Galileo Reading Qohelet: Seeing the World with “Curiosity’s Eye”

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Samuel E. Balentine
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Intellectual Inquiry ◽  
The World ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Intellectual Environment

This essay examines Galileo’s reading of Ecclesiastes 3:11, which he cited in his letter to the Grand Duchess Christina in 1615 at the beginning of his trial for heresy. Why would Galileo have used this text in support of his intellectual inquiry? Three critical components of his intellectual environment are explored: 1) the development of scientific inquiry within the 17th c system of patronage; 2) the culture of curiosity that sustains his intellectual inquiry; and 3) the telescope and the transformation of human imagination.

Divine Machines

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin E. H. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
Early Modern ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Theoretical Interest ◽  
Living World ◽  
Mechanical Philosophy ◽  
Organic Life ◽  
The World ◽  
Generation Theory

Though it did not yet exist as a discrete field of scientific inquiry, biology was at the heart of many of the most important debates in seventeenth-century philosophy. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the work of G. W. Leibniz. This book offers the first in-depth examination of Leibniz's deep and complex engagement with the empirical life sciences of his day, in areas as diverse as medicine, physiology, taxonomy, generation theory, and paleontology. The book shows how these wide-ranging pursuits were not only central to Leibniz's philosophical interests, but often provided the insights that led to some of his best-known philosophical doctrines. Presenting the clearest picture yet of the scope of Leibniz's theoretical interest in the life sciences, the book takes seriously the philosopher's own repeated claims that the world must be understood in fundamentally biological terms. Here it reveals a thinker who was immersed in the sciences of life, and looked to the living world for answers to vexing metaphysical problems. The book casts Leibniz's philosophy in an entirely new light, demonstrating how it radically departed from the prevailing models of mechanical philosophy and had an enduring influence on the history and development of the life sciences. Along the way, the book provides a fascinating glimpse into early modern debates about the nature and origins of organic life, and into how philosophers such as Leibniz engaged with the scientific dilemmas of their era.

scholarly journals Lifting Kit for Flooded Furnitures: Mechanical Design and Strength Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Muhammad Dzulkifly ◽  
Raffy Frandito ◽  
Mochammad Rafli Ramadhani ◽  
Wildan Rahmawan ◽  
Farid Triawan
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Fatigue Loading ◽  
Maximum Load ◽  
Electronic Equipment ◽  
Strength Analysis ◽  
Safety Factors ◽  
Flood Water ◽  
The World ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Mechanical Tool

<p>Almost every year, floods disaster becomes the scourge of many countries in the world, including Indonesia.  When the flood comes and submerges the houses, every item and household furniture in it will also be submerged in flood water. Furniture that is heavy and difficult to move, especially electronic equipment such as refrigerators, may be left by the owner when a flood occurs. To prevent the furniture from submerging, a lifting kit is needed. For this reason, the purpose of this work is to design a mechanical tool/kit that can lift or elevate the electronic furniture such as refrigerator to a higher position and avoid the damage caused by flood. The kit is expected to be able to cover a 100 x 80 cm base of the refrigerator with maximum load of 200 kg. The elevation of the lifting kit is set to be higher than 50 cm. Calculation for the stress and fatigue analysis is also performed to determine the strength of the structure. As a result, the obtained safety factors for the critical components under static and fatigue loading conditions show values of more than one, indicating the product is safe for real operation. In addition, the required torque to produce the elevation is also calculated and discussed.</p>

The Credulity of Conspiracy Theorists

2018 ◽  
pp. 422-431
Author(s):  
Brian L. Keeley
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
Scientific Explanation ◽  
Social World ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
Rational Inquiry

Where does entertaining (or promoting) conspiracy theories stand with respect to rational inquiry? According to one view, conspiracy theorists are open-minded skeptics, being careful not to accept uncritically common wisdom, exploring alternative explanations of events no matter how unlikely they might seem at first glance. Seen this way, they are akin to scientists attempting to explain the social world. On the other hand, they are also sometimes seen as overly credulous, believing everything they read on the Internet, say. In addition to conspiracy theorists and scientists, another significant form of explanation of the events of the world can be found in religious contexts, such as when a disaster is explained as being an “act of God.” By comparing conspiratorial thinking with scientific and religious forms of explanation, features of all three are brought into clearer focus. For example, anomalies and a commitment to naturalist explanation are seen as important elements of scientific explanation, although the details are less clear. This paper uses conspiracy theories as a lens through which to investigate rational or scientific inquiry. In addition, a better understanding of the scientific method as it might be applied in the study of events of interest to conspiracy theorists can help understand their epistemic virtues and vices.

scholarly journals Kataphysical inquiry, onto-relationality and elemental forms in T.F. Torrance’s doctrine of the mediation of Jesus Christ

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin M. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
A Priori ◽  
A Priori Knowledge ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Knowledge Of God ◽  
The World ◽  
Hypostatic Union ◽  
Priori Knowledge

The doctrine of the mediation of Jesus Christ in the scientific theology of T.F. Torrance rests on the fundamental methodological axiom that knowledge is developed according to the nature (kata physin) of the object of scientific inquiry. To know God through the incarnate Son, who is ‘of one nature with the Father’, is to know God in strict accordance with God’s nature and hence in a theologically scientific way. In Torrance’s kataphysical method, a priori knowledge of God is excluded, for epistemology follows ontology. Because the fundamental aspects of reality are relational rather than atomistic, a scientific theological approach to the doctrine of the mediation of Jesus Christ requires that he be investigated within the nexuses of ‘being-constituting’ interrelations, or ‘onto-relations’, which disclose his identity as incarnate Saviour of the world. Following the principle of logical simplicity, the vast and scattered array of Torrance’s thought can be reduced to a minimal number of elemental forms that succinctly describe in a unitary, non-dualist manner the onto-relations that constitute the identity of the incarnate Son. The primary elemental forms of Torrance’s doctrine of mediation are the Nicene homoousion and the Chalcedonian doctrine of the hypostatic union. Two additional elemental forms that readily arise as corollaries of the doctrine of the hypostatic union are the doctrines of incarnational redemption and the ‘vicarious humanity’ of Jesus Christ. These elemental forms provide a conceptual lens for a theologically holistic view of the mediation of Jesus Christ in the scientific theology of T.F. Torrance.Die leer van die versoening van Christus in die wetenskaplike teologie van T.F. Torrance berus op die fundamentele metodologiese aanname dat kennis volgens die aard(kataphysin) van die voorwerp van wetenskaplike ondersoek verwerf word. Om God deur die vleesgeworde Seun (wat een in wese met die Vader is) te ken, is om Hom in noue ooreenstemming met sy wese en daarom op ’n teologies-wetenskaplike wyse te ken. Volgens Torrance se katafisiese metode is aprioriese kennis van God nie moontlik nie, omdat die ontologie aan die epistemologie voorafgaan. Aangesien die fundamentele kenmerke van die werklikheid relasioneel eerder as atomisties is, vereis ’n wetenskaplik-teologiese benadering tot die leer van die versoening van Christus dat die ondersoek binne die kader van ‘wesensbepalende’ verhoudings of ‘onto-verhoudings’ plaasvind. Dit is immers laasgenoemde wat Christus se identiteit as vleesgeworde Verlosser van die wêreld blootlê. Deur die beginsel van logiese eenvoud toe te pas, kan die omvangryke en sporadiese idees van Torrance gereduseer word tot ’n kleiner aantal kernelemente wat op ’n unitêre, ondubbelsinnige wyse die ‘onto-verhoudings’ wat die identiteit van die vleesgeworde Seun verteenwoordig, duidelik beskryf. Die vernaamste kernelemente van Torrance se leer oor die middelaarskap is die Niceaanse homoousion en die Chalcedoniese leer van die wesenseenheid. Twee opvallende, parallelle kernelemente by die leer van die wesenseenheid is die leer van die verlossing op grond van die vleeswording en die plaasvervangende mensheid van Jesus Christus. Hierdie kernelemente verskaf ’n konsepsuele lens waardeur ’n teologiese, holistiese beskouing van die middelaarskap van Jesus Christus in die wetenskaplike teologie van T.F. Torrance ondersoek kan word. 

scholarly journals Mucosal Immunity and Liver Metabolism in the Complex Condition of Lactation Insufficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 582-590
Author(s):  
Courtney B. Betts ◽  
Alexandra Quackenbush ◽  
Weston Anderson ◽  
Nicole E. Marshall ◽  
Pepper J. Schedin
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Mucosal Immunity ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
World Health ◽  
Postpartum Women ◽  
Human Breast ◽  
Reproductive State ◽  
Growth Requirements ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
The World

Lactation insufficiency is variously defined and includes the inability to produce milk, not producing enough milk to exclusively meet infant growth requirements, and pathological interruption of lactation (e.g., mastitis). Of women with intent-to-breastfeed, lactation insufficiency has been estimated to affect 38%–44% of newly postpartum women, likely contributing to the nearly 60% of infants that are not breastfed according to the World Health Organization’s guidelines. To date, research and clinical practice aimed at improving feeding outcomes have focused on hospital lactation support and education, with laudable results. However, researchers’ reports of recent rodent studies concerning fundamental lactation biology have suggested that the underlying pathologies of lactation insufficiency may be more nuanced than is currently appreciated. In this article, we identify mucosal biology of the breast and lactation-specific liver biology as two under-researched aspects of lactation physiology. Specifically, we argue that further scientific inquiry into reproductive state-dependent regulation of immunity in the human breast will reveal insights into novel immune based requirements for healthy lactation. Additionally, our synthesis of the literature supports the hypothesis that the liver is an essential player in lactation—highlighting the potential that pathologies of the liver may also be associated with lactation insufficiency. More research into these biologic underpinnings of lactation is anticipated to provide new avenues to understand and treat lactation insufficiency.

scholarly journals Special Issue: “Coatings for Harsh Environments”

Coatings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 407
Author(s):  
Shiladitya Paul
Keyword(s):  
Protective Coatings ◽  
Composite Coatings ◽  
Harsh Environments ◽  
Process Equipment ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
The World ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
Term Performance

The operation of numerous safety-critical components in industries around the world relies on protective coatings. These coatings often allow process equipment to be purposeful in environments well beyond the operational limit of the uncoated components. Durability, ease of application, repairability, reliability and long-term performance of such coatings are vital to their application. Therefore, this Special Issue of Coatings, “Coatings for Harsh Environments”, is devoted to research and review articles on the metallic, non-metallic and composite coatings used in aggressive environments.

scholarly journals Science is perception: what can our sense of smell tell us about ourselves and the world around us?

2010 ◽  
Vol 368 (1924) ◽  
pp. 3491-3502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. Brookes
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Right ◽  
Sensory Processes ◽  
Scientific Tool ◽  
Mechanical Phenomena

Human sensory processes are well understood: hearing, seeing, perhaps even tasting and touch—but we do not understand smell—the elusive sense. That is, for the others we know what stimuli causes what response, and why and how. These fundamental questions are not answered within the sphere of smell science; we do not know what it is about a molecule that … smells. I report, here, the status quo theories for olfaction, highlighting what we do not know, and explaining why dismissing the perception of the input as ‘too subjective’ acts as a roadblock not conducive to scientific inquiry. I outline the current and new theory that conjectures a mechanism for signal transduction based on quantum mechanical phenomena, dubbed the ‘swipe card’, which is perhaps controversial but feasible. I show that such lines of thinking may answer some questions, or at least pose the right questions. Most importantly, I draw links and comparisons as to how better understanding of how small (10’s of atoms) molecules can interact so specially with large (10 000’s of atoms) proteins in a way that is so integral to healthy living. Repercussions of this work are not just important in understanding a basic scientific tool used by us all, but often taken for granted, it is also a step closer to understanding generic mechanisms between drug and receptor, for example.

scholarly journals Establishing enhanced Listeria control: Coupling environmental monitoring with risk-based product testing

2021 ◽  
Vol 854 (1) ◽  
pp. 012033
Author(s):  
S Gummalla
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Product Testing ◽  
Food Manufacturing ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
The World ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Food Contact Surface ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
And Control

Abstract Prevention and control of Listeria monocytogenes remains a challenge in food manufacturing facilities and methods adopted vary across different production systems and food categories. Regulatory policies also vary from region to region, although there is a convergence across the world towards risk-based approaches. Given these inconsistencies, the objective of this commentary is to reiterate two fundamentally critical components of Listeria control and prevention, and the potential benefits of actively coupling food contact surface testing and risk-based product testing programs.

Past pandemics and their parallel situation in Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-141
Author(s):  
Jiba Raj Pokharel
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World

Pandemics have been occurring in the world since time immemorial. It is difficult in the case of the ancient pandemics but pandemics of later origin have conveyed some messages or the other. These are valuable lessons which should be accepted wholeheartedly for facing more competently in the following pandemics. This article deals with the pandemics that have hit the world since early times. It also portrays the situation that was prevailing in Nepal during the time of the pandemic. It has been found that Nepal did not have connectivity with the pandemics in the past. It is only in the Corona pandemic that Nepal has also been a part of the whole globe. Nepali people considered the diseases were thrown upon people by God because of the grave mistakes committed by them due to lust and greed. So, people worshipped God instead of making a scientific inquiry in this field. Even though, Ayurvedic medicines based on local herbs and the likes were produced and used in the case of the pandemics.

Imaginative Frames for Scientific Inquiry

2019 ◽  
pp. 304-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Camp
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Practice ◽  
Model Construction ◽  
Cognitive Tools ◽  
Scientific Theories ◽  
Half Century ◽  
Scientific Representations ◽  
The World

Philosophers of science in the last half century have emphasized that scientific theories are not sets of transparently interpretable, logically connected true descriptions; rather, they involve implicit appeal to only partially articulated theoretical, practical, and empirical assumptions, and depart from stating the truth in various ways. One influential trend treats scientific theorizing as largely a process of model construction, and analyzes models as fictions. While this chapter embraces the increased role accorded to imagination and interpretation in scientific practice by the models-as-fictions view, it argues that different scientific representations relate to the world in importantly different ways. It distinguishes among a range of distinct representational tropes, or “frames,” all of which function to provide a perspective: an overarching intuitive principle for noticing, explaining, and responding to some subject. Starting with Max Black’s metaphor of metaphor as a pattern of etched lines on smoked glass, the chapter explains what makes frames in general powerful cognitive tools. It then distinguishes metaphor from some of its close cousins, especially telling details, just-so fictions, and analogies, first in the context of ordinary cognition and then in application to science, focusing on the different sorts of gaps that frames or models can open up between scientific representations and reality.

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