scholarly journals Ethics of Timeliness in Confucianism

MANUSYA ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-62
Author(s):  
Sarinya Arunkhajornsak

By exploring Confucius’ attitude towards time, change, and transformation in the “Analects”, this paper aims to illustrate that temporality plays a crucial role in Confucian ethics. Confucius uses the notion of timeliness as an ethical guide in self-cultivation and moral practice in order to harmonize human beings with all the events of change. This paper argues that timely sagehood is a key quality of the junzi or “excellent person.” To be a timely sage, a junzi must cultivate the virtue of yi. This paper presents a conceptualization of “yi” in the “Analects” and proposes that its meanings limited to “righteousness” and “appropriateness” in the sense of morality, legitimacy and justice, include a sense of timeliness, namely, the quality of timely action and the inner intellectual capacity of a junzi to evaluate and work out the appropriate course of an action in an actual situation.

2000 ◽  
Vol 42 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 115-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Shoji ◽  
A. Sakoda ◽  
Y. Sakai ◽  
M. Suzuki

The quality of environmental waters such as rivers is often deteriorated by various kinds of trace and unidentified chemicals despite the recent development of sewage systems and wastewater treatment technologies. In addition to contamination by particular toxicants, complex toxicity due to multi-component chemicals could be much more serious. The environmental situation in bodies of water in Japan led us to apply bioassays for monitoring the water quality of environmental waters in order to express the direct and potential toxicity to human beings and ecosystems rather than determinating concentrations of particular chemicals. However, problems arose from the fact that bioassays for pharmaceutical purposes generally required complicated, time-consuming, expert procedures. Also, a methodology for feedback of the resultant toxicity data to water environment management has not been established yet. To this end, we developed a novel bioassay based on the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake activity of human hepatoblastoma cells. The assay enabled us to directly detect the toxicity of environmental waters within 4 hours of exposure. This is a significantly quick and easy procedure as compared to that of conventional bioassays. The toxicity data for 255 selected chemicals and environmental waters obtained by this method were organized by a mathematical equation in order to make those data much more effectively and practically useful to the management of environmental waters. Our methodology represents a promising example of applying bioassays to monitor environmental water quality and generating potential solutions to the toxicity problems encountered.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-63
Author(s):  
Rabindra Acharya ◽  
Gopal P. Mahapatra ◽  
Kadamibini Acharya

Human beings have always strived towards excellence and progress since time immemorial. Industrialisation, automation and technological disruptions have led to increased comfort and quality of living of human beings and enhanced output, productivity and efficiency. Consequently, of late, health and wellness are receiving increased attention globally. Stress and stress-related diseases and workplace-related ailments have significantly increased over the last few decades and gained attention from society and industrial organisations. In the recent past, in the coronavirus pandemic context, wellness has been focused upon in many countries, communities and organisations worldwide. Yoga has been part of the Indian ethos for centuries. In this article, the authors discuss the General Yoga Programme (GYP), its broad coverage, and the impact it has had on the participants in terms of their wellness. With the help of a survey of the participants and linking it to relevant literature and research in the field, the authors highlight how GYP is a useful tool for enhancing various wellness dimensions. They recommend that GYP in its simplified form can be extended to the workplace; and also, HR professionals can play a facilitative role in the process.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Scaramelli

This paper takes water quality as an ethnographic subject. It looks at how water quality monitors in Boston make sense of the quality of water through mundane engagement with three non-human beings who they encounter during their monitoring activities: herring, bacteria and water lily. Each of these organisms suggests a different understanding of water quality for the monitors and poses a dilemma. Water quality monitors who contribute to the production of water quality data come to know water quality as through direct interactions with these beings, mediated by both sensorial experience and laboratory data. These experiences, at the same time, confuse and redraw relationships between science, water flows, non-human vitality, including that of invasive species, and people.


2021 ◽  
pp. 147612702110120
Author(s):  
Siavash Alimadadi ◽  
Andrew Davies ◽  
Fredrik Tell

Research on the strategic organization of time often assumes that collective efforts are motivated by and oriented toward achieving desirable, although not necessarily well-defined, future states. In situations surrounded by uncertainty where work has to proceed urgently to avoid an impending disaster, however, temporal work is guided by engaging with both desirable and undesirable future outcomes. Drawing on a real-time, in-depth study of the inception of the Restoration and Renewal program of the Palace of Westminster, we investigate how organizational actors develop a strategy for an uncertain and highly contested future while safeguarding ongoing operations in the present and preserving the heritage of the past. Anticipation of undesirable future events played a crucial role in mobilizing collective efforts to move forward. We develop a model of future desirability in temporal work to identify how actors construct, link, and navigate interpretations of desirable and undesirable futures in their attempts to create a viable path of action. By conceptualizing temporal work based on the phenomenological quality of the future, we advance understanding of the strategic organization of time in pluralistic contexts characterized by uncertainty and urgency.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 743
Author(s):  
Marco Fidaleo ◽  
Stefano Tacconi ◽  
Carolina Sbarigia ◽  
Daniele Passeri ◽  
Marco Rossi ◽  
...  

Vitamin B12 (VitB12) is a naturally occurring compound produced by microorganisms and an essential nutrient for humans. Several papers highlight the role of VitB12 deficiency in bone and heart health, depression, memory performance, fertility, embryo development, and cancer, while VitB12 treatment is crucial for survival in inborn errors of VitB12 metabolism. VitB12 is administrated through intramuscular injection, thus impacting the patients’ lifestyle, although it is known that oral administration may meet the specific requirement even in the case of malabsorption. Furthermore, the high-dose injection of VitB12 does not ensure a constant dosage, while the oral route allows only 1.2% of the vitamin to be absorbed in human beings. Nanocarriers are promising nanotechnology that can enable therapies to be improved, reducing side effects. Today, nanocarrier strategies applied at VitB12 delivery are at the initial phase and aim to simplify administration, reduce costs, improve pharmacokinetics, and ameliorate the quality of patients’ lives. The safety of nanotechnologies is still under investigation and few treatments involving nanocarriers have been approved, so far. Here, we highlight the role of VitB12 in human metabolism and diseases, and the issues linked to its molecule properties, and discuss how nanocarriers can improve the therapy and supplementation of the vitamin and reduce possible side effects and limits.


2012 ◽  
Vol 262 ◽  
pp. 263-268
Author(s):  
Zhan Jun Si ◽  
Jia Wang ◽  
Chong Gu

In recent years, screen soft proofing has matured with the development of color management and display technology, and it has become the direction of printing development and the key of promotion. This article aimed at raising a testing scheme of display performance and adjusting scheme of corresponding display parameters, on this account to test the professional display’s performance, adjust display parameters and make color management. At the same time with reflecting the actual situation of display, a stable and accurate color reproduction environment was provided for screen soft proofing. After that, evaluations were carried out to evaluate printing quality of screen soft proofing on the condition that display’s performance was good, consequently the differences between proofing effects and final printing were studied. The result shows that this testing scheme of display performance can reflect the truth of display which is tested in this paper, the display after adjusted and color management according to this scheme shows good effect in the ability of screen analog proofing original, it can approach the requirements of the printing proofing.


Phronesis ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Eyjólfur K. Emilsson

Abstract This paper discusses the role of innate concepts derived from Intellect in Plotinus’ account of cognition of the sensible realm. Several passages have been claimed as evidence for such innateness, but an analysis of them shows that they do not support this claim. It is tentatively suggested that, nevertheless, some very general concepts such as difference, sameness and being are integral to the faculty of sense and play a crucial role in concept formation. It is further argued that reasoning about the sensible realm takes place to a large extent without the involvement of the higher realms of Plotinus’ hierarchy of being. Clearly, however, for value concepts such as those of goodness, justice and beauty human beings are dependent upon an illumination from Intellect.


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 177-177
Author(s):  
Wim Van Der Molen ◽  
◽  
Els Maeckelberghe ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

"concepts and processes by means of a digitable. It is a tool for familiarizing users with complicated and complex issues, learning content, and addressing the more methodical aspects didactically. In this project, we have adapted the DTM for reflecting on research ethics, i.c. research with human beings and its ethical requirements and the review by the medical ethical review committee (MREC). A MREC reviews research proposals based on various (ethical) requirements and requires researchers to understand the ethical consequences and societal impact of their research. Before writing their own proposals, it is important for students to know and understand these ethical requirements and the process through which research proposals are reviewed. In order to train this, we prepared the digitable to simulate the review of a research protocol by an MREC and adapted it into an existing assignment on research ethics for master students. The students were informed of our aim and the use of DTM as an educational tool, and asked for consent. We invited them to critically assess the activity and we ensured participation would not influence their grade. The students reported a better understanding of the medical ethical review and felt it would improve their own work. From the educator’s perspective, the quality of argumentation of the review was much improved compared to previous years. The DTM as an educational tool is now a standard element in different master courses on scientific integrity. "


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumiko Aruga ◽  
Ayako Saito ◽  
Yuji Aoki

Some patients with severe dysphagia need to undergo percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (gastrostomy feeding), which improves nutrition but leads them to feel they are not living like human beings. The KT (Kuchi-kara Taberu, or ingesting orally in Japanese) index was developed in order to comprehensively assess and intervene in problems with eating and swallowing. We present three cases where the KT index improved quality of life after gastrostomy feeding. Through continued nursing care using the KT index, the patient in Case 1 was able to eat orally again; the patient in Case 2 could eat a piece of jelly and communicate a little; and the patient in Case 3 was able to ingest a small amount of food orally, with support from her husband. Thus, the feeding support provided by the KT index radar chart improves quality of life, even after the implementation of gastrostomy feeding. Further studies are needed to investigate how the KT index best helps elderly patients with severe dysphagia live like human beings while taking into account the perspectives of patients and their family members.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel Visse ◽  
Tineke Abma ◽  
Hetty Van den Oever ◽  
Yvonne Prins ◽  
Vincent Gulmans

Aims and objectives: This paper is a report of a study of experiences of people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) with their hospital admission. It evaluates how they perceive their treatment and care and the impact on their social life (school or work). Background: In The Netherlands, people with CF are hospitalized in seven CF centers. In general, hospitalization may raise several challenges concerning the patient’s psychosocial well-being, before, during and after the admission. The admission of people with CF is complicated, because of segregated treatment and care that aims to prevent hospital-based cross-infection. Design: This article reports on a qualitative study. Methods: Data were collected during 2009 and 2010. Nineteen people with CF admitted for more than 5 days in one of the seven Dutch CF-centres participated. Results and conclusions: The findings are organized into five contexts with subthemes: Before admission & Arrival (1); Treatment & Care (2); Room & Stay (3); Discharge (4); Social & Societal context (5). The findings show that patients express a need for enhancing the quality of some treatments, like intravenous injections and patients express normative expectations of professionals that directly relate to their psychosocial well-being, e.g. they want to be ‘seen’ and treated as human beings and not solely as patients. They desire segregation policies to be consistent, whilst simultaneously they prefer flexible segregation guidelines. In general, respondents are satisfied with hospital facilities. The study reports on challenges concerning continuation of school and work during the admission. The paper is relevant to every hospital where people are being nursed in isolation.


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