天才大脑机制的神经学研究

天才是指那些在创造力和技巧方面有特殊才能或倾向,以及具有非凡成就的极少数个体。人们认为天才的最普遍特征是智商(IQ)高,创造力强,并有强烈的动机感(承担任务)。本文对目前有关智能及创造力的脑研究知识作一个综述,包括脑电波(EEG)的生理测量,脑功率谱分析,大脑诱发电位和阳离子发射层面x射线照相术,并考虑了现存的矛盾、争议、正式假说和研究中的争端问题。我们特别对脑电波动力学的确定性功能加以阐述,提出了一个天才认知组织和大脑加工过程层次的混沌模型。     

身体姿式在表义方面的跨文化研究

在两项研究中,我们检验了用以判断姿式的维度结构的跨文化的适用性。在研究一中,686名日本被试用16个在意义上相差5个点的量表项目对40种姿式的表达进行了评定。被试在假设的双重情景中推断出一个编码人对自身(即对被试解码)的态度。一个主要成分的因素分析为三个独立的维度提供了证据,这三个独立维度与施洛斯伯格(1954)、奥斯古德(1966)和威廉姆斯与桑德恩(1965)所提出的类似。这三种因素被称为自我满足因素、人际间的积极因素和人际意识因素。在研究二中,336个日本学生用16个相差5个点的项目对40种姿式表达再度进行了评定,但对假设的编码人的身份试图加以控制。这项研究基本上重复了研究一的结果。有趣的是虽然我们发现了与西方所做的研究中相同的因素,但在我们的研究中,因素的顺序与以前的研究正好相反。本文对这些发现在维持人类关系中根据所提出的文化差异进行了讨论。     

宗教在道德教育中的作用

长期以来,大多数宗教总是很自然地把道德与宗教信仰和实践联系在一起。例如,在古希腊,道德教育基本上是通过传奇式的宗教文学来进行的,象关于上帝的传说以及希腊英雄的故事等。正是由于这个原因,柏拉图十分审慎地对待道德教育中所采用的诗歌和典故。柏拉图批评当时的大多数诗歌,认为他们不适合于用来教育青少年,因为这些诗歌错误地把上帝描绘成具有迷惑力的、骗人的、好战的和假的东西。相反,柏拉图认为真正的上帝是完美无缺的,是不可更换的,也不可能欺骗人。     

重在实践

至大的真主在《古兰经》中说:“你们是诵经的人,你们怎么可以命人行善,而忘却自身呢?难道你们真不明白吗?”(2∶44)从这段详明的经文,我们应当知道:有些人,他们常以诚信者自诩。他们常以信仰和善功命令别人,而他们自身却放任自流,     

公正:变化中的美德观念

有两种互不相容的公正观念:一是通过说明怎样根据各人所挣之物赋予其权利和赋予哪些权利来解释公正概念;一是通过说明根据各人的基本需要及其满足方法而确立的平等权利来解释公正概念。 分析道德哲学家R·诺齐克和J·罗尔斯对上述基于合法所得权利和基本需要这两种主张在理论上作出表述: 罗尔斯认为,在规定任何社会制度下对利益的公正分配时都将依据下述两条原则和一条规     

“人”的概念

“人”的概念是西方哲学中的最中心概念之一,但是毫无疑问,它并不是一个人们具有统一意见并且得到明确定义的对象。这个概念的出现乃是由于人(不论是个人还是人类这一物种)的一种需要:把他们自己理解为一种特殊的和与众不同的东西。并且,这种不同的性质既是形而上学的又是伦理学的。关于人格(personhood)的形而上学的问题乃是何种特质和属性从本质上把人同所有其他类型的实体区分开来的问题;伦理学的问题乃是人的何种东西使得他们既具有道德价值(因此不应该以某些方式对待他们)又具有道德责任(因此对他们的行动能合理地进行褒、贬、奖、罚)的问题。人的形而上学的概念同伦理学概念之间的关系并不总是清楚的:它们是否是相同的概念、相同的实体概念、抑或一个是另一个的充分必要     

Markets in women's reproductive labor

Much of the evolution of social policy in the twentieth century has occurred around conflicts over the scope of markets. To what extent, under what conditions, and for what reasons should we limit the use of markets? Recently, American society has begun to experiment with markets in women's reproductive labor. Many people believe that markets in women's reproductive labor, as exemplified by contract pregnancy, are more problematic than other currently accepted labor markets. I will call this the asymmetry thesis because its proponents believe that there ought to be an asymmetry between our treatment of reproductive labor and our treatment of other forms of labor. Advocates of the asymmetry thesis hold that treating reproductive labor as a commodity, as something subject to the supply-and-demand principles that govern economic markets, is worse than treating other types of human labor as commodities. Is the asymmetry thesis true? And, if so, what are the reasons for thinking that it is true? My aims in this article are to criticize several popular ways of defending the asymmetry thesis and to offer an alternative defense....I focus my discussion on those arguments against contract pregnancy that depend on the asymmetry thesis. I believe that the asymmetry thesis both captures strong intuitions that exist in our society and provides a plausible argument against contract pregnancy.     

Cultural practices of Hispanics: implications for the prevention of AIDS

Hispanic Americans have one of the highest rates of HIV seroprevalence among all ethnics groups in the US, with high rates being especially noticeable among women and children. Were it known which cultural factors have the most influence on whether Hispanics engage in high-risk behavior for HIV transmission, prevention interventions could be targeted accordingly. To that end, this study was mounted to identify which Hispanic cultural factors relate to condom use. 117 males and 73 females aged 17-56 years of mean age 25.67 were surveyed in Washoe county, Nevada. These mostly young adults had recently immigrated to the western US. It was initially posited that fate orientation, male- female relationships, family relationships, machismo behavior, and religion would have equal influence with respect to condom use. Analysis found that condom use was largely associated with and determined by men who are the principal buyers of condoms. A machismo attitude toward protecting women by using condoms was also associated with condom use. Neither fate orientation with respect to AIDS, nor religion were important determinants of condom use, even though 86.5% of the respondents were Catholic. The degree to which respondents adhered to traditional Hispanic cultural values was influenced by the degree of education and acculturation. On the basis of these findings, the authors suggest targeting AIDS prevention messages to males, while emphasizing the protection of women through condom use. They also suggest that both education and acculturation levels be assessed before implementing prevention programs.     

The autonomy of adult women should be paramount, not the exam

The respect shown by clinic personnel for the adult status of their patients, and the right of people with mental retardation to good routine gynecologic care are not at issue. What is at issue is the right of a mentally retarded woman to refuse the intrusion of a pelvic examination. To accept an accommodated decisional capacity to say yes or indicate assent but to deny the reverse might be in the patients' medical best interest, but it is neither consistent nor respectful of their autonomy.