B. F. Skinner and G. H. Mead: on biological science and social science.

Skinner's contributions to psychology provide a unique bridge between psychology conceptualized as a biological science and psychology conceptualized as a social science. Skinner focused on behavior as a naturally occurring biological phenomenon of interest in its own right, functionally related to surrounding events and, in particular (like phylogenesis), subject to selection by its consequences. This essentially biological orientation was further enhanced by Skinner's emphasis on the empirical foundations provided by laboratory-based experimental analyses of behavior, often with nonhuman subjects. Skinner's theoretical writings, however, also have affinity with the traditions of constructionist social science. The verbal behavior of humans is said to be subject, like other behavior, to functional analyses in terms of its environment, in this case its social context. Verbal behavior in turn makes it possible for us to relate to private events, a process that ultimately allows for the development of consciousness, which is thus said to be a social product. Such ideas make contact with aspects of G. H. Mead's social behaviorism and, perhaps of more contemporary impact in psychology, L. Vygotsky's general genetic law of cultural development. Failure to articulate both the biological and the social science aspects of Skinner's theoretical approach to psychology does a disservice to his unique contribution to a discipline that remains fragmented between two intellectual traditions.     

Future Directions for the Zygon Center

Abstract. A brief comparison of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science and the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences is given. The work and emphases of the two Centers overlap but also differ in significant ways. Without neglecting the physical sciences or the Christian tradition, ZCRS would do well to continue to give high priority to the biological sciences and the dialogue with the major world religions.     

USE OF THE PHRASE “PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS”: TOWARD A COMPREHENSIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPLANATION

When people use the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus,” how does one explain its significance? Normally attributed to evangelical Protestant Christians, use of the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus” is a complicated phenomenon, and an explanation of it requires drawing upon resources from across multiple disciplines rather than a single discipline only. Attempts to explain exactly what the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus” means frequently can be mystifying, on the one hand, or dismissive and simplistic, on the other hand. This article moves potentially toward a better context for understanding use of the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus” by drawing upon insights from multiple disciplines, including (1) rhetorical and cultural‐historical studies, (2) evolutionary and cognitive psychology, and (3) biological/behavioral and social/anthropological studies in order to set forth some basic lines of explanation for use of the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus.” The article concludes with some possible testable statements for future empirical studies.     

Building seven bridges with young asylum seekers living in exile in the UK (Part 1)

This first paper focuses on the key themes that emerge in work with young asylum seekers and refugees and on our assessment of the needs of individual young asylum seekers, alongside the ways in which we meet the needs of these young people given the holistic, integrated and developmental approach of the Baobab Centre. The fact that psychotherapeutic methods are useful in this context and the need to have flexible approach to psychotherapy in our context are two ideas explored here. This paper will explore how we can slowly build sturdy and protective connections during and after the developmental years following experiences of sequential violence. This means building bridges and links within the internal worlds of these young people between: (1) different aspects of themselves that emerge after violence and loss; (2) themselves and their peers; (3) listening adults; (4) various social influences; (5) cultural influences; (6) their past, present and future lives; (7) links with local, national and international communities all of which are addressed via a ‘Transitional Non-Residential Therapeutic Community’. A case example will illustrate how this work may take place.     

Five women talk about work‐related brief therapy and therapeutic writing

Therapeutic writing can play a valuable role in brief, workplace counselling. The present study explores the experiences of five women who used therapeutic writing in this context. Ethical and methodological dilemmas in carrying out this research are highlighted. The study also demonstrates the use of ‘fictionalist’ accounts as a way of overcoming some of the difficulties associated with the dual role of practitioner/researcher, especially confidentiality.     

The error statistical philosopher as normative naturalist

We argue for a naturalistic account for appraising scientific methods that carries non-trivial normative force. We develop our approach by comparison with Laudan’s (American Philosophical Quarterly 24:19–31, 1987, Philosophy of Science 57:20–33, 1990) “normative naturalism” based on correlating means (various scientific methods) with ends (e.g., reliability). We argue that such a meta-methodology based on means–ends correlations is unreliable and cannot achieve its normative goals. We suggest another approach for meta-methodology based on a conglomeration of tools and strategies (from statistical modeling, experimental design, and related fields) that affords forward looking procedures for learning from error and for controlling error. The resulting “error statistical” appraisal is empirical—methods are appraised by examining their capacities to control error. At the same time, this account is normative, in that the strategies that pass muster are claims about how actually to proceed in given contexts to reach reliable inferences from limited data.     

Moving Beyond Computational Cognitivism: Understanding Intentionality,Intersubjectivity and Ecology of Mind

The emergence of the Cognitive Sciences, in the middle of the 20th Century, was initially based on an abstract model of the mind: the computer metaphor. The human mind was understood in analogy to the digital computer, as a rule-based, symbol processor. As a consequence, the human being was envisioned as logically-rationally guided, radically disembodied and isolated from culture. Over the last few decades, several disciplines, such as Biology, Mathematics, Philosophy, Psychology and Neuroscience, have begun to address the study of intentionality, intersubjectivity and natural cognition. Searching for a better understanding of these complex issues, a number of approaches have been developed with the promise of capturing the specific qualities of human cognition, radically omitted from a computationalist view of mind. Nevertheless, since these research programs are rather recent, concrete methodological designs and empirical approaches in the form of experimentally testable hypotheses are still scarce. This special issue brings together several perspectives in order to propose alternative research approaches in the topics of Intentionality, Intersubjectivity and Ecology of Mind. We believe it is necessary to discuss and advance towards explicit empirical frames in the form of actual experiments, specific predictions and formal models. The essays presented here constitute an attempt to move in this direction, with the specific aim of reconsidering the study of some forgotten properties of brain and mind.     

科学研究的DNA共享与协作精神

股骨头坏死、髋关节脱位是骨科常见病,随着人们生活模式的改变发病率有所上升。对该病的成因、流行病学、病理转归、临床治疗策略与髋关节严重病损后功能重建等问题,学术界存在很大争议。作者提出从生物进化的角度、用自然重建理念做指导,应用髋关节分离牵拉术治疗股骨头坏死、骨盆补充截骨术重建青少年严重病损的髋关节功能人、组合性矫形手术治疗年长儿先天性髋关节脱位,获得了优良效果。因此呼吁:用自然重建理念治疗青少年股骨头坏死、髋关节脱位,降低人工假体置换对此类疾病的手术指证。