Harm inflation: Making sense of concept creep

ABSTRACT

“Concept creep” is the gradual semantic expansion of harm-related concepts such as bullying, mental disorder, prejudice, and trauma. This review presents a synopsis of relevant theoretical advances and empirical research findings on the phenomenon. It addresses three fundamental questions. First, it clarifies the characterisation of concept creep by refining its theoretical and historical dimensions and presenting studies investigating the change in harm-related concepts using computational linguistics. Second, it examines factors that have caused concept creep, including cultural shifts in sensitivity to harm, societal changes in the prevalence of harm, and intentional meaning changes engineered for political ends. Third, the paper develops an account of the consequences of concept creep, including social conflict, political polarisation, speech restrictions, victim identities, and progressive social change. This extended analysis of concept creep helps to understand its mixed implications and sets a multi-pronged agenda for future research on the topic.     

价值多元化何以可能——后现代主义的价值困境及其消解策略

后现代主义批判了传统形而上学的知性意识及其整体主义致思,不啻为一次新启蒙。然而,后现代主义在解构了旧形而上学之后却不自觉地陷入另一种形而上学,并且在其后果上引发了价值多元主义的自我悖谬。价值多元化何以可能?在一个"诸神纷争"的价值处境中学者们提出了不同的消解策略,其中确立一种"边界意识"具有理论合理性。     

Aging and posture in the memory of manipulable objects

ABSTRACT

Thirty healthy elderly participants (mean age = 77.3) learned the names of manipulable and nonmanipulable objects while adopting a control posture (hands in front of them) or an interfering posture (holding their hands behind their back). Results on a recall task showed a postural interference (PI) effect, with the interfering posture reducing the memory of manipulable objects, but not of nonmanipulable ones. The effect was similar to the Postural Interference effect previously observed in young adults, although with a lower performance. These results call into question the embodied theory hypothesis that the deterioration of memory in aging is related to the decline of the sensorimotor system.