This paper reflects on the presumption that there are distinct ethical differences between the supposedly ‘Anglo-Saxon liberal’ and ‘Latin (Southern European) paternalist’ ethical traditions. The predominance of the bioethical paradigm (principalism) is measured by a comparative analysis of regional moral opinion reflected in nation-state health laws. By looking at the way the ethico-legal concept figures into various national ordinances, we attempt to ascertain the extent and nature of variation (if any) between localities by exploring the understanding and application of principalism’s (...) keystone: patient autonomy. (shrink)

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), tremendous efforts have been made by scientists, health professionals, business people, politicians, and laypeople around the world. Covid-19 vaccines are one of the most crucial innovations that help fight against the virus. This paper attempts to revisit the Covid-19 vaccines production process by employing the serendipity-mindsponge-3D creativity management theory. Vaccine production can be considered an information process and classified into three main stages. The first stage involved the processes of absorbing information (...) (e.g., digital data and open science) and rejecting unhelpful information (e.g., misinformation and fake news) for effectively acquiring useful insights. Useful insights were later employed by experts, enterprises, governments, and international organizations through interdisciplinary coordinated efforts for developing vaccines within a short period. Finally, the appearance of multiple types of vaccines enabled more strategic options for vaccine distribution and administration. Findings from this vaccine creativity management process could be used as critical lessons for further improvements of vaccination programs. (shrink)

In their logical analysis of theorems about disjoint rays in graphs, Barnes, Shore, and the author (hereafter BGS) introduced a weak choice scheme in second-order arithmetic, called the $\Sigma ^1_1$ axiom of finite choice (hereafter finite choice). This is a special case of the $\Sigma ^1_1$ axiom of choice ( $\Sigma ^1_1\text {-}\mathsf {AC}_0$ ) introduced by Kreisel. BGS showed that $\Sigma ^1_1\text {-}\mathsf {AC}_0$ suffices for proving many of the aforementioned theorems in graph theory. While it is not known (...) if these implications reverse, BGS also showed that those theorems imply finite choice (in some cases, with additional induction assumptions). This motivated us to study the proof-theoretic strength of finite choice. Using a variant of Steel forcing with tagged trees, we show that finite choice is not provable from the $\Delta ^1_1$ -comprehension scheme (even over $\omega $ -models). We also show that finite choice is a consequence of the arithmetic Bolzano–Weierstrass theorem (introduced by Friedman and studied by Conidis), assuming $\Sigma ^1_1$ -induction. Our results were used by BGS to show that several theorems in graph theory cannot be proved using $\Delta ^1_1$ -comprehension. Our results also strengthen results of Conidis. (shrink)

Patients with serious illnesses or injuries may decide to quit their medical treatment if they think paying the fees will put their families into destitution. Without treatment, it is likely that fatal outcomes will soon follow. We call this phenomenon “near-suicide”. This study attempted to explore this phenomenon by examining how the seriousness of the patient’s illness or injury and the subjective evaluation of the patient’s and family’s financial situation after paying treatment fees affect the final decision on the treatment (...) process. Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics were employed to analyze a dataset of 1042 Vietnamese patients. We found that the more serious the illnesses or injuries of patients were, the more likely they were to choose to quit treatment if they perceived that paying the treatment fees heavily affected their families’ financial status. Particularly, only one in four patients with the most serious health issues who thought that continuing the treatment would push themselves and their families into destitution would decide to continue the treatment. Considering the information-filtering mechanism using subjective cost–benefit judgments, these patients likely chose the financial well-being and future of their family members over their individual suffering and inevitable death. Our study also demonstrates that mindsponge-based reasoning and BMF analytics can be effective in designing and processing health data for studying extreme psychosocial phenomena. Moreover, we suggest that policymakers implement and adjust their policies (e.g., health insurance) following scientific evidence to mitigate patients’ likelihood of making “near-suicide” decisions and improve social equality in the healthcare system. (shrink)

Patients with serious illnesses or injuries may decide to quit their medical treatment if they think paying the fees will put their families into destitution. Without treatment, it is likely that fatal outcomes will soon follow. We call this phenomenon “near-suicide”. This study attempted to explore this phenomenon by examining how the seriousness of the patient’s illness or injury and the subjective evaluation of the patient’s and family’s financial situation after paying treatment fees affect the final decision on the treatment (...) process. Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) analytics were employed to analyze a dataset of 1042 Vietnamese patients. We found that the more serious the illnesses or injuries of patients were, the more likely they were to choose to quit treatment if they perceived that paying the treatment fees heavily affected their families’ financial status. Particularly, only one in four patients with the most serious health issues who thought that continuing the treatment would push themselves and their families into destitution would decide to continue the treatment. Considering the information-filtering mechanism using subjective cost–benefit judgments, these patients likely chose the financial well-being and future of their family members over their individual suffering and inevitable death. Our study also demonstrates that mindsponge-based reasoning and BMF analytics can be effective in designing and processing health data for studying extreme psychosocial phenomena. Moreover, we suggest that policymakers implement and adjust their policies (e.g., health insurance) following scientific evidence to mitigate patients’ likelihood of making “near-suicide” decisions and improve social equality in the healthcare system. (shrink)

RésuméL'absolu, tel que nous le décrivent les grands textes taoïstes ou védantins, correspond à un modèle théorique d'une importance exceptionnelle: le Divin pluridimensionnel par opposition au Dieu unidimensionnel de notre monothéisme traditionnel. L'affirmation du Divin s'avère ici solidaire d'une intégration de toutes les formes de la finitude et d'un dépassement des coupures ontologiques analogues à celles qui séparent Dieu et les créatures dans le monothéisme créationniste.SummaryThe Absolute, as described in the principal Taoist or Vedantist works corresponds to an exceptionally important (...) theoretical model: the multidimensional Divine being as opposed to the unidimensional God of our traditional monotheism. This asseveration of the “Divine” implies an integrating of all forms of the finite and a transcending of all ontological divisions similar to those which separate God and his creatures in the monotheistic theory of creation.ZusammenfassungDas Absolute, wie es in den grossen taoistischen und wedischen Texten beschrieben wird, entspricht einem theoretischen Modell von ausserordentlicher Bedeutung, namlich der mehrdimensionalen Gottheit im Gegensatz zum eindimensionalen Gott unseres traditionellen Monotheismus. Die Gottheit zeigt sich hier verantwortlich für eine Integration aller Formen der Endlichkeit und für eine Ueberwindung der ontologischen Zäsuren, die mit denjenigen zu vergleichen sind, welche Gott und Geschöpfe beim Monotheismus mit einem Schöpfergott trennen. (shrink)

I. Par opposition à l’individualisme purement métaphysique, au logicisme ontologique et au positivisme radical, il est soutenu que le droit peut être justifié, dans le domaine de l’expérience, comme valeur idéale et dont une part peut être rapportée à l’individu.II. Pour cela on cherche à montrer que si tout droit a d’abord été inclus, comme toute norme, dans la communauté, l’individu, quand il s’est trouvé libéré au sein de cette communauté, a pris à sa charge la constitution de toutes les (...) normes de la vie sociale et morale. Il y a été aidé par sa dépendance même vis-à-vis de la société qui lui a permis d’user et de la socialité et du langage pour se désindividualiser lui-même au sens empirique de ce mot, et projeter, au- dessus de soi, en même temps qu’une expression de soi une discipline pour soi, et pour autrui, consciente, voulue et tout de même objective et universalisable.L’individu, dans et par sa socialité, s’est donc fait lui-même source et critère des valeurs qu’il respecte et qui l’obligent. A ce titre il a bien affirmé et son individualité et son autonomie subjective. (shrink)

Air pollution is a considerable environmental stressor for urban residents in developing countries. Perceived health risks of air pollution might induce migration intention among inhabitants. The current study employed the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) to investigate the rationale behind the domestic and international migration intentions among 475 inhabitants in Hanoi, Vietnam – one of the most polluted capital cities worldwide. We found that people perceiving more impacts of air pollution in their daily life are more likely to have migration intention. (...) The effect of perceived air pollution impact on international migration intention is stronger than that of domestic migration. Acknowledging a family member’s air pollution-induced sickness moderated the association between perceived air pollution impact and domestic migration intention, while the personal experience of air pollution-induced sickness did not. In contrast, the moderation effect of personal experience of sickness became significant in the international migration circumstance, but the effect of information about a family member’s sickness was trivial. The findings suggest that urban inhabitants’ consideration of air pollution averting strategies reflects some characteristics of Homo Oeconomicus. Additionally, the individual’s socio-economic decision is seemingly insignificant on a social scale. Still, through environmental stressors as catalysts, such decisions might result in considerable social outcomes (e.g., internal migration and emigration). (shrink)

Este trabajo presenta una propuesta para la investigación y la enseñanza de la parasitología. La Metodología de los Programas de Investigación Científica está basada en la metodología de Imre Lakatos. El “núcleo tenaz” del programa en parasitología es “las características de comportamiento alimenticio de los hospedadores explica y predice la fauna de endoparásitos que ellos albergan “. Las hipótesis auxiliares del cinturón protector son: i) hipótesis de los ciclos biológicos y ii) hipótesis del desarrollo de comunidades de parásitos. Las pre-condiciones (...) iniciales necesarias para el establecimiento de la relación parásitohospedador son: a) existencia del parásito potencial, b) existencia del hospedador potencial y c) existencia del biotopo potencial. Se discute el papel de las anomalías y se sugieren modificaciones al tratamiento hecho por Lakatos. Creemos que las anomalías no deben archivarse y acumularse hasta que la comunidad científica comience a dudar y cuestionar el núcleo tenaz. Es mejor que el científico resuelva cada anomalía a medida que se le van presentando, pudiedo resultar en el futuro en caminos insospechables para el trabajo teórico y empírico, y de esta manera aumentar el poder predictivo y explicativo del programa. En definitiva esto estará aumentando el “contenido experimental” del programa.This paper presents a theoretical methodological proposal for research and teaching in parasitology. The Methodology of Scientific Research Program, , presented here is based on I. Lakatos’ methodology. The “hard core” in parasitology is: the characteristics of the trophic behavior of hosts explain and forecast the parasitic fauna which they harbour. The following hypotheses form the hard core’s safety belt of the auxiliary hypotheses: 1. the hypothesis of the biological cycles; 2. the hypothesis of parasite community development. The necessary initial physical pre-conditions for the establishment of a host-parasite relation are: a.- the existence of a potential parasite; b- the existence of a potential host, and c - the existence of a potential biotope. The role of anomalies in the development of any MSRP is discussed and a modification of Lakatos’ treatment is suggested. We believe that anomalies should not be set aside until they accumulate to the point where the scientific community begins to doubt their basic hard core. It is better for the scientist to resolve each controversial event as soon as it emerges since these events, may, in the future, give rise to unsuspected paths of theoretical and empiricalwork, or even improve and widen the predictive and explicative power of the MSRP itself. This, in brief, would deepen the “experimental content” of the program. (shrink)

Devant l’intuitionisme, on conçoit un cours d’analyse amputé du nombre irrationnel. Des théorèmes qui semblent liés à l’arithmétisation du continu subsistent pourtant, dans le style finitiste, remplaçant le style totalitaire. Le trait d’union est le critère de convergence de Cauchy. Cette idée révèle des domaines de non-contradiction et favorise les efforts de coordination, par exemple pour les problèmes d’une infinité d’équations à une infinité d’inconnues.

Recall that B is PA relative to A if B computes a member of every nonempty $\Pi ^0_1(A)$ class. This two-place relation is invariant under Turing equivalence and so can be thought of as a binary relation on Turing degrees. Miller and Soskova [23] introduced the notion of a $\Pi ^0_1$ class relative to an enumeration oracle A, which they called a $\Pi ^0_1{\left \langle {A}\right \rangle }$ class. We study the induced extension of the relation B is PA relative (...) to A to enumeration oracles and hence enumeration degrees. We isolate several classes of enumeration degrees based on their behavior with respect to this relation: the PA bounded degrees, the degrees that have a universal class, the low for PA degrees, and the ${\left \langle {\text {self}\kern1pt}\right \rangle }$ -PA degrees. We study the relationship between these classes and other known classes of enumeration degrees. We also investigate a group of classes of enumeration degrees that were introduced by Kalimullin and Puzarenko [14] based on properties that are commonly studied in descriptive set theory. As part of this investigation, we give characterizations of three of their classes in terms of a special sub-collection of relativized $\Pi ^0_1$ classes—the separating classes. These three can then be seen to be direct analogues of three of our classes. We completely determine the relative position of all classes in question. (shrink)

L’article se concentre sur la pandémie de covid-19 dans une tentative d’évaluer la contribution éventuelle de l’analyse philosophique à la compréhension et à la résolution des problèmes éthiques, juridiques et sociopolitiques qu’elle soulève. On aborde une série de dilemmes cruciaux qui requièrent des décisions pratiques, avant et après la production et la disponibilité des vaccins, à la lumière des théories éthiques et politiques contemporaines. Il s’avère que dans la plupart des cas les conceptions déontologiques semblent l’emporter sur les considérations conséquentialistes, (...) qui ne s’imposent à notre raisonnement que dans des situations d’urgence immédiate. La pandémie nous permet également d’apprécier le rôle important des vertus éthiques et épistémiques dans la prise des décisions critiques. (shrink)

Recent accounts of the speed/accuracy relation for motor tasks have focused on the concept of motor output variability. We outline the advantages of this approach and the limitation of Plamondon's model in explaining movement error. We also examine and present complimentary data for rapid timing tasks. While these tasks do not meet the presented assumptions, the data still fit the model predictions.

The study of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) function has shown to provide useful indicators for risk stratification and early detection on a variety of cardiovascular pathologies. However, data gathered during different tests of the ANS are difficult to analyse, mainly due to the complex mechanisms involved in the autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system (CVS). Although model-based analysis of ANS data has been already proposed as a way to cope with this complexity, only a few models coupling the main (...) elements involved have been presented in the literature. In this paper, a new model of the CVS, representing the ventricles, the circulatory system and the regulation of the CVS activity by the ANS, is presented. The models of the vascular system and the ventricular activity have been developed using the Bond Graph formalism, as it proposes a unified representation for all energetic domains, facilitating the integration of mechanic and hydraulic phenomena. In order to take into account the electro-mechanical behaviour of both ventricles, an electrophysiologic model of the cardiac action potential, represented by a set of ordinary differential equations, has been integrated. The short-term ANS regulation of heart rate, cardiac contractility and peripheral vasoconstriction is represented by means of continuous transfer functions. These models, represented in different continuous formalisms, are coupled by using a multi-formalism simulation library. Results are presented for two different autonomic tests, namely the Tilt Test and the Valsalva Manoeuvre, by comparing real and simulated signals. (shrink)

Cet article aborde trois piliers essentiels de la culture maya : l’idée du monde comme un tout harmonieux au sein duquel tous les êtres vivants possèdent une âme ; l’idée de l’homme comme créature responsable de la planète et l’idée du temps envisagé de manière cyclique plutôt que linéaire, comme un devenir infini qui régit le monde et les hommes. L’idée de l’homme chez les Mayas de l’époque préhispanique a été recueillie principalement dans le Popol Vuh, un livre sacré de (...) l’ethnie quiché, écrit par les Mayas eux-mêmes une décennie après la conquête espagnole et dont les conceptions demeurent en partie valides pour les Mayas d’aujourd’hui, notamment la fraternité humain-animal et le devoir qu’ont les hommes de protéger le monde et de veiller à sa préservation. Ces diverses idées sont fondamentales pour ces peuples qui ont réussi à transcender le monde matériel afin d’y déceler des significations plus profondes dans la recherche d’une véritable harmonie cosmique. (shrink)