The Turtle Moves:a literary study of Terry Pratchett’s Omnianism

Abstract. This thesis is a close reading of Terry Pratchett’s Small Gods in the framework of postmodern literary theory. Small Gods is a fantasy novel, which has the history of a made-up religion called Omnianism as its central narrative. The motivation for this thesis came from the feeling that Pratchett’s parodical approach could be a front to a deeper message, which could be uncovered in a close reading. In addition to searching for the postmodern themes in Small Gods I tried to look for the reasons for these themes surfacing in the novel. My close reading found numerous postmodern themes throughout the novel, and the parody Pratchett makes of Christianity was the most prominent postmodern theme present. Another theme that appeared a lot in the novel was the idea that while the Omnianism is a parody, it also holds a mirror to Christianity, highlighting the flaws that can be found in both religions. I found out that the parody and celebration of fragmentation of faith and authority of ages past seem to be rooted in Pratchett’s apparent atheism. The thesis suggests that Pratchett’s other fictional religious institutions could be worth studying, as well as his political parody, using this thesis as a frame of reference.Tiivistelmä. Tämä tutkielma on lähiluku Terry Pratchettin kirjasta Pienet Jumalat postmodernistisen metodologian pohjalta. Pienet Jumalat on fantasiakirja, jonka keskiössä on kuvitteellisen uskonnon, Omnianismin, historia. Motivaatio tähän tutkimukseen syntyi ajatuksesta, että Pratchettin parodia kätkee taakseen syvemmän viestin, mikä voisi selkeytyä lähiluvun ansiosta. Postmodernististen teemojen etsinnän lisäksi pyrin löytämään Pienistä Jumalista syitä näiden teemojen esiintymiselle. Lähilukuni paljasti monia postmodernistisia teemoja läpi koko teoksen ja Pratchettin parodia kristinuskosta oli teoksen kantava teema. Toinen yleinen teema teoksessa oli ajatus siitä, että Omnianismi ei ole pelkästään kristinuskon parodia, vaan heijastaa kristinuskon huonoimpia piirteitä, tuoden ne esille. Tutkimus paljasti, että teoksessa esiintyvä parodia ja menneisyyden uskon ja auktoriteetin hajoaminen vaikuttavat juontavan juurensa Pratchettin ilmeiseen ateismiin. Tutkimuksen perusteella Pratchettin muut kuvitteelliset uskonnot voisivat olla houkuttelevia tutkimuksen kohteita tämän tutkimuksen pohjalta, kuten myös hänen poliittinen parodiansa

Ethics, environment and problem-based learning:how role-playing video games embody cross-curricular themes of finnish upper secondary school curriculum

Abstract. Learning and video games have been studied for a while now as a possible learning asset. However, this research is largely generalized, and does not examine specific curricula and how they could employ video games. This study will examine how the cross-curricular themes found in the National Core Curriculum for General Upper Secondary Schools (Finnish National Board of Educations, 2016) are fulfilled by two role-playing video games, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (BioWare, 2003) and Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition (Beamdog, 2012). The study employs qualitative research methods in order to conduct a cross-case analysis of the two games, examining them from a sociocultural, cognitive, and ecological theoretical point of view. The study shows that most of the cross-curricular themes listed were present in the games, and their objectives of instructions were met. The games examined created problem-based learning experiences both in familiarizing the player with the game as well as creating learning experiences that aligned with the cross-curricular themes examined. Especially themes that relied on and promoted empathy were heavily employed in the games. On the other hand, some contradictions could be found in the games, which could be used to affect a deeper learning according to cognitive theories.Tiivistelmä. Oppiminen ja videopelit ovat olleet tutkimuksen kohteena viime aikoina laajalti. Kuitenkaan tarkkaa opetussuunnitelmiin kohdistuvaa tutkimusta ei ole suoritettu video pelien osalta, vaan tutkimukset ovat keskittynyt oppimiseen yleisellä tasolla. Tämä pro gradu -työ tarkastelee kuinka videoroolipeli Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (BioWare, 2003) sekä Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition (Beamdog, 2012) toteuttavat aihekokonaisuudet Lukion opetussuunnitelman perusteissa (Finnish National Board of Education, 2015). Tutkimus käyttää kvalitatiivisia metodeja vertailevan tapaustutkimuksen toteuttamiseen sosiokulttuurisesta, kognitiivisesta sekä ekologisesta näkökulmasta. Tutkimus osoitti, että useimmat aihekokonaisuudet löytyivät peleistä ja että niiden tavoitteet toteutuivat peleissä. Pelit loivat ongelmakeskeisiä oppimiskokemuksia sekä tutustuttaakseen pelaajan pelin maailmaan että luodakseen opetussuunnitelman aihekokonaisuuksien mukaisia oppimiskokemuksia. Erityisesti teemat, jotka nojautuivat ja kannustivat empatiaan, olivat peleissä laajalti käytössä. Toisaalta pelit sisälsivät tiettyjä ristiriitoja, joita on mahdollista käyttää hyödyksi syvemmän oppimisen luontiin kognitiivisten teorioiden mukaisesti

Climate change reshuffles northern species within their niches

Climate change is a pervasive threat to biodiversity. While range shifts are a known consequence of climate warming contributing to regional community change, less is known about how species' positions shift within their climatic niches. Furthermore, whether the relative importance of different climatic variables prompting such shifts varies with changing climate remains unclear. Here we analysed four decades of data for 1,478 species of birds, mammals, butterflies, moths, plants and phytoplankton along a 1,200 km high latitudinal gradient. The relative importance of climatic drivers varied non-uniformly with progressing climate change. While species turnover among decades was limited, the relative position of species within their climatic niche shifted substantially. A greater proportion of species responded to climatic change at higher latitudes, where changes were stronger. These diverging climate imprints restructure a full biome, making it difficult to generalize biodiversity responses and raising concerns about ecosystem integrity in the face of accelerating climate change.The authors analyse four decades of distribution data for various taxonomic groups to understand the shift of species within their climatic niches and the changing influences of different climate factors. The diverse and diverging climate imprints raise concerns about future ecosystem integrity.</p

Quenching of the SnSbTe Cycle in the rp-Process

peerReviewe

New insights into triaxiality and shape coexistence from odd-mass 109Rh

Rapid shape evolutions near A = 100 are now the focus of much attention in nuclear science. Much of the recent work has been centered on isotopes with Z 40, where the shapes are observed to transition between near-spherical to highly deformed with only a single pair of neutrons added. At higher Z, the shape transitions become more gradual as triaxiality sets in, yet the coexistence of varying shapes continues to play an important role in the low-energy nuclear structure, particularly in the odd-Z isotopes. This work aims to characterize competing shapes in the triaxial region between Zr and Sn isotopes using ultrafast timing techniques to measure lifetimes of excited states in the neutron-rich nucleus 109Rh. The measurements confirm the persistence at higher Z of similarly large deformations observed near Z = 40. Moreover, we show that new self-consistent mean-field calculations, with proper treatment of the odd nucleon, are able to reproduce the coexisting triaxial and highly deformed configurations revealing, for the first time, the important contribution of the unpaired nucleon to these different shapes based on the blocking of specific single-particle orbitals.peerReviewe

New lifetime measurements in 109 Pd and the onset of deformation at N = 60

Several new subnanosecond lifetimes were measured in 109Pd using the fast-timing βγγ (t) method. Fission fragments of the A = 109 mass chain were produced by bombarding natural uranium with 30 MeV protons at the Jyvaskyl ¨ a Ion Guide Isotope Separator On-Line (IGISOL) facility. Lifetimes were obtained for excited states ¨ in 109Pd populated following β decay of 109Rh. The new lifetimes provide some insight into the evolution of nuclear structure in this mass region. In particular, the distinct structure of the two low-lying 7/2+ states occurring systematically across the Pd isotopic chain is supported by the new lifetime measurements. The available nuclear data indicate a sudden increase in deformation at N = 60 which is related to the strong p-n interaction between πg9/2 and νg7/2 valence nucleons expected in this region.peerReviewe

Climate change reshuffles northern species within their niches

Climate change is a pervasive threat to biodiversity. While range shifts are a known consequence of climate warming contribut ing to regional community change, less is known about how species’ positions shift within their climatic niches. Furthermore, whether the relative importance of different climatic variables prompting such shifts varies with changing climate remains unclear. Here we analysed four decades of data for 1,478 species of birds, mammals, butterflies, moths, plants and phytoplank ton along a 1,200 km high latitudinal gradient. The relative importance of climatic drivers varied non-uniformly with progress ing climate change. While species turnover among decades was limited, the relative position of species within their climatic niche shifted substantially. A greater proportion of species responded to climatic change at higher latitudes, where changes were stronger. These diverging climate imprints restructure a full biome, making it difficult to generalize biodiversity responses and raising concerns about ecosystem integrity in the face of accelerating climate change

Climate change reshuffles northern species within their niches

Climate change is a pervasive threat to biodiversity. While range shifts are a known consequence of climate warming contributing to regional community change, less is known about how species' positions shift within their climatic niches. Furthermore, whether the relative importance of different climatic variables prompting such shifts varies with changing climate remains unclear. Here we analysed four decades of data for 1,478 species of birds, mammals, butterflies, moths, plants and phytoplankton along a 1,200 km high latitudinal gradient. The relative importance of climatic drivers varied non-uniformly with progressing climate change. While species turnover among decades was limited, the relative position of species within their climatic niche shifted substantially. A greater proportion of species responded to climatic change at higher latitudes, where changes were stronger. These diverging climate imprints restructure a full biome, making it difficult to generalize biodiversity responses and raising concerns about ecosystem integrity in the face of accelerating climate change.The authors analyse four decades of distribution data for various taxonomic groups to understand the shift of species within their climatic niches and the changing influences of different climate factors. The diverse and diverging climate imprints raise concerns about future ecosystem integrity