The manifest image : the nature and status of folk psychology

This thesis is concerned with the nature and status of folk psychology. At the outset a distinction is made between the theory theory (internal) and the theory theory (external). The former posits a largely tacit, internally represented, theory of human psychology which facilitates the prediction and explanation of behaviour. The latter claims that our everyday talk about mental states implicitly constitutes a theory of the mind. Both the largely tacit, internally represented, theory of human psychology and the theory of mind implicit in our everyday talk about mental states have been labeled 'folk psychology'. To avoid confusion, I have called the theory posited by the theory theory (internal), folk psychology (internal), and the theory posited by the theory theory (external),folk psychology (external). The theory theory (internal) is not the only existent theory of our capacity to predict behaviour. So-called off-line simulation theory also seeks to account for that capacity. In Chapter 2 I sketch off-line simulation theory and defend the theory theory (internal) against it. In Chapters 3-5 the focus shifts to the nature and status of folk psychology (external). I defend a commonsense functionalist analysis of the states posited by folk psychology (external), and argue that Fodor's asymmetric dependency theory of content provides the correct account of the semantic properties of (external) folk psychological beliefs and desires. A variety of objections to functionalism exist in the literature. Chapter 5 is devoted to drawing the fangs of some common objections to functionalism, including the qualia problem and the difficulties raised by Ned Block and John Searle. Chapters 6 and 7 are devoted to the eliminativism issue. Arguments on both sides of the debate are examined and largely found wanting. Most pro- and anti-eliminativist arguments have focussed on the posits of folk psychology (external). I briefly consider some of the issues surrounding eliminativism and folk psychology (internal). Chapter 7 is devoted to eliminativist concerns about intentional non-naturalism. Finally, in Chapter 8 I consider whether folk psychology (external) might form the basis of a scientific investigation of the mind. Arguments to the effect that it will not are rejected, and an extended example of scientific research which rest heavily on folk psychology (external) is described

Loving the mess: navigating diversity and conflict in social values for sustainability

This paper concludes a special feature of Sustainability Science that explores a broad range of social value theoretical traditions, such as religious studies, social psychology, indigenous knowledge, economics, sociology, and philosophy. We introduce a novel transdisciplinary conceptual framework that revolves around concepts of ‘lenses’ and ‘tensions’ to help navigate value diversity. First, we consider the notion of lenses: perspectives on value and valuation along diverse dimensions that describe what values focus on, how their sociality is envisioned, and what epistemic and procedural assumptions are made. We characterise fourteen of such dimensions. This provides a foundation for exploration of seven areas of tension, between: (1) the values of individuals vs collectives; (2) values as discrete and held vs embedded and constructed; (3) value as static or changeable; (4) valuation as descriptive vs normative and transformative; (5) social vs relational values; (6) different rationalities and their relation to value integration; (7) degrees of acknowledgment of the role of power in navigating value conflicts. In doing so, we embrace the ‘mess’ of diversity, yet also provide a framework to organise this mess and support and encourage active transdisciplinary collaboration. We identify key research areas where such collaborations can be harnessed for sustainability transformation. Here it is crucial to understand how certain social value lenses are privileged over others and build capacity in decision-making for understanding and drawing on multiple value, epistemic and procedural lenses.Peer reviewe

Evaluation of Critical Quality Attributes of a Pentavalent (A, C, Y, W, X) Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine for Global Use

Towards achieving the goal of eliminating epidemic outbreaks of meningococcal disease in the African meningitis belt, a pentavalent glycoconjugate vaccine (NmCV-5) has been developed to protect against Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, W and X. MenA and X polysaccharides are conjugated to tetanus toxoid (TT) while MenC, Y and W polysaccharides are conjugated to recombinant cross reactive material 197 (rCRM197), a non-toxic genetic variant of diphtheria toxin. This study describes quality control testing performed by the manufacturer, Serum Institute of India Private Limited (SIIPL), and the independent control laboratory of the U.K. (NIBSC) on seven clinical lots of the vaccine to ensure its potency, purity, safety and consistency of its manufacturing. In addition to monitoring upstream-manufactured components, samples of drug substance, final drug product and stability samples were evaluated. This paper focuses on the comparison of the vaccine’s critical quality attributes and reviews key indicators of its stability and immunogenicity. Comparable results were obtained by the two laboratories demonstrating sufficient levels of polysaccharide O-acetylation, consistency in size of the bulk conjugate molecules, integrity of the conjugated saccharides in the drug substance and drug product, and acceptable endotoxin content in the final drug product. The freeze-dried vaccine in 5-dose vials was stable based on molecular sizing and free saccharide assays. Lot-to-lot manufacturing consistency was also demonstrated in preclinical studies for polysaccharide-specific IgG and complement-dependent serum bactericidal activity for each serogroup. This study demonstrates the high quality and stability of NmCV-5, which is now undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in Africa and India