Telling Lies, Telling Tales and Telling (and Doing) the Truth: Racism, Moral Repair and the Case for Reparations

First, in the section ‘Telling Lies’, this article attempts to illustrate recent everyday racism. Racism has a history and takes many different forms. I describe a particular practice of racism (found in Britain, circa 1970), which relied, for its doctrine, on supposedly scientific assumptions about biology and breeding—and received a confirming fillip through the celebration of monarchy, empire and rose-tinted history. Second, in ‘Telling Tales’, the story of Zacchaeus is taken as exemplifying a form of moral repair in which telling and doing the truth are intimately related. Third, in ‘Telling and Doing the Truth’, I contend that telling and doing the truth in relation to racism requires not only a clear naming of racism’s lies but also the making of reparations, for the reason that the lies of racism subtended manifold injustices, of which Atlantic slavery and the exploitation of colonies are notable instances. I take the history of the West Indies as providing a clear case where moral repair is (over)due, and I consider the form that reparations might take.

Feng Shui and the Demarcation Project

The vast majority of well-informed philosophers of science and scientists who are clearly (uncontroversially) scientists are able to extensionally differentiate between almost all scientific and non-scientific practices, disciplines, theories, attitudes, modes of procedure, etc., and do so or would do so in much the same way. This legitimately leads to the conclusion that the main problem of scientific demarcation has already, in a sense, been solved, although an explicative integrated account of that solution has not yet been given. Doing so is the goal of the project proposed in Fernandez-Beanato (Journal for General Philosophy of Science 51(3):375–391, 2020b). To advance toward the solution of the scientific demarcation problem, this article executes part of that project: a first step for scientific demarcation is the composition of a broad “list” (set) of accepted characteristics, conditions, or properties of science, or indicators of scientificity (most of them, by themselves, unnecessary and insufficient) which might be collectively used to establish a demarcation between those theories, cognitive fields, practices, etc. which are scientific and those which are not. This article deals with feng shui as a clear case of a non-science. It defines feng shui and then lists properties of science that feng shui possesses and properties of science that it lacks. This article then shows that the proposed demarcatory list demarcates feng shui as non-scientific, in agreement with the current philosophical and scientific consensus.

On the utility of oddities: exceptional bee reproduction illuminates fundamental questions of recombination

Despite its importance, the selective and mechanistic forces governing recombination remain obscure. A recent study of facultatively asexual honeybees suggests a clear case of adaptive adjustment of recombination rate. That these bees' atypical genetics were central to the experiment underscores the utility of genetic oddities as model organisms for studying fundamental questions.

Ethno-pharmacology of Asaroon (Asarum europaeum L.) with special reference to Unani System of Medicine

Asaroon is the rhizome of Asarum europaeum L. and is commonly used in Unani medicines for its various pharmacological actions. It is an evergreen plant with glossy foliage. It belongs to the family of Aristolochiaceae and is native to Europe and the United State of America. Some species of Asaroon have been found in the Eastern Himalayan region. Asaroon has actions like Muharrik-i-A‘sab (nervine stimulant), Mudirr-i-Bawl (diuretics), Mudirr-i-Hayd (emmenagogue), Musakkin-i-Alam (analgesic), Mufattit-i-sudad (remove obstructions) and Muqawwī-i-Jigar (hepatotonic), etc. It is used in the management of Hummā (fevers), Waja 'al-Mafasil (polyarthritis), Sara (epilepsy), Falij (paralysis), Ihtibās al-Tamth (amenorrhea) and Niqris (gout), etc. as per the Unani system of medicine (USM). It is used as a single herb as well as with a combination of other drugs to manage many diseases. The A. europaeum L. contains volatile oils and flavonoids along with other secondary metabolites. In the Indian market, Valeriana wallichii DC has been sold as Tagar but in some cases, it is sold as Asaroon. It is a clear case of adulteration by replacement of costly foreign drugs with a similar-looking indigenous drug. In this manuscript, we have discussed the Ethno-pharmacology of the A. europaeum L. with special reference to USM and basic differences with V. wallichii DC to show that both drugs are different and their actions and uses are also different from each other.

Critical review of the nomenclature and taxonomy of Sorghastrum canescens (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Andropogoneae), an endemic Brazilian species

Some taxonomic groups impose the need to use continuous morphological characteristics in taxon delimitation, and the grass genus Sorghastrum is a clear case of this necessity. Sorghastrum canescens was described based on the length of its awns. However, insufficient and scattered sampling has obscured the identity of this species for at least 137 years, while it was considered synonym of S. incompletum var. incompletum. In this study we evaluate statistical differences in the original and current morphological concepts of S. canescens using analysis of variance and posterior pairwise comparison of means and medians. We also retrieved the nomenclatural history of the binomial S. canescens to clarify possible errors in the synonymization of this species. All the statistical evidence refutes the hypothesis that S. canescens is a synonym of S. incompletum var. incompletum. Historical data revealed an error in the identification of the correct basionym of S. canescens and this error has been repeated in several taxonomic revisions. We were also able to establish an approximate date for the type-collection of S. canescens. We therefore propose the reestablishment of the name Sorghastrum canescens and provide morphological descriptions and illustration of this species.

Do Termitaria Indicate the Presence of Groundwater? A Case Study of Hydrogeophysical Investigation on a Land Parcel with Termite Activity

Termite nests have long been suggested to be good indicators of groundwater but only a few studies are available to demonstrate the relationship between the two. This study therefore aims at investigating the most favourable spots for locating groundwater structures on a small parcel of land with conspicuous termite activity. To achieve this, geophysical soundings using the renowned vertical electrical sounding (VES) technique was carried out on the gridded study area. A total of nine VESs with one at the foot of a termitarium were conducted. The VES results were interpreted and assessed via two different techniques: (1) physical evaluation as performed by drillers in the field and (2) integration of primary and secondary geoelectrical parameters in a geographic information system (GIS). The result of the physical evaluation indicated a clear case of subjectivity in the interpretation but was consistent with the choice of VES points 1 and 6 (termitarium location) as being the most prospective points to be considered for drilling. Similarly, the integration of the geoelectrical parameters led to the mapping of the most prospective groundwater portion of the study area with the termitarium chiefly in the center of the most suitable region. This shows that termitaria are valuable landscape features that can be employed as biomarkers in the search of groundwater.

Identification of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant genomes

Viral recombination has the potential to bring about viral genotypes with modified phenotypic characteristics, including transmissibility and virulence. Although the capacity for recombination among Betacoronaviruses is well documented, SARS-CoV-2 has only been circulating in humans for approximately 8 months and thus has had a relatively short window of opportunity for the occurrence of recombination. The ability to detect recombination has further been limited by the relatively low levels of genetic diversity in SARS-CoV-2. Despite this, two studies have reported recombinants among SARS-CoV-2 strains. Here we first revisit these findings with a new analysis approach, arguing that neither presents a clear case of within-SARS-CoV-2 recombination. Applying this same approach to available SARS-CoV-2 sequences, we then identify five recombinant genomes. Each of these genomes contain phylogenetic markers of two distinct SARS-CoV-2 clades. Further, the predicted parent clades of these recombinant genomes were, with one exception, documented to be co-circulating in the country of infection in the two weeks prior to the sample being collected. Our results indicate that recombination among SARS-CoV-2 strains is occurring, but is either not widespread or often remains undetectable given current levels of viral genetic diversity. Efforts to monitor the emergence of new recombinant genomes should therefore be sustained.