A reflective evaluation and policy implications of teaching an STS course via the Internet are presented. The course explored the science, technology, and society interactions from personal, social, cultural, historical, political, and value perspectives. The World Wide Web was used to present lecture materials and related STS links. Most of the class discussions took place via an e-mail chat room. The chat room discourses were found insufficient to meaningfully discuss and debate in-depth STS issues. Follow-up telephone conferences were often needed. (...) The interdisciplinary nature of STS, complexity of STS interactions, and dynamics of STS issues require more involved dialogue, analysis, and problem solving than typical online correspondence can provide requiring immersive-level technology applications. More research and development efforts and supportive policies are needed to make the delivery of interdisciplinary courses via distance learning a success. (shrink)

Topics in Cognitive Science, Volume 14, Issue 1, Page 54-77, January 2022.

Method and results of a survey of Science-Technology-Society (STS) implementation in the State of Florida are reported. The survey consisted of county social studies and science supervisors, covering the 67 counties in Florida. The broad survey categories are overall implementation (including teacher and supervisor training and funding), discipline and grade level implementation, reactions to STS education, and instructional materials in use. The results indicate a widespread awareness of STS education (65%) but much less implementation (29%). In most cases, neither training (...) nor funding for STS education was provided. STS implementation by discipline was less common in social studies than in science, and more common in middle school than in other levels. According to the supervisors, teachers and students generally viewed STS education as positive. Fewer than a third of districts responding to the survey were using STS instructional materials. Implications for inservice and preservice education are discussed. (shrink)

Considerable work during the past two decades has focused on modeling the structure of semantic memory, although the performance of these models in complex and unconstrained semantic tasks remains relatively understudied. We introduce a two‐player cooperative word game, Connector (based on the boardgame Codenames), and investigate whether similarity metrics derived from two large databases of human free association norms, the University of South Florida norms and the Small World of Words norms, and two distributional semantic models based on large language (...) corpora (word2vec and GloVe) predict performance in this game. Participant dyads were presented with 20‐item word boards with word pairs of varying relatedness. The speaker received a word pair from the board (e.g., exam‐algebra) and generated a one‐word semantic clue (e.g., math), which was used by the guesser to identify the word pair on the board across three attempts. Response times to generate the clue, as well as accuracy and latencies for the guessed word pair, were strongly predicted by the cosine similarity between word pairs and clues in random walk‐based associative models, and to a lesser degree by the distributional models, suggesting that conceptual representations activated during free association were better able to capture search and retrieval processes in the game. Further, the speaker adjusted subsequent clues based on the first attempt by the guesser, who in turn benefited from the adjustment in clues, suggesting a cooperative influence in the game that was effectively captured by both associative and distributional models. These results indicate that both associative and distributional models can capture relatively unconstrained search processes in a cooperative game setting, and Connector is particularly suited to examine communication and semantic search processes. (shrink)

This paper investigates what drives collaboration or conflict between domain and method experts in deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how these dynamics can be managed to fairly reshape the space of ethics guiding expert work. The emergence of sophisticated epistemic technologies, e.g., AI, has amplified the importance of method experts. Leveraging their knowledge of data science, mathematics, and coding, method experts have challenged the authority of domain experts, like external auditors. These challenges generate tensions extending beyond jurisdictional and operational control (...) to profound ethical and moral concerns, since jurisdictional authority determines whose values are embedded in AI-driven decision-making. Empirical research presents divergent views on how domain and method experts navigate such tensions in AI deployments, with some studies suggesting that domain experts leverage their status and power to resist changes to ethical considerations. To reconcile these fragmented perspectives, we develop a conceptual framework grounded in the literature that frames expert work as a balance between individual craftsmanship and collective judgment. We offer two contributions. First, drawing on foundational literature on technology and expert work as well as empirical studies on AI and external auditing, we identify existing conditions and mechanisms that foster cooperation or conflict between different expert groups. Second, informed by Habermasian conceptions of deliberative democracy, we explicate how the space of ethics in deploying AI can be fairly reshaped through multi-layered deliberations that account for diverse stakeholder interests. Our framework provides a foundation for future empirical studies to deepen understanding of AI’s impact on expert work and ethics. (shrink)

As is the case with most pre‐modern philosophers of India, very little historical information is available about Bhartṛ‐hari. There are many interesting legends, some turned into extensive plays and poems, current about him. However, it is impossible to determine on their basis even whether there was only one philosopher called Bhartṛ‐hari. The appellation “philosopher” could unquestionably be applied to the author or authors of at least two Sanskrit works that are commonly ascribed to Bhartṛ‐hari.

Aim: This study investigates the impact of assertiveness training on assertiveness and self-esteem of high school students. Method: The study employs Quasi-experimental design where 130 participants aged 13-17 years were selected randomly and assigned into two groups as experimental (N-65) and control group (N-65). Tools: For this aim Assertiveness scale (AS) and Self-esteem questionnaire (RSE) were used. Training: During the treatment phase, the experimental group received assertiveness training of 5 weeks comprising two sessions per week, and each session took 45 (...) minutes. After treatment both experimental and control groups are measured with post-tests. Results: The results show that assertiveness training has significantly increased the assertiveness and decreased the aggression and submission in the experimental group. Also the training has significantly increased the self-esteem of students. Conclusion: The obtained findings revealed an increase in the rate of self-esteem and assertiveness and decrease in the aggression and submission of students. Hence it proved that assertiveness training is significantly effective on the assertiveness, aggression, submission and self-esteem of students. (shrink)

This paper explores the background of Pre-Service elementary teacher knowledge of social studies and its effect on classroom content. It explains the process of development of a test of basic American History chronology for pre-service teachers, tying the questions to information covered by various content textbooks, and addressing the test results. In addition, it discusses overall performance, as well as analyzing for age and education, and suggests steps for strengthening social studies content knowledge. Included are appendices of the original test (...) and contents analyzed by textbook, as well as statistical tables of results. (shrink)

A reanalysis of selected national and state-level STS implementation data is reported in this article. The results indicate that teacher education, suitable curriculum materials, and insufficient class time are major issues affecting STS implementation in the United States. Only three states have addressed 50% or more of the STS implementation criteria in their science curriculum frameworks as recommended by the National Science Education Standards. A closer look at one state (Florida) revealed that approximately half of the school districts had STS (...) in science, nearly a third had it in social studies, and the majority of STS instruction occurred at the middle and secondary levels. Additionally, STS is often taught via environmental concerns, and as such, it may be skewed toward activist positions rather than analyzing all (positive and we negative) aspects of the impact of science and technology on society. Using the data as a base, implications are drawn for teacher education, the development of materials, and general policy concerns regarding STS. (shrink)

_“A profound and accessible guide to an ecological civilization of peace, material sufficiency, and spiritual abundance for all.” —David Korten, international-bestselling author of _When Corporations Rule the World __ Consumerism drives the pursuit of happiness in much of the world, yet as wealth grows unhappiness abounds, compounded by the grave problems of climate change, pollution, and ecological degradation. We’ve now reached both an environmental and spiritual dead-end that leaves us crying out for alternatives. _Elegant Simplicity _provides a coherent philosophy (...) of life that weaves together simplicity of material life, thought, and spirit. In it, Satish Kumar, environmental thought leader and former monk, distills five decades of reflection and wisdom into a guide for everyone, covering: The ecological and spiritual principles of living simply Shedding both “stuff” and psychological baggage Opening your mind and heart to the deep value of relationships Embedding simplicity in all aspects of life including education and work Merging science and spirituality for a coherent worldview. _Elegant Simplicity _is a life guide for everyone wanting off the relentless treadmill of competition and consumption and seeking a life that prioritizes the ecological integrity of the Earth, social equity, and personal tranquility and happiness. “Satish Kumar embodies the elegance of simplicity... follow his path to make your life simple, elegant, and inspiring.” —Deepak Chopra, New York Times–bestselling author “In this moving and eloquent book, Satish Kumar takes us through his own journey to a simpler, happier life with a low ecological footprint.” —David Suzuki, award-winning geneticist, author, broadcaster, and environmental activist _AWARDS_ SILVER | 2019 Foreword INDIES: Body, Mind, Spirit BRONZE (Tie) | 2020 Living Now Awards: Enlightenment / Spirituality. (shrink)

This dissertation explores the convergence of classical Indian philosophy primarily Advaita Vedānta with contemporary debates in the philosophy of mind and consciousness studies. In an age marked by accelerating advancements in neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and quantum physics, the need for an integrative philosophical framework that transcends disciplinary silos becomes increasingly urgent. Through a methodologically pluralistic approach combining comparative analysis, phenomenological introspection, and critical textual hermeneutics, this study investigates whether non-dual ontologies of consciousness, as expounded in Vedānta, can offer a viable (...) alternative to dominant materialist paradigms. Drawing on the metaphysical insights of Śaṅkara and post-Śaṅkara Vedāntins, the dissertation revisits foundational questions such as What is the ontological status of consciousness? Is mind reducible to matter? Can artificial systems truly be said to possess subjectivity? These questions are juxtaposed with the works of modern philosophers like David Chalmers, Evan Thompson, and Thomas Metzinger, as well as scientific theories such as Integrated Information Theory and Quantum Cognition. The dissertation argues that the Vedāntic conception of cit (pure consciousness) as self-luminous and foundational offers not just a critique of reductive materialism, but also a constructive ontological alternative that resonates with contemporary challenges in cognitive science. Furthermore, it delves into the implications of such a worldview for ethics, identity, feminism, and the future of posthuman consciousness. In this pursuit, the dissertation contributes to the emerging dialogue between the Indian Knowledge System and global philosophy, offering a bold rethinking of consciousness in the 21st century. This work aspires not only to bridge epistemological traditions but to realign our metaphysical intuitions in an age where the nature of reality itself is under transformation. (shrink)

In our quest to understand the universe, humanity has always been drawn to the profound and enigmatic nature of reality. From the ancient philosophers of Greece to modern physicists, the question "What is real?" has persisted as one of the most profound inquiries in both science and philosophy. This book, The Nexus of Reality: The Science and Philosophy Behind the Nature of Reality, seeks to explore this question through a multidisciplinary lens, engaging with the realms of consciousness, quantum physics, artificial (...) intelligence, neuroscience, and philosophy. Its aim is to bridge the gap between empirical knowledge and metaphysical inquiry, offering a comprehensive perspective on the very essence of existence. The Purpose of the Book At its core, this book seeks to address a question that transcends individual disciplines: What is the true nature of reality? This question lies at the intersection of science and philosophy, where empirical discoveries in physics challenge our classical conceptions of reality, and age-old philosophical debates probe the boundaries of human understanding. Consciousness, often considered the most elusive of human experiences, serves as a central thread that No table of contents entries found. binds these diverse fields together. It is through the lens of consciousness that we seek to examine the nature of the self, existence, and the universe. Drawing from the latest advancements in quantum physics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence, this book explores how contemporary science provides new insights into ancient philosophical ideas. As we delve into the nature of reality, we encounter profound questions that span across centuries—questions that have been posed by Plato, Descartes, Vedanta, and other traditions. In today’s era, these timeless inquiries are revisited with the tools of modern science, offering fresh perspectives on age-old mysteries. Personal Motivations and the Journey of Writing This Book The journey of writing this book began with a personal curiosity—a desire to understand how modern science and age-old philosophy can be woven together to offer a deeper understanding of reality. Having studied both the cutting-edge advancements in neuroscience and artificial intelligence, as well as the timeless wisdom of ancient philosophical traditions like Vedanta and Buddhism, I found that these fields, though often viewed in isolation, share a common goal: to understand the nature of consciousness and the reality it perceives. This journey led me to an intriguing realization—that the more we delve into these areas, the more we see that science and philosophy are not opposing forces, but rather complementary avenues of exploring the same fundamental truths about existence. The writing process itself has been one of both intellectual and spiritual discovery. As I navigated through the realms of quantum mechanics, brain science, and the philosophy of mind, I began to understand that the questions we pose about the universe are not just academic inquiries but personal reflections of our very nature. In many ways, this book is a journey not just through knowledge, but through the deepening understanding of the self. Each chapter is a step in the exploration of who we are and what we are in relation to the vast, interconnected web of reality. As the philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, "We see things not as they are, but as we are." This sentiment encapsulates the heart of this book. The nature of reality is not an objective, unchanging truth that exists independently of us; it is a dynamic interplay between our consciousness and the universe. Our understanding of reality is shaped not just by what we observe, but by how we observe it. This book is, therefore, a reflection of the convergence of multiple domains of human knowledge, aiming to uncover the intricate relationship between mind, matter, and the universe. It is written with the hope that readers, regardless of their background, will find value in the exploration of these questions and that it will inspire a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. In the words of the renowned physicist David Bohm, "The whole of reality is a seamless web, in which everything is connected to everything else." The journey to understanding that web is one that calls for an integration of science, philosophy, and consciousness. Ultimately, this book is not just about understanding reality in an abstract sense. It is about understanding the reality of our own lives—about how we perceive, interact with, and ultimately shape the world around us. It is an invitation to explore, question, and discover the truths that lie at the heart of our existence. As we embark on this journey together, may we find that the nature of reality is not merely an intellectual puzzle to be solved, but a mystery to be embraced—a mystery that holds the key to understanding the deepest aspects of ourselves. ________________________________________ “The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates . (shrink)

Drawing on a wide variety of disciplines and presenting perspectives on both sides of the gun debate, Understanding America’s Gun Culture offers a fresh look at the issues surrounding guns in the U.S. today. The book moves past polarization to invite thoughtful, nuanced and innovative exploration of this important topic.

Artificial intelligence (AI) strategies are revolutionizing genomics by extracting complex patterns that traditional statistical pipelines are likely to miss. This mini‐review aims to provide a concise overview of how AI is transforming major genomic technologies including variant calling, gene expression analysis, single‐cell transcriptomics, CRISPR‐Cas9 optimization, and multi‐omics integration. In genome sequencing, machine learning variant callers greatly improve the accuracy and the rate at which single nucleotide and structural variants are called. In bulk RNA‐Seq, AI augmented quantification, denoising, and differential expression (...) modules complement the highly established STAR‐featureCounts‐DESeq2 pipeline, revealing subtle signals in big data sets. In single cell transcriptomics, deep learning approaches enhance batch correction, automate cell type annotation, and track developmental trajectories, hence clarifying cellular heterogeneity. AI‐assisted guide RNA design, outcome prediction, and nuclease engineering enable more efficient CRISPR‐Cas9 editing, reducing experimental cycles, and off‐target effects. Finally, integrated platforms that combine genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and metabolomic layers provide an integrative view of cellular regulation and disease mechanisms. The review also covers current limitations, sparsity of data, model bias, privacy, and the need for standardized benchmarks and offers future directions in the form of interpretable models, collaborative learning, and open science practices. Together, these developments render AI an indispensable partner to unravel genomic complexity and accelerate precision medicine applications. (shrink)

These essays, by widely respected scholars in fields ranging from social and political theory to historical sociology and cultural studies, illuminate the significance of the public/private distinction for an increasingly wide range of debates. Commenting on controversies surrounding such issues as abortion rights, identity politics, and the requirements of democratization, many of these essays clarify crucial processes that have shaped the culture and institutions of modern societies. In contexts ranging from friendship, the family, and personal life to nationalism, democratic citizenship, (...) the role of women in social and political life, and the contrasts between western and (post-)Communist societies, this book brings out the ways the various uses of the public/private distinction are simultaneously distinct and interconnected. _Public and Private in Thought and Practice_ will be of interest to students and scholars in disciplines including politics, law, philosophy, history, sociology, and women's studies. Contributors include Jeff Weintraub, Allan Silver, Craig Calhoun, Daniela Gobetti, Jean L. Cohen, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Alan Wolfe, Krishan Kumar, David Brain, Karen Hansen, Marc Garcelon, and Oleg Kharkhordin. (shrink)

Recent literature on social movements assigns a central role to the imagination. One way for activists to further their aims is through dramatic, confrontational acts of protest. I argue that transcendent imagining is key to understanding what protest does qua act of speech. A common approach to protest sees it as a speech act of condemning some feature of the socio-political world and appealing for change. While this is a helpful general template for what vocal dissent is, it is insufficient (...) to explain what gives protests their political power. Specifically, it overlooks the fact that effective protests usually create a theatrical spectacle of norm breaking. Displays of defiance lift a constraint on how we imagine our socio-political world, and so allow us to begin reshaping it. (shrink)

This article maps the emergent field of Islamophobia Studies through a discussion of recently published monographs, representing the broad spectrum of theoretical and analytical approaches to the phenomenon. Strengths and deficiencies in recent works of Nathan Lean, Deepa Kumar, Chris Allen, David Tyrer and Anne Norton are discussed. I argue that in different ways, a more thorough engagement with critical and Marxist theories of racism could contribute to a more accurate understanding of the phenomenon. This, however, is predicated (...) on recognising and theorising Islamophobia as racism – albeit one ‘without races’ – and a discussion about its differences from and similarities to other kinds of racism. (shrink)

An exploration of the theories, histories, practices, and contradictions of liberalism today. What does it mean to be a liberal in neoliberal times? This collection of short essays attempts to show how liberals and the wider concept of liberalism remain relevant in what many perceive to be a highly illiberal age. Liberalism in the broader sense revolves around tolerance, progress, humanitarianism, objectivity, reason, democracy, and human rights. Liberalism's emphasis on individual rights opened a theoretical pathway to neoliberalism, through private property, (...) a classically minimal liberal state, and the efficiency of “free markets.” In practice, neoliberalism is associated less with the economic deregulation championed by its advocates than the re-regulation of the economy to protect financial capital. Liberalism in Neoliberal Times engages with the theories, histories, practices, and contradictions of liberalism, viewing it in relation to four central areas of public life: human rights, ethnicity and gender, education, and the media. The contributors explore the transformations in as well as the transformative aspects of liberalism and highlight both its liberating and limiting capacities. The book contends that liberalism—in all its forms—continues to underpin specific institutions such as the university, the free press, the courts, and, of course, parliamentary democracy. Liberal ideas are regularly mobilized in areas such as counterterrorism, minority rights, privacy, and the pursuit of knowledge. This book contends that while we may not agree on much, we can certainly agree that an understanding of liberalism and its emancipatory capacity is simply too important to be left to the liberals Contributors Alejandro Abraham-Hamanoiel, Patrick Ainley, Abdullahi An-Na'im, Michael Bailey, Haim Bresheeth, Başak Çalı, David Chandler, William Davies, Costas Douzinas, Natalie Fenton, Des Freedman, Roberto Gargarella, Priyamvada Gopal, Jonathan Hardy, John Holmwood, Ratna Kapur, Gholam Khiabany, Ray Kiely, Monika Krause, Deepa Kumar, Arun Kundnani, Colin Leys, Howard Littler, Kathleen Lynch, Robert W. McChesney, Nivedita Menon, Toby Miller, Kate Nash, Joan Pedro-Carañana, Julian Petley, Anne Phillips, Jonathan Rosenhead, Annabelle Sreberny, John Steel, Michael Wayne, Milly Williamson. (shrink)

This ground-breaking collection of new interviews, critical essays, and commentary explores South Asian identity and culture. Sensitive to the false homogeneity implied by "South Asian," "diaspora," "postcolonial," and "Asian American," the contributors attempt to unpack these terms. By examining the social, economic, and historical particularities of people who live "between the lines"—on and between borders—they reinstate questions of power and privilege, agency and resistance. As South Asians living in the United States and Canada, each to some degree must reflect on (...) the interaction of the personal "I," the collective "we," and the world beyond. The South Asian scholars gathered together in this volume speak from a variety of theoretical perspectives; in the essays and interviews that cross the boundaries of conventional academic disciplines, they engage in intense, sometimes contentious, debate. Contributors: Meena Alexander, Gauri Viswanathan, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Amritjit Singh, M. G. Vassanji, Sohail Inayatullah, Ranita Chatterjee, Benita Mehta, Sanjoy Majumder, Mahasveta Barua, Sukeshi Kamra, Samir Dayal, Pushpa Naidu Parekh, Indrani Mitra, Huma Ibrahim, Amitava Kumar, Shantanu DuttaAhmed, Uma Parameswaran. In the series _Asian American History and Culture_, edited by Sucheng Chan, David Palumbo-Liu, Michael Omi, K. Scott Wong, and Linda Trinh Võ. (shrink)

This twelfth volume of Collected Papers includes 86 papers comprising 976 pages on Neutrosophics Theory and Applications, published between 2013-2021 in the international journal and book series “Neutrosophic Sets and Systems” by the author alone or in collaboration with the following 112 co-authors (alphabetically ordered) from 21 countries: Abdel Nasser H. Zaied, Muhammad Akram, Bobin Albert, S. A. Alblowi, S. Anitha, Guennoun Asmae, Assia Bakali, Ayman M. Manie, Abdul Sami Awan, Azeddine Elhassouny, Erick González-Caballero, D. Dafik, Mithun Datta, Arindam Dey, (...) Mamouni Dhar, Christopher Dyer, Nur Ain Ebas, Mohamed Eisa, Ahmed K. Essa, Faruk Karaaslan, João Alcione Sganderla Figueiredo, Jorge Fernando Goyes García, N. Ramila Gandhi, Sudipta Gayen, Gustavo Alvarez Gómez, Sharon Dinarza Álvarez Gómez, Haitham A. El-Ghareeb, Hamiden Abd El-Wahed Khalifa, Masooma Raza Hashmi, Ibrahim M. Hezam, German Acurio Hidalgo, Le Hoang Son, R. Jahir Hussain, S. Satham Hussain, Ali Hussein Mahmood Al-Obaidi, Hays Hatem Imran, Nabeela Ishfaq, Saeid Jafari, R. Jansi, V. Jeyanthi, M. Jeyaraman, Sripati Jha, Jun Ye, W.B. Vasantha Kandasamy, Abdullah Kargın, J. Kavikumar, Kawther Fawzi Hamza Alhasan, Huda E. Khalid, Neha Andalleb Khalid, Mohsin Khalid, Madad Khan, D. Koley, Valeri Kroumov, Manoranjan Kumar Singh, Pavan Kumar, Prem Kumar Singh, Ranjan Kumar, Malayalan Lathamaheswari, A.N. Mangayarkkarasi, Carlos Rosero Martínez, Marvelio Alfaro Matos, Mai Mohamed, Nivetha Martin, Mohamed Abdel-Basset, Mohamed Talea, K. Mohana, Muhammad Irfan Ahamad, Rana Muhammad Zulqarnain, Muhammad Riaz, Muhammad Saeed, Muhammad Saqlain, Muhammad Shabir, Muhammad Zeeshan, Anjan Mukherjee, Mumtaz Ali, Deivanayagampillai Nagarajan, Iqra Nawaz, Munazza Naz, Roan Thi Ngan, Necati Olgun, Rodolfo González Ortega, P. Pandiammal, I. Pradeepa, R. Princy, Marcos David Oviedo Rodríguez, Jesús Estupiñán Ricardo, A. Rohini, Sabu Sebastian, Abhijit Saha, Mehmet Șahin, Said Broumi, Saima Anis, A.A. Salama, Ganeshsree Selvachandran, Seyed Ahmad Edalatpanah, Sajana Shaik, Soufiane Idbrahim, S. Sowndrarajan, Mohamed Talea, Ruipu Tan, Chalapathi Tekuri, Selçuk Topal, S. P. Tiwari, Vakkas Uluçay, Maikel Leyva Vázquez, Chinnadurai Veerappan, M. Venkatachalam, Luige Vlădăreanu, Ştefan Vlăduţescu, Young Bae Jun, Wadei F. Al-Omeri, Xiao Long Xin.‬‬‬‬‬‬. (shrink)

Humans are moral creatures. Among all life on Earth, we alone experience rich moral emotions, follow complex rules governing how we treat one another, and engage in moral dialogue. But how did human morality evolve? And can humans become morally evolved? -/- In A Better Ape, Victor Kumar and Richmond Campbell draw on the latest research in the biological and social sciences to explain the key role that morality has played in human evolution. They explore the moral traits that (...) humans share with chimpanzees; how a more complex moral mind enabled Homo sapiens to arise and out-compete other human species; and the place of morality alongside historic revolutions in technology and social organization. Throughout the book, Kumar and Campbell argue that morality co-evolved with intelligence and complex sociality. Morality prevents societal collapse and enables complex knowledge. -/- After unearthing the ancient origins of human morality, Kumar and Campbell use evolutionary theory to deliver profound insights about how to advance moral progress and resist moral regress, such as reducing animal suffering on industrial farms; capitalizing on the recent revolution in gay rights to foster a nascent revolution in transgender rights; opposing intersectional inequality that impacts women and people of color in lower socioeconomic classes; and addressing major problems of global inequality, especially impending crises of injustice caused by anthropogenic climate change. Understanding how we evolved--and how we continue to evolve--can help us become a better ape. (shrink)

Prof. G.C. Pande in his work ‘ Studies in the Origins of Buddhism ’ speaks of the theory of relation ( paccaya) while discussing the principle of dependent origination ( paṭiccasamuppāda ). Theory of relation ( paccaya) is a law explaining the existence of the dhammas , being related by some relations. It is further extension of the law of dependent origination ( paṭiccasamuppāda ). Things come to existence in our day-to-day life. The law of dependent origination explains that they (...) come into existence; depending upon some other factors. The theory of relation explains that such dependence on the other dhammas is possible due to some relations. In other words, Paṭiccasamuppāda explains the process of existence of conditioned things. The relation ( paccaya ) explains the relation existing between different phases coming into existence. Such relations are also explained in conditioned things only. (shrink)

In this essay I argue that moral judgment is a natural kind by developing an empirically grounded theory of the distinctive conceptual content of moral judgments. Psychological research on the moral/conventional distinction suggests that in moral judgments right and wrong, good and bad, praiseworthiness and blameworthiness, etc. are conceptualized as serious, general, authority-independent, and objective. After laying out the theory and the empirical evidence that supports it, I address recent empirical and conceptual objections. Finally, I suggest that the theory uniquely (...) accounts for the possibility of genuine moral agreement and disagreement. (shrink)

The discussion of obligations to future generations often assumes that though the global poor can be wronged because there are obligations the affluent owe to them, those who will live in the further future can't. They can't be wronged, the thought goes, because though we have obligations with regard to future generations, they aren't obligations _owed_ to them. This chapter argues that the assumption is mistaken. Adopting a Scanlonian contractualist account of what it is for one person to wrong another, (...) it turns out that there is no good reason to think that those who will live in the further future can't be wronged by the choices we make now. This conclusion, it is suggested, has importance for how we understand the normative basis of claims to reparations for past injustice. (shrink)

Arguments attempting to debunk moral beliefs, by showing they are unjustified, have tended to be global, targeting all moral beliefs or a large set of them. Popular debunking arguments point to various factors purportedly influencing moral beliefs, from evolutionary pressures, to automatic and emotionally-driven processes, to framing effects. We show that these sweeping arguments face a debunker’s dilemma: either the relevant factor is not a main basis for belief or it does not render the relevant beliefs unjustified. Empirical debunking arguments (...) in ethics can avoid this predicament, but only if they are refocused on highly selective classes of moral belief. Experimental data can combine with familiar consistency reasoning to reveal that like cases are not being treated alike. Selective debunking arguments are unlikely to yield sweeping sceptical conclusions, but they can lead to rational moral change. (shrink)

Experimental research in moral psychology can be used to generate debunking arguments in ethics. Specifically, research can indicate that we draw a moral distinction on the basis of a morally irrelevant difference. We develop this naturalistic approach by examining a recent debate between Joshua Greene and Selim Berker. We argue that Greene's research, if accurate, undermines attempts to reconcile opposing judgments about trolley cases, but that his attempt to debunk deontology fails. We then draw some general lessons about the possibility (...) of empirical debunking arguments in ethics. (shrink)

In resultant moral luck, blame and punishment seem intuitively to depend on downstream effects of a person’s action that are beyond his or her control. Some skeptics argue that we should override our intuitions about moral luck and reform our practices. Other skeptics attempt to explain away apparent cases of moral luck as epistemic artifacts. I argue, to the contrary, that moral luck is real—that people are genuinely responsible for some things beyond their control. A partially consequentialist theory of responsibility (...) justifies moral luck. But this justification is no mere rationalization of the status quo. Recent experimental and evolutionary work on punishment and learning suggests that the very same reasons that justify moral luck have also shaped the evolution of our luck-sensitive moral practices. (shrink)

Disgust originated as an evolutionary adaptation for avoiding disease, but it has since infiltrated morality. Many philosophers are skeptical of moral disgust. Skeptics argue that disgust is unreliable and harmful, and that we should eliminate or minimize feelings of disgust in moral thought. However, these arguments are unsuccessful. They do not show that disgust is more problematic than other emotions implicated in morality. Moreover, empirical research suggests that disgust supports important norms and values. Disgust is frequently elicited by “reciprocity violations,” (...) i.e., acts of cheating, dishonesty, and exploitation. The emotion is a fitting response because it accurately reflects the ability of these moral wrongs to pollute and to circulate. Repurposing its original functions, moral disgust motivates social exclusion, tracks the spread of immorality, and acts as a signaling system to coordinate sanctioning. Instead of expunging ourselves of moral disgust, then, we should seek to understand its virtues and its vices. (shrink)

Many of the policy choices we face that have implications for the lives of future generations involve creating a risk that they will live lives that are significantly compromised. I argue that we can fruitfully make use of the resources of Scanlon’s contractualist account of moral reasoning to make sense of the intuitive idea that, in many cases, the objection to adopting a policy that puts the interest of future generations at risk is that doing so wrongs those who will (...) live in the further future. (shrink)

The reluctant revolutionary -- The patent slave -- The golden Dane -- The quantum atom -- When Einstein met Bohr -- The prince of duality -- Spin doctors -- The quantum magician -- A late erotic outburst -- Uncertainty in Copenhagen -- Solvay 1927 -- Einstein forgets relativity -- Quantum reality -- For whom Bell's theorem tolls -- The quantum demon.