The Author[’s] Remains: Foucault and the Demise of the “Author-Function”

At several points throughout his career, Foucault suggests that publishing texts without authors’ names attached would be a useful step towards dismantling what he calls the “author-function:” a social and political role structured according to the way discourse is treated and disseminated in a particular social setting. I discuss Foucault’s criticisms of the author-function in terms of its relationship to the political role of intellectuals, and I argue that the demise of this role cannot be achieved through the means of authorial anonymity, as Foucault suggests. Rather, it must be undermined from a position within this role itself

Skeptical Theism Proved

Skeptical theism is a popular response to arguments from evil. Many hold that it undermines a key inference often used by such arguments. However, the case for skeptical theism is often kept at an intuitive level: no one has offered an explicit argument for the truth of skeptical theism. In this article, I aim to remedy this situation: I construct an explicit, rigorous argument for the truth of skeptical theism

Even if the fetus is not a person, abortion is immoral: The impairment argument

Much of the discussion surrounding the ethics of abortion has centered around the notion of personhood. This is because many philosophers hold that the morality of abortion is contingent on whether the fetus is a person - though, of course, some famous philosophers have rejected this thesis (e.g. Judith Thomson and Don Marquis). In this article, I construct a novel argument for the immorality of abortion based on the notion of impairment. This argument does not assume that the fetus is a person - indeed, I concede (for the sake of argument) that the fetus is not a person - and hence the morality of abortion is not contingent on whether the fetus is a person. I finish by answering a plethora of objections to my argument, concluding that none of them are successful

Investing time: Teacher research observing the influence of music history and theory lessons upon student engagement and expressive performance of an advanced high school string quartet

This teacher-conducted research observes the influence of music history and theory instruction upon motivation, engagement, and expressive performance of the author’s high school string students. Two diverse teaching approaches were introduced sequentially as students learned two movements of Schubert’s "Death and the Maiden" Quartet (D810). The first movement was taught using performance-based instruction only, while the second movement was taught with a combination of performance-based instruction and music history and theory lessons. Student comments and teacher observations revealed that the incorporation of music history and theory lessons into performance instruction was (a) motivational to students, (b) a catalyst for expressive performance, and (c) an effective use of rehearsal time. Independent adjudicator scores were higher for the second movement than for the first, although several additional explanations are given that may also explain the variation in scores. Pedagogical recommendations are provided for incorporating music history/theory lessons into performance rehearsals

Spin vector control of a spinning space station

Digital computer program simulates system and related functions. Program is intended for, but not limited to, altitude control studies of rotating space station. Russel's method of formulating and solving motion equations for system of rigid bodies connected by movable joints is applied. Program features are listed

Selection of a common communication link geometry for Saturn, Uranus and Titan

Mission analysis link parametrics, considering a Pioneer baseline, are developed through launch energies, flyby radii, and trip time calculations. Projected is also a 1979 Jupiter Uranus opportunity for a derivative Mariner to fly to Uranus by using the gravity field of Jupiter

Liquid drop technique for generation of organic glass and metal shells

It was found that liquid drop techniques are very useful in several diverse areas. For producing very uniform metallic, organic, inorganic and, on particular, glassy shells, the liquid jet method is the most reproducible and exceptionally useful of all the techniques studied. The technique of capillary wave synchronization of the break-up of single and multiple component jets was utilized to produce uniform sized liquid drops and solid particles, and hollow liquid and solid shells. The technique was also used to encapsulate a number of liquids in impermeable spherical shells. Highly uniform glass shells were made by generating uniform drops of glass forming materials in an aqueous solution, subsequently evaporating the water, and then fusing and blowing the remaining solids in a high temperature vertical tube furnace. Experimental results are presented and the critical problems in further research in this field are discussed