In der europäischen Kunstgeschichte ist seit den Arbeiten Alois Riegls vor gut einhundert Jahren nach und nach die Auffassung Gemeingut geworden, dass die Antike über die römische Kaiserzeit hinweg fortdauerte und dass spätantiker Kunst eine eigene Wertigkeit zuzusprechen ist – von Rom als dem „Ende der Antike“ kann nur insoweit die Rede sein, als die Christianisierung des Römischen Reiches auch die Kunst einem starken Wandel unterwarf. Nicht einmal die arabische Eroberung weiter Teile des Oströmischen Reiches im 7. Jahrhundert bedeutete für (...) diese Gebiete einen Bruch mit der Kultur der Spätantike. Die Absicht, diese These durch kunsthistorische Beobachtungen zu erhärten, formuliert Garth Fowden (F.) schon mit dem Untertitel seines Buches über Qusayr ‘Amra. (shrink)

The paper examines Schopenhauer’s complex diagrams from the Berlin Lectures of the 1820 s, which show certain partitions of classes. Drawing upon ideas and techniques from logical geometry, we show that Schopenhauer’s partition diagrams systematically give rise to a special type of Aristotelian diagrams, viz. (strong) α -structures.

"Dialogisches Handeln" ist eine Sammlung von philosophischen BeitrAgen zum dialogischen Konstruktivismus im Sinne von Kuno Lorenz, der Philosophie als eine Kommunikation mit Selbstreflexion versteht. Dabei umfaAt der Dialog in diesem Buch verschiedene Disziplinen der Philosophie - von der Anthropologie A1/4ber die Grundlagen von Logik und Sprachphilosophie bis hin zur Wissenschafts- und Erkenntnistheorie. Die Reflexion auf die kommunikativen Grundlagen wissenschaftlichen Austauschs schlieAt dabei Denkperspektiven verschiedener Wissenschaften - von der Psychologie bis zu Physik und Chemie - ebenso ein wie die philosophischen (...) Disziplinen. (shrink)

Law is an ontologically ideal entity. This feature shall be explored in order to explain why law cannot be perceived by the senses, why its contents can remain constant over time, why it can in principle be translated and why it does not have a dual nature. Due to law’s ontologically ideal nature it is independent from time and space, normative in kind and open for rational arguments. Although law can in many regards be abstract, its ontologically ideal nature has (...) to be distinguished from abstractness. (shrink)

Due to the spread of COVID-19, a key challenge was to reduce potential staff shortages in the healthcare sector. Besides recruiting retired healthcare workers, medical students were considered to support this task. Commitment of medical students in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated using an online survey, with particular focus on their burdens and anxieties. This survey was distributed to students within a 2-week period in April and May 2020. Ultimately, 1241 participants were included in the analysis. During the (...) pandemic, 67.9% of the participants reported that they had volunteered. Furthermore, 88.9% stated that they were against compulsory recruitment in this context. Students who volunteered had a significantly lower anxiety index than non-committed students. Additionally, students were more concerned about infecting other patients and relatives than themselves. Higher levels of anxiety were related to lower levels of commitment. A mandatory assignment during the pandemic was rejected by the students and does not seem to be necessary due to the large number of volunteers. (shrink)

Das heutige, mehr und mehr vom Aspekt des Werdens beherrschte Wirklichkeitsverständnis (Geschichtlichkeit, Evolution) verlangt nach einem ihm entsprechenden, von Grund auf dynamisch bestimmten Seinsbegriff, damit es philosophisch aufgearbeitet werden kann. Ein solcher Seinsbegriff findet sich in der sog. Prozess- bzw. Organismusphilo- sophie von A.N. Whitehead (1861-1947). Es ist das Ziel der vorliegen- den Arbeit, diesen herauszuarbeiten und für die weitere philosophische und theologische Diskussion bereitzustellen.

What are the relationships between philosophy and the history of philosophy, the history of science and the philosophy of science? This selection of essays by Lorenz Krüger (1932-1994) presents exemplary studies on the philosophy of John Locke and Immanuel Kant, on the history of physics and on the scope and limitations of scientific explanation, and a realistic understanding of science and truth. In his treatment of leading currents in 20th century philosophy, Krüger presents new and original arguments for a (...) deeper understanding of the continuity and dynamics of the development of scientific theory. These result in significant consequences for the claim of the sciences that they understand reality in a rational manner. The case studies are complemented by fundamental thoughts on the relationship between philosophy, science, and their common history. (shrink)

Martin Heidegger zählt zu den wirkmächtigsten Denkern des 20. Jahrhunderts - zugleich ist er einer der umstrittensten, nicht zuletzt aufgrund seiner Parteinahme für den Nationalsozialismus 1933. Basierend auf neuesten Quellen erzählt Lorenz Jäger das Leben des Philosophen, der den Menschen und sein Dasein in der Welt auf ganz neue Weise gedacht hat - von der katholischen Kindheit in Messkirch und den geistigen Auseinandersetzungen der zwanziger Jahre über den Nationalsozialismus bis weit in die Jahre des Wiederaufbaus hinein. Dabei begegnen uns (...) Lehrer wie Edmund Husserl, dem 1936 die Lehrerlaubnis entzogen wurde, Vertraute wie Karl Jaspers und Hannah Arendt, deren so schwieriges wie intensives Verhältnis zu Heidegger über historische Brüche hinweg anhielt, Intellektuelle und Dichter wie Ernst Jünger und Paul Celan, die ihn in seiner Schwarzwaldhütte besuchten, bis hin zu späten Interpreten wie Lacan und Derrida. Warum Heidegger jede Generation aufs Neue fasziniert und polarisiert, sein Denken auch heute nichts an Bedeutung eingebüsst hat: Auch das zeigt Lorenz Jäger in dieser Biographie, die meisterhaft das Leben Heideggers erzählt - und zugleich ein deutsches Jahrhundert"--Publisher's website. (shrink)

Mit dem vorliegenden Werk schliesst Lorenz B. Puntel seine Seinstrilogie ab; die beiden vorherigen Bande sind unter dem Titel Struktur und Sein (2006) und Sein und Gott (2010) erschienen. Der neue Band fuhrt das in den anderen Banden nur inchoativ formulierte gesamtsystematische philosophische Programm aus. Lorenz B. Puntel betrachtet das Thema Sein und Nichts als das ursprungliche Thema der Philosophie und stellt daruber eine umfassende Theorie auf. Diese Theorie nennt er Seinstheorie; sie besteht aus den beiden Subtheorien: Ontologie (...) als Theorie (des Seins) der Seienden und Einailogie als Theorie des Seins selbst oder als solchen. Ausgangspunkt ist die von Heidegger eingefuhrte ontologische Differenz, die Unterscheidung von Sein und Seienden. In eingehenden, auf den einschlagigen Originaltexten der wichtigsten Philosophen basierenden Ausfuhrungen wird der Nachweis gefuhrt, dass der in der Philosophiegeschichte feststellbare Grundmangel in der haufigen totalen und in sehr wenigen Fallen partiellen Ignorierung der grossen Seinsfrage besteht; nirgends wird diese in adaquater Weise thematisiert. In Teil II arbeitet der Autor die Grundzuge sowohl der allgemeinen Ontologie als auch der Einailogie heraus. Zwei grundlegende Thesen werden bewiesen: die Moglichkeit des relativen Nichts, d. h. des Verschwindens aller Seienden auf der Basis ihrer Kontingenz, und die Unmoglichkeit des absoluten Nichts, d. h. des Verschwindens des Seins selbst auf der Basis seines notwendigen Status. Gezeigt wird schliesslich, dass dem Sein selbst eine geistige Verfasstheit innewohnt, die aus Intelligenz/Denken, Wille und Freiheit besteht, womit die Moglichkeit eroffnet wird, dass das notwendige geistig verfasste und damit freie Sein sich weiter offenbaren kann. Dem nachzugehen, setzt aber eine grundlegende methodische und thematische Zasur voraus. (shrink)

For \(n\in \omega \), the weak choice principle \(\textrm{RC}_n\) is defined as follows: _For every infinite set_ _X_ _there is an infinite subset_ \(Y\subseteq X\) _with a choice function on_ \([Y]^n:=\{z\subseteq Y:|z|=n\}\). The choice principle \(\textrm{C}_n^-\) states the following: _For every infinite family of_ _n_-_element sets, there is an infinite subfamily_ \({\mathcal {G}}\subseteq {\mathcal {F}}\) _with a choice function._ The choice principles \(\textrm{LOC}_n^-\) and \(\textrm{WOC}_n^-\) are the same as \(\textrm{C}_n^-\), but we assume that the family \({\mathcal {F}}\) is linearly orderable (...) (for \(\textrm{LOC}_n^-\) ) or well-orderable (for \(\textrm{WOC}_n^-\) ). In the first part of this paper, for \(m,n\in \omega \) we will give a full characterization of when the implication \(\textrm{RC}_m\Rightarrow \textrm{WOC}_n^-\) holds in \({\textsf {ZF}}\). We will prove the independence results by using suitable Fraenkel-Mostowski permutation models. In the second part, we will show some generalizations. In particular, we will show that \(\textrm{RC}_5\Rightarrow \textrm{LOC}_5^-\) and that \(\textrm{RC}_6\Rightarrow \textrm{C}_3^-\), answering two open questions from Halbeisen and Tachtsis (Arch Math Logik 59(5):583–606, 2020). Furthermore, we will show that \(\textrm{RC}_6\Rightarrow \textrm{C}_9^-\) and that \(\textrm{RC}_7\Rightarrow \textrm{LOC}_7^-\). (shrink)

In the recent debate on future contingents and the nature of the future, authors such as G. A. Boyd, W. L. Craig, and E. Hess have made use of various logical notions, such as the Aristotelian relations of contradiction and contrariety, and the ‘open future square of opposition.’ My aim in this paper is not to enter into this philosophical debate itself, but rather to highlight, at a more abstract methodological level, the important role that Aristotelian diagrams can play in (...) organizing and clarifying the debate. After providing a brief survey of the specific ways in which Boyd and Hess make use of Aristotelian relations and diagrams in the debate on the nature of the future, I argue that the position of open theism is best represented by means of a hexagon of opposition. Next, I show that on the classical theist account, this hexagon of opposition ‘collapses’ into a single pair of contradictory statements. This collapse from a hexagon into a pair has several aspects, which can all be seen as different manifestations of a single underlying change. (shrink)

This paper explores the interplay between logic-sensitivity and bitstring semantics in the square of opposition. Bitstring semantics is a combinatorial technique for representing the formulas that appear in a logical diagram, while logic-sensitivity entails that such a diagram may depend, not only on the formulas involved, but also on the logic with respect to which they are interpreted. These two topics have already been studied extensively in logical geometry, and are thus well-understood by themselves. However, the precise details of their (...) interplay turn out to be far more complicated. In particular, the paper describes an elegant and natural interaction between bitstrings and logic-sensitivity, which makes perfect sense when bitstrings are viewed as purely combinatorial entities. However, when we view bitstrings as semantically meaningful entities (which is actually the standard perspective, cf. the term ‘bitstring semantics’!), this interaction does not seem to have a full and equally natural counterpart. The paper describes some attempts to address this situation, but all of them are ultimately found wanting. For now, it thus remains an open problem to capture this interaction between bitstrings and logic-sensitivity from a semantic (rather than merely a combinatorial) perspective. (shrink)

Semblanza de Alejandro Korn, por Francisco Romero.--Nota de la editorial.--San Agustín.--Pascal.--Introducción al estudio de Kant.--Kant.--Hegel.--Bergson.--Bergson en la filosofía contemporánea.--Croce.--Einstein y la filosofía.--Hermann Keyserling.

Linguistic Modelling of Scenarios proposes a paradigm change from the 'systemic VIEW' to 'systems SCIENCE', so as to extend the methodology of conventional science of physics into the domains hitherto beyond the reach of this kind of treatment. The book: I. Identifies the problematic issues in current approaches to the 'systemic or structural view' of parts of the world as opposed to the 'quantitative/qualitative views' of conventional science of physics and the arts whereby introducing the 'third culture'. II. Locates the (...) position of the structural view in the context of 'human intellectual endeavour'. III. Discusses the fundamental questions raised by modelling aspects of human behaviour. IV. Introduces the basic ideas and the symbolism of linguistic modelling which are then applied to turning descriptions of scenarios as a story or narrative into reasoning schemes. V. Describes a methodology of 'problem solving' of which design thinking and the operation of purposive systems are seen as essential ingredients. Problem solving is a universal activity of living in particular human beings through innovation, invention and creativity. Lack of this activity leads to death! Problem solving is regarded as pivotal point which may propel the spread of the modified structural view into social, technical, cultural and educational awareness. VI. Shows the location of aspects of conventional science within the scheme of systems science whereby achieving a 'continuity of the scientific endeavour'. VII. Outlines a teaching scheme for 'linguistic modelling'. Janos Korn explains how a view can be converted into a science which can lead to a possibility of 'organised speculation' or simulation of behaviour, exploring the effects of variation of parameters on performance, and the occurrence of outcomes of operations, beneficial or not, of dynamic structures. Static and dynamic structures are expressed in more rigorous and computable terms so that the results of analysis and design of human activity scenarios could be exposed to at least thought experiments. Linguistic Modelling of Scenarios is an informative read for any professionals, teachers and students of engineering, social science, management, business and production. (shrink)

For an integer \, Ramsey Choice\ is the weak choice principle “every infinite setxhas an infinite subset y such that\ has a choice function”, and \ is the weak choice principle “every infinite family of n-element sets has an infinite subfamily with a choice function”. In 1995, Montenegro showed that for \, \. However, the question of whether or not \ for \ is still open. In general, for distinct \, not even the status of “\” or “\” is known. (...) In this paper, we provide partial answers to the above open problems and among other results, we establish the following:1.For every integer \, if \ is true for all integers i with \, then \ is true for all integers i with \.2.If \ are any integers such that for some prime p we have \ and \, then in \: \ and \.3.For \, \\\ implies \, and \ implies neither \ nor \ in \.4.For every integer \, \ implies “every infinite linearly orderable family of k-element sets has a partial Kinna–Wagner selection function” and the latter implication is not reversible in \ ). In particular, \ strictly implies “every infinite linearly orderable family of 3-element sets has a partial choice function”.5.The Chain-AntiChain Principle implies neither \ nor \ in \, for every integer \. (shrink)

This paper studies John Buridan's octagons of opposition for the de re modal propositions and the propositions of unusual construction. Both Buridan himself and the secondary literature have emphasized the strong similarities between these two octagons (as well as a third one, for propositions with oblique terms). In this paper, I argue that the interconnection between both octagons is more subtle than has previously been thought: if we move beyond the Aristotelian relations, and also take Boolean considerations into account, then (...) the strong analogy between Buridan's octagons starts to break down. These differences in Boolean structure can already be discerned within the octagons themselves; on a more abstract level, they lead to these two octagons having different degrees of Boolean complexity (i.e. Boolean closures of different sizes). These results are obtained by means of bitstring analysis, which is one of the key tools from contemporary logical geometry. Finally, I argue that this historical investigation is directly relevant for the theoretical framework of logical geometry, and discuss how it helps us to address certain open questions in this framework. (shrink)

O tema da pluralidade de correntes filosóficas sempre ocupou a filosofia desde seu início. Hoje ele tem uma atualidade extraordinária devido ao fato inegável de que a filosofia está presente em todos os países dotados de uma cultura e língua com caráter suprarregional. Com exceção de alguns exímios filósofos como Hegel e Heidegger, o tópico foi em geral ignorado e/ou é apenas parcial e inadequadamente abordado. O presente ensaio propõe-se elaborar as grandes linhas de uma tematização sistemática deste complexo fenômeno. (...) Na seção 1 é apresentada uma breve caracterização das mais importantes posturas na filosofia atual a respeito da pluralidade de correntes filosóficas. As três posturas, às quais todos os posicionamentos vigentes podem ser reduzidos, são as indicadas no título do ensaio. O resultado de uma consideração crítica destas posturas consiste na tese de que somente a terceira postura, segundo a qual a unidade da filosofia em meio à pluralidade de correntes filosóficas representa um problema solúvel ou insolúvel, pode ser considerada uma concepção coerente e bem fundada. Tal posicionameno, porém, não exclui a aceitação de certos elementos da primeira e da segunda pos­turas. Na seção 2 são delineados os fundamentos para uma solução positiva do problema. Estes se centralizam no conceito de quadro referencial teórico com a tese subsequente de que existe uma pluralidade de quadros referenciais teóricos. Na seção 3 vem exposto o esboço de uma solução positiva, resultado da tematização das relações entre os diferentes quadros referenciais teóricos. São apresentadas e fundamentadas três teses. A primeira recorre ao conceito de verdade elaborado na filosofia estrutural sistemática e, nesta base, adquire a seguinte formulação: a cada quadro teórico bem formado e constituído corresponde um determinado grau de verdade. A segunda tese reza: quadros referenciais teóricos bem forma­dos e constituídos formam uma hierarquia a partir dos critérios de teoricidade, inteligibilidade, coerência, abertura temática ilimitada e rigor expositivo. Por fim, a terceira tese articula uma consequência metódica e programática de longo alcan­ce: uma tarefa preliminar e essencial da filosofia consiste em elaborar o quadro teórico de maior rigor teórico, mais inteligível, mais coerente e de maior abertura temática possível. O resultado não consiste na pretensão ingênua de elaborar um quadro teórico supremo e absoluto, nem mesmo o de atingir uma verdade cabal e definitiva. Este não é o ideal da filosofia. Na conclusão, resume-se brevemente o corolário geral das considerações feitas no ensaio: a unidade da filosofia não é uma grandeza fixa, estática e abstrata; ao contrário, constitui uma grandeza dinâ­mica e processual; além disso, o caráter real da filosofia dá-se somente como um processo de autodeterminação através das suas fases históricas concretizadas nas figuras chamadas de correntes filosóficas. (shrink)

Hendrik Lorenz presents a comprehensive study of Plato's and Aristotle's conceptions of non-rational desire. They see this as something that humans share with animals, and which aims primarily at the pleasures of food, drink, and sex. Lorenz explores the cognitive resources that both philosophers make available for the explanation of such desires, and what they take rationality to add to the motivational structure of human beings. In doing so, he finds conceptions of the mind that are coherent and (...) deeply integrated with both philosophers' views about such topics as the relation between body and soul, or the nature of the virtues. (shrink)

Excerpt from Die Kunst der Rechtsanwendung: Zugleich ein Beitrag zur Methodenlehre der Geisteswissenschaften Eine hnliche Definition der Philosophie geben Wundt ("system der Philosophie, S. 21) und Friedrich Paulsen, ("einleitung in die Philo sophie, S. W hrend Riehl ("philosophie der Gegenwart, S. 23) die Phi1030phie mit der Erkenntnistheorie indentif'rziert. Wesentlich enger fa t auch Windelband die Philosophie, indem er sie als die kritische Wissenschaft von den allgemeing ltigen Werten definiert, S. 1-irrtumer geworden. Daher unterscheidet sich die Philosophie im weiteren Sinne weder (...) im Objekt noch in der Methode von den positiven Einzelwissenschaften, vielmehr kann man alle Theorie als philosophisch bezeichnen, welche nicht im blo en empiristischen Kleinkram befangen bleibt, sondern sich der Einheit und des Zusammenhangs alles Wissens bewu t ist.1) Gew hnlich werden die theoretischen Disziplinen in Natur und Geisteswissenschaften eingeteilt. Hiernach haben die letz teren es mit der Erforschung des Seelenlebens zu tun, w hrend die ersteren die r umlichen Objekte betrachten. Neuerdings ist von Windelband in seiner Rede ber Geschichte und Natur wissenschaft und von Rickert in seinem Vortrag ber "kultur wissen schaft und Naturwissenschaft ein abweichender Ge sichtspunkt zur Klassifikation benutzt worden. Die genannten Autoren unterscheiden die sogenannten Gesetzeswissenschaften, denen es ausschlie lich um die Auffindung m glichst exakter Regeln zu tun ist, von den historischen Wissenschaften, denen die Schilderung des Einmaligen und Einzigartigen am Herzen liegt. Die Hervorhebung dieses Moments ist zweifellos sehr verdienstlich und fruchtbringend. Man darf aber nicht uber sehen, da sich diese Einteilung mit der alteren in "natur und Geisteswissenschaften kreuzt, denn es gibt sowohl nomotheti sche Geisteswissenschaften, wie vor allem die exakte Psycho logie als N aturwissenschaften, die auch idiographisch vorgehen, wie die Astronomie, wenn sie Mondgebirge und Sonnenflecken schildert, oder die Geologie, oder die Biologie, die von der Ent wicklung der Erde und ihrer Organismen berichten. Daher ist es verwirrend, wenn Rickert (s. 46) diejenigen Wissenschaften, deren Inhalt sich auf ein Besonderes und Individuelles bezieht, als Kulturwissenschaften bezeichnet, denn es ist nicht notwendig, da die idiographisch verfahrenden Disziplinen Werte oder Kulturbestrebungen als Objekte ins Auge fassen. Freilich mu die Darstellung des Individuellen und Einmaligen einen Wert besitzen, denn sonst w rde sich niemand mit ihnen besch ftigen. Aber das gleiche gilt von den nomothetischen Wissenschaften. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works. (shrink)

In the 1930s C. G. Jung embarked upon a bold investigation into childhood dreams as remembered by adults to better understand their significance to the lives of the dreamers. Jung presented his findings in a four-year seminar series at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Children's Dreams marks their first publication in English, and fills a critical gap in Jung's collected works. Here we witness Jung the clinician more vividly than ever before--and he is witty, impatient, sometimes authoritarian, (...) always wise and intellectually daring, but also a teacher who, though brilliant, could be vulnerable, uncertain, and humbled by life's great mysteries. These seminars represent the most penetrating account of Jung's insights into children's dreams and the psychology of childhood. At the same time they offer the best example of group supervision by Jung, presenting his most detailed and thorough exposition of Jungian dream analysis and providing a picture of how he taught others to interpret dreams. Presented here in an inspired English translation commissioned by the Philemon Foundation, these seminars reveal Jung as an impassioned educator in dialogue with his students and developing the practice of analytical psychology. An invaluable document of perhaps the most important psychologist of the twentieth century at work, this splendid volume is the fullest representation of Jung's views on the interpretation of children's dreams, and signals a new wave in the publication of Jung's collected works as well as a renaissance in contemporary Jung studies. (shrink)

In logic, Aristotelian diagrams are almost always assumed to be closed under negation, and are thus highly symmetric in nature. In linguistics, by contrast, these diagrams are used to study lexicalization, which is notoriously not closed under negation, thus yielding more asymmetric diagrams. This paper studies the interplay between logical symmetry and linguistic asymmetry in Aristotelian diagrams. I discuss two major symmetric Aristotelian diagrams, viz. the square and the hexagon of opposition, and show how linguistic considerations yield various asymmetric versions (...) of these diagrams. I then discuss a pentagon of opposition, which occupies an uneasy position between the square and the hexagon. Although this pentagon belongs neither to the symmetric realm of logic nor to the asymmetric realm of linguistics, it occurs several times in the literature. The oldest known occurrence can be found in the cosmological work of the 14th-century author Nicole Oresme. (shrink)

Description of the biologicalhierarchy of the organism has been extendedhere to included the evolutionary andecological sub-hierarchies with theirrespective levels in order to give a completehierarchical description of life. These newdescriptions include direction of formation,types of constraints, and dual levels. Constraints are produced at the macromolecularlevel of genes/proteins, some of which (a) aredescendent restraints which hold a hierarchytogether and others (b) interact horizontallywith selective agents at corresponding levelsof the niche. The organism is a dual levelconstrained by both the ecologicalsub-hierarchy (survival) and (...) evolutionarysub-hierarchy (fitness) while serving as thehighest level of the specializationsub-hierarchy, therefore, it is unique inbelonging to three sub-hierarchies. Organismsexperience birth, sometimes death, andparticipate in evolution. Birth of an organismis realized when a cell is removed from theconstraints of the organism and assumes itsown organismal constraints. Death occurs withthe cessation of protein synthesis becauseproteins and their products constitutecomponents at high levels of the hierarchy. Selection is of two types, natural selection,involving adaptive traits interacting withfeatures in a niche, and hierarchicalselection, requiring traits to be compatiblewith existing hierarchical constraints. (shrink)

Hugely controversial on publication, this is an insightful and characteristically entertaining survey of animal behaviour and the evolution of aggression throughout the animal world.

Any part of the world can be viewed and modelled in terms of its chosen qualitative and/or quantitative properties, OR its structure. The former approach has been used by nearly the whole of ‘human intellectual endeavor’, i.e conventional science of physics, the arts etc. Development of the latter or the ‘systemic view’ is the subject matter of the current work. The Purpose of Change is Problem Solving suggests that the ‘structural view’ is empirical, pervasive throughout experience and as such results (...) in a single domain as opposed to conventional science which consists of many domains like mechanics, electricity etc. Thus, a unique approach is required which is based on ‘general principles of systems’ translated into operational form by the symbolism of processed natural language called ‘linguistic modelling of scenarios’ which can carry mathematics and uncertainties. To model scenarios with complex structure, a description or story in natural language is expressed in terms of homogenous language of one – and two – place sentences, the ‘elementary constituents’ of which complex structures can be constructed [like a variety of buildings from bricks]. To correspond to the single domain, based on the logic of causation, a single scheme of ‘Management/producers – Product – User/consumer’ is proposed which is immediately applicable to structuring scenarios and guides their detailed linguistic modelling or design. The approach, subject to debate, can have significant impact on society and education, especially that of engineering which lacks a ‘comprehensive theory of structure’ of problematic scenarios. (shrink)

The Sure-Thing Principle famously appears in Savage’s axiomatization of Subjective Expected Utility. Yet Savage introduces it only as an informal, overarching dominance condition motivating his separability postulate P2 and his state-independence postulate P3. Once these axioms are introduced, by and large, he does not discuss the principle any more. In this note, we pick up the analysis of the Sure-Thing Principle where Savage left it. In particular, we show that each of P2 and P3 is equivalent to a dominance condition; (...) that they strengthen in different directions a common, basic dominance axiom; and that they can be explicitly combined in a unified dominance condition that is a candidate formal statement for the Sure-Thing Principle. Based on elementary proofs, our results shed light on some of the most fundamental properties of rational choice under uncertainty. In particular they imply, as corollaries, potential simplifications for Savage’s and the Anscombe- Aumann axiomatizations of Subjective Expected Utility. Most surprisingly perhaps, they reveal that in Savage’s axiomatization, P3 can be weakened to a natural strengthening of so-called Obvious Dominance. (shrink)

Emergent properties have been described by Mill, Lewes, Broad, Morgan and others, as novel, nonadditive, nonpredictable and nondeducible within a hierarchical context. I have developed a more definitive concept of a hierarchy that can be used to inspect the phenomenon of emergence in a new and detailed manner. A hierarchy is held together by descending constraints and new features can arise when an upper level entity restrains its components in new combinations that are not expected when viewing these components alone. (...) Examples of emergent features are matching anticodons and amino acids by aminoacetyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes appearing early among the first forms of life, negative feedback in end-product inhibition first occurring in microbes, memory in animals and apical cells in plants. Until recently, life was considered only in terms of physics and chemistry, but now it is known to have a third aspect of information that along with the descendant constraints in its hierarchical organization makes emergentism possible within a reductionist’s framework. (shrink)