A State-of-Affairs-Semantic Solution to the Problem of Extensionality in Free Logic

Journal of Philosophical Logic - If one takes seriously the idea that a scientific language must be extensional, and accepts Quine’s notion of truth-value-related extensionality, and also...     

Informational length and order of presentation as determinants of persuasion

The present paper explores the notion that an important difference between prior operational definitions of “cue” or “heuristic” information versus “message argument” information has to do with differential processing difficulty, and relative ordinal position of these two information types. In previous work, “cue/heuristic” information typically differed from “message argument” information not only in its contents, but also in it being (1) briefer, and (2) presented prior to the message information. We find that it is relative brevity and ordinal position rather than contents that ultimately explain the differences in persuasive impact between “cue/heuristic” versus “message argument” information. In so far as both “cues” and “message arguments” can vary in brevity and order with which they are presented, these findings are consistent with the view that these two information types do not necessarily differ in their persuasive impact.     

State-of-affairs Semantics for Positive Free Logic

In the following the details of a state-of-affairs semantics for positive free logic are worked out, based on the models of common inner domain–outer domain semantics. Lambert's PFL system is proven to be weakly adequate (i.e., sound and complete) with respect to that semantics by demonstrating that the concept of logical truth definable therein coincides with that one of common truth-value semantics for PFL. Furthermore, this state-of-affairs semantics resists the challenges stemming from the slingshot argument since logically equivalent statements do not always have the same extension according to it. Finally, it is argued that in such a semantics all statements of a certain language for PFL are state-of-affairs-related extensional as well as salva extensione extensional, even though their salva veritate extensionality fails.     

Psychotherapie und Pharmakotherapie

Zusammenfassung Psychotherapie und Pharmakotherapie verk?rpern jeweils eigenst?ndige Zugangsweisen zu psychisch kranken Patienten. Eine Kombination in einem integrativen Behandlungsmodell tr?gt der multifaktoriellen ?tiopathogenese von psychischen St?rungen Rechnung. Sie verlangt eine besondere Beachtung der Psychologie der Medikamentenverschreibung und -einnahme. Bewu?te und unbewu?te Bedeutungen der Medikamente für und in der aktuellen psychotherapeutischen Beziehung sind grundlegend für eine sichere Pharmakotherapie. Sie vermitteln aber auch entscheidende übertragungs- und Gegenübertragungsmuster im psychotherapeutischen Proze?. Für diagnostisch definierte, nicht-psychotische St?rungen (depressive, Angst-, Zwangs- und Pers?nlichkeitsst?rungen) werden vorliegende empirische Studien zur Pharmako- und Psychotherapie referiert und im Hinblick auf eine Kombinationsbehandlung reflektiert.      

Fremdk?rper im Leib

Es handelt sich hier um das Manuskript eines Vortrags, den Prof. DDr. Hans-Peter Kapfhammer anl?sslich des von ihm und dem im Juli 2010 verstorbenen Doyen der ?sterreichischen Psychiatrie, Prof. Dr. Hans Georg Zapotoczky, in Graz veranstalteten Symposiums ,,Das Fremde im Eigenen – Das Meinige im Fremden“ am 27. 3. 2009 gehalten hat. Lesen Sie in dieser Ausgabe der Psychopraxis den zweiten von drei Teilen des vollst?ndigen Vortragsmanuskripts*.     

Are the Votes of Ethics Committees in Germany for the Protection of Clinical Study Trial Subjects “Sovereign Acts?”

A sudden paradigm shift has resulted in governmental measures that greatly impact the scope in which the ethics committees in Germany can perform their task of providing expert opinions for clinical research. The so-called “revaluation” of the Medical Device Law Deutsches Medizinproduktegesetz—MPG) is, in our opinion, not based on sound political and professional judgment. In accordance with the changed regulations, ethics committees are now seen as being sub-organs of the state medical associations or the medical faculties and are therefore official authorities. It follows that the votes of ethics committees are then “sovereign acts” or authoritative measures! However, equality and justice speak against this misleading conclusion and its resulting consequence that an ethics committee’s vote is a sovereign act. This has, in turn, resulted in the public ethics committees obtaining their long-sought goal of having a state-sanctioned monopoly. The private ethics committees are not recognized as being authoritative bodies, nor are they to be seen as such in the future (i.e. such a status has been denied the Freiburg Ethics Commission International (FEKI) in Baden-Württemberg). This political mistake must be corrected, otherwise, conducting clinical research will become increasingly difficult.     

Anticipatory and control processes in the interaction with secondary tasks while driving

The paper describes an experiment where anticipatory processes in the interaction with secondary tasks while driving could be explicitly identified and contrasted to control processes during the engagement in the secondary task. A special experimental set-up in a driving simulator environment was created that allows drivers to deliberately decide whether they want to be distracted or not depending on the driving situation and the expected development of that situation. As indicators for a situation-adaptive interaction with secondary tasks parameters from driving behaviour, secondary task performance and visual behaviour were analyzed. A study with 24 test drivers revealed that drivers are, in general, able to interact with a secondary task in a situation-aware manner. For example, drivers rejected more secondary tasks in already highly demanding situations or tried to delay the beginning of the task. During secondary task performance drivers observed the situational development with short control glances back to the road and adapted their speed. The analysis of driving errors revealed that rejecting a task in an already highly demanding driving situation is an effective strategy to maintain an adequate level of driving safety. However, some critical factors were identified that might hinder the driver from executing such strategies. Several recommendations for supporting the driver on this issue are given.     

A controlled trial of an internet-based intervention program for cannabis users

In the last decade, several programs for the treatment of cannabis-related disorders were developed. Until now, no information is available on the efficacy of Internet-based counseling approaches for this target group. This article describes the evaluation of "quit the shit," a web-based intervention developed to help young people to quit or reduce their cannabis use significantly. Cannabis users seeking web-based treatment were included in a two-arm controlled trial conducted on a website for drug-related information and prevention. After the baseline assessment, members of the treatment condition were randomized to a 50-day intervention program. Other trial participants were put on a waiting list. A post-test was conducted 3 months after randomization. Of all 1,292 subjects included in the trial, a total of 206 participants took part at the post-test. Per-protocol- and intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. Members of the treatment condition showed a significantly stronger reduction in cannabis use (primary outcome) than the control group. In the per-protocol analyses, moderate-to-strong effects were found for the reduction of the frequency and the reduction of the quantity of consumed cannabis. Small-to-moderate effects were observed on the secondary outcomes (use-related self-efficacy, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction). Despite limitations concerning the interpretation of the results, the intervention seems to offer an effective treatment option for persons with cannabis-related problems.     

Individualism,authoritarianism, and attitudes toward assisted death: cross-cultural,cross-regional,and experimental evidence

We hypothesized that in individualistic cultures, individualism predicts positive attitudes toward assisted death, whereas authoritarianism is negatively associated with favorable views of this issue. Study 1 confirmed this hypothesis in a Polish sample (n=100). Study 2, using a German sample (n=102), found the predicted relationships for forms of assisted death that involved the individual self-determination of a terminally ill patient. In Study 3 (n=72), we found experimental evidence that priming individualistic aspects of the self-concept results in more favorable views of physician-assisted suicide. Using a representative sample (n=1158), Study 4 found that across the United States, regional levels of individualism are reflected in corresponding patterns of support for assisted suicide. The discussion focuses on assisted suicide as a cultural phenomenon and explores the implications of growing levels of individualism for public opinion and policy on assisted suicide.