A Phenomenology of Religion?

This research explores the possibility of a phenomenology of religion that is ontological, founded on Martin Heidegger’s philosophical thought. The research attempts to utilise Heidegger’s formulation of phenomenology as ontology while also engaging in a critical relation with his path of thinking; as a barrier to the phenomenological interpretation of the meaning of Religion. This research formulates Religion as an ontological problem wherein the primary question becomes: how are humans, in our being, able to be religious and thus also able to understand the meaning of ‘religion’ or something like ‘religion’? This study focuses on the problem of foundation; of whether it is possible to provide an adequate foundation for the study of religion(s) via the notion ‘Religion’. Further, this study also aims to explore the problem of methodological foundation; of how preconceptions of the meaning of Religion predetermine how religion(s) and religious phenomena are studied. Finally, this research moves toward the possibility of founding a regional ontological basis for the study of religion(s) insofar as the research explores the ontological ground of Religion as a phenomenon. Due to the exploratory and methodological/foundational emphasis of the research, the thesis is almost entirely preliminary. Herein, the research focuses on three main issues: how the notion of Religion is preconceived, how Heidegger’s phenomenology can be tailored to the phenomenon of Religion, and how philosophical thought (in this case, Pre-Socratic philosophy) discloses indications of the meaning of Religion. Pre-Socratic thought is then utilised as a foundation for a preliminary interpretation of how Religion belongs-to humans in our being. This research provides two interrelated theses: the provision of an interpretation of Religion as an existential phenomenon, and an interpretation of Religion in its ground of being-human. With regard to the former, I argue that Religion signifies a potential relation with the ‘originary ground’ of life as meaningful. Accordingly, the second interpretation discloses the meaning of Religion as grounded in being-human; that for humans in our being, the meaning of life is an intrinsic question/dilemma for us. This being-characteristic, I argue, can be called belief

Valuing biomarker diagnostics for dementia care: enhancing the reflection of patients, their care-givers and members of the wider public

Contains fulltext : 207352.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

The response of wheat genotypes to inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense

It is well documented in many studies that plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are capable of increasing plant growth and productivity in a range of agricultural crops, reducing dependence on chemical amendments and maintaining a safe environment. Over the last two decades PGPR inoculants have been increasingly used in agriculture to improve crop productivity and farming system sustainability. Such eco-friendly technologies are needed to address sustainable food security and to avoid global dependence on hazardous agricultural chemicals which ultimately destabilize agro-ecosystems. The nitrogen fixing bacteria, Azospirillum brasilense, has been an important PGPB (plant growth promoting bacteria) used to enhance the growth and yield of many crops globally. This is attributed mainly to its ability to produce phytohormones. While much is known about A. brasilense, the promising effect of PGPBs in general in the field is limited by factors that influence their survival and activity in the rhizosphere. The attachment of bacteria to roots is an essential and necessary condition for the establishment of an effective association. This association is dependent upon the population density of active PGPB cells in the rhizosphere which are able to compete with indigenous bacteria. However, how survival and persistence of inoculant bacteria in the rhizosphere, the effect of inoculum on the rhizosphere community, in particular the nitrogen fixing community, and the effect of plant genotype contributes to plant growth promotion by Azospirillum in the field have not been widely studied. Better understanding of the plant x inoculum interaction requires determining if there is an effect of plant genotype and monitoring and estimation of the persistence of PGPB in the rhizosphere. The overall aim of this project was to examine the effect of the wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotype x Azospirillum interaction on colonization of roots and plant growth promotion. These effects were studied under both controlled hydroponic conditions in the laboratory and in the field. Plant growth parameters and bacterial colonization of the rhizosphere were determined in both conditions. Differences in root characteristics of twenty three diverse wheat genotypes were observed after growth in the hydroponic system; however responses to inoculation with A. brasilense Sp7 and Sp7-S were variable. In some cases growth parameters were increased and in others they were decreased. There was an apparent increase in responsiveness to inoculation with azospirilla by synthetically derived genotypes observed in root length measurements but otherwise there was no trend according to the genetic source of wheat. Microscopic observations confirmed the different root colonisation patterns by Sp7 and Sp7-S. However, colonisation pattern was not influenced by plant genotype. Relationships between shoot dry weight and root growth parameters were positive as expected but were strengthened with inoculation

Out of the darkness: A History of Huntington's Disease in Australia

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic neurological condition which has a profound influence on the families it affects. The symptoms of the disease are challenging – in addition, social forces strongly influence the way the disease is experienced. It has been a deeply stigmatised condition, and its presence was often kept secret. In this dissertation, I have explored both social and medical aspects of the history of HD, primarily in Australia, building on the work of two scholars, Peter Harper (UK) and Alice Wexler (US). By tracing the histories of HD families, I discovered that HD has been part of the fabric of life in Australia since the convict era, and that some families with the disease were well-respected in their communities, in contrast to narratives which have presented the stigma as inevitable. Wexler has previously shown that in the US, the degree of stigma faced by HD families has varied over time, and my research found this to be also true of the disease in Australia. The earliest descriptions of the disease in the US were mostly made by physicians familiar with HD families. My research revealed a similar story - two physicians who published on HD both grew up in an area of Tasmania with relatively high rates of the disease. The impact of eugenic thinking in the stigmatization of HD in the US, Germany and the UK was noted more than 20 years ago, though its impact in other countries has remained unexplored. Eugenics as a formal movement was not successful in Australia, however eugenic ideas formed part of the social discourse. I show through medical journal articles, items in the popular press and educational organisations how those with hereditary diseases were labeled as “unfit”, promoting stigma which contributed to it being hidden. Finally I describe how the disease began to emerge from “the closet” in the early 1970s, with families and researchers forging a new collaboration to search for treatments, support families and reduce stigma

Economic Issues in Funding and Supplying Public Sector Information

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are increasingly being used for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: We investigated the influence of CSF intralaboratory and interlaboratory variability on diagnostic CSF-based AD classification of subjects and identified causes of this variation. METHODS: We measured CSF amyloid-beta (Abeta) 1-42, total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) by INNOTEST enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in a memory clinic population (n = 126). Samples were measured twice in a single or two laboratories that served as reference labs for CSF analyses in the Netherlands. Predefined cut-offs were used to classify CSF biomarkers as normal or abnormal/AD pattern. RESULTS: CSF intralaboratory variability was higher for Abeta1-42 than for t-tau and p-tau. Reanalysis led to a change in biomarker classification (normal vs. abnormal) of 26% of the subjects based on Abeta1-42, 10% based on t-tau, and 29% based on p-tau. The changes in absolute biomarker concentrations were paralleled by a similar change in levels of internal control samples between different assay lots. CSF interlaboratory variability was higher for p-tau than for Abeta1-42 and t-tau, and reanalysis led to a change in biomarker classification of 12% of the subjects based on Abeta1-42, 1% based on t-tau, and 22% based on p-tau. CONCLUSIONS: Intralaboratory and interlaboratory CSF variability frequently led to change in diagnostic CSF-based AD classification for Abeta1-42 and p-tau. Lot-to-lot variation was a major cause of intralaboratory variability. This will have implications for the use of these biomarkers in clinical practice