Wide and narrow scope

In this paper I present an original and relatively conciliatory solution to one of the central contemporary debates in the theory of rationality, the debate about the proper formulation of rational requirements. I begin by offering my own version of the “symmetry problem” for wide scope rational requirements, and I show how this problem necessitates the introduction of a normative concept other than the traditional notions of reason and requirement. I then sketch a theory of rational commitment, showing how this notion solves the symmetry problem as I’ve presented it. I also show that the concept of rational commitment is one we already appeal to in common sense discourse, and that it is necessary for vindicating comparative judgments of rationality.     

Going Deep,Going Wide

Contemporary theories of psychoanalytic action have for the most part shifted from an archeological model—analyst as objective scientist/detective in search of patients’ deeply repressed affective experience—to analyst as often unwitting co-participant in a relationship ultimately designed to broaden patients’ awareness and acceptance of their varied internalized self-other configurations. These sometimes dissociated configurations often emerge in the context mutual enactments between patient and analyst.     

Wide distribution of external local sign in the normal population

The extent of the apparent visual field was determined for a group of 78 naïve visual observers. We find that there exists a minority (less than 10%) that is essentially veridical, but that the majority of the population experiences an apparent visual field of only about 90°, thus much narrower than the dioptrics of the eye would suggest (a little over 180°). This is in good accordance with available (albeit mainly anecdotal) evidence, though formal data have been lacking thus far. The finding is discussed in the context of metrical calibration of the topological structure of the visual field, an aspect of “local sign”.     

Wide Reflective Equilibrium as a Normative Model for Responsible Governance

Soft regulatory measures are often promoted as an alternative for existing regulatory regimes for nanotechnologies. The call for new regulatory approaches stems from several challenges that traditional approaches have difficulties dealing with. These challenges relate to general problems of governability, tensions between public interests, but also (and maybe particularly) to almost complete lack of certainty about the implications of nanotechnologies. At the same time, the field of nanotechnology can be characterized by a high level of diversity. In this paper, we discuss and compare two models for framing public policy in relation to technology regulation: the first is a deliberative model based on foresight knowledge and the second the wide reflective equilibrium model, developed by political philosopher John Rawls. In both models, the aim is to find consensus on (a framework for) policy measures and regulation. On the basis of a critical discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of both models, some tentative conclusions are drawn for effective policy making and implementation based on soft law.     

Wide eyes and an open mouth enhance facial threat

Two rating experiments were conducted to examine the effect of opening the mouth and widening the eyes on ratings of facial threat. In Experiment 1, 65 participants rated faces for threat, arousal and valence (pleasantness). The faces varied in eyebrow shape (V-shaped, flat), mouth type (closed, open), eye type (wide, normal) and mouth curvature (down-turned, up-turned). In replication of previous research (Lundqvist, Esteves, & Öhman, 1999 Lundqvist, D., Esteves, F. and Öhman, A. 1999. The face of wrath: Critical features for conveying facial threat. Cognition and Emotion, 13: 691–711. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2004 Lundqvist, D., Esteves, F. and Öhman, A. 2004. The face of wrath: The role of features and configurations in conveying social threat. Cognition and Emotion, 18: 161–182. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), the V-shaped eyebrow was the most important determinant of facial threat. Faces with a V-shaped eyebrow were rated as more aroused and threatening, and less pleasant than faces with a flat eyebrow. Similar, albeit weaker, effects were recorded for mouth and eye type, leading to a new hierarchical ordering of facial features for determining facial threat (eyebrow type > mouth type > eye type > mouth curvature). In Experiment 2 (n=37) the effects and ordering recorded in Experiment 1 were replicated for ratings of face of a woman and, moreover , individual features (except an up-turned mouth) increased ratings of threat compared to an expressionless control condition.     

Internet,World Wide Web,and Creativity

The growth of the Internet has been the most astonishing technological and social phenomenon of the last decade of this century. In 1990 only a few academics had heard of it; now, more than 50 million people use it. By the turn of the century, that figure could be 100–200 million. So far, the network's only constant has been that the number of new users has doubled almost every 12–18 months. Most organizations have or will soon have Internet access. The popularity of Internet provides a tremendous opportunity for individuals and organizations to explore its features and services for electronic brainstorming. This paper presents the services available on the Internet for creativity. Because of the rapidly changing technologies in this area, the treatment of the topic in this paper is broad and general rather than technically detailed and tools dependent. The technologies in existence now may become obsolete in a few months time, but the principles of using them for creativity will remain.     

Wide reflective equilibrium as a method of justification in bioethics

Carson Strong has recently argued that wide reflective equilibrium (WRE) is an unacceptable method of justification in bioethics. In its place, Strong recommends a methodology in which certain foundational moral judgments play a central role in the justification of moral beliefs, and coherence plays a limited justificatory role in that the rest of our judgments are made to cohere with these foundational judgments. In this paper, I argue that Strong??s chief criticisms of WRE are unsuccessful and that his proposed alternative is in fact just another version of WRE. In the course of doing so, I specify which theses are central to WRE and which are not, and thus, provide a response to an additional objection, advanced by Peter Singer, that WRE is vacuous. I conclude by arguing that there may be better prospects for advancing the debate regarding methodology in bioethics if we focus on restricted epistemic and methodological theses rather than broad approaches, such as WRE, that come in many different varieties.     

Fluency Gains in Struggling College Readers from Wide Reading and Repeated Readings

Effects of wide reading and repeated readings were examined on struggling college readers' silent reading rate and reading comprehension relative to a vocabulary study control condition. Randomly assigned to a condition, community college students (N = 30) completed 25-min sessions individually in class three times a week for three weeks. Significant gains were made by wide reading (Cohen's d = 1.05) and repeated readings (Cohen's d = 0.72) in silent reading rate. No other effects were significant. Repeated readings appeared to encourage skimming whereas wide reading appeared to encourage careful processing of print. Instructional implications and future directions are discussed.     

论冯契的广义认识论

以所谓“认识论的转向”概括近代哲学的特点、并将这种转向理解为哲学的关注重心从本体论问题引向了认识论问题,似乎已成为某种流行之见。在以上视域中,认识论每每与本体论相分而又相对,从而呈现狭义的形态。①从另一方面看,自诩为实现了“语言学转向”的当代哲学,往往较多地对认识论或知识论的立场持批评的态度,晚近有关克服认识论之说,便是其中一例。②作为需要加以克服的形态,这种认识论的特点之一被理解为预设外部对象并试图加以表象③。认识论与本体论的相分,表明认识问题与存在问题彼此疏离;克服执着外部对象的认识论,则意味着认识论…     

The World Wide Wait: Exploring Physiological and Behavioral Effects of Download Speed

ABSTRACT

When people use humorous media content, their behavior and assessments of the content may depend on the emotional expressions (e.g., laughter) of those around them. In a laboratory experiment in which 80 participants watched a movie clip with a confederate who either laughed or remained silent, we identified two parallel processes. The confederate’s laughter induced behavioral responses in our participants (laughing or smiling). Through those responses, a corresponding appraisal of the media content was generated: The content was rated funnier in comparison to situations in which the confederate did not laugh. This effect corresponds to emotional contagion processes and was especially pronounced in introverts. Additionally, participants who were low in conscientiousness directly elevated their funniness ratings (more than their own emotional expressions would suggest) when the confederate laughed. Those who were high in conscientiousness, however, lowered their ratings of the content’s funniness in the presence of a laughing confederate. This finding suggests the existence of an additional cognitive process that links confederate’s laughter and participant’s content ratings beyond automatic contagion. Participants with low conscientiousness use the confederate’s laughter as a heuristic cue for the content’s funniness, while highly conscientious participants discount the confederate’s laughter as a cue for content funniness.     

Incarnation Deep and Wide: A Response to Niels Gregersen

Abstract

This paper responds to Professor Niels Gregersen's theology of deep incarnation by doing three things. Section 1 summarizes and defines the idea of deep incarnation, with particular reference to what is intended by the key adjective “deep.” Section 2 engages Gregersen's proposal critically in relation to traditional options within the Christian doctrine of the incarnation. If Gregersen's language of “incarnation” is to be taken seriously as a proposal that is grounded in but goes beyond traditional ideas, its best chance for success lies in being as clear as possible about relationship with its traditional sources. Finally, Section 3 offers a few suggestions concerning the promise of deep incarnation for contemporary theology, especially for theology informed in part by serious engagement with the natural sciences.