Can the Decoherence Approach Help to Solve the Measurement Problem?

This work examines whether the environmentally-induced decoherence approach in quantum mechanics brings us any closer to solving the measurement problem, and whether it contributes to the elimination of subjectivism in quantum theory. A distinction is made between ,collapse, and ,decoherence,, so that an explanation for decoherence does not imply an explanation for collapse. After an overview of the measurement problem and of the open-systems paradigm, we argue that taking a partial trace is equivalent to applying the projection postulate. A criticism of Zurek's decoherence approach to measurements is also made, based on the restriction that he must impose on the interaction between apparatus and environment. We then analyze the element of subjectivity involved in establishing the boundary between system and environment, and criticize the incorporation of Everett's branching of memory records into the decoherence research program. Sticking to this program, we end by sketching a proposal for ‘environmentally-induced collapse’. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Can the World Help Us in Fixing the Reference of Natural Kind Terms?

According to Putnam the reference of natural kind terms is fixed by the world, at least partly; whether two things belong to the same kind depends on whether they obey the same objective laws. We show that Putnam's criterion of substance identity only “works” if we read “objective laws” as “OBJECTIVE LAWS”. Moreover, at least some of the laws of some of the special sciences have to be included. But what we consider to be good special sciences and what not depends upon our values. Hence, “objective laws” cannot be read as “OBJECTIVE LAWS”. It follows that the reference of natural kind terms cannot be fixed by the world, not even partly. The final conclusion applies to a variety of realisms. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Help or Hindrance? Exploring the effects of Christian nurture upon the whole faith of the child

This paper explores the effects that religious nurture (particularly Christian) may have on the child, seeking to provide indicators of whether faith may be viewed as a help or a hindrance. The desire is to indicate the elements of Christian nurture that are most beneficial to the child, through adoption of a broad rather than restricted lens of Christian faith. The EYFS themes: ‘unique child’, ‘positive relationships’, ‘enabling environments’ and ‘learning and development’ were utilised as a guide for formulating the observational indicators. The five case study children all had actively Christian parents who sought to pass their faith onto their child, but each utilised different approaches of faith nurture, enabling comparison of varying styles. The analytical methodology considered 14 observable elements of the child during play-based interviews. Presentation of this data in radar diagrams facilitated a visual representation of the extent to which faith nurture was a resource for the child. When viewed alongside key attributes of the child’s experiences of faith nurture, tentative conclusions were that if openness, individuality and relational involvement are core components of Christian nurture, this will have a positive impact on the broader landscape of the child’s ongoing faith.     

Do Scholarships Help?

Some 897 successful and unsuccessful applicants for support from the Citizens Scholarship Foundation of America were surveyed. Responses from 515 applicants suggest that these relatively small awards do not change the educational plans of the recipients. Students most frequently report that such awards diminish the financial burden placed on student and family; post-secondary educational choices usually are unchanged by the availability or absence of small scholarships. Even if the scholarships were larger, it appears that the effect would be similar. Fewer than one-third of the students report that a larger scholarship would cause a significant change in post-secondary education.     

Averting Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type in Women: Can Counselors Help?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in late life, taking its greatest toll on women over age 80. This article provides an overview of AD, including risk factors and counseling strategies targeting risk. Counseling strategies address stress, cardiovascular health, social integration, depression, and holistic wellness.     

Darwinian Happiness: Can the Evolutionary Perspective on Well-Being Help us Improve Society?

The concept of Darwinian Happiness was coined to help people take advantage of knowledge on how evolution has shaped the brain; as processes within this organ are the main contributors to well-being. Fortuitously, the concept has implications that may prove beneficial for society: Compassionate behavior offers more in terms of Darwinian Happiness than malicious behavior; and the probability of obtaining sustainable development may be improved by pointing out that consumption beyond sustenance is not important for well-being. It is difficult to motivate people to act against their own best interests. Darwinian Happiness offers a concept that, to some extent, combines the interests of the individual with the interests of society.     

Can We Help Belligerent Counselees?

This article presents a framework and principles for counseling belligerent counselees. It integrates moral reasoning and behavior contracting with the counseling process and describes the limited rationales of victimization, guilt, and helplessness. Then, a moral reasoning framework is presented whereby counselors move the counselees from the punishment stage to a trade-off and socially responsive stages through contracting. Finally, the counseling and contract principles are delineated for establishing a relationship aimed at improved behavior, facilitating recognition that behavior causes consequences, inducing positive behavior through rewards, and encouraging transfer to new situations.     

Comrades in the Struggle? Feminist Women Prefer Male Allies Who Offer Autonomy- not Dependency-Oriented Help

Sex Roles - Feminist women view feminist men who take a backseat and offer partial help (i.e., autonomy-oriented support) as better allies than those who attempt to solve the problem themselves and...     

Curing Psychopathology: Can Philosophy Help?

Abstract

It is argued that philosophers can contribute indirectly to the cure of psychopathology by helping to resolve problems that impede the development of effective treatments. Two such problems are discussed. The first arises because different schools of therapy use conflicting criteria in evaluating therapeutic outcomes. A theory of Defective Desires is developed to deal with this problem. The second issue, which divides the field of psychotherapy, concerns the need for experiments, especially in validating claims of therapeutic efficacy. An epistemological foundation is developed to support the need for experiments.     

Genetics: Can Moral Theology Help?

The article discusses Marc Lappé's use of the Principle of Double Effect (PDE) for justifying Germ Line Gene Therapy as a secondary effect of Somatic Gene Therapy. The author argues that Lappés argumentation is mistaken because it is based on a inadequate interpretation of the PDE's scope and function as a means of moral justification. Through an investigation into the history of PDE in Catholic theology, the author gives arguments that use of PDE relies upon some form of deontological framework which is not present in contemporary bioethics. The author concludes that isolated use of PDE, as Lappé seems to suggest, does therefore not warrant moral justification.     

The Animus: Help or Hindrance?

The “masculine” side of the woman’s psyche is seen as carrying two kinds of energy: drive, aggressiveness, and self-assertion as well as objectivity, consciousness, and concern with meaning and spiritual values. The need for (and problems with) becoming aware of these basic energies are discussed, using many contemporary examples.     

Introduction to the Technical Series: What is Science,and How Does It Help Us?*

Editor's Note: Readers trained in research have no need of a series of articles that introduce the value of the scientific method and the basic factors that comprise good research methodology. But readers who are primarily trained to do clinical work with families will find that today's healthcare environment increasingly requires that they be good consumers of research, as well as an increasing need for them to participate in studies of the models we wish to preserve. At a recent NIMH‐sponsored conference, a speaker lamented the probable demise of some of our more interesting family approaches because third‐party payers tend to support only evidence‐based interventions. Clearly, we need to be able to defend our practices, and understanding the value and essential components of scientific methodology and research studies is likely to become even more important in the future. This new series will attempt to provide an orientation for those of our readers who are interested. We welcome your response to these articles and your suggestions for future segments.     

Can the Same Politician Help and Hurt the Evaluations of Another Politician? The Role of Categorization on the Elicitation of Assimilation and Contrast Effects in the Mexican Political Context

Two studies investigated the effects of bringing a highly controversial politician to mind on the evaluations of another politician in the Mexican political context. We took advantage of the dynamic nature of the Mexican political context in which politicians often threaten to leave or actually leave their political parties, influencing the categorization process. We hypothesized that the same controversial politician could elicit assimilation and contrast effects on the evaluations of another politician, depending on whether both political figures were treated as lateral categories or members of the same superordinate category. Study 1 found support for the predicted contrast effects but only among those who did not classify both political figures as members of the same political party. Study 2 found support for the expected interexemplar assimilation effects but only among those who classified both political figures as members of the same political party. The theoretical and applied implications of our results were discussed.     

Career Development Theories: What Help for Older Persons?

Career development theory, although most highly developed for persons in the first two or three decades of life, can help counselors plan ways to work with older persons. The career development theories of Super, Tiedeman, Holland, Blau and other sociologists, Ginzberg, and Krumboltz, as well as the developmental theories of Levinson, Gould, and Neugarten are briefly reviewed to support this assertion. Although applications should be made with caution, concepts from these theories seem to have potential for enhancing the effectiveness of counseling of older persons. There seems, however, to be an increase in research and theory-building on the career development of this age group; more helpful guidelines can be expected in the future.     

Can Religion Help Prevent Obesity? Religious Messages and the Prevalence of Being Overweight or Obese Among Korean Women in California

This research examines the influence of messages from religious leaders and congregants on whether Korean women are overweight or obese. Data were drawn from telephone interviews with a probability sample (N = 591) of women of Korean descent living in California. Overweight or obese prevalence was measured using World Health Organization standards for Asians (BMI > 23). Respondents reported the frequency of messages discouraging “excessive eating” or encouraging “exercise” from religious leaders and congregants during a typical month. When conditioned on leaders’ messages, the frequency of congregants’ messages was associated with a significantly lower probability of being overweight or obese, although messages from either in the absence of the other were unassociated with being overweight or obese. At least for Korean women, religion may help prevent obesity via religious-based social mechanisms.     

Folk Platitudes as the Explananda of Philosophical Metaethics: Are They Accurate? And Do They Help or Hinder Inquiry?

The field of metaethics, the branch of moral philosophy that examines the nature and status of morality, is rich in theoretical diversity. Nonetheless, a majority of professional philosophers embrace a subset of theories that affirm the existence of objective moral facts. I suggest that this may be related to the very method that philosophers use to construct metaethical theories. This method involves analyzing how ordinary people think and argue about morality. Analysis of ordinary moral discourse is meant to reveal common platitudes (or truisms) about the nature of morality itself, including the platitude that morality trades in objective moral facts. But do philosophers investigate ordinary moral discourse in any systematic way? How do they arrive at such platitudes? On what grounds are they justified? In this paper, I critically examine these questions and argue that a) any such platitudes need to be investigated systematically through empirical research and b) philosophers ought to be engaged in this research themselves.