Louis de la Forge on Mind-Body Interaction and the Case Against Occasionalism

Fidelity to the Cartesian philosophy requires a defense of dualism as well as mind-body union and interaction, all the while keeping to some form of the causal likeness principle. Each of these positions are ones that Descartes maintained throughout his writings. Yet, successors and scholars alike have noted the inconsistencies that arise from defending these views conjointly and have argued that one or more of them should be abandoned. Even the first generation of Cartesian successors whose fidelity to the Cartesian principles was especially steadfast, such as Louis de la Forge, have been interpreted and characterized as giving up causal interactionism and wittingly or unwittingly embracing occasionalism. In my dissertation project, I have made mind-body not body-body cases the starting point of the inquiry into cartesian causal interactionism and from there developed a general model of interaction. This goes against the scholarly norm of focusing on the body-body cases to develop a model that then cannot explain how the mind-body cases work. This is not a minor change in point of view, but rather, requires a paradigm shift in cartesian studies, particularly with respect to understanding mind-body union and interaction. Further supporting the needed paradigm shift in our reading of La Forge is that in his account of union criteria we discover that mind-body union is the true union and that body-body unions are considered such only by extension. As such the case of mind-body union should be taken as the exemplar case and not body-body. According to La Forge, mind and body are linked via the relative attribute of will and share a relationship of mutual and reciprocal dependence. Union is not based on a spatial relation. The union is a hybrid mode – a way of being of the two substances if and when they stand in such a relation to one another. While, the union provides the commonality needed to bridge the gap of what two distinct substances have in common it does not provide the explanation of how mind and body interact. Operationalizing the union in terms of mutual and reciprocal dependence requires further explanation. La Forge explains that mind and body are secondary (particular) causes. The causal model of interaction of mind and body is one in which these particular causes and their relation of mutual and reciprocal dependence allows for the action of the one to bring about the effect in the other. The body’s movements stimulate thoughts in the mind and the mind’s thoughts direct movements in the body. There is a bi-directional causal interaction. Furthermore, by coupling La Forge’s account of union and interaction with that of Nadler’s proposed occasional causation model (not occasionalism) we find that mind and body both have causal agency in the weaker secondary sense. Both substances have the power to determine and direct motion, albeit neither mind nor body create motion per se. La Forge establishes a key distinction between universal and particular causes, which then grounds his subsequent attribution of secondary causal power to wills – to direct the movements of bodies, and to bodies in virtue of their modes of configuration – to direct the movement of other bodies. While, God is the universal and efficient cause that creates minds, bodies, and motion, He has minimal involvement in the particular determinations of volitions and movements. He imparts power to His creatures to determine motion (different than creating new motion ex nihil). God conserves the world and the laws set by Him in the form of three laws of motion and seven laws of union. However, finite substances such as mind and body also have force, albeit not in the same sense as God does as the universal and total cause, but rather as particular secondary causes that have autonomy and can determine the direction and local quantity of motion. Thus, La Forge explains how both mind-body and body-body interactions are genuine causes, i.e., non-occasionalistic. Accordingly, in keeping with Cartesian philosophy La Forge maintains dualism, and provides an account of union and an account of interaction that is not occasionalistic. Both mind-body and body-body interaction is based on equivocal causation – the effect does not strictly resemble the cause – but both operate through the likenesses of relations of union, mutual dependence and proximity respectively. Thus, La Forge’s causal model that has minds and bodies interacting based on their relation of mutual and reciprocal dependence, and bodies interacting based on their shared mutual proximity and dependence, provides a weaker account of the causal likeness principle. Nonetheless, there is nothing inconsistent with his defense of a weaker notion of likeness that does not demand resemblance. My examination of La Forge’s Treatise on the Human Mind has demonstrated that we can maintain fidelity in our interpretation of Descartes and the Cartesian philosophy that maintains its adherence to dualism while giving an account of union and causal interaction

The effect of quality management processes (continuous improvement) on knowledge creation: A case study in telecommunication company of Hormozgan

Today, the managers of the organizations considered quality management due to the intense competitive pressures and the attempt for its sustainability. Based on various studies, it was concluded that establishment of good quality management in the organizations leads into the improvement of organization performance and achieving competitive advantage for the organization. Most of the activities done to improve the quality in organization require knowledge creation in the organization. A study was done regarding the effect of quality management processes on knowledge creation in Telecommunication Company of Hormozgan province. The present study evaluated the condition of quality management system processes (measuring customer satisfaction, dealing with the complaints of the customer, internal audit, management review, process monitoring/product and corrective actions) of the organization regarding knowledge creation. The present study was descriptive-survey design from field branch. The study population was auditors and experts of quality management system. The calculated sample was 30 people in the company. The measuring instrument of the present study was a researcher-made questionnaire with 48 close questions. The reliability was calculated by Cronbach’s alpha as 0.827. Finally, the results of the study emphasized on the fact that: Processes (measuring customer satisfaction, dealing with the customer complaint, management review, corrective actions) in the organization led into the knowledge creation and share and improving the performance at lower average. The internal audit processes and process monitoring/ product in the organization led into the knowledge creation and share and improving the above average performance (desirable). The positive and negative factors in this case (6 cases) were analyzed and finally to improve the organization performance and increasing organizational knowledge, some solutions were presented

Optimization of blending operation for Aswan phosphate mines using linear programming

Purpose. The economic value of phosphate is reduced when randomly blending raw phosphate produced from different mines. Therefore, the blending process of different raw phosphate ores to produce economic percentage of P2O5 is essential to maximize the profit of a mine. Methods. This paper presents an application of Linear programming (LP) method to determine the optimum quantities of phosphate ore needed per each mine for blending process. Three phosphate operations, located in Aswan pro-vince south of Egypt, have been chosen for this study namely B1, B2 and C. Findings. The results of LP methods reveal that the phosphate ore of 24% of P2O5 will be produced by blending 16.8% of phosphate ore from operation B1, 9.42% of phosphate ore from operation B2 and 73.78% of phosphate ore from operation C. Whilst the phosphate ore of 22% P2O5 will only be obtained by blending 66.43% of phosphate ore from operation B1 and 33.57% from mine B2. Originality. Using the linear programming by applying solver function in mine operations. Practical implications. Applied linear programming in mining as regard mining operations to obtain the optimum solution in mining sites

PRIMJENA STOHASTIČKOGA MODELA NA ODLAGALIŠTU JALOVINE KAO POTPORA DUGOROČNOJ PROIZVODNJI U OTVORENOME KOPU S CILJEM POVEĆANJA POSTOTKA RUDE U OBRADBI

This paper presents a chance-constrained integer programming approach based on the linear method to solve the longterm open pit mine production scheduling problem. Specifically, a single stockpile has been addressed for storing excess low-grade material based on the availability of processing capacity and for possible future processing. The proposed scheduling model maximizes the project NPV while respecting a series of physical and economic constraints. Differently from common practice, where deterministic models are used to calculate the average grade for material in the stockpiles, in this work a stochastic approach was performed, starting from the time of planning before the stockpile realization. By performing a probability analysis on two case studies (on iron and gold deposits), it was proven that the stockpile attributes can be treated as normally distributed random variables. Afterwards, the stochastic programming model was formulated in an open pit gold mine in order to determine the optimum amount of ore dispatched from different bench levels in the open pit and at the same time a low-grade stockpile to the mill. The chance-constrained programming was finally applied to obtain the equivalent deterministic solution of the primary model. The obtained results have shown a better feed grade for the processing plant with a higher NPV and probability of grade blending constraint satisfaction, with respect to using the traditional stockpile deterministic model.Rad prikazuje uporabu vjerojatnosnoga cjelobrojnog programiranja, temeljenoga na linearnome algoritmu, za dugoročno rješavanje proizvodnje u rudniku otvorenoga kopa. Obrađeno je jedno odlagalište jalovine sa „siromašnom” koncentracijom rude u cilju aktiviranja toga materijala u budućoj preradbi korisne sirovine. Takav projekt maksimizira trenutačnu vrijednost rudarenja uzimajući u obzir niz fizičkih i ekonomskih varijabli. Posebnost u odnosu na determinističke modele koji se danas uglavnom koriste za izračun granične prosječne vrijednosti koncentracije rude prije odlaganja kao jalovine izražena je stohastikom. Ona je uključila vjerojatnosnu analizu dvaju slučajeva, tj. za ležište željeza i zlata. U obama je dokazano kako se varijable određene na odlagalištu mogu opisati normalnom razdiobom. Stohastički model programiran je za rudnik zlata te je uzeta u obzir optimalna vrijednost rude razvrstane na različitim rudničkim razinama, a prije slanja na obradbu (mljevenje). Optimizirani model zatim je primijenjen za dobivanje usporednoga determinističkog modela. Rezultati su upozorili na to da je konačno rješenje pokazalo znatno bolji odabir granične koncentracije rude koja se mogla poslati na daljnju obradbu. Time je uvećana i ukupna vrijednost rudnika/ležišta

The application of a stockpile stochastic model into long-term open pit mine production scheduling to improve the feed grade for the processing plant

This paper presents a chance-constrained integer programming approach based on the linear method to solve the long-term open pit mine production scheduling problem. Specifically, a single stockpile has been addressed for storing excess low-grade material based on the availability of processing capacity and for possible future processing. The proposed scheduling model maximizes the project NPV while respecting a series of physical and economic constraints. Differently from common practice, where deterministic models are used to calculate the average grade for material in the stockpiles, in this work a stochastic approach was performed, starting from the time of planning before the stockpile realization. By performing a probability analysis on two case studies (on iron and gold deposits), it was proven that the stockpile attributes can be treated as normally distributed random variables. Afterwards, the stochastic programming model was formulated in an open pit gold mine in order to determine the optimum amount of ore dispatched from different bench levels in the open pit and at the same time a low-grade stockpile to the mill. The chance-constrained programming was finally applied to obtain the equivalent deterministic solution of the primary model. The obtained results have shown a better feed grade for the processing plant with a higher NPV and probability of grade blending constraint satisfaction, with respect to using the traditional stockpile deterministic model.

The Assessment of Serum Apelin-12 Level in a Variety of Pulmonary Malignancies in Smokers

Background: Apelin has recently been considered as an adipokine secreted from visceral fat. Apelin and itsreceptor exist in many tissues including lung and play significant roles in many physiological andpathological activities. However, serum level of apelin-12 is unknown in smokers and in various types of lungmalignancies. Therefore, the amount of this hormone in non-patient smokers and the correlation of apelinserum level with the types of lung cancer in smokers afflicted with lung cancer are evaluated in this study.Methods: The amount of serum apelin-12 was measured in 63 patients (59 smokers and 4 non-smokers) withthe variety of lung cancer and 61 age- and sex-matched controls (30 smokers and 31 non-smokers) usingenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.Findings: The amount of serum apelin-12 in non-patient smokers (2142.20 ± 843.61 ng/l) was significantlyhigher than healthy non-smokers (800.39 ± 336.01 ng/l, P < 0.05), and in the variety of lung malignancies,the amount of serum apelin-12 was 2205.54 ± 187.31 ng/l in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)which was a significant increase compared to 1088.00 ± 136.52 ng/l in adenocarcinoma, 797.25 ± 88.69 ng/lin small cell carcinoma, and 1000.37 ± 62.87 ng/l in other malignancies of lung.Conclusion: The meaningful increase in apelin-12 levels of non-patient smokers can be considered as a riskfactor for outbreaking of lung SCC in these people. Therefore, apelin-12 may be considered as a target incontrolling lung SCC

Comparative Study of the Hermeneutics of Mulla Sadra and Gadamer

Philosophical hermeneutics which means ontology of understanding delves into the ontological foundations of understanding and its existential conditions from philosophical perspective. Gadamer as a representative of this school of thought developed hermeneutics from the realm of methodology into ontology. The present study entitled “A Comparative Study of the Hermeneutics of Mulla Sadra and Gadamer” revealed that many hermeneutic features of Gadamer such as essence of understanding, ontology of text and interpreter, multiplicity of understandings, and the commentator’s presumptions are evident in the perception of Mulla Sadra from the Holy Quran. However, their hermeneutics are basically different in each of the above points. More importantly, Mulla Sadra believes that the Quran is determined by God so he does not believe in relativism which is the outcome of Gadamer’s hermeneutics. In fact, Mulla Sadra believes in the cautious integration of meaning horizon between the commentator and the text in accordance with the author’s will, so he regards accurate understanding of the texts achievable relying on the key role of the commentator on the one hand, and the author’s knowledge on the other hand

Towards Optimal Ptz Camera Scheduling

The automatic control of Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) cameras has been a major research problem. We consider the control of PTZ cameras in a manner that optimizes the overall recognition accuracy. The camera control solution operates into two alternating phases: pre-recording and recording. In the first phase, the processing architecture performs the necessary algorithmic calculations to determine the optimal PTZ camera setting. However, in the second phase, the PTZ cameras apply the desired settings, capture the videos, and stream these videos to the proxy station for analysis. We enhance the overall recognition accuracy by developing a parallel PTZ control algorithm, which reduces the time spent on pre-recording and thus increases the fraction of time dedicated to capturing the actual videos of the surveillance site. Additionally, we propose a dynamic approach for determining the pre-recording time and thus allowing the system to extract the best benefits of the parallel algorithm. As the parallel algorithm leads to early completion of the pre-recording tasks, the dynamic approach empowers the system to benefit from the unused remaining time in the pre-recording phase and subsequently to place more dedication to the actual recording. We analyze the effectiveness of the proposed solutions through extensive simulation, considering the impacts of major parameters, including the subject arrival rate, surveillance area, and the number of cameras. To make the simulations as realistic as possible, we incorporate an inclusive speed model to constantly update and maintain the speed values for related subjects while they are crossing throughout the surveillance site. This speed model considers many factors, including the social tendencies and density of the people present in the surveillance site. Our overall solution assumes realistic 3D environments and not just 2D scenes. We demonstrate that the proposed parallel algorithm substantially reduces the pre-recording time. We also show that the combination of the proposed parallel algorithm and dynamic approach greatly enhances the overall face recognition accuracy