As a follow-up to the Common Knowledge symposium “Apology for Quietism” (15:1 to 16:3), this guest column asks what it means to say nothing. Strictly speaking, to “say nothing” is a contradiction in terms (unless, of course, one says “Nothing,” which is another thing entirely and generally not nothing). This essay explores what it means to say nothing in Tove Jansson's novella Fair Play (first published in Finland Swedish as Rent spel, 1989), an episodic account of the intertwined lives of (...) two elderly artists. Through its careful staging of saying nothing, the text calls attention to the many vital functions that silence serves: exposing tacit expectations, opening up creative and psychological space, enabling otherwise impossible relations. Bringing forth the diversity, complexity, and mystery behind hesitation and reticence, Jansson's novella emerges here as a quiet celebration of conversational practices associated with weakness, redefining the genre of the “love story” along the way. (shrink)

國分功一郎、千葉雅也、伊藤亜紗...「J哲学」の旗手たちは、いま何を問い、どこを目指しているのか? 最前線への最適な入門書。.

The causes of prehistoric inter-group violence have been a subject of long-standing debate in archaeology, an- thropology, and other disciplines. Although population pressure has been considered as a major factor, due to the lack of available prehistoric data, few studies have directly examined its effect so far. In the present study, we used data on skeletal remains from the middle Yayoi period of the Japanese archipelago, where archaeologists argued that an increase of inter-group violence in this period could be explained (...) by a population-pressure hy- pothesis. We quantitatively examine the effect of population pressure on the frequency of inter-group violence by compiling an exhaustive data set. We collected demographic information based on burial jars (kamekan) and the frequency of violence based on the ratio of injured individuals. The results are consistent with the hypothesis, i. e., high population density can promote inter-group violence. (shrink)

Das Problem der Intersubjektivitiit Intersubjektivität ist Husserl schon seit der Darstellung der Ideen I in Zusammenhang mit dem Problem der phiinomenologischen phänomenologischen Reduk tion sehr stark bewusst und wird, wie die neue VerOffentlichung Veröffentlichung 'Zur Phänome Phiinome nologie der Intersubjektivität'l Intersubjektivitiit'l ausdrücklich ausdrucklich zeigt, zeit seines Lebens in seinem Denken mit mehr oder weniger Intensitiit Intensität behandelt. Bekanntlich hat Husserl Hussed die Einfühlungslehre EinfUhlungslehre in seinem spiiten späten Versuch mit der 'Selbstobjektivation' 'Selbstobjektivation',, 'Selbstauslegung' des absoluten, anonymen, transzen 2 dentalen ego (...) erkliirt. erklärt. Gerade auf diesen Punkt konzentriert sich zutreffende Kritik und zeigt die Unvermeidbarkeit des transzendentalen Solipsismus; was als Grund für fUr echte echte Intersubjektivitiit Intersubjektivität gesucht gesucht wird, wird, niimlich nämlich die die Gleichursprunglich Gleichursprünglich keit keit von von Subjekten, Subjekten, fUhrt führt schliesslich schliesslich auf auf den den Weg der Radikalisierung der trans zendentalen Reduktion und der Erklärung Erkliirung mit der immanenten Zeitigung des transzendentalen ego in die 'einseitige Verlagerung des Gewichts auf ein konsti tuierendes Ur-Ich, dem kein ebenso ursprungliches ursprüngliches Du gegenübersteht, gegeniibersteht,...'3. (shrink)

The controversies over genetically modified crops in India involve what Gieryn refers to as ‘boundary work’ in the ongoing competition for credibility and trustworthiness among claimsmakers with opposing points of view. Discourse about GM crops involves extensive drawing of boundaries by actors including policymakers, technocrats, NGOs, scientists, industrialists, and farmers. The issues raised range from governmental processes to moral and ethical implications, from environmental consequences to integration into the global economy. Those involved in these discussions frequently invoke the idealized notions (...) of farmers and farming in order to situate themselves within the boundary of a particular social category which may lend credibility to their claims. While Gieryn has focused primarily on scientists’ attempts to construct a boundary between science and non-science in order to establish themselves as experts, strengthen the credibility of their claims and avoid political interference in their intellectual activities, this article focuses on a different way in which knowledgeable and influential actors lay claim to trustworthiness by drawing a different kind of social boundary around themselves. This article will especially focus on the ways in which the category of farmers is used in the GM crop controversies by actors who are in a position to influence public policies regarding GM crops, especially in their efforts to justify their policy prescriptions. The thesis here is that GM crop controversies in India reflect elite actors’ attempts to compete for a shared social identity with farmers, thus constructing a context for the particular public policy prescriptions they support. The thesis is supported by a lexical item frequency analysis of discussion related to genetically modified cotton in India which demonstrates that boundary work using social identity of farmers plays a significant role in shaping the discourse surrounding the adoption and governance of GM crops. (shrink)

An energy efficiency scenario (Joint Institute for a Sustainable Energy and Environmental Future) demonstrates that an energy future built on the use of cost-effective, high-efficiency technologies is clearly within the grasp of South Korea and would justify a nuclear power moratorium with significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions. This is a promising result, especially because applications of other sustainable energy options, such as renewables, decentralized technologies, material recycling/reuse, ecologically based land use planning, forest conservation, sustainable agriculture, and redirection of economic development (...) toward an environment-friendly industrial base, are not included in the analysis. Here lies one of the most fundamental policy choices of the newcentury: Will we build a sustainable energy and environmental future, or will we send forward the burdens and risks of a policy regime that is unwilling to value the future beyond the satisfaction of short-term interests and convenience? It is a critical time for South Korean policy making. (shrink)

This article evaluates Japanese foreign aid policy in light of the World Commission on Environment and Development's concept of sustainable development by focusing on Japanese official development assistance (ODA) to energy sectors in the global South. The analysis reported here finds two fundamental weaknesses in Japanese ODA policy on the energy sector: first, its premise of the compatibility of economic growth with environmental sustainability and, second, its heavy reliance on modern science. As an alternative, this article suggests a policy of (...) promoting small and decentralized renewable energy technology. (shrink)

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study found that even though children from all East Asian countries outperformed American children, American students reported higher self-evaluation of their math and science abilities than did students from East Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan (Mullis, Martin, Gonzalez, & Chrostowski, 2004). Such cross-cultural differences in self-appraisal fit the stereotype of the modest East Asian and contribute to the received view that East Asians have less positive self-concepts than Americans. This view (...) was summarized recently by Heine, Lehman, Markus, and Kitayama (1999) as follows: ‘‘The need for positive self-regard, as it is currently conceptualized, is not a universal, but rather is rooted in significant aspects of North American culture’’ (p. 766; but cf. Sedikides, Gaertner, & Vevea. (shrink)

In this paper I consider how the computer can or should be accepted in Japanese schools. The concept of “teaching” in Japan stresses learning from a long-term perspective. Whereas in the instructional technology, on which the CAI or the Tutoring System depends, step-by-step attainments in relatively short time are emphasized. The former is reluctant in using the computer, but both share the “Platonic” perspective which are goal-oriented. However, The “Socratic” teacher, who intends to activate students' innate disposition to be better, (...) would find another way of “teaching” and use of the computer. (shrink)

Savant syndrome and prime numbers Oliver Sacks reported that a pair of autistic twins had extraordinary number abilities and that they spontaneously generated huge prime numbers. Such abilities could contradict our understanding of human abilities. Sacks' report attracted widespread attention, and several researchers speculated theoretically. Unfortunately, most of the explanations in the literature are wrong. Here a correct explanation on prime number identification is provided. Fermat's little theorem is implemented in spreadsheet. Also, twenty years after the report, questionable aspects were (...) found in it. Extreme abilities became dubious. One possibility for the less extreme abilities is incomplete trial division. (shrink)

In kants kritik der reinen vernunft ist die urteilskraft ein vermogen, das besondere unter das allgemeine zu subsumieren. unter dieser bestimmenden urteilskraft wird die spontaneitat der einbildungskraft, die auf der subjektsseite von der urteilsform wirkt, durch die verstandesbegriffe, die die pradikatsseite ausmachen, beschrankt. trotzdem realisiert die einbildungskraft die verstandesbegriffe durch die produkzion der schemata. also muss die eigentliche spontaneitat der einbildungskraft darin bestehen, das intellektuelle ddrzustellen und zu realisieren. in kants kritik der urteilskraft ist die urteilskraft die reflektierende, zum besonderen (...) das allgemeine zu finden. unter dieser urteilskraft wird die einbildungskraft von den verstandesbegriffe (d.i. von der pradikatsseite) befreit. diese freie einbildungskraft erreicht das ubersinnliche substrat, das der natur und unserer vernunft zum grund liegt, und stellt es vermittelst der form und unform der natur dar. also ist das schone die darstellung der idee des ubersinnlichen in der begrenzten form der natur durch diese kraft. aber diese darstellung ist indirekt. (edited). (shrink)

Der spate Schelling sieht aber in der Natur nicht mehr die gottliche Poesie, sondern das irrationale Prinzip, auf dem die "Unseligkeit alles Seins" beruht. In die Natur zu pflanzen bedeutet daher in die Unseligkeit des Lebens zu pflanzen. Beim spaten Schelling liegt das Grauen der Schonheit zugrunde. Der spate Schelling fordert von der Kunst, sowie von der Philosophie, die Starke, sich mit dem Leben zu messen und ihre Kraft aus der Wirklichkeit zu nehmen. Und diese Starke allein fuhrt den Menschen (...) zur echten Freiheit. Hier konnte man einen Anfang der Asthetik des Schreckens finden, welche Schelling mit der spaten Romantik gemeinsam hat. (edited). (shrink)

Cette étude se focalise sur différentes méthodes utilisées pour l’analyse phonologique de la parole aphasique. Nous comparons des tâches expérimentales de répétition et de dénomination d’image, des tâches d’élicitation semi-structurées et de la parole naturelle. Nous montrons que le type de mots rencontrés, le type de consonnes ou encore le nombre de productions diffèrent selon la tâche. Si les protocoles expérimentaux permettent d’obtenir toutes les cibles voulues, les tâches d’élicitation semi-structurée permettent d’avoir un plus grand nombre d’occurrences de sons et (...) de mots et des productions subissant des transformations différentes. (shrink)

Two studies aimed to examine cultural differences in social support provision, with or without solicitation, in Japan and the United States. In Study 1, we replicated a previous study with Japanese university students. We found that the Japanese participants did not provide social support when it was not solicited, as compared with when it was solicited. Furthermore, in Study 2, participants were asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding a hypothetical stressful situation experienced by a close other and to indicate (...) their willingness to provide support. We confirmed our hypothesis that Japanese participants hesitate to provide unsolicited support to close others, even when they recognize that the close others are in need, whereas the American participants do not hesitate to provide such support. Contrastingly, regarding solicited support, the Japanese and Americans were equally ready to provide support, as hypothesized. The cultural difference in social support resides in the provision of unsolicited support. These results suggest that differences in culturally appropriate responses to needy people are responsible for the difference in the provision of unsolicited vs. solicited social support. (shrink)

ABSTRACTThe present study examined the effect of stimulus valence on two levels of selection in the cognitive system, selection of a task-set and selection of a response. In the first experiment, participants performed a spatial compatibility task in which stimulus-response mappings were determined by stimulus valence. There was a standard spatial stimulus-response compatibility effect for positive stimuli and a reversed SRC effect for negative stimuli, but the same data could be interpreted as showing faster responses when positive and negative stimuli (...) were assigned to compatible and incompatible mappings, respectively, than when the assignment was opposite. Experiment 2 disentangled these interpretations, showing that valence did not influence a spatial SRC effect when task-set retrieval was unnecessary. Experiments 3 and 4 replaced keypress responses with joystick deflections that afforded appr... (shrink)

Die vorliegende Bibliographie gibt erstmals einen Gesamtüberblick über die japanischsprachige Hegel-Rezeption von 1878 bis 2001. Die Bibliographie umfasst ca. 4500 japanischsprachige Titel der Übersetzungen u.a. von Hegels Schriften, Monographien, Aufsätzen sowie Lexikonartikeln, mit japanischen Zeichen, Umschrift und deutscher Übersetzung.

Im vorliegenden Buch wird das Verhaltnis zwischen den Problematiken der Zeit und des Anderen durchdacht. Die Genese der Zeit wird inhaltlich hinsichtlich der Entwicklung der drei Schichten des Werdeprozesses des Subjekts untersucht. Die erste Schicht wird als die ursprungliche, vor-ichliche Zeitigung durch die Triebintentionalitat zwischen dem Kleinkind und den Eltern angesehen. In der zweiten Schicht wird der Ursprung der messbaren, objektiven Zeitlichkeit und Raumlichkeit durch das Auftreten der aktiven Synthesen des Wahrnehmens, des Sprechens, des Urteilens, des Rechnens usw. intersubjektiv grundgelegt. (...) Dadurch wird die Integration der neurowissenschaftlichen Untersuchung des Bewusstseins durch B. Libet oder jener Spiegelneuronen durch G. Rizzolatti in die genetische Phanomenologie Husserls begrundet. Die dritte Schicht bezieht sich auf den Ursprung der Zeit aus dem Du der Ich-Du-Beziehung beim Erwachsenen. Dabei werden die Ich-Du-Beziehung und die selbstlose, nicht-ichliche Zuwendung zur Welt im Buddhismus in den folgenden Fragestellungen der genetischen Phanomenologie weiter vertieft: zum einen die Frage nach der Entstehung der einzelnen Empfindungsfelder aus der Ursynasthese, zum anderen die nach der Entstehung der Ethik aus dem vorsprachlichen und ubersprachlichen Schweigen der selbstlosen Zuwendung zur Welt. (shrink)