Original mind and cosmic consciousness in the co-creative process

This article will investigate the issue of accessing benxin 本心 (original mind), subsequent operation from Self and, in that process, union with the “greater universe” or benti 本体 (original substance)—a state expressed in the West as “cosmic consciousness.” It is proposed that this allows one to participate as a partner in the creative process of one’s own life and the surrounding world. The equally important question of how to gain contact with original mind will also be addressed, as well as the consequences of doing so with regard to the human condition. The concept of original thought is introduced, being important here as it is held to be that thought which is generated in the pure condition of original mind, devoid of influence from finite physical existence.     

The Political Attitudes and Activities of Mainline Protestant Clergy in the Election of 2000: A Study of Six Denominations

This study examines clergy across six mainline Protestant denominations in terms of their social characteristics, their theological positions, and their political attitudes and behavior. The analysis is based on data collected through random surveys of clergy in each denomination conducted in 2001 using the same instrument. The predominant focus of the article is on the nature and level of political activities exhibited by mainline Protestant clergy in the election year of 2000. The analysis revealed that mainline Protestant clergy are indeed relatively active politically, but that, despite their commonality of belonging to the same broad religious tradition, the nature and level of such political activities varies across the six denominations. Variation in the level of political activity is related to a number of different variables. And, while multivariate analysis reduces the number of significant factors that account for such differences, the remaining significant factors are associated with each of the major theoretical approaches that have been advanced to account for differences in participation levels.     

Learning orthography in adulthood: A magnetoencephalographic study

Previous work demonstrated that there were differences between literate and comparable illiterate adult subjects. These differences were found in the performance on several tests and on patterns of activation on PET and fMRI. In the present study subjects that learned to read and to write in adulthood (being previously completely illiterate) were compared to controls, that is subjects that learned at school at the proper age. Magnetoencephalography was done while subjects were reading words. Results showed that, although the reading performance was the same in both groups while performing the task, the pattern of source distribution was different between groups. There were more late sources in right temporo‐parietal areas of late literates compared to controls and more late sources in left inferior frontal cortex in control subjects. It is concluded that learning to read in adulthood is a process supported by different brain structures from the ones used when learning occurs at the proper age. This may suggest that the same task can be similarly performed by relying on diverse functional brain anatomic networks.     

L'avenir de l'approche par élaboration de règles

The goal of this study is the elaboration of a computerized diagnostic instrument based on Siegler's rule-assessment approach for assessing the acquisition of the probability quantification scheme in subjects aged 6–18 years. Three versions of the test were used. Version 1 was Siegler's original version (four types of problems and four rules). In version 2 five new rules were added; version 3 contained the five new rules plus eleven types of problems. Results show that version 1 allows the classification of only 50% of subjects; version 2, 60%; and version 3, 70%. Despite improved versions, some weaknesses remain, the most important one being that it is still impossible to evaluate intra-individual variability. Aware of these limits, Siegler has reassigned his model to a local model of problem solving, and suggests a developmental model of information processing inspired by a Darwinian model of variation and strategy selection. The authors hypothesize that computer engineering could not only reaffirm the general status of the rule-assessment approach, but could also allow consideration of intra-individual variability.     

The array size function in simple visual search tasks: A comparison between “go-no go” and “yes-no” tasks under conditions of high and low target-noise similarity

Summary In research on visual search within a single eye-fixation a number of different tasks are used and referred to interchangeably. Research with other types of tasks suggests that there are possibly important differences between these tasks. In the present study, two types of search tasks were compared under conditions as equal as possible: the go-no go task and the yes-no task. Conditions of low and high target-noise similarity were used. The results obtained showed: a) a steeper slope of the array size function in yes-no tasks than in go-no go tasks on the first day of practice but not on the second: b) a higher intercept value of the same function for yes-no tasks than for go-no go tasks; and c) a greater proportion of errors with yes-no tasks than with comparable go-no go tasks. A tentative model, describing the main features of the results obtained, is briefly sketched.     

Peer acceptance: The correspondence between children's sociometric scores and teachers' ratings of peer interactions

In view of the current interest in children's peer relationships and social skills, and the need for valid assessment procedures for children's peer problems, the intent of the present study was to examine the correspondence between peer ratings of acceptance and teacher ratings of a child's social behavior and likability. The 92 children were males and females from the third, fourth, and fifth grades. Classroom teachers rated each of the children on withdrawn, aggressive, and likable behavior using the Pupil Evaluation Inventory. Peer ratings of the child's acceptance in play and work situations were obtained from same-sex classmates. The teacher rating of likability was the best predictor of peer acceptance scores for males; withdrawn behavior was the best predictor of peer acceptance scores for females. Ratings of withdrawn and aggressive behavior contributed to the prediction of peer acceptance scores for males; for females, only withdrawn behavior contributed to the prediction of peer acceptance. In terms of the clinical utility of teacher ratings for assessing children with peer problems, the use of the withdrawn and/or aggressive ratings scales appeared to offer promise as a means of identifying such children. Implications for the area of children's social skills and directions for future research were discussed.     

Kreisel,the continuum hypothesis and second order set theory

Summary The major point of contention among the philosophers and mathematicians who have written about the independence results for the continuum hypothesis (CH) and related questions in set theory has been the question of whether these results give reason to doubt that the independent statements have definite truth values. This paper concerns the views of G. Kreisel, who gives arguments based on second order logic that the CH does have a truth value. The view defended here is that although Kreisel's conclusion is correct, his arguments are unsatisfactory. Later sections of the paper advance a different argument that the independence results do not show lack of truth values.