How Mathematical Concepts Get Their Bodies

When the traditional distinction between a mathematical concept and a mathematical intuition is tested against examples taken from the real history of mathematics one can observe the following interesting phenomena. First, there are multiple examples where concepts and intuitions do not well fit together; some of these examples can be described as “poorly conceptualised intuitions” while some others can be described as “poorly intuited concepts”. Second, the historical development of mathematics involves two kinds of corresponding processes: poorly conceptualised intuitions are further conceptualised while poorly intuited concepts are further intuited. In this paper I study this latter process in mathematics during the twentieth century and, more specifically, show the role of set theory and category theory in this process. I use this material for defending the following claims: (1) mathematical intuitions are subject to historical development just like mathematical concepts; (2) mathematical intuitions continue to play their traditional role in today's mathematics and will plausibly do so in the foreseeable future. This second claim implies that the popular view, according to which modern mathematical concepts, unlike their more traditional predecessors, cannot be directly intuited, is not justified.     

Generic statements require little evidence for acceptance but have powerful implications

Generic statements (e.g., "Birds lay eggs") express generalizations about categories. In this paper, we hypothesized that there is a paradoxical asymmetry at the core of generic meaning, such that these sentences have extremely strong implications but require little evidence to be judged true. Four experiments confirmed the hypothesized asymmetry: Participants interpreted novel generics such as "Lorches have purple feathers" as referring to nearly all lorches, but they judged the same novel generics to be true given a wide range of prevalence levels (e.g., even when only 10% or 30% of lorches had purple feathers). A second hypothesis, also confirmed by the results, was that novel generic sentences about dangerous or distinctive properties would be more acceptable than generic sentences that were similar but did not have these connotations. In addition to clarifying important aspects of generics' meaning, these findings are applicable to a range of real-world processes such as stereotyping and political discourse.     

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): attachment styles and parental bonding

The attachment styles and parental bonding by 64 patients (M age = 43.2 yr., SD = 13.3) with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) were compared with those of 64 patients (M age = 42.2 yr., SD = 13.5) with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and 126 Healthy participants (M age = 42.2 yr., SD = 12.1). Analysis of scores on the Attachment Style Questionnaire indicated insecure attachment in both the patient and control groups. The Parental Bonding scores indicated perceptions of Affectionless Control by parents in both patient groups. In particular, the mean Father-Protection subscale scores were significantly higher for in the GERD group than in the Healthy and IBD groups.     

Unity,ontology, and the divine mind

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion - In his landmark book on philosophical theology, Saving God: Religion After Idolatry, Mark Johnston develops a panentheistic metaphysic of the...     

Reasons Explanations and Pure Agency

We focus on the recent non-causal theory of reasons explanationsof free action proffered by a proponent of the agency theory, Timothy O'Connor. We argue that the conditions O'Connor offersare neither necessary nor sufficient for a person to act for a reason. Finally, we note that the role O'Connor assigns toreasons in the etiology of actions results in further conceptual difficulties for agent-causalism.     

Behavioral effects of testosterone in relation to social rank in the male rabbit

The role of gonadal androgens in favoring the adaptation to environmental pressure, including social organization, is well known. In the rabbit, testosterone administration increases marking behavior, and its level can be affected by agonistic interaction. In this experiment, we studied the effect of subcutaneous administration of testosterone propionate (TP) (3 mg/d for 6 days) in male rabbits belonging to the same social group (6 groups of 4 animals). In 2 additional groups (4 animals each), males were injected with almond oil. The animals were observed for 6 days in seminatural conditions, then treated with TP (or oil) and observed for another 6 days. The dominant/subordinate frequency ratio of behavioral patterns was used to rank the animals. The testosterone plasma concentration was correlated with agonistic behavior after the first period of social interaction. A significant increase of marking, digging, and defensive activity was observed after TP administration in all animals independent of rank, whereas this increase was not present in animals treated with oil. Agonistic and interactive behaviors increased significantly after TP treatment only in the first‐ranking animals. This indicates the influence of social rank in the modification of behaviors involving interactions among subjects Aggr. Behav. 29:269–278, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

“Doubly Mother”: Heterologous Artificial Insemination Between Biological and Social Parenthood: A Single Case Study

In heterologous artificial insemination, the donation of gametes (either sperm or eggs) from a third person allows infertile and same-sex couples to become parents. Therefore, the child is genetically related to one parent, while the other parent is referred to as the social mother or father. This current single case study aimed at investigating this double access to parenthood in a lesbian couple who had two children after heterologous artificial insemination. In this couple, both women delivered one of the two children, so that each partner is either biological or social mother. The Clinical Generational Interview was used to assess the quality of family relationships, with a specific focus on three dimensions: the origins of each partner, the constitution of the couple, and the generational passage. Paper and pencil textual analysis was conducted following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and led to the identification of six dominant themes (and subthemes): (a) relationship with the family of origin; (b) couple relationship; (c) generational passage; (d) heterologous artificial insemination and “double motherhood”; (e) donor/biological father; and (f) children identity and the disclosure of their origin. This study’s findings revealed the importance of using research techniques aimed at in-depth exploration of this phenomenon consistently with the specificities of the new filiation forms. The adoption of a transgenerational perspective allows articulating conception coordinates with the history of the couple and each partner’s origins.     

“This passage can also be read differently …?:” How Jews and Christians censored Hebrew texts in early modern Modena

This article focuses on the impact exerted by the promulgation of the Index of Prohibited Books by Clement VIII in 1596 on the Jews in early modern Modena. In order to explore diverse cultural perspectives among Jews and Christians, it considers how they read, interpreted, and censored controversial passages in the commentary of Rashi (Solomon ben Isaac of Troyes, 1040–1105) on the Pentateuch. It shows parallels between censorship and the expurgation of Hebrew books, as well as the physical ghettoization and expulsion of Jews from Italian cities enacted by Church authorities, on the one hand, and political and cultural negotiations conducted by the Jews themselves, on the other. Just as the city could be protected from Jewish pollution only through the segregation and expulsion of Jews, so too could the Catholic community be effectively shielded from the contamination of Jewish blasphemies only through banning the Talmud and expurgating other Jewish texts. At the same time, Jews developed means of self-vindication, including a straightforward defense of the principal tenets of Judaism and a stratagem of avoiding discussions that referred to the superiority of Jews over Christians in some interpretations of Rashi. These methods enabled Jews to engage in social and political negotiations with Church and ducal institutions.