6 research outputs found
Diagrams
a) Topics and Objectives. This research group investigates the history and
theory of thinking with the help of diagrams. Diagrams are conceived as
cognitive instruments which exploit spatial relationships paradigmatically in
order to represent, analyze, and generate knowledge. We use the term "diagram"
in both a narrow and in an extended sense: defined more narrowly, diagrams are
schematic figures such as geometric constructions or chemical structural
formulae; defined in an extended sense, the term may also refer to texts,
charts, mathematical formulae, in short: all types of inscriptions upon a
delimited surface which display diagrammatical aspects. The guiding
presuppositions of our research are: (1) by means of spatial logics and
topological orders, diagrams are preferred forms for representing non-spatial,
theoretical relationships. (2) Diagrams do not display simple ›objects,‹ but
instead relationships within a conceptual or knowledge field. (3) As a
consequence, diagrams not only open up spaces of representation, but also
experimental, explorative, and operational spaces, in many cases involving
abstract, non-sensory, or ideational contents. Diagrams render theories
susceptible to experience in sensory terms. (4) On the whole, the capacity for
graphism may be ranged alongside the capacity for language as a universal
anthropological trait. Against this horizon, our research project – whose
orientation is epistemological and philosophical – pursues two problems. The
first involves the basic contours of a general theory of diagrammatics and –
starting from the ›cartographic impulse‹ embodied in Plato’s parable of the
line and in Ptolemy’s "handbook of geography" – an ›epistemology of the line‹
as a philosophical reconstruction of the implicit and explicit diagrammatical
aspects of philosophical texts. The second problem involves the diagram as a
cognitive artifact which is examined from historical and systematic
perspectives. b) Methods: Philosophical analysis of texts, case studies of
individual thinkers and specific types of diagrams. c) Current state of the
discussion within the research group: Basic concepts related to diagrammatics
have been elaborated, central episodes in the Occidental theory of the diagram
identified and analyzed, and central elements of a general theory of
diagrammatic cognition developed. Planned for the future is on the one hand
deepened work on historical case studies, and on the other the integration of
the hitherto developed modules into a consistent, overarching theory.a) Gegenstände und Ziele. Diese Forschergruppe untersucht Geschichte und
Theorie des Denkens mit Hilfe von Diagrammen. Diagramme werden als kognitive
Instrumente begriffen, die in paradigmatischer Weise Raumrelationen zur
Darstellung, Analyse und Produktion von Wissen nutzen. Wir verwenden den
Begriff »Diagramm« in einem engen und einem erweiterten Sinne: Diagramme im
engeren Sinne sind schematische Figuren wie etwa geometrische Konstruktionen
oder chemische Strukturformeln, im erweiterten Sinne weisen aber auch
Schriften, Tabellen, mathematische Formeln, kurz: alle Arten von Inskriptionen
auf einer begrenzten Fläche, diagrammatische Dimensionen auf. Die leitenden
Annahmen unserer Forschung sind: (1) Diagramme stellen mittels räumlicher
Logiken und topologischer Ordnungen bevorzugt nicht-räumliche, theoretische
Zusammenhänge dar. (2) Sie zeigen dabei nicht einfach ›Gegenstände‹, sondern
Relationen innerhalb von Begriffs- und Wissensfeldern. (3) Dadurch eröffnen
sie nicht nur einen Darstellungsraum, sondern auch einen Raum des
Experimentierens, Explorierens und Operierens mit oftmals abstrakten,
unsinnlichen, ideellen Sachverhalten. Diagramme machen Theorien sinnlich
erfahrbar. (4) Insgesamt ist die Fähigkeit zum Graphismus eine dem
Sprachvermögen durchaus zur Seite zu stellende universelle anthropologische
Auszeichnung. Vor diesem Horizont verfolgt unser epistemologisch-philosophisch
orientiertes Forschungsprojekt zwei Fragen. Erstens: Grundlinien einer
allgemeinen Theorie der Diagrammatik und – ausgehend von einem
›kartographischen Impuls‹ der in Platons Liniengleichnis und in Ptolemaios’
»Handbuch der Geographie« verkörpert ist – eine ›Epistemologie der Linie‹ als
philosophische Rekonstruktion der impliziten und expliziten diagrammatischen
Dimensionen in philosophischen Texten. Zweitens: Diagramme als kognitive
Artefakte in historischer und systematischer Perspektive. b) Methoden.
Philosophische Analyse von Texten, Fallstudien zu einzelnen Denkern und
Diagrammtypen. c) Diskussionsstand in der Forschergruppe. Grundbegriffe der
Diagrammatik wurden erarbeitet, zentrale Episoden abendländischer Theorie des
Diagramms identifiziert und analysiert, zentrale Elemente einer allgemeinen
Theorie diagrammatischer Kognition entwickelt. Für die Zukunft steht
einerseits die vertiefte Arbeit an historischen Fallstudien, andererseits die
Integration der bisherigen Bausteine zu einer konsistenten, übergreifenden
Theorie an
Aspect seeing and mathematical representations
In the present article the productive role of visual representations in mathematics is explained by referring to “aspect seeing”. First, the notion of aspect seeing is introduced, as proposed by Wittgenstein in his works. Second, the pragmatic dimension of aspect seeing is discussed. Third, three key examples of aspect seeing in mathematics are presented with the aim of showing the relevance of aspect shifting in important areas of mathematics by looking at both its pragmatic dimension and its relationship with conceptual mastery. Finally, some conclusions are given about aspect seeing as a human phenomenon
Parlamentarischer Abend
Moderation: Dr. Jan Wöpking (German U15) Dr. Astrid Mannes MdB (CDU/CSU-Fraktion), Dr. Wiebke Esdar MdB (SPD-Fraktion), Dr. Jens Brandenburg MdB (FDP-Fraktion), Nicole Gohlke MdB (Fraktion Die Linke), Kai Gehring MdB (Fraktion Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Decompressive hemicraniectomy in elderly patients with space-occupying infarction (DECAP): a prospective observational study
Management of therapeutic anticoagulation in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage and mechanical heart valves
Genome-wide Association Study Identifies 2 New Loci Associated With Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis
Background and Objectives To investigate the genetic determinants of the most common type of antibody-mediated autoimmune encephalitis, anti-NMDA receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. Methods We performed a genome-wide association study in 178 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and 590 healthy controls, followed by a colocalization analysis to identify putatively causal genes. Results We identified 2 independent risk loci harboring genome-wide significant variants (p = 2.2), 1 on chromosome 15, harboring only the LRRK1 gene, and 1 on chromosome 11 centered on the ACP2 and NR1H3 genes in a larger region of high linkage disequilibrium. Colocalization signals with expression quantitative trait loci for different brain regions and immune cell types suggested ACP2, NR1H3, MADD, DDB2, and C11orf49 as putatively causal genes. The best candidate genes in each region are LRRK1, encoding leucine-rich repeat kinase 1, a protein involved in B-cell development, and NR1H3 liver X receptor alpha, a transcription factor whose activation inhibits inflammatory processes. Discussion This study provides evidence for relevant genetic determinants of antibody-mediated autoimmune encephalitides outside the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region. The results suggest that future studies with larger sample sizes will successfully identify additional genetic determinants and contribute to the elucidation of the pathomechanism