scholarly journals History of the Concept of Similarity in Natural Sciences

Conatus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Virginia John Grigoriadou ◽  
Frank A. Coutelieris ◽  
Kostas Theologou
Keyword(s):  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Scientific Methodology ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
Intellectual Activity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Experimental Tool ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Historical Periods ◽  
Scientific Fields

The concept of similarity has been discussed by many scientists and philosophers since ancient times. Thales of Miletus, Euclid, Aristotle, Galileo, Newton, Edgar Buckingham, and the modern philosopher of science Susan G. Sterrett are examples of intellectuals who perceived and examined the concept of similarity, while many scientists incorporated it in their scientific methodology. The wide range and variety of definitions of similarity could result in confusion regarding the meaning of the concept, the role the similarity mechanism plays in scientific methodology, and the identification of scientific fields to which similarity could be applied. The main aim of this paper was to enhance the understanding of the notion of similarity. To this end, we examined the historical evolution of the concept of similarity and the utilization of the mechanism of similarity in various eras of human intellectual activity, ranging from antiquity to the present day. In this context, the research hypothesis we investigated was the existence of specific and distinct stages of evolution within the long history of the concept of similarity in parallel with the evolution of scientific thought. A core question that motivated our work was when and under which conditions did the transition from the “technocratic” utilization of similarity (i.e., the use of similarity as a solution for practical problems) to its theoretical documentation and its conscious and systematic use as a significant experimental tool occurred. Another important question examined was whether there was a certain era that favored the development of the concept of similarity more than other historical periods. In order to address this hypothesis and respond to these questions, we sought to trace the evolution of conceptualizing and using similarity in different spatial and temporal contexts, formed by the corresponding historical, institutional, religious, and social conditions as well as the characteristics of the scientific methodology established during the period the similarity concept evolved.

scholarly journals Prerequisites for the Development of Regional Studies in Japan within the Framework of Japanese Traditional Science

REGIONOLOGY ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-302
Author(s):  
Evgeny V. Kremnyov ◽  
Vladimir V. Ananiev
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Regional Studies ◽  
Religious Texts ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Poetic Texts ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Historical Periods

Introduction. The variety of elements of the field of regional studies in Japan makes it possible to state that the sources of regional studies are heterogeneous not only in content, but also in their relation to different historical periods. The objective of the study is to analyze the processes of development of proto-regional knowledge in Japan from ancient times until the middle of the 19th century Materials and Methods. Japanese works on history and geography, as well as works by Russian researchers in the considered fields were used as the materials of the study. Particular attention was paid to historical and geographical texts; other sources (religious texts, poetic texts, etc.) were also considered. The basic methods employed were those of systemic, comparative, conceptual and terminological analysis. Results. The article discusses the stages of development of proto-regional knowledge in Japan in the framework of traditional science. Based on the analysis of works created before the middle of the 19th century, the authors conclude that the basic factor in the formation and development of knowledge about regions was the opposition “We vs. Others,” characteristic of Japanese ethnoculture, and this knowledge itself is largely Japanocentric. The article reveals the role of several schools of traditional science: kokugaku (school of national sciences), rangaku / yogaku (Dutch / European studies) and kangaku (school of Chinese sciences), as well as the role of their cultural and ideological confrontation in stimulating the development of proto-regional knowledge. Discussion and Conclusion. The article presents the results of the initial stage of a comprehensive study, which will examine the history of the development of Japanese regional knowledge and the methodology of regional research in Japan. The results of the work may be useful to researchers and specialists in the field of history of regional development of various countries and regions.

scholarly journals A Research on Properties, History of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its Use in Foods

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 300-310
Author(s):  
Çiğdem Muştu
Keyword(s):  
Economic Value ◽  
Crocus Sativus ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Paint Industry ◽  
Medicinal Properties ◽  
Crocus Sativus L

Saffron is an important spice obtained from the dried red stigmas of "Crocus sativus L." belonging to the Iridaceae family. It is used in traditional medicine from ancient times to modern times thanks to its medicinal properties, in various fields such as cosmetics, paint industry, food sector thanks to the bioactive components it contains. The production of saffron, which is one of the most valuable spices in the world and has a wide area of use, is limited to geographical regions such as Iran, India, Afghanistan, Spain, Italy, Greece and Morocco. In addition, although it is among the highest quality saffron producers, its cultivation and production in our country has decreased considerably and it is only made in some villages of Karabük province, Safranbolu county. The limited production of saffron reduces the recognition of this plant, which has a wide range of uses and has high economic value. This valuable plant, which is thought to provide economic gain to our country, should be brought back to the economy. In this review, the saffron plant is discussed in every aspect in order to emphasize its value once more and to make its cultivation sustainable and information about its botanical characteristics, history, regions where it is grown, chemical composition and use in foods was given.

scholarly journals History of Ukraine-China Bilateral Trade

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-45
Author(s):  
Lev Vlasenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
China Trade ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Trade Partner ◽  
Historical Tradition ◽  
Current Stage

Annotation. Introduction. During the years of Ukrainian independence, China has risen from a relatively insignificant country in Asia to the biggest trade partner of Ukraine surpassing even Russia and other post-Soviet republics both in amount and the importance of bilateral trade. To fully understand the current dynamics of bilateral trade between Ukraine and China, it is necessary to explore the history of these relations from ancient times to the current stage to improve the strategy for cooperation between Ukraine and China. Purpose. To study the history of bilateral trade relations of Ukraine and China from first diplomatic contacts to contemporary relations, to identify patterns and trends that affect the dynamics of trade, to outline mistakes and shortcomings of Ukrainian diplomacy, and to provide recommendations for improvement. Result. The revealed pattern of diplomatic and trade relations between Ukraine and China may be considered as an indicator s that China has been viewing Ukraine as a political entity even before the declaration of independence in 1991. International relations between Ukraine and China have a deep and strong historical tradition with a wide range of forms and methods of cooperation in the fields of politics, economics, and culture. Conclusions. The revealed dynamics of bilateral trade prove that the negative trends in trade between Ukraine and China are not always related to the competitiveness of the Ukrainian economy or global market conditions and may have resulted from the mistakes and failures of Ukrainian diplomacy. To prevent these mistakes in the future, it is necessary to have qualified specialists trained to work with China and conduct effective negotiations at the highest level and monitor their correct coverage in the official documents and press. Keywords: international trade; bilateral trade; Ukraine-China trade; Soviet-China trade.

Humanism in the Americas

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Wayne White
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Political Thought ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Cultural Traditions ◽  
Religious Orientations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
English Speaking World

This chapter provides an overview of select trends, ideas, themes, and figures associated with humanism in the Americas, which comprises a diversified set of peoples, cultural traditions, religious orientations, and socio-economic groups. In acknowledging this rich tapestry of human life, the chapter emphasizes the impressive variety of developments in philosophy, the natural sciences, literature, religion, art, social science, and political thought that have contributed to the development of humanism in the Americas. The chapter also features modern usages of humanism that originated in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. In this context, humanism is best viewed as a contested site in which its meanings, usages, and rhetorical power reflect a wide range of ideological allegiances that include positive and negative connotations. The complex, layered processes of colonization that are a part of the history of the Americas will also inflect the varied usages and connotations of humanism.

Ecstatic Landscapes: The Manifestation of Psychedelic Art

2016 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Krippner
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Human Experience ◽  
Humanistic Psychology ◽  
Human Potential ◽  
First Person ◽  
Related Substances ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times

"Psychedelic art" can be defined as artwork manifested in the context of the ingestion of LSD-type drugs and related substances. There is a long history of such work dating back to ancient times (picturing mushrooms and other plants with psychedelic effects) as well as more recent anecdotal first-person accounts and various collections of psychological data resulting from experiments and interviews. One such collection includes the studies by Krippner of over 200 artists, writers, and musicians who referred to their artistic productions as “psychedelic” because they had some connection with their occasional or frequent use of these substances. Although there were no commonalities characterizing all of their paintings, films, poems, novels, songs, or other works, several frequent themes were noted following content analysis of the interview reports. The results of this group of studies, as well as those of more structured explorations, attests to the importance of this topic for humanistic psychology with its emphasis upon creativity, human potential, and exploring the wide range of human experience.

scholarly journals Development of the Theory of Formation of Safe Healthy Lifestyle Skills

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Chorov ◽  
Ch. Zhumakadyrova
Keyword(s):  
Safety Culture ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
The Other ◽  
Life Safety ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
The One ◽  
Economic Formation ◽  
Historical Periods

Тhe work examines the sources of dangers that from ancient times people had to deal with phenomena, processes, events that posed a threat to their health, life, property or other values, while in different historical periods people’s attitude to these threats, nature and to themselves was different. In this regard, even such a relatively new concept as life safety culture has its own prehistory. It includes views, worldviews, teachings and concepts that largely influenced the formation and development of the category in question. To characterize the origins of the culture of life safety, it is necessary to analyze the historical transformation of the concepts of “threat”, “danger”, “security”, the meanings that have been invested in these concepts throughout the history of mankind. On the emergence of a new socio-economic formation, on the one hand, the legacy of the past, on the other, and their contradiction determine the choice of the goal of forming the skills of a healthy and safe lifestyle for schoolchildren. The needs of the new socio-economic system are priority ones, because they are aimed at the future.

scholarly journals The origins of postmodern moral relativism

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-94
Author(s):  
Gang Deng
Keyword(s):  
Moral Relativism ◽  
Good Work ◽  
Moral Concepts ◽  
Western Countries ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Critical Reflections

Postmodernism, which emerged in the 1960s, involves a wide range of fields and carries out all-round critical reflections on the foundation, tradition and other aspects of the development of modern civilization. Postmodern morality came into being with the popularity of postmodernism in western countries. It features obvious “de-universality” and provides a new mirror for reflec­tions on modern morality. Its progressive significance cannot be ignored. However, some postmodern moral concepts are becoming increasingly relativistic, even going to extremes, bringing about disturbances to society. Tracing the root of moral relativism back to ancient times based on the great history of its development, this study first sorts out the same gene of ancient Western mor­al relativism – using “skepticism” as a weapon against authority and dogmatism, and points out that the key of using moral rel­ativism lies in seeking the proper limit of “skepticism”. Then it draws forth the fact that postmodern morality started with “skepticism” and prevailed because of its “relativism”, pointing out that some postmodern morality moved toward moral relativ­ism because of persistence in “skepticism”, while some fall into a state of moral nihility by radicalising “skepticism”. If a crafts­man wants to do good work, he must first sharpen his tools. This study concludes with suggestions on how to use the “skepticism” of postmodern morality.

Group Experiences and Individual Differences in Stuttering

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 4335-4350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth E. Tichenor ◽  
J. Scott Yaruss
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Group Experiences ◽  
History Of ◽  
Adults Who Stutter

Purpose This study explored group experiences and individual differences in the behaviors, thoughts, and feelings perceived by adults who stutter. Respondents' goals when speaking and prior participation in self-help/support groups were used to predict individual differences in reported behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Method In this study, 502 adults who stutter completed a survey examining their behaviors, thoughts, and feelings in and around moments of stuttering. Data were analyzed to determine distributions of group and individual experiences. Results Speakers reported experiencing a wide range of both overt behaviors (e.g., repetitions) and covert behaviors (e.g., remaining silent, choosing not to speak). Having the goal of not stuttering when speaking was significantly associated with more covert behaviors and more negative cognitive and affective states, whereas a history of self-help/support group participation was significantly associated with a decreased probability of these behaviors and states. Conclusion Data from this survey suggest that participating in self-help/support groups and having a goal of communicating freely (as opposed to trying not to stutter) are associated with less negative life outcomes due to stuttering. Results further indicate that the behaviors, thoughts, and experiences most commonly reported by speakers may not be those that are most readily observed by listeners.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document