A Belief System's Organization Based on a Computational Model of the Dynamic Context: First Approximation

In this article we present a model of organization of a belief system based on a set of binary recursive functions that characterize the dynamic context that modifies the beliefs. The initial beliefs are modeled by a set of two-bit words that grow, update, and generate other beliefs as the different experiences of the dynamic context appear. Reason is presented as an emergent effect of the experience on the beliefs. The system presents a layered structure that allows a functional organization of the belief system. Our approach seems suitable to model different ways of thinking and to apply to different realistic scenarios such as ideologies

Abortion referendums in Ireland

Ireland was a conservative outpost on the European periphery for much of the twentieth century. From independence in 1922, the state pursued social policies heavily influenced by religious values, and indeed the 1937 constitution embedded many of these positions in the framework of the state. The constitution included a prohibition on divorce and a statement which strongly favored women remaining in the domestic sphere. These policies were supported by the majority Catholic population, but social values began to evolve by the 1960s. This can be seen in the shifting narratives in the debates on many social and political issues. This chapter will focus on a single issue – abortion. It will undertake an evaluation of the debates on the six abortion referendum question wordings, campaign narratives, and voting patterns. The analysis will provide compelling evidence of remarkable value change in just four decades

Rock the Vote: popular culture and politics

Rock the Vote was founded in 1996 as an attempt to exploit popular culture to boost political participation. Using pop musicians and comedians, it attempted to encourage young people to take part in politics. This article examines the formation of Rock the Vote, and explores its implications for the character of contemporary politics. It argues that Rock the Vote has to be understood not only as part of a larger shift in the nature of political campaigning and communication, but also as a response to the mutual needs of political parties and the popular culture industry. Rock the vote is both a symptom of new forms of campaigning and also a pragmatic solution to particular political problems

Love Thy Neighbour: How Much Bigotry Is There In Western Countries?

Borrowing from the well known measures of poverty, we propose analogous measures for the amount of prejudice in a country. Values of this index are derived from individual responses to the Human Beliefs and Values Survey's question: 'Would you like to have persons from this group as your neighbours?' We use data on the responses to (i) construct measures for the amount of bigotry in a country and rank Western countries on a bigotry scale; (ii) examine the social and economic factors which determine whether people are bigoted or bigotry-free; (iii) examine three specific phobias to see whether the strength of the 'bigotry-determining factors' varies according to the group being considered. Copyright 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd..