The enactive computational basis of cognition and the explanatory cognitive basis for computing

The computational theory of cognition, or computationalism, holds that cognition is a form of computation. Two issues related to this view are comprised by the goal of this paper: A) Computing systems are traditionally seen as representational systems, but functional and enactive approaches support non-representational theories; B) Recently, a sociocultural theory against computationalism was proposed with the aim of ontologically reducing computing to cognition. We defend, however, that cognition and computation are in action, thus cognition is just a form of computing and that cognition is the explanatory basis for computation. We state that: 1. Representational theories of computing recurring to intentional content run into metaphysical problems. 2. Functional non-representational theories do not incur this metaphysical problem when describing computing in terms of the abstract machine. 3. Functional theories are consistent with enactive in describing computing machines not in a strictly functional way, but especially in terms of their organization. 4. Enactive cognition is consistent with the computationalism in describing Turing machines as functionally and organizationally closed systems. 5. The cognitive explanatory basis for computing improves the computational theory of cognition. When developed in the human linguistic domain, computer science is seen as a product of human socionatural normative practices, however, cognition is just an explanatory, not ontological, basis for computing. The paper concludes by supporting that computation is in action, that cognition is just one form of computing in the world and the explanatory basis for computation.     

Tuning Clinical Recruitment around Cultural Taboos in a Human Microbiome Study

ABSTRACT

Human microbial communities are bodies of microorganisms that reside in or on different body parts. Importantly, they have been found to affect human health. However, scientific research on human microbial communities has created new challenges for human subject recruitment. First, individuals are asked to collect samples of bodily substances that can be seen as repulsive (e.g. feces and urine). Second, because scientists want to understand how human microbial communities evolve over time, individuals are asked to commit to a regular sample collection for extended periods of time. A longitudinal qualitative study of the work of scientists, physicians, research staff, and study coordinators involved in a human microbiome research project has found that these actors can bypass some aspects of these recruitment and retention challenges through ‘tuning work’. Tuning work is a collaborative process where professionals agree to adjust their practices towards shared goals. Such professionals reconfigure their work practices, personal routines, and the study protocol in an effort to obviate cultural taboos against handling bodily substances. The burden of long-term participation provides fewer opportunities for tuning work for these professionals, however. As such, long-term commitment by human subjects remains a recruitment and retention obstacle.     

A brief episode of psychosis: Elli's story

This paper explores the notion of a GP practice as a ‘secure base’, suggesting that greater attention could usefully be paid to the importance of attachment relationships in primary care. If professionals feel secure and respected within ‘the practice’ then ‘the practice’ itself is more likely to be able to function as a ‘secure base’ for its patients. It is suggested that this concept could be developed further to provide a conceptual framework for practices to examine their function as therapeutic organizations. A short resumé of John Bowlby's attachment theory is outlined. Illustrations are given of how different attachment styles – secure, avoidant, ambivalent or disorganized – might affect patient care. A case of a mother (with postnatal depression) and her infant is considered in detail to illustrate the value of early intervention in a mother-infant relationship. Professionals are also attached to the practices where they work and the author reflects on his own retirement from being a GP (after 35 years). Finally, the paper describes another case – of a patient who was able to relive, and possibly repair, some of her earlier traumatic childhood separations through her relationship and parting from her GP as retirement approached.     

Evaluating Addictions Counseling Programs: Promoting Best Practices,Accountability, and Advocacy

Program evaluation offers several benefits to addictions counselors, including identifying best practices, providing accountability to stakeholders, and advocating for minority client populations. This article reviews the benefits of addictions counseling program evaluation and outlines main steps in the evaluation process.     

非法行医罪的司法现状与治理完善——某省近五年105例司法案例的实证分析

从中国裁判文书网上检索自2017年1月5日至2021年12月24日近五年间发生在湖北的全部105例非法行医罪案例的一审判决书,以此为数据依据,并通过查找相关文献进行综合研究。发现近年来非法行医罪多发生于“黑诊所”内,主体为未取得医生执业资格的人,发生患者身体健康受到严重损害甚至死亡的结果。结合理论争议与司法实践,从相关司法判决和统计数据出发,围绕“情节严重”“执业资格”“非法行医行为”等焦点问题进行深入分析,指出非法行医罪治理的困境,在此基础上为治理非法行医罪提供有益建议和对策。

     

Teaching practices and elementary classroom peer ecologies

Teachers and students in 39 1st, 3rd and 5th grade classrooms participated in a study of teaching practices and classroom peer networks. Teachers reported on their attitudes towards aggression and withdrawal, provided rationales for their seating arrangements, and were observed on patterns of emotional and instructional support and classroom organization. Students were surveyed or interviewed for peer nominations of friendship, popularity, being cool, and aggressive and prosocial behavior, and from these nominations classroom-level indices were derived concerning the richness of positive and negative social ties among children, the egalitarian or hierarchical nature of social status hierarchies, and classroom norms for aggressive and prosocial behavior. Preliminary results suggest that teachers' attitudes towards social behavior are associated with the degree of liking and disliking their students express; teachers' grouping patterns are associated with numerous features of classroom social networks; and teachers' observed emotional support was associated with higher rates of friendship reciprocation.     

Reply to critics

This discussion responds to important questions raised about my theory of fairness in the global economy by Christian Barry, Charles Beitz, A.J. Julius and Kristi Olson. I further elaborate how moral argument can be ‘internal’ to a social practice, how my proposed principles of fairness depend on international practice, how I can admit several relevant conceptions of ‘harm’ and why my account does not depend on a problematic conception of societal ‘endowments’.     

The Teacher Belief Q-Sort: A measure of teachers' priorities in relation to disciplinary practices, teaching practices, and beliefs about children

The present study advances a new method for assessing teacher beliefs and priorities. This paper describes the development and psychometric properties of the Teacher Belief Q-Sort (TBQ), an assessment technique that examines teachers' priorities and beliefs about discipline practices, classroom practices, and beliefs about children (see www.socialdevelopmentlab.org. Further, this paper describes the usefulness of this tool by examining differences in beliefs and priorities among four groups of teachers (experienced teachers trained in the Responsive Classroom (RC) Approach, experienced teachers with no such training, pre-service teachers planning on teaching elementary school, and pre-service teachers planning on teaching middle/high school) with the goal of demonstrating the way priorities are sensitive to specialized training and teaching experience. The study establishes the TBQ as a reliable, valid, and useful method. Findings showed that RC teachers hold discipline and teaching practice priorities consistent with training in the RC Approach and that pre-service teachers placed greater priority on spontaneity and collaboration and held more negative views about children's likeability and motivation than in-service teachers. Findings are discussed in terms of the ways in which teacher priorities are sensitive to specialized training and teaching experience and offer an early indicator of integrity of implementation.     

Assessing Parenting Practices Through Parent-Report and Direct Observation During Parent-Training

The specific parenting domains measured by the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) make it particularly relevant to interventions concerned with the modification of parenting practices. This study assessed the validity and clinical utility of parent reports on the APQ using observational data of parents and children (N=56, aged 4–8 years) participating in a parent training intervention for childhood conduct problems. Parent reports on the measure were found to converge well with observations of parents’ use of praise, and harsh/aversive parenting. APQ scores also reflected change in parenting practices across treatment, and were associated with clinical child outcomes. Comparisons of the five original APQ subscales with a three-factor empirically-derived form of the measure indicated greater support for the original subscales, which were found to be valid and clinically informative in the treatment of childhood conduct problems.     

Swedish parents' self‐reported use of discipline in response to continued misconduct by their pre‐school children

This study examined the effects that re‐occurring episodes of child transgression have on Swedish parents' use of discipline strategies. Mothers and fathers from 84 two‐parent families were interviewed about their responses to first‐ and second‐time episodes of hypothetical transgressions committed by their 3‐6‐year‐olds. The results showed that when their children did not respond to initial discipline, parents exchanged their use of verbal control for the strategies of coercion and behaviour modification and thereby increased the pressure on their children to comply. However, this finding was valid only for serious transgressions. For mild transgressions, parents' behaviour was consistent across first‐ and second‐time episodes. The conclusion that is drawn is that parents appear to be willing to follow up initial disciplining attempts. The Swedish corporal punishment ban, which has been in force since 1979, therefore appears not to have influenced parents to become permissive in their attitudes toward their children's misconduct. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.