Beyond Original Sin: A Paradigm Shift for the Age of Neuroscience

In this article I explore the implications of Jesus?? location of the kingdom of heaven in the lived experience of the individual and of the findings of neuroscientific research for a paradigm shift in Christian theology, one that moves us beyond the Adamic myth and belief in original sin. Support for a theological paradigm shift based on lived experience is provided by Capps (1993) and for this particular paradigm shift by Pagels (1989) and Ricoeur (2004). I point out that the doctrine of original sin supports and fosters the negativity bias of the brain and inhibits the resculpting of the brain. Drawing on Hanson??s (2009) evidence in support of the brain??s neuroplasticity (i.e., its capacity to change itself) and on Brach??s (2003) critique of the ??trance of unworthiness,?? I make the case for meditative and mindful awareness practices in Christianity and other religious traditions as proven methods for the resculpting of the brain in order that individuals may experience greater joy, contentment, and awareness of the goodness of life and of God??s creation. A longitudinal neuroscientific research study of Roman Catholic nuns (Newberg and Waldman 2009) provides evidence in support of the role of contemplative prayer and meditation in generating the joy and serenity that Jesus?? allusion to the hidden treasure envisions.     

Actuality in Propositional Modal Logic

We show that the actuality operator A is redundant in any propositional modal logic characterized by a class of Kripke models (respectively, neighborhood models). Specifically, we prove that for every formula ${\phi}$ in the propositional modal language with A, there is a formula ${\psi}$ not containing A such that ${\phi}$ and ${\psi}$ are materially equivalent at the actual world in every Kripke model (respectively, neighborhood model). Inspection of the proofs leads to corresponding proof-theoretic results concerning the eliminability of the actuality operator in the actuality extension of any normal propositional modal logic and of any “classical” modal logic. As an application, we provide an alternative proof of a result of Williamson’s to the effect that the compound operator A□ behaves, in any normal logic between T and S5, like the simple necessity operator □ in S5.     

Complexity Results of STIT Fragments

We provide a Kripke semantics for a STIT logic with the ??next?? operator. As the atemporal group STIT is undecidable and unaxiomatizable, we are interested in strict fragments of atemporal group STIT. First we prove that the satisfiability problem of a formula of the fragment made up of individual coalitions plus the grand coalition is also NEXPTIME-complete. We then generalize this result to a fragment where coalitions are in a given lattice. We also prove that if we restrict the language to nested coalitions the satisfiability problem is NP-complete if the number of agents is fixed and PSPACEcomplete if the number of agents is variable. Finally we embed individual STIT with the ??next?? operator into a fragment of atemporal group STIT.     

On the axiomatization of finiteK-frames

We find a short way to construct a formula which axiomatizes a given finite frame of the modal logicK, in the sense that for each finite frameA, we construct a formula ωA which holds in those and only those frames in which every formula true inA holds. To obtain this result we find, for each finite model \(\mathfrak{A}\) and each natural numbern, a formula ω \(\mathfrak{A}\) which holds in those and only those models in which every formula true in \(\mathfrak{A}\) , and involving the firstn propositional letters, holds.     

Shen Dao��s Own Voice in the Shenzi Fragments

Shen Dao ???? is known as one of the Legalists who influenced Han Feizi ?n???? in terms of the concept of shi ?? (circumstantial advantage, power, or authority). This argument is based on the ??A Critique of Circumstantial Advantage (Nanshi ?y??)?? chapter of the Hanfeizi, where Han Feizi advances his own idea of shi after criticizing both Shen Dao and an anonymous Confucian. However, there are other primary sources to contain Shen Dao??s thought, namely, seven incomplete Shenzi ???? chapters of the Essentials on Government from the Assemblage of Books (Qunshu zhi yao ??????) and other fragments preserved in other Chinese texts. This article examines the Shenzi fragments in order to ask whether Shen Dao stresses the concept of shi.     

Täuschungsstrategien von Kindern, Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen

Criteria-Based Content Analysis (22) is part of the Statement Validity Assessment (SVA), a method used for assessing the credibility of witness’ statements. CBCA relies on two assumptions, one referring to the cognitive strain of inventing a complex false declaration, the other being related to self presentation as a competent, reliable and truthful person by avoiding potentially “damaging” contents. When evalutating statements, forensic experts take into account that cognitive capacity - and thus potential content quality of a false declaration - increases with age. On the other hand there is no empirical evidence for an improvement of deceptive self-presentation strategies so far. Recent studies on content-related deceptive strategies with children and adults support the assumption that children as well as adults do apply specific deception strategies. Due to methodological differences, however, a direct comparison between these studies to obtain results on possible age effects has not been possible. The aim of this study was to investigate whether children, adolescents and adults differ in the content-related deceptive strategies they apply. Children (n = 48), adolescents (n = 73) and adults (n = 50) were given an age appropriate standardized questionnaire about their content-related deception strategies. Results show age differences in the strategic value assigned to certain content characteristics.     

Inverse Images of Box Formulas in Modal Logic

We investigate, for several modal logics but concentrating on KT, KD45, S4 and S5, the set of formulas B for which ${\square B}$ is provably equivalent to ${\square A}$ for a selected formula A (such as p, a sentence letter). In the exceptional case in which a modal logic is closed under the (‘cancellation’) rule taking us from ${\square C \leftrightarrow \square D}$ to ${C \leftrightarrow D}$ , there is only one formula B, to within equivalence, in this inverse image, as we shall call it, of ${\square A}$ (relative to the logic concerned); for logics for which the intended reading of “ ${\square}$ ” is epistemic or doxastic, failure to be closed under this rule indicates that from the proposition expressed by a knowledge- or belief-attribution, the propositional object of the attitude in question cannot be recovered: arguably, a somewhat disconcerting situation. More generally, the inverse image of ${\square A}$ may comprise a range of non-equivalent formulas, all those provably implied by one fixed formula and provably implying another—though we shall see that for several choices of logic and of the formula A, there is not even such an ‘interval characterization’ of the inverse image (of ${\square A}$ ) to be found.     

Phonological codes are early sources of constraint in visual semantic categorization

Two experiments were directed at early phonological activation in the semantic categorization task. In Experiment 1, briefly exposed targets homophonic to category exemplars (rows for the categorya flower), and their graphemic controls (robs), were judged for category membership with and without a backward pattern mask False positives were greater for rows than robs to the same degree under both unmasked and masked conditions. In Experiment 2, false positives were examined in the semantic categorization task under backward dichoptic masking by pseudowords that were, in turn, masked monoptically by a pattern mask. Briefly exposed homophones (e.g.,weak), masked by a phonologically similar pseudoword (“feek”), a graphemic control (“felk”), or an unrelated pseudoword (“furt”), were categorized as category exemplars (a unit of time). The difference in false positives was significant forweak-feek versusweak-furt, but not forweak-felk versusweak-furt. It was suggested that the persistence of the homophonic effects under the pattern masking of Experiment 1 and their amplification under the phonological masking of Experiment 2 were because phonological codes cohere rapidly and provide, thereby, immediately available constraints on semantic processing.     

An Inconsistency-Adaptive Deontic Logic for Normative Conflicts

We present the inconsistency-adaptive deontic logic DP ^r , a nonmonotonic logic for dealing with conflicts between normative statements. On the one hand, this logic does not lead to explosion in view of normative conflicts such as O A?∧?O ～A, O A?∧?P ～A or even O A?∧?～O A. On the other hand, DP ^r still verifies all intuitively reliable inferences valid in Standard Deontic Logic (SDL). DP ^r interprets a given premise set ‘as normally as possible’ with respect to SDL. Whereas some SDL-rules are verified unconditionally by DP ^r , others are verified conditionally. The latter are applicable unless they rely on formulas that turn out to behave inconsistently in view of the premises. This dynamic process is mirrored by the proof theory of DP ^r .     

Bohrification of operator algebras and quantum logic

Following Birkhoff and von Neumann, quantum logic has traditionally been based on the lattice of closed linear subspaces of some Hilbert space, or, more generally, on the lattice of projections in a von Neumann algebra A. Unfortunately, the logical interpretation of these lattices is impaired by their nondistributivity and by various other problems. We show that a possible resolution of these difficulties, suggested by the ideas of Bohr, emerges if instead of single projections one considers elementary propositions to be families of projections indexed by a partially ordered set ${\mathcal{C}(A)}$ of appropriate commutative subalgebras of A. In fact, to achieve both maximal generality and ease of use within topos theory, we assume that A is a so-called Rickart C*-algebra and that ${\mathcal{C}(A)}$ consists of all unital commutative Rickart C*-subalgebras of A. Such families of projections form a Heyting algebra in a natural way, so that the associated propositional logic is intuitionistic: distributivity is recovered at the expense of the law of the excluded middle. Subsequently, generalizing an earlier computation for n × n matrices, we prove that the Heyting algebra thus associated to A arises as a basis for the internal Gelfand spectrum (in the sense of Banaschewski?CMulvey) of the ??Bohrification?? ${\underline A}$ of A, which is a commutative Rickart C*-algebra in the topos of functors from ${\mathcal{C}A}$ to the category of sets. We explain the relationship of this construction to partial Boolean algebras and Bruns?CLakser completions. Finally, we establish a connection between probability measures on the lattice of projections on a Hilbert space H and probability valuations on the internal Gelfand spectrum of ${\underline A}$ for A?=?B(H).     

From constants to consequence, and back

Bolzano??s definition of consequence in effect associates with each set X of symbols (in a given interpreted language) a consequence relation ${\Rightarrow_X}$ . We present this in a precise and abstract form, in particular studying minimal sets of symbols generating ${\Rightarrow_X}$ . Then we present a method for going in the other direction: extracting from an arbitrary consequence relation ${\Rightarrow}$ its associated set ${C_\Rightarrow}$ of constants. We show that this returns the expected logical constants from familiar consequence relations, and that, restricting attention to sets of symbols satisfying a strong minimality condition, there is an isomorphism between the set of strongly minimal sets of symbols and the set of corresponding consequence relations (both ordered under inclusion).     

Temporal cue–target overlap is not essential for backward inhibition in task switching

Lag 2 repetition costs are a performance cost observed when participants return to a task after just one intervening trial of a different task, compared to returning after a longer interval (AB A vs. CB A sequences, where A, B, C are tasks). This effect is known as backward inhibition (BI) and is thought to reflect the need to overcome inhibition applied specifically to Task “A” during disengagement at trial n – 1. Druey and Hübner (2007) Druey, M. and Hübner, R. 2007. The role of temporal cue–target overlap in backward inhibition under task switching. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14: 749–754. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] have suggested that employment of such a specific inhibitory mechanism relies upon the cue and the target of the task overlapping temporally. We provide evidence across three experiments (including a direct replication attempt) that this is not the case, and that the presence of task-specific BI relies to some extent on the need to translate the cue–target relationship into working memory. Additionally, we provide evidence that faster responses in no overlap conditions are driven by low-level perceptual differences between target displays across overlap conditions. We conclude that BI is an effective sequential control mechanism, employed equally in cases of temporally overlapping and temporally separated cues and targets.     

Further evidence for phonological constraints on visual lexical access: TOWED primes FROG

If the phonological codes of visually presented words are assembled-rapidly and automatically for use in lexical access, then words that sound alike should induce similar activity within the internal lexicon.Towed is homophonous with TOAD, which is semantically related tofrog, andbeach is homophonous withbeech, which is semantically related totree. Stimuli such as these were used in a priming-of-namingtask, in which words homophonous with associates of the target words preceded the targets at an onset asynchrony of 100 msec. Relative to spelling controls (trod, bench), the low-frequencytowed and the high-frequencybeach speeded up the naming offrog andtree, respectively, to the same degree. This result was discussed in relation to the accumulating evidence for the primacy of phonological constraints in visual lexical access. nt]mis|This research was supported in part by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grants HD-08945 and HD-0 1994 to the first author and Haskins Laboratories, respectively.     

Reasoning About Games

A mixture of propositional dynamic logic and epistemic logic that we call PDL + E is used to give a formalization of Artemov??s knowledge based reasoning approach to game theory, (KBR), [4, 5]. Epistemic states of players are represented explicitly and reasoned about formally. We give a detailed analysis of the Centipede game using both proof theoretic and semantic machinery. This helps make the case that PDL + E can be a useful basis for the logical investigation of game theory.     

Job satisfaction: Identifying the important parts among computer sales and service personnel

This article examines overall and job facet satisfaction among computer salesN=552) and service (N=1489) personnel. Results of an anonymous questionnaire indicated that seven of nine job facets were similar in the two samples. However, facets in field service referring to the company and working conditions were replaced in sales by facets concerning work-related information and problem resolution. Existing multifacet measures of job satisfaction would not have identified problem resolution as an important facet. While they are valuable for basic research, standardized multifacet satisfaction measures may not be as useful when the goal is to improve the work situation by identifying issues of concern to employees in different occupations.     

Breaking through the attentional window: Capture by abrupt onsets versus color singletons

Theeuwes (Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 11:65?C70, 2004) proposed that stimulus-driven capture occurs primarily for salient stimuli that fall within the observer??s attentional window, such as when performing a parallel search. This proposal, which is supported by some studies, can explain many seemingly discrepant results in the literature. The present study tested this proposal using a modified precuing paradigm. Search mode was manipulated via target?Cdistractor similarity in color space. In the parallel search condition, the orange target ??popped out?? from a set of distantly colored distractors (blue and green). In the serial search condition, the orange target was more difficult to find amongst a set of similarly colored distractors (yellow and red). In Experiments 1 and 2, cue validity effects for irrelevant-color singleton cues were greater under parallel than under serial search, at least partially replicating previous studies favoring the attentional-window account (e.g., Belopolsky, Zwaan, Theeuwes, & Kramer, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 14:934?C938, 2007). We found the opposite pattern, however, for capture by abrupt onsets (Experiments 3 and 4), in which case capture effects were actually greater under serial search. In sum, parallel search appears to facilitate capture by color singletons, yet to inhibit capture by abrupt onsets.     

Axiomatic extensions of the constructive logic with strong negation and the disjunction property

We study axiomatic extensions of the propositional constructive logic with strong negation having the disjunction property in terms of corresponding to them varieties of Nelson algebras. Any such varietyV is characterized by the property: (PQWC) ifA,B εV, thenA×B is a homomorphic image of some well-connected algebra ofV. We prove:

• each varietyV of Nelson algebras with PQWC lies in the fibre σ^?1(W) for some varietyW of Heyting algebras having PQWC,
• for any varietyW of Heyting algebras with PQWC the least and the greatest varieties in σ^?1(W) have PQWC,
• there exist varietiesW of Heyting algebras having PQWC such that σ^?1(W) contains infinitely many varieties (of Nelson algebras) with PQWC.

     

Finite axiomatization for some intermediate logics

LetN. be the set of all natural numbers (except zero), and letD _n ^* = {k ∈N ∶k|n} ∪ {0} wherek¦n if and only ifn=k.x f or somex∈N. Then, an ordered setD _n ^* = 〈D _n ^* , ? _n , wherex? _ny iffx¦y for anyx, y∈D _n ^* , can easily be seen to be a pseudo-boolean algebra. In [5], V.A. Jankov has proved that the class of algebras {D _n ^* ∶n∈B}, whereB =,{k ∈N∶ ? \(\mathop \exists \limits_{n \in N} \) (n > 1 ≧n ² k)is finitely axiomatizable. The present paper aims at showing that the class of all algebras {D _n ^* ∶n∈B} is also finitely axiomatizable. First, we prove that an intermediate logic defined as follows: $$LD = Cn(INT \cup \{ p_3 \vee [p_3 \to (p_1 \to p_2 ) \vee (p_2 \to p_1 )]\} )$$ finitely approximatizable. Then, defining, after Kripke, a model as a non-empty ordered setH = 〈K, ?〉, and making use of the set of formulas true in this model, we show that any finite strongly compact pseudo-boolean algebra ? is identical with. the set of formulas true in the Kripke modelH _B = 〈P(?), ?〉 (whereP(?) stands for the family of all prime filters in the algebra ?). Furthermore, the concept of a structure of divisors is defined, and the structure is shown to beH D _n ^* = 〈P (D _n ^* ), ?〉for anyn∈N. Finally, it is proved that for any strongly compact pseudo-boolean algebraU satisfying the axiomp ₃∨ [p ₃→(p₁→p₂)∨(p₂→p₁)] there is a structure of divisorsD _* ⁿ such that it is possible to define a strong homomorphism froomiH D _n ^* ontoH D _U . Exploiting, among others, this property, it turns out to be relatively easy to show that \(LD = \mathop \cap \limits_{n \in N} E(\mathfrak{D}_n^* )\) .     

The representation of Takeuti's\begin{array}{*{20}c} \parallel \\ \_ \\ \end{array} -operator

Gaisi Takeuti has recently proposed a new operation on orthomodular latticesL, \(\begin{array}{*{20}c} \parallel \\ \_ \\ \end{array} \) :P(L)»L. The properties of \(\begin{array}{*{20}c} \parallel \\ \_ \\ \end{array} \) suggest that the value of \(\begin{array}{*{20}c} \parallel \\ \_ \\ \end{array} \) (A) (A) \( \subseteq \) L) corresponds to the degree in which the elements ofA behave classically. To make this idea precise, we investigate the connection between structural properties of orthomodular latticesL and the existence of two-valued homomorphisms onL.