We show that, given extensive exploration of a three-dimensional volume, grid units can form with the approximate periodicity of a face-centered cubic crystal, as the spontaneous product of a self-organizing process at the single unit level, driven solely by firing rate adaptation.

Slower perceptual alternations, a notable perceptual effect observed in psychiatric disorders, can be alleviated by antidepressant therapies that affect serotonin levels in the brain. While these phenomena have been well documented, the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Our study bridges this gap by employing a computational cognitive approach within a Bayesian predictive coding framework to explore these mechanisms in depression. We fitted a prediction error (PE) model to behavioral data from a binocular rivalry task, uncovering that significantly higher (...) initial prior precision and lower PE led to a slower switch rate in patients with depression. Furthermore, serotonin‐targeting antidepressant treatments significantly decreased the prior precision and increased PE, both of which were predictive of improvements in the perceptual alternation rate of depression patients. These findings indicated that the substantially slower perception switch rate in patients with depression was caused by the greater reliance on top‐down priors and that serotonin treatment's efficacy was in its recalibration of these priors and enhancement of PE. Our study not only elucidates the cognitive underpinnings of depression, but also suggests computational modeling as a potent tool for integrating cognitive science with clinical psychology, advancing our understanding and treatment of cognitive impairments in depression. (shrink)

What does it mean to read Ham Seok-heon in the 21st century? Furthermore, what does it mean to read the ‘East-Asian Classics’ through him? In this article, I would like to raise a few issues that existing discussions on the relationship between Ham Seok-heon and the East-Asian Classics have not paid attention to, in order to point out the points that we should give more weight to in the hermeneutics of Ham Seok-heon’s ‘Chewing on Old Classics’. First, Ham’s should be (...) read as an independent text in its own right, not as a commentary on the ‘Oriental Classics’. Second, his SSi-al’ Readings of Old Classics should be read in the context of life and place in contemporary Korea, rather than the Laozi and the Zhuangzi relationships it addresses. Third, the meanings and values in SSi-al’ Readings of Old Classics do not lie in its original interpretation of traditional commentaries, but rather in the “common sense” that guided the perceptions and practices of Ssi-al in the democratization process of twentieth-century Korea. To emphasize this aspect, I contrast it with the interpretation of the Zhuangzi in China during the same period. I want to argue that if Chinese intellectuals in the twentieth century anticipated their own destiny through the interpretation and discussion of the Zhuangzi, Ham Seok-heon’s reading of the Zhuangzi was expressed as the voice of Ssi-al, which changed the subject of interpretation and at the same time called for the values of modern freedom and equality and preached the ideology of democracy and self-government to realize them. In reading Ham Seok-heon in this way, I believe that we can properly evaluate the historical and philosophical meaning and value of SSi-al’ Readings of Old Classics. (shrink)

Philosophical study of revelation in religion, chiefly in Islam.

Amid the many food safety scandals that have erupted in recent years, Chinese food activists and consumers are turning to the creation of alternative food networks to ensure better control over their food. These Chinese AFNs have not been documented in the growing literature on food studies. Based on in-depth interviews and case studies, this paper documents and develops a typology of AFNs in China, including community supported agriculture, farmers’ markets, buying clubs, and recreational garden plot rentals. We unpacked the (...) four standard dimensions of alternativeness of AFNs into eight elements and used these to examine the alternativeness of AFNs in China. We argue first that the landscape of alternativeness varies among different networks but the healthfulness of food is the most prominent element. Second, there is an inconsistency in values between AFN initiators and customers, which contributes to the uneven alternativeness of Chinese AFNs. Third, Chinese AFNs are strongly consumer driven, a factor that constrains their alternativeness at present. The inclusion of “real” peasants in the construction of AFNs in China is minimal. This paper adds to the existing literature on AFNs with an analysis of recent initiatives in China that have not been well documented before. By unpacking the dimensions of alternativeness into specific elements, this paper also provides an analytical framework for examining the alternativeness of AFNs especially nascent ones that have not developed a full spectrum of alternativeness. (shrink)

On aesthetics intelligence of Hanoi people in Vietnam.

Contributed seminar papers on Vedic literature and civilization.

Study of a classical critic of Avicenna's views on the existence and nature of God.

How do speakers design what they say in order to communicate effectively with groups of addressees who vary in their background knowledge of the topic at hand? Prior findings indicate that when a speaker addresses a pair of listeners with discrepant knowledge, that speakers Aim Low, designing their utterances for the least knowledgeable of the two addressees. Here, we test the hypothesis that speakers will depart from an Aim Low approach in order to efficiently communicate with larger groups of interacting (...) partners. Further, we ask whether the cognitive demands of tracking multiple conversational partners' perspectives places limitations on successful audience design. We find that speakers can successfully track information about what up to four of their partners do and do not know in conversation. When addressing groups of 3–4 addressees at once, speakers design language based on the combined knowledge of the group. These findings point to an audience design process that simultaneously represents the perspectives of multiple other individuals and combines these representations in order to design utterances that strike a balance between the different needs of the individuals within the group. (shrink)

This paper studies how the human capital embedded in rank-and-file employees affects firms’ stock price crash risk. Employing a unique setting in China where we measure human capital using employee information at the firm level, we show that human capital quality improves firms’ internal information environments, curbs bad-news hoarding and overinvestment, leading to lower stock price crash risk. The findings are robust to instrumental variable regressions. Our study highlights the internal informational role of human capital and sheds light on its (...) implications for capital markets and outside investors. Therefore, we contribute to the literature on the interaction between non-shareholding stakeholders and shareholders. (shrink)

“The Strong Programme” is put forward as a metaphysical theory of sociology by the Edinburgh School (SSK) to study the social causes of knowledge. Barry Barnes and David Bloor are the proponents of the School. They call their programme “the Relativist View of Knowledge” and argue against rationalism in the philosophy of science. Does their relativist account of knowledge present a serious challenge to rationalism, which has dominated 20th century philosophy of science? I attempt to answer this question by criticizing (...) the main ideas of SSK and defending rationalism theories in modern philosophy of science. (shrink)

本书以“认识的意义标准”、“科学的划界”、“科学说明”、“理论与观察”、“确证与归纳”、“科学知识的增长”、“科学知识社会学的相对主义科学观”等八个问题为基本线索,分析研究了科学哲学家们对问题的各种解 决方案及其之间的逻辑联系。.

Berislav Maru%si'c explores how we should take evidence into account when thinking about future actions, such as resolving to do something we know will be difficult. Should we believe we will follow through, or not? He argues that if it is important to us, we can rationally believe we will do it, even if our belief contradicts the evidence.

The efficacies of Western and Chinese medicine have been under debate for a long time, and the whole issue still raises questions for the contemporary world. The article emphasizes the humanistic approach as well as the scientific method of the early Protestant medical missionaries to China, so as to give a more comprehensive scope to understand their historical roles and practices in a cross-cultural context. The authors also wish to call for a global readership to further discuss this historical legacy (...) with regard to the reception of Christianity in contemporary China and other East Asian countries. (shrink)

Philosophy - Textbooks ; Theology -- Book reviews ; Sufism -- Book reviews -- Religions -- Book reviews.

Papers presented at a national seminar on Vedic texts and the knowledge systems of India, held at Kalady during 9-11 December 2009.

Kasım 2002 yılında iktidara gelen Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi'nin (AK Parti) dış politikasında Somali'nin özel bir yeri bulunmaktadır. Türkiye'nin Somali ile ilişkileri, dönemin başbakanı olan Türkiye Cumhurbaşkanı Recep Tayyip Erdoğan'ın 19 Ağustos 2011 yılında şiddetli kuraklıktan ve iç savaştan etkilenen Somalilere destek olmak amacı ile bu ülkeye düzenlediği resmi ziyaretin ardından gelişmeye başlamıştır. 2011'den sonra Türkiye, Somali'ye en büyük insani yardım kampanyalarından birini başlatmıştır. Türkiye, Somali'de sadece bir yumuşak güç politikası geliştirmekle kalmamış, aynı zamanda bir sert güç politikası da uygulamaya (...) başlamıştır. Bu kapsamda Türkiye, 2012 yılından bu yana hem Ankara’da hem de Mogadişu'da yüzlerce Somalili asker ve polise eğitim vermektedır. Aynı zamanda Türkiye, 2017 yılında yurtdışındaki Türkiye’nin en büyük askeri üssünü Somali'de açtı. Bu araştırma, Türkiye'nin Somali'de güvenlik politikasını derinleştirmesinin ardındaki nedenleri ve dinamikleri incelemekte ve Türkiye'nin güvenlik politikasının Somali için ne anlama geldiğini tartışmaktadır. Araştırma, sosyo-kültürel, ekonomik ve jeopolitik dahil olmak üzere Türkiye'nin Somali'ye yönelik güvenlik politikasını yönlendiren faktörlerin bir kombinasyonu olduğunu savunuyor. Bu çalışma, kavramsal ve teorik perspektifler kullanarak Türkiye'nin güvenlik politikasını bütüncül bir yaklaşımla incelemektedir. (shrink)