scholarly journals Eradicating xenophobia and aporophobia: Compassion as a key capacity of moral neuroeducation

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (Extra 295) ◽  
pp. 559-571
Author(s):  
Javier Gracia Calandín
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Adaptation ◽  
Human Capacity ◽  
The Brain

Drawing on the contributions of some of the most recent and relevant studies on neuroethics and moral neuroeducation, this paper undertakes an analysis of compassion. In order to focus on the results of this neuroscientific research a reductionist naturalist framework is set aside in order to embrace the broader outlook of a moral neuroeducation that, firstly, refuses to reduce its normative character to the human capacity for evolutionary adaptation; and, secondly, seeks to locate within the brain the neuronal foundations for the development of a capacity for compassion towards those of one’s own community, and also those from outside it. Thereby, this capacity for compassion moves beyond empathic tribalism.

scholarly journals The joy of sharing knowledge: But what if there is no knowledge to share? A critical reflection on human capacity building in Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 18-28
Author(s):  
Johannes J Britz
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Political Will ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Human Capacity ◽  
The Brain

This article focuses on the current trends and initiatives in human capacity building in Africa. It takes as it starting point that human capacity development is essential for Africa to become an information and know-ledge society and therefore an equal partner in the global sharing of knowledge. Four knowledge areas are identified and discussed. These are education, research and development, brain drain and information and documentation drain. The paper concludes that there is a clear understanding in Africa that its future lies with education and that most African leaders have a strong political will to invest in human capacity building on the continent. It is also clear that much has been done, particularly primary education. Africa will most defi-nitely benefit from this in the long run. Problem areas remain however. These are in the needed growth of research and development and how to address the brain and information drain phenomena.

scholarly journals The origins of music in auditory scene analysis and the roles of evolution and culture in musical creation

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1664) ◽  
pp. 20140089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurel J. Trainor
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Auditory Scene Analysis ◽  
Scene Analysis ◽  
Evolutionary Adaptation ◽  
Motor Pathways ◽  
Musical Adaptations ◽  
Auditory Scene ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Timing Structure

Whether music was an evolutionary adaptation that conferred survival advantages or a cultural creation has generated much debate. Consistent with an evolutionary hypothesis, music is unique to humans, emerges early in development and is universal across societies. However, the adaptive benefit of music is far from obvious. Music is highly flexible, generative and changes rapidly over time, consistent with a cultural creation hypothesis. In this paper, it is proposed that much of musical pitch and timing structure adapted to preexisting features of auditory processing that evolved for auditory scene analysis (ASA). Thus, music may have emerged initially as a cultural creation made possible by preexisting adaptations for ASA. However, some aspects of music, such as its emotional and social power, may have subsequently proved beneficial for survival and led to adaptations that enhanced musical behaviour. Ontogenetic and phylogenetic evidence is considered in this regard. In particular, enhanced auditory–motor pathways in humans that enable movement entrainment to music and consequent increases in social cohesion, and pathways enabling music to affect reward centres in the brain should be investigated as possible musical adaptations. It is concluded that the origins of music are complex and probably involved exaptation, cultural creation and evolutionary adaptation.

Contingency and Constitutionalism in Colonial New York

1998 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-385
Author(s):  
David Thomas Konig
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
The United States ◽  
United States Constitution ◽  
Human Capacity ◽  
The Brain

Of all the comments made by British politicians to describe the United States Constitution, Gladstone's remains the most difficult to deny: by calling it “the most wonderful work ever struck off by the brain and purpose of man” he covered the true origins of the document in a mantle of consensus, well understood and coherent in intent, and epitomizing the human capacity for reasoned progress. All of these attributes have little favor among American constitutional historians today, but the remark still makes the rounds.

Regularities, context, and neural coding: Are universals reflected in the experienced world?

2001 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonino Raffone ◽  
Marta Olivetti Belardinelli ◽  
Cees van Leeuwen
Keyword(s):  
Visual System ◽  
Neural Coding ◽  
Evolutionary Adaptation ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Statistical Regularities ◽  
The Brain

Barlow's concept of the exploitation of environmental statistical regularities may be more plausibly related to brain mechanisms than Shepard's notion of internalisation. In our view, Barlow endorses a bottom-up approach to neural coding and processing, whereas we suggest that feedback interactions in the visual system, as well as chaotic correlation dynamics in the brain, are crucial in exploiting and assimilating environmental regularities. We also discuss the “conceptual tension” between Shepard's ideas of law internalisation and evolutionary adaptation. [Barlow; Shepard]

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