Sculpture and its Meaning in the Context of Berleant’s \u3cem\u3eAesthetic Engagement\u3c/em\u3e

It is not my intention to provide a comprehensive analysis of Berleant’s notion of aesthetic engagement. My goal is modest. I hope to account for the key significance of the philosophical problematization of sculpture, in the context of engaged aesthetics. In writing about the philosophical problematization of sculpture, I am thinking most of all about the problem of space, a phenomenon that emerges in the relationship of the solid form to its surroundings. It is a relationship that is usually perceived as directly connected with the sculpture. I want to emphasize that Alicja Kuczyńska was well aware of the significance of this problem. She expresses this awareness discretely and indirectly by taking up the problem of space and sculpture, in the context of Brâncuși in her essay in this special volume on Berleant’s aesthetics, “Berleant’s Phenomenology of Sculptural Space: Brâncuşi.” Kuczyńska’s interpretation goes beyond the topics taken up by Berleant in his essay on Brâncuşi but is consistent with his way of thinking about the relationship of a specific volume to its surrounding space and to movement

Transport fire safety engineering in the European Union - project TRANSFEU

Article presents European Research project (of FP7-SST-2008-RTD-1 for Surface transportation) TRANSFEU. Projects undertakes to deliver both a reliable toxicity measurement methodology and a holistic fire safety approach for all kind of surface transport. It bases on a harmonized Fire Safety Engineering methodology which link passive fire security with active fire security mode. This all embracing system is the key to attain optimum design solutions in respect to fire safety objectives as an alternative to the prescriptive approach. It will help in the development of innovative solutions (design and products used for the building of the surface transport) which will better respect the environment.In order to reach these objectives new toxicity measurement methodology and related classification of materials, new numerical fire simulation tools, fire test methodology (laboratory and full scale) and a decisive tool to optimize or explore new design in accordance to the fire safety requirements will be developed

High performance membrane materials for gas separation

The use of membranes in various gas separations has increased significantly in recent times. This review presents some of the recent noteworthy advances in the field of membranes materials for these applications. A description of the most promising groups of high free volume polymers, including polyimides, thermally rearranged (TR) polymers, substituted polyacetylenes, perfluoropolymers, and polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIM) is provided. High performance, rubbery, polyethers and polyether based copolymers are shown as another important class of polymer membrane materials.  The development of inorganic membranes, which are not bound to the trade-off limitations between permeability and selectivity exhibited by polymers is also presented. The attention is focused on zeolitic materials, metal organic frameworks (MOF), and carbon molecular sieves (CMS). The field of mixed matrix membranes composed of inorganic particles embedded in a polymer matrix is also briefly outlined

Numerical methods in understanding reaction pathways NOx oxidation

Different quantum chemical models were applied in energetic analysis of process of oxidation of NO and NO2 through reaction with ozone generated by non-thermal equilibrium (low temperature), atmospheric pressure plasma. The potential energy surfaces of systems comprising NO and NO2 with ozone were characterized. The NOx oxidation processes well known, at the molecular level, were modelled by ab initio quantum methods to calculate the total reaction energy, Et, of each step in the reaction chain. Chemistry was further applied in an attempt to detect the presence of any transition states to calculate the activation energy, Ea, of reactions (1) NO + O3 and (2) NO2 + O3 using the MP2 level of theory with three different basis sets and fine potential energy scan resolution.Different quantum chemical models were applied in energetic analysis of process of oxidation of NO and NO2 through reaction with ozone generated by non-thermal equilibrium (low temperature), atmospheric pressure plasma. The potential energy surfaces of systems comprising NO and NO2 with ozone were characterized. The NOx oxidation processes well known, at the molecular level, were modelled by ab initio quantum methods to calculate the total reaction energy, Et, of each step in the reaction chain. Chemistry was further applied in an attempt to detect the presence of any transition states to calculate the activation energy, Ea, of reactions (1) NO + O3 and (2) NO2 + O3 using the MP2 level of theory with three different basis sets and fine potential energy scan resolution

The physical and mechanical properties of magnesium oxychloride cement-based materials

The aim of this paper was the examination of the physical-mechanical properties of Sorel cement-based material. In the experimental part the effect of polypropylene fibers (PP) and micro-silica on properties of composite materials were studied. The results show that addition of these modifiers increases compressive strength, waterproofing and resistance against corrosion. Increase of compressive strength was observed from both addition of PP and micro-silica. PP resulted in an increase in compressive strength of 0,72 MPa, whereas addition of micro-silica caused an increase of 17,5 % compared to pure Sorel’s cement. Improvement of water-tightness was observed in both additions of PP and micro-silica. Weight loss of samples with PP addition to the concrete after a 7-day bath in an aggressive solution of 5% HCl was less than about 20%

Polityka, przyjaźnie i podarunki w świetle korespondencji papieża Grzegorza Wielkiego

POLITICS, FRIENDSHIPS, AND GIFTS IN THE LIGHT OF THE CORRESPONDENCE OF POPE GREGORY THE GREAT (590-604)Among persons exercising authority or holding high offi ces, gifts served many purposes, some important. They were part of respective ceremonial, won favors, broadened infl uences, persuaded donees, or won desired concessions. They could be helpful in propagating the giver’s ideas. Types of gifts and channels of delivery may be studied in offi cial and private accounts of participants in gift giving. All this was clear to pope Gregory I the Great (590-604). With carefully chosen gifts, he knew how to secure the support of barbarian Western rulers (queen Theodolinda of the Lombards and her son, queen Brunhilda of the Franks, the Visigothic king Reccared, king Ethelbert of Kent). Among such gifts predominated relics (in particular, pieces of St. Peter’s shackles) and books by Gregory himself. There were also other items such as garments.Many recipients of his gifts were people he had met when he was papal apocrisiary in Constantinople. It is all the more surprising, therefore, that he refused to send relics to empress Constantina, the wife of Mauricius.The pope was very careful in using the instrument of gift giving. Sometimes he used it to thank people to whom he owed something, but did not try to use it to win concessions he thought important. No gifts are on record to imperial offi cials in Italy or other Western lands, such as to exarchs, praetors of Sicily, prefects of the preatorium of Italy and Carthage. His frequent gifts of relics of St. Peter’s shackles helped spread the cult of this saint in all of Europe.Even more cautious was Gregory in receiving presents, perhaps fearing that they might be thought a form of bribery. He readily accepted gifts from friends and donations for the freeing of prisoners or assisting the poor, but steadfastly refused anything that might look suspicious. Among those rejected were gifts from Felix, bishop of Messina, or Januarius, bishop of Caralis

Deklaracja jako akt mowy i gatunek tekstu

The kind of texts called in Polish declarations (statements or announcements) belongs to the group of genres of formal register. Declarations are unique in that they are able to effect changes in the world solely through speech acts. The utterance depicts a future state of affairs as viable. Among illocutionary meanings of the declaration are declarativity or performativity, commissiveness (the sender’s commitment) and persuasiveness (impact on the recipient). All these intentional values are of great significance in social communication, hence the vital role of declaration in public life. Declarations can be both oral and written. The kind of medium used affects the linguistic shape of the message. Oral declarations, which are common in situations of direct contact, have no strictly fixed form. In terms of content they can also be ill-considered and irresponsible. It is under their influence that we tend to attach negative meanings to the noun declaration (as in ‘empty declarations’) and the adjective declarative (‘groundless, hollow, unreliable’). In contemporary public discourse the gap between declarations of public agents and their conduct is frequently pinpointed. At the same time, a number of declarations transmitted orally have previously existed in writing. Therefore, it is essential to regard their spoken form as secondary. Declarations of this type resemble written ones, although they are commonly smaller in size. The difficulty in their description consists in the fact they are usually reported or summarized, with only a few (if any) excerpts quoted. Written declarations, and particularly their specialized varieties (charters, conventions) are texts that come in different sizes, are sometimes very thorough and detailed, always carefully drafted and often a result of arduous negotiations among many agents. They are marked by a high degree of explicitness and precision of language. They usually consist of a document of loose modular structure which allows for partial acceptance (ratification). The highly conventionalized whole occurs in the textual framework of a title, a preamble and a closing segment. The conventionality of structure and formulaic character of statements stem from pragmatic premises, facilitating also the perception and application of the text

Oświadczenia i deklaracje w komunikacji społecznej A.D. 2007

Statements and declarations are the genres of a public discourse playing a vital role in contemporary social communication. For political reasons, they existed in Poles’ minds extremely intensively in 2007. The article makes an attempt to differentiate between these two terms often considered as synonymic. The evolution of both genres is observed in public communication. The statement is close to a role of an extremely formalised document of a poor content. A verifying factor may be the very fact of submitting and not submitting a statement. At the same time, a role and position of declaration increase, a genre that is important in terms of its content and being developed and internally diversified. The shape of declaration is typical of formal documents regulating social and political life. What is characteristic of declarations is precision the of sentences, terminological explicity and modularity of structure