Online information intermediaries such as Facebook and Google are slowly replacing traditional media channels thereby partly becoming the gatekeepers of our society. To deal with the growing amount of information on the social web and the burden it brings on the average user, these gatekeepers recently started to introduce personalization features, algorithms that filter information per individual. In this paper we show that these online services that filter information are not merely algorithms. Humans not only affect the design of the (...) algorithms, but they also can manually influence the filtering process even when the algorithm is operational. We further analyze filtering processes in detail, show how personalization connects to other filtering techniques, and show that both human and technical biases are present in today’s emergent gatekeepers. We use the existing literature on gatekeeping and search engine bias and provide a model of algorithmic gatekeeping. (shrink)

It has been argued that the Internet and social media increase the number of available viewpoints, perspectives, ideas and opinions available, leading to a very diverse pool of information. However, critics have argued that algorithms used by search engines, social networking platforms and other large online intermediaries actually decrease information diversity by forming so-called “filter bubbles”. This may form a serious threat to our democracies. In response to this threat others have developed algorithms and digital tools to combat filter bubbles. (...) This paper first provides examples of different software designs that try to break filter bubbles. Secondly, we show how norms required by two democracy models dominate the tools that are developed to fight the filter bubbles, while norms of other models are completely missing in the tools. The paper in conclusion argues that democracy itself is a contested concept and points to a variety of norms. Designers of diversity enhancing tools must thus be exposed to diverse conceptions of democracy. (shrink)

This study examines the relationship between teachers' beliefs and their practices at Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11) in relation to the use of questioning. Data were collected from interviewing and observing Key Stage 2 teachers at four schools in the West of England. A Straussian approach to grounded theory is followed broadly in order to analyse the data. In contrast to the findings of previous studies, which suggested a mismatch between teachers' beliefs and practices in that teachers, in certain respects, (...) do less than they claim, the research revealed that teachers use a variety of skills during their teaching that they may not always be aware of. It is also argued that teachers do not share researchers' language to express the way they teach. (shrink)

This paper examines student teachers? perceptions of the course of school experience in a teacher education programme in Turkey. Data were obtained through interviewing student teachers in Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Turkey. In order to analyse the data, Strauss and Corbin?s grounded theory methodology was adapted. The analysis revealed that although the current teacher education programme put emphasis on effective practical training, in some circumstances student teachers feel that their chances of gaining real teaching experiences are minimal. The study suggests (...) that there is a need for further strengthening the existing school?university partnership in teacher education. (shrink)

In [5] Phillips proved that one can obtain the additive group of any nonstandard model *ℤ of the ring ℤ of integers by using a linear mod 1 function h : F ℚ, where F is the α-dimensional vector space over ℚ when α is the cardinality of *ℤ. In this connection it arises the question whether there are linear mod 1 functions which are neither addition nor quasi-linear. We prove that this is the case.

This study investigates to what extent Turkish formal complaint letters followed the ‘Problem-Solution Pattern’, and on how the writers expressed their wishes when they explained their problem and asked the authorities to amend a mistake. The study is based on a corpus of 134 Turkish complaint letters. It draws upon Flowerdew’s approach to the problem-solution pattern and the role of clause relations in this text pattern. Results showed that age-old Turkish rhetorical norms led writers’ choice of lexico-grammatical patterns in reflecting (...) politeness in order to maintain their own and the recipients’ faces. The speech acts in the ‘Problem and Solution’ parts below were hedged and impersonalized. The Turkish traditional rhetorical formula that was used in the request does not explicitly ask the reader to do something; in this way, the writers attempt to protect both their own face and that of the reader. (shrink)

The purpose of this study is to look at femicide from a different perspective, even though it may seem unrelated at first. Accordingly, it investigated the existence of a link between foreign exchange, which was a major cause of the crises and unemployment, and femicide, which was the outcome of violence against women other than murder. The data were acquired from the We Will Stop Femicide Platform and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey in light of the study’s (...) goal. According to the findings of the investigation, there is a long-term cointegrating association between the foreign exchange rate and femicide in Turkey. After 22.6 days, the deviation induced by a 1% change in the currency rate could be balanced. This study is notable for approaching femicide from a hitherto overlooked economic perspective, as well as demonstrating that exchange rate changes are “vital” in terms of non-economic reality and public health. (shrink)

Thagard presented a framework for conceptual change in science based on conceptual systems. Thagard challenged belief revision theorists, claiming that traditional belief-revision systems are able to model only the two most conservative types of changes in his framework, but not the more radical ones. The main aim of this work is to take up Thagard’s challenge, presenting a belief-revision-like system able to mirror radical types of conceptual change. We will do that with a conceptual revision system, i.e. a belief-revision-like system (...) that takes conceptual structures as units of revisions. We will show how our conceptual revision and contraction operations satisfy analogous of the AGM postulates at the conceptual level and are able to mimic Thagard’s radical types of conceptual change. (shrink)

I propose a novel hyperintensional semantics for belief revision and a corresponding system of dynamic doxastic logic. The main goal of the framework is to reduce some of the idealisations that are common in the belief revision literature and in dynamic epistemic logic. The models of the new framework are primarily based on potentially incomplete or inconsistent collections of information, represented by situations in a situation space. I propose that by shifting the representational focus of doxastic models from belief sets (...) to collections of information, and by defining changes of beliefs as artifacts of changes of information, we can achieve a more realistic account of belief representation and belief change. The proposed dynamic operation suggests a non-classical way of changing beliefs: belief revision occurs in non-explosive environments which allow for a non-monotonic and hyperintensional belief dynamics. A logic that is sound with respect to the semantics is also provided. (shrink)

The aim of this study is to identify research trends for technology use in pre-school curricula. Research trends were analysed by employing content and bibliometric analysis methods. A total of 3,302 articles indexed by Web of Science between 1975 and 2020 were analysed using bibliometric mapping analysis and a total of 31 studies indexed by Web of Science between 2016-2020 were analysed using content analysis. The results obtained from the study reveal that the effect of technology is examined in different (...) fields and with different stakeholder groups. It is identified that qualitative methods, interview/focus group interview forms, articles as document types and pre-school teachers among other sample groups were preferred more frequently. The country with the highest number of citations is identified as the United States of America and the organisation with the highest number of citations is identified as University of Virginia. It is recommended that researchers design their studies by following the trends in the field and conduct studies that address the gaps in the field. (shrink)

The concepts of “Islamic Fundamentalism” and “Islamic Terrorism” are the usual suspects in the present political reality and discourse. After the tragic events in New York, Madrid, Istanbul, and London, one has every reason to think that Islam is somehow a part of the problem. But in terms of the issues that we currently face, we must be careful to distinguish between understanding and the creation of scapegoats. There is no doubt that a terrorist act is unjustifiable, and it must (...) be categorically condemned in every situation. We must resolutely fight against any claim to the contrary. Even so, the…. (shrink)

An experience of helplessness during the production of a collective autobiographical narrative offers an opportunity to explore points of convergence between Adriana Cavarero's postural philosophy and Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger's matrixial borderlinking. The narrative is treated as a live scene that enfolds the movement of the drive conceptualized in such a way as to avoid the prioritization of death over life. Five successive moves, inspired by Ettinger's rotation of the phallic prism, illuminate affinities between the two thinkers. The first rotation explores (...) the matrixial and relational qualities that compose the scene. The second rotation approaches death from a notional beginning, prioritizing the presence of the mother and her assymmetrical relationship to the infant. The third rotation emphasizes the transformational character of Ettinger's matrixial movement and border-crossing, especially when examined in conjunction with Cavarero's maternal inclination. In the fourth rotation we show how inclination in Lacanian psychoanalysis is linked to the disappearance of the mother from the scene. The introduction of the mother disrupts the Lacanian logic with the possibility of a beginning just as immanent as desire and lack. Movement, qua embrace and unity-disunity, becomes an indispensable component of feminist ontology that captures the immanence of sharing in the matrixial-maternal plane. (shrink)

The practice of adding substances to make water safe to drink and its consequential effects on human health have been a contentious matter for a long time. In this study, the addition of fluoride in drinking water was evaluated after examining two different countries: Britain and Turkey. This study has used an independent and ethical approach taking into account the cautious but assertive dentists’ comments on the addition of fluoride for years. This research focuses on a comparative analysis of Britain, (...) an advanced economy, and Turkey, a developing country, supported with tangential reference to worldwide practice in general. Drawing on ongoing studies, the research analyses empirical evidence and arguments to conduct an assessment of Turkey’s practices. The ethical argument about fluoridation focuses on the question of adequate evidence for its health benefits and the autonomy of the consumer. As the consumer is not fully consulted about this practice, it could be argued that the will of the consumer can be put to the test in the democratic process. Hence, the key to any policy has to be about both clarity of the national government intention and continued engagement with consumer groups at regional level. (shrink)

This article critically analyzes Antonio Negri's democratic theory by exploring the theoretical significance of a concept that begins to appear in his writings after the 1990s, namely the concept of ‘love’. Negri's turn to love in the closing pages of his most recent books is puzzling, especially given his earlier recourse to notions of antagonistic struggle, direct confrontation and even violence. Using Jacques Derrida's conception of ‘the supplement’ for interpretive purposes, I argue that the concept of love not only enriches (...) Negri's account of democracy, but also points to a lack within his political thought. During the 1970s, as one of the leading figures of autonomist Marxism, Negri called for a radicalization of antagonism and the use of violence to ensure the political organization of the revolutionary subject without giving up on the emancipatory potential of ‘direct and immediate’ action. In his recent writings, Negri has supplemented the notion of ‘love’ for his earlier emphasis on antagonism to address autonomist Marxism's unresolved question of political organization. And yet, this turn to love comes at a price. Negri's understanding of love as the creative force of revolutionary consciousness leads him to erase the process of political contestation and mediation involved in the constitution of political struggles. Love, then, operates as a dangerous supplement, undermining Negri's commitment to multiplicity and diversity as central aspects of his democratic theory. (shrink)

Günümüzde eğitim, rotasını kimi zaman çeşitli türden izm’lerin, ideolojilerin, kültürel veya ahlaki normların, kimi zaman ise ulusal ya da bireysel çıkarların belirlediği, “her şey gider” anlayışından hareket eden, içi tıklım tıklım yolcularla dolu bir trene benzemektedir. Ancak dur durak bilmeksizin yol alan, hangi istasyonda duracağı da belli olmayan bu tren, yolcularına, kendilerini, diğer insanları, dünyayı ve hayatı, insan olmanın değerinin bilgisine açılan bir pencereden değil, rotasını belirleyenin istediği ve seçtiği pencereden göstermekte, onları her geçen gün insanın olmanın ne demek olduğundan (...) hızla uzaklaştırmaktadır. Başka bir deyişle, yolcularının çoğunluğunu, kendisi dışında geride kalanı umursamayan, insanın değerini hiçe sayan, sınır tanımazlığı, yararcılığı baş değer yapan, basmakalıp düşüncelere saplanıp kalmış, insanlaşamamış bireyler olarak uğurlayan ve geride nakarat olarak sadece koca bir “boşuna” çınlatan bu tren, insanlığı hızla sıradanlığın, sorumsuzluğun, başıboşluğun ve anlamsızlığın yamacından aşağıya, dekadansa doğru sürüklemektedir. Nitekim dünya genelinde artan şiddet, terör olayları, açlık, yoksulluk, çevre kirliliği, salgın bulaşıcı hastalıklar gibi yaşamı yaşanmaya değer olmaktan çıkaran, gözlerimizin hemen her gün şahitlik ettiği insanlık dışı manzaralar, günümüz eğitim anlayışına ve bu anlayışın yetiştirdiği insan tipine yönelik böyle bir tespitin en açık kanıtıdır. Bu nedenle, aslında çoktan ıskartaya çıkmış olan bu kara treni zaman kaybetmeden durdurmamız ve “insan nedir?” sorusuyla bağlantılı olarak eğitimin neliğini ve amacını yeniden düşünmemiz gerekmektedir. Bu noktada, eğitimi, insan onuruna yakışır bir yaşamı inşâ edebilmenin olanağının koşullarından biri olarak gören ve eğitime ilişkin felsefi bilginin realiteye bakarak nasıl ve ne şekilde ortaya konulabileceğini gösteren Kuçuradi’nin, ontolojik temelli felsefi antropolojiye dayanan insan, değer ve eğitim görüşüne kulak vermek bizler için yol gösterici olacaktır. Dolayısıyla bu çalışma, eğitimin kişilere öncelikle “insan kimliği bilinci” kazandırması gerektiğini düşünen Kuçuradi’nin insan ve değer görüşünü, buradan hareketle dile getirdiği eğitimin neliğine ilişkin düşüncelerini irdelemeyi konu edinmekte, eğitimin her şeyden önce olanaklar varlığı olan insan için bir insanlaşma sorunu olduğuna dikkat çekmeyi amaçlamaktadır. (shrink)

In the ordinary modal language, KD is the modal logic determined by the class of all serial frames. In this paper, we demonstrate that KD is nullary.

Epistemic logics are essential to the design of logical systems that capture elements of reasoning about knowledge. In this paper, we study the computability of unifiability and the unification types in several epistemic logics.

It is already known that unifiable formulas in normal modal logic |$\textbf {K}+\square ^{2}\bot $| are either finitary or unitary and unifiable formulas in normal modal logic |$\textbf {Alt}_{1}+\square ^{2}\bot $| are unitary. In this paper, we prove that for all |$d{\geq }3$|⁠, unifiable formulas in normal modal logic |$\textbf {K}+\square ^{d}\bot $| are either finitary or unitary and unifiable formulas in normal modal logic |$\textbf {Alt}_{1}+\square ^{d}\bot $| are unitary.

The unification problem in a normal modal logic is to determine, given a formula.

The purpose of this study is to identify the needs of vocational and technical Anatolian high school students for guidance. A mixed research methodology is employed in this descriptive study. With the guidance needs analysis survey, quantitative data was collected about the needs of students for guidance from a total of 2228 participants including 1437 students, 304 teachers and 487 parents. The qualitative data in the research were collected from school counsellors employed in vocational and technical high schools, from the (...) heads of guidance services employed in guidance research centres, from psychological guidance and counselling specialists working in the Ministry of National Education, from psychological counsellors representing Turkish Psychological Counselling and Guidance Association and those engaged by educational unions. The research revealed findings that the students need intensive guidance on topics such as identification of future career goals, learning effective studying methods, self-knowledge of interests and abilities, knowledge of professions and their basic requirements, focusing attention during lessons, protection from addiction, knowledge of developmental features of adolescence, university admission exams and opportunities for higher education. Furthermore, it was revealed that the guidance needs of the students were not met sufficiently, they needed services in all areas of personal-social, educational and career guidance, female students needed guidance services more than male students, and students felt more need of guidance services at higher grades. In line with the results of the study, further recommendations are presented to provide for the guidance needs of students. (shrink)

The product of two |$\textbf {Alt}$| logics possesses the polynomial product finite model property and its membership problem is |$\textbf {coNP}$|-complete. Using a reduction from an undecidable domino-tiling problem, we prove that its admissibility problem is undecidable.

In this paper, we study the relationship between Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. Using an extensive dataset from 23 countries consisting of 6800 firm-year observations, we provide strong evidence that EPU increases firms’ CO 2 emissions. Our main inference is robust when using alternative measures of CO 2 emissions and EPU, alternative econometric specifications and samples, and several approaches to control for possible endogeneity. In a set of additional analyses, we first show that a (...) board’s characteristics (i.e., board gender diversity and board independence) significantly moderate the studied relationship. Second, cross-country characteristics (i.e., government effectiveness, control of corruption, and democracy) seem important in the relationship between EPU and CO 2 emissions. Our findings significantly contribute to the debate on firms’ ethical responsibility in managing climate change and CO 2 emissions. (shrink)

Contact Logics provide a natural framework for representing and reasoning about regions in several areas of computer science. In this paper, we focus our attention on reasoning methods for Contact Logics and address the satisfiability problem and the unifiability problem. Firstly, we give sound and complete tableaux-based decision procedures in Contact Logics and we obtain new results about the decidability/complexity of the satisfiability problem in these logics. Secondly, we address the computability of the unifiability problem in Contact Logics and we (...) obtain new results about the unification type of the unifiability problem in these logics. (shrink)

In 1914, a madrasa teacher wrote a letter to the Ministry of Interior Affairs demanding the state prohibit all acts ‘incompatible with Islam’ including the oper.