Constitutivism and Generics

Philosophia - Constitutivism is a family of theories of normativity, especially in metaethics, that rely on the concept of constitutive norms: norms that are grounded in constitutive features of...     

An expert–novice comparison of feature choice

Perceptual experts have learned to rapidly and accurately perceive the structural regularities that define categories and identities within a domain. They extract important features and their relations more efficiently than novices. We used fingerprint examination to investigate expert–novice differences in feature choice. On each fingerprint within our set, experts and novices selected one feature they thought was most useful for distinguishing a particular print and one feature they thought was least useful. We found that experts and novices often differed in the features they chose, and experts tended to agree more with each other. However, any such expert–novice difference appeared to depend on the image at hand typically emerging when salient or more conspicuous features of a fingerprint were unclear. We suggest that perceptual training ought to direct attention to useful features with the understanding that what is useful may change depending on the clarity of the stimuli.     

Personality Research and Assessment in the Era of Machine Learning

The increasing availability of high-dimensional, fine-grained data about human behaviour, gathered from mobile sensing studies and in the form of digital footprints, is poised to drastically alter the way personality psychologists perform research and undertake personality assessment. These new kinds and quantities of data raise important questions about how to analyse the data and interpret the results appropriately. Machine learning models are well suited to these kinds of data, allowing researchers to model highly complex relationships and to evaluate the generalizability and robustness of their results using resampling methods. The correct usage of machine learning models requires specialized methodological training that considers issues specific to this type of modelling. Here, we first provide a brief overview of past studies using machine learning in personality psychology. Second, we illustrate the main challenges that researchers face when building, interpreting, and validating machine learning models. Third, we discuss the evaluation of personality scales, derived using machine learning methods. Fourth, we highlight some key issues that arise from the use of latent variables in the modelling process. We conclude with an outlook on the future role of machine learning models in personality research and assessment.     

Mission for/as Reconciliatory Emancipation

Since Christian mission in the way of Jesus Christ is best understood and experienced in the fringes of the society, it is imperative that we listen to and learn from marginalized voices. Keeping this in mind, this article looks at the relevance of the theology of mission of the Dalit theologian and activist Masilamani Azariah, who served as a Bishop of the Church of South India in the 1990s. It seeks to highlight his pioneering work, which was discomforting for some dominant caste Indian Christians, in challenging the Indian church as well as the global ecumenical movement to speak up and act against untouchability and caste discrimination. Using Azariah's radical perspectives of mission as a lens, and employing the framework of reconciliatory emancipation, a theological concept explicated by the American political theologian Mark Taylor, this essay proposes that the mission of the church that endeavours to be holistic and Christ-centred would and should be committed to the empowerment and healing of the oppressed, driven by a burning prophetic rage against injustice, even while retaining the space for forgiveness and repentance, with the ultimate goal of building the kingdom of God that transcends divisive and discriminating boundaries.     

What’s in a Name? The Dilemma of Title and Geography for Contemporary Hasidism

This paper examines the importance of “branding” in hasidic life. It considers the impact of place names associated with the title of a particular rebbe or tsadik and his followers. When there is more than one claimant to succeed to the role of rebbe for a particular group of hasidim, the competition is often intensified because even though each claimant may have his own followers, there is only one name available for the group and its leader. This situation, different from the one that existed earlier in the history of Hasidism, makes the circumstances of succession today more fraught than they once were.     

The Relationship Between Workplace Spirituality and Work-to-Family Enrichment in Selected Public Sector Organizations in Malaysia

Journal of Religion and Health - Workplace spirituality (WPS) has been associated with various benefits, including its potential to reduce work–family conflict. Previous studies have...     

The Sacred Sites of Houston: A Novel Experiential Course for Undergraduate Medical Education on Religion and Spirituality

Journal of Religion and Health - Medical schools are charged to deliver a curriculum on religion and spirituality (R/S), so a novel experiential course, the Sacred Sites of Houston, was developed....