Reversibility and chiasm: false equivalents? An alternative approach to understanding difference in Merleau-Ponty’s late philosophy

The chiasm is usually considered the key notion for Merleau-Ponty’s later philosophy. I argue against a common conclusion, namely that ‘the chiasm’ is equivalent to ‘reversibility’. Even when the two terms are not taken as interchangeable, the precise nature of their relation has not been adequately established. Focusing exclusively on ‘reversibility’ has implications for a range of philosophical issues, including relations between self and other. The danger of substituting one term for the other is that existential relations are construed as inversions, rather than as genuine exchanges. I examine two trajectories that can be discovered in ‘The Intertwining—The Chiasm’. The first is the inclusion of difference within a peculiar, extended sense of ‘reversibility’. The second is the development of a plurality of expressions, among which ‘reversibility’ is necessary but not sufficient. I go on to argue that Merleau-Ponty secures difference within the chiasm by supplementing the notion of reversibility with ‘imminence’, the idea that something has not yet occurred. I also propose that the figure of a threshold illuminates how the chiasm operates as a transition where both joining and differentiation occur

Seismic behaviour of structures with basements in liquefiable soil

Earthquake induced liquefaction can cause significant damage in the built environment. Structures on shallow foundations can suffer large settlement and rotation, and light under- ground structures can uplift. The performance of structures with basements, which intuitively combines these two problems, is not understood. In this thesis, the seismic behaviour of structures with basements in liquefiable soil has been investigated. A series of highly instrumented dynamic centrifuge tests showed that the presence of a basement can reduce the liquefaction induced settlement of a structure whilst maintaining the natural isolation provided by liquefied soil. The generation of positive excess pore pressures during shaking increased the buoyancy force provided by the basement. When the ratio of uplift to total weight during liquefaction was controlled, this buoyancy reduced settlement compared to structures with shallow foundations without basements. The centrifuge test data showed that structures with basements were susceptible to suffer a large accumulation of rotation during earthquake induced liquefaction. Compared to structures without basements, resistance to rotation provided by the soil decreased because the buoyancy provided by the basement reduced the vertical effective stresses below the structure. Rotation was exacerbated by an increase in the moment loading imposed by the structure due to the presence of the basement. An increase in the plan area of the basement was found to reduce residual rotation. A mechanical model for displacement and rotation in liquefiable soil was developed using data from the centrifuge test series. It was based on a traditional mass-spring-damper model, with the addition of slider elements to incorporate accumulation of displacement and rotation. The model was able to replicate the centrifuge test results when liquefaction occurred. Parametric studies using the model found that residual rotation was highly sensitive to the basement width and height of the centre of gravity of the structure. In summary, liquefaction induced settlement and rotation, and seismic demand of a structure can be minimised by including a basement and controlling the basement geometry, mass distribution, and total weight of the structure. The increase in usable space that a basement provides in a building is anticipated to make this mitigation method an attractive option compared to conventional alternatives such as soil improvement

Improving identification and audit of disability within Child Health Services

This project was commissioned by the Department of Health to survey existing data collections regarding childhood disability across the domains of education, health and social care and to collect definitions of disability from across three domains. A systematic review was conducted which addressed the two aims. The findings were discussed in consultation of findings with key professionals from across the UK and with some contacts in Europe, both electronically and in a professional working focus group. The review of published academic and grey literature identified vast disparities between the way that data is collected, coded and used across the three domains. The disparities between the definitions of disability used across the domains further prevent the data being drawn together in a cohesive manner that may then be used to facilitate effective planning of services both locally and nationally. The project did, however, identify one coding system that may potentially offer a solution to these difficulties, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY, World Health Organisation, 2007). This coding system has demonstrated a capacity to resolve issues with data collections in Europe and has been the subject of policy recommendations presented to the European Parliament on the 16th September 2008. It is proposed that while immediate change is not possible, a staged approach, beginning with a pilot study of the utility of the ICF-CY, should be conducted to test its efficiency in providing effective harmonisation of data collections across the three domains and its applicability in the identification of childhood disability. Alongside this, it is important for the ICF-CY considered by the project group overseeing the implementation of the Child Health, Maternity and CAMHS Care Records

Attitudes towards psychology as a science and the persistence of psychological misconceptions in psychology undergraduates

Internationally, curricular guidelines for psychology recognise the scientific nature of the discipline, a position that is sometimes at odds with students’ expectations and interests. Students’ appreciation of psychology as a science increases with experience of the subject. However, students bring to the study of psychology a range of popular psychological misconceptions that often remain intact through their studies. The study described in this chapter examined endorsement of psychology-related misconceptions and anti-scientific views in students at different stages in their degree studies, as well as attitude towards psychology as a science

The Temporality of Contemporaneity and Contemporary Art: Kant, Kentridge and Cave Art as Elective Contemporaries

This article contributes to understanding of Contemporary Art and of the temporality of contemporaneity, along with the philosophy of time more generally. I propose a diachronic contemporaneity over time gaps – elective contemporaneity – through examination of Kant’s Transcendental Aesthetic, the Third Analogy and the concept of ‘following’ among artistic geniuses; diachronic recognition and disjunctive synchronicity discoverable in William Kentridge’s multimedia artworks; as well as non-chronological temporal implications of superimpositions in late Palaeolithic cave art suggesting ‘graphic respect’. Elective contemporaneity shows up complexity in relations to past and present, putting in question definitions of ‘Contemporary Art’ restricted to either chronology or supposedly definitive paradigms

Relief and the Structure of Intentions in Late Palaeolithic Cave Art

Artworks at Lascaux and other late Palaeolithic caves integrate geological features or “relief” of the cave wall in a way that suggests a symbiotic relation between nature and culture. I argue this qualifies as “receptivity to a situation,” which is neither fully active nor merely passive and emerges as a necessary element of the intentions made apparent by such cave art. I argue against prominent interpretations of cave art, including the shamanist account and propose a structural interpretation attentive to particular cases. Seen in this way, cave art displays intentions that are analyzable as having a tripartite structure: mentally directed, embedded in actions and receptive to a situation. Moreover, the latter is the medium through which the other two elements are conjoined. Drawing on a range of archaeological and philosophical resources from both analytical philosophy and phenomenology, I argue that what I call cave art’s “intentional story” is important for the philosophy of intentions more generally

Hydrogeology of Montserrat review and new insights

Study region The tropical, active volcanic arc island of Montserrat, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean. Study focus New insights into hydrological recharge distribution, measurements of aquifer permeability, and geological and hydrological field observations from Montserrat are combined with a review of the current understanding of volcanic island hydrology. The aim is to begin to develop a conceptual model for the hydrology of Montserrat, and to inform and stimulate further investigation into the hydrology of volcanic arc islands, by combining a review of the current understanding of essential components of the hydrological system with fresh analysis of existing data, and new observations, data collection and analysis. This study provides new insights into hydrological recharge distribution, measurements of aquifer permeability, and geological and hydrological field observations from Montserrat. New hydrological insights for the region A new groundwater recharge model predicts whole island recharge of 266 mm/year, between 10% and 20% of annual rainfall. Core scale permeability tests reveal ranges from 10−14 to 10−12 m2 for volcaniclastic rocks with coarse matrix, to a minimum of 10−18 m2 for andesitic lavas and volcaniclastics with fine or altered matrix. Analysis of historical pumping tests on aquifers in reworked, channel and alluvial sediment indicate permeabilities ∼10−10 m2. Springs at elevations between 200 and 400 m above mean sea level on Centre Hills currently discharge over 45 L/s. High discharge require a reasonably laterally continuous low permeability body. Contrasting conceptual models are presented to illustrate two potential hydrogeological scenarios. New field observations also reveal systematic spatial variations in spring water temperature and specific electrical conductivity indicating that meteoric waters supplying the springs are mixed with a deeper groundwater source at some sites

The evaporation of drops from super-heated nano-engineered surfaces

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 49).In pool boiling and spray cooling the Leidenfrost point marks the transition from nucleate boiling, in which the evaporating liquid is in contact with the surface, and film boiling, in which a layer of vapor separates the fluid from the surface. For a single evaporating drop, the Leidenfrost point occurs when the capillary and gravitational forces are surpassed by the upward pressure of the escaping vapor. This thesis develops an analytical model to predict the Leidenfrost point for a microstructured surface. The microstructure consists of a regular array of square posts geometrically defined by aspect ratio and spacing ratio. The vapor pressure is modeled using the momentum equation for flow in a porous medium. Varying the geometric parameters indicated that aspect ratio and spacing ratio must be optimized to achieve the maximum Leidenfrost temperature. For a water drop evaporating from a silicon surface, the maximum Leidenfrost temperature is predicted to occur with an aspect ratio of 1.3 and a spacing ratio of 1.5. [mu]L water drops were evaporated from a smooth surface made of silicon and porous surfaces made of aluminum oxide. The microstructure of the surfaces was different from that modeled, but increased wettability and higher Leidenfrost temperatures were observed as porosity increased. Recommendations for further research in this area are made.by Fiona Rachel HughesS.B

Contextual determinants of employee entrepreneurial behavior in support of corporate entrepreneurship: a systematic review and research agenda

The individual entrepreneurial behavior of employees represents one of the primary antecedents of Corporate Entrepreneurship. The complex nature of ‘employee entrepreneurial behavior’ suggests that a myriad of contextual influences act on the emergence of such behavior. It is imperative that theorists and practitioners alike understand both the subtle and sophisticated ways in which context influences employee entrepreneurial behavior. To address these issues and encourage future work, this study performs a systematic literature review to provide an overview of the field and examines the influence of the job/role, organizational/work and external contexts on employee entrepreneurial behavior. Findings suggest that employee entrepreneurial behavior is an emergent research field and that its behaviors can manifest themselves in different ways compared to firm-level entrepreneurial behaviors. We also show the sophisticated manner in which different types of context influence employee entrepreneurial behavior