therefore in a position of being able to decline. Currently neither statute nor adequate informing exists. Endotracheal intubation on the newly dead may be justifiable according to a Guttman scale if the patient has already consented to organ donation and if further research supports the relevance of the Guttman scale to this question. A "mandated choice" with prior individual consent as a matter of public policy is the best of these solutions, however until such a solution is in place we may not practise endotracheal intubation on the newly dead. (shrink)

This research scrutinizes the repercussions of digital disinformation on knowledge disparities and delves into strategies aimed at fostering epistemic justice. The examination of the findings will involve a comprehensive exploration of various ethical frameworks and theories. This analytical approach seeks to identify the underlying ethical issues that may be inherent in the results. Ethical frameworks provide a structured lens through which we can evaluate the implications of the findings on different stakeholders, ensuring a thorough understanding of potential ethical dilemmas. For (...) this purpose, the research integrates philosophical, social, and technological perspectives. Firstly, through philosophical perspective this research explores the concept of epistemic justice and its conditions in the digital era. Secondly, this research will investigate the role of digital disinformation in creating knowledge inequities, especially the disparities in knowledge access and distribution. By understanding the mechanisms through which false or misleading information spreads in digital spaces, the research seeks to identify strategies and interventions that can eliminate the roots of epistemic injustice and foster a more just and enlightened knowledge landscape for everyone, regardless of their backgrounds. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan mengkaji dampak disinformasi digital terhadap disparitas pengetahuan dan memeriksa strategi yang diterapkan untuk memajukan keadilan epistemik. Pemeriksaan temuan akan melibatkan eksplorasi komprehensif terhadap berbagai kerangka teori dan etika. Lewat pendekatan analitis akan diidentifikasi dan diperiksa isu-isu etis yang mungkin melekat dalam hasil penelitian. Kerangka etika menyediakan lensa terstruktur melalui mana kita dapat mengevaluasi implikasi temuan terhadap pemangku kepentingan yang berbeda, memastikan pemahaman menyeluruh terhadap potensi dilema etis. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan lintas disiplin dengan mengintegrasikan perspektif filosofis, sosial, dan teknologis. Pertama-tama, lewat perspektif filosofis akan diperiksa konsep keadilan epistemik dan implikasinya dalam era digital. Kedua, penelitian ini akan menyelidiki peran disinformasi digital dalam menciptakan ketidaksetaraan pengetahuan, khususnya bagaimana disinformasi digital berkontribusi pada disparitas dalam akses dan distribusi pengetahuan. Dengan memahami mekanisme melalui mana informasi palsu atau menyesatkan menyebar di ruang digital, penelitian ini berusaha mengidentifikasi pelbagai strategi dan intervensi yang dapat mengeliminasi akar ketidakadilan epistemik dan memajukan lanskap pengetahuan yang lebih adil dan mencerahkan bagi semua orang. Kata-kata kunci: keadilan epistemik, disinformasi digital, ketidakadilan pengetahuan. (shrink)

One pressing question facing Barnes andWilliams is that of which vari- eties of metaphysical indeterminacy can be can accommodated within their framework. In what remains, I shall examine whether their framework can allow that it sometimes metaphysically indeterminate whether an object exists. I shall begin by outlining an argument, due to Theodore Sider, to the conclusion that vague existence is impossible.

Copernican reasoning involves considering ourselves, in the absence of other information, to be randomly selected members of a reference class. Consider the reference class intelligent observers. If there are extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs), taking ourselves to be randomly selected intelligent observers leads to the conclusion that it is likely the Earth has a larger population size than the typical planet inhabited by intelligent life, for the same reason that a randomly selected human is likely to come from a more populous country. (...) The astrophysicist Fergus Simpson contends that this reasoning supports the claims that the typical planet inhabited by ETIs is smaller than Earth (radius about 5,000km; cf. Earth's radius = 6,371km) and that the typical ETI is significantly larger than us about 314kg, the size of an adult male grizzly bear). Simpson's applications of Copernican reasoning are novel and exciting. They should be of interest to philosophers concerned with Richard Gott's delta t argument, the N=1 problem in astrobiology, limited principles of indifference, and probabilistic epistemology in general. While we agree with Simpson about the qualitative direction of his conclusions, we take issue with his presentation of precise quantitative results because his methods (1) display bias, (2) ignore other variables contributing to population size, (3) commit an equivocation, and (4) conceal their dependence on arbitrary assumptions. (shrink)