THE DEONTOLOGICAL DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY: AN ARGUMENT FROM GROUP RIGHTS

Abstract: Democracy is regularly heralded as the only form of government that treats political subjects as free and equal citizens. On closer examination, however, it becomes apparent that democracy unavoidably restricts individual freedom, and it is not the only way to treat all citizens equally. In light of these observations, we argue that the non-instrumental reasons to support democratic governance stem, not from considerations of individual freedom or equality, but instead from the importance of respecting group self-determination. If this is correct, it implies that a state may choose democracy, but its right to self-determination means that it is also free, in principle, to decide in favor of some nondemocratic alternative.     

知觉与行为分离现象在二维铁钦纳错觉实验中的验

利用二维铁钦纳错觉图片对单手及双手抓握情境下的知觉与行为分离现象进行实验验证,并探讨注意引导等因素对分离现象的影响。实验包括知觉任务和行为任务两项内容,前者主要测量被试的主观错觉量,后者则探讨分离现象是否存在及其影响因素。在行为任务中,记录被试在中心（目标）圆尺寸“实际相同”和“知觉相同”等不同情境下的行为,以拇指和食指抓握图片中心圆的最大抓握孔径为行为指标。结果发现：单手抓握时,左、右手的行为虽然在一定程度上受到了错觉的影响,但均显示出分离现象;双手抓握时,右手受错觉影响的程度减少,分离现象增强,而左手的结果则比较混淆。因此,分离现象是存在的,但它的出现可能受到注意引导、注意分配倾向或双手协调能力等因素的影响。     

REPRESENTATIONALISM AND THE ARGUMENT FROM HALLUCINATION

Abstract: Representationalism is sometimes advertised as providing a novel response to the argument from hallucination, one that accepts the presence of a 'common factor' between veridical and hallucinatory experience without positing sensory intermediaries between the mind and the world. I argue that much of the attractiveness of representationalism stems from a failure in the literature to distinguish between two distinct possible versions of representationalism, what I call 'content-based representationalism' and 'vehicle-based representationalism'. Generically, representationalism appears to have a response to the argument from hallucination that avoids a commitment to qualia or sense-data. But once the distinction between content-based representationalism and vehicle-based representationalism is recognized, this response to the argument from hallucination fails.     

TOWARD AN INTEGRATED MODEL OF WORK EXPERIENCE

Work experience and related concepts such as tenure and seniority have been and continue to be used extensively in a variety of human resource functions. However, research on experience has proceeded without a clear theoretical orientation, adequate consideration of contextual and individual factors, and appropriate attention to measurement and design. These issues are addressed and a model of the work experience construct is offered. Work experience is described as consisting of qualitative and quantitative components that exist at different levels of specification and which interact and accrue over time. The model provides a nomological net for the experience construct linking it to contextual and individual factors critical for the development of experience and its translation into immediate outcomes of work-based knowledge, skills, attitudes, and motivation, and secondary outcomes such as performance. The model provides a basis for specific research propositions and human resource applications that consider work experience as a multidimensional, multilevel, and temporally dynamic construct.     

UNREFLECTIVE ACTION AND THE ARGUMENT FROM SPEED

Hubert Dreyfus has defended a novel view of agency, most notably in his debate with John McDowell. Dreyfus argues that expert actions are primarily unreflective and do not involve conceptual activity. In unreflective action, embodied know‐how plays the role reflection and conceptuality play in the actions of novices. Dreyfus employs two arguments to support his conclusion: the argument from speed and the phenomenological argument. I argue that Dreyfus's argumentative strategies are not successful, since he relies on a dubious assumption about concepts and reflection. I suggest that Dreyfus is committed to a minimal view of conceptuality in action.     

UNDERDETERMINATION AND THE ARGUMENT FROM INDIRECT CONFIRMATION

In this paper I criticize one of the most convincing recent attempts to resist the underdetermination thesis, Laudan’s argument from indirect confirmation. Laudan highlights and rejects a tacit assumption of the underdetermination theorist, namely that theories can be confirmed only by empirical evidence that follows from them. He shows that once we accept that theories can also be confirmed indirectly, by evidence not entailed by them, the skeptical conclusion does not follow. I agree that Laudan is right to reject this assumption, but I argue that his explanation of how the rejection of this assumption blocks the skeptical conclusion is flawed. I conclude that the argument from indirect confirmation is not effective against the underdetermination thesis.     

THE PERCEPTION OF PEARSON PRODUCT MOMENT CORRELATIONS FROM BIVARIATE SCATTERPLOTS

Perceptions about the Pearson product moment correlation, r , from bivariate scatterplots were investigated through the use of a questionnaire. It was found that subjects who are relatively sophisticated in psychometric techniques tend to underestimate the magnitude of r , with most pronounced disparity in the range .2 < |r| < .6. Additionally, estimates of r from specially designed scatterplots indicated that subjects (1) correctly estimated the effects of range restriction, (2) underestimated the effects of attenuating outliers, (3) incorrectly reduced estimates of r when the regression slope was relatively high or low, and (4) often failed to consider the effects of removing the middle third of the data. Several implications of these generally conservative estimations are discussed.     

ARGUMENT TO BLISS: THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF THE SUMMA THEOLOGIAE

The essay examines intellectual virtue in the Summa theologiae, taking it as an interpretative key to the epistemology of the Summa theologiae as a whole. Because Aquinas blurs the line between the acquired and the theological virtues, and between virtues and the gifts of the Spirit, it becomes impossible to maintain the distinction between the realms of nature and grace, or between natural reason and revealed truth: grace permeates the most ordinary activities of human reasoning. This reading of the Summa theologiae raises questions about many contemporary debates, particularly those concerning natural law.