What are the Chances of That?

Author(s):  
Andrew C. A. Elliott

What are the Chances of That? discusses chance and the importance of understanding how it affects our lives in its various guises such as risk, luck, and coincidence. The book goes beyond a mathematical approach to the subject, showing how our thinking about chance and uncertainty has been shaped by history and culture, and only relatively recently by the mathematical theory of probability. In considering how we think about uncertainty, five ‘dualities’ are proposed that encapsulate many of the ambiguities that arise. The book starts by tackling probability (‘Pure Chance’) and in successive sections (‘Life Chances’, ‘Happy Accidents’, ‘Taking Charge of Chance’) addresses respectively the role of chance in life, the positive face of uncertainty, and the ways in which we are able to act to mitigate and exploit chance. This is not primarily a mathematical book, but it does introduce basic concepts from the theory of probability, and some statistics. Although this book tackles serious subjects, it is written in an accessible way and is aimed at an educated and curious lay reader, to be read for pleasure and general interest. It includes graphical representations of the effects of chance, brain teasers, anecdotes, and discussion of the words we use to talk about uncertainty.

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
M. Hermans

SummaryThe author presents his personal opinion inviting to discussion on the possible future role of psychiatrists. His view is based upon the many contacts with psychiatrists all over Europe, academicians and everyday professionals, as well as the familiarity with the literature. The list of papers referred to is based upon (1) the general interest concerning the subject when representing ideas also worded elsewhere, (2) the accessibility to psychiatrists and mental health professionals in Germany, (3) being costless downloadable for non-subscribers and (4) for some geographic aspects (e.g. Belgium, Spain, Sweden) and the latest scientific issues, addressing some authors directly.


Author(s):  
Elena Kravtsova

L. S. Vygotsky’s principal idea, lying in the base of cultural-historical theory, is the primacy of sense over meaning. There are serious reasons to believe that this part of cultural-historical theory was not completely understood both by his disciples and his opponents. That’s why many Vygotsky’s conclusions and discoveries remained untapped. while others were implemented in science and practice quite di˙erently from what he suggested. Vygotsky once wrote that features of the particular science deeply related to its method. That’s why he introduced the experimental-genetic method (projective method in modern psychology), which allows modeling the processes of development. One of the basic concepts of cultural-historical theory is the concept of “cultural de-velopment”. A Cultural person, for Vygotsky, is the person, who can control not only their own behavior and actions but also their own psychic processes. On the one hand, modern psychology doesn’t deny the role of volition in child’s development. But on the other hand, the volition itself is typically understood as one’s ability to submit to laws and rules. More than that – it’s rather easy to create conditions where a person will submit to laws and rules, but it doesn’t develop his ability to control himself. In Vygotsky’s opinion, there are natural psychic functions, which in the process of learning transform into cultural ones. In this context, the main goal of learning is to create conditions for developing person’s ability to be the subject of his own behavior, activity and psychic.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elza Dwi Putri

This article deals with the subject of Educational Supervision aims for all activities that support the achievement of educational goals. With Educational Supervision used in education, efforts can be made to achieve educational goals. The method used in writing this article is the method of studying literature, where before making article, we need a good source of books, as well as other materials related to Educational Supervision. After collecting the material, we need to read and understand to create a new definition developed by the author. Then the authors develop an understanding of the basic concepts of educational supervision (understanding, rational, purpose, function), scope (academic and managerial), the principle of educational supervision, and the role of educational supervision


2016 ◽  
pp. 335-348
Author(s):  
Grażyna Mikołajczyk-Lerman

The functioning of families with a disabled child is associated with many difficulties and problems, which are not families with children experienc­ing non ­disabled. It can be argued that the mere fact of having a child with a dis­ability is a crisis situation and can cause interference to the basic functions of the family. The lack of sufficient institutional support for this type of families and their members entails, among other things, to activate and use of family support net­works. In the case of children, disability is the result of defects and diseases ac­quired early in life. Their condition may improve, stay the same, but also deteri­orate. Sometimes the child’s illness is ir­reversible, although the degree of health deficits may change – the course of his future life will depend on how the family and it itself will cope with his disability. Life chances of these children will be in large part depend on what they earn in the early stages of development, which mastered social skills and how to devel­op their abilities. That’s why so import­ant is the role of the family of a disabled child in preparing him for an indepen­dent life in society as far as its features. The subject of a paper presented causes and effects of crisis situations and ways to cope with difficulties primarily eco­nomic, educational or rehabilitation in families with a disabled child.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (4) ◽  
pp. 48-53
Author(s):  
Krugliy Dmitriy

The article analyzes the possibilities of using the DIKW-model in relation to educational proposals. The analysis brings us back to understanding the concepts of "data", "information", "knowledge" and wisdom, where the goal of teaching is to obtain knowledge, and the learning process itself leads to wisdom. The definitions of these basic concepts are considered, which will prevent their misinterpretation and substitution. It will give an opportunity to develop a model of training, which in the future will form the required specialist. The structure of this model is considered, the connections between its components are highlighted, which are of paramount importance for the development of an effective educational proposal within the framework of innovative education and increase of independent work of the higher education seeker, where the role of the teacher changes. The preparedness for real life, forming the necessary competences and teaching the student as a specialist and personality become one of the primary tasks. First, to move to the concept of "learning", it is necessary to specify the definitions of "information" and "knowledge" to understand in which case the presentation of information on the subject will lead to the formation of knowledge and in which it will remain information. We understand the need to form a future specialist’s "knowledge" and opportunities related to the category of "wisdom" under the introduction of the DIKW methodology in the educational environment. "Knowledge" cannot be replaced by an information flow or a data flow. This is a process of multiple processing of information, data, related knowledge and the copyright of the studied information is not an indicator of effectiveness. The indicator of effectiveness was defining as the ability to make the decision that is most appropriate in a given situation.


Author(s):  
В.Н. Степанов

В статье рассматривается семантическое пространство концептов “Spiel” («игра») и “Kampf” («борьба»), которое, как показало исследование, достаточно полно и системно структурировано. Концептосфера “Spiel” («игра») и “Kampf” («борьба») выявлена по базисным пропозициям с опорой на лексическое значение слов и контексты их употребления в соответствии с репрезентациями пяти базисных фреймов: предметного, акционального, посессивного, идентификационного, компаративного. Количественное измерение концептов определяется в соответствии с лексикографическим описанием: оппозиция форм единственного и множественного числа зафиксирована в словарях и подтверждается в корпусе выбранных для анализа текстов и языковых контекстов. В квалитативном, качественном, отношении концепты оцениваются нейтрально. Локативные характеристики представлены у концепта “Spiel”. В схемах контактного действия “Spiel” («игра») и “Kampf” («борьба») выступают в нескольких ролях — объекта и медиатива. В качестве субъектов “Spiel” («игра») и “Kampf” («борьба») выступают базовые концепты “Kraft” («сила») и “Macht” («власть»). Ханна Арендт определяет борьбу в качестве родового признака политики — «борьба за власть» (ради власти). Борьба в ее представлении может выступать родовым признаком жизни (Leben). Мишель Фуко определял власть через родовой признак — как игру (Spiel), которая в непрерывных столкновениях и противостояниях (Kämpfen) соотношение сил преобразует, усиливает и извращает. Борьба (Kampf), по мнению Фуко, выступает средством игры (Spiel), в определенном смысле — ее формой. The paper examines semаntic space occupied by the concepts of “Spiel” («game») and “Kampf” («struggle»), which, as the research shows, is comprehensively and systemically structured. The conceptual sphere of “Spiel” and “Kampf” is elicited with consideration of the basic propositions, proceeding from the lexical meaning of the words and the contexts of their usage, according to the representations of the five basic frames (subject-focused, actional, possessive, identificational, comparative). The quantitative evaluation of the concepts is determined according to their lexicographic descriptions: opposition of the singular and plural forms is registered in dictionaries and confirmed by the corpus of texts and language contexts selected for analysis. From the qualitative and quantitative perspectives, the concepts are assessed neutrally. Locative characteristics are found in the concept of “Spiel”. In the patterns of contact interaction, “Spiel” and “Kampf” perform several roles — those of the object and the mediative. The role of the Subject for “Spiel” and “Kampf” is performed by the basic concepts of “Kraft” (force) and “Macht” (power). Hannah Arendt sees struggle as the generic feature of politics — “struggle for power” (for the sake of power). And power, as she sees it, might act as the generic feature of life (Leben). Michel Foucault defined power by its generic feature as a game (Spiel), which, in the course of incessant conflicts and oppositions, transforms, enhances or distorts the balance of powers. Struggle (Kampf), from Foucault’s viewpoint, is a means of playing (Spiel), and, in a certain sense, is its form.


Discourse ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 97-108
Author(s):  
A. O. Boronoev

Introduction. The article presents the fate and work of the famous Russian sociologist Konstantin Mikhailovich Takhtarev (1871–1925), who would have turned 150 years old in 2021. He was one of the first professional sociologists who played an important role in the institutionalization of Russian sociology. His works and other deeds are still not fully comprehended and, therefore, are insufficiently used in research and in the process of training sociologists. The article presents the main results of his work and the direction of his activities in organizing sociological knowledge in Russia.Methodology and sources. The article implements a historical and biographical approach combined with a comparative analysis of the life and scientific fate of the famous Russian sociologist K. M. Takhtarev, professor of the St Petersburg University (1911–1925). His main works and the results of his activities on the institutionalization of Russian sociology are analyzed.Results and discussion. The name of K.M. Takhtarev stands next to such names as M.M. Kovalevsky, N.I. Kareev, A.S. Lappo-Danilevsky, E.V. de Roberti, P.A. Sorokin, etc. His contribution to the institutionalization of Russian sociology is very significant. He was one of the first to prepare complete textbooks, created his own system of sociology (P. Sorokin), was one of the organizers of the M.M. Kovalevsky Russian Sociological Society, which confirmed the formation of the Russian sociological community. The creation of the country's first sociological institute is associated with his name. N.I. Kareev called him and P.A. Sorokin the first professional sociologists of Russia. The article shows his understanding of the subject of sociology, the basic concepts that reveal the essence of social life, its evolution, through the stages of self-sufficiency – the foundations of his theory. The significance of the systematization of sociological ideas carried out by him, which formed the basis of his system of sociology, is revealed. The role of Takhtarev in the development of genetic sociology as a sociological direction studying the dynamics of forms of society and social institutions is emphasized.Conclusion. The significance of K.M. Takhtarev's ideas for today's sociology is shown and it is argued that it is necessary to refer to his works today. The special relevance of the logic of building his own system of sociology, research experiments in the field of genetic sociology, the substantiation of social laws and the classification of social laws are emphasized.


Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek ◽  
Xiang Li

AbstractA caring disposition is an important and fundamental attribute of a service leader. At the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a lecture on a caring disposition in the subject “Service Leadership” was designed to help students understand the importance of caring dispositions. The curriculum design with reference to the basic concepts and theories as well as the content of the lecture are presented in this paper. In the first part of the paper, several uncaring cases are presented to serve as negative examples to inspire students’ reflection on caring leaders. Then, the three most important traits of a caring disposition, including awareness, love and nurturing people are introduced. Next, the relationships between a caring disposition and service leadership are analyzed and practical ways of improving a caring disposition are proposed. Finally, the impacts of a caring disposition on the leader-follower relationship are discussed. To provide a general overview of this lecture, the content including detailed lecture sessions and four designed activities relevant to a caring disposition are also presented in the paper.


1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerrie F. Snyman

AbstractThis article intends to link Africanisation, lay readings and critical scholarship. Its point of departure is the dialectic of colonial inferiority complexes and the realisation of a Babelesque confusion as a defining element of South Africanness. Within this socio-political context the focus falls on Semeia 73 ('Reading with': an exploration of the interface between critical and ordinary readings of the Bible), drawing some implications for a grassroots reading of Esther 9 as well as the role of critical scholarship in the Afrikaans Reformed tradition. Bearing in mind the work of Edward Said on the subject of intellectuality, the article suggests that as long as the renewed focus on the lay reader represents only a change in political grid and power relations, it does not initiate a new trend in hermeneutics. A fundamental shift will only occur when the underlying reading strategies of lay reading are revealed and critically assessed. Instead of merely reproducing the ideological mechanisms and alignments whereby description becomes prescription and the local is represented as universal, it is suggested that these mechanisms should be challenged by the critical reader, even when and while socially engaged.


2004 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred W. Mast ◽  
Charles M. Oman

The role of top-down processing on the horizontal-vertical line length illusion was examined by means of an ambiguous room with dual visual verticals. In one of the test conditions, the subjects were cued to one of the two verticals and were instructed to cognitively reassign the apparent vertical to the cued orientation. When they have mentally adjusted their perception, two lines in a plus sign configuration appeared and the subjects had to evaluate which line was longer. The results showed that the line length appeared longer when it was aligned with the direction of the vertical currently perceived by the subject. This study provides a demonstration that top-down processing influences lower level visual processing mechanisms. In another test condition, the subjects had all perceptual cues available and the influence was even stronger.


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