From molecular to molar: a paradigm shift in behavior analysis

A paradigm clash is occurring within behavior analysis. In the older paradigm, the molecular view, behavior consists of momentary or discrete responses that constitute instances of classes. Variation in response rate reflects variation in the strength or probability of the response class. The newer paradigm, the molar view, sees behavior as composed of activities that take up varying amounts of time. Whereas the molecular view takes response rate and choice to be "derived" measures and hence abstractions, the molar view takes response rate and choice to be concrete temporally extended behavioral allocations and regards momentary "responses" as abstractions. Research findings that point to variation in tempo, asymmetry in concurrent performance, and paradoxical resistance to change are readily interpretable when seen in the light of reinforcement and stimulus control of extended behavioral allocations or activities. Seen in the light of the ontological distinction between classes and individuals, extended behavioral allocations, like species in evolutionary taxonomy, constitute individuals, entities that change without changing their identity. Seeing allocations as individuals implies that less extended activities constitute parts of larger wholes rather than instances of classes. Both laboratory research and everyday behavior are explained plausibly in the light of concrete extended activities and their nesting. The molecular- view, because it requires discrete responses and contiguous events, relies on hypothetical stimuli and consequences to account for the same phenomena. One may prefer the molar view on grounds of elegance, integrative power, and plausibility.     

Update to “A Survey of Abstract Algebraic Logic”

A definition and some inaccurate cross-references in the paper A Survey of Abstract Algebraic Logic, which might confuse some readers, are clarified and corrected; a short discussion of the main one is included. We also update a dozen of bibliographic references. Presented by Jacek Malinowski     

Selective impairment of living things and musical instruments on a verbal 'Semantic Knowledge Questionnaire' in a case of apperceptive visual agnosia

Semantic memory was investigated in a patient (MR) affected by a severe apperceptive visual agnosia, due to an ischemic cerebral lesion, bilaterally affecting the infero-mesial parts of the temporo-occipital cortices. The study was made by means of a Semantic Knowledge Questionnaire (Laiacona, Barbarotto, Trivelli, & Capitani, 1993), which takes separately into account four categories of living beings (animals, fruits, vegetables and body parts) and of artefacts (furniture, tools, vehicles and musical instruments), does not require a visual analysis and allows to distinguish errors concerning super-ordinate categorization, perceptual features and functional/encyclopedic knowledge. When the total number of errors obtained on all the categories of living and non-living beings was considered, a non-significant trend toward a higher number of errors in living stimuli was observed. This difference, however, became significant when body parts and musical instruments were excluded from the analysis. Furthermore, the number of errors obtained on the musical instruments was similar to that obtained on the living categories of animals, fruits and vegetables and significantly higher of that obtained in the other artefact categories. This difference was still significant when familiarity, frequency of use and prototypicality of each stimulus entered into a logistic regression analysis. On the other hand, a separate analysis of errors obtained on questions exploring super-ordinate categorization, perceptual features and functional/encyclopedic attributes showed that the differences between living and non-living stimuli and between musical instruments and other artefact categories were mainly due to errors obtained on questions exploring perceptual features. All these data are at variance with the 'domains of knowledge' hypothesis', which assumes that the breakdown of different categories of living and non-living things respects the distinction between biological entities and artefacts and support the models assuming that 'category-specific semantic disorders' are the by-product of the differential weighting that visual-perceptual and functional (or action-related) attributes have in the construction of different biological and artefacts categories.     

A QBF-based formalization of abstract argumentation semantics

We introduce a unified logical theory, based on signed theories and Quantified Boolean Formulas (QBFs) that can serve as the basis for representing and computing various argumentation-based decision problems. It is shown that within our framework we are able to model, in a simple and modular way, a wide range of semantics for abstract argumentation theory. This includes complete, grounded, preferred, stable, semi-stable, stage, ideal and eager semantics. Furthermore, our approach is purely logical, making for instance decision problems like skeptical and credulous acceptance of arguments simply a matter of entailment and satisfiability checking. The latter may be verified by off-the-shelf QBF-solvers.     

实体和初级关系（FOR）匹配的分离与结合对故事类比通达的影响

采用移动窗口阅读技术深入探讨实体和初级关系（FOR）匹配的分离与结合对故事类比通达的影响,对表面特征和结构特征在类比通达中的作用进行检验。实验1探讨系统变化目标故事和线索故事之间实体匹配数目与实体和初级关系（FOR）匹配的分离与结合是否影响读线索故事时对目标故事的回想。实验2探讨系统变化目标故事和线索故事之间初级关系（FOR）匹配的数目与实体和初级关系（FOR）匹配的分离与结合是否影响读线索故事时对目标故事的回想。实验3探讨实体和初级关系（FOR）匹配的分离与结合对目标故事的通达是否与高级关系（HOR）的匹配有关。结果表明,实体匹配独立影响通达,实体和初级关系（FOR）分离与结合影响故事类比通达,高级的结构关系（HOR）是实体和初级关系（FOR）影响故事类比通达的必要条件。     

A CRITIQUE OF BOROWITZ'S POSTMODERN JEWISH THEOLOGY

Abstract. Borowitz's book is primarily a systematic response by a liberal Jewish theologian to his perceived challenges from rationalism on one hand and postmodernism on the other. It is within this context that Borowitz discusses issues of the relationship between modern science and Judaism. The first part of this essay is a summary of Borowitz's book. Here I locate Borowitz's place in the general discipline of Jewish philosophy and theology. The second part of the paper is a critique of Borowitz's discussion of postmodernism and liberalism. It is in this concluding section that the issues raised by contemporary science for Jewish religious thought are discussed.     

医学论文标题和摘要的英译特点

就医学论文标题的英译句式和书写,医学文摘的规格和动词时态的应用,常用句型的表达等等作了一一概述。说明医学标题和文摘的英译不是简单的单词与短语的对应堆积,而是按一定的句式、结构、语法特点,按照医学文摘写作的一些规律组织起来的。     

不同提取条件下中性抽象名词的自我选择权效应

采用中性抽象名词探测在再认测试和自由回忆条件下的自我选择权效应。实验一采用选择与迫选的方式考察抽象名词在再认条件下的自我选择权效应;实验二进一步验证被试在我选择和他选择条件下对抽象名词的自由回忆的差异。结果表明:无论在再认测试还是自由回忆测试,被试对自我选择的抽象名词的记忆数量都显著高于迫选和他人选择条件下的抽象名词记忆的数量,中性抽象名词表现出了自我选择权效应,拓展了前人使用假词时在自由回忆条件下未表现出自我选择权效应。因此,自我选择权效应在自由回忆条件下可以存在于抽象名词的水平上。