Categoricity and Possibility. A Note on Williamson's Modal Monism

The paper sketches an argument against modal monism, more specifically against the reduction of physical possibility to metaphysical possibility. The argument is based on the non-categoricity of quantum logic

The dimension of the underground economy, in Romania, in the period after 1989

In the period after 1989, the underground economy in Romania had a constantly ascendant evolution. In this article we think about the distinguishness of the underground economy level and of the real possibilities of Romanian economy through the dimension of the real total gross domestic product, providing a reason seriously enough to amplify the struggle against the phenomenon of the underground economy, especially as a result of our country’s integration in the European Union. Practically, starting with the 1st of January 2007, the internal struggle against the underground economy and the fiscal fraud (as assimilated phenomenon) becomes one of the interests of the community, because they will affect, from so on, no only the public budget but also the community’s.Romanian economy, underground economy, fiscal fraud, public budget

A model for the quasi-static growth of brittle fractures: existence and approximation results

We give a precise mathematical formulation of a variational model for the irreversible quasi-static evolution of brittle fractures proposed by G.A. Francfort and J.-J. Marigo, and based on Griffith's theory of crack growth. In the two-dimensional case we prove an existence result for the quasi-static evolution and show that the total energy is an absolutely continuous function of time, although we can not exclude that the bulk energy and the surface energy may present some jump discontinuities. This existence result is proved by a time discretization process, where at each step a global energy minimization is performed, with the constraint that the new crack contains all cracks formed at the previous time steps. This procedure provides an effective way to approximate the continuous time evolution.Comment: 27 pages, LaTe

ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC GAPS BETWEEN URBAN AND RURAL ROMANIAN AREAS

In this paper the authors will perform a comparative analysis of the impact that the population residential areas have on the economic and social activity from Romania. Our analysis will be carried out for a time span of 10 years, between 2000 and 2009. The main purposes are to emphasize the economic gaps between the residential areas (urban and rural) and to identify the factors that determine these gaps. The economic differences between rural and urban areas and their impact on the peoples' standard of living represent an important issue for international institutions like IFRC, UNICEF or OECD. Also, this topic represents a frequent subject in the economic literature from poor and developing countries. Studies conducted by Huong and Booth (2010), Alister, Alana and Ayele (2007), Chao, Zhidong and Mingxing (2008), Mateoc-Sîrb, Mateoc, Darva?i and Manescu (2008) or Sahn and Stifel (2002) are representative examples. Most of these papers focus on the living standards differences generated by the differences between income and expenditures between urban and rural areas. To achieve our goals, we will use the statistical methods to analyze the data released by the National Institute of Statistics. We will try to find some correlations between the economic indicators - household incomes, value and structure of household expenditures, structure of household expenditures - the social indicators - residential area, education level, age and occupation. The highlight of the gaps between the rural and urban areas will be the main objective during this analysis. We conclude that in Romania there are substantial differences between rural and urban areas. The income differences are determining different consumption patterns between rural and urban persons. In rural areas, the population is spending less in all goods and services aspect that reduce their standard of living. Anyway, the results obtained are the subject of at least two possible limits. The fact that the data series are too short may affect the results we have obtained. Also, the economic gaps analyzed represent an average for the whole country, what means that in some regions these differences may be even higher.

EVALUATION OF NATIONAL BANK OF ROMANIA MONETARY POLICY CREDIBILITY

In this paper, using the models from the economic literature, the authors study the credibility level of National Bank of Romania (NRB) during the time span Mars 2007 - Mars 2008. We will use three types of credibility indexes - two from the economic literature and one proposed by the authors. Also, we will emphasize the impact of unpredictable shocks - the natural calamities (drought) which affected the aggregate supply in the summer of 2007 and the depreciation of RON against the euro - on the NBR credibility.In this paper, using the models from the economic literature, the authors study the credibility level of National Bank of Romania (NRB) during the time span Mars 2007 - Mars 2008. We will use three types of credibility indexes - two from the economic lite

Categoricity and Negation. A Note on Kripke’s Affirmativism

We argue that, if taken seriously, Kripke's view that a language for science can dispense with a negation operator is to be rejected. Part of the argument is a proof that positive logic, i.e., classical propositional logic without negation, is not categorical

European fiscal coordination

The existence of 27 different taxation systems in the European Union represents an obstacle against the good operation of the domestic market, generates significant extra costs for the trans-frontier trade and business on administrative plan and with regard to the observance thereof, it hinders the restructuration of societies, reduces competitiveness of European companies at world level and leads to double taxing situations. These are the main reasons for which, at present, at European level, the issue of coordinating the national fiscal systems is more current than ever. Under conditions in which accurate measurement of the fiscal burden is given by the effective taxation level, which corresponds to a nominal taxation quota and a taxation basis, and under conditions in which European cooperation and coordination must not lead to the abandonment of the national autonomy in the fiscal field, if the sovereignty of the member states with regard to setting the taxation quotas, the solution would be the adoption of a common consolidated basis of taxation at European level.European Union, fiscal coordination, competitiveness, fiscal burden

THE IMPACT OF TAX EQUITY ON INCOME TAX COLLECTION

Generally, during financial crisis benefits liable to taxation represented by revenues which have been generated, consumed or saved that create fiscal prelevation are variably reduced. An element that can have an influence is tax payers’ conformation degree, which is lower in these times and the natural trend of tax evasion is higher for objective reasons, we might state. The speed of reduction of taxable income during financial crisis is amplified when tax payers feel the tax duty as inequitable. In this paper I shall analyze the effects of the most recent two measures within tax policy in Romania, as far as taxing company profit is concerned, alongside with ensuring equity.fiscal policy, tax equity, fiscal civism, voluntary conformation, contributive capacity, tax evasion