The role accorded to the public by philosophers of science 1

The role accorded to the public by scientists and philosophers of science has undergone an essential historical change in the last three centuries. Public participation in (witnessing of) scientific experiments was considered an important requirement for 17th century experimenters (e.g. for Boyle or Pascal). The cognitive role played by lay persons was later substantially downgraded; witnessing went out of fashion, while science became more and more esoteric and a matter for experts only. Part of this process was that all scientific disciplines became intensively compartmentalized and in consequence a rather puzzling or even paradoxical situation appeared: that the scientists themselves were and are being reduced epistemically to the status of lay persons, outside of their proper field of expertise (as was pointed out by J. Hardwig). The paper deals with some cognitive aspects of this historical process.     

词义赋值的模糊统计分析

本工作采用了一种称之为区间统计的模糊统计方法,对三个维度上的量词或分类词作了经验的赋值工作。它们分别涉及差异量词、及完好性和肯定性的分类词。差别量词有‘无’,‘几乎无’,‘较小’,‘中’,‘较大’,‘很大’,‘极大’。完好性分类词有‘劣’,‘差’,‘可’,‘良’,‘优’。有关肯定性的有‘少许’,‘基本’,‘坚决’。文中列出了若干统计的指数。它们相应于每个词义的模糊集隶属函数,心理量表值和模糊度。从所得结果中可以表征,所有给定的语词,除极个别外,都属模糊概念。还可看到:在它们之间有着严格的序关系。在心理量表上,相邻的有序词义之间的距离是不等的,而且各自都有不同的模糊度。     

理解模糊概念的动态特征

本文探讨了不同场合下人脑理解模糊概念(量词、修饰词)的动态特点,并且考察了不同赋值区间(论域)、比较级的基数、上下关联(Context)等变量对理解给定的模糊概念的影响,特别考察了上述问题上的年龄差异。     

Effects of Level of Processing on Implicit and Explicit Memory in Depressed Mood

Recently, several studies have addressed the question of whether depression affects priming in implicit memory tasks. The main aim of this experiment was to assess the presence of a bias for negative information in explicit memory (free recall) and implicit memory (word-stem completion) tasks among subclinically depressed subjects compared to nondepressed subjects, using the typical levels of processing manipulation. The results of this study show the existence of a mood-congruent memory bias for both implicit and explicit memory in depressed subjects. The theoretical implications of these findings for implicit and explicit memory biases associated with depressed mood are discussed.     

TheP system: A scheme for organizing Pavlovian procedures

The present paper introduces theP system as a scheme for organizing Pavlovian procedures in an orderly and comprehensive manner. The system is defined by three temporal variables and three restrictions on their possible values. It can be used to define all standard temporal variables—namely, stimulus duration, interstimulus interval, trace interval, and intertrial interval—as well as variables C and T of scalar expectancy theory. The system also permits the definition of new independent variables through combinations of the basic temporal parameters. We exemplify this possibility by defining two ratios of temporal intervals. These ratios lead to a space where traditional Pavlovian arrangements (viz., simultaneous, forward-trace, forward-delay, backward) become points on a continuum, and optimal conditions across different experimental preparations become equivalent. Finally, the system can be used to define contingency variables such asp(US/CS),p(US/～CS), and the phi coefficient (φ). In this manner, an organization of different kinds of Pavlovian procedures is achieved on the basis of a single parametric scheme. Such an organization facilitates establishing procedural and theoretical relationships between temporal and contingency variables. The paper concludes with a discussion of certain limitations of the system and other related issues