The autonomous life: a pure social view

In this paper I propose and develop a social account of global autonomy. On this view, a person is autonomous simply to the extent to which it is difficult for others to subject her to their wills. I argue that many properties commonly thought necessary for autonomy are in fact properties that tend to increase an agent’s immunity to such interpersonal subjection, and that the proposed account is therefore capable of providing theoretical unity to many of the otherwise heterogeneous requirements of autonomy familiar from recent discussions. Specifically, I discuss three such requirements: (i) possession of legally protected status, (ii) a sense of one’s own self- worth, and (iii) a capacity for critical reflection. I argue that the proposed account is not only theoretically satisfying but also yields a rich and attractive conception of autonomy

Taking the self out of self-rule

Many philosophers believe that agents are self-ruled only when ruled by their (authentic) selves. Though this view is rarely argued for explicitly, one tempting line of thought suggests that self-rule is just obviously equivalent to rule by the self. However, the plausibility of this thought evaporates upon close examination of the logic of ‘self-rule’ and similar reflexives. Moreover, attempts to rescue the account by recasting it in negative terms are unpromising. In light of these problems, this paper instead proposes that agents are self-ruled only when not ruled by others. One reason for favouring this negative social view is its ability to yield plausible conclusions concerning various manipulation cases that are notoriously problematic for nonsocial accounts of self-rule. A second reason is that the account conforms with ordinary usage. It is concluded that self-rule may be best thought of as an essentially social concept

Electrophoretic Analysis of Blood Serum Proteins in Three Species of Water Snakes (Genus Nerodia)

Serum from three species of water snakes (Nerodia rhombifera, N. erythrogaster and N. fasciata) from one geographic region was analyzed electrophoretically on cellulose acetate, and anodic mobility and relative concentration of the fractions were determined by a recording densitometer with an automatic integrator. Classification of fractions was based on mobility (Rf, values), and for identification purposes, bands were labeled in order of decreasing mobility (albumin and alpha₁, alpha₂, alpha₃, beta₁, beta₂, gamma₁, and gamma₂ globulins). Seven fractions were identified in each species with alpha₃ being absent from N. rhombifera and N. erythrogaster, and only one gamma fraction was observed in N. fasciata. In the three species, gamma globulin was the predominant protein (42-46%), and albumin levels were characteristically low ;however, a distinct difference was observed in albumin concentration (N. fasciata, 7%; N. rhombifera and N. erythrogaster, 16-18%). The Rf values and relative concentrations of other globulins showed heterogeneity in the three species, with the protein pattern of N. fasciata being distinct from the other two species

Scincella lateralis

Number of Pages: 4Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Isotope (¹⁴C and ¹³C) analysis of deep peat CO₂ using a passive sampling technique

We developed and tested a new method to collect CO<sub>2</sub> from the surface to deep layers of a peatland for radiocarbon analysis. The method comprises two components: i) a probe equipped with a hydrophobic filter that allows entry of peat gases by diffusion, whilst simultaneously excluding water, and, ii) a cartridge containing zeolite molecular sieve that traps CO<sub>2</sub> passively. We field tested the method by sampling at depths of between 0.25 and 4 m at duplicate sites within a temperate raised peat bog. CO<sub>2</sub> was trapped at a depth-dependent rate of between ∼0.2 and 0.8 ml d<sup>−1</sup>, enabling sufficient CO<sub>2</sub> for routine <sup>14</sup>C analysis to be collected when left in place for several weeks. The age of peatland CO<sub>2</sub> increased with depth from modern to not, vert, similar170 BP for samples collected from 0.25 m, to ∼4000 BP at 4 m. The CO<sub>2</sub> was younger, but followed a similar trend to the age profile of bulk peat previously reported for the site (Langdon and Barber, 2005). δ<sup>13</sup>C values of recovered CO<sub>2</sub> increased with depth. CO<sub>2</sub> collected from the deepest sampling probes was considerably <sup>13</sup>C-enriched (up to not, vert, similar+9‰) and agreed well with results reported for other peatlands where this phenomenon has been attributed to fermentation processes. CO<sub>2</sub> collected from plant-free static chambers at the surface of the mire was slightly <sup>14</sup>C-enriched compared to the contemporary atmosphere, suggesting that surface CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were predominantly derived from carbon fixed during the post-bomb era. However, consistent trends of enriched 13C and depleted <sup>14</sup>C in chamber CO<sub>2</sub> between autumn and winter samples were most likely explained by an increased contribution of deep peat CO<sub>2</sub> to the surface efflux in winter. The passive sampling technique is readily portable, easy to install and operate, causes minimal site disturbance, and can be reliably used to collect peatland CO<sub>2</sub> from a wide range of depths

Radicalizing refamiliarization

In this short article, our aim is to consider contemporary American visual culture through a contribution to the question concerning Barack Obama. However, our article is not a work of academic philosophy, art theory, or even a description of the theoretical humanities. Rather, it is a postmodern meditation on the condition of American appropriation art