Without complete and accurate status information, a project manager’s ability to monitor progress, allocate resources effectively, and detect and respond to problems is greatly diminished, and this can lead to impaired project performance. Many different factors can contribute to intentional misreporting of status information by project members to the project manager. In this study, the impact of organizational ethical climate was assessed through the analysis of responses from 228 project members drawn from a variety of ongoing information systems projects. Our (...) results revealed that project members who perceived their organization to be one in which rules are followed strictly tended to misreport less, while those operating in an environment dominated by personal self-interest tended to misreport more. Somewhat surprisingly, the existence of a caring, team-spirited environment did not appear to have an impact on misreporting behaviors. Implications for researchers and project managers are discussed. (shrink)
This brief comment is a point-by-point response to some elements of Ron Hall’s review of my recent book, The Tacit Mode: Michael Polanyi’s Postmodern Philosophy.
I would like to thank the Sangha for inviting me to speak with you tonight. Some of you may be wondering what Measure H has to do with the Buddhadharma and why we are taking time during the period for sutra lectures to discuss it. I think it's very important to remember that all dharmas are Buddhadharmas, and that the Venerable Master Hua taught us that we have a responsibility towards the country in which we are living. This is one (...) of the few places in the world where we can freely practice Buddhism without interference or oppression from the government. This is a democratic country in which the principle of freedom of religion is practiced. In order to protect freedom of religion and to maintain the democracy in this country, all the people in the country, including us-both lay Buddhists and monastic Buddhists-must act responsibly. If you are a citizen, you have the responsibility to vote intelligently. If you are a teacher, you have a responsibility to teach the students how to be knowledgeable and responsible citizens of this country. And if you are student, you should learn what it means to be a responsible citizen. And if you are in none of those categories, you still have a responsibility to do whatever you can to lessen the suffering of all the sentient beings in this country. That is why it is important that you understand about Measure H and its relationship to the Buddhadharma. (shrink)
This brief comment is a point-by-point response to some elements of Ron Hall’s review of my recent book, The Tacit Mode: Michael Polanyi’s Postmodern Philosophy.
Measure H is confusing to many people, because the scientific issues involved are complex, and few have the necessary scientific background to analyze them themselves. When those of us of more advanced years were growing up, the university scientific community for the most part was independent and objective, today even the best universities are dependent upon multinational corporations for their funding. Many scientists even have to go out and fund-raise for major portions of their own salaries. Nowhere is the situation (...) worse in this regard than in the field of biotechnology. And no modern day Jesus has yet driven the money-changers from the temple of science. Where else can we look for guidance? (shrink)
Measure H reads: “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to propagate, cultivate, raise, or grow genetically modified organisms in Mendocino County.” It goes on to exempt any GMOs associated with medical treatment and any GMOs that come into the county through commerce. Genetic modification in the sense in which it is defined in the ordinance refers to genetic engineering, not conventional breeding or hybridizing. GMOs cannot be produced conventionally.
"Using hundreds of examples from newsrooms large and small, author Ron F. Smith challenges readers to determine how they would face moral dilemmas on the job. Chapters evaluate the search for principles, accountability, truth and objectivity, errors and corrections, diversity, "faking" the news, reporters and their sources, privacy, the government watch, deception, compassion, the business of news, journalists and their communities, and financial concerns. New to this edition: a chapter on improving coverage of minorities, expanded discussion of broadcast journalism and (...) reporting on the Internet, and stories from recent front pages and TV news programs."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (shrink)
This paper proposes a revision of our understanding of causation that is designed to address what Hartry Field has suggested is the central problem in the metaphysics of causation today: reconciling Bertrand Russell’s arguments that the concept of causation can play no role in the advanced sciences with Nancy Cartwright’s arguments that causal concepts are essential to a scientific understanding of the world. The paper shows that Russell’s main argument is, ironically, very similar to an argument that Cartwright has put (...) forward against the truth of universal laws of nature. The paper uses this insight to develop an account of causation that does justice to traditional views yet avoids the arguments of Russell. (shrink)
We show that a theory of autonomous iterated Ramseyness based on second order arithmetic (SOA) is proof-theoretically equivalent to ${\Pi^1_2}$ -comprehension. The property of Ramsey is defined as follows. Let X be a set of real numbers, i.e. a set of infinite sets of natural numbers. We call a set H of natural numbers homogeneous for X if either all infinite subsets of H are in X or all infinite subsets of H are not in X. X has the property (...) of Ramsey if there exists a set which is homogeneous for X. The property of Ramsey is considered in reverse mathematics to compare the strength of subsystems of SOA. To characterize the system of ${\Pi^1_2}$ -comprehension in terms of Ramseyness we introduce a system of autonomous iterated Ramseyness, called R-calculus. We augment the language of SOA with additional set terms (called R-terms) ${R\vec{x}X\phi(\vec{x},X)}$ for each first order formula ${\phi(\vec{x},X)}$ (where φ may contain further R-terms). The R-calculus is a system which comprises comprehension for all first order formulas (which may contain R-terms or other set parameters) and defining axioms for the R-terms which claim that for each ${\vec{x}}$ , we can remove finitely many elements from the set ${R\vec{x}X\phi(\vec{x},X)}$ such that the remaining set is homogeneous for ${\{{X}{\phi(\vec{x},X)\}}}$ . We show that the R-calculus proves the same ${\Pi^1_1}$ -sentences as the system of ${\Pi^1_2}$ -comprehension. (shrink)
In this paper we formulate epsilon substitution method for a theory $\Pi _{2}^{0}$-FIX for non-monotonic $\Pi _{2}^{0}$ inductive definitions. Then we give a termination proof of the H-processes based on Ackermann [1].
I discuss the attitude of Jewish law sources from the 2nd–:5th centuries to the imprecision of measurement. I review a problem that the Talmud refers to, somewhat obscurely, as impossible reduction. This problem arises when a legal rule specifies an object by referring to a maximized measurement function, e.g., when a rule applies to the largest part of a divided whole, or to the first incidence that occurs, etc. A problem that is often mentioned is whether there might be hypothetical (...) situations involving more than one maximal value of the relevant measurement and, given such situations, what is the pertinent legal rule. Presumption of simultaneous occurrences or equally measured values are also a source of embarrassment to modern legal systems, in situations exemplified in the paper, where law determines a preference based on measured values. I contend that the Talmudic sources discussing the problem of impossible reduction were guided by primitive insights compatible with fuzzy logic presentation of the inevitable uncertainty involved in measurement. I maintain that fuzzy models of data are compatible with a positivistic epistemology, which refuses to assume any precision in the extra-conscious world that may not be captured by observation and measurement. I therefore propose this view as the preferred interpretation of the Talmudic notion of impossible reduction. Attributing a fuzzy world view to the Talmudic authorities is meant not only to increase our understanding of the Talmud but, in so doing, also to demonstrate that fuzzy notions are entrenched in our practical reasoning. If Talmudic sages did indeed conceive the results of measurements in terms of fuzzy numbers, then equality between the results of measurements had to be more complicated than crisp equations. The problem of impossible reduction could lie in fuzzy sets with an empty core or whose membership functions were only partly congruent. Reduction is impossible may thus be reconstructed as there is no core to the intersection of two measures. I describe Dirichlet maps for fuzzy measurements of distance as a rough partition of the universe, where for any region A there may be a non-empty set of - _A, where the problem of impossible reduction applies. This model may easily be combined with probabilistic extention. The possibility of adopting practical decision standards based on -cuts is discussed in this context. I propose to characterize the uncertainty that was presumably capped by the old sages as U- uncertainty, defined, for a non-empty fuzzy set A on the set of real numbers, whose -cuts are intervals of real numbers, as U = 1/h 0 h log [1+]d, where h is the largest membership value obtained by any element of A and is the measure of the -cut of A defined by the Lebesge integral of its characteristic function. (shrink)
The energy-spectrum of two point-like particles interacting in a 3-D isotropic Harmonic Oscillator (H.O.) trap is related to the free scattering phase-shifts \(\delta \) of the particles by a formula first published by Busch et al. It is here used to find an expression for the shift of the energy levels, caused by the interaction, rather than the perturbed spectrum itself. In the limit of high energy (large quantum number \(n\) of the H.O.) this shift (in H.O. units) is shown (...) to be given by \(\Delta =-2\frac{\delta }{\pi }\) , also exact in the limit of infinite scattering length ( \(\delta =\pm \frac{\pi }{2}\) ) in which case \(\Delta =\mp 1\) . Numerical investigation shows that this expression otherwise differs from the exact result of Busch et al., by less than \(\frac{1}{2}\,\%\) except for \(n=0\) when it can be as large as \(\approx \) 2.5 %. This result for the energy-shift is well known from another exactly solvable model, namely that of two particles interacting in a spherical infinite square-well trap (or box) of radius \(R\) in the limit \(R\rightarrow \infty \) , and/or in the limit of large energy. It is in solid state physics referred to as Fumi’s theorem. It can be (and has been) used in (infinite) nuclear matter calculations to calculate the two-body effective interaction in situations where in-medium effects can be neglected. It is in this context referred to as the phase-shift approximation a term also used throughout this report. (shrink)
Tanabe Hajime (1885-1962) in his later years explored the so-called "dialectical" interpretation of complex analysis, an important part of his philosophy of mathematics that has previously been criticized as lacking mathematical accuracy and philosophical importance. I interpret his elaboration on complex analysis as an attempt to develop Leibniz's theory of individual notion and to supplement Hegel's view of higher analysis with the development in mathematics such as the theory of analytic continuation and Riemann surface. This interpretation shows the previously underrated (...) philosophico-mathematical significance of Tanabe's argument. (shrink)
Heisenberg's position-measurement-momentum-disturbance relation is derivable from the uncertainty relation σ(q)σ(p) ≥ h/2 only for the case when the particle is initially in a momentum eigenstate. Here I derive a new measurement-disturbance relation which applies when the particle is prepared in a twin-slit superposition and the measurement can determine at which slit the particle is present. The relation is d × Δp ≥ 2h/π, where d is the slit separation and Δp = DM(Pf, Pi) is the Monge distance between the initial (...) Pi(p) and final Pf(p) momentum distributions. (shrink)
Background Informed consent is a requirement for all research. It is not, however, clear how much information is sufficient to make an informed decision about participation in research. Information on an online questionnaire about childhood development was provided through an unfolding electronic participant sheet in three levels of information. Methods 552 participants, who completed the web-based survey, accessed and spent time reading the participant information sheet (PIS) between July 2008 and November 2009. The information behaviour of the participants was investigated. (...) The first level contained less information than might be found on a standard PIS, the second level corresponded to a standard PIS, and the third contained more information than on a standard PIS. The actual time spent on reading the information provided in three incremental levels and the participants' evaluation of the information were calculated. Results 77% of the participants chose to access the first level of information, whereas 12% accessed the first two levels, 6% accessed all three levels of information and 23% participated without accessing information. The most accessed levels of information were those that corresponded to the average reading times. Conclusion The brief information provided in the first level was sufficient for participants to make informed decisions, while a sizeable minority of the participants chose not to access any information at all. This study adds to the debate about how much information is required to make a decision about participation in research and the results may help inform the future development of information sheets by providing data on participants' actual needs when deciding about questionnaire surveys. (shrink)
In the context of computational social choice, we study voting methods that assign a set of winners to each profile of voter preferences. A voting method satisfies the property of positive involvement (PI) if for any election in which a candidate x would be among the winners, adding another voter to the election who ranks x first does not cause x to lose. Surprisingly, a number of standard voting methods violate this natural property. In this paper, we investigate different ways (...) of measuring the extent to which a voting method violates PI, using computer simulations. We consider the probability (under different probability models for preferences) of PI violations in randomly drawn profiles vs. profile-coalition pairs (involving coalitions of different sizes). We argue that in order to choose between a voting method that satisfies PI and one that does not, we should consider the probability of PI violation conditional on the voting methods choosing different winners. We should also relativize the probability of PI violation to what we call voter potency, the probability that a voter causes a candidate to lose. Although absolute frequencies of PI violations may be low, after this conditioning and relativization, we see that under certain voting methods that violate PI, much of a voter's potency is turned against them - in particular, against their desire to see their favorite candidate elected. (shrink)
The present study aims to examine the relationship between the cortical midline structures (CMS), which have been regarded to be associated with selfhood, and moral decision making processes at the neural level. Traditional moral psychological studies have suggested the role of moral self as the moderator of moral cognition, so activity of moral self would present at the neural level. The present study examined the interaction between the CMS and other moral-related regions by conducting psycho-physiological interaction analysis of functional images (...) acquired while 16 subjects were solving moral dilemmas. Furthermore, we performed Granger causality analysis to demonstrate the direction of influences between activities in the regions in moral decision-making. We first demonstrate there are significant positive interactions between two central CMS seed regions—i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)—and brain regions associated with moral functioning including the cerebellum, brainstem, midbrain, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex and anterior insula (AI); on the other hand, the posterior insula (PI) showed significant negative interaction with the seed regions. Second, several significant Granger causality was found from CMS to insula regions particularly under the moral-personal condition. Furthermore, significant dominant influence from the AI to PI was reported. Moral psychological implications of these findings are discussed. The present study demonstrated the significant interaction and influence between the CMS and morality-related regions while subject were solving moral dilemmas. Given that, activity in the CMS is significantly involved in human moral functioning. (shrink)
In this second paper in a series on stochastic electrodynamics the system of a charged harmonic oscillator (HO) immersed in the stochastic zero-point field is analyzed. First, a method discussed by Claverie and Diner and Sanchez-Ron and Sanz permits a finite closed form renormalization of the oscillator frequency and charge, and allows the third-order Abraham-Lorentz (AL) nonrelativistic equation of motion, in dipole approximation, to be rewritten as an ordinary second-order equation, which thereby admits a conventional phase-space description and precludes the (...) runaway solutions of the AL equation. Second, following several authors, a momentum is defined that reduces to the usual canonical momentum in the limit of no radiation reaction, and the statistical moments of the oscillator position and this momentum are calculated in closed form to all orders of the radiative corrections. As has been shown by many authors, the velocity second moment is unbounded; semiquantitative arguments are given to support the conjecture that the use of the point-particle dipole approximation is responsible for this divergence. Third, it is shown that, to zeroth order in the radiative corrections, the renormalized HO has the same expectation energy found by other authors, that of the quantum ground state. (shrink)
