From theory to practice: critical thinking as a multifaceted concept

In this article I reflect on the problem that critical thinking skills are simultaneously seen as important in higher education, and yet remain difficult to define. I draw on a small pilot study to explore the various dimensions to critical thinking and the extent to which students and their tutors identify similar characteristics as being of equal importance. Participants were also asked to reflect on the attainment level of students in critical thinking. The results of this pilot study suggest that, whilst all participants agree on the importance of critical thinking skills, there are some variations in how they understand the term and the extent to which they judge that students employ these skills

Working with grammar as a tool for making meaning

A focus on sentence-level grammar in student writing has often been associated with a top-down prescriptiveness in which ‘peremptory commands’ about correct usage are linked with a negative evaluation of a person’s speech or writing’ (Cameron 2007). Yet, grammar is frequently a concern that pre-occupies both students and the academics assessing their writing. This chapter explores some more transformative ways in which this concern could be addressed by enabling students to investigate the relationship between grammar, their identities and the complex power relationships within the university. It focuses on a small-scale project in which a number of Education Studies students were referred to a writing specialist in order to improve their ‘poor grammar’. Closer examination of the student assignments revealed a complex range of grammatical ‘mistakes’, ranging from grammatical forms frequently considered correct in non-British varieties of English, such as Indian or Nigerian English (Kirkpatrick 2007); non-standard forms of grammar used by students from the local communities in London (Preece 2009) ; and errors which could be attributed to the inter-language of non-native speakers of English (usually international students) still acquiring British standard English (Selinker 1972). Many of the students who were referred felt heavily stigmatised, and in order to redress this, a series of classroom activities were devised. These aimed to foster reflection on different varieties of English and student identities, and provide contrastive analysis and improved strategies for ‘noticing’ of varied grammatical forms and their appropriacy in different contexts. The chapter concludes by suggesting that more dialogic feedback from academic staff regarding grammar will enable students to conceptualise grammar as a tool for making meaning in different contexts

Sexuality, Esoteric Energies, and the Subtleties of Transmutation Versus Transformation

Transpersonal perspectives on the meaningfulness of being human, and especially the significance of subtle energy teachings, necessitate a rethinking of the notion of sexuality, beyond definitions in terms of sex acts, biological endowments, or perhaps even the complex fantasia of desire. This redefining of the erotic dimension of human life leads both to appreciation of healing as inherently sexual and to understanding how the processes of transmutation by the forces of subtle energies profoundly differ from the transformations that representation of thoughts, feelings, and wishes may undergo. Cognitive access (including that of reflective selfconsciousness) to these forces is inevitably limited and necessarily distorted. In this context, it is suggested that the esoteric traditions of mystical sexuality, including the teachings of authentic tantric practice, be reconsidered and appreciated for their transpersonal dimension

Sexuality, Esoteric Energies, and the Subtleties of Transmutation Versus Transformation

Transpersonal perspectives on the meaningfulness of being human, and especially the significance of subtle energy teachings, necessitate a rethinking of the notion of sexuality, beyond definitions in terms of sex acts, biological endowments, or perhaps even the complex fantasia of desire. This redefining of the erotic dimension of human life leads both to appreciation of healing as inherently sexual and to understanding how the processes of transmutation by the forces of subtle energies profoundly differ from the transformations that representation of thoughts, feelings, and wishes may undergo. Cognitive access (including that of reflective selfconsciousness) to these forces is inevitably limited and necessarily distorted. In this context, it is suggested that the esoteric traditions of mystical sexuality, including the teachings of authentic tantric practice, be reconsidered and appreciated for their transpersonal dimension

Observing the Geometry of Warped Compactification via Cosmic Inflation

Using DBI inflation as an example, we demonstrate that the detailed geometry of warped compactification can leave an imprint on the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We compute CMB observables for DBI inflation in a generic class of warped throats and find that the results (such as the sign of the tilt of the scalar perturbations and its running) depend sensitively on the precise shape of the warp factor. In particular, we analyze the warped deformed conifold and find that the results can differ from those of other warped geometries, even when these geometries approximate well the exact metric of the warped deformed conifold.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. v2: References and clarifications adde

On Modified Gravity

We consider some aspects of nonlocal modified gravity, where nonlocality is of the type $R \mathcal{F}(\Box) R$. In particular, using ansatz of the form $\Box R = c R^\gamma,$ we find a few $R(t)$ solutions for the spatially flat FLRW metric. There are singular and nonsingular bounce solutions. For late cosmic time, scalar curvature R(t) is in low regime and scale factor a(t) is decelerated. R (t) = 0 satisfies all equations when k = -1.Comment: added references; made some clarifications; 8 page

Schizotypy, theory of mind and the understanding of irony.

Frith's (1992) cognitive neuropsychological model of schizophrenia proposed that the symptoms characteristic of that disorder can be accounted for in terms of differing degrees of theory of mind impairment. There is a large body of evidence indicating that individuals with schizophrenia perform poorly on tasks that are hypothesised to require a functioning theory of mind, and this review aims to introduce the main findings from these studies. Following consideration of thirty-four relevant papers, this review finds that the only unequivocal finding is that individuals with schizophrenia do show impaired theory of mind. How this impairment relates to schizophrenic symptomatology as predicted by Frith's model is far less certain, and several methodological limitations are discussed that could account for this uncertainty, before a new development in the field is introduced: the use of the schizotypy paradigm to test the predictions of Frith's theory in non-clinical samples. The schizotypy paradigm has been employed in three studies investigating ToM performance in healthy individuals to date (Langdon and Coltheart, 1999 Langdon and Coltheart, 2004 Pickup, 2006), and the findings from these studies show that schizotypal traits do influence ToM performance. These studies are reviewed, and future directions for research are recommended

A commentary on research rigour in clinical psychological science:How to avoid throwing out the innovation baby with the research credibility bath water in the depression field

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Proponents of the research credibility movement make a number of recommendations to enhance research rigour in psychology. These represent positive advances and can enhance replicability in clinical psychological science. This article evaluates whether there are any risks associated with this movement. We argue that there is the potential for research credibility principles to stifle innovation and exacerbate type II error, but only if they are applied too rigidly and beyond their intended scope by funders, journals and scientists. We outline ways to mitigate these risks. Further, we discuss how research credibility issues need to be situated within broader concerns about research waste. A failure to optimise the process by which basic science findings are used to inform the development of novel treatments (the first translational gap) and effective treatments are then implemented in real-world settings (the second translational gap) are also significant sources of research waste in depression. We make some suggestions about how to better cross these translational gaps