Between singularity and generality: the semantic life of proper names

Although the view that sees proper names as referential singular terms is widely considered orthodoxy, there is a growing popularity to the view that proper names are predicates. This is partly because the orthodoxy faces two anomalies that Predicativism can solve: on the one hand, proper names can have multiple bearers. But multiple bearerhood is a problem to the idea that proper names have just one individual as referent. On the other hand, as Burge noted, proper names can have predicative uses. But the view that proper names are singular terms arguably does not have the resources to deal with Burge’s cases. In this paper I argue that the Predicate View of proper names is mistaken. I first argue against the syntactic evidence used to support the view and against the predicativist’s methodology of inferring a semantic account for proper names based on incomplete syntactic data. I also show that Predicativism can neither explain the behaviour of proper names in full generality, nor claim the fundamentality of predicative names. In developing my own view, however, I accept the insight that proper names in some sense express generality. Hence I propose that proper names—albeit fundamentally singular referential terms—express generality in two senses. First, by being used as predicates, since then they are true of many individuals; and second, by being referentially related to many individuals. I respond to the problem of multiple bearerhood by proposing that proper names are polyreferential, and also explain the behaviour of proper names in light of the wider phenomenon I called category change, and show how Polyreferentialism can account for all uses of proper names

Toward More Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in Elementary Social Studies

In the United States, elementary social studies instruction has significantly declined in recent decades, yet it holds valuable potential in allowing for spaces where the cultures and identities of our students can be centered and celebrated. Our educational systems are too often grounded in hegemonic ways of doing that are based around a dominant narrative that centers white, Christian, heteronormative values. Social studies instruction and its connected pedagogy have great potential to change that narrative. Following Mintrop’s cycle of inquiry model, this qualitative study looked at the experiences of elementary teachers as they undertook the implementation of a new social studies curriculum while simultaneously participating in a course focused on supporting culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy in their classrooms. Through the examination of interviews, a participant survey, and final projects, the researcher sought to understand the impact of these experiences on the ways in which teachers designed inclusive learning experiences, especially in the area of social studies. Results from the study show that teachers care deeply about their students and want to know them well, but don’t always understand the most meaningful ways to do this. Teachers valued a model for professional learning that centered their voices and allowed for collaboration and reflection. This model was an effective approach to growing capacity and understanding of ways in which teachers can honor their students’ narratives in the classroom. The implications of this study could be useful for teachers, principals, and district administrators who are seeking to understand ways to center and support a diverse body of students through instruction and pedagogy

Conflictos de competencia entre los Juzgados de Primera Instancia y los Juzgados de lo Mercantil.

Desde la creación de los Juzgados de lo Mercantil por la Ley 8/2003, de 7 de julio, para la Reforma Concursal muchos han sido los conflictos de competencia existentes entre los Juzgados de Primera Instancia y los Juzgados de lo Mercantil, ambos pertenecientes al mismo orden jurisdiccional civil. Dichos conflictos, tanto en su vertiente de derecho procesal como en la de derecho material, han sido ampliamente debatidos por la jurisprudencia y la doctrina, tratando de dar una solución coherente a derecho. En el presente dictamen trata de recogerse de manera práctica y sistemática tales conflictos, realizando un estudio de la jurisprudencia recaída al respecto así como de la doctrina que se ha detenido en su estudio, aportando la solución más conveniente conforme a la voluntad del legislador, y a la realidad económica y social de la época en la que nos encontramos

La inversión extranjera. Aproximación al riesgo-país de los Países Bajos

En este trabajo analizaremos aspectos de la inversión extranjera, nos centraremos en el concepto de Riesgo-País. Relativo a este concepto nos aproximamos a su obtención a través de las variables propuestas por el Banco de España para ello. A partir de toda la información y resultados obtenidos intentaremos evaluar el Riesgo-País en el caso de los Paises Bajos, catalogado por algunos organismos como país de riego cero.Universidad de Sevilla. Doble Grado en Administración y Dirección de Empresas y en Derech

Localization and oscillations of Majorana fermions in a two-dimensional electron gas coupled with dd-wave superconductors

We study the localization and oscillation properties of the Majorana fermions that arise in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and a Zeeman field coupled with a d-wave superconductor. Despite the angular dependence of the d-wave pairing, localization and oscillation properties are found to be similar to the ones seen in conventional s-wave superconductors. In addition, we study a microscopic lattice version of the previous system that can be characterized by a topological invariant. We derive its real space representation that involves nearest and next-to-nearest-neighbors pairing. Finally, we show that the emerging chiral Majorana fermions are indeed robust against static disorder. This analysis has potential applications to quantum simulations and experiments in high-$T_c$ superconductors.Comment: revtex4 file, color figure

Derecho Penal y Unión Europea. Motivos para armonizar el Derecho Penal de los estados miembros en fase de ejecución penitenciaria

La presente comunicación se centra en la necesidad de armonizar el derecho penal de los distintos Estados miembros de la Unión Europea mediante la adopción de una Directiva comunitaria que alcance aspectos básicos de la ejecución penitenciaria. El compromiso que la Unión Europea ha venido consolidando para con los derechos fundamentales de su ciudadanía no puede materializarse sin la existencia de unas garantías mínimas que obliguen a la totalidad de los Estados miembros. La experiencia del Consejo de Europa en prisiones, así como la actividad que en este sentido lleva desarrollando desde hace varias décadas en el entorno penitenciario, aconsejan que la Unión Europea adopte medidas para proteger y salvaguardar la dignidad humana de quienes cumplen condena. Las penas y los tratos inhumanos y degradantes son una amenaza proscrita que Europa no puede permitirse y que, pese a ello, examinadas las aportaciones del Consejo de Europa a esta cuestión, pueden poner en jaque los valores comunes sobre los que se asienta la Unión, esto es, la dignidad, la libertad, la igualdad y la solidaridad.This communication focuses on the need to harmonize the criminal law of the different Member States of the European Union through the adoption of a Community Directive that covers basic aspects of prison enforcement. The commitment that the European Union has been consolidating towards the fundamental rights of its citizenship cannot be materialized without the existence of minimum guarantees that oblige all the Member States. The experience of the Council of Europe in prisons, as well as the activity that it has been developing in the penitentiary environment for several decades, advise that the European Union may adopt measures to protect and safeguard the human dignity of those serving prison sentences. Punishments and inhuman and degrading treatment are a proscribed threat that Europe cannot allow but, despite this, having examined the contributions of the Council of Europe to this issue, they can endanger the common values on which the Union is based, that is, dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity

Quantum Error Correction with the Semion Code

We present a full quantum error correcting procedure with the semion code: an off-shell extension of the double semion model. We construct open strings operators that recover the quantum memory from arbitrary errors and closed string operators that implement the basic logical operations for information processing. Physically, the new open string operators provide a detailed microscopic description of the creation of semions at their endpoints. Remarkably, topological properties of the string operators are determined using fundamental properties of the Hamiltonian, namely the fact that it is composed of commuting local terms squaring to the identity. In all, the semion code is a topological code that, unlike previously studied topological codes, it is of non-CSS type and fits into the stabilizer formalism. This is in sharp contrast with previous attempts yielding non-commutative codes.Comment: REVTeX 4 file, color figure

Solving the waste collection problem from a multiobjective perspective: New methodologies and case studies

Fecha de lectura Tesis Doctoral: 19 de marzo de 2018.Economía Aplicada ( Matemáticas) Resumen tesis: El tratamiento de residuos es un tema de estudio por parte de las administraciones locales a nivel mundial. Distintos factores han de tenerse en cuenta para realizar un servicio eficiente. En este trabajo se desarrolla una herramienta para analizar y resolver el problema de la recogida de residuos sólidos en Málaga. Tras un análisis exhaustivo de los datos, se aborda el problema real como un problema de rutas multiobjetivo con capacidad limitada. Para los problemas multiobjetivo, no suele existir una única solución óptima, sino un conjunto de soluciones eficientes de Pareto. Las características del problema hacen inviable su resolución de forma exacta, por lo que se aplican distintas estrategias metaheurísticas para obtener una buena aproximación. En particular, se combinan las técnicas de GRASP, Path Relinking y Variable Neighborhood Search, que son adaptadas a la perspectiva multicriterio. Se trata de una aproximación en dos fases: una primera aproximación de la frontera eficiente se genera mediante un GRASP multiobjetivo. Tres son los métodos propuestos para la primera aproximación, dos de ellos derivados de la publicación de Martí et al. (2015) y el último se apoya en la función escalarizada de logro de Wierzbicki (Wierzbicki, 1980) para distintas combinaciones de pesos. A continuación, esta aproximación es mejorada con una versión de Path Relinking o Variable Neighborhood Search, con un punto de referencia diseñado para problemas multiobjetivo. Una vez generada la aproximación de la frontera eficiente, el proceso de obtención de la solución que más se adecúa a las preferencias de los gestores se basa en el desarrollo de un método interactivo sin trade – off, derivado de la filosofía NAUTILUS (Miettinen et al. 2010). Para evitar gastos de cómputo extensos, esta metodología se apoya en una pre - computación de los elementos de la frontera eficiente

Floating solar panel park

Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'European Project Semester'.This Final Report is the culmination of a four month long design study on floating solar panel park feasibility in Vaasa, Finland. The Floating Ideas Team was tasked with coming up with a design that would not only work, but also make a profit. The team focused a lot of time on initial research, an iterative design process, and experiments to gather information that could not be found during the research phase. In this report, one can expect to find the major findings from research in many different areas such as location, panel design, flotation design, cooling techniques, and efficiency adding techniques. The first takeaway is that implementing floating solar parks in Finland would require adding efficiency techniques such as mirrors or concentrators. Second, how the panels are placed means a lot in a location so far north. Placing the panels far away from each other and horizontally will reduce the negative impact of shadows. And third, the rotation of the structure is important in increasing efficiency. Multiple axis tracking is not necessary, but tracking in the vertical axis can add a 50% increase in power generated. This research then lead into the defining of four initial designs which were eventually paired down into one. The largest factors leading to the change in design were the combination of rotation and anchoring methods, the flotation structure, and the structure required hold the panel modules together. In the end, the final design is a modular circular design with panels and mirrors to help add efficiency, approximately 37%. From there, an economic and environmental feasibility study was done and for both, this design was deemed feasible for Finland. With the design, detailed in this report, it would be possible to implement this and make a profit off of it, leading the team to believe that this should be implemented in places looking for alternatives for renewable energy production