The paradox of fact from fiction; What fiction can and can’t tell us about the real world

In philosophical discussions of literature, there is a great deal of discussion about what’s been termed “the paradox of fiction”: how is it that we can be emotionally moved by characters that we know are not real?  But an important related problem might be called the paradox of fact from fiction: how can an invented fictional world give us knowledge about the real one?     In this essay I will look carefully at how fictional worlds could possibly tell us about real ones, and whether they, in fact, tends to do so.   I then discuss ideas about how we might change how fiction is taught, in light of these conclusions

Easter 5 • Acts 6:1–9; 7:2a, 51–60

This text challenges us to let grace define our witness; grace that speaks the truth in love, and grace that sows the seeds of forgiveness

Insight from popular fiction; understanding rather than knowledge

Abstract: People are often recommending popular fiction to each other to provide “insight” into, say, what life is like in a contemporary Jamaican village. But given that such stories are fictional, what does that insight really consist in? In this paper I will argue that such works of fiction can provide understanding, rather than knowledge. I’ll also talk about some things we need to be cautious about with this type of understanding

Palm Sunday • Philippians 2:5–11 • March 29, 2015

Our English too often comes off sounding like Jesus was something less than God, as if he merely appeared to be God

Variation in Plumage Coloration of Northern Cardinals in Urbanizing Landscapes

Despite decades of study, biologists know relatively little of how one of the most important avian phenotypic signals, feather coloration, may be affected by anthropogenic disturbances resulting from urbanization. From 2006-2008, I examined the relationship between urbanization and the carotenoid-based plumage color in Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) breeding in 13 riparian forests distributed across a rural-to-urban landscape gradient in central Ohio, USA. Color analysis from feathers collected each year from territorial breeding individuals (131 males and 149 females) indicated that plumage had more red hues with improving body condition for males and weakly for females. However, the amount of urbanization surrounding the forests in which cardinals bred was not related to coloration of either males or females. This study provides evidence that male plumage coloration of Northern Cardinals may serve as an effective indicator of individual condition. Also, the lack of a relationship between plumage coloration and urbanization suggests that urbanizing landscapes do not influence the ability of cardinals to sequester carotenoid-rich sources of food.The Ohio State University, College of Biological SciencesThe National Science FoundationNo embarg

Preparation of Cu-based bulk metallic glasses by suction casting

A series of Cu-Hf-Ti alloys prepared by rapid solidification of the melt and by copper mould casting were studied in the present work. Alloy ingots were prepared by arc-melting mixtures of pure metals in an argon atmosphere. An indication of the cooling rate obtained was determined using an Al-4.5 wt%Cu alloy. Cooling rates varied from 540 K/s for the centre section of a 4 mm die to 885 K/s for the outside wall section of the 2 mm die. The glass-forming ability, structure and thermal stability of Cu-Hf-Ti glassy alloys were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Bulk glass formation was observed for the Cu64Hf36, Cu55Hf25Ti20 and Cu56Hf25Ti19 alloys, with critical diameters dc for a fully glassy structure of 1, 4 and 5 mm, respectively. The substitution of Hf by Ti increased the glassforming ability (GFA) and the thermal stability

Taxpayer Information Assistance Services and Tax Compliance Behavior

The traditional "enforcement" paradigm of tax administration views taxpayers as potential criminals, and emphasizes the repression of illegal behavior through frequent audits and stiff penalties. However, an important trend in tax administration policies in recent years is the recognition that this paradigm is incomplete. Instead, a revised "service" paradigm recognizes the role of enforcement, but also emphasizes the role of tax administration as a facilitator and a provider of services to taxpayer-citizens. This research utilizes laboratory experiments to test the effectiveness of such taxpayer service programs in enhancing tax compliance. Our basic experimental setting mimics the naturally occurring environment: subjects earn income, they must choose whether to file a tax return, and they then must choose how much of their net income to report to a tax authority that may audit the subject. To investigate the effects of taxpayer services, we "complicate" these compliance decisions of subjects, and then provide "services" from the "tax administration" that allow subjects to compute more easily their tax liabilities. Our results indicate that uncertainty reduces both the filing and the reporting compliance of an individual. However, we also find that agency-provided information has a positive and significant impact on the tendency of an individual to file a tax return, and also on reporting for individuals who choose to file a return.tax evasion, tax compliance, behavioral economics, experimental economics

Compulsion Over Comity: The United States\u27 Assault on Foreign Bank Secrecy

Because of their physical proximities and tory secrecy laws, many nations have become bank secrecy havens, providing financial services and anonymity to people and business enterprises, both legitimate and illegitimate. In response, U.S. courts have systematically circumvented almost any challenge to the authority of our prosecutors and judicial procedures presented by nations that respect and uphold financial privacy. Unfortunately, efforts by other branches of the United States government to ease the friction created by the courts have proved to be only moderately effective and remain essentially unrecognized by the judiciary

COMMERCE AND TRADE Electronic Signatures and Records: Permit the Use of Electronic Signatures and Records Even When a Statute, Regulation, or Other Rule of Law Specifies a Non-Electronic Type of Signature or Record

The Act attempts to prevent the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C.S. sections 7001, et seq., and 47 U.S.C.S. section 231) from preempting state law by expressing legislative findings and intent that previous Georgia digital signature legislation was consistent with federal law. Additionally, the Act allows all departments in the Georgia state government to use their best judgment in providing for the efficiencies that result from the use of electronic signature equivalents without having to affirmatively change thousands of specific references in the code to non-electronic signatures or records