scholarly journals Reconstructing the Economy: A Methodological Journey from the Surface to the Essence and Back

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-493
Author(s):  
Peter Karl Fleissner
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
New Science ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Protection Mechanisms ◽  
Abstract Level ◽  
The Many ◽  
Copy Protection

The essential methodology in social science to “understand” phenomena is informed abstraction. But the way - how and what for the abstraction process is shaped - divides the economists into various schools. While mainstream econ- omists abstract from any links of the economy to human beings - replacing them by selfish machines maximizing their prof- its or individual utilities, and neglecting any deeper analysis of the basic constructions they use (like prices or money), heterodox economists try to look behind the surface, link them to certain periods of history and to the source of all value: humans are social beings and cannot exist without mutuality. The paper presents a heterodox way to reconstruct contempo- rary capitalist economies by applying the new science of information with its evolutionary concepts. It starts the description on a very abstract level: useful things and services produced by specialized labor. Step by step new layers of economic activities and related information are added and become the basis for the next one. Vice versa economic activities on lower layers become controlled and modified by higher layers. One can see that the higher controlling principles in contemporary capitalist economies do not assist the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the majority of people, but function ac- cording to the self-interest of a minority. For the first time in history capitalism has developed new technologies that in prin- ciple could allow for the participation of the many, to create abundance of information, and to offer tools for building a de- mocratic and sustainable society. But by the same capitalism, rigid Intellectual Property Rights and severe copy protection mechanisms enforce artificial shortage of information goods.

scholarly journals Reconstructing the Economy: A Methodological Journey from the Surface to the Essence and Back

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-493
Author(s):  
Peter Karl Fleissner
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
New Science ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Protection Mechanisms ◽  
Abstract Level ◽  
The Many ◽  
Copy Protection

The essential methodology in social science to “understand” phenomena is informed abstraction. But the way - how and what for the abstraction process is shaped - divides the economists into various schools. While mainstream econ- omists abstract from any links of the economy to human beings - replacing them by selfish machines maximizing their prof- its or individual utilities, and neglecting any deeper analysis of the basic constructions they use (like prices or money), heterodox economists try to look behind the surface, link them to certain periods of history and to the source of all value: humans are social beings and cannot exist without mutuality. The paper presents a heterodox way to reconstruct contempo- rary capitalist economies by applying the new science of information with its evolutionary concepts. It starts the description on a very abstract level: useful things and services produced by specialized labor. Step by step new layers of economic activities and related information are added and become the basis for the next one. Vice versa economic activities on lower layers become controlled and modified by higher layers. One can see that the higher controlling principles in contemporary capitalist economies do not assist the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the majority of people, but function ac- cording to the self-interest of a minority. For the first time in history capitalism has developed new technologies that in prin- ciple could allow for the participation of the many, to create abundance of information, and to offer tools for building a de- mocratic and sustainable society. But by the same capitalism, rigid Intellectual Property Rights and severe copy protection mechanisms enforce artificial shortage of information goods.

Fallenness and Flourishing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hud Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Seven Deadly Sins ◽  
Religious Worldview ◽  
The Many ◽  
Causes Of Failure ◽  
Objective List

This book opens with defenses of the philosophy of pessimism, first on secular grounds and then again on distinctively Christian grounds with reference to the fallenness of human beings. It then details traditional Christian reasons for optimism with which this philosophy of pessimism can be qualified. Yet even among those who accept the general religious worldview underlying this optimism, many nevertheless willfully resist the efforts required to cooperate with God and instead pursue happiness and well-being (or flourishing) on their own power. On the assumption that we can acquire knowledge in such matters, arguments are presented in favor of objective-list theories of well-being and the Psychic Affirmation theory of happiness, and the question—“How are people faring in this quest for self-achieved happiness and well-being?”—is critically investigated. The unfortunate result is that nearly everywhere people are failing. The causes of failure, it is argued, are found in the noetic effects of sin—especially in inordinate self-love and self-deception, but also in insufficient self-love—and such failure manifests both in widespread unhappiness and in that most misunderstood of the seven deadly sins, sloth. After a literary tour designed to reveal the many different ways that sloth can damage a life, a constructive proposal for responding to this predicament featuring the virtue of obedience is articulated and defended. This virtue is analyzed, illustrated, located in a new theory of well-being, and recommended to the reader.

scholarly journals Knowledge and Technology Transfer in the Age of Enlightenment: The Scientific Correspondence between Franciszek Bieliński (1683-1766) and Henri Louis Duhamel du Monceau (1700-1782)

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-143
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Durbas ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Private Lands ◽  
The Many ◽  
Scientific Associations ◽  
Academy Of Sciences ◽  
Scientific Life

The scientific life in mid-seventeenth-century Europe was characterised by numerous academies of sciences and scientific associations whose aim was to propagate the development of the sciences, art and literature. Some have called it “the new Age of Academies all over Europe”. These institutions brought together not only educated professionals but also a large number of amateur scientists. They called for the deliberate abandonment of verbal dispute in favour of visual demonstration/experimentation, and for the creation of paid scientific professionals who would devote their full time to the enterprise. These scientists conducted numerous experiments, the results of which were demonstrated at academic sessions. Franciszek Bieliński became Grand Marshal of the Crown in 1742. During the many years of his public service, he aimed to improve the well-being of Warsaw inhabitants, especially by paving the streets and creating a modern sewerage system. In the light of recent scholarly studies, Franciszek Bieliński is perceived as a figure of very wide horizons, striving to join the Parisian academic scientific discourse in order to transfer knowledge and technology to Poland. Bieliński exchanged letters with the eminent member and three-time president of the Paris Academy of Sciences (1666–1803), Henri Louis Duhamel du Monceau, who among numerous other projects tested new methods of horticulture, agriculture and forestry. The article aims to discuss the scientific research undertaken by Bieliński in regards to technology transfer in the area of agriculture, on the basis of unanalysed documents. Recently found correspondence shows that Grand Marshal Bieliński was involved in experimental research supervised by Duhamel du Monceau, under the aegis of the Paris Academy of Sciences. It pertained to modern agricultural crops and the application of new technologies. The agricultural experiments that Bieliński carried out on his private lands in Otwock over many years focused on improving and increasing agricultural production in accordance with the instructions given by Duhamel du Monceau. An interesting research finding was the detailed description of one of the earliest transfers of advanced technology in the field of agricultural machinery. Reports of the work conducted in Poland, which were sent to Duhamel du Monceau, proved to be so useful and important that the latter mentioned these in the proceedings of the Paris Academy of Sciences.

Perfectionism

Philosophy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Wall
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Autonomy ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Individual Liberty ◽  
Ethical Theories ◽  
Political Theories ◽  
Human Good ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Many

The term perfectionism in philosophy, unlike its more common usage in popular psychology, denotes a range of theoretical positions. There are perfectionist accounts of ethics, perfectionist accounts of well-being, and perfectionist accounts of politics. These positions are often mutually supportive, but one can accept some of them while rejecting others. Perfectionist views purport to be objective in that they characterize states of affairs, character traits, activities, and/or relationships as good in themselves and not good in virtue of the fact that they are desired or enjoyed by human beings. In the history of philosophy, perfectionism has a long and impressive pedigree. It is often associated with ethical theories that characterize the human good in terms of the development and exercise of capacities that are taken to be central to human nature. Aristotle is the foundational figure in this tradition, but perfectionist arguments of this kind can be found in writers as diverse as Aquinas, Kant, (arguably) Mill, Marx, Nietzsche, G. E. Moore, and T. H. Green, among others. Perfectionism also has been associated with ethical theories that, while not tying the human good specifically to the development of human nature, accept some alternative objective account of the human good. Typically, such views have a teleological structure, holding that we have duties to promote the good. More recently, perfectionism has been used to refer to political theories that reject the liberal principle of state neutrality and hold that it is permissible for states to favor, actively and intentionally, objectively valuable conceptions of the good over base ones. Perfectionism, in both moral and political philosophy, has often been charged with being anti-egalitarian and hostile to individual liberty. This charge is encouraged and sustained by a selective focus on the elitist ideas of certain influential perfectionist writers, such as Nietzsche. For these writers, what matters is the excellence of the few, not the mediocrity of the many. It is a mistake, however, to identify perfectionism with any specific articulation of it. Contemporary defenses of perfectionism have attempted to show how its central ideas are compatible with, and indeed supportive of, human equality and individual autonomy.

Measuring Progress Beyond GDP: A Theoretical Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-165
Author(s):  
V. K. Shrotryia ◽  
Shashank Vikram Pratap Singh
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Universal Indicator ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Beyond Gdp ◽  
Critical Aspects

Inclusive development policies and comprehensive strategies are extremely critical aspects of the holistic progress of a nation. The measurement of considerable progress through the indicator/indicators is equally important. What if the selected indicator(s) are inappropriate? It can mislead people and policymakers. That is exactly what is happening to gross domestic product (GDP) as an indicator for measuring the overall progress of any nation. Through this academic article, an attempt has been made to address the following questions. Why do social, environmental, and human-centric indictors reveal an altogether different position concerning the health of the economy? Are we making deliberate mistakes while considering GDP as a gospel indicator for each and everything? Does it reflect the welfare aspects of human beings? Does it accurately reflect the well-being of people? The prolonged followed GDP-driven policies are inadequate for measuring the overall progress of a nation. The progress of a nation cannot be accurately reflected through GDP as an indicator. After an extensive review, the authors found that GDP was intentionally developed for measuring only economic activities which cannot be equated with social or human well-being. The possible outcomes of GDP-driven policies have been reflected through various human, social, and environment-centric indicators, which thoughtfully provide ample grounding to authors to fulminate against the philosophical notion of GDP as a universal indicator for measuring overall national progress/human well-being. This article can add to the literature of “why happiness movement.” This article can provide sufficient theoretical grounds to move beyond GDP and look for some other holistic indicator(s).

Clinical trials — the personal perspective of the research physician?

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-263
Author(s):  
Maria Y. Egorova ◽  
Irina A. Shuvalova ◽  
Olga I. Zvonareva ◽  
Igor D. Pimenov ◽  
Olga S. Kobyakova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Study Drug ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
To Receive

Background. The organization of clinical trials (CTs) requires the participation and coordination of healthcare providers, patients, public and private parties. Obstacles to the participation of any of these groups pose a risk of lowering the potential for the implementation of CTs. Researchers are a key human resource in conducting of CT. Their motivation for participation can have a significant impact on the recruitment and retention of patients, on the quality of the data collected, which determines the overall outcome of the study. Aims to assess the factors affecting the inclusion of Russian physicians-researchers in CT, and to determine their role in relations with patients-participants. Materials and methods. The study was organized as a part of the Russian multicenter face-to-face study. A survey was conducted of researchers from 10 cities of Russia (20172018). The participation in the survey for doctors was anonymous and voluntary. Results. The study involved 78 respondents. Most research doctors highly value the importance of research for science (4,84 0,39), society (4,67 0,46) and slightly lower for participating patients (4,44 0,61). The expectations of medical researchers are related to improving their financial situation and attaining new experience (n = 14; 18,18%). However, the opportunity to work with new technologies of treatment and diagnosis (n = 41; 52,56%) acted as a motivating factor. According to the questionnaire, the vast majority of research doctors (n = 29; 37,18%) believe that the main reason for patients to participate in CT is to receive quality and free medical care. The most significant obstacle to the inclusion of participants in CT was the side effects of the study drug (n = 38; 48,71%). Conclusions. The potential of clinical researchers in Russia is very high. The patient-participant acts for the research doctor as the subject of the study, and not the object, so the well-being of the patient is not indifferent to the doctor. However, the features of the functioning of our health care system form the motivation of doctors-researchers (additional earnings, professional self-development) and the way they perceive the motivation of patients (CT as an opportunity to receive quality medical care).

Persons Together

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan L. Mittleman
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Image Of God ◽  
Jewish Tradition ◽  
The Political ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Market Relations ◽  
The Image Of God

This chapter moves into the political and economic aspects of human nature. Given scarcity and interdependence, what sense has Judaism made of the material well-being necessary for human flourishing? What are Jewish attitudes toward prosperity, market relations, labor, and leisure? What has Judaism had to say about the political dimensions of human nature? If all humans are made in the image of God, what does that original equality imply for political order, authority, and justice? In what kinds of systems can human beings best flourish? It argues that Jewish tradition shows that we act in conformity with our nature when we elevate, improve, and sanctify it. As co-creators of the world with God, we are not just the sport of our biochemistry. We are persons who can select and choose among the traits that comprise our very own natures, cultivating some and weeding out others.

Changing Places

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John MacDonald ◽  
Charles Branas ◽  
Robert Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
City Life ◽  
New Science ◽  
Science And Art ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Scientific Testing ◽  
Large Groups

The design of every aspect of the urban landscape—from streets and sidewalks to green spaces, mass transit, and housing—fundamentally influences the health and safety of the communities who live there. It can affect people's stress levels and determine whether they walk or drive, the quality of the air they breathe, and how free they are from crime. This book provides a compelling look at the new science and art of urban planning, showing how scientists, planners, and citizens can work together to reshape city life in measurably positive ways. It demonstrates how well-designed changes to place can significantly improve the well-being of large groups of people. The book argues that there is a disconnect between those who implement place-based changes, such as planners and developers, and the urban scientists who are now able to rigorously evaluate these changes through testing and experimentation. It covers a broad range of structural interventions, such as building and housing, land and open space, transportation and street environments, and entertainment and recreation centers. Science shows we can enhance people's health and safety by changing neighborhoods block-by-block. The book explains why planners and developers need to recognize the value of scientific testing, and why scientists need to embrace the indispensable know-how of planners and developers. It reveals how these professionals, working together and with urban residents, can create place-based interventions that are simple, affordable, and scalable to entire cities.

Vamping the Stage

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Popular Music ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Women Performers ◽  
New Music ◽  
Women's Voices ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Musical Practices ◽  
The Many ◽  
Late Modern

Vamping the Stage is the first book-length historical and comparative examination of women, modernity, and popular music in Asia. This book documents the many ways that women performers have supported, challenged, and undermined representations of existing gendered norms in the entertainment industries of China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The case studies in this volume address colonial, post-colonial, as well as late modern conditions of culture as they relate to women’s musical practices and their changing social and cultural identities throughout Asia. Female entertainers were artistic pioneers of new music, new cinema, new forms of dance and theater, and new behavior and morals. Their voices, mediated through new technologies of film, radio, and the phonograph, changed the soundscape of global popular music and resonate today in all spheres of modern life. These female performers were not merely symbols of times that were rapidly changing. They were active agents in the creation of local performance cultures and the rise of a region-wide and globally oriented entertainment industry. Placing women’s voices in social and historical contexts, the authors critically analyze salient discourses, representations, meanings, and politics of “voice” in Asian popular music of the 20th century to the present day.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document