Empirical Correlates of Narrative Closure

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the narratological concept of narrative closure. While narrative closure is a well-studied phenomenon in contemporary narratology, it still lacks a serious empirical foundation. In order to fill that lacuna, we performed a controlled rating experiment aimed at validating some of the properties of narrative closure proposed in the narratological literature. Our results suggest that narrative closure is closely related to two connected properties: to the completeness of the text and to questions left open by the text

Nearly diffraction limited FTIR mapping using an ultrastable broadband femtosecond laser tunable from 1.33 to 8 µm

Micro-Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a widespread technique that enables broadband measurements of infrared active molecular vibrations at high sensitivity. SiC globars are often applied as light sources in tabletop systems, typically covering a spectral range from about 1 to 20 µm (10 000 - 500 cm−1) in FTIR spectrometers. However, measuring sample areas below 40x40 µm2 requires very long integration times due to their inherently low brilliance. This hampers the detection of ultrasmall samples, such as minute amounts of molecules or single nanoparticles. In this publication we extend the current limits of FTIR spectroscopy in terms of measurable sample areas, detection limit and speed by utilizing a broadband, tabletop laser system with MHz repetition rate and femtosecond pulse duration that covers the spectral region between 1250 - 7520 cm−1 (1.33 - 8 µm). We demonstrate mapping of a 150x150 µm2 sample of 100 nm thick molecule layers at 1430 cm−1 (7 µm) with 10x10 µm2 spatial resolution and a scan speed of 3.5 µm/sec. Compared to a similar globar measurement an order of magnitude lower noise is achieved, due to an excellent long-term wavelength and power stability, as well as an orders of magnitude higher brilliance

Thought Experiments - A Family of Philosophical Procedures

Gedankenexperimente werden von Philosophen einerseits intensiv genutzt, andererseits hält sich vor allem gegenüber Gedankenexperimenten mit sehr fremden Szenarien ein tiefes Misstrauen. Die Kritik an Gedankenexperimenten wird in der Arbeit als übertrieben oder haltlos erwiesen. Erstens wird vor Augen geführt, dass Gedankenexperimente eine große und sehr vielfältige Familie von Verfahren bilden. Zweitens werden zentralen Elemente der meisten Gedankenexperimente untersucht, das Vorstellen des Szenarios, seine Variation, die Beurteilung und die philosophische Ausnutzung. Schließlich werden verschiedene Arten von Kritik unterschieden und auf ihre Stichhaltigkeit geprüft