The New York Inferno: Taking Solace from the Stories

The sudden destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11 created an instant scenario of panic and horror. It was followed by post-traumatic shock that spread across New York. Psychoanalysts and other therapists were mobilized to provide emergency counseling for survivors, families of victims, firemen, police, rescue workers and others who had been scarred. One of the most effective techniques was to encourage the telling of personal stories as a method of working through trauma. It emerged as the most powerful tool in our therapeutic arsenal.     

The Image of God as Techno Sapiens

Suppose there comes a day when Homo sapiens has evolved into or been overtaken by techno sapiens. Will it then still make sense to speak of human beings as created in the image of God? What is the relevance of asking such a question today? I offer a sketch of the present state of development and discussion in artificial intelligence (AI) and artificial life (AL) and discuss some implications for the human condition. Taking into account both reality and fiction in AI and AL, I hold that, regardless of the degree of realization, issues related to technological evolution inform the cultural agenda—at least the European–American one. I comment on antireductionist arguments and on arguments from philosophy and (history of) culture. I argue in favor of a consonance between neurotechnology and the Christian gospel in terms of realizing the marks of messianic life. However, issues of justice, reason versus nature, and perfection and finitude versus imperfection and immortality call for further illumination. Even though no principal opposition seems to exist between technological evolution and possible interpretations of the concept of the image of God (imago dei), a number of significant dissimilarities need to be addressed, such as the differences between technical improvement and forgiveness or transformation and between immortality and resurrection. The role of irregularity, disturbance, and error for creative processes in nature and culture is an exciting topic in science and technology as well as in theology.     

A Prospective Analysis of Near-Death Experiences in Cardiac Arrest Patients

The objective of this study was to assess prospectively the frequency of near-death experiences (NDEs) in patients suffering a cardiac arrest, to characterize these experiences, and to assess their impact on psychosocial and spiritual attitudes. We prospectively evaluated all patients who suffered a cardiac arrest at Barnes-Jewish Hospital from April 1991 through February 1994, excluding those in the surgical intensive care unit, using a scale designed to specify criteria for NDEs, a recorded interview regarding the experience, an experience rating form, and a follow-up questionnaire regarding psychosocial attitudinal life changes. Of the 174 patients who suffered a cardiac arrest, 55 patients survived, of whom 30 patients were interviewable. Of those 30 patients interviewed, seven (23 percent) had a NDE, and four others (13 percent) reported an NDE during a prior life-threatening illness. The experiences were most frequently characterized by ineffability, peacefulness, painlessness, lack of fear, detachment from the body, and no sense of time or space. Significant differences were noted in the follow-up psychosocial assessment between patients who experienced an NDE and those who did not with regard to personal understanding of life and self, attitudes toward others, and changes in social customs and religious/spiritual beliefs. Of importance, patients reported it was beneficial to receive psychosocial support before hospital discharge after having an NDE. The results suggest that NDEs are fairly common in cardiac arrest survivors. The experiences consisted of a number of core characteristics and changed psychological, social, and spiritual awareness over both the short and long term.     

当代的危机与哲学的开端--论胡塞尔与海德格尔的关系

对于当代的危机,胡塞尔与海德格尔都曾做出过诊断。作者试图借助于胡塞尔现象学的手段,将海德格尔的一个指路性明察具体化,从而表明对生活世界的遗忘源于古希腊哲学中。     

时间管理倾向与生活质量关系的调查研究

用自编成人时间管理倾向量表和生活质量综合评定问卷对重庆市75名不同职业者进行问卷调查,以探讨时间管理倾向与生活质量的关系。研究结果表明：时间管理倾向各维度没有显著的性别差异,但在时间价值感、时间监控观和总体评价上存在文化程度的差异;生活质量中的四个维度也不存在性别差异,但在物质生活状况维度上存在显著的文化程度的差异;时间管理倾向和生活质量之间存在显著相关,时间管理效能对躯体功能、心理功能和社会功能具有显著的预测作用。     

癌症病人的生活质量及心理干预研究

本研究在前期研究的基础上进一步探讨癌症病人的生活质量状况和心理干预的效果。运用病例对照实验设计 ,选用生活质量问卷 (QLQ C3 0 )作为主要测查工具 ,采用两因素混合实验方差分析统计方法 ,对 1 2 0名住院化疗病人进行了比较分析。结果显示 :躯体功能 (PF)、角色功能 (RF)、情绪功能(EF)、认知功能 (CF)和整体生活质量 (QL)得分在治疗前后和实验与对照组之间的交互作用均显著和非常显著 ;症状量表和单项症状中交互作用显著和非常显著的有 :疲乏 (FA)、呼吸困难 (DY)、失眠 (SL)、食欲丧失 (AP)。因此 ,化疗对病人的生活质量有明显的影响 ,经心理干预后癌症病人的各种功能状况和症状得到不同程度的改善。     

Asthma-Specific Quality of Life in Older Adolescents and Young Adults with Long-Standing Asthma: The Role of Anxiety and Depression

The present study examined the influence of psychological comorbidity (i.e., anxiety and depression) on asthma-specific quality of life (QOL). Sixty-four older adolescents and young adults with childhood onset asthma completed measures of anxiety, depression, and asthma-specific QOL. Objective assessments of illness severity were obtained via a semistructured interview and pulmonary function test. Results revealed that the combination of anxiety and depression severity contributed significant variance to asthma QOL after statistically controlling demographic and disease covariates. Moreover, anxiety demonstrated a significant main effect on asthma QOL. Findings suggest that assessment of anxiety may help identify individuals who are at risk for poorer asthma-specific quality of life. Such early interventions can be effectively incorporated into comprehensive biopsychosocial treatment and behavioral self-management programs for individuals with asthma.     

Hegemonic Masculinity and the Experience of Prostate Cancer: A Narrative Approach

Prostate cancer is a major health problem—one that inevitably challenges men's notions about themselves and their expressions of masculinity. As part of a larger study investigating linkages between masculinity and prostate cancer, this article focuses on the narratives of three men with prostate cancer—all of whom shed light on contemporary forms of hegemonic masculinity. Multiple interviews were conducted with study participants, capturing experiencesboth prior to and following cancer diagnosis. Analysis of individual narratives showed how social factors such as work and family influenced (and were influenced by) men's experiences with illness. All three men were forced to renegotiate their performances of masculinity—with this renegotiation mostly occurring within the parameters of performance consistent with hegemonic masculinity. However, there was also some evidence of shifts into new socialterritory and new expressions of masculinity. In contrast to more traditional, trait-based approaches to studying men's experiences, a narrative approach allows social scientists to do justice to the temporal realities and contextual complexities of men's lives. Men will be better understood as more attention is paid to the actual shape of individual lives.