Some scientists believe that although evolutionary theory is explanatory, it does not have, in contrast to the theories of physics, any predictive power. This raises the question of its testability. The analysis given shows that there are good reasons to claim the unpredictability of evolutionary events; nevertheless, the evolutionary theory has potential predictive power. It is argued that the difference between biology and physics lies not in the predictive power of the theories involved, but in the different weight which is (...) lent to the forecasting of particular events in these sciences. A second source of confusion derives from the ambiguity of the term 'prediction'. In order to define 'prediction' for cases in which the term is used to refer to a part of testing procedure, the reference to the time-point "now" is quite irrelevant. Prediction of unknown observational data is sufficient for testing a hypothesis, but such prediction may or may not be identical with forecasting of future events. Different factors that may cause particular difficulties met by biologists in forecasting future events are analyzed subsequently in the second part of the paper. The conclusion is drawn that although particular cognitive situations limiting the ability of forecasting are very frequent in biological sciences, the claim about the peculiar logical status of biological theories is not thereby justified. (shrink)

How quantum computing is really done: a primer for future quantum device engineers.

Stanisław Głąbiński (1862-1941), professor of Lviv University and the author of the two-volume ‘National Economics (‘Ekonomika narodowa’), was one of the main representatives of the historical-national approach in Polish economics. The study of national economics which he created was divided into general economics, i.e. economic theory, and practical economics, referred to as economic and social policies. Głąbiński emphasizes that there is a close relationship between the latter and ethics. Before the development of economic theory, economic thought was normative, because of (...) its close relationship to ethics. However, it was not the history of economic theory, but the history of the notion of economic politics and of its practical application. Due to the social nature of ethics, there are also specific relations between it and theoretical economics. In modern countries finding a solution to the so-called social question has become a common task of economics and ethics. Ethical topics are also contained in the content of the category ‘social resources’, in which the social determinants of human economic activity find their fullest reflection. This applies in particular to the category of moral resources, which illustrates the functioning of state bodies and public institutions, the state of education, the prevailing habits and the customs and the character of the nation. (shrink)

The article deals with relation between the meaning of deontic sentences and the truth of some formulas of deontic logic. The following abbreviations have been introduced.

The question concerning the ontic nature of space-time points and of space-time itself - is the question: are these objects set-theoretic sets or individuals, i.e. nonsets? Two classifications of the standpoints concerning the nature of these objects are formulated and then they are intersected. In concequence three standpoints appear: mereological substantivalism, set-theoretic substantivalism and set-theoretical relationism; it is showed that mereological relationism is not real. It is proved that set-theoretic standpoints logically imply so called set-theoretic realism which accepts the existence (...) of sets (if Quine's conception of existence is assumed). (shrink)

Conceptual realism acknowledges the existence of abstract objects: theoretical realism acknowledges the existence of non-observable objects; whereas classical realism acknowledges the existence of observable objects. Similarly, temporal realism accepts the existence of future and past events along with present ones, and spatial realism accepts the events which occur there (else-where) as well as those that occur here. We dealt earlier with the three former kinds of realism and their opposites: nominalism, instrumentalism and (ontological) idealism [2]. This paper contains an examination (...) of the two latter forms of realism: temporal and spatial, and their counterparts: temporal and spatial irrealisms. Analogies and connections between these standpoints will be the focus of the paper. (shrink)

A logical-philosophical approach to the meaning-carriers or meaning-processes is juxtaposed with the anthropological-biological concepts of subjective significance uniting both for the semiotics of culture and the semiotics of nature. It is assumed that certain objects, which are identifiable in the universe of man and in the world surrounding all living organisms as significant from the perspective of meaning-receivers, meaning-creators and meaning-utilizers, can be determined as signs when they represent other objects, perform certain tasks or satisfy certain needs of subjects. Hence, (...) the meaning of signifying objects may be found in the relation between the expression of a signifier and (I) a signified content, or (2) a signified function, or (3) a signified value of the cultural and natural objects subsumed by the interpreting subjects under the semiotic ones. (shrink)

A report on the conference “Ecosemiotic Paradigm for Nature and Culture”.

The paper entitled “Future Conflicts Are Inevitable: Causes of Interpersonal Conflicts According to Immanuel Kant and Thomas R. Malthus” is composed of four parts. The first part outlines the validity and importance of the issue of interpersonal conflicts, as well as the need to unveil their deepest causes. The second fragment is devoted to the vision of discord between people, developed by Immanuel Kant. The author emphasizes that, in the opinion of the German philosopher, due to the “unsociable sociability” of (...) people, one has to take into account the impossibility of eliminating conflicts from interpersonal relations. The next part presents the concept proposed by Thomas R. Malthus concerning the causes of conflicts. The author observes that the Anglican cleric, supplementing Kant’s reflections, identifies non-human conflict-generating factors, among which the key factor is an indelible shortage in the environment of goods and values desired by people. To summarize the reflections made, in the last part of the paper, the author emphasizes that in the light of Kant’s and Malthus’ observations, it seems easier to understand why the dream of building a world entirely free of interpersonal conflicts is a utopian idea. (shrink)

A logical-philosophical approach to the meaning-carriers or meaning-processes is juxtaposed with the anthropological-biological concepts of subjective significance uniting both for the semiotics of culture and the semiotics of nature. It is assumed that certain objects, which are identifiable in the universe of man and in the world surrounding all living organisms as significant from the perspective of meaning-receivers, meaning-creators and meaning-utilizers, can be determined as signs when they represent other objects, perform certain tasks or satisfy certain needs of subjects. Hence, (...) the meaning of signifying objects may be found in the relation between the expression of a signifier and (I) a signified content, or (2) a signified function, or (3) a signified value of the cultural and natural objects subsumed by the interpreting subjects under the semiotic ones. (shrink)

Stanisław Głąbiński (1862–1941) professor at the Lvov University, the author of a two volume work entitled „National economics” is a representative of the historical-national trend in Polish economics. The subject matter of his concept of national economics is the national economy which is a higher rank entity, encompassing all economic entities in the country that are related materially and spiritually. Bonds that link individuals into a higher rank entity, i.e. a nation, are reflected in the term ‘social resources’. Głąbiński understands (...) them as moral and material heritage of past generations that influences attitudes of the contemporary generation. He divides them into moral and material resources, and especially emphasizes the importance of the former ones. In the concept of moral resources, Głąbiński included his claims concerning the whole socio-ethical conditions of economic processes. He appreciated the influence exerted by the changes in the ethical viewpoint of the society on the economic activity as well as on the shaping of the sense of duty towards the whole society. Special emphasis placed in Głąbiński’s economic theory on the role of ethical motives undoubtedly springs from the influence exerted by the German historical school and, in particular, by Bruno Hildebrand. It also is a result of the effect of Polish economic thought including in particular the views of Fryderyk Skarbek and Józef Supiński. According to Głąbiński, the most important constituent element of material resources was finance, understood by him as stocks of economic goods. (shrink)

The domain of contemporary physics consists of two different classes of objects: a) of physical objects - events, particles (and their aggregates) and fields; b) spatio-temporal objects - space-time points, moments, space points and their corresponding sets: space-time, time and space. If objects of some kind (physical or spatio-temporal) are treated as individuals (= nonsets), then it is possible to define (equivalently) all remaining kinds of objects belonging to both classes which were mentioned above. This way we can construct two (...) monistic ontologies of physics: eventism founded on events, and the pointism founded on space-time points. It is also possible to construct a dualistic ontology of physics, based on events and space-time points. The paper presents these three ontologies. (shrink)

The paper presents an analysis of two basic notions of the ontology of physics: the notion of physical entity; and the notion of spatio-temporal entity. The author claims that there are three types of physical as well as spatio-temporal entites: (i) objects; (ii) propertes; and (iii) relations. The philosophical background of the author's considerations is his conception of point-eventism.

The conceptual framework of the article consists of three basic terms: „quasi-simultaneity”, „co-location” and „genidentity” (with their negations). Within this framework the author formulates and discusses his main thesis: if two events are not genidentical, then they are either spatially or temporally separated. This thesis expresses the fact, that, loosely speaking, time and space have their common basis in difference of things.

We know of three commentaries on Aristotle by Theodoricus de Magdeburg: The Quaestiones super De physica, the Quaestiones super De substantia orbis, and the Quaestiones super De anima. This paper presents an analysis of some of Thedoricus' s questions with regard to three main topics: Matter and Substance, God, and Man and Soul. The investigation of the first two works - and of the first two topics respectively - starts with an assessment of their contents. It turns out, however, that (...) Super De physica scarcely differs from super De substantia orbis and that the few differences are rather superficial. Theodoricus' s Super De anima mainly expounds the theory of the intellect. The analysis concentrates on his role in the debates with other Latin Averroists such as John of Jandun. It is evident that Theodoricus, even in his disagreement with other philosophers, essentially relies on Averroistic thought; but he also strikes out in new directions. These two characteristics of his philosophy - consistency and originality - mark him as an outstanding thinker in the tradition of Latin Averroism. (shrink)

Biografia Martina Heideggera zawiera niejasne karty związane z jego przystąpieniem do partii nazistowskiej oraz sprawowaniem urzędu rektorskiego z nazistowskiej nominacji. „Okres nazistowski” wzbudził dyskusje na temat związków łączących ten polityczny gest z myślą filozoficzną. Szczególnie zaawansowane badania pojawiły się w filozofii francuskiej i przyjęły postać polityki wobec filozofii Heideggera. Jej rozwój podzielono na trzy etapy: wyciszenie, nagłośnienie oraz wzmocnienie. Stanowisko apologetyczne broniło niemieckiego filozofa oraz jego dzieło przed oskarżeniem o uleganie wpływem ideologii nazistowskiej. Stanowisko oskarżycielskie akcentowało zbliżenie osoby i dzieła (...) z nazizmem, co ujawniło się zwłaszcza w motywach językowo-symbolicznych. (shrink)