A Loop-Free Decision Procedure for Modal Propositional Logics K4, S4 and S5

The aim of this paper is to present a loop-free decision procedure for modal propositional logics K4, S4 and S5. We prove that the procedure terminates and that it is sound and complete. The procedure is based on the method of Socratic proofs for modal logics, which is grounded in the logic of questions IEL.     

PASSAGE INDEPENDENCY AND QUESTION CHARACTERISTICS: AN ANALYSIS OF THREE INFORMAL READING INVENTORIES

ABSTRACT

Three informal reading inventories were examined to identify passage independent test questions, questions which could be answered correctly without reading the corresponding passages. Fourth grade students of good and poor reading ability were administered the test questions orally without access to the passages. The percentage of questions answered correctly was calculated for each test. An analysis of variance procedure revealed that the Classroom Reading Inventory was the most passage independent followed by the Analytical Reading Inventory and Ginn 720 inventory respectively. However the two reader groups did not differ significantly in their performance across the three tests. An analysis of children's responses to the questions revealed that three question categories in particular tended to be passage independent in nature. These categories were: a) general information b) vocabulary meaning and c) affective. The investigation also examined the literal and inferential characteristics of the test questions. Suggestions were made for evaluating the validity of reading comprehension questions     

The oedipus complex in the work of sigmund freud and heinz kohut: A post-modern critique

Abstract

The work of Sigmund Freud and Heinz Kohut in relation to the concept of the Oedipus complex is presented. A summary is given of post-modern assumptions about the nature and role of knowledge, and, on the basis of these assumptions, two questions are raised in relation to Freud's and Kohut's Oedipal theories. Provisional responses are made to these questions, which focus on the hermeneutical value and ethical-political implications of the concept of the Oedipus complex.     

Divine detritus: queer remainders from theological quests

ABSTRACT

This essay investigates how theologians should engage with the “leftovers,” or detritus, of the great theological quests by interrogating the process of doing and writing theology. Posing questions about theology’s purpose and systematic method, along with questions that examine both the object of theology and the subjectivity of the theologian, this essay directs its inquiry to uncovering the very foundations of theology today, which itself must be constructed out of divine detritus.     

Nietzsche’s Questioning

Abstract

When Nietzsche is called a radical philosopher, it is (among other reasons) because he claims to call into question what other thinkers take for granted. In the article I concentrate on the way in which Nietzsche asks his questions, and how his questions (and the vocabulary which he uses to express his questions) develop through his writings. The article points out how Nietzsche gradually discovers his guiding question and how this search reaches its climax around 1886. This guiding question turns out to be a practical or existential one: ‘To what extent can truth endure incorporation?’ (FW/GC 110 KSA 3.471).     

Évaluation de la compréhension écrite de récits chez l’enfant de 7 à 10 ans : vers des profils de compreneurs

IntroductionThe aim of the study was to investigate reading comprehension skills in 7 to 10-year-old children and to present a new tool for assessing reading comprehension skills in elementary school children. Two aspects of text comprehension were assessed: literal comprehension skills and inference generation (with two subtypes of inferences, coherence inferences and knowledge-based inferences).MethodTwo narratives of varying length and complexity have been constructed and presented to 498 French-speaking children from second grade to fifth grade.ResultsThe results showed an evolution of performance with school level. Children's scores also depended on the type of comprehension skill evaluated (literal versus inferential) and difficulty of texts. Furthermore, cluster analysis yielded five profiles that clearly differ on children's ability to respond to either literal questions, coherence inferential questions, or knowledge-based inferential questions.ConclusionThe existence of different profiles of comprehenders is discussed in terms of theoretical implications. Finally, some limitations and way of improvement are presented.     

Transparency and reflection

ABSTRACT

Much recent work on self-knowledge has been inspired by the idea that the ‘transparency’ of questions about our own mental states to questions about the non-mental world holds the key to understanding how privileged self-knowledge is possible. I critically discuss some prominent recent accounts of such transparency, and argue for a Sartrean interpretation of the phenomenon, on which this knowledge is explained by our capacity to transform an implicit or ‘non-positional’ self-awareness into reflective, ‘positional’ self-knowledge.     

Wittgenstein on the duration and timing of mental phenomena: episodes,understanding and rule-following

ABSTRACT

Wittgenstein’s later works are full of questions about the timing and duration of mental phenomena. These questions are often awkward ones, and Wittgenstein seems to take their awkwardness to be philosophically revealing, but if we ask what it is that these questions reveal then different interpretations are possible. This paper suggests that there are at least six different ways in which the timing of mental phenomena can be awkward. By identifying these we can give sense to some of Wittgenstein’s more cryptic remarks, and doing this enables us to clarify some obscure elements in his picture of the mind, including the distinction between sensations and feelings, and his account of the rational status of those processes out of which rule-following is built.     

First impressions online: The inclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming identities and services in mental healthcare providers' online materials in the USA

Background: When accessing mental healthcare services, transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals face systemic barriers to gender-affirmative care. Initial points of contact, like intake forms, may show limited consideration for the heterogeneity of TGNC identities and can lead to negative consequences prior to face-to-face interaction with providers. Aims: The first aim was to mimic a likely pathway a TGNC individual may follow to seek mental healthcare services in the USA and to describe the extent to which they may encounter enacted stigma or affirmative messages that may impede or facilitate access to care. The second aim was to determine if a positive State legal climate for TGNC people was associated with more affirmative provider materials. Methods: Content analysis was used to examine a national sample of websites and intake forms of mental healthcare providers who advertise online as working with TGNC clients. Intake forms were coded for usage of affirmative language in gender/sex questions and including questions for a client's pronouns and preferred name. Websites were coded for mentioning a variety of services or resources for TGNC clients. Results: While provider websites were found through Google searches for a “gender therapist,” only 56.6% of websites stated a provider specialty to work with TGNC clients and 32.1% of websites had no mention of services or resources for TGNC people. Additionally, a significantly larger proportion of intake forms from States with legal protections for TGNC people used affirmative language in gender/sex questions and asked for a client's pronouns than intake forms from States without legal protections. Discussion: Barriers to affirmative healthcare for TGNC people within patient and provider interactions have been identified in previous research and these data show TGNC individuals may face enacted stigma even in their search for a provider, particularly those TGNC people living in States without legal protections.     

Response to Commentators on Existential Flourishing

ABSTRACT

In this piece I respond to questions and criticisms raised by commentators on my recent book, Existential Flourishing: A Phenomenology of the Virtues (Cambridge University Press, 2019). I argue for an irreducible normative plurality governing our struggle to lead good human lives, and address questions about how to decide what to do in the face of such plurality.     

Avner Baz on the ‘Point’ of a Question

Abstract

Avner Baz claims that questions philosophers ask about hypothetical cases lack the kind of ‘point’ possessed by ‘everyday’ questions. He concludes from this that there is something wrong with the philosophical practice of asking questions about hypothetical cases. This paper defends the practice from Baz’s criticism.     

Adoption custody and family therapy

Abstract

A brief survey of the history and types of adoption serves as background for a study of the points at which adoption custody laws and family therapy interface. Potential areas for stress and interaction occur primarily in cases involving questions of rights—those of the adoptee, of the biological parents, and of the adoptive parents. New issues of concern include pressures to open sealed adoption records, questions of grandparents' rights, and the innovative practice of surrogate motherhood. There is also a comparison of adoption custody and divorce custody issues.     

Martin Bucer and the Revision of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Reform of Ceremonies and the Didactic Use of Ritual

Abstract

This paper looks again at Erasmus's Ciceronianus, a satire published in 1528, which created enormous controversy on it's appearance. The text raises questions which are difficult to answer. One of the central characters in the work is Nosoponus (Mr Workmad). The paper puts the case for identifying this character with Giulio Camillo Delminio (c. 1480-1544).     

A Contemporary Notion of Time: Fragments of a Case from Rio de Janeiro

This paper presents vignettes of a case from the city of Rio de Janeiro in which temporality appears as a fundamental issue. Severe difficulties in validating the past and integrating past, present and future reveal pertinent questions on time and the ideal function in the contemporary world. The author underlines the relevance of such questioning for the practice of psychoanalysis today.     

Normality in medicine: an empirical elucidation

Introduction

Dementia diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are of considerable importance in terms of social policy and health economics. Moreover, against the background of the current Karlsruhe judgement on the legalisation of assisted suicide, there are also questions to be asked about medical humanities in AD.

Methodology

Relevant literature on complementary forms of therapy and prognosis was included and discussed.

Results

Creative sociotherapeutic approaches (art, music, dance) and validating psychotherapeutic approaches show promise for suitability and efficiency in the treatment of dementia, but in some cases still need to be scientifically tested. Biomarker-based early diagnosis of dementia diseases is increasingly becoming a subject of debate against the background of the Karlsruhe ruling.

Discussion

Needs-oriented and resource-enhancing approaches can make a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of people with dementia. The discussion on the issue of “assisted suicide” should include questions of the dignity and value of a life with dementia.

Outlook

The integrative dementia therapy model can be complemented by a religion- and spirituality-based approach. Appropriate forms of psychotherapy should be scientifically evaluated.

     

Integrating cognitive and emotion paradigms to address the paradox of aging

ABSTRACT

Thirty years ago, the subfields of emotion and cognition operated relatively independently and the associated science reflected the tacit view that they were distinct constructs. Today, questions about the integration of cognition and emotion are among the most interesting questions in the field. I offer a personal view of the key changes that fuelled this shift over time and describe research from my group that unfolded in parallel and led to the identification of the positivity effect.     

Information giving and involvement in treatment decisions: Is more really better? Psychological effects and relation with adherence

Objectives : The aim of this study is to improve our understanding of the ways in which a medical consultation style relates to satisfaction and adherence.

Design : Participants completed questionnaires about preferred and perceived consultation styles; psychological variables such as satisfaction, anxiety and depression; and questions about taking medication. Questionnaires were completed prior to the consultation, immediately after, three months later and one year later. Doctors also completed a scale on completion of the consultation. The decisions in question related to women seeking advice about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and decisions about pain management.

Results : Patients expressed preferences for information about the treatment options and for active involvement in the decision process. The extent to which patients perceived themselves as having received information about the treatment options was a particularly consistent predictor of satisfaction. The extent to which patients perceived themselves as having been prepared for the side effects of HRT was a consistent predictor of anxiety.

Conclusions : Perceptions of the amount of information received about medical options, including information preparing individuals for potential side effects of medication, appears to be more important to satisfaction and anxiety, than actual involvement in the decision.     

Psychological research questions about yoga

There are two kinds of scientific questions about procedures such as yoga: ‘process' questions and ‘outcome’ questions. Research on the effectiveness of yoga indicates that it has a variety of beneficial effects, but there is more doubt about whether it has unique effects. A broad range of procedures which combine physical stillness with mental alertness seem to have comparable effects. More subtle questions arise concerning the ‘processes' by which yoga achieves its effects, and both mental and physical processes need to be investigated. Concerning physical aspects, attention needs to be given to the under-explored effects of posture on states of consciousness. Concerning mental aspects, the ‘focusing’ of consciousness is likely to be important; an unusual aspect of many forms of yoga is the somatic focus of consciousness. Also relevant are the critical comments of Jung about appropriateness of yoga in the West. Though Jung's views on this should not be accepted uncritically, they can be taken as setting an agenda for a research programme.     

Searching information on the Web and Planning Fallacy: A pilot investigation of pessimistic forecasts

IntroductionAccording to Planning Fallacy, people underestimate the time required to complete a task. A review of the social, cognitive, and motivational factors that moderate Planning Fallacy suggests that variability in Web searching tasks would lead to an overestimation of retrieval time, at least when the task duration is short (about 10 minutes).ObjectiveThe goals of this pilot study are twofold: to check the accuracy of forecasts when users estimate the time required to retrieve information on the Web, and to understand users’ strategies for dealing with the Web for multipurpose documentation.MethodParticipants (n = 32) were asked how long it would take to answer four encyclopedic questions on the Web; questions were in various fields with two levels of difficulty and two types of answers (qualitative vs quantitative). We compared estimations of the time required to retrieve specific information on the Web with the actual retrieval time. Forecasts were made before and after the effective retrieval task (within-subjects design).ResultsA significant and large overestimation of the anticipated time was observed, especially for questions with a qualitative answer. The overestimation range was between 195% and 473% for mean search durations between 4.5 and 10.3 min. Task perceived difficulty was the best predictor of time anticipation (r² < 0.32). Web search self-efficacy and experience contributed slightly to the overestimation but only for easy questions.ConclusionOverestimation of the time required to complete a Web searching task (i.e. pessimistic Planning Fallacy) results from a combination of factors: short length of tasks, variability in task difficulty, and the qualitative or quantitative nature of the correct answer. Search time forecast could be used as a benchmark to improve Web usability.     

Communication Questions for Couples

ABSTRACT

In this article, I share a series of questions to help couples, either in therapy or as a homework assignment, reflect upon various aspects of their relationship. The questions also provide the less articulate, less emotionally available partner a structured platform to share and connect. This activity gives many couples a sense of hope since it provides opportunities to practice relating more intimately and to experience the closeness that often results.