Work and the Human Essence

ABSTRACT Jenkins and Sherman hold that belief in the value of work is artificially inculcated and that a 'leisure society' is desirable and possible, as well as being necessitated by the introduction of microprocessors. After distinguishing between meaningful work and labour (first section), I reply obliquely to their case by contending that meaningful work affords most people their best chance of the necessary good of self-respect (second section), and that it constitutes the exercise of an essential human capacity, the development of which is necessary to human wellbeing (third section). Because of the contingent connections between employment on the one hand and meaningful work and self-respect on the other, we should recognise the value of work and plan for full employment (fourth section).     

Religious Perfectionism Versus Spiritual Growth

This article explores the fundamentalist Christian focus on perfectionism and its possible contribution to an increase in dysfunctional individuals, family systems, and societies. Several Bible verses are analyzed, and the results of their misinterpretation discussed. The need for a program of spiritual growth, as expressed by Alcoholics Anonymous, as opposed to a program of spiritual perfection is proposed.     

THE IDENTITY OF INDISCERNIBLES AND THE CO-LOCATION PROBLEM

Abstract:  The Identity of Indiscernibles is the principle that there cannot be two individual things in nature that are qualitatively identical. The principle is not exactly popular. Michael Della Rocca tries to resurrect it by arguing that we must accept this principle, for otherwise we cannot explain the impossibility of completely overlapping indiscernible objects of the same kind that share all their parts and exist in the same place at the same time. I try to show that his argument goes wrong: we need not embrace the identity of indiscernibles to deal with the co-location problem.     

The transition to uncertainty?: The impacts of Hong Kong 1997 on personal relationships

Despite considerable previous research into acculturation processes and family stress, we know little about how different groups of individuals or families respond to planned political changes within a culture and the impact of their expectations on their daily relationships. This study examines the appraisals of 403 Hong Kong married individuals of the forthcoming handover of Hong Kong to China, the impact of these appraisals on relationship disagreements regarding the transition, and perceived changes in their relationships. Results suggest that negative (external) locus of control and pessimistic group norms are predictors of a threatening appraisal of the transition, and that this perceived threat was a significant predictor of perceived change in the couple's relationship. Age and education had direct impacts on perception of relationship change and intradyadic disagreements about the transition. Results are discussed in the light of the complex political and economic climate in the lead-up to the handover of Hong Kong to China, as well as the broader literature on family stress, personal relationships, and social change.     

EXAMINATION OF SITUATIONAL AND ATTITUDINAL MODERATORS OF THE HESITATION AND PERFORMANCE RELATION

The hesitation dimension of action-state orientation refers to the behavioral capacity to start action on tasks. In this study, job characteristics (autonomy and routineness) and job attitudes (satisfaction and involvement) were examined as moderators of the relation between hesitation and supervisor ratings of work behaviors (overall job performance and self-management performance) in 2 different samples. In both samples, routineness moderated the hesitation and self-management performance relation such that individuals low in hesitation performed better than individuals high in hesitation when routineness was low, but no differences in performance were observed when routineness was high. In addition, job satisfaction and job involvement were significant moderators of the relation between hesitation and self-management performance, with individuals low in hesitation performing better than individuals high in hesitation when satisfaction or involvement was low, but no differences in performance were observed when satisfaction or involvement was high.