Towards a Context Knowledge Taxonomy. Combined Methodologies to Improve a Fast-Search Concept Extraction for an Ontology Population

Context in Architectural Design can be defined-related-comparable to hypothesis and boundary conditions in mathematics. An eco-system that influences it by means of natural and artificial events, space and time dimension. The research has the aim to analyze the critical issues related to Context by providing a contribution to the study of interactions between Context Knowledge and Architectural Design and how it can be used to improve the performance of the buildings and reducing design mistakes. The research focusing on formal ontologies, has developed a model that enables a semantic approach to design application programs, to manage information, to answer design questions and to have a clear relation between the formal representation of the context domain and its meanings. This context model provides an advancement on the state of the art in simplified design assumptions, in term of ontology ambiguity and complexity reduction, by using algorithms to extract and optimize branches of the graph. The extraction does not limit the number of relations, that can be extended and improve context taxonomy coherency and accuracy

Screen Violence from Settler Colonialism to Cognitive Capitalism: Westworld and the Player Piano

While the HBO show Westworld (2016–present, created by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan) has gained much critical attention for its byzantine plotting and philosophical conundrums, the present discussion focuses instead on the basic premise on which the titular park operates, namely that the algorithms that govern human behavior can be disclosed by studying how human beings behave toward image beings. Under the guise of a tactile experience of a make-believe past, the park attractions clandestinely function as a large behavioral sensor, extracting actionable data from the guests who reveal their inner drives when interacting with the host environment. Taking its cue from the opening titles of the first season, the argument pivots on the master trope of the series: the machine-readable scroll of perforated paper that commands the automated performance of the player piano. This motif is examined through a double-pronged approach that aligns the anthropology of images developed by Hans Belting, which understands the relation between humans and images as the interactions between “hosts” and “guests,” with the archaeology of media and its dominant concern to uncover the prehistory of the automated control systems of the computer age. While Westworld proffers a timely allegory of biopolitical capture along the digital frontier, the show ultimately testifies to the failure to constructively engage with the precarious relation between hosts and guests that to an equal extent defines our contemporary moment. The initial problem raised by Westworld, the ethics of killing virtual beings, thus gives rise to a broader historical inquiry that concerns the inability of human societies to face the past and deal with the images they inherit

Comparative antioxidant and hypoglycaemic effects of aqueous, ethanol and n-hexane extracts of leaf of Vitex doniana on streptozotocin-induced diabetes in albino rats

Several herbal preparations are used to treat diabetes, but their reported hypoglycemic effects are complex. This study therefore was designed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of Vitex doniana leaves on oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic and non-diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced intraperitoneally using 50 mg/kg streptozotocin, while diabetic rats were treated in 12 h cycles for four weeks with 100 mg/kg of the extract and glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg). Nondiabetic control rats received distilled water. The levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), aspartatate aminotransfrease (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities total, conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin concentration were assayed. The results indicate that the concentrations of TBARS, ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin were significantly increased while the activities of SOD and CAT were reduced in the diabetic animals (p<0.05). The extract significantly increased CAT and SOD activity and reduced FBS, TBARS, ALT, AST, ALP and bilirubin concentrations significantly (p<0.05) compared to normal. However, glibenclamide treatment showed slight modification in the changes observed compared to the extract. The study concluded that the extract reversed diabetes and diabetes-induced oxidative changes in the hepatocytes, thus suggesting its use for the management of diabetic complications.Keywords: Vitex doniana, lipid peroxidation, streptozotocin-induced diabeticAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(40), pp. 5933-594

Beyond Stewardship: Toward an Agapeic Environmental Ethic

This dissertation is a work in theological anthropology and environmental philosophy. It seeks to provide a conceptual framework for a Christian environmental ethic rooted in love. The heart of the crisis of ecological degradation is found in human attitudes and behaviors. In the late 1960\u27s it was suggested that Christianity was a key source of the problem because it promoted the idea of human dominion over creation. This spurred a variety of responses designed to show that Christian faith was compatible with environmental care. A key theme emerging from this debate was the image of humans as Stewards of God\u27s creation. Since then, environmental Stewardship has assumed a prominent place in the church and theology as a model of normative human behavior toward nature. And yet the crisis remains. In recent years Stewardship has been subject to severe critique on a number of fronts. In this dissertation, I focus exclusively on the assumptions of human nature and responsibility implicit in the paradigm, particularly notions of separation from and control over non-human species. These assumptions are critically assessed in light of insights derived from contemporary ecological science and found wanting. The nature of ecosystems and human embeddedness within them renders managerial control impossible. In light of this, I offer an alternative Christian response to environmental problems rooted in agape love, following Christ\u27s command to love God and others. A robust interpretation of agape serves as a conceptual bridge between an ecologically sensible relational anthropology and a theologically faithful environmental ethic. My purpose is not to build a new environmental ethic, but to present a new and better theological understanding of Christian love, self, and phronesis in environmental ethics

Thou and It: Personhood Actualized Through Water Rights

While issues of racial and gendered discrimination are more visible and widely discussed, poverty and water based discrimination is often a silent fact of life for the many. As one of the most critical elemental resources required for the sustainability of human life, safe water has been designated a human right, but the current global distribution of water does not mirror this sentiment. The divide in quality water distribution provokes the question: whose life is intrinsically valued? This study seeks to determine the status of personhood as displayed by the movement of water in relation to the underprivileged. I first construct the working concepts of personhood, through the framework of Martin Buber’s I-Thou and I-It paradigm, and poverty, through an analysis of results from two national surveys. Once the key terms have been defined, the threats of water privatization, water pollution, and water theft are analyzed on an international level to highlight the reach and severity of this issue. My analysis supported the claim that the lives of the poor are not seen as possessing intrinsic value and, therefore, are not granted the ability to pursue their interests through personhood. Though this problem may seem to effect only a limited group, my research showcased the implicit connection between all lives, reflecting the struggle of the waterless onto those with abundant supply

Globalance : ethics handbook for a balanced world post-covid

Preface Ernst Ulrich von WeizsäckerWithout ethics and trust, our societies are in deep trouble. Corona is a chance to reflect. Stückelberger gives us an overview with a lot of background information. The book helps us to be aware of risks, opportunities and our responsibility. It encourages to more international cooperation. Many thanks! (Doris Leuthard, Former Minister of Environment of the Government of Switzerland, twice its President, Member of the Kofi Annan Foundation). - When the global village is facing disintegration and globalisation is heading towards the cliff, how can the human heart and ethics return to the trust of the global family? Stuckelberger is a profound observer and theorist of global ethics. He ignites the torch of people’s conscience. This book is very enlightening to provide a reference direction. (Cui Wantian, Entrepreneur in e-health, Professor of Economics, China). - An inspiring read, providing thought-provoking opportunities for Africa to re-envision its cumulative position and continental role in the new ‘globalanced’ world order Post-Covid. (Divya Singh, Prof. Dr, Chief Academic Officer, Stadio Holdings, South Africa). - One of the foremost global authorities on ethics, Stueckelberger, presents extremely interesting and new perspectives. This book is very relevant for various stakeholders in the global ecosystem, especially with Covid challenges. (Pavan Duggal, Dr, International Cyber Law Expert, Advocate Supreme Court of India). - Very few books provoke to think and to get insight. This book Globalance does it! (Alex Ageev, Professor of Economic Strategies, Russia

Globalance towards a new world order : ethics matters and motivates : handbook with 250 graphs

2nd enlarged edition. Prefaces Mariana Bozesan, Liu Baocheng, Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker.First published 2020 under the title: Globalance : ethics handbook for a balanced world post-covid