The Relevance of Anthropology and the Evolutionary Sciences for Political Philosophy

Two contrasting interpretations of the interrelation between politics and anthropology have co-existed in recent literature. On the one hand, the social sciences have freed themselves al-most completely from the idea that there is a basic nature common to all human beings. After the “cultural turn” within these disciplines, they took it for granted that immediate access to facts is methodologically impossible, including facts about the purported nature of human beings. On the other hand, the past century was triumphal procession of evolutionary sci-ences. These disciplines unquestionably shed light on the biological species homo sapiens. This essay defends neither of these two extreme positions, but looks for possibilities of updating the traditional synthetic view that is based upon an interrelation of natural and political sciences. To do so, it focuses on two questions. What do evolutionary sciences tell us about human be-ings and about the development of culture? What practical consequences can we draw from this for political philosophy? Answering these questions calls for a discussion of the work of Darwin, Gehlen, von Hayek, Diamond, Burkert and others

Using Phylogenetic Analysis To Diagnose Freshwater Molluscan Species In The Judith River Formation Of Hill And Fergus Counties, Montana, With Notes On Depositional Environments And Quality Of Preservation

The Judith River Formation has a long history of study, from Meek and Hayden’s expeditions in the 1850s to E. D. Cope’s searches for new dinosaur species. More recently, the Judith River Formation receives a plethora of research in paleontology and geology. Despite this, little work has been done on the freshwater molluscan fauna found within. The purpose of this study was to create a method where accurate species diagnoses become possible, and to create a launching point for future work in the Judith River Formation. Freshwater mollusk specimens were collected from shell beds in the Judith River Formation at the type area in the Missouri River Breaks (Fergus County), and near Rudyard, Montana (Hill County). Specimens were then separated by general morphology and measured for select character traits (e.g. convexity of whorls). Photos of Judith River Formation type specimens were taken at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution and subsequently measured for the same character traits. A table was created which listed possible character traits for the freshwater mollusk types and each possible outcome was given a code (e.g. 0, 1, 2) for analysis. Then using trait codes assigned to each type species and comparing them to trait codes assigned to collected specimens, species identifications were made. This methodology allows for a more quantitative method of species diagnoses. Accomplishing this is essential to additional cladistical work in the Judith River Formation as better material becomes available. Depositional environment of localities sampled was derived from autecological and lithologic data. This will be beneficial to both paleontologists and geologists for future work in the Judith River Formatio

Information search and creativity: The role of need for cognition and personal involvement

The effects of type of personal involvement and need for cognition on information search behaviors and creative problem solving were investigated. It was predicted that participants who are involved through the personal relevancy of the outcome of a problem would engage in more information search behaviors and be more creative than participants who are involved through having their values and morals engaged. It was also predicted that participants high in need for cognition would engage in more information search behaviors and would be more creative than would participants low in need for cognition. Results showed that information search behaviors effectively predicted creative problem solving. Results also revealed advantages of high outcome involvement and detriments of high value involvement. Participants who were asked to provide a solution to a high outcome-involvement problem engaged in more information search behaviors and were more creative than participants who were asked to solve either a high value-involvement problem or a low involvement problem. Participants with high value involvement engaged in more information search behaviors but wrote solutions that were even less creative when compared to participants who had a low level of involvement. The effects of type of personal involvement on creative problem solving were not mediated by information search behaviors. Participants\u27 need for cognition was not related to information search behaviors or creativity. Based on the results, it is suggested that organizations can enhance employee creative problem solving by providing them with the time and resources needed to engage in information search and by creating high personal involvement in organizational outcomes. However, organizations should avoid heavily engaging employees\u27 values and morals because high value involvement can be detrimental to creative problem solving

Chemical and physical properties of nitryl chloride

Nitryl chloride (ClNO2) and nitrosyl chloride (ClNO) are pollutants that have been detected in the lower atmosphere.1 Interconnecting chemical reactions between the chlorine and nitrogen oxide cycles of the stratosphere may also produce these molecules, Two methods for·preparing ClNO were evaluated, and experimental techniques for determining the purity of ClNO2 were developed, The vapor pressure arid mass spectrum for ClNO2 and the ultraviolet absorption cross sec­tions of ClNO2 and ClNO were investigated. Preliminary results for the photochemical decomposition of ClNO2 with 253.7 and 356.5 run radiation are reported, and the ener­getically possible steps for photochemical dissociation of ClNO2 are summarized, Data involving the absorption cross sections and pri­mary photochemical processes, such as those that we have studied, are needed as input for calculations modelling the chemistry of the stratosphere. No data on the ab­sorption cross sections of ClNO2 have been previously reported

Alx1, a member of the Cart1/Alx3/Alx4 subfamily of Paired-class homeodomain proteins, is an essential component of the gene network controlling skeletogenic fate specification in the sea urchin embryo

In the sea urchin embryo, the large micromeres and their progeny function as a critical signaling center and execute a complex morphogenetic program. We have identified a new and essential component of the gene network that controls large micromere specification, the homeodomain protein Alx1. Alx1 is expressed exclusively by cells of the large micromere lineage beginning in the first interphase after the large micromeres are born. Morpholino studies demonstrate that Alx1 is essential at an early stage of specification and controls downstream genes required for epithelial-mesenchymal transition and biomineralization. Expression of Alx1 is cell autonomous and regulated maternally through ß-catenin and its downstream effector, Pmar1. Alx1 expression can be activated in other cell lineages at much later stages of development, however, through a regulative pathway of skeletogenesis that is responsive to cell signaling. The Alx1 protein is highly conserved among euechinoid sea urchins and is closely related to the Cart1/Alx3/Alx4 family of vertebrate homeodomain proteins. In vertebrates, these proteins regulate the formation of skeletal elements of the limbs, face and neck. Our findings suggest that the ancestral deuterostome had a population of biomineral-forming mesenchyme cells that expressed an Alx1-like protein

The Effect of Value Similarity on Mentoring Relationships and Outcomes

One hundred and forty-six protégés with a mentor in their profession responded to a survey exploring how value similarity affects mentoring success (career support, psychosocial support, and satisfaction with the mentor) and organizational outcomes (organizational commitment, career success, and job satisfaction). Results revealed that protégés who perceived their values to be similar to those of their mentor had more mentoring success. Mentoring success correlated with more positive organizational outcomes. Finally, it was found that mentoring success mediated between perceived value similarity and important organizational outcomes (job satisfaction and organizational commitment)

Leadership and creativity: Understanding leadership from a creative problem-solving perspective

Employees in many jobs encounter novel, ill-defined problems, and finding creative solutions to these problems may be the critical factor that allows their organization to maintain a competitive advantage. Solving problems creatively requires extensive and effortful cognitive processing. This requirement is magnified further by the complex, ambiguous situations in which most organizational problems occur. Employees must define and construct a problem, search and retrieve problem-relevant information, and generate and evaluate a diverse set of alternative solutions. Creativity necessitates that all these activities are completed effectively. It is unlikely, therefore, that creative outcomes will be realized without a large degree of support from organizations and organizational leaders. In order to provide this support, leaders must understand the cognitive requirements of creative problem solving. To this end, this paper reviews the cognitive processes underlying creative problem solving and suggests avenues through which organizational leaders can facilitate these processes in an effort to enhance the creative problem solving of their employees

Responding Destructively in Leadership Situations: The Role of Personal Values and Problem Construction

This study explored the influence of personal values on destructive leader behavior. Student participants completed a managerial assessment center that presented them with ambiguous leadership decisions and problems. Destructive behavior was defined as harming organizational members or striving for short-term gains over long-term organizational goals. Results revealed that individuals with self-enhancement values were more destructive than individuals with self-transcendence values were, with the core values of power (self-enhancement) and universalism (self-transcendence) being most influential. Results also showed that individuals defined and structured leadership problems in a manner that reflected their value systems, which in turn affected the problem solutions they generated