Learning and selection

Are learning processes selection processes? This paper takes a slightly modified version of the account of selection presented in Hull et al. (Behav Brain Sci 24:511–527, 2001) and asks whether it applies to learning processes. The answer is that although some learning processes are selectional, many are not. This has consequences for teleological theories of mental content. According to these theories, mental states have content in virtue of having proper functions, and they have proper functions in virtue of being the products of selection processes. For some mental states, it is plausible that the relevant selection process is natural selection, but there are many for which it is not plausible. One response to this (due to David Papineau) is to suggest that the learning processes by which we acquire non-innate mental states are selection processes and can therefore confer proper functions on mental states. This paper considers two ways in which this response could be elaborated, and argues that neither of them succeed: the teleosemanticist cannot rely on the claim that learning processes are selection processes in order to justify the attribution of proper functions to beliefs

(R)evolutionary aesthetics: Denis Dutton’s The art instinct: beauty, pleasure and human evolution

Denis Dutton’s ‘‘The Art Instinct’’ succeeds admirably in showing that it is possible to think about art from a biological point of view, and this is a significant achievement, given that resistance to the idea that cultural phenomena have biological underpinnings remains widespread in many academic disciplines. However, his account of the origins of our artistic impulses and the far-reaching conclusions he draws from that account are not persuasive. This article points out a number of problems: in particular, problems with Dutton’s appeal to sexual selection, with his discussion of the adaptation/by-product distinction and its significance, and with drawing normative conclusions from evolutionary hypotheses

Charm semileptonic decays at the B factories

A review of charm semileptonic decays results obtained at B factories is presented. It focuses on form factors measurements in $D^0\to K^- \ell^+ \nu$, $D^0\to \pi^- \ell^+ \nu$, $D_s^+ \to K^+K^- e^+\nu_e$, and $D^+ \to K^-\pi^+ e^+\nu_e$. For the last two decay channels, the contribution and characteristics of other components in the final state, in addition to the main vector contribution, is also studied

Knowledge, development and technology: internet use among voluntary-sector AIDS organisations in KwaZulu-Natal

Knowledge is frequently invoked as an explanatory factor in the relationship between technology and development, yet seldom with reference to an explicit conception of knowledge and almost never with reference to contemporary epistemology. The result is a multiplicity of different and in some cases contradictory 'knowledge-based' approaches. At the same time, epistemology is undergoing significant developments that suggest promising directions of enquiry and collaboration with the social and natural sciences. Of particular interest are naturalistic and externalist perspectives in analytic epistemology, where an emerging programme can be discerned aimed at bridging the gap between philosophical and empirical study of the way in which we come to know the world. This project can be seen as part of such a programme, applying naturalistic epistemology to the field of development and technology as the basis of a more grounded and general theory with a range of empirical applications. It begins with a discussion of the philosophical position, identifying three core dimensions of knowledge, their normative features and the potential of technology to support and extend functioning on each dimension. This theory is shown to have close affinities with the capability approach developed by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, leading to the articulation of a generic theory of 'knowledge capability'. The second half of the project applies the general theory to a case study of Internet use among AIDS NGOs in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where HIV prevalence rates of 37.5% have been recorded and where response to the epidemic has been left largely to civil society. The knowledge dimensions of NGO AIDS work are explored and conclusions drawn about the interactions between technology use, existing capabilities and wider environmental factors in determining the degree to which technology can in this case be considered a knowledge tool

Parental Influence in Youth Sport

Youth sport has become one of the most popular outlets for children in today’s society. Youth sport programs and organizations play an important role in the lives of the children that are participating. Many aspects go into, what would be considered, a successful delivery of sports (Barcelona & Young, 2010). Moreover, this includes coaches and parent’s influences and when it contributes to a positive experience (Barcelona & Young, 2010). However, one of the biggest contributions to a positive or negative sport experience, is the role of parental influence. The culture around youth sports has changed in multiple ways throughout the years. It has started to diminish and one of the reasons that has contributed to this decrease in participation is parents (Rosenwald, 2015). Children are deciding not to play sports anymore because of the pressure that coexists with playing at a young age. Parents and adults within these programs take the competiveness to another lever and forget the real reason why adolescents want to play. The purpose of this research was to study the relationship of the feelings that former youth athletes have about their sport and how parental influence played a role in their experiences. Furthermore, looking into how former youth athletes feel about sport participation as adults. An abundant amount of research has been conducted to find the benefits, as well as the risks, of participating in sports at a young age and how parents fit into the equation. However, where the research lacks, is in how parent’s involvement has an influence on how children feel about sport in the long run. The objective of this research was to examine if this type of relationship exists within youth sport culture. This research can be beneficial to various parties that are involved in youth sports and the organizations. It allows parents to understand how their actions can have a lasting impression on their children. As well as, allowing children and young adults understand why parents might do certain things when it comes to youth sport. Understanding this type of relationship can help youth programs adjust how they teach children. This can also help structure programs to ensure a positive environment and allowing parents to understand when their influence is necessary or not necessary. The purpose of this study was to research the current relationship between parental influence in youth sport and how it plays into the feelings former youth athletes have on sport. The research question of this study was: What relationship does parental influence in youth sport have with the feeling former youth sport athletes have about sport participation as adults? The intention of this research was to gain a better understanding of how the experience of youth sport combined with parental influence can influence a former youth athlete of their feelings on playing sport as adults. Many factors go into understanding youth sport and the culture that surrounds it. To comprehend this research, there has to be background knowledge on the purpose of youth sport, an understanding of the factors that play a role in youth sport, and the state of youth sport today

Censorship in Cyberspace: Closing the Net on "Revenge Porn"

The article reviews current privacy laws in the context of “Revenge Porn”. Given the speed at which images are published online, the article highlights the futility of breach of confidence and other civil actions in preventing publication at the outset. Furthermore, private law is expensive offering little protection against the victim’s humiliation. The article proposes that non-consensual pornography should be criminalised under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 by way of a Statutory Instrument: Misuse of Private Information 2014