scholarly journals Joseph Raz’s Service Conception and the Limits of Knowability

Ratio Juris ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Placani
Keyword(s):  
2021 ◽  
pp. 074873042098363
Author(s):  
Alejandro A. Aguirre ◽  
Roberto A. Palomares ◽  
Aitor D. De Ondiz ◽  
Eleazar R. Soto ◽  
Mariana S. Perea ◽  
...  

Evidence has accumulated over the years indicating that the moon influences some aspects of the reproductive activity in animals and humans. However, little is known about the influence of the lunar cycle on the reproductive performance of cows under tropical conditions, where the environment strongly affects reproduction. This retrospective study was conducted with the aim of assessing the influence of the lunar cycle on some reproductive traits of tropical crossbred cows managed in a pasture-based system. Data from 5869 reproductive records from two commercial farms localized in the Maracaibo Lake Basin of Zulia State, Venezuela, were analyzed. Variables studied were first service conception rate, calving frequency, first postpartum estrous frequency, and pregnancy frequency. In addition to the lunar cycle, the effects of farm, season, and predominant breed were also considered. Data were analyzed using logistic regression and general linear model from SAS. First service conception was affected by lunar phases and predominant breed, but not by farm or season. For frequencies of calving, first postpartum estrus, and pregnancy, there was no main effect of farm, season, and predominant breed, whereas the effect of lunar phases was highly significant. First service conception was significantly greater in waning than in crescent phase of the lunar cycle. Frequencies of calving, first estrus, and pregnancy were highly correlated and showed greater figures around full moon and new moon. In conclusion, lunar cycle influenced first service conception, attaining greater values in the waning phase of the moon cycle. Frequencies of calving, first postpartum estrus, and pregnancy in crossbred cows showed a clear bimodal rhythm, whose greatest values coincided with new moon and full moon.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 197-198
Author(s):  
Miguel A Sánchez-Castro ◽  
Milt Thomas ◽  
Mark Enns ◽  
Scott Speidel

Abstract First-service conception rate (FSCR) can be defined as the probability of a heifer conceiving in response to her first artificial insemination (AI). Given the binary nature of its phenotypes, FSCR has been typically evaluated using animal threshold models (ATM). However, susceptibility of these models to the extreme-category problem (ECP) limits their ability to use all available information to calculate Expected Progeny Differences (EPD). Random regression models (RRM) represent an alternative method to evaluate binary traits, and they are not affected by ECP. Nevertheless, RRM were originally developed to analyze longitudinal traits, so their usefulness to evaluate traits with singly observed phenotypes remains unclear. Therefore, objectives herein were to evaluate the feasibility of a RRM genetic prediction for heifer FSCR by comparing its resulting EPD and genetic parameters to those obtained with a traditional ATM. Breeding and ultrasound records of 4,334 Angus heifers (progeny of 354 sires and 1,626 dams) collected between 1992 to 2019 at the Colorado State University Beef Improvement Center were utilized. Observations for FSCR (1, successful; 0, unsuccessful) were defined by fetal age at pregnancy inspections performed approximately 130 d post-AI. Traditional FSCR evaluation was performed using a univariate BLUP threshold animal model, whereas an alternative evaluation was performed by regressing FSCR on age at AI using a linear RRM with Legendre Polynomials as the base function. Heritability estimates were 0.03 ± 0.02 for the ATM and 0.005 ± 0.001 for the average age at AI with the RRM, respectively. Pearson and rank correlations between EPD obtained with each method were 0.63 and 0.60, respectively. The regression coefficient of RRM predictions on those obtained with the ATM was 0.095. In conclusion, these results suggested that although a RRM genetic prediction for FSCR was feasible, a considerable degree of re-ranking occurred between the two methodologies.


2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 648-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramiro Fouz ◽  
Fernando Gandoy ◽  
María Luisa Sanjuán ◽  
Eduardo Yus ◽  
Francisco Javier Diéguez

The objective of this work was to identify factors associated with the 56-day non-return rate (56-NRR) in dairy herds in the Galician region, Spain, and to estimate it for individual Holstein bulls. The experiment was carried out in herds originated from North-West Spain, from September 2008 to August 2009. Data of the 76,440 first inseminations performed during this period were gathered. Candidate factors were tested for their association with the 56-NRR by using a logistic model (binomial). Afterwards, 37 sires with a minimum of 150 first performed inseminations were individually evaluated. Logistic models were also estimated for each bull, and predicted individual 56-NRR rate values were calculated as a solution for the model parameters. Logistic regression found four major factors associated with 56-NRR in lactating cows: age at insemination, days from calving to insemination, milk production level at the time of insemination, and herd size. First-service conception rate, when a particular sire was used, was higher for heifers (0.71) than for lactating cows (0.52). Non-return rates were highly variable among bulls. Asignificant part of the herd-level variation of 56-NRR of Holstein cattle seems attributable to the service sire. High correlation level between observed and predicted 56-NRR was found.


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Thacker

One hundred and eighty-five crossbred (Yorkshire × Landrace) sows of mixed parity were randomly assigned to be fed either a basal diet or the same ration top dressed with either 500 ppm dichlorvos, 250 ppm copper or a combination of these additives. Top dressing was conducted from the time the sows entered the farrowing crate on day 106 of gestation until they were weaned 28 d postpartum. There was no effect of treatment on the number of pigs born alive, born dead or their birthweight. However, preweaning mortality, based as a percentage of pigs found alive, was 20.3% for control sows, 13.8% for sows fed the ration top dressed with copper, 12.3% for sows fed the ration top dressed with dichlorvos and 10.6% for sows fed the ration top dressed with the combination of feed additives (P = 0.02). There was no significant effect of treatment on the percentage of fat, protein, lactose or total solids in sows milk. There was also no effect of treatment on lactation feed intake, sow weight loss through lactation, the interval between weaning and successful service, conception rate, serum copper levels or total cholesterol. HDL cholesterol levels, serum copper, zinc and iron levels were generally higher in piglets from treated sows than controls. It was concluded that feeding high levels of copper or dichlorvos, alone or in combination, during late gestation and lactation may be useful as a means of reducing preweaning mortality in baby pigs. However, the increased survival rate of baby pigs is unlikely due to alterations in the composition of sow's milk or milk yield. Key words: Sow, reproduction, copper, dichlorvos, milk


Author(s):  
Kenneth Einar Himma

This chapter explores the various tensions that might be thought to arise between the Incorporation Thesis and practical authority. The Incorporation Thesis states that there is a conceptually possible legal system with moral criteria of validity. In such a legal system, the properties that constitute a norm as legally valid include properties having to do with whether its content satisfies certain moral standards. This chapter begins with a general discussion of the differences between practical and epistemic authority. The chapter then articulates the various theses associated with the so-called service conception of authority and concludes with a summary of the arguments for the claim that this conception of authority is inconsistent with the Incorporation Thesis.


Author(s):  
Oisin Suttle

This chapter examines the logic of exceptions in World Trade Organization (WTO) law, and their relation to the reasons that apply to members, and to the authority of WTO law and adjudicators. Many exceptions can be understood as qualifying rules, in order that those rules should better track the reasons that apply to those subject to them. However, others are better explained as reflecting the limits of law’s authority: at least sometimes, exceptions identify areas wherein the law falls silent, not because its subjects necessarily have reasons to act otherwise than in accordance with the unqualified rule, but rather because they have good claims to decide for themselves whether they should so act. Joseph Raz’s service conception of authority is applied to develop an account of the grounds, scope, and limits of WTO law’s authority, which account is in turn applied to explain three specific sets of exceptions or quasi-exceptions: the GATT Article XX General Exceptions, the trade remedies rules, and the ‘non-exception-exceptions’ for domestic regulation deviating from international standards.


Author(s):  
Aaron Stalnaker

This chapter examines modern Western objections to both authority and dependence, in both cases on the grounds that they threaten human autonomy, which implies that we should minimize both authority and dependence whenever possible. The chapter includes historical overviews of the modern Western “flight from authority” as well as the gradual fragmentation and transformation of notions of dependence on others. It examines Maine on status and contract, Berlin on liberty, and Mill and others on the dangers of paternalism. The chapter analyzes the concepts of authority and autonomy through an engagement with Raz’s “service conception of authority,” arguing that early Confucians have a generally similar approach to the nature and value of authority, albeit with some important differences, which avoid some common objections to Raz’s views. The chapter closes with an overview of the rest of the book.


2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 495-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria J. Taylor ◽  
Andrew J. Hattan ◽  
Emma C.L. Bleach ◽  
David E. Beever ◽  
D. Claire Wathes

AbstractThe resumption of reproductive activity in the early post partum period and the subsequent fertility of dairy cows are of considerable practical and economic importance to the producer. Regular milk progesterone analysis was used in this study to monitor the re-establishment of reproductive cyclicity in animals of average (AGM, n=20) and high genetic merit (HGM, n=28) kept under standard management conditions. The profiles obtained were then characterised into normal and four different types of abnormal activity. Resumption of cycles occurred significantly later in the higher yielding cows than in those of average genetic merit (23 ±2.3 days in HGM cows and 15 ± 1.6 days in AGM cows; P=0.0089). There was a significant increase in the amount of abnormal cycles encountered in the high genetic merit animals compared with average yielding animals (61% and 30% respectively; χ2 test, P=0.045); in particular, the delayed occurrence of ovulation post partum (11% vs 0%) and an increased incidence of persistent corpora lutea (32% vs 20%). For high genetic merit animals, the incidence of abnormal cycles was associated with increased peak milkyields (abnormal cycles: peak milk yield 54.7 ± 1.11 kg/day; normal cycles: peak milk yield 46.4 ± 1.35 kg/day, P=0.002). This relationship was not apparent in average genetic merit animals. First service conception rates were 50% (9/18) for AGM cows and 38% (10/26) for HGM cows (χ2 test, n.s.). The calving to conception interval was 98 ± 9.7 days for AGM animals (n=l7) and 105 ± 9.1 days for HGMs (n=24) (t-test, n.s.). In conclusion, this study confirms that high genetic merit dairy cows have compromised reproductive function in terms of a delayed resumption of cyclicity and an increased incidence of abnormal progesterone cycles, which was associated with higher peak milk yields. There was also a reduced first service conception rate in high yielders although the difference was not significant with this group size.


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