Astrobiology and astrophilosophy: subsuming or bifurcating diciplines?

Initially, astrobiology subsumed into philosophy. However, philosophy has increasingly subsumed into astrobiology concurrent with it steadily becoming an observational and experimental activity that mainly focuses on the link between life and the cosmos, rather than on extra-terrestrial life per se. However, the steadily increasing probability of locating such extra-terrestrial life and the questions this will lead to might require a refinement of astrobiology, with a bifurcation into astrobiology and astrophilosophy. There are many reasons for the emergence and necessity of astrobiology. One barely realized reason for its emergence, I will argue, is the dawning realization that biology, until now, has been under a geocentric limitation, which has unavoidably pervaded the perception of life. Additionally, as astrobiology can be said to be a long last movement away from this limitation, astrophilosophy represents a movement away from that limitation because philosophy has, strictly speaking, been restrained by the frames for one species, Homo sapiens. Thus, philosophy has, strictly speaking, been anthropomorphic. Thus, when philosophy, like astrobiology, incorporates the Copernican principle, assuming that terrestrial life, and the thinking of Homo sapiens, is not privileged in the universe, astrophilosophy emerges. Astrobiology and astrophilosophy are not competitors but are rather two distinct but complementary activities that address questions with their own well-defined methods and rigor while still informing each other in an inter-dependent manner. Astrophilosophy concerns questions that are philosophical in nature but are procured by an astrobiological perspective. By including scenarios procured by astrobiology, a number of questions regarding value, rights, communication and intelligence that could arise in the interaction between Homo sapiens and extra-terrestrial life can be addressed

Heroical Apatheism: Mala Fide Bootstrapping Obligations

Discussions on hypothetical gods virtually always focus on the latter’s existence or nonexistence. However, this is only the secondary question. Heroical apatheism distinguishes these questions from the primary question, which pertains to the importance of these gods. It is a deeply ingrained assumption that if the gods have created the universe and humankind, then this implicitly entails the obligations that these gods must be worshipped and obeyed. These relations between existence and acts and worship and obedience to the gods are so commonplace that virtually no one questions their existence. The rights of these gods are simply assumed at face value. However, the issues pertaining to these necessary relations are not trivial in any respect. This paper highlights these relations by first formulating two cosmological models for the initial condition of the universe and, thereafter, applying these in the analyses of the claims regarding these relations. By doing so, it shows that the justifications for the aforementioned obligations always result in a Münchhausen bootstrapping circularity or are ad hoc. Any necessary relations between existence and worship and between acts of creation and obedience cannot be demonstrated. Furthermore, these assumptions are based on the frequently overlooked reasoning that arguing for or against the obligations to the gods implicitly assumes that these gods have a right to such obligations to begin with. However, all that can be shown is the power to enforce obedience. Thus, heroical apatheism is founded on neither doubt nor disobedience because disobedience implies that an authority exists and an authority’s right presupposes that there is such a right. However, there is no such right, and we do not equate might with right

Gods and Dictatorships: a Defence of Heroical Apatheism

Democracy is usually contrasted with the concept of dictatorship, and is defined as a type of government in which power flows from the citizens to the leaders of government, who are selected through free elections. This article argues, that if the concept of democracy is generalized to be universally applicable, then the concept of hypothetical gods’ right to rule results in dictatorship. Whereas the concepts of dictator and tyrant originally had a more positive meaning, those meanings have changed. However, the concept of the gods in the philosophical debate has avoided a similar redefinition in light of democracy, despite the fact, that it involves the same negation of modern fundamental rights. The basic democratic idea posits that all of its members have a full and equal status. If this status is generalized to be universally applicable, then it follows that humankind likewise are not second and first class among hypothetical gods. The existence or nonexistence of the gods is here defined as the secondary question, whereas the principal acceptance of hypothetical gods’ right to rule in a democratic context with respect to concepts of freedom is defined as the primary question. The position of heroical apatheism is argued as an alternative to positions such as theism, atheism, and agnosticism. These positions only concern themselves with the ontological or epistemological question of whether the gods exist, whereas heroical apatheism concerns itself with the primary component missing so far, namely democratic rights and dignity. This is a discussion that I consider as having been overlooked in modern philosophical discussions

The improbable event of spontaneous cell rejuvenation

Unlike most other laws of nature, the second law of thermodynamics is of a statistical nature, according to Boltzmann, meaning that its reliability arises from the vast number of particles present in macroscopic systems. This means that such systems will lead towards their most likely state, that is, the one with the most homogeneous probability distribution. However, Boltzmann states that entropy-decreasing processes can occur (without doing any work) - it is just very improbable. It is therefore not impossible, in principle, for all 6 x 10^23 atoms in a mole of a gas to spontaneously move to one half of a container; it is only fantastically unlikely. A similar idea has here been applied to a human cell. All somatic cells seem to age and deteriorate in unfavorable conditions. If the ageing process is defined as the accumulation of dysfunctional polymers resulting from, among other things, chemical bond breakage, where polymers aggregate into harmful arrangements, spreading out randomly in the cell and leading to an altered function, then it also applies that there will be a difference in entropy between, for instance, a 20-year old individual and the same individual at age 80. The goal of this article is to demonstrate that the second law does not tell us that the cell necessarily must go toward a high entropy state and stay that way but that it is possible - according to statistical mechanics - for an old cell to experience a return to a younger state. We find the probability of this spontaneous return to a more ordered state to be expressed by P = 10^(-202)^(-889). In spite of this number, it does show that a reversal of the ageing process is not prohibited by nature. There is a theoretical possibility of rejuvenation. Whether this will ever become a practical reality is another matter

Volumetric velocimetry study in a transitional wall jet flow with passive flow control via flaps

Birds are remarkably good flyers and show very special adaptations in their wings for stall delay. The pop-up of some cover feathers during starting and landing gave the idea for the present study to investigate the influence on a wall jet when inserting an array with flaps made of elastomer foil. In a wall jet with Re = 420 a flat plate and two different flap arrays (with a foil thickness of 100 and 200 µm) are measured by a time resolved 3D scanning PIV with 20 laser sheets. 2-dimensional analyses show the forming rolers between the jet flow and the surrounding fluid with a fundamental frequency of 13-14 Hz and the characteristically vortex pairing. By inserting the flap array the jet wallnormal spreading gets intensified and the vortex interaction process results in cooperative formation of larger vortices. The 3-dimensional analyses verify these results and show high 3-dimensional vortical structures which are growing when passing over a flap array. In case of the inserted flap array the vortex pairing process was delayed and accumulation of spanwise vorticity was forced to happen over the first rows of flaps, thus forming the larger structures. Already the used flap array configurations showed a significant impact influence on the jet evolution and the non-linear instabilities. Further investigations will analyze the influence of more parameters as the flap geometry or the distance to the jet flow and nozzle outlet

Innovation in craft enterprises - Barriers and Success Factors

The economic structure of Germany is undergoing radical changes brought about by far-reaching alterations in the global division of labour, a weakening and modification of demand trends and by the dynamics of technological and organizational innovation. These structural changes affect the craft enterprises as well. In the past craft enterprises mastered these challenges in the competition, in the market and in the technology. Moreover, the craft enterprises are responsible for many innovative products, processes and services as well as for the preservation of jobs and the creation of a large number of new jobs. The aim of our research was to find out craft enterprises which have successfully mastered these challenges within the last years. Furthermore it is important to know something about the problems enterprises had with the adjustment to the structural changes. Discovering and analysing the weaknesses is the necessary condition to remove these weaknesses and to be successful on the markets in the future. Especially innovative enterprises are expected to have competitive advantages in opposition to enterprises that are not innovative. The paper is based on an empirical survey of 133 craft enterprises in the area of the Chamber of Handicrafts Reutlingen, a mainly rural region within Baden-Wuerttemberg. The craft enterprises in this area were examined with standardized questionnaires and interviews. The main focus in our survey was placed on variables, which describe the innovative behaviour and the information activities of the enterprises. The questionnaire included questions about process and product innovations, the product age and the three fundamental components in the strategic management of enterprises: The attitude to risk, which is proved by the choice of the growth strategy and the regional extension of sales markets. The innovative competence, i.e. the existence of activities in the areas of research and development, construction and design, business planning and staff development. The willingness to learn and the acquisition of knowledge, i.e. the employees' capability and readiness to take up know-how and to realize innovations with this know-how. The paper summarises the most significant results of the study. The examined craft enterprises were divided into two different groups: the especially successful enterprises and the less successful enterprises. Compared with the less successful enterprises, the especially successful enterprises have a stronger attitude to risk, more innovative competences and a higher willingness to learn. The differences are also emphasized by the fact that successful enterprises formulate questions - not only at the beginning of the renewal process but during all their activities. By doing so they question about themselves and their traditional way of solving problems. They organize a permanent knowledge exchange.

Wenn Migranten religiös werden : die „Renaissance“ des Chassidismus und die Rolle der baalai teshuva am Beispiel von Chicago

Der Artikel beschäftigt sich mit der gegenwärtigen „Renaissance“ des Chassidismus in den USA. Am Beispiel der Chicagoer Synagogengemeinschaft Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe wird untersucht, welche Rolle dabei russisch-jüdische Migranten spielen, die zum Glauben “zurückkehren”. Inwiefern tragen die baalai teshuva zu einer Modernisierung des tradierten Normen- und insbesondere Sozialgefüges der chassidischen Gemeinschaft bei. Dies ist die zentrale Frage, der mittels ethnografischer Untersuchungsmethoden nachgegangen wird.The ethnographic article focuses on the current “renaissance” of Hasidism in the US. As an exemplary site of study serves the Chicago Congregation Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe. There, the article draws attention to the specific role of the recent Russian Jewish Migration for the Hasidic revival. As “returnees” to religion Russian Jews deceisively reshape traditional Hasidic social hierarchies and thus contribute to a modernization of current Hasidism in the US

Dispelling the Myths and Stigma of Mental Illness: The Surgeon General\u27s Report on Mental Health

This paper summarizes the key findings of Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, which was released on December 13, 1999, by U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher. Topics include the significance of mental illness, the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment, the widespread lack of treatment, access problems and their causes, the significance of stigma, and the prevention of mental illness