Fringe Mind Strategies

This paper discusses a number of basic strategies for modeling the mind in historical perspective. The best-known strategies are expansionism and eliminativism, which are both problematic: eliminativism compromises our self-understanding, while expansionism is unable to cope with fringe minds. Using Julian Jaynes’s theory of the bicameral mind as an example, an alternative strategy is outlined to meet the challenges posed by the history of the mind

Microbial electrolysis kinetics and cell design

Large amounts of hydrogen are produced worldwide, which are nearly all from fossil origin. Use of biomass instead of fossil fuels to produce hydrogen can contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the hydrogen has to be produced at high yield and efficiency. A Microbial Electrolysis Cell is a new technology that is able to produce hydrogen at high yield and efficiency in one step from biomass by addition of only a small amount of energy. The energy that needs to be added to produce hydrogen is determined by the internal resistance of the system, which can be divided into the different components of the system and presented as an equivalent circuit. These partial internal resistances were used to explain the difference in performance of Microbial Electrolysis Cells equipped with cation and anion exchange membranes. The better performance of the anion exchange membrane configuration was caused mainly by the much lower internal resistance due to the transport resistance of ions. The hydrogen production rate is determined by conversion rate of substrate and the coulombic efficiency of this conversion. The current density and coulombic efficiency was influenced by chancing the mass and charge transport in porous electrodes. Increase of a forced flow speed through the porous electrodes led to an increase in current density when the flow was directed away from the membrane caused by a decrease in anode resistance. Furthermore, the increase in flow speed led to an increase of the coulombic efficiency. The coulombic efficiency can also be influenced by changing the substrate concentration and the anode potential. It was shown that a higher anode potential increased the energy available for these electrogens and in that way they could outcompete the methanogens. Furthermore, also a lower substrate concentration made it possible for the electrogens to outcompete the methanogens. Finally, a system was developed that makes it possible to recycle alkalinity from waste streams in an extra recovery compartment and to produce the same current without addition of expensive buffer. In the future, improvement of the following three key characteristics can make Microbial Electrolysis Cells a competing technology for the production of hydrogen gas from biomass. Firstly, the coulombic efficiency needs to be controlled and improved to reach values close to 100% for all possible organic substrates. Secondly, the use of materials and the design should be such that the total internal resistance does not exceed values of 30 mΩ m2. Thirdly, the use of added chemicals like buffers should be limited, as the relative productivity does not increase with increasing use of chemicals

New applications and performance of bioelectrochemical systems

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are emerging technologies which use microorganisms to catalyze the reactions at the anode and/or cathode. BES research is advancing rapidly, and a whole range of applications using different electron donors and acceptors has already been developed. In this mini review, we focus on technological aspects of the expanding application of BESs. We will analyze the anode and cathode half-reactions in terms of their standard and actual potential and report the overpotentials of these half-reactions by comparing the reported potentials with their theoretical potentials. When combining anodes with cathodes in a BES, new bottlenecks and opportunities arise. For application of BESs, it is crucial to lower the internal energy losses and increase productivity at the same time. Membranes are a crucial element to obtain high efficiencies and pure products but increase the internal resistance of BESs. The comparison between production of fuels and chemicals in BESs and in present production processes should gain more attention in future BES research. By making this comparison, it will become clear if the scope of BESs can and should be further developed into the field of biorefineries

Eliminatief materialisme en de autonomie van de bottom-up benadering.

Philosoph

Reductie of eliminatie van qualia? Superzwakke, zwakke, sterke en supersterke qualia bij Paul Churchland.

Philosophy of Knowledge and Cognitio

The Flintstones Fallacy

A leading idea in evolutionary psychology and philosophy of mind is that the basic architecture and dynamics of the mind are very old, presumably dating back to the Stone Age. Theories based on this idea are liable to paint a caricature of our ancestors by projecting our modern self-conception onto earlier minds. I argue that this ‘Flintstones Fallacy’ is an underrated risk, relieved neither by standard biological arguments nor by arguments from psychology and philosophy. Indeed, each of these fields has better arguments for the contrary view that the mind as we know it from present-day experience is not ancient at all.Philosophy of Knowledge and Cognitio

Supersofen en makelaars

Perceptie, cognitie, ontologi

Recent changes in the structure of consciousness?

Philosoph

Zonnebrandontologie

Perceptie, cognitie, ontologi