A comparison of the accuracy and reactivity of methods of monitoring male sexual behavior

Two self-report methods of monitoring male sexuality have been compared—an ongoing method in the form of a diary card and one eliciting retrospective reports in the form of a monthly sexuality interview. Male volunteers were assigned at random to three testing conditions: (a) diary card and monthly interview for 3 months (N=29); (b) three monthly interviews (N=18); and (c) pre- and postinterview only, separated by 2 months (N=21). The correspondence among frequency reports, quality ratings, and number of sexual problems as obtained in diary card and interview measures was examined for respondents in the first condition, revealing that coital frequency and quality ratings were generally quite similar in the two modes of assessment. Interview responses for all subjects were examined for the existence of differential reactive effects according to the frequency of the assessment regimen. No differences emerged among conditions, although a trend for all groups over time was identified. Implications of the results are considered for clinical trials monitoring the effects of new contraceptive methods on sexual functioning.This study was supported by the World Health Organization's Special Programme of Research Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (Project Nos. 76297 and 79003) and was conducted at King's College Hospital, London.     

Hoisted by their own petards: Philosophical positions that self-destruct

Philosophers have not resisted temptation to transgress against the logic of their own conceptual structures. Self-undermining position-taking is an occupational hazard. Philosophy stands in need of conceptual therapy.The author describes three conceptions of philosophy: the narcissistic, disputatious, and therapeutic. (i) Narcissistic philosophy is hermetic, believing itself to contain all evidence that can possibly be relevant to it. Philosophy undertaken in this spirit has led to defensive, monadically isolated positions. (ii) Disputatious philosophies are fundamentally question-begging, animated by assumptions that philosophical adversaries reject. (iii) The intention of therapeutic philosophy is to study philosophical positions from the standpoint of their internal consistency, or lack of it. In particular, its interest is in positions that either compel assent, because they cannot be rejected without self-referential inconsistency, or self-destruct because self-referential inconsistency cannot be avoided. The article's focus is on the latter. Several examples of self-undermining positions are drawn from the history of philosophy, exemplifying two main varieties of self-referential inconsistency: pragmatical and projective.     

THEOLOGY'S TRUTH AND SCIENTIFIC FORMULATION

Abstract. One of the basic intentions of theology is to extend the explanatory function of the community's faith beyond the community to the realm of wider human experience. In this sense, theology may be called "scientific,'and it will benefit from conforming as much as possible to the characteristics of scientific theory formation. Using the work of Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos as a guide, the following theological theory is proposed: Homo sapiens is God's created co-creator, whose purpose is the stretching/enabling of the systems of nature so that they can participate in Gods purposes in the mode of freedom. It is argued that this research program produces new knowledge in relating the Christian faith to scientific views of human being as comprised of both genes and cultures to a theory of technological civilization; to freedom, determinism, and natural selection; and to credible notions of human purpose. Traditional Christian doctrines are related to this research program.     

MAKING SPACE FOR THE METHODOLOGICAL MOSAIC: THE FUTURE OF THE FIELD OF SCIENCE-AND-RELIGION

This article is a response to Josh Reeves's recent book Against Methodology in Science and Religion: Recent Debates on Rationality and Theology that welcomes Reeves's proposal for an anti-essentialist future for the field of science-and-religion, particularly because it has the potential to move the field beyond current, well-worn methods: the dominance of Christian theology and doctrine, the importance of credibility strategies, and the dependence upon philosophical discourses. Reeves’ proposal has the potential to open the science-and-religion field to other topics, problems, and methods, such as studying lived science-and-religion. One way of doing this is to study popular culture and its artifacts such as literature, which portrays a co-mingling of religion and science at the level of day-to-day experiences and practices of characters. For at the level of lived experience, religion and science are not well-defined disciplines neatly compartmentalized into separate academic departments.     

Fusing Horizons: Exploring Qualitative Research and Psychotherapeutic Applications of Social Constructionism

This article describes how social constructionist theory can be applied to the processes of data collection and analysis in qualitative research. In doing so, we borrow from previous discussions of social constructionism within the psychotherapeutic literature. Social constructionist theory, particularly the idea of a not-knowing stance, addresses the methodological concern of validity. Furthermore, because a not-knowing stance entails a leveling of the hierarchy and minimizing of the power differential between researcher and participant, there is also the potential for turning the research process into an freeing experience for both the researcher and participant.     

“乐”——中国人的主观幸福感与传统文化中的幸福观

中国人的幸福感重视人际与集体的和谐, 重视精神的感受。这样的幸福感特点很大程度上受传统文化中幸福观的影响。儒、道、佛三大流派各有自己独特的幸福观：儒家既承认父母俱存、兄弟无故的现实感性之乐, 又强调追求仁义的理性之乐; 道家提倡超越现实的顺应自然之乐和祸福相依的幸福观; 佛家则讲求进入涅槃和普渡众生之乐。各家在追求理想人格、追求审美的过程中, 各自发展又互相融合, 形成对中国人幸福感影响深远的三大幸福观：(1)不以个人情感为重点而代之以人际关系和社会和谐的集体主义幸福观; (2)幸福感与道德感、审美感相连; (3)追求理性之乐。     

利用网络进行心理学研究:西方与中国概况

基于网络的心理学研究(简称网基研究)即用网络进行的心理学研究,包括非反应性网基研究、网基调查、网基心理测验以及网基实验四种类型,具有样本大并且多样、外部/生态效度较高等优点,但同时也面临实验控制不足、自我选择、中途退出等问题。本文对网基研究的历史、类型、优缺点及发展状况等相关内容进行了阐述,并特别对我国的网基研究历史、现状和发展进行了简要介绍。     

Show Me the Argument: Empirically Testing the Armchair Philosophy Picture

Many philosophers subscribe to the view that philosophy is a priori and in the business of discovering necessary truths from the armchair. This paper sets out to empirically test this picture. If this were the case, we would expect to see this reflected in philosophical practice. In particular, we would expect philosophers to advance mostly deductive, rather than inductive, arguments. The paper shows that the percentage of philosophy articles advancing deductive arguments is higher than those advancing inductive arguments, which is what we would expect from the vantage point of the armchair philosophy picture. The results also show, however, that the percentages of articles advancing deductive arguments and those advancing inductive arguments are converging over time and that the difference between inductive and deductive ratios is declining over time. This trend suggests that deductive arguments are gradually losing their status as the dominant form of argumentation in philosophy.     

论儒家自然哲学的天道时序观及其生态意义——以《易传》为中心

在哲学中,"天道"是天地万物运行的总体过程、性质和规律.关于天道运行的机制,易学自然哲学的说法是"神妙万物".神是阴阳运行的微妙、神秘、不知其然而见其功的作用,也是变化的动力;天道运行所表现出来的节奏、节律、秩序以及由这种节律所决定的应该采取的行动则是时和时序.儒家自然哲学的时与现代牛顿时间观不同.儒家的天道观是有机的、内在的,人和自然可以相互影响的.其自然规律,是生态性质的,是一种稳定性,而不是超出人为控制的必然性;可以因人的不当行为而遭到破坏.儒家自然哲学对于天道的这种认识在历史上产生了敬畏自然的生态态度,对于当今人类社会具有重要的启发意义.     

清代学者焦循独特的易学构架

本文考述了焦循的旁通、相错、时行三说,并在此基础之上提出了一系列看法：1．焦循以普遍联系和爻位运动的观点研究《周易》,把《周易》六十四卦视为具有内在联系的“生生不息”的动态系统,比之孤立、静止地研究《周易》一卦一爻,更有意义。2．焦循独特的易学构架是建立在客观分析的考据基础之上,不宜武断否定。3．焦循易学构架并非纯象数的研究,而是以象数为载体,阐发儒家的道德义理和自己“修齐治平”的政治理想。4．焦循以“声训”为媒介的两卦或数卦之间的关联是否《周易》本义值得讨论,其“声训”缺乏充分的文献旁证是一大缺憾。