Technology Assessment and Education: Introduction

“Theory and Practice” of TA, which is referred to in the title of this journal “TATuP”, is usually addressed as a question of TA research. But science is more than research: the field of teaching requires just as much attention, both practically and theoretically. Therefore, a mere collection of individual teaching experiences and best practice examples does not provide a strong enough basis to discuss questions of TA teaching, these must also be embedded in a theoretical context and discussed in their relation to research. In this special issue, we aim to contribute to a combination of theoretical and practical approaches to the relation of TA and “Bildung”.Technology Assessment; education; teaching; high education

A view to a kill

The sophistication of Neanderthal behavioural strategies have been the subject of debate from the moment of their recognition as a separate species of hominin in 1856. This book presents a study on Neanderthal foraging prowess. Novel ethnographic and primatological insights, suggest that increasing dependence on high quality foods, such as meat, caused the brain to evolve to a large size and thus led to highly intelligent hominins. From this baseline, the author studies the Neanderthal archaeological record in order to gain insight into the “knowledge-intensity” of Neanderthal hunting behaviour. In this research, an optimal foraging perspective is applied to Pleistocene bone assemblages. According to this perspective, foraging success is an important factor in an individual’s evolutionary fitness. Therefore foraging is organised as efficiently as possible. The prey species that were selected and hunted by Neanderthals are analysed. The author investigates economic considerations that influenced Neanderthal prey choice. These considerations are based on estimates of the population densities of the available prey species and on estimates of the relative difficulty of hunting those species. The results demonstrate that when Neanderthals operated within poor environments, their prey choice was constrained: they were not able to hunt species living in large herds. In these environments, solitary species were the preferred prey. It is striking that Neanderthals successfully focussed on the largest and most dangerous species in poor environments. However, in richer environments, these constraints were lifted and species living in herds were successfully exploited. In order to assess the accuracy of this approach, bone assemblages formed by cave hyenas are also analysed. The combined results of the Neanderthal and hyena analyses show that an optimal foraging perspective provides a powerful tool to increase our understanding of Pleistocene ecology. The niches of two social carnivores of similar size, which were seemingly similar, are successfully distinguished. This result lends extra credence to the conclusions regarding Neanderthal foraging strategies. This book contributes to the debate surrounding Neanderthal competence and ability. It combines an up-to-date review of current knowledge on Neanderthal biology and archaeology, with novel approaches to the archaeological record. It is thus an important contribution to the current knowledge of this enigmatic species

Possible Contributions of Research to Solve the World Food Problem — Approaches, Strategies, Implementation. Summary

Malnutrition and undernourishment have been among the most serious problems facing the global community for decades. In 2009, more than 1 billion people worldwide suffered from hunger - more than ever before since 1970, the beginning of the United Nations World Food Statistics. In addition, there are several billion people suffering from "hidden hunger", i.e. an undersupply of vital micronutrients such as vitamins or minerals. In view of this pressing problem, the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment commissioned TAB in October 2008 with the TA project "What contribution can research make to solving the world food problem?", the terms of reference of which can be outlined by the following questions: Where are there particularly large gaps in knowledge about the world food problem? In which research areas can relevant contributions to solutions be expected, so that more intensive support would be obvious? Where are specific restrictions to be overcome or which new forms of inter- and transdisciplinary research should be developed? The final report includes an overview of the dimensions and influencing factors of the world food problem, a summary of selected topics for research in Germany, and the evaluation of a public expert workshop conducted by TAB as part of the project. In the overall view, possible focal points for future research as well as options for action for a development-oriented research policy are discussed

Precision Agriculture. Summary

Precision agriculture (PA) is an innovative information-guided management concept of crop production that builds on various new or further developed technologies - in particular satellite-based positioning and sensor-based recording systems. Small-scale varying soil conditions and plant populations existing within a field can be recorded with the help of PA technology. On the basis of this information, special systems of information evaluation as well as suitable equipment technology can be used to design plant cultivation measures more spatially and quantitatively precise than before. This volume analyses the economic and ecological potential of land management with PA and shows possible courses of action for research and development, for sustainability and impact analyses as well as for the diffusion of PA

Foraging for Farmers? An evolutionary perspective on the process of Neolithisation in NW Europe – a case study from the Low Countries

Abstract: Recent studies emphasise the mosaic character of the process of neolithisation in northwestern Europe. However, some overarching motives influencing the uptake of farming can be identified across regions. We model the importance of evolutionary processes underlying neolithisation. We focus on the southern part of the Low Countries, where the uptake of agriculture takes distinct trajectories in different biomes. We analyse the transition in terms of fitness benefits that foraging and agriculture bestow on the actors involved. We suggest that different substrates offer different fitness benefits with regard to the uptake of farming and that these benefits differed between the sexes, leading to differing “optimal” strategies for males and females regarding whether and how to adopt Neolithic novelties

Філософсько-релігійний вплив екзистенціалізму на український мовно-літературний процес

Стаття підносить актуальну проблему в сьогоденні – розширення кругозору студентської молоді у створюваному творчому освітньо-виховному середовищі через знайомство з філософськими течіями, зокрема екзистенціалізмом. Такий підхід до організації навчально-виховного процесу сприятиме особистісній естетизації тих, хто навчається, зростанню їх культуротворчого рівня.Статья поднимает актуальную проблему на сегодняшнем этапе – расширение кругозора студенческой молодежи в создающейся творческой образовательно-воспитательной среде через знакомство с философскими течениями, в том числе с экзистенциализмом. Такой подход к организации учебно-воспитательного процесса будет способствовать личностной эстетизации обучаемых, повышению их культуротворческого уровня.The article raises a rather actual problem of the present – the expansion of students’ outlook at the modern creative educational environment through the acquaintance with philosophical directions and existentialism in particular. Such a method of approach to the organization of educational process will promote personal aestheticism of students and a rise in their cultural stage