The Limits of a Confrontational Approach: Fabian Fukansai’s Critiques of Neo-Confucianism and Christianity

This paper analyzes the critique of Neo-Confucianism by the Japanese Jesuit Brother Fabian Fukansai (c. 1565–1621) in the Myōtei Dialogues (Myōtei Mondō 妙貞問答) (1605), as well as Fabian’s later critique of Christianity. It clarifies the author’s understanding of Neo-Confucian theory and his apology for Christianity by analyzing his explanation of the Great Ultimate (Tai’kyoku/Taiji 太極) and Principle (ri/li 理), which Fabian sees as nothing but an expression of Buddhist monistic mentalism. It also demonstrates that his explanations of the Great Ultimate and Principle have a crucial flaw: they do not sufficiently explain Zhu Xi’s metaphysics, which tried to make the immanent and transcendental characteristics of the Great Ultimate and Principle compatible. This is because Fabian addresses only the elements of “local” religions including Neo-Confucianism with novel keywords that support the framework of Christian Creationism and the Anima Rationalis theory. However, his later work Deus Destroyed (Ha Daius 破提宇子), written after he had rejected Christianity, overturned his former claim by accepting the Neo-Confucian concept of Principle. Fabian’s works are a historical example showing the potential limits of a confrontational approach toward other religions.     

The relationship between second‐order false belief and display rules reasoning: the integration of cognitive and affective social understanding

To investigate the relation between cognitive and affective social understanding, Japanese 4‐ to 8‐year‐olds received tasks of first‐ and second‐order false beliefs and prosocial and self‐presentational display rules. From 6 to 8 years, children comprehended display rules, as well as second‐order false belief, using social pressures justifications decreasingly and motivational justifications with embedded perspectives increasingly with age. Although not related to either type of display across ages, second‐order tasks were associated with both types of display tasks only at 8 years when examined in each age group. Results suggest that children base their second‐order theory of mind and display rules understanding on distinct reasoning until middle childhood, during which time the originally distinct aspects of social understanding are integrated.     

DIRECTIONAL PREFERENCE IN PROBLEM SOLVING

The study investigated the influence of acquired directional scanning habits on two versions (horizontal versus vertical presentation of stimuli) of an inductive reasoning test by contrasting Japanese-speaking and English-speaking (Australian) groups. The developmental trend of that influence was also investigated. Subjects were Grades 1, 5 and 7 students in both groups. The results indicated that the Japanese sample scored higher on the vertical version of the experimental test, while the Australian group scored higher on the horizontal version when timed group testing was administered to the subjects. For the individually administered test without time limit, the most marked effect was with the Australian Grade 5 students who performed better on the horizontal version than on the vertical version.     

Extending Dynamical Systems Theory to Model Embodied Cognition

We define a mathematical formalism based on the concept of an ‘‘open dynamical system” and show how it can be used to model embodied cognition. This formalism extends classical dynamical systems theory by distinguishing a ‘‘total system’’ (which models an agent in an environment) and an ‘‘agent system’’ (which models an agent by itself), and it includes tools for analyzing the collections of overlapping paths that occur in an embedded agent's state space. To illustrate the way this formalism can be applied, several neural network models are embedded in a simple model environment. Such phenomena as masking, perceptual ambiguity, and priming are then observed. We also use this formalism to reinterpret examples from the embodiment literature, arguing that it provides for a more thorough analysis of the relevant phenomena.     

Husserl’s Theory of Belief and the Heideggerean Critique

I develop a “two-systems” interpretation of Husserl’s theory of belief. On this interpretation, Husserl accounts for our sense of the world in terms of (1) a system of embodied horizon meanings and passive synthesis, which is involved in any experience of an object, and (2) a system of active synthesis and sedimentation, which comes on line when we attend to an object’s properties. I use this account to defend Husserl against several forms of Heideggerean critique. One line of critique, recently elaborated by Taylor Carman, says that Husserl wrongly loads everyday perception with explicit beliefs about things. A second, earlier line of critique, due to Hubert Dreyfus, charges Husserl with thinking of belief on a problematic Artificial Intelligence (AI) model which involves explicit rules applied to discrete symbol structures. I argue that these criticisms are based on a conflation of Husserl’s two systems of belief. The conception of Husserlian phenomenology which emerges is compatible with Heideggerean phenomenology and associated approaches to cognitive science (in particular, dynamical systems theory).

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Texture and grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) in rapidly solidified and annealed Fe–6·5 mass% Si ribbons

Abstract

The type and frequency of grain boundaries, the so-called grain boundary character distribution (GBCD), has been determined in rapidly solidified and subsequently annealed Fe-6·5 mass% Si alloy ribbon by the scanning electron microscopy-electron channelling pattern (SEM-ECP) technique. High frequencies of low-angle boundaries and coincidence boundaries with Σ3, Σ9, Σ11, Σ17 and Σ19 were observed in a fully annealed ribbon with well defined {110} texture. The total frequency of low-angle boundaries and coincidence boundaries is almost one-half of all grain boundaries. The coincidence boundaries which occurred more frequently are exactly those predicted theoretically from the coincidence orientations for 〈110〉 rotation in cubic crystals, similar to those observed previously in {100} textured ribbons of the same alloy produced by the same processing method. The presence of a close relationship between the type of texture and GBCD has been confirmed by experiment on differently textured ribbons of the same material.     

Effects of the anisotropy of the anti-phase boundary energy on the yield-stress anomaly in Ni3 X compounds with close-packed crystal structures

This paper is aimed at clarifying the effects of the anisotropy of the anti-phase boundary (APB) energy on the yield-stress anomaly (YSA) of five distinct Ni₃(Ti, Nb) single crystals with various long-period ordered structures, in which the APB energy on the non-close-packed (non-CP) plane varies with changes in the stacking sequence of the close-packed planes. The APB energies of interest are estimated, based on a pair-wise interaction parameter model to the second neighbour. The YSA can be categorized in two groups of two and three compounds, within which the mechanical properties are nearly independent of composition. The microstructures resulting from deformation at 700°C were compared. It is verified that the YSA is dominantly controlled by differences in the probability of locking by a Kear–Wilsdorf mechanism, which itself is governed by the anisotropy of APB energy in the non-CP planes relative to the primary slip plane.     

Stress anomaly in Al-rich Ti-Al single crystals deformed by the motion of 1/2«110] ordinary dislocations

The microstructure and plastic deformation behaviour of Al-rich Ti-Al single crystals containing 54.7 and 58.0 at.% Al have been examined, focusing on the effect of chemical ordering of a Al5Ti3 superstructure on anomalous strengthening. Fine precipitates with the Al5Ti3 superstructure were developed in the L10 matrix of the Ti-58.0 at.% Al alloy. The size and volume fraction of the precipitates varied depending on temperature. An anomalous increase in the yield stress of the two alloys appeared at around 800oC. This strengthening mechanism is discussed on the basis of the difference in antiphase-boundary energies on (111), (110) and (001) planes in the Al5Ti3 phase.