This study dealt with one of the most important legal subjects in private international law that relates to the topic of law applicable to electronic signature and is problematic by the lack of clear and explicit texts to determine the law required on the topic The main objective of the study was to reflect the legal regulation in private international law of such a problem, as well as to address some practical and applicable problems relating to the topic of the (...) study, including the legal nature of an electronic signature, When preparing this study, the researcher relied on the inductive approach by extracting legal texts on the subject of the letter in accordance with Jordanian legislation. in addition to the analytical approach where the researcher analysed and described the legislative and doctrinal positions and international conventions associated with the subject matter of the letter, The prescriptive approach, through a statement of the legal nature of the electronic signature. The researcher produced a series of results, the most important of which was the absence of clear and explicit texts specifying the law applicable to the electronic signature. This result was reflected in the recommendations of this letter, which were the most important recommendation to the Jordanian legislature that legal rules should be drawn up to determine the law applicable to the subject matter of the study. (shrink)

Spiritual Intelligence (S-Intelligence) introduced to achieve higher levels of knowledge and applying hidden knowledge. This intelligence is various in different people. When people work together in a team or set, these diverse influence on their performance. Facilitate the application of spiritual capacities by using abilities of S- intelligence is important to increase productivity teamwork. For this purpose, we provided a model of communication for individuals with different S-intelligence in performing team tasks. First, with the basics S-intelligence analysis and interviews with (...) experts, S-intelligence was divided in five categories. Each person according to their S-Intelligence and the role that play in teamwork (individualist, thinkist and pragmatist) from this aspect that he/she can by what kind of S-intelligences and what kind of role, has an effective team relationship, has been measured. With the 690 questionnaires among individuals with experience in teamwork and group communication, we have addressed to the measurement of their communication model. After derivation the data by fuzzy logic, we analyzed and presented an effective model of teamwork based on S-intelligence. (shrink)

Pakatan Harapan won the 14thGeneral Election held in May, 2018 in Malaysia. PH thus ended sixty-one years rule of Barisan Nasional.While the slogan of Malaysia Bahru, indicating changes to come in the country, became a popular slogan, one thing remained constant. This was the number of women contesting the GE-14 as candidates and the number of them who were elected was much less than the number of men contesting and getting elected in GE-14 although women represented slightly more than 50% (...) of the total registered voters in that election. The main objective of this paper is to examine the main factors that influenced the female voters in GE-14. Two states in the northern Malaysia were selected with 200 eligible female voters. They were clustered and conveniently sampled and were given self-administered questionnaires. Demographic variables were cross-tabbed while asking the women which factors had influenced their votes. The findings show that majority of the female voters were influenced by the candidates’ social background. Younger women were very concerned with the issues directly affecting them. Significantly, preference for political party was of least interest to them while voting. While the majority of women voters from the three main ethnic groups supported more women to be nominated as candidates in elections, the Malay women showed the highest level of disagreement on that matter as compared to the rest. The study also shows that majority of the female voters, whether young or old, rural or urban, use social media as the main and the most trusted source of news on election. These findings have concluded that, their demographic background interplayed with each other constructing their voting preferences. Female voters are crucial and each contesting parties need to pay closer attention to the women’s concerns in order to secure their votes. (shrink)

Aims To examine the understanding of the ethical dilemmas associated with Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) among Jordanian medical students, physicians in training, and senior practitioners. Methods We implemented a literature-validated questionnaire to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the target population during the period between April and August 2023. Themes of ethical debate included privacy breaches, consent, ownership, augmented biases, epistemology, and accountability. Participants’ responses were showcased using descriptive statistics and compared between groups using t-test or ANOVA. (...) Results We included 466 participants. The greater majority of respondents were interns and residents (50.2%), followed by medical students (38.0%). Most participants were affiliated with university institutions (62.4%). In terms of privacy, participants acknowledged that Big Data and AI were susceptible to privacy breaches (39.3%); however, 59.0% found such breaches justifiable under certain conditions. For ethical debacles involving informed consent, 41.6% and 44.6% were aware that obtaining informed consent posed an ethical limitation in Big Data and AI applications and denounced the concept of “broad consent”, respectively. In terms of ownership, 49.6% acknowledged that data cannot be owned yet accepted that institutions could hold a quasi-control of such data (59.0%). Less than 50% of participants were aware of Big Data and AI’s abilities to augment or create new biases in healthcare. Furthermore, participants agreed that researchers, institutions, and legislative bodies were responsible for ensuring the ethical implementation of Big Data and AI. Finally, while demonstrating limited experience with using such technology, participants generally had positive views of the role of Big Data and AI in complementing healthcare. Conclusion Jordanian medical students, physicians in training and senior practitioners have limited awareness of the ethical risks associated with Big Data and AI. Institutions are responsible for raising awareness, especially with the upsurge of such technology. (shrink)

The aim of present paper is to introduce the concept of ‘expressive perception’ in Ernst Cassirer’s philosophical mythology. Having Cited Dorothy Emmet’s methodological objection, the author, by recalling Kantian aspect of Cassirer’s thought and referring to the concept of ‘expressive perception’, would make an attempt to reply on his part: according to Cassirer, this level of perceptive experience is the origin of the mythical form of thinking as a whole and, at the same time, is the original and irreducible altogether. (...) Thus, taking ‘mythical thought’ as an independent form of thinking, beside the ‘critical-empirical’ form of thinking, is, for one thing, completely cogent; for another, due to its dependency upon expressive form of perception, mythical thought would never be quite omitted, rather, keep living latently beneath the skin of mental life. In addition, author explains how much Cassirer owes, regarding to the concept of ‘expressive form of perception’, to Max Scheler. Avoiding to elaborate on Scheler’s detailed argument, Cassirer relies strongly on the consequences Scheler draws from his considerations in his work ‘Wesen und Formen der Sympathie’. Restating Scheler’s argument briefly should help in understanding Cassirer’s idea. (shrink)

BackgroundOver the past few years, five domains of importance about the current state of bioethics in Saudi Arabia have shaped the perspective of most research: doctor-patient relationship, informed consent, do-not-resuscitate, organ donation, and transplantation, medical students’ knowledge and attitudes about medical ethics curriculum. This systematic review aimed to systematically identify, compile, describe and discuss ethical arguments and concepts in the best-studied domains of bioethics in Saudi Arabia and to present cultural, social, educational, and humane perspectives. MethodsSix databases were searched using (...) Boolean operators from December 2020–June 2021. The search and report process followed the statement and flowchart of preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.ResutlsThe search resulted in 1651 articles, of which 82 studies were selected for a final review and assessment. There is a gradual increase in research, whereby a substantial increase was observed from 2017. Most of the published articles focused on ‘Organ Donation & Transplantation’ with 33 articles, followed by ‘Doctor-Patient Relations’ with 18 publications. Most of the published articles were from Central Province, followed by Western Province. The authorship pattern showed a collaborative approach among researchers. The thematic analysis of keywords analysis showed that ‘Saudi Arabia,’ ‘attitude PHC,’ ‘organ donation,’ ‘knowledge and education,’ and ‘donation’ have been used the most commonly.ConclusionThis systematic quantitative synthesis is expected to guide researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers about the strengths and gaps in knowledge and attitudes regarding medical ethics in Saudi Arabia, both among the general public and health professionals. (shrink)

It is well known that the notion of transcendental logic has a prominent role in both Kant’s and Husserl’s theories of knowledge. The main aim of the present paper is to study the links between formal and transcendental logic in Husserl on the one hand, and the links between general logic and transcendental logic in Kant on the other. There is a debate about the proper relation between transcendental logic and general logic in Kant’s philosophy. By means of our definition (...) of transcendental logic, mainly drawn from Husserl’s analyses, we will try to offer an appropriate interpretation of Kant’s view. (shrink)

Most of the IoT-based smart systems require low latency and crisp response time for their applications. Achieving the demand of this high Quality of Service becomes quite challenging when computationally intensive tasks are offloaded to the cloud for execution. Edge computing therein plays an important role by introducing low network latency, quick response, and high bandwidth. However, offloading computations at a large scale overwhelms the edge server with many requests and the scalability issue originates. To address the above issues, an (...) efficient resource management technique is required to maintain the workload over the edge and ensure the reduction of response time for IoT applications. Therefore, in this paper, we introduce a metaheuristic and nature-inspired Artificial Bee Colony optimization technique that effectively manages the workload over the edge server under the strict constraints of low network latency and quick response time. The numerical results show that the proposed ABC algorithm has outperformed Particle Swarm Optimization, Ant Colony Optimization, and Round-Robin Scheduling algorithms by producing low response time and effectively managing the workload over the edge server. Furthermore, the proposed technique scales the edge server to meet the demand of high QoS for IoT applications. (shrink)

In this article, we try to study Clark Pinnock’s point of view in explaining the methodological foundations of the Open Theism Theory with a descriptive-analytical method so that we can have a fair critique of the strengths and weaknesses of this theory while also understanding it correctly. Pinnock can be considered one of the most important theorists and founders of Open Theism. In his view, Open Theism is one of the theological-philosophical theories that have emerged in the critique of the (...) teachings of traditional Christian theology and consider its claims to be logically and narratively contradictory. Pinnock believes that open theists sanctify God as acknowledged in the Bible and that some of the attributes of God in traditional theology should be revised and modified based on the text of the Bible. They believe that God is the God of the Bible; someone who is truly connected to the world, a relationship that requires the most mobility, not immobility. In this view, God is portrayed as a triune relationship-oriented truth, which seeks romantic relationships with human beings and thereby grants them true freedom. Finally, since open theists believe that theology should be understood by the people of the present age, a better explanation of theology depends on reliance on modern philosophy and its effects. In modern philosophy, method and methodology have become very important. In general, methodology is the knowledge that recognizes “how to go” and the fundamental methodology reveals the hidden principles of each theory and creates the basis for its basic critique. Of course, the purpose of this article is specifically to examine the “basics” of Pinnacle’s method, not his “method.” In fact, the report presented by his method is a platform for examining the basics. From the author’s point of view, most of the mistakes that have been made in traditional theology are also reflected in Open Theism; leading in another way! That is to say, most of the objections that Pinnock made to traditional theologians also apply to him. For example, why is it bad to be influenced by Greek philosophy, but Open Theism’s claims can be influenced by modern philosophy? Do ancient philosophy and modern philosophy have precise and acceptable boundaries at all? On what basis do open theists claim that modern philosophy is more acceptable to modern people than ancient philosophy? Can mere simultaneity justify it? If we take as a basis the claim of open theists – that every thought comes “from somewhere” and that no thought is pristine – the encounter of open theists with the text of the Bible is also done with the presuppositions of modern philosophy, and their pivotal mindset has influenced their understanding of the Bible. How can one be sure that the path taken by theology is more correct than the path taken by its predecessors? Since a better understanding of each theory is gained by reflecting on its foundations, in this article we intend to examine the methodological foundations of Open Theism by looking at the book Most Moved Mover. In general, from Pinnock’s point of view, the method of open theism can be based on the three main bases of the critical study of the interpretation of traditional theologians, return to the Bible and overcoming Hellenism, and attention to modern philosophy, which we will describe and critique. (shrink)

This research explores an innovative application of social media platforms, particularly Instagram live streaming sessions and language courses on YouTube, to improve proficiency in speaking and grammar of foreign language undergraduates. It investigated the effects of various social media platforms on language competence and to evaluate the relevance of these platforms to language teaching. The study used a pretest-post-test experiment methodology with a sample size of 392 individuals, who were split into groupings: Control and Experimental. To compare the means of (...) the speaking proficiency and grammatical proficiency scores, t-tests were used as an analytical method. The results indicated that the groups were not significantly different from one another on the pretest, which served as a baseline for the assessment. Nevertheless, the results of the post-test demonstrated a significant rise in the Experimental Group's grammar proficiency (mean = 74.38), supporting the first hypothesis, which states that learning a language through social media can improve one's grammar skills. Just as the control group showed no change in their speaking abilities, the experimental group showed a marked improvement, with a mean score that pointed to increased proficiency. These results show that using YouTube and Instagram in language classes is an effective strategy, showing that it has real-world applications and inspiring teachers to be creative in their methods so that students learn languages more interestingly and engagingly. (shrink)

This study examines the relationship between social and emotional abilities and standardized test results among elementary school students in Saudi Arabia. The data was collected using a purposive sampling strategy, with the Social and Emotional Learning Assessment Scale (SELAS) used to assess skills and actual educational material utilized to provide standardized test results. Data analysis involves the utilization of descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, regression assessment, ANCOVA, and subgroup analyses. The results indicate a robust and positive correlation between social and (...) emotional abilities and standardized test scores. The regression evaluation demonstrates the ability of these skills to accurately predict academic achievement. The ANCOVA method finds socio-economic variables as the primary moderators. The evident existence of disparities, principally influenced by gender and grade level, highlights the necessity for interventions that are specifically tailored to address these variances. Proposed approaches include integrating comprehensive social and emotional learning activities into educational curricula, implementing targeted interventions to address socio-economic disparities, and implementing strategies customized to individual genders. Maintaining continuous surveillance and assessment is crucial for fostering a comprehensive academic environment. (shrink)

This study aimed to use TED Talks, which are abundant with real-life examples of English language use, that might improve the public speaking skills of elementary-level Jordanian EFL students with learning disabilities. The study also aimed at identifying the attitudes of the students with learning disabilities toward using TED Talks to increase motivation to learn English. This research used a quasi-experimental approach. The present study included 68 female EFL tenth graders from the Irbid Schools for Girls, a public institution under (...) the Irbid Directorate of Education. The researcher created an educational program based on the TED talks. The pre-post-test was used to measure the students’ progress and a questionnaire was used to measure their attitudes to this strategy. The program seems to have created good levels of interaction among the students and boosted their appetite to participate and engage with the visual and audio materials presented in the TED Talks videos. The students showed positive attitudes toward using the TED Talks program to raise their motivation to learn English language. (shrink)

This study aims to explore the level of using artificial intelligence applications among university students and their impact on the credibility of e-learning. The study used the descriptive method because it is suitable for the study. The study included a sample of 94 Jordanian university students, who were selected by stratified random method. The study used a questionnaire of 40 items as the research instrument to determine the level of the use of artificial intelligence technology and distance education in distorting (...) the contemporary educational landscape. The results showed that universities try to limit the incorrect use of AI applications among students by using specific detection tools. The students showed that their universities have strict rules and regulations regarding the use of AI tools in their studies. Therefore, there were low estimations from the students on the large incorrect usage of AI tools. The results also revealed that gender and the specialization of the student do not affect their views toward the incorrect use of AI tools in their education, whether face-to-face education or online education. (shrink)

This paper explores the most important and satisfactory aspects of collaborative partnership from the point of view of parents of children with special needs. The descriptive survey method was utilized to suit the purposes of the study and its objectives. The study sample in its final form consisted of 761 parents of students with special needs (658 fathers, 103 mothers) who had a child with a disability. A questionnaire was used for information collection from the participants to reach conclusions on (...) the questions of the study. The findings showed that the results regarding child-centred relationships revealed the presence of some aspects that mothers and fathers consider to be of high importance and enjoy a high degree of satisfaction. Results revealed differences between the average scores of families of children with special needs, according to the educational level variable, in favour of the educational level (secondary school and below) compared to other age levels. Activating aspects of cooperative participation in the field of special education may predict the quality of life of the disabled person and his family. (shrink)

This study came to complete the role that previous researchers began by focusing on strategic planning and linking it to an effective school administration in secondary public schools in Saudi Arabia to reach results and recommendations that may benefit principals, supervisors, and workers in the field of education. The study used the descriptive analytical approach and developed a questionnaire as an instrument, which was administered to 122 school principals from public schools in Saudi Arabia. The results concluded that the five (...) areas each received a very high relative weight, and this reinforces the importance of school principals using strategic planning in their schools because of its great benefit in increasing the effectiveness of school administration. The findings showed no statistically significant differences between the averages of the study sample’s estimates on the role of strategic planning in increasing the effectiveness of school administration due to years of experience, as all school principals need strategic planning because of its importance and because of its novelty, which limits the number of years of service. (shrink)

This study investigated the role of school administrations in Saudi Arabia in raising awareness of students using social media from the perspectives of teachers at the secondary level. The study followed the descriptive survey, for which a questionnaire of 41 paragraphs was developed and administered to 500 teachers. The findings revealed the degree of responses of male and female secondary school teachers regarding the role of school administrations in Saudi Arabia in confronting the dangers of social media, which had a (...) medium level. The findings demonstrated that the academic qualification variable for this dimension was associated with statistically significant differences, with the disparities favoring holders of bachelor's degrees. Finally, the results showed differences between the participants' opinions on the role of school administrations in Saudi Arabian schools in confronting the risks of social media because of years of experience variable. (shrink)

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the degree of availability of quality-of-life domains in third-grade textbooks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and monitoring indicators of quality-of-life domains. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, it has been used the descriptive method through content analysis method, and it has been prepared a list of indicators of quality-of-life domains. The study sample consisted of all the textbooks of the third-grade of primary school for the three semesters (...) of the academic year 1444-1445 Hijri, which amounted to (21) textbooks. The study showed the following results: The frequencies of quality-of-life domains in the third-grade textbooks for all domains amounted to (37602) frequencies, and they classified as following: In the first rank: domain of quality of academic life reaching (27,248) frequencies, with a percentage of (72.46%), while the domain of quality of environmental life came in second rank, reaching (4902) frequencies, with a percentage of (13.04%), in the third rank came the domain of quality of family and social relationships, with a frequency of (2008) with percentage of (5.34%), in the fourth rank came the domain of quality of healthy life with (1372) frequencies, and with percentage of (3.65%), in the fifth rank was the domain of quality of spiritual life with (957) frequencies and percentage of (2.55%), in the sixth rank came the domain of quality of independence life that reached to (873) frequencies and percentage of (2,32%), and in the last rank was the domain of quality-of-life psychological that reached to (873242) frequencies and percentage of (0.64%). In conclusion, the study recommended the necessity of incorporation the quality-of-life domains in content of third-grade textbooks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which contributes to raising students’ awareness in the quality-of-life domains. (shrink)

This investigation explored the effect of a multimedia program on developing physics concepts and physics problem-solving skills among ninth-grade students with learning disabilities. The study implemented the experimental method and built a multimedia program to develop concepts and physics problem-solving skills among ninth-grade students. The experiment was applied to 37 students from the ninth grade, who were selected from 5 different schools in Irbid, Jordan. The findings showed that the size of the effect of the program was large, as using (...) the multimedia program helped students develop physics concepts properly because the program was designed according to organized and easy steps. It is clear from the results the effective impact of using multimedia in developing concepts and physics problem-solving skills, as the results indicated the superiority of the experimental group over the control group, even though the two groups were originally equal. The study recommends frequent use of multimedia effectively during the educational process because of its effective impact on students’ academic achievement and the creation of multimedia programs in all curricula, provided that these programs address the student, motivate him, and arouse his motivation to learn. (shrink)

This study employed quantitative methodologies to investigate the impact of a 12-week mindfulness-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program on lowering stress and improving mental well-being in a sample of 300 adolescents from Jordan. The study employed a stratified random sampling strategy to choose participants from diverse urban and rural populations. Data was collected utilizing the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The data evaluation involved the use of descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, regression analysis, and (...) an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results indicate a significant decrease in stress levels and positive changes in mental health outcomes following the intervention. The regression analysis revealed that age was a likely predictor of changes in stress levels, indicating that older persons saw more significant declines. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated significant gender-specific discrepancies in the impacts of the intervention. Independent samples t-tests revealed statistically significant variations in the average rankings across specific age groups and school environments. Proposed measures include implementing mindfulness-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs in school systems, tailoring treatments to suit different demographic groups, examining gender-specific factors, and advocating for policy integration. Performing a longitudinal study is typically advised to assess the long-term sustainability of intervention results. (shrink)

Dialogue is one of the fundamental pillars of social life and an essential means of communication. It enables individuals to express their needs, desires, feelings, positions, problems, and methods for managing various aspects of their lives. Furthermore, dialogue fosters the development of ideas and experiences, facilitating expression, creativity, and participation in a civilized society. Through dialogue, communication and interaction with others occur. This study aims to explore effective methods for teaching the Arabic language through dialogue and its application to non-native (...) speakers at the primary level at Mara University of Technology. Specifically, it will investigate whether dialogue aids students in acquiring vocabulary. Vocabulary is a crucial component of language, alongside sounds and structures. Teaching vocabulary is an essential part of foreign language programs, including Arabic. However, despite its significance, the learning and teaching of Arabic vocabulary to non-native learners face several challenges, contributing to their weaknesses in this area. Notes are statistically significant differences between two groups: those "using dialogue" and those "not using it" in learning Arabic vocabulary. (shrink)

This article studies the Conversation Analysis of self-initiated repair structures in everyday conversations in Jordanian Spoken Arabic. It aims to cast light on self-initiated repairs practised by Jordanians. The data were collected in 2010; 18 dyadic-videotaped conversations totalling about nine hours, mixed and single-sex, were conducted at Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. The data analysed include 1595 self-initiated repairs. The CA approach is employed as a theoretical framework for this study. The findings of this research indicate that Jordanian speakers practise 10 (...) self-initiated repair structures, namely, expansion, hesitation, replacement, repetition, abort and restart, abort and abandon, insertion, deletion, meta-repair and modify order. (shrink)

In this work we have developed a formal ontology for perdurants suitable for representing interlocking institutional worlds in the general area of interoperating information systems. The formal ont...

Merging of ontologies is a frequently addressed problem in the ontology literature. This paper argues that in general two even very similar ontologies cannot be merged. Further, where two ontologies can be merged their conceptualizations are special. They are systems of institutional facts which are interlocking. The argument is based on the literature of the federated database problem and on the concepts of speech act and institutional fact.

The incorporation of technology into the training of foreign language teachers has garnered considerable interest among educators, who have increasingly acknowledged the inherent possibilities of innovative tools and applications in augmenting their professional growth. Notwithstanding, these tools allow educators to remain abreast of the most current pedagogical methodologies, augment their instructional expertise, and proficiently cater to the varied requirements of students. This study investigates the incorporation of these tools within the instructional program of educators specializing in foreign languages; with the (...) ultimate aim of unveiling the views of relevant stakeholders on how these tools aid in strengthening their professional growth. The study involved the participation of 107 individuals, comprising both foreign language university lecturers and teacher trainers. Furthermore, a quantitative method of analysis was adopted in analyzing the research data that was collated through the use of an online questionnaire. Several significant findings were made from the research data which were presented and analyzed. The research findings revealed that technology integration seamlessly paves the way for the professional development of foreign language educators. Also, a comprehensive training program, provision of ongoing professional development opportunities, peer collaboration, and establishment of feedback and evaluation mechanisms can aid in countering major limitations of the implementation of technology integration. (shrink)

Background The use of lengthy, detailed, and complex informed consent forms is of paramount concern in biomedical research as it may not truly promote the rights and interests of research participants. The extent of information in ICFs has been the subject of debates for decades; however, no clear guidance is given. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of research participants about the type and extent of information they need when they are invited to participate in (...) biomedical research. Methods This multi-center, cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted at 54 study sites in seven Asia-Pacific countries. A modified Likert-scale questionnaire was used to determine the importance of each element in the ICF among research participants of a biomedical study, with an anchored rating scale from 1 to 5. Results Of the 2484 questionnaires distributed, 2113 were returned. The majority of respondents considered most elements required in the ICF to be ‘moderately important’ to ‘very important’ for their decision making. Major foreseeable risk, direct benefit, and common adverse effects of the intervention were considered to be of most concerned elements in the ICF. Conclusions Research participants would like to be informed of the ICF elements required by ethical guidelines and regulations; however, the importance of each element varied, e.g., risk and benefit associated with research participants were considered to be more important than the general nature or technical details of research. Using a participant-oriented approach by providing more details of the participant-interested elements while avoiding unnecessarily lengthy details of other less important elements would enhance the quality of the ICF. (shrink)

Divided into five parts, the book provides general background information on Biruni's time, his world, and his life. It includes the full names of the 183 books written by Biruni. The titles of these books are given in Arabic, Persian, transliteration of the Arabic title, and English, and they are all annotated and if available the number of folios is given for each one. A list of available references in English on Biruni, including articles, bibliographies, books, internet sites, a dissertation, (...) and even a film. A list of Persian reference sources is also included. (shrink)

This volume offers interreligious and interdisciplinary insight into the cinematic-serial and literary narration of evil. Evil is an important motif in literature, film and series. We encounter it in the most diverse forms - be it the Joker from The Dark Knight, Goethe's Mephisto or in the Shiite theatre ritual of the Taʿziya. This volume attempts a closer exploration of what we know as evil, and yet find difficult to comprehend. In addition to Christian and Islamic perspectives, philosophical and mystical (...) considerations are also addressed. Evil, its aesthetic reception and the resulting perspectives on its reality are the focus of the multidisciplinary contributions. With contributions by Prof. Dr. Thomas Jürgasch, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Milad Karimi, Prof. Dr. Walter Lesch, Prof. Dr. Konrad Paul Liessmann, Dr. Maryam Palizban, Iyad Shraim and Prof. Dr. Reinhold Zwick. (shrink)

The eloquence and the continuity of the words and their meaning in the Holy Quran cannot be constructed by any human being, as their order was instituted by the prophet (PBUH). No human being can add, delete or modify this order nor move any verse backward or forward. This research explored the order of meanings related to the eloquence of the verses of the Holy Quran, including a review of those meanings in progressive patterns, to prove the arguments and ingenuity (...) of Quranic brevity, as contained in a scholarly volume Al-Naba al-Azim, by Dr. Abdullah Draz. The research aimed to extract the exact order of the Quranic meanings and connection of this order with the eloquence of the verse. It included the order of tools of arguments, methods to build the verse, the order of Quranic brevity, and the extent of its inclusiveness of meanings of the Holy Quran. The study found out that the order of Quranic meanings has remarkable characteristics like semantic escalation, and the structural coherence and a symmetrical order of all the verses. It was also revealed that Dr. Draz pioneered the argument on the order of the Quranic brevity and the order of meanings that are hidden between the verses. The study recommends to conduct future researches on the phenomenon of semantic escalation, search for the meanings hidden behind the Quranic structures, deduce the silent tools which are used by the Holy Quran to sustain arguments. The study also recommends that studies should be conducted to elaborate the meanings of the Quranic verses that have been mentioned only briefly. (shrink)

Thoughts of Raden Mas Panji Sosrokartono on Javanese spiritual philosophy.

Thoughts of Raden Mas Panji Sosrokartono on Javanese spiritual philosophy.

Publication date: 14 June 2017 Source: Author: Muhammad Hussein Oroskhan, Sayyed Mohammad Anoosheh By the 1930s, the Iranian society was driven toward modernization. Consisted with the concept of modernization, feminism ushered a whole new era in Iranian history. Besides, the outbreak of World War II and the consequent abdication of Reza Khan afforded women a golden opportunity to fight for their rights and emancipations. This movement was also supported by the famous male writers of the time among whom Jalal (...) Al-e-Ahmad marked a prominent place. He was keen enough to properly explore women's situation in his works and notice the drastic effect of modernization upon women's situation. Hence, in this study, we try to investigate Al-e-Ahmad's short story entitled “Pink Nail Polish” 1948 with respect to Bakhtin's Carnivalesque's theory. Furthermore, it is shown how Bakhtin's new literary mode can create the excellent chance of studying Iranian women's situation properly. Finally, we explain that due to the drastic change of Iranian women's situation towards modernity, they may lead a double life if their rights are not respected. This can lead to a disproportionate relationship between the husband and the wife as the marital infidelity becomes rampant. (shrink)

In Defeating Dr. Evil with Self-Locating Belief, Adam Elga proposes and defends a principle of indifference for self-locating beliefs: if an individual is confident that his world contains more than one individual who is in a state subjectively indistinguishable from his own, then he should assign equal credences to the hypotheses that he is any one of these individuals. Through a sequence of thought experiments, Elga in effect claims that he can derive the credence function that should apply in such (...) situations, thus justifying his principle of indifference. Here we argue, using a Bayesian approach, that Elga’s reasoning is circular: in analyzing the third of his thought experiments, he uses an assertion that is justifiable only if one assumes, from the start, the principle of indifference that he is attempting to justify. We agree with Elga that the assumption of equal credences is a very reasonable principle, in the absence of any reason to assign unequal credences, but we do not agree that the equality of credences can be so derived. (shrink)

Two Members of BBS awarded Erasmus Mundus Master of Bioethics -/- Shamima Parvin Lasker, Professor and Head, Department of Anatomy, City Dental College, Dhaka & General Secretary of BBS and Dr Abu Sadat Mohammad Nurunnabi, Lecturer of Anatomy, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka & Life member of BBS awarded Master of Bioethics in 2012. Both they are the scholars of Erasmus Mundus Master of Bioethics. Degree was awarded by K.U.Leuven, Belgium, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Netherlands and Università degli Studi di Padova, (...) Italy. -/- Prof Shamima’s research was on “Attitudes Toward Surrogacy Around Muslim World” under supervision of Dr Marcello Ghilardi, University of padova , Italy whereas Dr Nurunnabi worked on Prospects and Problems of Stem Cell Research in Bangladesh: Can Equity and Justice be Maintained in Context of Public Health Demand? under supervision of Professor Evert van leeuwen, Chair of the Section Ethics, IQ healthcare, Philosophy and History of Medicine, Radboud University, Nijmegen Medical Centre, Netherlands. -/- Thanks and congratulations for them and for their outstanding achievements on behalf of all the Members of the Bangladesh Bioethics Society. -/- . (shrink)

BĪRŪNĪ, ABŪ RAYḤĀN MOḤAMMAD b. Aḥmad (362/973- after 442/1050), scholar and polymath of the period of the late Samanids and early Ghaznavids and one of the two greatest intellectual figures of his time in the eastern lands of the Muslim world, the other being Ebn Sīnā.

The temptation to use prospective observational studies (POS) instead of conducting difficult trials (RCTs) has always existed, but with the advent of powerful computers and large databases, it can become almost irresistible. We examine the potential consequences, were this to occur, by comparing two hypothetical studies of a new treatment: one RCT, and one POS. The POS inevitably submits more patients to inferior research methodology. In RCTs, patients are clearly informed of the research context, and 1:1 randomized allocation between experimental (...) and validated treatment balances risks for each patient. In POS, for each patient, the risks of receiving inferior treatment are impossible to estimate. The research context and the uncertainty are down-played, and patients and clinicians are at risk of becoming passive research subjects in studies performed from an outsider’s view, which potentially has extraneous objectives, and is conducted without their explicit, autonomous, and voluntary involvement and consent. (shrink)

In this study, some postscripts (Ḥashiyah) written on Sharḥ al-Aqâid in the Ottoman Empire were examined and their sectarian identities were tried to be determined in the context of the Takwīn. Our aim is to determine the correctness of the opinion that the Ottoman Empire adopted the Ash’arism based on the reading of Ash’arian kalâm books in the Ottoman madrasahs. The book of al-Taftâzânî named Sharḥ al-Aqâid is an important kalâm book that was read together with its postscripts in the (...) time of the Ottoman Empire. This book, in which the views of Omar al-Nasafī in his book named Aqâid is evaluated from the perspective of Ash’ari, is one of the important examples of the commentary and postscript period. In this book, al-Taftâzânî explained both the views of al-Nasafī, who adopted the school of Mâturidism, and his own evaluations together. This structure of the book led to the writing of postscripts and to discuss the views of the two theological schools of Ahl al-Sunnah through this book. In this study, the postscripts written by the Ottoman period famous kalâm scholars such as Ahmad b. Mûsâ al-Khayâlî (875/1470), Muṣliḥ al-dîn Moṣtafâ al-Kastalî (901/1496) and Ramaḍân b. Moḥammad (1017/1608) on the views of al-Taftâzânî were examined. In order to understand the views of al-Khayâlî, the postscripts of Ḳûl (or Ḳavl) Aḥmad b. Ḫıżır al-Kâzarûnî (950/1543) and Abd al-Ḥakîm al-Siyâlkûtî (1067/1657) are also included. (shrink)

From past to present, women's access to social life and their preoccupation with science has been a problematic issue in all societies. Hz. Mohammad gave importance to the woman, who was worthless in the period of ignorance, in a way that it is not possible to come across her husband in the rest of the world, and gave them access to social life, mosques and scientific assemblies. However, since the period of the Companions, women's access to mosques and scientific (...) assemblies was increasingly restricted due to the dominant character of the Arab society and the poor understanding of the Prophet's message by some segments. Since the third century Hijri, the acceptance of women as the cause of strife, the society's view of women, the responsibilities placed on women in the family have further restricted women's access to knowledge and education in fiqh. The effect of Jewish literature, Greek philosophers, and logicians' view of women on Muslim scholars has reinforced this situation. Although women did not fall behind in learning fiqh thanks to their individual efforts and the men who were involved in fiqh in their families, they remained in the background in writing books and scientific studies. Throughout the Hanafi history, Asma bint Esad b. Furât, Kasani's wife Fatima bint Mohammad and İbn al-Saati Muzaffar al-Din Ahmad b. Ali's daughter Fatima al-Saati stands out. (shrink)

Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838-97) was a pan-Islamic thinker, political activist, and journalist, who sought to revive Islamic thought and liberate the Muslim world from Western influence. Many aspects of his life and his background remain unknown or controversial, including his birthplace, his religious affiliation, and the cause of his death. He was likely born in Asadabad, near present-day Hamadan, Iran. His better known history begins when he was 18, with a one-year stay in India that coincided with the Sepoy Mutiny (...) of 1857-59. In what would become a life of constant travel, he soon went to Mecca to perform Hajj, before returning to Afghanistan to join the service of the country's ruler, Dost Mohammad Khan (1793-1863). He later sided with Dost's son Mohammad Aʻzam, who ultimately lost in a power struggle with his British-supported brother Sher Ali. Al-Afghani's political activism eventually took him to Paris, London, Tehran, Saint Petersburg, and Constantinople. It was during his second stay in Egypt (1871-79) that he cemented his role as a reformer. He found in Cairo a class of young intellectuals who gathered around him, established newspapers, and used these papers to disseminate his ideas. Chief among al-Afghani's Egyptian disciples were scholar Muhammad ʻAbduh, journalist ʻAbd Allah al-Nadim, and nationalist politicians Mustafa Kamil and Saʻd Zaghlul. Al-Afghani's influence on both modernist and traditionalist Islamic thought continues to the present. An activist who sought to effect change through political journalism and public speaking, he did not write many books. This treatise, entitled al-Radd ʻalā al-dahrīyīn (Refutation of the materialists), was a rebuttal of the views of the pro-British Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, who had argued that science is more important than religion in the rise of civilizations. First written in Persian following al-Afghani's exile from Egypt to India, it was translated into Arabic by his student Muhammad ʻAbduh, with the help of al-Afghani's assistant Arif Efendi. (shrink)

What is the responsibility of multinational enterprises in international value chain networks in countries with inadequate institutions? In this article, we present an ethical framework that allows for evaluation of institutions at the macro, mezzo, and micro levels. This framework is used to analyze the case of Telenor in Bangladesh. Telenor is a telecommunications company based in Norway. It is the majority owner (62%) in Grameenphone in Bangladesh. The minority owner is Grameen Telecom, which is part of the Grameen group (...) created by the pioneer of micro finance, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Mohammad Yunus. The case of Telenor in Bangladesh is one of many examples of international value chain networks that span different jurisdictions. The case focuses on relevant issues in the value chain networks: the institutions in Norway and Bangladesh, the owners, suppliers, and customers. We highlight the responses made by the major actors in the value chain, and conclude the article by analyzing the responsibility, or "ability to respond" of these major actors. (shrink)