Neuroscience and Experience of God: The Validity of God’s Presence in Individual Religiosity

Humans have postulated the existence of a transcendent soul capable of interacting with higher being (e.g. God). This soul has no physical limitations and may persist beyond time and space. Likewise, this non-physical component of personhood allows the presence of God to infiltrate the mind to produce genuine religious experiences with such a higher being. In contrast, the physicalist position of neurobiology seeks to attribute religious feelings and experiences to neurochemicals and the precise firing of neurons; the brain is the beginning and end of all religiosity. On the one hand, the idea is that human beings are nothing but collections of neurons firing in response to external signals. On the other hand, there may be a portion of personhood that is unreachable by biology and that constitutes the core of a human being. If neurobiology is eventually capable of explaining away every aspect of religious experience, then one might claim that God is not truly present in individual religiosity. But if neurobiology can “explain away” religious experience, then it should also be able to explain away any experience including logic and reasoning, the very foundations of science itself. I will explore these ideas in this paper

In the Shape of a Woman: Behavioral Compliance to Gendered Expectations in the Early Modern Era and the Implications for Human Identity in Shakespeare\u27s Macbeth

The purpose of this essay is to examine the role that gender plays in the construction of the human within Shakespeare\u27s Macbeth and The Merry Wives of Windsor. While gender was a vital component of the immaterial essence that distinguished humans from animals, early moderns believed that true internal gender conformity could not exist if it was not accompanied by external expressions of it. Characters in each of these plays fixate on the external proofs of their own gendered identities, and in doing so, they inadvertently reveal that those traits which distinguish humanity are only cultural constructions and learned behavior that can only externally relate to an individual\u27s rational inorganic soul. In chapter 1, I focus on how, in order to re-obtain the masculinity he believes he does not possess, Macbeth defiles his own humanity so that he can take what he believes to be the requisite actions in order to do so. In chapter 2, I analyze how when Mistress Page and Mistress Ford try to remove a threat to their appearance of chastity, they unknowingly lay bare their claims to both chastity and humanity

Leveraging Herbaria Specimens: A New 3D Imaging Protocol and Analyses of Diversity of West Virginia Rosids

Herbaria are repositories of plant natural history, whose data can provide insights into the life histories of plant taxa over space and time. Recent initiatives to digitize herbarium data have made studies over broad geographic and taxonomic extents possible, with the ability of scientists to access data from large databases of herbaria. Most of the digitization initiatives have focused on flat 2D herbaria sheets, but herbaria also include 3D collections, such as fungi, mosses, lichens, and dry fruits. In Chapter 1 we propose an easy and cost-effective workflow that uses free photogrammetry software to produce 3D images of 3D herbaria specimens. We tested four free to use photogrammetry software and created 3D images of five types of 3D specimens: a fungus, a moss, a lichen, a pinecone, and a compound fruit. With our workflow using equipment already present in most herbarium digitization stations, we produced 3D specimens in less than an hour. The software 3DF Zephyr Free gave the best results across each specimen type. Our workflow has provided an easy and low-cost method of producing 3D images that can be used to digitize 3D specimens in a similar manner to 2D herbaria sheets. In Chapter 2 we used herbaria data to analyze the spatial patterns of diversity of a major clade of plants, the Rosids, that contain most hardwood trees in West Virginia, and are the dominant plant species in the state. We used phylogenetic diversity to assess the diversity of this clade across the Level IV Ecoregions of West Virginia. Phylogenetic diversity (PD) is a metric that incorporates the evolutionary history of an area of interest. Ecoregions are defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as areas of similar habitat, climate, and species composition. Our results indicated high PD in the eastern portion of the state in the Monongahela National Forest and low PD in the southern portion of the state in the Dissected Appalachian Plateau ecoregion. Analyses such as ours are important for informing conservation priorities, as they identify specific areas that are more biodiverse

An application of geographic information systems (GIS): the utility of victim activity spaces in the geographic profiling of serial killers

Today, computer technology is producing new methods of investigation into the complex nature of serial killers; among these are geographic profiles. Yet, due to the lack of proven success, budgetary constraints, and the inherent multifaceted nature of serial murder, these geographic profiles have not been completely embraced by the law enforcement community. Because of this, the academic and law enforcement communities continue to refine and develop new methods to solve serial killer cases. This thesis investigates the possibility of identifying the location of the interaction site of a serial killer and his victims using a commercial geographic information system (GIS) as the primary tool. This will be accomplished by analyzing the daily activities of three hypothetical victims of serial murder. A comparison of survey results from the hypothetical victims of this study and their associates shows evidence that victim activity areas can contribute to serial killer investigations. This new method demonstrates that, instead of costly spatial analysis software used today in geographic profiling, geographic information pertinent to a serial killer investigation can be disclosed using a commercial GIS. The addition of a geographic method that adds the component of time and focuses on the daily routine of the victim will complement existing profile methods and provide investigators with a new tool in understanding serial killer phenomena. A law enforcement perspective of this method and GIS is also presented

Strength in Numbers? Creating a Peacebuilding Network in Rwanda

In the 18 years since the genocide, Rwanda has transitioned into a prosperous and peaceful country. However, the need for peacebuilding actors is not removed. Currently, programs in peace, unity and reconciliation work independent from each other. The result is many programs are duplicated; some areas of the country have many programs while other areas are basically neglected. It would be beneficial if peacebuilding efforts were able to come together in a more collaborative fashion. One way in which this can happen is through a network. In this study, 17 organizations and 4 focus group interviews were conducted to assess the need, desire and benefits of a network. It was unanimous among interviewees that a network is something needed and would help continue peace in Rwanda. The benefits of NGO networks are further supported through a literature review of 18 publications. The benefits of a network include: information sharing, resource sharing, capacity building, exposure to best practices and increased professionalism. While the benefits of a network are largely dependent on the leadership and the organizations involved, the disadvantages are relatively few. This information was reinforced through conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities and Risks assessment which again showed that the potential benefits outweigh the negatives. With careful planning and support the network can start on solid ground. A more collaborative peacebuilding sector, where organizations come together on a regular basis to share information will assist the continued peace of Rwanda which can influence peace in the region

Scuttlebutt: Stories

This thesis project discusses writing creatively as it leverages rhetorical and compositional strategies as part of the creative process. The paper also argues that the use of varied disciplinary theories and knowledge from such diverse areas as psychology, sociolinguistics, grammar, mathematics and statistics, all assist in writing fiction. It discusses the study of ethos, pathos, and logos, as it has bearing on the writing of short fiction, and its use to foster a more effective writing process. The remainder of the project includes ten original, short fiction pieces

Characterizing Local Order and Physical Properties of Rare Earth Complex Oxides

With more than 500 compositions, materials possessing the pyrochlore structure have a myriad of technological applications and physical phenomena. Three of the most noteworthy properties are the structure’s ability to resist amorphization making it a possible host matrix for spent nuclear fuel, its exotic magnetic properties arising from geometric frustration, and fast ionic conductivity for solid-oxide fuel cell applications. This work focuses on these three aspects of the pyrochlore’s many potential uses. Structural characterization revealed that pyrochlore-type oxides have a tendency to disorder from a high symmetry cubic structure to a lower symmetry orthorhombic arrangement in response to a variety of experimental conditions (i.e. changing composition, altering stoichiometry, and high-energy ion irradiation). The magnetic properties and structure of orthorhombic Dy2TiO5 [dysprosium titanate] have been successfully determined using neutron diffraction. Most notably, Dy2TiO5 displays a transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional magnetic order at temperatures less than 2K and has magnetic moments that can order/disorder independently for each Dy site in response to an applied magnetic field. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy measurements also revealed that ionic conductivity in radiation-induced amorphous Gd2Ti2O7 [gadolinium titanate] is more than 250 times larger compared with the crystalline phase. This dramatic increase is caused by a higher concentration of charge carriers coupled with enhanced mobility

Evaluating runoff water quality and ammonia volatilization in three turkey litter application methods

Poultry litter is an important nutrient source in crop production. However, the traditional practice of broadcasting poultry litter on the soil surface could result in nutrient losses in runoff as well as substantial ammonia volatilization losses, which could adversely affect both the environment and agricultural productivity. This research compared nutrient runoff (natural and simulated) losses on 1 m x 2 m plots and ammonia volatilization from different turkey litter application methods (broadcast, surface-banded, incorporated band, and control) applied in triplicate. No significant differences were observed between any of the treatments in any of the runoff constituents measured. Over three runoff events (two simulated) spanning 9 d, ammonium and inorganic phosphorus losses in runoff were substantially lower in the incorporated band treatment than in the broadcast and band applications. Compared with the broadcast and band applications, ammonia volatilization losses from incorporated bands were reduced five-fold over 11 d. Ammonia trapping efficiency of low-cost, passive ammonia samplers were also evaluated. Compared with broadcast application, incorporating surface-banded poultry litter could reduce nutrient losses into the environment which could be particularly useful in conservation tillage