A Formal Analysis of the Best System Account of Lawhood

In this work I attempt a reformulation of Lewis’ Best System Account, explicitating the underlying formal conception of scientific theories and trying to define the concepts of simplicity, strength and balance. This essay is divided in three sections. In the first one I introduce the Best System Account of natural laws and formulate the need for its improvement. In the second section I outline a formal framework where the notions of deductive system and scientific theory can be defined precisely. In the last section the notions of simplicity, strength and balance are analyzed. To conclude I argue that the framework proposed does indeed provide the precision required. In addition, it also offers interesting insights on the plurality of concepts of simplicity, strength and balance, and on the general enterprise of formalizing scientific theories

A Formal Analysis of the Best System Account of Lawhood

In this work I attempt a reformulation of Lewis’ Best System Account, explicitating the underlying formal conception of scientific theories and trying to define the concepts of simplicity, strength and balance. This essay is divided in three sections. In the first one I introduce the Best System Account of natural laws and formulate the need for its improvement. In the second section I outline a formal framework where the notions of deductive system and scientific theory can be defined precisely. In the last section the notions of simplicity, strength and balance are analyzed. To conclude I argue that the framework proposed does indeed provide the precision required. In addition, it also offers interesting insights on the plurality of concepts of simplicity, strength and balance, and on the general enterprise of formalizing scientific theories

Il diritto privato tra Stato e Regioni: riflessioni comparatistiche

Traditionally, in Italy Private Law has always been considered exclusive to the State central authority. Even after the Constitutional Reform of 2001, which gave Regions a great deal of legislative powers, they still struggle to regulate these aspects of human relationships. Nonetheless, in these recent years, we are witnessing the slow arising of Regional Private Law. Very often, such legislation is challenged by the State before the Constitutional Court for its supposed inconsistency with the Italian Constitution, but it is not unlikely to see the Constitutional Court dismiss these appeals on the grounds of irrelevance. Moreover, it is still unclear which subjects are to be considered “private”. Any distinction becomes even harder when a different legal system is involved. In fact, terms like “private law” and “state” can acquire a very different meaning not only because of merely linguistic reasons, but also on legal and cultural grounds. For reasons duly explained in the first chapter, a significant comparison between the Italian legal system and all major European legal systems seems less meaningful than one might expect. Therefore, the focus is shifted to the common law tradition, particularly the U.S., where the distinction between private and public law has little bearing - if any - and where the federal experience can offer new solutions to a younger multi-level system of government

Kommerell's diverticulum and right-sided aortic arch: a cohort study and review of the literature

AbstractWe report four consecutive cases of Kommerell's aneurysm of an aberrant left subclavian artery in patients with a right-sided aortic arch and the results of a systematic review of the literature. In our cohort of patients, three had an aneurysm limited to the origin of the aberrant subclavian artery, causing dysphagia and cough, and one had an aneurysm involving also the distal arch and the entire descending thoracic aorta, causing compression of the right main-stem bronchus. A left subclavian-to-carotid transposition was performed in association with the intrathoracic procedure, and a right thoracotomy was used in all patients. One of the patients underwent surgery with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest, and the others with the adjunct of a left-heart bypass. The repair was accomplished with an interposition graft in two patients and with endoaneurysmorrhaphy in the others. The postoperative course was complicated by respiratory failure and prolonged ventilation in one patient, and one patient died because of severe pulmonary emboli. The survivors are alive and well at a follow-up of 1 to 3 years. Only 32 cases of right-sided aortic arch with an aneurysm of the aberrant subclavian artery have been reported: 12 were associated with aortic dissection, and 2 presented with rupture. Surgical repair was accomplished in 29 patients. A number of operative strategies were described: right thoracotomy, bilateral thoracotomy, left thoracotomy with sternotomy, sternotomy with right thoracotomy, and left thoracotomy. In only 12 cases was the subclavian artery reconstructed. We believe that a right thoracotomy provides good exposure and avoids the morbidity associated with bilateral thoracotomy or sternotomy and thoracotomy. We feel that a left subclavian-to-carotid transposition completed before the thoracic approach revascularizes the subclavian distribution without increasing the complexity of the intrathoracic procedure