Different types of explanations coexist in present-day biology. Functional explanations describe mechanisms, whereas evolutionary explanations provide answers to the question “why?” mostly by appealing to the past and present action of natural selection. But the relations between these two types of explanations, as well as the relative insights they offer, vary from one domain of research to another. We will illustrate this complex landscape of biological explanations with three examples involving aging, the sex ratio, and the phenomenon of genomic imprinting. (...) We will show that the two types of explanations have recently often progressed towards each other. In consequence, they cease to be “pure” functional or evolutionary explanations and become explanations that may be alternatively considered as functional or evolutionary. (shrink)

Human beings have always been specialists, but over the past two centuries division of labor has become deeper, ubiquitous, and much more fluid. The form it now takes brings in its wake a series of problems that are simultaneously philosophical and practical, having to do with coordinating the activities of experts in different disciplines who do not understand one another. Because these problems are unrecognized, and because we do not have solutions for them, we are on the verge of an (...) age in which decisions that depend on understanding more than one discipline at a time will be made badly. Since so many decisions do require multidisciplinary knowledge, these philosophical problems are urgent.Some of the puzzles that have traditionally been on philosophers' agendas have to do with intellectual devices developed to handle less extreme forms of specialization. Two of these, necessity and the practical `ought', are given extended treatment in Elijah Millgram's The Great Endarkenment. In this collection of essays, both previously published and new, Millgram pays special attention to ways a focus on cognitive function reframes familiar debates in metaethics and metaphysics. Consequences of hyperspecialization for the theory of practical rationality, for our conception of agency, and for ethics are laid out and discussed. An Afterword considers whether and how philosophers can contribute to solving the very pressing problems created by contemporary division of labor."These always interesting, often brilliant, and contentious essays focus on the question of how we need to reason practically, if we are to flourish, given Millgram's account of our human nature and of the environments that we inhabit. The originality of his thought is matched by his clarity and his wit."--Alasdair MacIntyre, University of Notre Dame. (shrink)

Individuals with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) display diverse deficits in social, cognitive and behavioral functioning. To date, there has been mixed findings on the profile of executive function deficits for high-functioning adults (IQ >70) with ASD. A conceptual distinction is commonly made between “cold” and “hot” executive functions. Cold executive functions refer to mechanistic higher-order cognitive operations (e.g., working memory), whereas hot executive functions entail cognitive abilities supported by emotional awareness and social perception (e.g., social cognition). This study aimed (...) to determine the independence of deficits in hot and cold executive functions for high-functioning adults with ASD. Forty-two adults with ASD (64% male, aged 18-66 years) and 40 age and gender matched controls were administered The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT; emotion recognition and social inference), Letter Number Sequencing (working memory) and Hayling Sentence Completion Test (response initiation and suppression). Between-group analyses identified that the ASD group performed significantly worse than matched controls on all measures of cold and hot executive functions (d =.54-1.5). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the ASD sample performed more poorly on emotion recognition and social inference tasks than matched controls after controlling for cold executive functions and employment status. The findings also indicated that the ability to recognise emotions and make social inferences was supported by working memory and response initiation and suppression processes. Overall, this study supports the distinction between hot and cold executive function impairments for adults with ASD. Moreover, it advances understanding of higher-order impairments underlying social interaction difficulties for this population which, in turn, may assist with diagnosis and inform intervention programs. (shrink)

This study investigated whether musical training and bilingualism are associated with enhancements in specific components of executive function, namely, task switching and dual-task performance. Participants belonging to one of four groups were matched on age and socioeconomic status and administered task switching and dual-task paradigms. Results demonstrated reduced global and local switch costs in musicians compared with non-musicians, suggesting that musical training can contribute to increased efficiency in the ability to shift flexibly between mental sets. On dual-task performance, musicians (...) also outperformed non-musicians. There was neither a cognitive advantage for bilinguals relative to monolinguals, nor an interaction between music and language to suggest additive effects of both types of experience. These findings demonstrate that long-term musical training is associated with improvements in task switching and dual-task performance. (shrink)

Historically, male sexual fitness was framed by a patriarchal politics of life centred on regeneration, population and nation. In the later 20th century, as successful ageing became promoted by the lifestyle practices of an idealized healthy and active senior citizenry, traditional gerontocratic power over the sexual risks of youth gave way to a medical sexology concerned with sexual functionality across the lifecourse; in particular, erectility. Recently, erectile dysfunction has expanded to become a population-wide health problem with increasingly refined diagnoses based (...) on `phases', `early warning signs' and preventative regimes, especially as Viagra has become so widely available. This article explores a new bodily configuration in the making; arising, on the one hand, from the pharmacological and scientific technologization of male sexuality, and, on the other, from a contemporary politics of life that both contests the late-life ageism of the past and fosters a mid-life ageism in the present. (shrink)

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships of Level -1/Level -2 visual perspective -taking (VPT -1/VPT -2) with theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF). Seventy -six adults aged 18 to 48 years participated in the study. To compare the relationships of the two levels of perspective -taking with the aforementioned abilities, the same stimuli were used in both Level -1 and Level -2 trials of the VPT task. ToM abilities were evaluated with the Strange (...) Story task, and EF using the TMT and WCST tests. It was found that controlling for age -related differences, VPT -1 was not associated with either ToM or such components of EF as executive control and set -shifting. VPT -2 was positively related to ToM, but it was not related to EF. The relationship between VPT -2 and ToM was specific, not mediated by domain -general processing capabilities. The obtained results provide further evidence to support the view that distinct mechanisms underlie Level -1 and Level -2 perspective -taking. (shrink)

The rapid development of artificial intelligence, big data, algorithmic systems, and platform-based digital technologies is reshaping human modes of production, social interaction, and governance. These transformations are not only redefining legal subjects, legal relationships, and legal institutions, but are also giving rise to new forms of legal civilization. Against this backdrop, traditional jurisprudential questions—why law exists, how legal subjects are constituted, how legal institutions function, and how legal values are realized—require renewed examination. One of the central challenges of contemporary (...) legal philosophy is how to respond to the emergence of digital civilization while preserving the fundamental achievements of modern rule of law. Taking the foundational question “Why does law exist?” as its point of departure, this book develops a new jurisprudential framework—Awakened Jurisprudence (Juexing Jurisprudence). Drawing upon Natural Law Theory, Analytical Jurisprudence, Historical Jurisprudence, Sociological Jurisprudence, Digital Jurisprudence, AI Law scholarship, and broader traditions of Chinese, Indian, and Western philosophy, the book argues that jurisprudence should extend its focus beyond legal norms and institutions to the broader field of legal civilization. Law, in this view, is not merely a mechanism for maintaining social order but also a civilizational institution that shapes human development, social cooperation, and the future evolution of legal communities. To advance this perspective, the book proposes a Five-Dimensional Model of Legal Civilization, consisting of Ritual-Legal Civilization, Dharma-Legal Civilization, Rational-Legal Civilization, Digital-Legal Civilization, and Awakened-Legal Civilization. These five forms of legal civilization are examined through four interconnected dimensions: legal subjectivity, legal spirit, legal philosophy, and legal institutions. Together they provide a comparative framework for understanding the historical evolution and possible future trajectories of human legal civilization. Within this framework, Ritual-Legal Civilization reflects the developmental logic of ethical communities; Dharma-Legal Civilization embodies traditions of spiritual cultivation and liberation; Rational-Legal Civilization represents the rights-based and rule-oriented order of modern civic society; Digital-Legal Civilization captures emerging forms of algorithmic and intelligent governance; and Awakened-Legal Civilization points toward a future-oriented civilization grounded in shared awareness, responsibility, and cooperation. Rather than treating these civilizations as mutually exclusive, the book interprets them as distinct yet complementary expressions of humanity’s ongoing search for justice, order, meaning, and collective flourishing. Building upon this civilizational model, the book develops a Theory of Subject Growth, arguing that law should be understood not only as a system for regulating behavior, protecting rights, and constraining power, but also as an institutional framework that enables the growth of living subjects and the advancement of legal civilization. The significance of law therefore lies not merely in resolving existing conflicts, but in creating the conditions under which individuals, communities, and institutions can continuously develop together. The reciprocal relationship between subject growth and institutional evolution becomes a central driving force in the development of legal civilization. To provide the philosophical foundation for this theory, the book introduces the Theory of Three Levels of Non-Awakening, the Theory of Three Levels of Awakening, and the Theory of Shared Awakening. These interconnected theories analyze human development through the dimensions of appearances, mind, and foundational reality, exploring how legal subjects move from limited forms of cognition toward deeper levels of self-understanding and social responsibility. Drawing inspiration from diverse philosophical and religious traditions while remaining firmly grounded in modern legal thought, the concept of Shared Awakening is reformulated as a secular public ideal. It serves as a normative framework for collective growth, shared responsibility, participatory governance, and the continued advancement of legal civilization. From this perspective, shared life fosters shared growth; shared growth encourages shared awakening; and shared awakening generates new forms of shared responsibility, governance, and development. This dynamic process constitutes the developmental logic through which legal civilization evolves. The book further develops the concepts of Awakened Legislation, Awakened Compliance, Awakened Adjudication, and Awakened Governance. Among these, Awakened Adjudication proposes a Four-Dimensional Model of Justice, integrating factual justice, normative justice, developmental justice, and community justice. Adjudication is therefore understood not only as the application of legal rules, but also as a process that contributes to human development, institutional improvement, and civilizational progress. Awakened Governance, meanwhile, explores how governance in the age of artificial intelligence can remain faithful to the principles of modern rule of law while expanding from order-centered governance toward civilization-oriented governance. Collectively, the Five-Dimensional Model of Legal Civilization, the Theory of Subject Growth, the Theory of Three Levels of Non-Awakening, the Theory of Three Levels of Awakening, the Theory of Shared Awakening, the Theory of Developmental Justice, and the Theory of Awakened Governance form the core architecture of Awakened Jurisprudence. The book firmly upholds modern rule of law as the institutional foundation of legal civilization, including its commitment to rights protection, procedural justice, lawful governance, and the limitation of public power. At the same time, it seeks to broaden jurisprudential inquiry by incorporating intellectual resources from Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy, Western legal thought, contemporary legal theory, and the philosophy of artificial intelligence. Through this interdisciplinary and cross-civilizational approach, the book develops an open theoretical framework for addressing fundamental questions of life, subjectivity, consciousness, responsibility, order, and justice in the age of artificial intelligence. Awakened Jurisprudence does not privilege any single nation, legal tradition, or civilization. Instead, it is grounded in the global realities of legal transformation in the digital age and seeks to promote dialogue, mutual learning, and cooperative development among diverse legal civilizations. As both a work of foundational jurisprudence and an exploration of the future of legal civilization, this book offers an open, inclusive, and future-oriented framework for rethinking law in the age of artificial intelligence. It ultimately asks not only how law can govern an increasingly intelligent world, but also how legal civilization can contribute to the flourishing of humanity itself. (shrink)

This research topic (RT) focused on the impact of fitness on cognitive function and development in adolescents and elderly adults from the standpoint of lifespan neuroscience. Adolescent brain development is characterized by multimodal integration of brain anatomical features and function, according to accumulating evidence. The elderly, on the other hand, suffer from age-related cognitive deterioration. Fitness may be a major factor influencing brain growth and cognitive performance throughout these two critical times for neurological development. It is a multidimensional (...) notion that includes cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition, as well as motor fitness (balance, agility, speed, power, and coordination). Adolescents and older people may be responsive to intervention trials aimed at improving fitness levels, such as outdoor activities, cardiovascular exercise, and mind-body practice since brain network integration and neural efficiency are rapidly altered during this period. This RT investigates how fitness influences structural and functional brain development, particularly cognitive functions, and emotional health in adolescents and elderly people, as well as training strategies that may assist cognitive progress throughout this time. It includes a clinical trial (1) and original research papers (4) on the influence of fitness on cognitive function and development in adolescents and elderly adults from a lifespan neu... (shrink)

Children not only recognize the function of an artifact, but they actively protest when others use it in an atypical way. In two experiments, we asked whether children view artifact function as universal or as culturally dependent. In both experiments children watched videos of two actors who used common artifacts atypically. In Experiment 1A, 6-to-7-year-old children were told that the actors were either from Canada or a far away country. Children were marginally more likely to protest a Canadian (...) using the artifact in a novel way than when the individual was from a far away country. In Experiment 1B, the familiar or unfamiliar culture was explicitly highlighted. Four-to-five-year-olds were also included as a comparison group. Six-to-seven-year-olds protested the atypical use when the actor was Canadian more than when the actor was Brungarian, whereas 4-to-5-year-olds protested at non-significant rates. Additionally, when asked what appropriate function of the artifact was, 6-to-7-year olds were more likely to endorse the atypical function when it was performed by a Brungarian than a Canadian, while 4-to-5-year-olds never endorsed the atypical function, regardless of condition. These findings demonstrate that while younger children view artifact function as universal, children over the age of 6 recognize that the accepted function of an artifact may vary by culture. (shrink)

BackgroundThe Basal ganglia (BG) played a crucial role in the brain-level mechanisms of chronic pain disorders. However, the functional changes of BG in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) are still poorly understood. This study investigated the BG subregions’ resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in CP/CPPS patients compared with healthy controls.MethodsTwenty eight patients with CP/CPPS and 28 age- and education-matched healthy males underwent clinical measurements and 3T brain MR imaging, including T1-weighted structural images and resting-state functional imaging. The data were analyzed (...) by the seeded-based rs-FC analysis. Then, a machine learning method was applied to assess the feasibility of detecting CP/CPPS patients through the changed rs-FC.ResultsCompared with healthy males, patients presented decreased rs-FC between the BG subregions and right middle cingulate cortex, and correlated with pain (r = 0.51, p-uncorrected = 0.005) and urinary symptoms (r = –0.4, p-uncorrected = 0.034). The left superior temporal gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus showed decreased rs-FC with the BG subregions as well. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.943 (accuracy = 80%, F1-score = 80.6%) was achieved for the classification of CP/CPPS patients and healthy males with support vector machine (SVM) based on the changed rs-FC.ConclusionThese findings provide evidence of altered BG subregions’ rs-FC in CP/CPPS, which may contribute to our understanding of the BG’s role in CP/CPPS. (shrink)

By using social media, corporations can communicate about their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the public without having to pass through the gatekeeping function of the news media. However, to what extent can corporations influence the public’s evaluation of their CSR activities with social media activities and if the legacy news media still act as the primary agenda setters when it comes to corporate reputation have not yet been thoroughly analyzed in a digitized media environment. This study addressed this (...) research gap by looking at the effect of CSR communication through Facebook and news media coverage of CSR on corporate reputation in Switzerland. The results of this longitudinal study show that the salience and tone of news media coverage of CSR were positively related to corporate reputation, even though the news media coverage about CSR was predominantly negative. Thus, reputation was still strengthened even in the face of negative publicity. No effect of CSR communication through Facebook on corporate reputation was found. The results suggest that legacy news media still were influential in determining how the public evaluates corporations in the digital age. (shrink)

Reflective function is defined as an individual’s ability to understand human behavior in terms of underlying mental states including thoughts, feelings, desires, beliefs, and intentions. More specifically, the capacity of parents to keep their child’s mental states in mind is referred to as parental RF. RF has been linked to adult mental health and parental RF to children’s mental health and development. The gold standard measure of RF is the interview-based Reflective Functioning Scale applied to the Parent Development Interview (...) or Adult Attachment Interview, which while well validated, is time-and labor-intensive to administer. Given the increasing need for reliable, valid, and rapid RF assessment in wide-ranging settings, two alternative measures were considered including the Reflective Function Questionnaire and Parental Reflective Function Questionnaire. We determined the convergent validity of these measures in comparison with the PDI-rated RFS. A sample of mothers and fathers was drawn from a sub-study of the ongoing Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition longitudinal cohort when their children were 42–60 months of age. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression was conducted, followed by splitting the sample to compute Cohen’s kappas measures of agreement. Two subscales of the PRFQ correlated significantly with the gold standard PDI-rated RFS, providing evidence for convergent validity. As a brief multidimensional measure of parental RF, the PRFQ offers an alternative for measurement of RF in large-scale studies of parental development and child health. (shrink)

Objectives: Neuroplastic changes that drive recovery of shoulder/elbow function after stroke have been poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between neuroplastic brain changes related to shoulder/elbow movement control in response to treatment and recovery of arm motor function in chronic stroke survivors.Methods: Twenty-three chronic stroke survivors were treated with 12 weeks of arm rehabilitation. Outcome measures included functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) for the shoulder/elbow components of reach and a skilled motor (...) class='Hi'>function test (Arm Motor Abilities Test, AMAT), collected before and after treatment.Results: We observed two patterns of neuroplastic changes that were associated with gains in motor function: decreased or increased task-related brain activation. Those with significantly better motor function at baseline exhibited a decrease in brain activation in response to treatment, evident in the ipsilesional primary motor and contralesional supplementary motor regions; in contrast, those with greater baseline motor impairment, exhibited increased brain activation in response to treatment. There was a linear relationship between greater functional gain (AMAT) and increased activation in bilateral primary motor, contralesional primary and secondary sensory regions, and contralesional lateral premotor area, after adjusting for baseline AMAT, age, and time since stroke.Conclusions: Recovery of functional reach involves recruitment of several contralesional and bilateral primary motor regions. In response to intensive therapy, the direction of functional brain change (i.e., increase or decrease in task-related brain recruitment) for shoulder/elbow reach components depends on baseline level of motor function and may represent either different phases of recovery or different patterns of neuroplasticity that drive functional recovery. (shrink)

The article addresses the ‘messianic turn’ in contemporary continental philosophy, focusing on the concept of the katechon as the restraining force that delays the advent of the Antichrist in the Second Letter to the Thessalonians. While Carl Schmitt held the passage on the katechon to ground the Christian doctrine of state power, Giorgio Agamben’s reading of Pauline messianism rather posits the ‘removal’ of the katechon as the pathway for messianic redemption. In our argument, the significance of this text goes beyond (...) the persistence of a vestige of the theological in modern politics. On the contrary, the logic of the katechon only comes into its own under modern nihilism as the resolution of the problem of social order in the absence of the eschatological dimension. The article focuses on the lethal paradox of the logic of the katechon, whereby the function of protection and restraint is converted into violence and anomie, and global political order becomes indistinguishable from global civil war. We conclude by outlining the conditions for suspending the katechonic function in a critical engagement with Agamben’s messianic politics. (shrink)

Several theoretical perspectives have generated research on grandparental investment, notably socialization and evolutionary psychological perspectives. Using data collected from more than 200 older adults (mean age 67 years), we test three hypotheses derived from socialization and evolutionary perspectives about grandparents’ relationships with and investment in grandchildren. Results indicate that (1) emotional closeness with both children and children-in-law is positively related to reports of emotional closeness with grandchildren; (2) maternal grandmothers invest more in grandchildren than do other grandparents; and (3) grandparents (...) invest more in daughters’ children than in sons’ children. Discussion addresses limitations of self-report methodology in this context and situates the current findings within the body of research indicating the existence of psychological mechanisms designed to guide differential nepotism. (shrink)

The “active image” refers to the operative nature of images, thus capturing the vast array of “actions” that images perform. This volume features essays that present a new approach to image theory. It explores the many ways images become active in architecture and engineering design processes and how, in the age of computer-based modeling, images play an indispensable role. The contributors examine different types of images, be they pictures, sketches, renderings, maps, plans, and photographs; be they analog or digital, planar (...) or three-dimensional, ephemeral, realistic or imaginary. Their essays investigate how images serve as means of representing, as tools for thinking and reasoning, as ways of imagining the inexistent, as means of communicating and conveying information and how images may also perform functions and have an agency in their own. The essays discuss the role of images from the perspective of philosophy, theory and history of architecture, history of science, media theory, cognitive sciences, design studies, and visual studies, offering a multidisciplinary approach to imagery and showing the various methodologies and interpretations in current research. In addition, they offer valuable insight to better understand how images operate and function in the arts and sciences in general. (shrink)

This paper explores the ways in which religion and science - broadly defined - have been used to construct and imagine ideal societies in the medieval and early modern periods. By examining how otherness is constructed through descriptions of religious practices, attitudes to religious plurality, technological marvels, and natural wonders, I argue that both religion and science serve to simultaneously enhance and bridge the gap between the intended audience and the ideal society. This dual function enables to authors of (...) the ideal societies to ensure that the text in question communicates what makes a given society or condition ideal. In my analysis, I use sources from both the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period in order to emphasise the continuity in utopian thought in the period c.1000-c.1750. The selection of sources includes both widely-known utopian texts and materials that are rarely used in discussions of utopian thinking. The purpose of this selection is to demonstrate how early modern utopian literature is part of a longer historical trajectory. (shrink)

The human propensity for possession and ownership has been a defining characteristic throughout history, influencing the structuring of societies. The advent of digital technology, however, challenges traditional notions of possession and necessitates a redefinition of the concept. This paper aims to explore the resignification of possession in the digital age through a philosophical reflection based on an anthropological analysis. It contrasts two paradigmatic forms of possession: the material collection in the ‘thing’ civilization and the data-based access in the digital civilization. (...) Ultimately, the research shows, analyzing the OnlyFans platform model, how the digital age has fundamentally changed the human mode of possession, demanding a new paradigm in both virtual and augmented reality, while emphasizing the irreplaceable material reference when it comes to the intimate aspects of Homo Sapiens. The transition from material collection to digital access signifies a profound change in human self-perception and social structures and reflects the general cultural and existential changes triggered by technological progress. (shrink)

IntroductionCognition generally declines gradually over time due to progressive degeneration of the brain, leading to dementia and eventual loss of independent functions. The rate of regression varies among the six cognitive domains. Current modality of cognitive assessment using neuropsychological paper-and-pencil screening tools for cognitive impairment such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment has limitations and is influenced by age. Virtual reality is considered as a potential alternative tool to assess cognition. A novel, fully immersive automated VR system has been developed to (...) assess the six cognitive domains. As cognition is associated with age, VR performance is postulated to vary with age using this system.AimsThis is a feasibility study to evaluate the VR performance of cognitively healthy adults aged between 35 and 74 years old, based on the performance score and completion time using the CAVIRE system.MethodsConducted in a public primary care clinic in Singapore, 25 multi-ethnic Asian adults were recruited in each of the four age groups in years: 35–44; 45–54; 55–64, and 65–74. The eligibility criteria included a MoCA score of 26 or higher to reflect normal cognition and understanding English instructions. They completed common daily activities ranging from brushing teething to shopping, across 13 VR segments. Their performances scores and completion time were automatically computed by the CAVIRE system. These VR performance indices were compared across the four age groups using one-way ANOVA, F-test of the hypothesis, followed by pair-wise comparisons in the event of a significant F-test.ResultsOne participant dropped out from Group 1. The demographic characteristics of 99 participants were similar across the 4 age groups. Overall, younger participants in Groups 1 and 2 attained higher VR performance scores and shorter completion time, compared to those in Groups 3 and 4, in all six cognitive domains.ConclusionThe CAVIRE VR performance scores and completion time significantly differ between the younger and older Asian participants with normal cognition. Enhancements to the system are needed to establish the age-group specific normal performance indices. (shrink)

The current study examines similarity or disparity of a frontally mediated physiological response of mental effort among multiple executive functioning tasks between children and adults. Task performance and phasic heart rate variability (HRV) were recorded in children (6 to 10 years old) and adults in an examination of age differences in executive functioning skills during periods of increased demand. Executive load levels were varied by increasing the difficulty levels of three executive functioning tasks: inhibition (IN), working memory (WM), and planning/problem (...) solving (PL). Behavioral performance decreased in all tasks with increased executive demand in both children and adults. Adults’ phasic high frequency HRV was suppressed during the management of increased IN and WM load. Children’s phasic HRV was suppressed during the management of moderate WM load. HRV was not suppressed during either children’s or adults’ increasing load during the PL task. High frequency phasic HRV may be most sensitive to executive function tasks that have a time-response pressure, and simply requiring performance on a self-paced task requiring frontal lobe activation may not be enough to generate HRV responsitivity to increasing demand. (shrink)

It is unclear whether the decline in executive function and perceptual-motor function found in older adults with mild cognitive impairment is the result of a normal aging process or due to MCI. This study aimed to determine age-related and MCI-related cognitive impairments of the EF and PMF. The EF and PMF were investigated across four groups of 240 participants, 60 in each group, including early adult, middle adult, older adult, and older adult with probable MCI. The EF, working (...) memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility were evaluated using digit span backward tasks, the Stroop color-word test, and the modified switching verbal fluency test, respectively. The PMF, visual perception, visuoconstructional reasoning, and perceptual-motor coordination were evaluated using the clock reading test, stick design test, and stick catching test, respectively. Group differences were found for all subdomains of EF and PMF, except for perceptual-motor coordination, indicating that this subdomain could be maintained in older adults and was not affected by MCI. For the age difference, working memory, cognitive flexibility, visual perception, and visuoconstructional reasoning remained stable across middle adults and started to decline in older adults, while cognitive inhibition began to decrease in middle adults and it further declined in older adults. To control the confounding effect of education level, the results showed that only cognitive flexibility was further decreased in older adults with probable MCI compared to those without MCI. In conclusion, cognitive inhibition decreased earlier in middle adults, whereas EF and PMF started to decline in older adults. Cognitive flexibility was the only MCI-sensitive cognitive function. (shrink)

Cyberspace has emerged as a fourth fundamental domain of human existence, yet philosophy lacks an integrated framework for addressing the ontological, epistemological, and ethical transformations it produces. This paper develops such a framework through the concept of cyber, defined here as the existential condition in which human life becomes constitutively entangled with digital technologies such that the virtual and the real cease to function as separable categories. Distinguished from Wiener’s cybernetics (which concerns feedback and control) and Floridi’s infosphere (which (...) foregrounds informational environments), cyber captures the deeper ontological entanglement that characterises the digital age. Employing the theoretical framework of cyberism, the paper serves as an integrated conceptual framework that advances three principal claims. First, digital entities such as digital twins possess genuine ontological standing by virtue of their causal efficacy, demanding that we expand our criteria for what counts as real beyond physical matter. Second, algorithmic mediation has precipitated a structural crisis in knowledge production and truth validation, threatening not only epistemological foundations but also democratic governance itself. Third, the technological reconfiguration of embodiment, identity, and agency necessitates a reconceptualisation of human subjectivity that draws on and extends the posthumanist insights of Haraway, Hayles, and Stiegler. The paper concludes by arguing that cyber ethics must move beyond reactive risk mitigation toward a participatory governance framework grounded in value-sensitive design and global deliberative consensus. These abstract commitments are operationalised through an extended case analysis of medical digital twins, which shows how ontological, epistemological, and ethical claims translate into specific design requirements and regulatory obligations. (shrink)

This paper introduces a manual movement performed recurrently by German children in the age range of four to six. Based on the movement gestalt and its meaning, we termed it the Slapping movement. All forms identified in the data were performed with a communicative function, yet they showed different degrees of “gesturality.” To be more precise, we observed versions that clearly count as actions or gestures, but we also observed transitional forms between them. Based on a thorough analyses of (...) form, meaning, and context we determined variations of the Slapping gesture that showed different degrees of abstraction from action to gesture in a semiotic sense. These degrees are distinguished by modifications in the execution of the movement and different levels of form stability, environmental coupling, and representational complexity. (shrink)

Work-themed play may allow children to learn complex skills, and ethno-typical and gender-typical behaviors. Thus, play may have made important contributions to the evolution of childhood through the development of embodied capital. Using data from Aka foragers and Ngandu farmer children from the Central African Republic, we ask whether children perform ethno- and gender-typical play and work activities, and whether play prepares children for complex work. Focal follows of 50 Aka and 48 Ngandu children were conducted with the aim of (...) recording children’s participation in 12 categories of work and work-themed play. Using these data, we test a set of hypotheses regarding how age, gender, ethnicity, and task complexity influence children’s activities. As hypothesized, we find performance of work-themed play is negatively correlated with age. Contrary to our hypothesis, children do not play more than they work at complex tasks, but they work more than they play at simple ones. Gender and ethnicity are associated with play and work at culturally salient activities, despite availability of other-gender and other-ethnicity social partners. Our findings show that ethnic and gender biases are apparent in the play and work behavior of Aka and Ngandu children. Moreover, our results show that play helps both forager and farmer children learn complex skills, consistent with play having an adaptive learning function. (shrink)

In his book The Ethical Project Philip Kitcher presents an ‘analytical history’ of the development of human ethical practice. According to this history the first ethical norms were launched in the ancient world of the hunters and gatherers and their initial function was to remedy altruism failures. Kitcher wants to show that the emergence of ethical norms can in this case and in general be explained without referring to supernatural causes or philosophical revelation. Furthermore, he claims that the first (...) manifestation of the ethical project still serves as an ideal. In my comment I will contest the plausibility of Kitcher’s analytical history and question whether the presumed characteristics of ethics in prehistoric times could still be binding for us today. (shrink)

The decision to intentionally withhold truthful information, or deception, is a key component of moral development and may be a precursor to more serious anti-social tendencies. Two factors, executive function (EF) and temperamental fear are each thought to influence childhood deception. Few studies, however, have explored deception in relation to both of these factors simultaneously. This was the goal of the present study. EF, as measured by a working memory (WM) task, and temperamental fear, as measured via maternal report (...) were assessed in relation to observed deceptive behavior among six- to nine-year-old children (N = 43). Results showed that children displaying high WM capacity and high temperamental fear were more likely to exhibit deceptive behavior. Implications for predictors of childhood deception and applications for moral education are discussed. (shrink)

Electrical brain activity modulation in terms of changes in its intensity and spatial distribution is a function of age and task demand. However, the dynamics of brain modulation is unknown when it depends on external factors such as training. The aim of this research is to verify the effect of deductive reasoning training on the modulation in the brain activity of healthy younger and older adults ( (mean age of 21 ± 3.39) and (mean age of 68.92 ± 5.72)). (...) The analysis reveals the benefits of training, showing that it lowers cerebral activation while increasing the number of correct responses in the trained reasoning task (). The brain source generators were identified by time-averaging low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) current density images. In both groups, a bilateral overactivation associated with the task and not with age was identified. However, while the profile of bilateral activation in younger adults was symmetrical in anterior areas, in the older ones, the profile was located asymmetrically in anterior and posterior areas. Consequently, bilaterality may be a marker of how the brain adapts to maintain cognitive function in demanding tasks in both age groups. However, the differential bilateral locations across age groups indicate that the tendency to brain modulation is determined by age. (shrink)

Early executive function skills reliably predict school readiness and future academic success. While children’s skills undergo rapid development during the transition to formal schooling, it remains unclear the extent to which schooling exerts a unique influence on the accelerated development of EF and academic skills during the early years of schooling. In the present study, a quasi-experimental technique known as the school cutoff design was used to examine whether same-aged children who made vs. missed the age cutoff for school (...) entry significantly differed on EF, reading, and math outcomes. Data from 166 pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade children from a longitudinal study of literacy development were analyzed. Children were assessed on EF, reading, and math skills in fall and spring. Results revealed unique effects of kindergarten, but not first grade, on growth in EF and reading over and above the effect of age. Schooling was unrelated to growth in math. Because kindergarten represents the first year of elementary school and children’s first exposure to a formal schooling environment, kindergarten schooling may be uniquely positioned to produce greater gains in academic and behavioral outcomes compared to other grades. (shrink)

Our current age offers us dramatic new possibilities in terms of the exchange and development of textual research resources, as we can now gather and transmit information with an ease and rapidity which was inconceivable through earlier media. Although most people will no doubt always prefer to have a hard copy of a book or lengthy article to sit down and read, lexicographical and encyclopedic style reference materials, which have relatively brief and compartmentalized data formats, are extremely well-suited for the (...) digital domain, as they can be furnished with search and retrieval capabilities which are impossible in paper form. The twin CJK lexicographical models presented here stand as an early model of the possibilities such digital reference materials. They have special relevance in the fact that they are not created by a professional software company, or as the fruit of a large, endowed research team. Rather, they have been developed to their current state almost exclusively by a lone humanities scholar possessed of only the most minimal of programming skills with simple HTML techniques. (shrink)

The analysis explores the main arguments of Noam Chomsky’s short book,Media Controlthat also reprints the monograph “The Journalist from Mars: How the ‘War on Terror’ Should Be Reported.” The problematic is Aristotelian rhetoric and Enlightenment rationality (justice) in civic discourse (Lógos) as compared to the thematic of dialogic reasonableness (Eulógos). Chomsky’s assumption of, and critique of, “old rhetoric” [Aristotle’srhētorikḗ] is followed by a discussion of Chiam Perelman’s “new rhetoric” [presocraticpoiētikḗ/epideiktikos / gērys] and his “incarnate adherence” (givingvoiceto) concept of the Universal (...) Audience as a function of Epideictic argumentation. This is also a critique of Stephen Toulman’s neo-Aristotelian model of rhetorical “warrant” and its connection to Charles S. Peirce’s normative semiotic of the “argument cycle.” Heidegger’s and Lakoff’s concept of discourse framing is associated with Michel Foucault’s rhetoric concept of an ethic of social discourse for the common good (parrhesia) in the age of Umberto Eco’s hyperreality media that displays Baudrillard’s simulacra, such as Donald Trump. (shrink)

This article focuses on the rise of FinTech over the past 10 years, particularly with respect to the role of technology-based platforms in the provision of credit. In this specific context, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending has acquired an increasing importance, with a larger share of loans having been originated through P2P platforms instead of traditional banking channels. This trend has been welcomed by policy makers as a move towards alternative market-based finance, which should contribute to better risk diversification by moving risks (...) away from systemic financial institutions. At the same time, this shift presents a number of regulatory questions that have remained largely unexplored. This is so because the nature and role of P2P platforms have remained loosely defined, which means that it has been difficult to identify relevant regulatory challenges emerging from these channels of finance. This research tackles two interrelated questions. First, it addresses the conceptual redefinition of financial intermediation. This enables understanding of the function of P2P platforms, and whether they have supplemented the intermediation role traditionally conducted by banks. Secondly, it explores the risks that arise in connection with P2P lending channels. This second enquiry highlights outstanding policy and regulatory issues that have remained unexplored or downplayed in current debates. (shrink)

Though still viewed as the missing link between recruitment and retention, organisational induction programmes have recently acquired a new function: they can mould the new employee by inducing a positive "first impression" about the organisation and presenting a "caring" company image. Up to now, however, the majority of the induction literature has failed to refer to the political and ethical aspects of this process and analyse the embedded ideological structures and cultural practices through which induction trainers and newcomers construct, (...) reconstruct and deconstruct induction discourses and 'management language'. This paper argues that induction should be treated as a part of an organisational cosmos that is constantly created and re-created, defined and re-defined based on the discursive interactions of its increasingly "sophisticated‟ subjects. (shrink)

Systemic existential conditions are indelible aspects of a client's reflective and nonreflective modes of consciousness, and therefore fall within the purview of philosophical counseling. This paper focuses on the experience of the dehumanization that is a function of the monetization of all aspects of post-modern neoliberal society. Monetization demands radical self-abandonment, self-anesthesia, auto-aggressive self-exploitation and addiction for functionality within the system. The bankrupt logic of pandemic terrorism confirms that monetization has become the preeminent measure of value. Monetization distorts both (...) reason and value, concealing a covert nihilism masquerading as the new metaphysics. The symbiotic natural world evidences a level of cooperation and coexistence that escapes monetization. Therefore, a monetized society is a society at odds with the world ecosystemand life itself. Caught in a labyrinth ofmonetized dehumanization, clients often participate in the fictional metanarrative of belief in unlimited individual possibility as a hedge against anxiety, depression, powerlessness, anomie, and the logical loop of cognitive dissonance. (shrink)

ABSTRACT While there is a sense in which technological advancements enhance our experience of the world, there is also a sense in which technology obscures the world. One such instance of technology’s ability to obscure the world is the way in which makes works of art so readily accessible. While in many ways the accessibility and democratisation of music offered by digital streaming, for example, is seen to be convenient, we may also notice how this accessibility can efface the significance (...) of the musical work – works that were once only encountered in the concert hall as “works of art” now also function as background music while we drive our cars, or do the dishes, for instance. In this paper, I argue that improvisation, such as that which is demonstrated by improvising musicians, offers us a “way in” to experience music as works of art, qua art, in the age of technology. (shrink)

In his book The Ethical Project Philip Kitcher presents an ‘analytical history’ of the development of human ethical practice. According to this history the first ethical norms were launched in the ancient world of the hunters and gatherers and their initial function was to remedy altruism failures. Kitcher wants to show that the emergence of ethical norms can in this case and in general be explained without referring to supernatural causes or philosophical revelation. Furthermore, he claims that the first (...) manifestation of the ethical project still serves as an ideal. In my comment I will contest the plausibility of Kitcher’s analytical history and question whether the presumed characteristics of ethics in prehistoric times could still be binding for us today. (shrink)

This study investigates how AI tools function as forms of medical _sourcery_, wherein computational processes become increasingly opaque even as their outputs acquire growing authority. Using a comparative approach that places religion alongside medicine, AI systems are shown to mirror prophetic practice by converting uncertainty into actionable knowledge and transforming probabilistic reasoning into authoritative visions of the future. Rather than deriving legitimacy from transparent reasoning or direct observation, these systems exercise authority through persuasive visualizations that conceal the calculations from (...) which they emerge while rendering projected futures tangible and actionable in the present. In doing so, AI introduces a spectral form of authority that may undermine medicine’s commitment to epistemic uncertainty and observation-based verification. (shrink)

I offer an interpretation of Hegel's account of the essential differences between the original epic and the modern epic which supports two claims that have been made on the basis of the available student transcripts of Hegel's lectures on the philosophy of art: Hegel never asserted that art had come to an end in the sense of its having no further significance or interest in the modern world; and Hegel was keen to understand art as a cultural and historical phenomenon, (...) with the result that he came to limit the significance of art in the modern world on account of its no longer being able to perform the same historical function that it performed in the ancient world. While I seek to illustrate these two points through my interpretation of Hegel's account of the original epic and his remarks on the modern epic, I also argue that, given certain other aspects of his thought, Hegel could have accorded the modern epic a greater potential than he does; moreover, I argue that this suggests a greater continuity between the original epic and its modern day counterpart than Hegel himself appears to allow. (shrink)

Historically the professions have maintained a commitment to what MacIntyre calls the “internal goods of practice” as opposed to the external goods of practice associated with monetary compensation and activities directly related to monetary compensation. This paper argues that the growing financialization of the economy has fostered a climate of managerial control exemplified in the proliferation of auditing and procedures associated with auditing. Accordingly professionals, whose organizational function includes responsibility for the internal goods, are thereby frustrated in so far (...) as they have been forced to become preoccupied with performance indicators and the goals of financial efficiency imposed by hierarchies founded on managerial expertise rather than professional achievement and competence. A reaffirmation of professional commitment to the internal goods may well require a communitarian approach that entails a reorganization of society around the common good rather than the efficiency ethos that has displaced it. (shrink)

The term “self” refers to the subject which persists through the changing experiences of a person. We think of it at least as the center of personal identity, or the organizing function within the...

As museums confront the virtualization of cultural life, institutional discourse often succumbs to “virtual panic,” framing the future primarily around technological adaptation. Rather than treating this digital turn as a threat or a trend, this essay argues that the crisis presents an opportunity for the museum to reclaim its vital humanistic function as a counter-environment to the frictionless speed of contemporary life. Drawing on Hartmut Rosa’s critiques of societal acceleration, I theorize virtual panic as a misguided effort to render (...) the gallery as seamless as a digital feed, which risks reproducing conditions of alienation. Grounded in my personal experience revisiting Picasso’s ‘Girl Before a Mirror’ (1932) across decades, I examine how the gallery acts as an attentional sanctuary, where artworks invite modes of attention that counter habits of distraction. The museum’s power lies in its productive friction: its ability to sustain slowness, ambiguity, and perceptual depth. Conceived as a sphere of resonance, in Rosa’s sense of the term, the museum emerges as a site for scaffolding self-reflective engagement with the past, present, and possible futures through meaningful encounters with works of art. In an age of simulation, museums remain indispensable by offering a rare space to encounter resistance and resonance. (shrink)

This article examines the use of cyber culture as a contemporary context for Trinitarian analogy within the discipline of systematic theology. Grounded in Scripture, the Nicene Creed, and classical Trinitarian doctrine, the study investigates whether and under what conditions phenomena such as algorithmic governance, digital identity, and online community may function as illustrative analogies without compromising doctrinal integrity. By employing a rule-governed dogmatic methodology, the article critically evaluates these analogies according to explicit criteria: fidelity to biblical revelation, consistency with (...) Nicene orthodoxy, adherence to the inseparability of divine operations [opera ad extra indivisa sunt], and disciplined application of the via negationis. The analysis demonstrates that cyber-cultural analogies cannot function as ontological models or theological sources, but may serve a limited, contrastive, and pedagogical role when subordinated to the regula fidei. In doing so, the article contributes to contemporary debates on theological contextualisation by clarifying a responsible framework for engaging digital culture in Trinitarian theology. Contribution: This article advances systematic and digital theology by proposing four criteria for Trinitarian analogies, distinguishing illustrative from ontological analogies, and refining Trinitarian appropriation to prevent reductionist readings, offering a concise, methodologically responsible model for contextualising doctrine in the digital age. (shrink)

With the continuous enrichment of material life and the increasing improvement of spiritual life, the quality of life of people in the new era has improved comprehensively. After achieving technological advancements, further improving people's living standards will become the first priority, and indicators concerning quality of life will become more important, including spiritual needs, environmental conditions and social order. In particular, the degree of spiritual and cultural satisfaction is a prominent indicator for consideration. The current research investigates how new-age art (...) is changing and how it may affect society dynamics in the future. It explores how new-age art, as a phenomenon in culture, adjusts to shifting environments, emphasizing the social roles, realization of values, and influencing elements of the art. With a focus on spiritual and cultural fulfillment, the study highlights the value of art in improving people's quality of life while taking into account elements such as social order, environmental influences, and spiritual demands. The primary goal is to comprehend the ways in which new age art raises living standards and general well-being. The results demonstrate the lasting contributions that new-age art makes to enjoyment, cultural transmission, and education, thereby reaffirming its important position in society. The paper emphasizes how crucial the socialist culture sector with Chinese characteristics will become to the future economic framework. This study found that new-age art continuously produces excellent literary and artistic works in addition to preserving traditional Chinese culture and fostering cultural self-confidence through its support for the improvement of living standards and industrial growth. This illustrates its practical importance in upholding economic supremacy and promoting cultural advancement. (shrink)

In the modern world, where artificial intelligence is becoming not just a tool, but an active agent of cultural production, the visual environment is undergoing radical changes. This work offers a philosophical understanding of the phenomenon of algorithmic aesthetics as a new stage in the evolution of visual culture, in which traditional ideas about image, authorship and meaning undergo a profound transformation. Generative neural networks and machine learning algorithms not only automate the creation of images, but also redefine the very (...) anthropology of perception. Visual experience ceases to be the result of an intentional act of the subject, giving way to machine processes of statistical pattern redistribution. Under these conditions, aesthetic interaction shifts from contemplation and interpretation to the reactive consumption of visual stimuli, where the subject's attention is directed not so much by an internal impulse as by algorithmic mechanisms. The authors introduce the concept of algorithmic aesthetics as a paradigm in which the classical triad "image, author, meaning" is destroyed. Aesthetic validity is now formed not in the space of human communication, but in the infrastructure of algorithmic distribution, where images are devoid of stable ontology, and the subject's gaze turns into a function of directed attention. This gives rise to a phenomenology of virtual perception, where traditional categories of sensory experience lose their stability. Special attention is paid to the problems of loss of authorial subjectivity, aesthetic homogenization and visual entropy as symptoms of a deep cultural transformation that threatens aesthetic diversity and reflective perception. The article substantiates the need for humanitarian expertise and the development of a philosophy of digital visuality capable of diagnosing the risks of aesthetic degeneration and suggests turning to digital hygiene and the ecology of perception as a solution. In conclusion, the question is raised: is it possible to preserve the space of human creativity and reflexive gaze in an environment where reality is increasingly being simulated by algorithms? The answer to this challenge will determine the future not only of visual culture, but also of human subjectivity itself in the digital age. (shrink)

White matter makes up about fifty percent of the human brain. Maturation of white matter accompanies biological development and undergoes the most dramatic changes during childhood and adolescence. Despite the advances in neuroimaging techniques, controversy concerning spatial, and temporal patterns of myelination, as well as the degree to which the microstructural characteristics of white matter can vary in a healthy brain as a function of age, gender and cognitive abilities still exists. In a selective review we describe methods of (...) assessing myelination and evaluate effects of age and gender in nine major fiber tracts, highlighting their role in higher-order cognitive functions. Our findings suggests that myelination indices vary by age, fiber tract, and hemisphere. Effects of gender were also identified, although some attribute differences to methodological factors or social and learning opportunities. Findings point to further directions of research that will improve our understanding of the complex myelination-behavior relation across development that may have implications for educational and clinical practice. (shrink)

A self-report questionnaire about involvement in different types of bullying, what behaviours were regarded as bullying, and attitudes towards bullying, bullies and victims was completed by pupils in Year 7 (aged 11/12) through to Year 10 (aged 14/15) ( n = 170). Overall, direct verbal assault was the most commonly reported, and stealing the least frequently reported, type of bullying. For six specific types of bullying investigated, and for a composite measure of all types of bullying, significantly fewer Year 9 (...) pupils than pupils in the other three years reported that they had behaved in these ways in the previous week. No significant sex differences emerged on these measures. These findings suggest that general patterns in bullying activities as a function of age and sex obtained in previous studies do not always hold. Although most pupils indicated that they thought that six out of eight types of behaviour viewed as bullying by researchers should be regarded as bullying, a substantial minority did not. The present study also extended bullying research by examining associations between pupils' definitions and attitudes towards bullying and their reports of bullying others. For one specific type of bullying, 'Forcing people to do things that they don't want to do', significantly fewer pupils who reported that they had behaved in this way than who reported that they had not done so included it in their definition of bullying. A consistent pattern of significant negative correlations of moderate size between attitudes and self-reported involvement in specific types of bullying were obtained. The implications of these findings for those concerned with tackling bullying in schools were discussed. (shrink)

Contrary to Constantin Fasolt, I argue that it is no longer useful to think of religion as an anomaly in the modern age. Here is Fasolt’s main argument: humankind suffers from a radical rift between the self and the world. The chief function of religion is to mitigate or cope with this fracture by means of dogmas and rituals that reconcile the self to the world. In the past, religion successfully fulfilled this job. But in modernity, it fails to, (...) and it fails because religion is no longer plausible. Historical, confessional religions, then, are no longer doing what they are supposed to do; yet the need for religion is still very much with us. Fasolt’s account would be a tragic tale, if not for his claim that there is a new religion for the modern age, a religion that fulfills the true reconciling function of religion. That new religion is the reading and writing of history. Indeed, for Fasolt, reading history is religiously redemptive, and writing history is a sacred act. The historian, it turns out, is the priest in modernity. In my response, I challenge both Fasolt’s remedy and its justification. Indeed, I reject both his romantic view of past religion as the peaceful reconciler, as well as his pessimistic view of present religion as the maker of “enemies” among modern people. In the end, I argue that the way Fasolt employs his categories—“alienation,” “salvation,” “religion,” “history”—is too vague to do much useful work. They are significant categories and they deserve our attention. But in my view, the story Fasolt tells is both too grim and too cheerful. (shrink)

Verbal fluency is a basic function of language that refers to the ability to produce fluent speech. Despite being an essentially linguistic function, its measurements are also used to evaluate executive aspects of verbal behavior. Performance in verbal fluency (VF) tasks varies according to age, education, and cognitive development. Neurodevelopmental disorders that affect the functioning of frontal areas tend to cause lower performance in VF tasks. Despite the relative consensus that has been reached in terms of the use (...) of VF tasks for the diagnosis of dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, few studies have considered regional variations in Brazil. The present study sought to provide normative data on VF tasks in children by considering gender, age, education, and geopolitical region of origin with auxiliary purposes in neuropsychological diagnosis of disorders that occur with executive changes The study included 298 participants, 7-10 years of age of both genders, who performed three letter fluency tasks and three category fluency tasks. The data were subjected to correlational and variance analyses, with age and gender as factors. No effect of gender on the children’s performance was found. However, significant differences between age groups were observed, with better performance in letter tasks in older children and better performance in letter tasks compared with category tasks. Significant regional differences in performance on the letter VF task were observed. These results reinforce the importance of regional normative data in countries with high regional cultural variations, such as Brazil. (shrink)

Given research and public interest for conditions related to an extended lifespan, we addressed the questions of what matters and what matters most for subsequent survival past age 80. The data was drawn from the population-based and multidisciplinary Swedish OCTO Twin Study, in which a sample consisting of identical and same-sex fraternal twin pairs, followed from age 80 until death, provided detailed data on health, physical functioning, life style, personality, and sociodemographic conditions. Information concerning date of birth and death were (...) obtained from population census register. We estimated heritability using an ACE model and evaluated the role of multiple predictors for the mortality-related hazard rate using Cox regression. Our findings confirmed a low heritability of 12%. As expected, longer survival was associated with being a female, an apolipoprotein E e4 allele non-carrier, and a non-smoker. Several diseases were found to be associated with shorter survival as well as certain health conditions. Stronger grip and better lung function, as well as better vision, and better cognitive function was related to longer survival. Social embeddedness, better self-evaluated health, and life-satisfaction were also significantly associated with longer survival. After controlling for the impact of comorbidity, functional markers, and personality-related predictors, we found that sex, cerebrovascular diseases, compromised cognitive functioning, self-related health, and life-satisfaction remained as strong predictors. Cancer was only associated with the mortality hazard when accounting for other co-morbidities. The survival estimates were mostly in anticipated directions and contained effect sizes within the expected range. Noteworthy, we found that some of the so-called “soft-markers” remained strong predictors, despite a control for other factors. For example, self-evaluation of health and ratings of life-satisfaction provide additional and valuable information. (shrink)