Yet Another Puzzle of Ground

We show that any predicational theory of partial ground that extends a standard theory of syntax and that proves some commonly accepted principles for partial ground is inconsistent. We suggest a way to obtain a consistent predicational theory of ground

Properties grounded in identity

The topic of this dissertation are essential properties. The aim is to give an explication of the concept of essential properties in terms of the concept of metaphysical grounding. Along the way, the author proves several new results about formal theories of metaphysical grounding and develops a new hyperintensional theory of properties. Chapter 1 is the introduction of the thesis in which the author motivates the problem of explicating the concept of essential properties and gives adequacy criteria for a successful explication tracing back to Carnap. The author discusses the orthodox explication of essential properties in terms of metaphysical necessity and Fine's objections to it. He goes on to develop a new ground-theoretic explication of essential properties in an informal way, where the basic idea is that a property is essential to an object if and only if the property is metaphysically grounded in the identity or haecceity of the object. The author argues informally that the new explication provides natural solutions to the problems raised by Fine and make it the goal for the rest of the dissertation to make the account formally precise. Chapter 2 focuses on a axiomatic theories of metaphysical grounding. In particular, the author develops a new formal approach to the relation of partial ground, i.e. the relation of one truth holding partially in virtue of another. The main novelty of the chapter is the use of a grounding predicate rather than an operator to formalize statements of (partial) ground. The author develops the new theory in formal detail as a first-order theory, proves its consistency, and shows that it's a conservative extension of the well-known theory of positive truth. Moreover, the author constructs a concrete model of the theory. Then, the author extends the framework with typed truth predicates, which allow us to make statements about the grounds and truth of statements about the truth of other sentences. Also this theory the author proves consistent and a conservative extension of the ramified theory of positive truth. A model construction extending the construction of the base theory is also given. Ultimately, the author discards the theory for the purpose of the dissertation, because of technical problems that arise when we try to develop a satisfactory explication of essential properties in the framework. The author leaves further development of the framework for future work and argues that further investigating could lead to interesting and fruitful discussion between formal theorists of truth and metaphysical theorists of grounding. Chapter 3 develops a logic of iterated ground, i.e. relations of ground between statements of ground, using the operator approach. The author first discusses certain conceptual distinctions in the context of metaphysical ground in general and iterated ground in particular. The author argues that different conceptions of iterated ground lead to different logics of iterated ground. He goes on to develop the logic of iterated ground based on the idea that if one truth is grounded in others, then it's these grounds that ground the statement of ground itself. This view traces back to remarks by de Rosset and Litland. The logic is developed in formal detail, both syntactically and semantically, and its formal properties are investigated. To conclude the chapter, the author discusses certain problems that arise when we're trying to prove a completeness result for the logic and sketches a way around them. In chapter 4, the author develops a new hyperintensional theory of properties, which can distinguish in natural, semantic terms between necessarily co-extensional but intuitively distinct properties. The theory is based on the idea that we can individuate properties by means of what the author calls "exemplification criteria" of an object for a property, roughly the states of affairs that if they obtain explain why the object has the property. The author develops this theory both formally and informally and discusses in detail how it achieves a natural distinction between necessarily co-extensional but intuitively distinct properties. Chapter 5 is the conclusion, where the author brings the results of chapter 3 and 4 to bear on the informal explication of essential properties in terms of metaphysical ground from the introduction. The author argues that together the iterated logic of ground from chapter 3 and the hyperintensional property theory of chapter 4 allow us to make the explication formally precise in a way that satisfies the adequacy criteria for a successful explication laid out by Carnap. The author concludes with a brief discussion of possible ways of extending the results of the dissertation in various ways

Regulated sodium transport in the renal connecting tubule (CNT) via the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC)

The aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron (ASDN) includes the late distal convoluted tubule 2, the connecting tubule (CNT) and the collecting duct. The appropriate regulation of sodium (Na+) absorption in the ASDN is essential to precisely match urinary Na+ excretion to dietary Na+ intake whilst taking extra-renal Na+ losses into account. There is increasing evidence that Na+ transport in the CNT is of particular importance for the maintenance of body Na+ balance and for the long-term control of extra-cellular fluid volume and arterial blood pressure. Na+ transport in the CNT critically depends on the activity and abundance of the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in the luminal membrane of the CNT cells. As a rate-limiting step for transepithelial Na+ transport, ENaC is the main target of hormones (e.g. aldosterone, angiotensin II, vasopressin and insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1) to adjust transepithelial Na+ transport in this tubular segment. In this review, we highlight the structural and functional properties of the CNT that contribute to the high Na+ transport capacity of this segment. Moreover, we discuss some aspects of the complex pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in ENaC regulation by hormones, kinases, proteases and associated proteins that control its function. Whilst cultured cells and heterologous expression systems have greatly advanced our knowledge about some of these regulatory mechanisms, future studies will have to determine the relative importance of the various pathways in the native tubule and in particular in the CN

Multiple Models, One Explanation

We develop an account of how mutually inconsistent models of the same target system can provide coherent information about the system. Our account makes use of ideas from the debate surrounding robustness analysis and draws on the idea of a shared structure among models. To illustrate, we consider a case study from international trade-theory

Properties grounded in identity

The topic of this dissertation are essential properties. The aim is to give an explication of the concept of essential properties in terms of the concept of metaphysical grounding. Along the way, the author proves several new results about formal theories of metaphysical grounding and develops a new hyperintensional theory of properties. Chapter 1 is the introduction of the thesis in which the author motivates the problem of explicating the concept of essential properties and gives adequacy criteria for a successful explication tracing back to Carnap. The author discusses the orthodox explication of essential properties in terms of metaphysical necessity and Fine's objections to it. He goes on to develop a new ground-theoretic explication of essential properties in an informal way, where the basic idea is that a property is essential to an object if and only if the property is metaphysically grounded in the identity or haecceity of the object. The author argues informally that the new explication provides natural solutions to the problems raised by Fine and make it the goal for the rest of the dissertation to make the account formally precise. Chapter 2 focuses on a axiomatic theories of metaphysical grounding. In particular, the author develops a new formal approach to the relation of partial ground, i.e. the relation of one truth holding partially in virtue of another. The main novelty of the chapter is the use of a grounding predicate rather than an operator to formalize statements of (partial) ground. The author develops the new theory in formal detail as a first-order theory, proves its consistency, and shows that it's a conservative extension of the well-known theory of positive truth. Moreover, the author constructs a concrete model of the theory. Then, the author extends the framework with typed truth predicates, which allow us to make statements about the grounds and truth of statements about the truth of other sentences. Also this theory the author proves consistent and a conservative extension of the ramified theory of positive truth. A model construction extending the construction of the base theory is also given. Ultimately, the author discards the theory for the purpose of the dissertation, because of technical problems that arise when we try to develop a satisfactory explication of essential properties in the framework. The author leaves further development of the framework for future work and argues that further investigating could lead to interesting and fruitful discussion between formal theorists of truth and metaphysical theorists of grounding. Chapter 3 develops a logic of iterated ground, i.e. relations of ground between statements of ground, using the operator approach. The author first discusses certain conceptual distinctions in the context of metaphysical ground in general and iterated ground in particular. The author argues that different conceptions of iterated ground lead to different logics of iterated ground. He goes on to develop the logic of iterated ground based on the idea that if one truth is grounded in others, then it's these grounds that ground the statement of ground itself. This view traces back to remarks by de Rosset and Litland. The logic is developed in formal detail, both syntactically and semantically, and its formal properties are investigated. To conclude the chapter, the author discusses certain problems that arise when we're trying to prove a completeness result for the logic and sketches a way around them. In chapter 4, the author develops a new hyperintensional theory of properties, which can distinguish in natural, semantic terms between necessarily co-extensional but intuitively distinct properties. The theory is based on the idea that we can individuate properties by means of what the author calls "exemplification criteria" of an object for a property, roughly the states of affairs that if they obtain explain why the object has the property. The author develops this theory both formally and informally and discusses in detail how it achieves a natural distinction between necessarily co-extensional but intuitively distinct properties. Chapter 5 is the conclusion, where the author brings the results of chapter 3 and 4 to bear on the informal explication of essential properties in terms of metaphysical ground from the introduction. The author argues that together the iterated logic of ground from chapter 3 and the hyperintensional property theory of chapter 4 allow us to make the explication formally precise in a way that satisfies the adequacy criteria for a successful explication laid out by Carnap. The author concludes with a brief discussion of possible ways of extending the results of the dissertation in various ways

What Are Structural Properties?†

Informally, structural properties of mathematical objects are usually characterized in one of two ways: either as properties expressible purely in terms of the primitive relations of mathematical theories, or as the properties that hold of all structurally similar mathematical objects. We present two formal explications corresponding to these two informal characterizations of structural properties. Based on this, we discuss the relation between the two explications. As will be shown, the two characterizations do not determine the same class of mathematical properties. From this observation we draw some philosophical conclusions about the possibility of a ‘correct’ analysis of structural properties

Axiomatic Theories of Partial Ground I: The Base Theory

This is part one of a two-part paper, in which we develop an axiomatic theory of the relation of partial ground. The main novelty of the paper is the of use of a binary ground predicate rather than an operator to formalize ground. This allows us to connect theories of partial ground with axiomatic theories of truth. In this part of the paper, we develop an axiomatization of the relation of partial ground over the truths of arithmetic and show that the theory is a proof-theoretically conservative extension of the theory P T of positive truth. We construct models for the theory and draw some conclusions for the semantics of conceptualist ground

The psychological science accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges