Border Crossings by Immigrants: Legality,Illegality, and Alegality

What happens to the concept of security if legal disorder manifests itself not only as illegal behavior but also as alegal behavior—acts that challenge the very distinction between legality and illegality, as drawn by a political community? Focusing on European immigration policy, this paper examines how the distinction between illegal and alegal acts critically illuminates the relation between collective (in)security and the concept of legal (dis)order. It concludes by arguing that this distinction sheds new light on the systematic relation—and tension—between security, freedom, and justice.     

Symmetropy,an entropy-like measure of visual symmetry

A new objective measure of symmetry for single patterns, called symmetropy, is developed on two bases, the two-dimensional discrete Walsh transform of a pattern and the entropy concept in information theory. It is extended to a more general measure, called the symmetropy vector. In order to test the predictive power of the symmetropy vector, multiple regression analyses of judged pattern goodness and of judged pattern complexity were carried out. The analyses show that the symmetropy vector predicts pattern goodness and pattern complexity, as well as the amount of symmetry in a pattern. They also suggest that pattern goodness is a concept based on the holistic properties of a pattern, while pattern complexity (or simplicity) is a concept based on both holistic and partial properties of a pattern.     

自我同一性与相关概念的辨析

自我同一性是一个多层次、多维度的心理学概念．这一概念自提出后就面临着概念澄清的问题．尤其是与相关概念的边界划分问题。因此．要把握自我同一性的概念就需要对与自我同一性相关联的概念进行辨析。这主要涉及到(1)自我与同一性;(2)自我同一性与自我概念;(3)自我同一性与个人同一性、角色同一性和社会同一性。     

学业成就、创造力与跨学科概念图创作能力的关系

为了从知识基础和创造性思维视角探讨跨学科知识整合的条件,以125名高二学生为被试采用相关研究设计考察了学业成就、创造力与跨学科概念图创造能力的关系。结果发现：（1）学业成就与跨学科概念图创作能力正相关;高成就组在命题、交叉和总分维度上的表现优于低成就组;而中成就组在命题和总分维度上的表现优于低成就组;（2）创造力与跨学科概念图创作能力正相关;创造力的流畅性和独创性与跨学科概念图的所有维度正相关;灵活性与概念图创作的命题、交叉、范例和总分正相关;（3）学业成就与创造力能够中等程度地预测跨学科概念图创作不同能力组被试的分布。这表明学业成就和创造力是跨学科知识整合的基础。     

REJOINDER TO AUSTIN, HUMPHREYS, AND HULIN: CRITICAL REANALYSIS OF BARRETT, CALDWELL, AND ALEXANDER

Austin, Humphreys, and Hulin (1989), in their critique of Barrett, Caldwell, and Alexander (1985), disagree with most of the critical comments made about the concept of dynamic criteria. We contend that the burden of proof still rests upon the advocate of a concept. Adequate evidence has not been presented to support the dynamic criteria concept, and Austin et al. (1989) add no new evidence. Austin et al. (1989) claim dynamic criteria can be described as a simplex with correlations decreasing over time. The empirical support for the simplex is based on a few studies with no statistical tests. Evidence from educational, organizational, and experimental psychology is reviewed, and much of it refutes the concept of a pervasive simplex pattern. There is considerable evidence that validity coefficients are stable or may even increase over time. More evidence is required before the Ghiselli and Haire (1960) and Austin et al. (1989) concept of dynamic criteria can be accepted.     

Putnam,realism and truth

There are several distinct components of the realist anti-realist debate. Since each side in the debate has its disadvantages, it is tempting to try to combine realist theses with anti-realist theses in order to obtain a better, more moderate position. Putnam attempts to hold a realist concept of truth, yet he rejects realist metaphysics and realist semantics. He calls this view internal realism. Truth is realist on this picture for it is objective, rather than merely intersubjective, and eternal. Putnam introduces a concept of epistemic idealization — epistemically ideal conditions, or idealized justification — to try to ground the strong objectivity of truth without sliding into metaphysical realism. I argue that the concept of ideal conditions to which Putnam appeals does not cohere with his (anti-realist) commitment to an assertability conditions account of meaning.     

Reflectivity, Reflection, and Counter-Education

This article sets forward a new concept of reflection, to be contrasted with more usual reading of the concept for which we use the term `reflectivity'. The contrast is related to a distinction between normalizing education and counter-education. We claim that within the framework of normalizing education there is no room for reflection, but only for reflectivity. In contrast to reflectivity, reflection manifests a struggle of the subject against the effects of power which govern the constitution of her conceptual apparatus, her knowledge, her consciousness and her limitations and possibilities for successful functioning. Reflectivity re-presents the hegemonic realm of self-evidence and the productive violence of social and cultural order. Reflection, by contrast, aims to challenge the supposedly self-evident and the present order of things. Reflection aims at transcendence and represents a moral commitment in respect of the otherness of the Other, which power relations in every realm of self-evidence oblige us to neglect, to destroy or consume. Transcendence is a concrete utopia, and so is the subject in her nonrepressive communication with the Other: they are part and parcel of our present possibilities, sometimes in microscopic arenas, struggled for, and from time to time even realized.     

Hyperstructures, Topology and Datasets

In the natural sciences higher order structures often occur. There seems to be a need for good methods of describing what we mean by higher order structures in various contexts. This is what hyperstructures are intended to do. We motivate and introduce this new concept. Next we illustrate how it can be applied in various types of genomic analysis—particular the correlations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and diseases. The suggested structure is quite general and may be applied to a variety of situations. Finally we discuss how data sets (f. ex. genomic) may lead to topological spaces, giving new invariants and lead to the prediction of hyperstructures.     

On pink elephants,floating daggers,and other philosophical myths

Many philosophers and scientists rightly take hallucinations to be phenomena that challenge in a most pressing way our theories of perception and cognition, and epistemology in general. However, very few challenge the received views on the hallucinatory experience and even fewer critically delve into the subject with both breadth and depth. There are all kinds of problems concerning hallucinations—including conceptual, methodological, and empirical issues—that call for a multilevel analysis and an interdisciplinary approach which in turn provide the detail and scope that the subject demands. In this paper, I present and briefly discuss four interrelated problems: (1) definitions, (2) dependence on perception, (3) two views on hallucinations, and (4) methodology. Neglect or underestimation of these problems, among other things, continue to prevent a proper understanding of the concept and the corresponding experience, giving rise to misconceptions and even plain myths on the subject. Hallucinations do occur; but in order to productively investigate them (for whatever end), we first need to get clear on the concept and develop a suitable epistemological framework for their analysis.     

Symbiosis,Empathy, Suicidal Behavior,and the Family

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the theoretical concept of symbiosis, as described by Mahler and her co-workers, and its clinical applications in suicidal situations. Symbiosis is defined as both a developmental phase characterized by a lack of differentiation between self and others and a relationship which is contingent upon the family and social network. A disturbed symbiosis is a major component in a suicide attempt. The destructive aspects of symbiosis are traced together with its relationship to empathy and the efforts to both restore and resolve a symbiotic conflict through suicidal behavior. In family therapy a repetition of older symbiotic relationships is frequently observed. These are repeated from one generation to the next in order to keep the old relationship alive. Finally, the practical implications of the concept of symbiosis for assessment and treatment are discussed.     

论自我同一性概念的整合

自我同一性是西方心理学一个重要的概念,但至今没有一个普遍接受的定义。通过对自我同一性概念内涵不一得归因分析,指出了整合自我同一性概念应关注的几个范畴,进而提出自我同一性是一个与自我、人格的发展有密切关系的多层次、多维度的心理学概念。本质上,它是指人格发展的连续性、成熟性和统合感,它包含三个层面的内涵：(1)最基本的层面,即ego-idernity;(2)个人同一性;(3)社会同一性。     

Values Define Fields: The Intentional Dynamics of Driving,Carrying, Leading,Negotiating, and Conversing

Coss (1991a) found that squirrels from populations that differed in their historical exposure to snakes reacted in a manner similar to that of squirrels sympatric with snakes when exposed to one; lab-reared pups also showed some typical reactions to a snake. Coss concluded that the squirrels possessed a genetic relic of the pattern of behavior typical of the common progenitor at a time when snakes exerted selection pressure on squirrel evolution. It is argued here that this concept of behavioral relics is suspect and should be employed with caution. The concept is difficult to apply rigorously, and the philosophy of the concept is diametrically opposed to the animal-environment mutualism espoused by ecological psycholo- gists. Three more parsimonious explanations for the phenomena reported in Coss (199 1 a) are suggested.     

Sehen, Sichtbarkeit und empirische Forschung

Vision, Visibility, and Empirical Research. In general, natural scientists use the concept of observation in a liberal way: they talk of observing electrons, DNA, or distant quasars. Several philosophers of science have recently argued for a similar use of the concept of observation: they have claimed that the important aspects of scientific research can only be properly reconstructed in accordance with how this term is actually used in science. With reference to an example from astronomy, I point out that the proposed generalisation of the concept of observation leads to undesirable consequences. I argue that a differentiated conceptual framework is required in order to give an adequate account of the varieties of scientific experience. Thus, the appropriate starting point for distinguishing these various scientific research practices should not be the generalised scientific conception of observation, but instead distinctly different uses of the term observation drawn from ordinary language. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Causes,Counterfactuals, and Non-Locality

In order to motivate the thesis that there is no single concept of causation that can do justice to all of our core intuitions concerning that concept, Ned Hall has argued that there is a conflict between a counterfactual criterion of causation and the condition of causal locality. In this paper I critically examine Hall's argument within the context of a more general discussion of the role of locality constraints in a causal conception of the world. I present two strategies that defenders of counterfactual accounts of causation can pursue to respond to Hall's challenge—including the adoption of a counterfactual condition that is sufficient for causal action-at-a-distance in place of Hall's ‘process’ condition—and conclude that Hall's argument against counterfactual accounts of causation is unsuccessful.     

Inward, Outward, and Upward: Cognitive Aspects of Prayer

Recent investigations concerning ways people employ prayer typically suffer from either a fundamentally atheoretical approach or an indiscriminant mixing of affective, behavioral, and cognitive components. The present study examines the theory that a general concept of prayer–as–connection contains prayers of inward (connection with oneself), outward (human–human connection), or upward (human–divine connection) foci. Participants rated words or phrases according to what they "thought about" while praying. Factor analysis revealed eight primary factors: two inward, four outward, and two upward. Three second–order factors emerged (two outward and one upward). However, no general factor appeared.     

Concepts,conceptions, and critics

The author responds to the various reactions to his original article on the concept of deviant behavior (see p. 1). Some points of the original (empirical) proposal are clarified; the necessity for a clear concept of norm is observed.     

Incarnation and Semiotics: A Theological and Anthropological Hypothesis Part 2: Semiotics,Anthropology, and Religious Transformation

This is the second in a pair of articles in which we draw on C.S. Peirce's semiotics (theory of signs) to develop a new approach to the Christian concept of Incarnation. In Part 1 we used Peirce's taxonomy of signs to explore what it means to understand the life of Jesus as the embodiment of the quality of God within the fabric of the created order. In this article (Part 2), we explore some ways in which this semiotic approach to the Incarnation offers constructive opportunities in theological anthropology, and suggests some empirically testable hypotheses about human evolution.