A RESPONSE TO ERVIN LASZLO: QUANTUM AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Abstract. I respond to Ervin Laszlo's suggestions and criticism regarding my essay in this issue of Zygon. Virtual atomic orbitals are used as a model to illustrate the existence of a general realm of potentiality in physical reality from which the actual world emanates. Laszlo's suggestions for “paradigm repair” are supported and accepted as essentially being in agreement with my intentions and as offering highly useful clarifications. I compare virtual states to historic ideas of forms as metaphysical principles of being that inspire thoughts regarding the actions of a Cosmic Consciousness in the processes of the universe. Metaphysical and theological interpretations of the results of scientific research are defended, provided that they are not used to interfere a priori with the technical program of scientific research.     

中国古代形上学中数字观念的发展

数字观念的源起很早,《易》占可能是已知最早的源头,自先秦经两汉至宋明,数字观念问题意识有较大转变．先秦思想家以数字观念解释万物的生成,建构其宇宙观．汉代数字观念继续朝向神秘化、复杂化的方向发展,以卦气观念为核心的思想影响所及,几无处不在．为回应玄学和佛学的冲击,宋明儒者注重以数字观念建构形上学,既运用数字描述形质世界的秩序和意义,又处处强调数字所表述的形上本体的普遍性和超越性．而且,宋儒的数字形上学和汉儒的数字观念有若干传承的关系．     

试论张仲景辩病结合辩证的辨证论治方法的先进性

张仲景辩病结合辩证的辨证论治方法,与现代医学认识疾病的思想非常近似,通过比较现代医学认识疾病思想与张仲景疾病认识概念在疾病诊治过程中的相似性,为研究<金匮要略>古代疾病与西医现代病的对应性结合、提高病证结合论治在临床的效验,有很大意义.     

Technology in Medicine: Ontology,Epistemology, Ethics and Social Philosophy at the Crossroads

In reference to the different approaches in philosophy(of medicine) of the nature of (medical) technology,this article introduces the topic of this specialissue of Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, that is,the way the different forms of medical technologyfunction in everyday medical practice. The authorselaborate on the active role technology plays inshaping our views on disease, illness, and the body,whence in shaping our world.     

小学儿童在空间概念中的内隐学习实验研究

本研究以一、三、五年级小学儿童为被试,探查小学儿童在不同学习模式下空间概念的发展情况。研究结果如下:(1)不同学习模式下,儿童的认知发展呈现不同的趋势;(2)随认知任务难度的增加,不同学习模式的成绩出现差异;(3)不同学习模式下,不同难度任务的成绩存在差异。     

Concept learning set‐size functions for Clark's nutcrackers

Same/Different abstract‐concept learning by Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) was tested with novel stimuli following learning of training set expansion (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, and 1024 picture items). The resulting set‐size function was compared to those from rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella), and pigeons (Columba livia). Nutcrackers showed partial concept learning following initial eight‐item set learning, unlike the other species (Magnotti, Katz, Wright, & Kelly, 2015). The mean function for the nutcrackers' novel‐stimulus transfer increased linearly as a function of the logarithm of training set size, which intersected its baseline function at the 128‐item set size. Thus, nutcrackers on average achieved full concept learning (i.e., transfer statistically equivalent to baseline performance) somewhere between set sizes of 64 to 128 items, similar to full concept learning by monkeys. Pigeons required a somewhat larger training set (256 items) for full concept learning, but results from other experiments (initial training and transfer with 32‐ and 64‐item set sizes) suggested carryover effects with smaller set sizes may have artificially prolonged the pigeon's full concept learning. We find it remarkable that these diverse species with very different neural architectures can fully learn this same/different abstract concept, and (at least under some conditions) do so with roughly similar sets sizes (64‐128 items) and numbers of training exemplars, despite initial concept learning advantages (nutcrackers), learning disadvantages (pigeons), or increasing baselines (monkeys).     

Agonistic rank,aggression, social context,and testosterone in male pigtail monkeys

Two groups of pigtail monkeys were merged, a third was formed, and individual males were introduced into a group in a series of experiments examining the effects of social context upon agonistic rank, aggressive expression, and testosterone levels. In the first experiment, two heterosexual groups, containing adult males unfamiliar to the other group, were merged. The two groups fought, and the smaller group was defeated. The alpha and beta males of the defeated group were singled out for repeated attack and both showed significant drops in circulating levels of testosterone. Both males were removed from the group during the first day, but testosterone levels did not recover to baseline levels for several days. The alpha male of the victorious group, on the other hand, showed a significant rise in testosterone, which was apparent only on the day following the merger. In order to study the influence of previous social familiarity on male reception into a group, another group was formed by removing males from the victorious group and placing them in a separate enclosure. The males in the new group established a dominance hierarchy unrelated to their previous social ranks with one another. Three months later, each of the six adult males remaining in the parent group was individually introduced into the new group for one day or less. Each of the males introduced into the new group accepted a social position at the lower end of the dominance hierarchy without regard to his previous rank relationships with the host males when they were all in the parent group. Even the alpha and beta males of the parent group were relegated to low rank positions in the new group, despite having ranked over each of the host males since birth. In contrast to the aggression directed at the unfamiliar males in the first experiment, a minimum of aggression was directed to the familiar males introduced into the new group in the second experiment. Although the males introduced accepted low social ranks, it appeared that each was readily integrated into the group with a minimum of aggressive interaction during the time he was scheduled to remain in the group. There were no significant changes in circulating levels of testosterone in any of the males during the introductions of familiar males to one another.     

Creating distinct implicit and explicit attitudes with an illusory correlation paradigm

Two studies used an illusory correlation procedure to test whether distinct implicit and explicit evaluations can result from the same learning episode. All participants learned twice as much about the qualities of one group (majority) than another (minority). In one condition, the ratio of positive to negative information was equal between groups. In other conditions, the majority group showed proportionally more positive qualities than the minority group, or vice versa. Participants in the pro-majority and pro-minority conditions formed both implicit and explicit attitudes consistent with the attitude induction. Participants in the illusory correlation condition showed the expected preference for the majority group (the illusory bias), but showed no implicit preference, suggesting distinct influences on implicit and explicit attitude formation. The effects are consistent with dual-process models in which implicit attitudes reflect accounting of covariation and explicit attitudes reflect interpretative judgments of that covariation.     

自然科学概念形成过程中外显与内隐学习的比较

本研究选取真实的自然科学概念来对概念形成过程及其中的外显与内隐学习进行实验性探索．证明了自然科学概念形成过程中内隐学习的存在;阐释了概念形成过程中内隐学习的效率可与外显学习不相上下;揭示了真实的自然科学概念形成过程是由渐进期——高原期——突变期三个阶段构成的．不论外显学习还是内隐学习,接近真理的路径十分相似,并且没有显著的性别差异;此外还发现自然科学概念的内隐学习可以有效地用语言启动。本研究结果对心理学和自然科学教学均有理论价值与实践意义。