Problemen en crisis van de opgezweepte Westerse technologische cultuur

Western culture is in its kernel a technological culture. This culture is speeded up by technology and is characterized by a lot of problems, such as pollution and labour problems, the growing distance between developed and underdeveloped countries and the one-sidedness in the normative orientation. This culture is in a crisis because there is no agreement about the cause of and the way to solve the problems. At the bottom of the spiritual-historical background of Western culture the 'hidden' ideology of technology is active. The contents of this ideology implies that man pretends to be an autonomous master of reality, that he can therefore manipulate everything, that he can solve all old and new problems by scientific-technological control, and that he can guarantee the progress of material welfare, ideology as a driving force ensures a ‘technological paradise ', in which the perspective of eternity has been lost. The ideology of technology is strengthened by the ideology of science and economy. Together they are the cause of cultural problems

De strijd om de richting van de Westerse cultuur

The struggle around the direction of Western culture Herbert Marcuse is the most important representative of the cultural revolution of the sixties of the twentieth century. He represents resistance against the scientific-technological ideal of the Enlightenment. His ideal of freedom has, nevertheless, the same roots. Since the Enlightenment Western culture has been characterised by a struggle between the freedom ideal and the scientific-technological control ideal. To lessen the tension we need a cultural transformation. Therefore we need an enlightenment of the Enlightenment. In the old cultural paradigm, nature is seen as lifeless and, given that framework, is exploited by unbridled manipulation. Today we see how the technologicaleconomic development threatens “life” itself, to the point of destroying it. A responsible cultural development summons a representation of culture that depicts earth as a garden tended by humans. The garden has to be developed in the perspective of a city garden, where righteousness, love and therefore protecting life are the main principles. To follow such guidelines implies a spiritual and philosophical struggle in the direction of a transformation of Western culture

Technology and religion: Islam, Christianity and materialism

The Western world and the world of Islam share a history, but they also differ greatly. The rise of terrorism has once again made us fully aware of that. In these tense times I would like to consider a question that is rarely raised today, yet which may be very relevant and very revealing: What attitude do these two worlds take toward technology

Mag, wat kan? Over genetische manipulatie*

In the course of the development of technology the ethical question as to whether indeed man "may” do all that he is "able" to do frequently rears its head. In this article ethical issues are raised with regard to the problems surrounding genetic manipulation. Various experiments in the field of genetics, the possibilities of application of these and the ethical responsibility of the scientists involved are discussed. Attention is directed especially at the genetic manipulation of man as in, for example, test-tube baby techniques. A stand is taken against experiments with aborted foetuses, test-tube babies and cloning. Manipulation of the total genetic composition of man is rejected unequivocally

Struggle in the ethics of technology

The advantages as well as the disadvantages of modern technology, especially in combination with the development of the natural sciences, call in general for philosophical reflection. There is a struggle going on between the various philosophical movements. What is the content of Christian-philosophical thinking about technology and its problems? And what are the consequences in relation to the ethics of technology? Such questions are very unusual among Christians. Nevertheless, the potentially disastrous effects of technology require an ethics of technology. Such an ethics must concern itself with man’s good and responsible conduct in and through technology. Generally speaking, since modern times there has been a technological control mentality. All questions relating to spiritual reflection and religious problems are ruled out. The world view has been transformed to a technological worldview. Motives, values and norms are derived from it. This implies a technological ethics which is the cause of many threats and problems. It is characterised by a cosmological deficit and an ethical deficit. It is only possible to overcome these deficits by a reorientation in culture and in ethics. The “Enlightenment” ought to be enlightened itself by the God-given revelation. The cosmology of the reality as God’s creation and the commandments of love give a possibility for the redirection of an ethics of technology. A responsible cultural and technological development evokes a representation of culture that depicts earth as a garden tended by humans. Technology must be developed within the perspective of the earth as one large garden-city. Technology ought to serve life and not to threaten it. Besides, in an ethics of responsibility attention is given to the central motive of love against the central motive of power of the technological worldview. For a justified, responsible technology the ethical challenge is finding not only true motives, but also environment values, technological values and social values. Furthermore, technology has to obey a large number of normative principles and related norms. At the end of the article attention is paid to the consequences for praxis of this ethical-philosophical view and to the differences from those views which are currently held. The perspective of an ethics of technology ought not to be on doing things right, but on doing the right things

Crisis in de landbouw : een reformatisch - wijsgerig perspectief

Rede Wageningen, Landbouwuniversiteit, september 198

Epithelium-Free Area in The Thymic Cortex of Rats

The histology of epithelium-free areas in the subcapsular region of the thymus was studied in Wistar rats. Lymphocytes in these areas were CD4/CD8 double-positive, TCR α/β positive in low intensity, and in CD5 labeling either negative or positive in low intensity. There was a high proliferative activity as assessed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation in vivo and detected by immunohistochemistry. Various macrophage types were observed. They were either large and round to slightly dendritic, or small and dendritic. Most large cells were positive for MHC Class II, and labeled by the antimacrophage antibodies ED1 and ED2. A few cells were strongly positive for Sudan black, Oil red O, nonspecific esterase, and acid phosphatase; they resembled the large rounded macrophages in the corticomedullary zone, although their MHC Class II and ED2 staining was more intense. A few cells showed features of tingible body macrophages, as they contained cellular debris

Toponyms for centers of endemism in Madagascar

A biogeographical model was proposed in 2006 to explain the centers of endemism and the importance of riparian forest of some watersheds as refuges or dispersal corridors during paleoclimatic oscillations. Here, we consider these geographical features highlighting their biological and socio-cultural importance. We explain the etymology or eponymy of the major rivers of the retreat - dispersal watersheds, i.e., the drainage basins of Bemarivo, Antainambalana, Mangoro, Manampatrana, Mananara South, Mandrare, Onilahy, Mangoky, Tsiribihina, Betsiboka, Maevarano, Sambirano, and Mahavavy North. We propose a toponymy for each of the 15 centers of endemism and highlight their peculiarities. We named the centers of endemism of Vohimarina, Masoala, Analanjirofo, Tanala, Manombo, Anosy, Ranopiso, Karimbola, Mikea, Menabe, Melaky, Sofia, Ampasindava, Ankify, and Ankarana. We illustrate each center of endemism with a flagship species and report on its natural and cultural histories, and conservation.RÉSUMÉUn modèle biogéographique a été proposé en 2006 pour expliquer les centres d’endémisme de la biodiversité et l’importance des ripisylves de certains bassins versants en tant que refuges ou couloirs de dispersion au cours des oscillations paléoclimatiques. Ici, nous considérons ces dispositifs géographiques en soulignant leur importance biologique et socio-culturelle. Dans un premier temps, nous expliquons la toponymie ou l’éponymie des grands fleuves des bassins refuges et de dispersion, à savoir les bassins de la Bemarivo, de l’Antainambalana, du Mangoro, de la Manampatrana, de la Mananara du Sud, du Mandrare, de l’Onilahy, du Mangoky, de la Tsiribihina, de la Betsiboka, de la Maevarano, du Sambirano et de la Mahavavy du Nord. Puis nous proposons une toponymie pour chacun des 17 centres et sous-centres d’endémisme en justifiant leurs particularités. Nous retenons ainsi les centres d’endémisme de Vohimarina, de l’Atsinanana (dont Masoala et Analanjirofo), Tanala, de Manombo, de l’Anosy, d’Ala maika (dont Ranopiso, Karimbola et Mikea), du Menabe, du Melaky, de la Sofia, d’Ampasindava, d’Ankify et de l’Ankarana. Nous illustrons chacun des centres d’endémisme avec une espèce symbolique et rapportons des aspects de son histoire naturelle et culturelle ainsi que de sa conservation

Structural influences on involvement in European homegrown jihadism: A case study

his article empirically assesses the applicability of structural-level hypotheses for involvement in terrorism within the context of European homegrown jihadism. It uses these hypotheses to study how structural factors influenced involvement in the Dutch “Hofstadgroup.” Structural factors enabled the group’s emergence and its participants’ adoption of extremist views. They also motivated involvement in political violence and a shift in some participants’ focus from joining Islamist insurgents overseas to committing terrorism in the Netherlands. Finally, structural factors precipitated an actual terrorist attack. No support is found for the frequently encountered argument that discrimination and exclusion drive involvement in European homegrown jihadism. Instead, geopolitical grievances were prime drivers of this process.Security and Global Affair

Temporal trends and spatial variation in stage distribution of non-small cell lung cancer in the Netherlands

Introduction To explore regional and temporal variation in clinical stage distribution of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and link the observations to the introduction of positron emission tomography (PET). Method All NSCLC patients diagnosed between 1989 and 2007 were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (n=126,962). Maps of smoothed percentage distribution of clinical stage NSCLC were conducted by period of diagnosis. Join point regression analyses were performed to detect trends over time. Geographic variation in stage distribution was evaluated using spatial scan statistic. To evaluate the impact of PET in regions proportions of stage IV and Estimated Annual Percentage of Change (EAPC) were calculated for two regions in which PET was introduced between 1995 and 2000 and for two regions without a PET scanner during this period. Results The percentage of stage I and unknown decreased with 7.4% and 13.3% between 1989 and 2007, while the percentage of stage IV increased with 23.4%. The most rapid increase in stage I and IV were observed between 1997 and 2003. In two regions with a PET scan the proportion of stage IV increased annually with 10.3 and 8.5% compared to 5.4 and 6.4% in two regions without a PET scan. Conclusion The most rapid changes towards more stage IV NSCLC diagnoses correspond with the implementation of PET. However, trends were already visible before PET was introduced and regions without PET also showed considerable increases in stage IV diagnose, suggesting other factors or improvements in diagnostics also contributed substantially