Mortal Reason and Divine Infinity: Justifying the Ways of God to Men in Book VI of Paradise Lost

In his epic poem, Paradise Lost, Milton’s goal was to “justify the ways of God to men” (PLI.25-26). For his seventeenth-century Protestant audience, this meant reconciling both the paradox of human free will and divine foreknowledge and the paradox of human suffering and God’s goodness. Although God’s speech in Book III makes an explicit argument declaring God’s justice, this paper will show that Book VI, the War in Heaven, completes this argument by attempting to move the poem’s readers beyond the limits of human reason into a divine understanding of the universe. Through temporal compression and confusion, created by the language of Book VI and Satan’s creation of the cannon, the poem elevates the reader from mortal temporality to divine infinity. This perspective, which approximates God’s omniscience, just as the War in Heaven simulates human suffering, allows post-lapsarian humans to understand intuitively how those paradoxes may be harmoniously resolved

Mortal Reason and Divine Infinity: Justifying the Ways of God to Men in Book VI of Paradise Lost

In his epic poem, Paradise Lost, Milton’s goal was to “justify the ways of God to men” (PLI.25-26). For his seventeenth-century Protestant audience, this meant reconciling both the paradox of human free will and divine foreknowledge and the paradox of human suffering and God’s goodness. Although God’s speech in Book III makes an explicit argument declaring God’s justice, this paper will show that Book VI, the War in Heaven, completes this argument by attempting to move the poem’s readers beyond the limits of human reason into a divine understanding of the universe. Through temporal compression and confusion, created by the language of Book VI and Satan’s creation of the cannon, the poem elevates the reader from mortal temporality to divine infinity. This perspective, which approximates God’s omniscience, just as the War in Heaven simulates human suffering, allows post-lapsarian humans to understand intuitively how those paradoxes may be harmoniously resolved

3D analysis of primate hindlimb joints : reconstructing positional abilities in extinct primates [abstract]

This study uses articulated 3D polygonal models of the pelvis and femur to simulate range of abduction during loading, and evaluates effects of different aspects of morphology on femoral postures. Continuous laser scan data of the pelvis and femur were collected for a large sample of extant primates, as well as fossil apes and hominins. Microscribe landmark data of intact pelves were used to orient innominate scans in 3D virtual space. Morphological variation and range of thigh abduction were quantified with PolyWorks software

Impact of intrasexual selection on sexual dimorphism and testes size in the Mexican howler monkeys Alouatta palliata and A. pigra

One of the goals of physical anthropology and primatology is to understand how primate social systems influence the evolution of sexually selected traits. Howler monkeys provide a good model for studying sexual selection due to differences in social systems between related species. Here, we examine data from the sister howler monkey species Alouatta palliata and A. pigra inhabiting southeastern Mexico and northern Guatemala. We use a resampling approach to analyze differences in sexual dimorphism of body and canine size. In addition, we compare testes size as a way of gauging the intensity of sperm competition in both species. Morphometric data were collected from wild‐caught individuals, including body mass and length, and dental data were obtained from casts from wild individuals and from museum specimens. Although A. pigra individuals are larger than their A. palliata counterparts, we find that both species exhibit similar levels of sexual dimorphism for all of the variables considered. Testicular volume results indicate that A. palliata male testes are on average twice as large as those of A. pigra males, suggesting more intense sperm competition in the former species. Our study shows that A. pigra is not highly sexually dimorphic as was once thought, and testes size differences suggest the need for a clearer understanding of howler monkey social systems. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/86981/1/21559_ftp.pd

Infanticide and infant defence by males--modelling the conditions in primate multi-male groups

Infanticide by primate males was considered rare if groups contain more than one adult male because, owing to lower paternity certainty, a male should be less likely to benefit from infanticide. Guided by recent evidence for strong variation of infanticide in primate multi-male groups, we modelled the conditions for when infanticide should occur for a group with a resident and an immigrant male. Setting the parameters (e.g. infant mortality, reduction of interbirth interval, life-time reproductive success, genetic representation) to fit the conditions most commonly found in nature, we develop a game-theoretic model to explore the influence of age and dominance on the occurrence of infanticide and infant defence. Male age strongly impacts the likelihood of an attack which is modified by the father's defence. If the new male is dominant he is likely to attack under most circumstances whereas a subordinate male will only attack if the father does not defend. These model scenarios fit the conditions under which infanticide is known to occur in primate multi-male groups and offer an explanation why infanticide is common in some multi-male groups and rare in others. Overall, the benefits for infanticidal males are strongly governed by a reduced interbirth interval while advantages via improved genetic representation in the gene pool contribute but a minor fraction

The ecology of Australopithecus anamensis in the early Pliocene of Kanapoi, Kenya

Australopithecus anamensis is a pivotal species in human evolution. It is likely to be the direct ancestor of Australopithecus afarensis and the species that may have given rise to the Homo and Paranthropus lineages. It had a suite of adaptations for habitual bipedalism and a diet that differed from that of earlier hominin species. Under what environmental and ecological conditions did this suite of adaptations arise? The early Pliocene site of Kanapoi in the Lake Turkana Basin of Kenya has the largest sample of A. anamensis in eastern Africa and a rich record of fossil vertebrates. Most Kanapoi fossils are chronologically well constrained by radiometrically dated tephras between the ages of 4.2 and 4.1 million years ago. Sedimentological, isotopic, and faunal data indicate that the environments of Kanapoi during the early Pliocene had a complex range of vegetation types that included closed woodlands, shrubs, and grasslands near a river (for most of the sequence) or lake. These were dynamic landscapes that could shift rapidly from fluvial to lacustrine conditions, and then back. Australopithecus anamensis shared its environments with at least 10 species of very large herbivores, which undoubtedly played a major role in modifying the landscape by opening wooded areas and providing pathways for bipedal hominins. Hominins may have competed for terrestrial resources with abundant suids (Nyanzachoerus and Notochoerus) and for arboreal resources with monkeys (Parapapio being the most common cercopithecid). Kanapoi had a formidable group of predators that included a very abundant species of hyena (Parahyaena howelli), two sabre-tooth felids (Dinofelis and Homotherium), a giant otter (Enhydriodon cf. dikikae), and three species of crocodiles. Various measures of abundance indicate that A. anamensis was an important component of the Kanapoi early Pliocene ecosystems, and that its key adaptations allowed this species to thrive in complex and dynamic landscapes. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Leakey FoundationPaleontological Scientific Trust (PAST) of South AfricaNational Science FoundationNational Science Foundation (NSF)University of Missouri Research Boardinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Соціальна відповідальність закладів вищої освіти в умовах кризи та військових дій: міжнародний досвід та уроки для України

Стаття присвячена дослідженню соціальної відповідальності закладів вищої освіти в умовах кризи та військових дій. У зв'язку зі зростанням геополітичних конфліктів та загроз безпеці, соціальна відповідальність стає ключовим аспектом роботи вищих навчальних закладів. У сучасних умовах, коли країна зазнає кризових випробувань та військових дій, соціальна відповідальність закладів вищої освіти стає надзвичайно важливою і актуальною темою. Гіпотеза статті полягає в тому, що на основі міжнародного досвіду можна здобути уроки, які допоможуть у формуванні ефективної соціальної відповідальності в українських закладах вищої освіти в умовах кризових ситуацій. Метою статті є проаналізувати міжнародний досвід щодо соціальної відповідальності закладів вищої освіти в умовах кризи та військових дій та виділити ключові уроки, які можна застосувати в українському контексті. У дослідженні використовувалися методи системного аналізу, порівняльного аналізу та синтезу наукової літератури, а також аналізу міжнародних практик у сфері соціальної відповідальності. В результаті дослідження були виявлені ключові аспекти соціальної відповідальності закладів вищої освіти в умовах кризи та військових дій на міжнародному рівні. Зокрема, було висвітлено практики реагування на кризові ситуації, залучення студентів до громадських та благодійних акцій, сприяння вирішенню соціальних проблем та впливу на розвиток громади. На основі аналізу міжнародного досвіду було зроблено висновок про необхідність активного впровадження соціальної відповідальності в українських закладах вищої освіти в умовах кризи та військових дій. Ключові уроки з міжнародного досвіду можуть служити основою для розроблення ефективних стратегій та програм впровадження соціальної відповідальності в українській системі вищої освіти.The article is devoted to the study of the social responsibility of higher education institutions in times of crisis and armed conflict. Due to the increasing geopolitical conflicts and security threats, social responsibility becomes a key aspect of the work of higher education institutions. In modern times, when the country is facing crisis challenges and military actions, the social responsibility of higher education institutions becomes exceptionally important and relevant. The hypothesis of the article is that based on international experience, valuable lessons can be learned to facilitate the development of effective social responsibility in Ukrainian higher education institutions in crisis situations. The objective of the article is to analyze international experience regarding the social responsibility of higher education institutions in times of crisis and armed conflict and identify key lessons that can be applied in the Ukrainian context. The research employs methods of systemic analysis, comparative analysis, synthesis of scientific literature, and analysis of international practices in the field of social responsibility. The study identified key aspects of social responsibility of higher education institutions in times of crisis and armed conflict at the international level. Specifically, it highlights practices for responding to crisis situations, involving students in community and charity initiatives, addressing social issues, and contributing to community development. Based on the analysis of international experience, it is concluded that active implementation of social responsibility is essential in Ukrainian higher education institutions during times of crisis and armed conflict. The valuable lessons from international experience can serve as a foundation for developing effective strategies and programs for implementing social responsibility in the Ukrainian higher education system

Paleobiology and behavior

Paleobiology, the study of ancient life, gives us a window onto the habits, biology, and behavior of individuals and species that are now extinct. Although extinct species cannot be observed directly, their paleobiology and behavior can be inferred from study of the fossil and geological records in combination with knowledge about modern organisms and processes. Paleobiological reconstructions thus help to shed light on many aspects of ancient lives, including ecology, diet, locomotion, life history, mating systems, biogeography, speciation, extinction, and abundance

Female economic dependence and the morality of promiscuity

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright @ The Author(s) 2014.In environments in which female economic dependence on a male mate is higher, male parental investment is more essential. In such environments, therefore, both sexes should value paternity certainty more and thus object more to promiscuity (because promiscuity undermines paternity certainty). We tested this theory of anti-promiscuity morality in two studies (N = 656 and N = 4,626) using U.S. samples. In both, we examined whether opposition to promiscuity was higher among people who perceived greater female economic dependence in their social network. In Study 2, we also tested whether economic indicators of female economic dependence (e.g., female income, welfare availability) predicted anti-promiscuity morality at the state level. Results from both studies supported the proposed theory. At the individual level, perceived female economic dependence explained significant variance in anti-promiscuity morality, even after controlling for variance explained by age, sex, religiosity, political conservatism, and the anti-promiscuity views of geographical neighbors. At the state level, median female income was strongly negatively related to anti-promiscuity morality and this relationship was fully mediated by perceived female economic dependence. These results were consistent with the view that anti-promiscuity beliefs may function to promote paternity certainty in circumstances where male parental investment is particularly important

Till death (or an intruder) do us part: intrasexual-competition in a monogamous Primate

Polygynous animals are often highly dimorphic, and show large sex-differences in the degree of intra-sexual competition and aggression, which is associated with biased operational sex ratios (OSR). For socially monogamous, sexually monomorphic species, this relationship is less clear. Among mammals, pair-living has sometimes been assumed to imply equal OSR and low frequency, low intensity intra-sexual competition; even when high rates of intra-sexual competition and selection, in both sexes, have been theoretically predicted and described for various taxa. Owl monkeys are one of a few socially monogamous primates. Using long-term demographic and morphological data from 18 groups, we show that male and female owl monkeys experience intense intra-sexual competition and aggression from solitary floaters. Pair-mates are regularly replaced by intruding floaters (27 female and 23 male replacements in 149 group-years), with negative effects on the reproductive success of both partners. Individuals with only one partner during their life produced 25% more offspring per decade of tenure than those with two or more partners. The termination of the pair-bond is initiated by the floater, and sometimes has fatal consequences for the expelled adult. The existence of floaters and the sporadic, but intense aggression between them and residents suggest that it can be misleading to assume an equal OSR in socially monogamous species based solely on group composition. Instead, we suggest that sexual selection models must assume not equal, but flexible, context-specific, OSR in monogamous species.Wenner-Gren Foundation, L.S.B. Leakey Foundation, the National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation (BCS- 0621020), the University of Pennsylvania Research Foundation and the Zoological Society of San Diego, German Science Foundation (HU 1746-2/1