Diodorus Cronus (late 4th–early 3rd centuries BC)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Denyer
Keyword(s):  
Space Time ◽  
Contemporary Debate ◽  
Master Argument ◽  
Greek Philosopher ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of

The most famous member of the Dialectical school, the Greek philosopher Diodorus Cronus maintained various paradoxical theses. He argued that any attempt to divide space, time or matter must end with little regions, periods or bodies that cannot further be divided; hence, he inferred, things cannot be in motion. Diodorus also contributed to the contemporary debate on conditionals: one proposition implies another, he held, if and only if it never has been possible, and is not now possible, to have the former proposition true and the latter proposition false. Diodorus is however most famous for inventing the master argument. The master argument relied on two assumptions: that every past truth is necessary, and that the impossible does not follow from the possible. It concluded, on these assumptions, that no proposition is possible unless it either is true or will be. The master argument was designed to support Diodorus’ definition of possibility: a proposition is possible if and only if it either is or will be true. This definition is not exactly tantamount to the fatalist doctrine that all truths are necessary, but it was felt to come too close to fatalism for comfort.

Human Fallibility and Fallibilism about Knowledge

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Brown
Keyword(s):  
Practical Reasoning ◽  
Knowledge Attributions ◽  
Knowledge Norm ◽  
Concessive Knowledge Attributions ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Threshold Problem

This chapter distinguishes between fallibilism and infallibilism by appeal to entailment: infallibilists hold that knowledge that p requires evidence which entails that p; fallibilists deny that. It outlines some of the recent motivations for infallibilism, including the infelicity of concessive knowledge attributions, the threshold problem, closure, and the knowledge norm of practical reasoning. Further, we see how contemporary infallibilists attempt to avoid scepticism by appeal either to a generous conception of evidence or a shifty view of knowledge, such as contextualism. The chapter explains the book’s focus on non-shifty versions of infallibilism which defend a generous conception of evidence. It ends by defending the entailment definition of infallibilism over other potential definitions, and outlining the chapters to come.

Erasmus versus Luther: A Contemporary Analysis of the Debate on Free Will

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-335
Author(s):  
Aku Visala ◽  
Olli-Pekka Vainio
Keyword(s):  
Free Will ◽  
Martin Luther ◽  
Philosophical Theology ◽  
Contemporary Debate ◽  
Will And Grace ◽  
To Come

SummaryIn this article, we will use contemporary analytic tools to make sense of the main arguments in the classic debate on free will between Erasmus of Rotterdam and the Reformer Martin Luther. Instead of offering another exegesis of these texts, we put forward an analysis that links this historical debate with contemporary discussions on free will and grace in philosophical theology. We argue that the debate was ultimately about how three theological core claims are related to one another: the Anti-Pelagian Constraint (humans are incapable of willing any good, in order to come to faith), the Responsibility Principle (humans are morally responsible in the eyes of God) and human free will. Erasmus attacks Luther by arguing that the Responsibility Principle cannot be maintained without free will, while Luther responds by arguing that Erasmus must reject free will, because it is in conflict with the Anti-Pelagian Constraint. Luther is then left with the dilemma of justifying the Responsibility Principle without free will – a task, which in our estimation, fails. In the concluding section of the article, we point out some continuities and discontinuities between the contemporary debate and that of Luther and Erasmus.

In quest of higher dimensions – Superstring Theory and the Calabi – Yau manifolds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deep Bhattacharjee ◽  
Sanjeevan Singha Roy
Keyword(s):  
String Theory ◽  
Higher Dimensions ◽  
Physical Reality ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Superstring Theory ◽  
Real Nature ◽  
Time Space ◽  
Klein Theory ◽  
Relative Notion ◽  
Definition Of

Higher dimensions are impossible to visualize as the size of dimension varies inversely proportional to its level. The more the dimension ranges, the least its size. We are a set of points living in a particular point of space and a particular frame of time. i.e, we live in space-time. The space has more dimensions that meets the human eye. We are living in a world of hyper-space. Our world being a smaller dimension is floating in higher dimensions. The quest for the visually of higher dimensions has been a fantasy to mankind but this aspect of nature is completely locked. We can transform dimensions i.e., from higher to lower dimensions, or from lower to higher dimensions, but only through mathematics. The relative notion of mathematics helps us to do the thing, which is perhaps impossible in the experimental part of physical reality. Humans being an element of 3 Dimensions – length, breath, height can only perceive one higher dimensions, that is space-time. but beyond that the notion of dimension itself changes. The dimensions got curled up in every intersection of the coordinates of space in such a way that the higher dimensions remain stable to us. But in reality it is highly unstable. In the higher dimensions, above 4, the space is tearing apart and joining again spontaneously, but the tearing portion itself covered by 2 dimensional Branes which acts as a stabilizer for the unstable dimensions. Dimensions will get smaller and smaller with the space-time interwoven in it. But at Planks length that is 10^-33 meter, the notion of space-time itself breaks down thereby making impossible for the higher dimensions to coexist along with space. Without space, there will be no identity of any dimension. The space itself is the fabric for the milestone of residing higher dimensions. Imagine our room, which is 3 dimensional. But what is there inside the room. The space and of course the time. Space-time being a totally separate entity is not quite separate when compared with other dimensions because it makes the residing place for the higher dimensions or the hyperspace itself. We all are confined within a lower dimensional world within a randomness of higher dimensions. Time being alike like space is an arrow which has the capability of slicing space into different forms. Thereby taking a snapshot of our every nano-second we vibrate within space-time. As each slice of time represents each slice of space, similarly each slice of space represents each slice of time. The nature of space-time is beyond human consciousness. It is the identity by which we breathe, we play, we survive. It is the whole localization of species that encompasses itself with space thereby making space-time a relative quantity depending upon the reference frame. The only thing that can encompass space-time or even change the relative definition of space-time is the speed, the speed far beyond the speed of light. The more the speed, the less the array of time flows. Space-time being an invisible entity makes the other dimensions visible residing in it only into the level of 3, that is l, b, h. After that there is a infamous structure formed by the curling of higher dimensions called CALABI-YAU manifold. This manifold depicts the usual nature of the dimensional quadrants of the higher order by containing a number of small spherical spheres inside it. The mathematics of string theory is still unable to solve the genus and the containing spheres of the manifold which can be the ultimate quest for the hidden dimensions. Hidden, as, the higher dimensions are hidden from human perspective of macro level but if we probe deeper into the fabric of the space-time of General Relativity then we will find the 5th dimension according to the Kaluza-Klein theory. And if we probe even deeper into it at the perspective of string theory we will be amazed to see the real nature of quantum world. They are so marvelously beautiful, they contain so many forms of higher dimensions ranging from 6 to 10. And even many more of that, but we are still not sure about it where they may exist in a ghost state. After all, the quantum nature is far more beautiful that one can even imagine with a full faze of weirdness.

African Films and FESPACO

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Cowcher
Keyword(s):  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
African Continent ◽  
Film Festivals ◽  
Ousmane Sembene ◽  
African Cinema ◽  
African Film ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of

The Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) was founded in 1969. It began as an intimate week-long gathering of filmmakers and enthusiasts in the capital of what is now Burkina Faso to watch contemporary films made by African filmmakers. At its peak in the 1990s, it attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators, both local and international. Since the 2000s, iterations have been smaller affairs, significantly impacted by both changes of government in Burkina Faso and wider political instability in West Africa, as well as ongoing debates about what films it should be showcasing. Despite such challenges (and with only one exception in the mid-1970s), however, FESPACO has remained a constant on the African continent, faithfully screening films by African and diaspora filmmakers every two years for more than half a century. FESPACO was conceived in the age of decolonization by a group of men and women who are considered to be the pioneers of African cinema, including the Senegalese writer and filmmaker Ousmane Sembène. It was established as the first sub-Saharan showcase of African filmmaking, an emergent and significant field in the era of independence when cinema was prized for its ability to make visible African realities and to (re)constitute national histories eclipsed by colonial rule. The concept of a distinctly “African” cinema was articulated most extensively by filmmaker and scholar Paulin Soumanou Vieyra and referred to films made by Africans, telling African stories, principally for African audiences. For Vieyra, Sembène, and their contemporaries, it was essential to take back control of the art of cinema on the African continent, where it had predominantly been deployed as a colonial tool; FESPACO was conceived as the regular forum for those committed to its development to come together and share their work. Through the course of its development, FESPACO has been confronted with a number of challenges regarding its form and its evolution. Its strong connections with the Burkinabe state have been seen as both a significant factor for its growth and its success, and, particularly in the era of Blaise Compaoré, as a source for concern regarding freedom of expression. Since the turn of the 21st century, questions about where video filmmaking—an industry that has proliferated on the African continent in a manner unprecedented internationally—fits within FESPACO’s definition of cinema have been consistent. The festival has, over the years, been accused of being both outdated and elitist in its commitment to celluloid, but also of straying from its original remit to showcase African stories for African audiences, accusations it has responded to by the creation of new prize categories and requirements for submission. The year 2019 was one of reflection, but many critics felt that after some difficult years the festival was showing signs of rejuvenation. Though it is now one of many film festivals on the continent committed to showcasing African cinema, there remains significant appreciation for the historic status of FESPACO as a preeminent sub-Saharan cultural institution.

Artificial intelligence: criminal and procedural aspects

2021 ◽  
pp. 75-89
Author(s):  
Igor I. Kartashov ◽  
Ivan I. Kartashov
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Criminal Proceedings ◽  
Legal Advice ◽  
Judicial Practice ◽  
Legal Expert ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Self Learning

For millennia, mankind has dreamed of creating an artificial creature capable of thinking and acting “like human beings”. These dreams are gradually starting to come true. The trends in the development of modern so-ciety, taking into account the increasing level of its informatization, require the use of new technologies for information processing and assistance in de-cision-making. Expanding the boundaries of the use of artificial intelligence requires not only the establishment of ethical restrictions, but also gives rise to the need to promptly resolve legal problems, including criminal and proce-dural ones. This is primarily due to the emergence and spread of legal expert systems that predict the decision on a particular case, based on a variety of parameters. Based on a comprehensive study, we formulate a definition of artificial intelligence suitable for use in law. It is proposed to understand artificial intelligence as systems capable of interpreting the received data, making optimal decisions on their basis using self-learning (adaptation). The main directions of using artificial intelligence in criminal proceedings are: search and generalization of judicial practice; legal advice; preparation of formalized documents or statistical reports; forecasting court decisions; predictive jurisprudence. Despite the promise of using artificial intelligence, there are a number of problems associated with a low level of reliability in predicting rare events, self-excitation of the system, opacity of the algorithms and architecture used, etc.

scholarly journals Generalized Timelike Mannheim Curves in Minkowski Space-Time

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Akyig~it ◽  
S. Ersoy ◽  
İ. Özgür ◽  
M. Tosun
Keyword(s):  
Minkowski Space ◽  
Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Minkowski Space Time ◽  
Mannheim Curve ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient

We give the definition of generalized timelike Mannheim curve in Minkowski space-time . The necessary and sufficient conditions for the generalized timelike Mannheim curve are obtained. We show some characterizations of generalized Mannheim curve.

scholarly journals The classification, definition, and ontology of delusion

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-181
Author(s):  
José Eduardo Porcher
Keyword(s):  
Ontological Status ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Shed Light

Although delusion is one of the central concepts of psychopathology, it stills eludes precise conceptualization. In this paper, I present certain basic issues concerning the classification and definition of delusion, as well as its ontological status. By examining these issues, I aim to shed light on the ambiguity of the clinical term ‘delusion’ and its extension, as well as provide clues as to why philosophers are increasingly joining the ranks of psychiatrists, psychologists, and neuroscientists in the effort to come to a comprehensive understanding of delusion.

scholarly journals The Nature of Compounding

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-21
Author(s):  
Pius ten Hacken
Keyword(s):  
Second Step ◽  
Linguistic Terms ◽  
Scientific Terminology ◽  
Step Procedure ◽  
To Come ◽  
Universal Definition ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Selection Of

This paper addresses the question of the definition of compounding from a terminological perspective. In terminology, concepts are defined by a selection of properties shared by prototypical cases. For scientific terminology, the selection is validated by the strength of the theories that can use the definition. It is shown that morphophonological criteria often adduced in the delimitation of compounding are not adequate in a universal definition. In order to come up with a better definition, a two-step procedure is proposed. In the first step, a universal definition is used to determine for constructions in a particular language whether they belong to compounding. In the second step, language-specific properties are used to identify instances of these constructions. A definition is proposed that takes a compound as a word with a binary, headed structure, a relation between the elements that is not determined by compounding and a non-head that is not introduced as an entity in the discourse. The use of this definition is illustrated with a number of constructions in different languages. It is shown that expressions commonly called exocentric and copulative compounds are generally not compounds in this definition, but that some expressions that have been labelled as such are in fact compounds. The two-step procedure demonstrated here for compounding can also be used for other linguistic terms.

scholarly journals Redefining trauma in an African context: A challenge to pastoral care

2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray G. Motsi ◽  
Maake J. Masango
Keyword(s):  
Pastoral Care ◽  
Cultural Sensitivity ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Correct Treatment ◽  
African Worldview ◽  
African Context ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

The article attempted to analyse critically the definition of trauma as it is used in the Western medical and psychiatry contexts in order to come up with an appropriate African definition. This was undertaken with the view to demonstrate that the Western worldview is different from the African worldview. Superimposing solutions or providing pre-packed answers to unique African problems will lead only to re-traumatisation, whereas cultural sensitivity and the right diagnosis will lead to the correct treatment. The driving force behind this article was therefore to aim to be relevant, effective and contextual in all African-based pastoral care.

The Evolution of Charity Care within the Healthcare Industry

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela C. Smith ◽  
Aaron D. Crabtree
Keyword(s):  
Charity Care ◽  
Nonprofit Hospitals ◽  
Tax Exempt ◽  
Long Time ◽  
State And Local ◽  
To Come ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
State Examination ◽  
Concise Definition

Tax-exempt classification of nonprofit hospitals has been increasingly subject to federal and state examination. Considering the benefits tax-exempt entities receive, it should not be surprising that these organizations face heavy regulatory scrutiny. The problem for tax-exempt hospitals is the lack of a clear and concise definition of charity care in order to maintain exempt status. State and local regulations aside, the IRS has not presented a consistent position regarding standards for nonprofit hospitals. This paper examines the evolution of hospital tax-exempt status and its relationship to charity care. Given the IRS's evolving and conflicting definitions of charity care, we can expect this issue to be debated for a long time to come.

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