scholarly journals Eliminativní materialismus, lidová psychologie a jazyk myšlení

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-284
Author(s):  
Matěj Dražil

The article provides an analysis of Paul and Patricia Churchland’s eliminative materialism. I will distinguish two lines of argument in their eliminativism: one seeking to eliminate folk psychology and the second criticising Jerry Fodor’s language of thought hypothesis. Then I will closely examine the second line of argument, and show that it represents the main motive of Churchland’s work since the end of 1980s and demonstrate why the success of the argument against the language of thought hypothesis does not constitute a reason for the elimination of folk psychology. Finally, I will examine the consequences of this approach for the role of folk psychology in the study of mind and show that the weakened eliminativist position still fulfils the original aim of Churchland’s program.

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Bonetto ◽  
Fabien Girandola ◽  
Grégory Lo Monaco

Abstract. This contribution consists of a critical review of the literature about the articulation of two traditionally separated theoretical fields: social representations and commitment. Besides consulting various works and communications, a bibliographic search was carried out (between February and December, 2016) on various databases using the keywords “commitment” and “social representation,” in the singular and in the plural, in French and in English. Articles published in English or in French, that explicitly made reference to both terms, were included. The relations between commitment and social representations are approached according to two approaches or complementary lines. The first line follows the role of commitment in the representational dynamics: how can commitment transform the representations? This articulation gathers most of the work on the topic. The second line envisages the social representations as determinants of commitment procedures: how can these representations influence the effects of commitment procedures? This literature review will identify unexploited tracks, as well as research perspectives for both areas of research.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205141582098766
Author(s):  
Pradeep Prakash ◽  
Prabhjot Singh ◽  
Amlesh Seth ◽  
Rishi Nayyar ◽  
Brusabhanu Nayak

Objective: To evaluate the role of routine nephrectomy for tuberculous non-functioning kidney (TNFK) after receiving anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) by demonstrating whether live tubercle bacilli persist in nephrectomy specimens after treatment or not. Materials and methods: Patients with TNFK who underwent nephrectomy after completion of at least 6 months of ATT were included in this prospective cohort study. We sent tissue/pus from a nephrectomy specimen for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture to look for live bacilli. Bacilli were considered alive only if AFB culture was positive. Results: Twenty-four patients underwent nephrectomy for TNFK between April 2015 and October 2017 (18 laparoscopic and 6 open nephrectomy). Laparoscopic nephrectomy was associated with lower blood loss (225 ml versus 408 ml, p = 0.0003) and shorter hospital stay (3 versus 3.8 days, p = 0.06) compared with open nephrectomy; however, mean operative time and overall complications were similar. Eight specimens were AFB smear and/or tuberculosis PCR positive, out of which three showed viable bacilli upon culture. Drug sensitivity testing showed multi-drug resistant strain in all three patients who were treated with second-line ATT. Conclusion: It is preferable to do routine nephrectomy for TNFKs as they are more likely to harbour live bacilli and lead to disease recurrence. Viability testing for AFB must be performed on all operated specimens to identify drug resistant bacilli so that patients may be treated with second-line therapy if required. Level of evidence: 4.


2013 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 443-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gültekin Tamgüney ◽  
Kurt Giles ◽  
Abby Oehler ◽  
Natrina L. Johnson ◽  
Stephen J. DeArmond ◽  
...  

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk is a highly communicable neurodegenerative disorder caused by prions. Investigations of CWD are hampered by slow bioassays in transgenic (Tg) mice. Towards the development of Tg mice that will be more susceptible to CWD prions, we created a series of chimeric elk/mouse transgenes that encode the N terminus of elk PrP (ElkPrP) up to residue Y168 and the C terminus of mouse PrP (MoPrP) beyond residue 169 (mouse numbering), designated Elk3M(SNIVVK). Between codons 169 and 219, six residues distinguish ElkPrP from MoPrP: N169S, T173N, V183I, I202V, I214V and R219K. Using chimeric elk/mouse PrP constructs, we generated 12 Tg mouse lines and determined incubation times after intracerebral inoculation with the mouse-passaged RML scrapie or Elk1P CWD prions. Unexpectedly, one Tg mouse line expressing Elk3M(SNIVVK) exhibited incubation times of <70 days when inoculated with RML prions; a second line had incubation times of <90 days. In contrast, mice expressing full-length ElkPrP had incubation periods of >250 days for RML prions. Tg(Elk3M,SNIVVK) mice were less susceptible to CWD prions than Tg(ElkPrP) mice. Changing three C-terminal mouse residues (202, 214 and 219) to those of elk doubled the incubation time for mouse RML prions and rendered the mice resistant to Elk1P CWD prions. Mutating an additional two residues from mouse to elk at codons 169 and 173 increased the incubation times for mouse prions to >300 days, but made the mice susceptible to CWD prions. Our findings highlight the role of C-terminal residues in PrP that control the susceptibility and replication of prions.


Augustinus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-136
Author(s):  
Pablo Irizar ◽  
Guinevere Rallens ◽  
Charles Kim ◽  

The fracturing of language at Babel (Gn 11.1-9) is one of the defining events which, for Augustine, gives language its current fallen characteristics and limitations. But does the fallen state of language necessarily imply that language creates a chiasm rather than a bridge between the human and the divine? And if so, is language used in vain to invoke God? This paper addresses these questions through an analysis of the role of language in Augustine’s Ostia ascent narrative (conf. 9, 24). According to a first line of interpretation, language creates a chiasm rather than a bridge between the human and the divine in the ‘Ostia ascent’. According to a second line of interpretation, though fractured, language does not create a chiasm but rather a bridge between the human and the divine. By identifying and intertextually analyzing three facets of the function of language in conf. 9, 24, namely the grammatical, the ontological, and the modal, this paper aims at substantiating the second line of interpretation. Part one explores Augustine’s use of the expression per uerbum (Jn 1.1-15) to analyze the grammar of human and divine language. Part two analyzes the ontological function of language as a mechanism of mediation by showing that the ascent in conf. 9, 24 is similar to the structure of manifestation evident in the transition from forma dei to forma serui (Phil 2.6-7) in Augustine’s s. 264. Finally, part three shows that for Augustine, the conversion from the schola superbiae of rhetoric pride to the humility of the schola pectoris implicitly requires the mode of language as a precondition for ascent in conf. 9, 24. As such, this paper concludes, the three facets of language, namely the ontological, grammatical and modal, function in conf. 9, 24 to unite, mediate and transform the human experience of the divine.


2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (21) ◽  
pp. 1887-1896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clement Chung ◽  
Nisha Pherwani

Abstract Purpose The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, safety, and administration of ziv-aflibercept in combination therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are reviewed. Summary Ziv-aflibercept (Zaltrap, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and sanofi-aventis) is a novel recombinant fusion protein that targets the angiogenesis signaling pathway of tumor cells by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors that play a key role in tumor growth and metastasis; it is a more potent VEGF blocker than bevacizumab. Ziv-aflibercept is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in combination with fluorouracil, irinotecan, and leucovorin (the FOLFIRI regimen) for second-line treatment of patients with mCRC who have disease progression during first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. A Phase III trial demonstrated that relative to FOLFIRI therapy alone, the use of ziv-aflibercept was associated with significantly improved patient response, overall survival, and progression-free survival in patients with good performance status at baseline, including some who had received prior bevacizumab therapy. The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse effects associated with ziv-aflibercept use in clinical studies were neutropenia, hypertension, and diarrhea; the U.S. product labeling warns of potential hemorrhage and other treatment-related risks. Conclusion Current clinical data are insufficient to directly compare ziv-aflibercept and bevacizumab when used with standard combination chemotherapy as first- or second-line regimens for mCRC. The role of ziv-aflibercept is currently limited to the second-line setting in combination with irinotecan-based regimens in mCRC patients who have not received irinotecan previously. The role of ziv-aflibercept in chemotherapy for other tumor types is yet to be determined.


Oncotarget ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (50) ◽  
pp. 87442-87454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puyuan Xing ◽  
Yixiang Zhu ◽  
Ling Shan ◽  
Sipeng Chen ◽  
Xuezhi Hao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Alexey D. Koshelev ◽  

The paper presents a language of thought (a set of cognitive units and relations) used to provide non-verbal definitions for the following five concepts: ARMCHAIR, MUG, RAVINE, LAKE, TREE. These definitions make it possible to describe concepts on two levels of specificity. On the first level, a concept is presented as a holistic cognitive unit. On the second, more specific, level, the same concept is viewed as a partitive system, i.e. a hierarchical system of its parts, the latter being smaller concepts into which the original holistic unit is decomposed. A hypothesis is advanced that such structure is inherent to all visible objects. The partitive system is argued to play a major role in human cognition. It, first, provides for an in-depth understanding of the perceived objects through understanding the role of their parts, and, second, underlies the formation of the hierarchy of concepts with respect to their generality. Besides, it can be considered as one of the defining properties of the human species as it accounts for the human ability to purposefully change the world.


Author(s):  
A. Belozorova ◽  
N. Korovina

The article examines the relationship between educational and intellectual migration on the example of Ukraine. It is noted that usually educational migration is considered as a separate form of migration, it is associated with the stage of formation and accumulation of intellectual potential. While intellectual migration, traditionally understood as the relocation of workers of intellectual labor and creative intelligentsia, is associated with the stage of use of intellectual capital. Therefore, these two streams have so far been considered separately. In order to better understand the current role of educational migration, the processes of departure of Ukrainian students abroad and receiving educational services by foreign students in the domestic economy are considered. The paper also identifies the main directions and scales of educational migration flows in the country. The role of universities as institutions for attracting the intellectual potential of foreign countries to recipient countries in order to increase their competitiveness in the further development of the knowledge economy in the global dimension is substantiated. Based on the analysis of assessments of the causes and factors of the outflow of young people from Ukraine to study, it is substantiated that the quality of education is not the main value that students are looking for. It is found that in the current conditions of economic, political and military crisis, their main motive is emigration to a permanent place of residence in more politically stable and economically successful countries. The existence of a serious problem of lack of proper methods of data collection and statistical analysis in the field of educational and intellectual migration is emphasized, the data of official statistics are incomplete and do not reflect the whole picture of educational and intellectual migration. The benefits of educational immigration are identified and described, as well as the losses of the Ukrainian economy from the outflow of intellectual capital in the form of educational migration and the departure of highly qualified personnel. It is concluded that to change the situation it requires an effective migration policy, which should include the interests of the country's economy based on the acquired knowledge of migrants obtained abroad. The ultimate goal should be the introduction of an effective mechanism for the free movement of migrants and the transformation of irreversible emigration into temporary, because stopping migration in the context of globalization is an impossible phenomenon.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document