Fission May Kill You (But Not for the Reasons You Thought)

If a person, A, branches into B and C, then it is widely held that B and C are not identical to one another. Many think that this is because B and C have contradictory properties at the same time. In this paper, I show why this explanation cannot be right. I argue that contradictory properties at times are not necessary for non‐identity between descendants, and that contradictory properties at times are not sufficient for non‐identity. I also argue that the standard explanation cannot be salvaged by a shift to personal time. Appeals to a lack of continuity, or to the absence of unity of consciousness likewise fail. Rather, B and C are non‐identical simply because A branched into B and C. Why branching should be problematic for personal identity remains a deep puzzle though I offer some tentative suggestions.     

Looks That Kill the Capacity for Thought

In this paper I explore ways in which the fundamental balance between life and death forces is portrayed within the Oedipus myth, showing how there are times when, as theorists, we are blind to the on-going dynamic polarities contained within the myth. Using clinical case material I explore the vicissitudes of the theme of infanticide and the impact of the infanticidal impulse on thinking processes and how things come together in the mind. I consider the link between the infanticidal impulse and what may be being symbolized by physiological problems with eyes and wombs. I give examples of the clinical use I have made of a variety of theoretical ideas which enabled my capacity for thought at those times when much of what was taking place was unthinkable.     

最有趣的是“她”在传教——老舍《柳屯的》梗概

20世纪50年代读《老舍短篇小说选》,印象比较深的是“月牙儿”,依稀记得“黑白李”和“断魂枪”。近日又读这部书,却对其中《柳屯的》一篇发生了兴趣。夏家在村里是数一数二的,他们有三百来亩地。夏老者和他的儿子夏廉都信教,对村里的公益事业是一毛不拔, “我们信教,不开发这个”。村里人对他家彼此敬而远之,夏家的财产越来越多。很有几个人,因为看夏家这样一帆风顺,也信了     

That Many of Us Should Not Parent

In liberal societies (where birth control is generally accepted and available), many people decide whether or not they wish to become parents. One key question in making this decision is, What kind of parent will I be? Parenting competence can be ranked from excellent to competent to poor. Cassidy argues that those who can foresee being poor parents, or even merely competent ones, should opt not to parent.     

微笑元邪尽情绽放--赏读《无邪的微笑》

<无邪的微笑>,大64开本,现在就静躺在我的手边,其缤纷的色彩,精致的绘图,如同吹来一阵清风,令人神清目朗,招惹得你禁不住时不时拿起来翻阅.该书将严肃的反邪教主题镕裁于四个卡通人物:申子,聪明活泼的中学生;薛老师,反邪教志愿者;马扁,邪教头目的典型代表;糊涂外婆,容易上当的老人.四个人物的设置体现了正与邪、善良与欺诈的矛盾对立.如果说因为外婆的迷信糊涂致使马扁的骗局屡屡得手的话,那么申子粲然的微笑就如同一绺阳光,破除邪教的阴霾.     

Self-defence Against the Innocent

Do we have the right to defend ourselves against innocent aggressors? If I amattacked in a lift by a knife-wielding lunatic, may I kill or maim him to protect my own life? On one view the insane man’s plight is his bad luck and I am under no obligation to let it be transferred to me. On the opposing view it is my bad luck to be under attack and I have no right to transfer it to an innocent man by killing him to protect myself. It is perhaps becauseneither of these opposing viewpoints is obviously preferable to the other that there is no consensus about the question. Nevertheless we can find considerations for favouring the first view over the second.     

Perceiving the Lengths of Rods That are Held But Not Wielded

The ambiguity inherent in the act of experimental abstraction is discussed particularly with respect to experiments that seem to prove the superfluity of active exploration in perception. For example, in the case of haptic perception of the extent of hand-held rods, the variable of the second moment of mass distribution-the moment of inertia-has been shown to predict perceived length; this variable is inherently active, identifying a system's resistance to rotational acceleration. Other sources have reported that the length of an unseen rod could be perceived even when the rods were not rotated (rendering second moment theoretically inaccessible). The first experiment of this article confirms this ability in the extreme case in which observers are instructed not to move the rod at all. Four more experiments are reported in which the relative roles of the second moment and of the first moment-the other plausible mechanical candidate-are evaluated. The first moment was a better predictor of perceived length in cases in which exploration was restricted, and the second moment was a better predictor in conditions in which exploration was not restricted, although each played some role in all conditions. These results are discussed in terms of the possibility of more than one kind of information specifying the same property.     

Why Even a Believer Should Not Believe That God Answers Prayers

Recent studies provide some support for the idea that prayer has curative powers. It is argued that even if prayers are effective in these kinds of cases it cannot be because God is answering them. While many have challenged theological explanations for the efficacy of prayer on epistemic grounds, the argument presented here concludes that the theological explanation conflicts with the standard conception of God. In particular, if God answers prayers in these kinds of cases then God is immoral.