The concept of emergence : a brief history and a philosophical analysis of an ontological regulative principle of organization

Emergence is it is a concept that should undergo more careful philosophical analysis. This paper aims to promote the idea that "emergence" should be taken as an ontological regulative principle (rather than a conceptual instrument able to provide a quick empirical answer to many concrete scientific problems). The usefulness of the proposed approach rests in the fact that it could work as an overarching theoretical framework for the ever-growing body of theories and empirical data provided by natural and social sciences; it could also help to overcome (at least partly) the extreme over-specialization that characterizes contemporary knowledge. Furthermore, it could work as a programmatic framework for comparing and combining data and theories belonging to very different fields - from the natural to the social sciences - but related to one single, very complicated entity, that is, Man. So, after a short history of the concept of emergence, an analysis of its ontological nature will follow; then some specific philosophical problems - like the metaphoric aspects of the emergentist approach, or the ontological unification of every kind of emergence - will be discussed. Afterward this paper will provide a few reasons for supporting a regulative approach to emergence and will illustrate its advantages - supplying an example/proposal taken from the debate about free will

Understanding project management in natural resource investments from a legal perspective

This thesis reports the findings of modern day trench and strategies related to project management- in this case, natural/sustainable resource investment projects analysed from a legal or why not a lawyer’s perspectives. In a bid to further distinguish this from a scientific piece, the research proposals and analysis drown here involves empirical judgement based on the rightful holistic legal approach. The framework includes analysis or experience stemming from a high profile foreign investment project or public procurement project dope the Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Project (a project for the construction of an oil pipeline from Chad to the coast of Cameroon for storage and subsequent exportation to the world market; herein after referred to as “The Project”), whose improper management/execution has (is) produced a rather negative effect on nearby land, environment, nature and the local inhabitants thereby casting a gloomy cloud on, among others, the existing human rights standards. Conducted interview and data analysis in this research build-up, proved most of the findings here. Also, constructive criticism and research analysis of which majority indicate the absence of a solid legal framework from The Project, forms the basis of a proposed generalised knowledge of ideas, suggesting a subsequent adoption in future investment projects of similar nature. The conclusive remarks offer and recommend advocates of legal, development and environmental studies a chance to uphold its course while calling on fellow academicians to engage more in associated works all in a bid to change the mind-set of governments and those in authorities as such engaged in related works

Implementing the capability approach in health promotion projects: Recommendations for implementation based on empirical evidence.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper was to develop a framework for the use of the capability approach in health promotion projects, which could guide future projects as well as improve the comparability of the projects' effectiveness. METHOD The study involved a three-stage process comprising a total of six steps. We first developed a theoretical model and then analyzed data from four empirical studies that had implemented projects using the capability approach between 2015 and 2018 in the settings of kindergartens, schools, vocational training, and communities to promote an active lifestyle. Finally, we developed a framework for the use of the capability approach in health promotion projects based on the analysis of the data. RESULTS We developed a theoretical model of the "capability cycle," which was used for further analysis. There were divergent understandings of the capability approach due to existing theoretical constructs that are commonly used by the scientific teams of the projects. Further, the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of the capability approach within the four settings showed discrepancies, which inhibited a comparison of their effectiveness. The developed framework comprises recommendations regarding the planning of a project, its implementation, and especially its evaluation in future comparisons of project effectiveness. CONCLUSION This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of four projects for which we developed a framework using a participatory approach. The findings can help research teams in the conceptualization, implementation, and evaluation of future projects that focus on improving capabilities in the field of health promotion. Further, the established framework will help facilitate comparisons of capability-oriented health promotion projects in terms of their effectiveness

Scientific fields as epistemic regimes: new opportunities for comparative science studies

In this paper we develop and apply a comparative framework for the epistemic regimes of scientific fields, which we hope may contribute to strengthening field-comparative research in the sociology of science. We start from the comparative framework developed by Richard Whitley (1984) but modified it radically in order to develop an approach that includes more characteristics of research practices and social structure, and uses characteristics that can be empirically operationalised for a fine-grained comparative analysis of epistemic regimes. We use data from several empirical studies for a comparative description of the epistemic regimes of experimental atomic and molecular optics (AMO physics), plant biology, early modern history, and automotive engineering. This comparison serves as proof of concept. The usefulness of our framework is demonstrated by applying it to an explanation of the emergence of individual research programmes in the four fields. Further possible applications that are briefly discussed include field-specific effects of evaluation regimes, field-specific career patterns, and field-specific practices of data sharing

Developing a Principles-Based Framework to Link the Governance of Genomics Research and Biobanking in Africa to Global Health Justice

Background Genomics research has introduced significant transformations in the way health research is traditionally structured. Firstly, genomics research often requires long-term storage of biological samples for future unspecified uses. Secondly, the stored samples may be shared with researchers across the globe for the purposes of research. Thirdly, genomics researchers are increasingly required to make their research data publicly available for use by other researchers and institutions from around the world. Whilst data and sample sharing offers significant benefits for global health research, in Africa, it is taking place amidst a background of:structural inequities in health and health research between Africa and High Income Countries (HICs). There are also concerns around the exploitation of African researchers and study populations, mainly hinged on historical experiences in global health research, what has been termed scientific imperialism or “extractive” research. It is therefore not surprising that the rise in genomics research and biobanking studies in Africa has been accompanied by strong calls to address the ethical legal and social issues (ELSIs) raised by genomics research and biobanking in Africa. Some of these ELSIs focus on individual-level issues (micro-justice), others go beyond that to include broader societal ELSIs (macro-level justice) such as: secondary access to samples and data, benefit sharing, exploitation of African researchers and populations, intellectual property and the ownership of samples and data. One way of addressing these macro-level justice-related ELSIs is through governance. Aim and Objectives The aim of this study isto develop a governance framework that could be used to address macrolevel-justice-ELSIs in genomics research and biobanking in Africa. To achieve this aim, I put forth the following specific objectives: 1. To identify principles, values and norms that could promote justice and fairness in genomics research and biobanking in Africa; 2. To develop a principles-based governance framework for genomics research and biobanking in Africa that links its policies to the promotion of justice; 3. To investigate how the governance of current day genomics research and biobanking projects in Africa have considered concerns of justice and fairness; 4. To explore the views of key stakeholders on fair and just governance mechanisms for genomics research and biobanking in Africa. Methodology To develop the governance framework, I used the normative practice-oriented bioethics (NPOB) approach. This required adopting a number of methodologies, both conceptual and empirical. The conceptual work used the convergence approach and consisted of a theoretical analysis of two theories of global health justice, namely: shared health governance (by Jennifer Ruger) and global governance for health (by Larry Gostin); as well as the African philosophy of Ubuntu. Through the conceptual and normative analysis, I identified a number of principles that could inform the governance of genomicsresearch and biobanking in Africa. These principles were used to propose a governance framework that could address macro-level justice ELSIs in genomics research and biobanking programs in Africa. Following the development of the governance framework, we used empirical bioethics research methods to probe whether and how the framework’s principles could be practically promoted in genomics research and biobanking consortia in Africa and to revise the framework where necessary. To do this, I used the reflective equilibrium approach. This included checking the proposed framework’s principles and recommendations against current governance practices of a genomics research consortia in Africa as well as well as prompting various stakeholders to think of how these principles could be applied in practice, or how the have been applied within genomics research consortia in Africa. Using the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium as a case study, as well as two qualitative research methods: content analysis of H3Africa governance documents and one-on-one in-depth interviews (n=15), I checked the framework’s principles against the empirical data and revised as, and when necessary (reflective equilibrium). Results The conceptual analysis led to the identification of the following nine principles: solidarity, reciprocity, furthering the ideals of health justice (FIHJ), shared sovereignty, shared resources, transparency, shared responsibility; mutual trust and mutual collective accountability. These principles were used to develop a principles-based governance framework for genomicsresearch and biobanking. Because I wanted develop a governance framework that is practically implementable, I made recommendations on how each principle could be actualised genomics research in Africa. Analysis of the empirical data showed that the majority of the framework’s principles and or recommendations were being promoted or prioritized by H3Africa ELSI governance. Equally, many H3Africa the principles and recommendations were considered by various H3Africa stakeholders to be critical in promoting justice and fairness in genomics research and biobanking projects in Africa. This suggests that our framework’s requirements are not just theoretical but could be implemented in practice and that there was some buy-in by stakeholders involved in genomics projects in Africa. A key area of deviation between the principles-based framework and the empirical data was the involvement of study populations in decision making (e.g. decision making on sample and data use; research priority setting etc.) The empirical data however showed that there was little involvement of study populations in decision-making within the H3Africa consortium, our case study. Whilst the different stakeholders acknowledged the importance of including study populations in governance processes, there were parallel concerns about its practicability. Despite these, the conceptual analysis and interview data confirms that there is need to first and foremost consider study populations as a key stakeholder group that should be involved in decision making, including decisions on secondary use of samples and data and in the development of biobank policies that will directly affect them. A new principle emerged from the empirical data. This was the principle of mutual respect. Following the reflective equilibrium approach, the framework was revised to include mutual respect as a core guiding principle. Conclusion Using the normative practice oriented bioethics approach, I have developed a novel, principlesbased governance framework for genomics research and biobanking in Africa. This framework, which was derived following a conceptual analysis of the governance theories, as well as the reflective equilibrium approach, seeks to address justice-related-(macro-level)- ELSI sin genomics research and biobanking in Africa. It and is grounded in theories of global health justice and the African moral theory of Ubuntu. Although the framework was developed to support the governance of genomics research and biobanking in Africa, its principles are likely to be applicable to other forms of global health research

Mapping student understanding in chemistry: The perspectives of chemists

AbstractIn prior work, we have been developing a conceptual framework, called the Perspectives of Chemists, that attempts to capture a view of how student understanding progresses in chemistry. The framework was developed through Living by Chemistry (LBC), a chemistry curriculum project with, an assessment system for secondary and university chemistry objectives called ChemQuery, both funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). ChemQuery is an assessment approach that uses this framework of key ideas in the discipline, and criterion-referenced analysis, to map student progress. It includes assessment questions, a scoring rubric, question exemplars, and a framework, which we refer to as the Perspectives of Chemists. Empirical data is then collected combined with Rasch family measurement models (IRT) to help analyze and interpret the data (Wilson, 2005). Student learning progress within or between courses can be described and individual differences can be explored for how students seem to be learning the scientific concepts. Our purpose was to study how students learn so that by knowing what they know we would know how to best help them. At the time, our work represented an early description of a possible learning progression in chemistry that we feel is still relevant today. Therefore this paper will focus on what we have learned about the pathway of student learning in chemistry through the development of the Perspectives framework in the ChemQuery assessment system

Administrative efficiency of IPS providers of health entities accredited in quality in Colombia

This study evaluated the efficiencies of the IPS health providers accredited in quality in Colombia. The normative framework associated with the Mandatory Quality System, the quality accreditation standards for the IPS and the Data Envelopment analysis models, related to the purely technical or administrative efficiency were used as theoretical support. As an epistemological conception, we worked with the logical positivism paradigm, with which the scientific verification and the logical analysis for the development of all the research were sought. The research type had an evaluative approach. As a population, 27 accredited IPS health service providers were taken, which lent their financial statements to the superintendence of health in 2015 and 2016. The inductive and deductive method was used. The information generated by the health superintendence and the Ministry of Health were used as primary sources. The DEA BCC-O model focused on the optimization of outputs was used as an analysis technique. As a result of this research, a method to evaluate the efficiencies of high-quality accredited IPSs in Colombia was provided. Likewise, it could be demonstrated with empirical evidence that the implementation of high-quality standards in the IPSs studied has a significant impact on administrative efficiency. The research showed that the best IPS accredited in Colombia was the Pablo VI Hospital in Bosa. © 2019 International Business Information Management Association (IBIMA)

Toward a containerized pipeline for longitudinal analysis of open-source software projects

Trust in open-source software is a cornerstone of scientific progress and a foundation of high-quality public services. Just as standards are integral when judging the efficacy of a novel pharmaceutical compound or determining the spread of a new disease, the software used to make those determinations should be useful, error-free, reliable, performant, and secure. A small bug in an application, library, or framework can lead to economic loss and even loss of life. We rely on software developers to be dynamic and responsive to user review and bug-reporting. Our team developed an open-source modular pipeline to perform empirical investigations of software quality. A key innovation of our approach is to look at projects “from a distance” similar to methods used in climate, e.g. satellite images being used to observe environmental impacts in air quality/rain forests. Instead of looking at language-specific source code features, our pipeline uses a language-agnostic high-level approach to track software quality by focusing on the development process itself, which yields great insight into the processes programmers use to write and maintain their software. Our distributed modular approach to analytics allows the pipeline to be easily extended to support additional metrics in future work. We store extracted data in an embedded SQLite database, which means that analysis can proceed without complex server setup, let alone hosting the software on dedicated servers. Our analytical modules are designed for efficiency, and future runs of our software only collect missing data, supporting the incremental analysis of known, important open-source projects