今日维特根斯坦

维特根斯坦在第一次世界大战的战壕中写完他的第一本书——《逻辑哲学论》,当时他在奥地利军队中服役.一系列精雕细刻的格言由一个复杂的排列体系联结起来,并且一切都按照从形而上学到形式逻辑的方向排列.此书被罗素誉为是一部杰作.人们很快就广泛认识到这本书的重要性,特别是通过石里克、卡纳普和魏斯曼,维也纳学派认识到了它的重要性.《逻辑哲学论》立刻使维特根斯坦在哲学家的神殿中占有了一席之地.《逻辑哲学论》是维特根斯坦自己出版的唯一的一本书.有一段时间他放弃哲学去当了一名小学教师,后来又在奥地利做一名建筑师,1929年他回到剑桥,在那里断断续续地工作一直到他1951年去世.他的思想交流实际上仅局限于课堂,他在由学生和同事组成的非常亲密的     

科学变革中的进化与连续性

一、不可通约性与意义 最有影响的实证主义的意义理论曾经认为,意义的基本单位就是个体的词项或陈述,到了本世纪50年代,这些理论转而认为,理论的或语言的关系域决定着个体词项的意义。     

The Timing Effects of Accent Production in Periodic Finger-Tapping Sequences

When subjects are required to produce short sequences of equally paced finger taps and to accentuate one of the taps, the interval preceding the forceful tap is shortened and the one that immediately follows the accent is lengthened. Assuming that the tapping movements are triggered by an internal clock, one explanation attributes the rnistiming of the taps to central factors: The momentary rate of the clock is accelerated or decelerated as a function of motor preparation to, respectively, increase or decrease the movement force. This hypothesis predicts that the interresponse intervals measured between either tap movement onsets or movement terminations (taps) will show the same timing pattern. A second explanation for the observed interval effects is that the tapping movements are triggered by a regular internal clock but the timing of the successive taps is altered because the forceful movement is completed in less time than the other tap movements are. This "peripheral" hypothesis predicts regular timing of movement onsets but distorted timing of movement terminations. In the present study, the trajectories of the movements performed by subjects were recorded and the interresponse intervals were measured at the beginning and the end of the tapping movements. The results of Experiment 1 showed that neither model can fully explain the interval effects: The fast forceful movements were initiated with an additional delay that took into account the small execution time of these movements. Experiment 2 reproduced this finding and showed that the timing of the onset and contact intervals did not evolve with the repetition of trial blocks. Therefore, the assumption of an internal clock that would trigger the successive movements must be rejected. The results are discussed in the framework of a modified two-stage model in which the internal clock, instead of triggering the tapping movements, provides target time points at which the movements have to produce their meaningful effects, that is, contacts with the response key. The timing distortions are likely to reflect both peripheral and central components.     

Resistance To Change As A Function Of Stimulus-reinforcer And Location-reinforcer Contingencies

Pigeons responded on two keys in each component of a multiple concurrent schedule. In one series of conditions the distribution of reinforcers between keys within one component was varied so as to produce changes in ratios of reinforcer totals for key locations when summed across components. In a second series, reinforcer allocation between components was varied so as to produce changes in ratios of reinforcer totals for components, summed across key locations. In each condition, resistance to change was assessed by presenting response-independent reinforcers during intercomponent blackouts and (for the first series) by extinction of responding on both keys in both components. Resistance to change for response totals within a component was always greater for the component with the larger total reinforcer rate. However, resistance to change for response totals at a key location was not a positive function of total reinforcement for pecking that key; indeed, relative resistance to extinction for the two locations showed a weak negative relation to ratios of reinforcer totals for key location. These results confirm the determination of resistance to change by stimulus—reinforcer contingencies.     

Physician-assisted suicide: the role of mental health professionals

A review of the literature was conducted to better understand the (potential) role of mental health professionals in physician-assisted suicide. Numerous studies indicate that depression is one of the most commonly encountered psychiatric illnesses in primary care settings. Yet, depression consistently goes undetected and undiagnosed by nonpsychiatrically trained primary care physicians. Noting the well-studied link between depression and suicide, it is necessary to question giving sole responsibility of assisting patients in making end-of-life treatment decisions to these physicians. Unfortunately, the use of mental health consultation by these physicians is not a common occurrence. Greater involvement of mental health professionals in this emerging and debated area is advocated. Beyond describing mental health professionals' role in the assessment of patient competency or decision making capacity, other areas of potential involvement are described. A discussion of ethical principles relevant to this area follows, along with comments on the training necessary to adequately serve patient needs.     

对人的尊严的挑战——试论P.辛格的优先权——实利主义

一个社会对其成员重视和承认的程度,首先表现为这个社会如何对待其成员中的弱者和受歧视的人。而在每个社会遭受歧视的人中,无疑也包括那些由于先天或后天的缘故患有精神上或肉体上的疾病而需要特别照顾的人。1989年以来,首先是这一社会群体的代言人,对他们的遭遇提出了强烈的抗议。而他们的抗议,又引发了德国舆论界对澳大利亚哲学家彼得·辛格的关注。特别是辛格关于可以对残疾人(既包括先天不足的婴儿,也包括老年人)施行强制性安乐死的论述,点燃了论战的烽火,更激起了一部分人的强烈抗议。残疾人的代盲人指出,辛格的“实用伦理学”不仅是对“残疾人”,而且从根本上讲是对人的错误认识。