Possible history

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Minds, Brains and Programs

This article can be viewed as an attempt to explore the consequences of two propositions. (1) Intentionality in human beings (and animals) is a product of causal features of the brain I assume this is an empirical fact about the actual causal relations between mental processes and brains It says simply that certain brain processes are sufficient for intentionality. (2) Instantiating a computer program is never by itself a sufficient condition of intentionality The main argument of this paper is directed at establishing this claim The form of the argument is to show how a human agent could instantiate the program and still not have the relevant intentionality. These two propositions have the following consequences (3) The explanation of how the brain produces intentionality cannot be that it does it by instantiating a computer program. This is a strict logical consequence of 1 and 2. (4) Any mechanism capable of producing intentionality must have causal powers equal to those of the brain. This is meant to be a trivial consequence of 1. (5) Any attempt literally to create intentionality artificially (strong AI) could not succeed just by designing programs but would have to duplicate the causal powers of the human brain. This follows from 2 and 4

Ideology and total war : military intellectuals and the analysis of the Spanish Civil War in Britain, 1936-1943

The recent historical interest in the analysis of the lessons of the Spanish Civil War by the European powers has tended to focus very strongly on the tactical experiences and the study of new military technology. This has led to the implied assumption that much of this analysis took place within a closed, professional military environment. In the case of Britain, however, the military debate on the lessons and significance of the civil war was conducted in a much more public fashion than in many other countries. For this reason, and due to the considerable political controversy over the official government policy of non-intervention, ideology played a significant role in the analyses of the unfolding military drama in Spain. This article considers the way in which ideology affected military interpretations of the conflict – and the employment of these analyses for ideological purposes – by examining the public debate, the reaction of British intelligence and the views of four "military intellectuals" who commented on the conflict in newspaper articles, books, and in memoranda written for military intelligenc

Frankish rivalries and Norse warriors

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Revising the ‘myth’ of a ‘clean wehrmacht’: generals’ trials, public opinion, and the dynamics of Vergangenheitsbewältigung in West Germany, 1948–60

Among one of the most consistent claims made by the organizers and supporters of the ‘Wehrmacht exhibition’ has been that the ‘myth’ of a ‘clean Wehrmacht’ took root in the Federal Republic of Germany in the early 1950s, lasting well into the 1980s, only to have been finally shattered by the exhibition itself in the mid-1990s. Although this thesis has very little to do with the actual content of the exhibition — which examined the role of the Wehrmacht, and the army in particular, in co-operating with SS units in the final solution in the Soviet Union, in executions of enemy personnel, and the extermination of countless civilians through the device of declaring them to be partisans — it is has been repeated consistently by a number of historians

Process versus product? : personal reflection and experimentation in task-based learning with the Hiroshima Teacher Trainees 2008

In my ten years of teaching, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time devising the best ways to teach linguistic elements, such as grammar or pronunciation targets. Increasingly it seems to me that this vantage could be fundamentally flawed, as it focuses too heavily on product rather than process. Here, I’m thinking of classes where teachers strive to develop ‘authentic’ practice situations that require the use of certain targets or products. Their lesson plan focuses on the target and the learners are encouraged to do the same with practice activities. It begs the question, wouldn’t it be more authentic to start with the process? To start with the task and see what kind of linguistic structures this engenders

Comparing and Contrasting Special Education in the United States and Jamaica

The purpose of this thesis is to define, compare and contrast special education services in the United States and Jamaica. Both the United States and Jamaica seeks to provide special education services and resources to students with disabilities. However, protective laws, training, and special services provided for citizens with disabilities range drastically between the countries. This thesis will define disabilities prevalent in the classroom and the services offered for the protection and provision of equal opportunity to all students. Recent laws and requirements for public schools have influenced the trajectory of special education in both countries. As this thesis progresses, the stride toward equal educational opportunities for all people in the United States and Jamaica will be evident