691 research outputs found
One Thing After Another: Why the Passage of Time Is Not an Illusion
Does time seem to pass, even though it doesnât, really? Many philosophers think the answer is âYesââat least when âtimeâs passingâ is understood in a particular way. They take timeâs passing to be a process by which each time in turn acquires a special status, such as the status of being the only time that exists, or being the only time that is present. This chapter suggests that, on the contrary, all we perceive is temporal succession, one thing after another, a notion to which modern physics is not inhospitable. The contents of perception are best described in terms of âbeforeâ and âafterâ, rather than âpastâ, âpresent, and âfutureâ
An Alternative Interpretation of Statistical Mechanics
In this paper I propose an interpretation of classical statistical mechanics that centers on taking seriously the idea that probability measures represent complete states of statistical mechanical systems. I show how this leads naturally to the idea that the stochasticity of statistical mechanics is associated directly with the observables of the theory rather than with the microstates (as traditional accounts would have it). The usual assumption that microstates are representationally significant in the theory is therefore dispensable, a consequence which suggests interesting possibilities for developing non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and investigating inter-theoretic answers to the foundational questions of statistical mechanics
Applications of DFT to the theory of twentieth-century harmony
Music theorists have only recently, following groundbreaking work by Quinn, recognized the potential for the DFT on pcsets, initially proposed by Lewin, to serve as the foundation of a theory of harmony for the twentieth century. This paper investigates pcset âarithmeticâ â subset structure, transpositional combination, and interval content â through the lens of the DFT. It discusses relationships between interval classes and DFT magnitudes, considers special properties of dyads, pcset products, and generated collections, and suggest methods of using the DFT in analysis, including interpreting DFT magnitudes, using phase spaces to understand subset structure, and interpreting the DFT of Lewinâs interval function. Webernâs op. 5/4 and Bartokâs String Quartet 4, iv, are discussed.Accepted manuscrip
Methods for wavelet-based autonomous discrimination of multiple partial discharge sources
T and CPT Symmetries in Entangled Neutral Meson Systems
Genuine tests of an asymmetry under T and/or CPT transformations imply the
interchange between in-states and out-states. I explain a methodology to
perform model-indepedent separate measurements of the three CP, T and CPT
symmetry violations for transitions involving the decay of the neutral meson
systems in B- and {\Phi}-factories. It makes use of the quantum-mechanical
entanglement only, for which the individual state of each neutral meson is not
defined before the decay of its orthogonal partner. The final proof of the
independence of the three asymmetries is that no other theoretical ingredient
is involved and that the event sample corresponding to each case is different
from the other two. The experimental analysis for the measurements of these
three asymmetries as function of the time interval {\Delta}t > 0 between the
first and second decays is discussed, as well as the significance of the
expected results. In particular, one may advance a first observation of true,
direct, evidence of Time-Reserval-Violation in B-factories by many standard
deviations from zero, without any reference to, and independent of,
CP-Violation. In some quantum gravity framework the CPT-transformation is
ill-defined, so there is a resulting loss of particle-antiparticle identity.
This mechanism induces a breaking of the EPR correlation in the entanglement
imposed by Bose statistics to the neutral meson system, the so-called
{\omega}-effect. I present results and prospects for the {\omega}-parameter in
the correlated neutral meson-antimeson states.Comment: Proc. DISCRETE 2010, Symposium on Prospects in the Physics of
Discrete Symmetries, December 2010, Rom
Have the changes introduced by the 2004 Higher Education Act made higher education admissions in England wider and fairer?
'Widening participation' and 'fair access' have been contested policy areas in English higher education since at least the early 1990s. They were key facets of the 2003 White Paper - The Future of Higher Education - and the subsequent 2004 Higher Education Act, with stated objectives that the reach of higher education should be wider and fairer. In particular, there has been considerable concern about admissions to 'top universities', which have remained socially as well as academically exclusive. The principal policy tools used by the Act were the introduction of variable tuition fees, expanded student grants, discretionary bursaries and the new Office for Fair Access (OFFA). This paper draws on publicly available statistics to assess whether the changes implemented by the 2004 Act have indeed made access to English higher education wider and fairer in relation to young people progressing from state schools and colleges and from lower socio-economic groups. It concludes that, while there is some evidence for modest improvements, these have been concentrated outside the 'top universities', which have seen slippage relative to the rest of the sector. The paper concludes with a discussion of the reasons why financial inducements appear to be a flawed and naive approach to influencing student demand. © 2011 Taylor & Francis
Access, participation and capabilities: Theorising the contribution of university bursaries to studentsâ well-being, flourishing and success
For the last 10 years, universities in England have been expected to offer financial support to low-income students alongside that provided by government. These bursaries were initially conceived in terms of improving access for under-represented groups, but attention has turned to their role in supporting student retention and success. This paper reports on two qualitative studies undertaken by contrasting universities that have been brought together due to their complementary findings. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a total of 98 students. Studentsâ views on bursaries and how they impact on their lives are reported and used to develop a descriptive model of the web of choices that students have in balancing finances and time. This is contextualised within Senâs âcapabilities approachâ, to argue that providing access to higher education is insufficient if disadvantaged students are not able to flourish by participating fully in the university experience
Effect of race upon organ donation and recipient survival in liver transplantation
The effect of the race of the donor on organ donation and on the outcome of clinical liver transplantation has not been addressed previously. The aims of this study were to determine: (1) the number of organs donated by each of the major racial groups of the United States, (2) the outcome of transplantation of these organs across racial groups, and (3) the pattern of liver disease that required transplantation in each of these racial groups. A significantly higher proportion of organs were donated by white non-Hispanic Americans than either black or Hispanic Americans. There was no significant difference in survival when an organ was transplanted between black and white Americans and vice versa. Postnecrotic cirrhosis from a variety of causes was the most common indicator affecting black and white recipients, while primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis were uncommon in the black population. While the number of organs donated by blacks was low, it was, however, proportional to the number of black recipients in this study. Reasons for the low rate of donation by the black and white Hispanic population are discussed. It is concluded that race is not a criteria to be used in selection of donors for liver transplantation. Educational programs addressing issues of organ donation and transplantation directed towards the black and Hispanic populations are recommended. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation
- âŠ