41,117 research outputs found
Modern mathematical science and technology: Formalisation of the life world
In this dissertation, I offer a critical examination of modern science with a particular stress on the changes that the modern scientific project inaugurated. The focus is how modern science has radically changed the way we think about the world. I draw upon several phenomenological thinkers who have considered the changing nature of modern science and its relation to our present day thinking.
I begin by exploring the key differences between the Ancient Greek and modern scientific understanding of mathematics, geometry, and idealisation. Specifically, I discuss the reversal of Platonic geometry carried out by Galileo Galilei and the formalisation of Galilean physics achieved by Isaac Newton. In addition, I outline the key methodological features of modern science, which include indirect mathematisation and perfect causality, as well as the role of experimentation in the modern scientific project. Theory is central to modern science in its function of opening certain regions of things, while delimiting others. Thereby, I discuss how theory prescribes what counts as facts for science and experimentation, in advance.
Finally, I consider the pervasiveness of instrumental reasoning in modern science and technology. I conclude with a discussion of the institutional setting of modern science and its participation in business, governance, and power relations in these domains
A ConversĂŁo da ConsciĂȘncia como princĂpio da moralidade
Kant mostra que uma teoria fundamental da normatividade e da moralidade nĂŁo pode dar nem uma explanação nem uma prova da normatividade, mas apenas pode articular e explicitar sua origem. Ela pode fazer isso indicando o lugar ou o topos e a virada ou a trope de seu originar. Conforme Kant, o topos da normatividade Ă© a vontade enquanto razĂŁo prĂĄtica e sua trope Ă© o uso geral desta razĂŁo que tipicamente Ă© instrumental, no sentido da reflexĂŁo. A trope da origem da moralidade Ă© a autonomia, i.e., a virada da razĂŁo prĂĄtica sobre si mesma, tornando-se pura neste ato. Nisso, a razĂŁo prĂĄtica estabelece sua prĂłpria forma como lei para si mesma, na forma do imperativo categĂłrico. Em consequĂȘncia disso, a Ă©tica fundamental serve duas funçÔes : formalmente, ela fornece evidĂȘncia da originalidade e autenticidade da moralidade; materialmente, ela fornece um princĂpio criteriolĂłgico para o conteĂșdo da moralidade. O artigo argumenta que Kant estava certo em sua visĂŁo da fundamentação da Ă©tica, mas estava errado com relação Ă maneira como ele tentou cumprir as exigĂȘncias estabelecidas. O topos da normatividade e, em consequĂȘncia disso, da moralidade, nĂŁo pode ser a razĂŁo, mas precisa ser a consciĂȘncia ou, mais exatamente, o saber de se ; e sua trope fundamental nĂŁo pode ser reflexĂŁo e, depois, autonomia, mas precisa ser o que pode ser descrito como conversĂŁo da consciĂȘncia. Essa conversĂŁo pode ser identificada com o philein no sentido de AristĂłteles. Este âamar amigĂĄvelâ tem quatro aspectos diferentes: desejo, cognição, benevolĂȘncia e reconhecimento. Quando este philein for recĂproco e estiver continuamente vivido, nasce a philia, a amizade. Essa Ă© descrita, consequentemente, como o topos da origem de normatividade e moralidade
Quantifying the role of neurons for behavior is a mediation question
Many systems neuroscientists want to understand neurons in terms of
mediation; we want to understand how neurons are involved in the causal chain
from stimulus to behavior. Unfortunately, most tools are inappropriate for that
while our language takes mediation for granted. Here we discuss the contrast
between our conceptual drive towards mediation and the difficulty of obtaining
meaningful evidence.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Towards a framework for investigating tangible environments for learning
External representations have been shown to play a key role in mediating cognition. Tangible environments offer the opportunity for novel representational formats and combinations, potentially increasing representational power for supporting learning. However, we currently know little about the specific learning benefits of tangible environments, and have no established framework within which to analyse the ways that external representations work in tangible environments to support learning. Taking external representation as the central focus, this paper proposes a framework for investigating the effect of tangible technologies on interaction and cognition. Key artefact-action-representation relationships are identified, and classified to form a structure for investigating the differential cognitive effects of these features. An example scenario from our current research is presented to illustrate how the framework can be used as a method for investigating the effectiveness of differential designs for supporting science learning
Performance and strategy:simultaneous equations analysis of long-lived firms
A simultaneous equations model of performance, strategy and size is tested using fieldwork evidence on long-lived firms in Scotland. Estimation is by I3SLS, with correction for sample selection bias. The contributions of this paper are that it: (a) grounds estimation on fieldwork evidence; (b) calibrates performance and competitive strategy; (c) tests and models endogeneity; and (d) computes robust trade-off elasticities between firm size and performance. It shows how this trade-off provides the entrepreneur with two strong incentives: (i) to seek greater efficiency typically by an increase in the human capital of the âcoreâ workforce; (ii) to achieve higher levels of performance by adopting more diverse competitive strategies
Evaluating Aid Effectiveness in the Aggregate: Methodological Issues
The purpose of the present Evaluation Study is to discuss the methodological problems researchers are facing in gauging the impact of aid on economic growth. The discussion is nontechnical and aimed at an audience without much prior knowledge in the fields of macroeconomics and econometrics. The paper provides insights into the following questions: 1. Why do economists view âaid effectivenessâ as synonymous to asking whether aid increases growth in income per capita? 2. Why is it difficult to determine the macroeconomic impact of foreign aid on economic growth? 3. How is it, in principle, possible to solve the difficulties present in evaluating aggregate aid effectiveness?Economic growth; foreign aid; instrumental variable regression
Beyond Covariation: Cues to Causal Structure
Causal induction has two components: learning about the structure of causal models and learning about causal strength and other quantitative parameters. This chapter argues for several interconnected theses. First, people represent causal knowledge qualitatively, in terms of causal structure; quantitative knowledge is derivative. Second, people use a variety of cues to infer causal structure aside from statistical data (e.g. temporal order, intervention, coherence with prior knowledge). Third, once a structural model is hypothesized, subsequent statistical data are used to confirm, refute, or elaborate the model. Fourth, people are limited in the number and complexity of causal models that they can hold in mind to test, but they can separately learn and then integrate simple models, and revise models by adding and removing single links. Finally, current computational models of learning need further development before they can be applied to human learning
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