The ability to reason independently from one's own goals or beliefs has long been recognised as a key characteristic of the development of formal operational thought. In this article we present the results of a study that examined the correlates of this ability in a group of 10-year-old children ( N = 61). Participants were presented with conditional and relational reasoning items, where the content was manipulated such that the conclusion to the arguments were either congruent, neutral, or incongruent with (...) beliefs, and either logically valid or logically invalid. Participants also received a measure of working memory capacity (the counting span task) and a measure of inhibitory control (the stop signal task). Indices of belief bias and logical reasoning on belief-based problems were predicted independently by both measures. In contrast logical reasoning on belief neutral problems was predicted by working memory alone. The findings suggest that executive functions play a key role in the development of children's ability to decontextualise their thinking. (shrink)

In an increasingly digital world, the role of digital media in shaping the linguistic and metacognitive abilities of management students has become a focal point for academic inquiry. This study aims to explore the influence of digital media on the development of domain-specific English skills among management students, with a particular focus on metacognitive and linguistic competencies. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research examines how exposure to and engagement with digital content tailored to the management domain impacts students' ability to (...) comprehend, analyze, and apply complex linguistic constructs in professional contexts. Quantitative data were collected through standardized language proficiency tests and metacognitive awareness inventories, while qualitative insights were gathered through interviews and focus group discussions. The findings suggest that digital media, when strategically integrated into the learning process, significantly enhances both metacognitive and linguistic competencies, thereby better preparing students for the demands of the management field. The study concludes with recommendations for incorporating digital media more effectively into management education curricula to foster advanced English language skills and critical thinking abilities. (shrink)

Technological evaluations have significantly enhanced college students’ fine arts competence development by providing advanced tools and platforms that foster creativity, improve technical skills, and enable innovative artistic expression. In this study 500 college students were mentioned as participators. The variables Technological Tools, Technical Proficiency, Advanced Technologies, Creativity and Innovation, Online Platforms, Skill Development, and Collaborative Competencies are built to evaluate various aspects of technological and creative capabilities in educational and professional settings. Fine arts competitions like the (Artificial Intelligence) AI art (...) contest, digital choreography competition, and speech AI innovation challenge are held for the students to improve their skill development. The questionnaires are taken to measure the student's technological skills development based on before and after competitions. The SPSS software version 28 is used to statistically analyze the data with multiple regression analysis and pearson correlation analysis. The results showed that the integration of technological tools and platforms significantly improved college student's technical proficiency, creativity, and collaborative skills in fine arts. Students exhibited notable enhancements in skill development and engagement with advanced technologies post-competition. Technology significantly enhances fine arts education by improving students' artistic skills and collaboration. Embracing digital tools offers valuable opportunities to enrich curricula and foster innovation. (shrink)

Basham and Dentith argue that the danger of condemning both conspiracy theorists and their conspiracy theories in a democracy has grave consequences. They argue that we should encourage research into public concerns about influential institutions, especially in cases where a conspiracy has been alleged. Rather than dismiss conspiracy theorising, we should, encourage the politically crucial, historically proven gift of watchfulness in the citizen, and its sometimes necessary, proper and correct expression, conspiracy theory.

A few weeks ago I received a copy of the PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES, containing a review of my book John Henry Newman, Our Way to Certitude, written by Fr. Boekraad. It was very unfavourable so that anybody reading it is sure to make up his mind never to buy the book.

Selection theory requires multiple, distinct, simultaneously-actualized states. In cognition, each thought or cognitive state changes the 'selection pressure' against which the next is evaluated; they are not simultaneously selected amongst. Creative thought is more a matter of honing in a vague idea through redescribing successive iterations of it from different real or imagined perspectives; in other words, actualizing potential through exposure to different contexts. It has been proven that the mathematical description of contextual change of state introduces a non-Kolmogorovian probability (...) distribution, and a classical formalism such as selection theory cannot be used. This paper argues that creative thought evolves not through a Darwinian process, but a process of context-driven actualization of potential. (shrink)

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:NEWMAN'S PSYCHOLOGICAL DISCOVERY: THE ILLATIVE SENSE (V. Continued) 15. The Universals. A long and vehement dispute once raged about the reality of universals. Are they only mental creations, forged by the human brain, without any reality outside them, or have they some independent existence apart from their mental reality? Anyhow, there was an apparent contradiction between die universal character of our ideas and the individual character of concrete things. (...) The Scholastics solved this problem by drawing clear distinctions. An idea is an abstraction; as soon as it becomes applicable to a number of objects or things in the same sense, it is a universal idea. The "direct universal" (universale directum seu metaphysicum) as such has no existence apart from our minds, because an existing thing is always bound up with concrete, determining, individualizing notes, and it is these very circumstances or accidents which are ignored by the mind as it strips the thing of its individual characteristics. When the mind reflects on this "direct universal," i.e., on the abstract essence of the thing, it sees that this is to be found in many more things and that it is identical in all those things, and in this way the "reflex or logical universal" is formed (universale reflexum seu logicum). This same essence or quiddity is not really different from the thing itself, but the mind makes abstraction of all accidents, and this foundation makes it possible to apply this idea in die same sense to all other beings of the same kind, whether they are actually existing or not. In other words the universal as a universal has only reality in the mind but it has a foundation or a ground in the thing itself. Newman was not so well acquainted with Scholasticism that he knew and mastered the solution of the problem. As a matter of fact he approached it from quite another angle. Hence when scholastically trained minds read some of his statements on universals, they may feel shocked. They sound very curious, they seem incon418 DR. ZENO, O.F.M. CAP.419 sistent with each other, they apparenüy imply a negation of the objective reality of universals. This makes it necessary to compare the texts and to explain his meaning. a. Newman Inconsistent. We should never lose sight of the fact that Newman had no intention at all to enter the province of philosophy in the restricted sense of the word. "I am only contemplating the mind as it moves in fact, by whatever hidden mechanism,"1 that is what could be put as a heading to every page of the Grammar of Assent. And when he virtually deals with metaphysics, he wants us to consider his statements as hypotheses, or as propositions stated only by the way, and in this department he always wishes "to speak under correction." This explains how he could refer to the universale metaphy sicum and the universale directum in a very correct way without realizing he was teaching Scholastic doctrine. As far as I know, it is Professor Walgrave who has first drawn attention to this fact,2 when he dealt with Newman's alleged conceptualism. Newman states that "even one act of cruelty, ingratitude, generosity or justice reveals to us at once intensive the immutable distinction between those qualities and their contraries; that is, in that particular instance and pro bac vice."3 The same holds for the opposites: right and wrong, true and false, just and unjust, beautiful and deformed.4 In one experience, therefore, he sees a thing as an immutable, absolute quiddity, which objectively and in the same sense belongs to all possible things of the same kind, although the mind does not yet explicidy confirm this universal applicability. The contemplated quality remains limited to the particular case; but in its absoluteness it is stripped of all individual, changeable and concrete characteristics. This is the metaphysical universal of the Scholastics. But Newman also mentions the logical universal when he says: "As we form our notion of whiteness from the actual sight of snow, a lily or a cloud, so, after experiencing the sentiment of approbation which arises in us on the sight of certain... (shrink)

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the role of the Faith Based Organizations in alleviating poverty in Western Kenya.Methodology: This study is a cross-sectional research that sought to give an examining and descriptive scrutiny of the death beliefs surrounding FBO’s activities in Emuhaya District. This study targeted Emuhaya District which has a population of 180,000 people who are members of the FBO’s. To obtain data for analysis, qualitative methods of data collection, which include in-depth oral interviews, focus (...) group discussion, observation and documentary analysis, were employed. Questionnaires were prepared and administered according to the information required from the specific groups of respondents. This study utilized secondary sources, which were derived from published books, minutes of developmental meetings in the FBO, reports of the development projects of the church, articles and records from Kenya National Archives. Data collected through the questionnaires and personal interviews, was synthesized systematically and logically compiled to determine the role of FBO in alleviating poverty in Emuhaya District. Data was coded manually and organized under different themes. The researcher then investigated the concepts of liberation and reconstruction in improving the well-being of the poor through an analysis and interpretation of the theological methods of induction (TMI).Results: Based on the findings the study concluded that the CoG-K’s teachings are largely pertinent in the development of FBO members and their participation in activities that are designed along people’s development needs. Also, the CoG-K has a role to play through her programs like Sisi kwa Sisi and Child Development Centres.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: This research recommends that if Emuhaya District is to develop, it has to place the FBO teachings and theology of option for the poor at the top of the agenda and to consider it as is so often the case, as adjunct to the real core of the work that is, development. The study proposes that for the FBO to improve her input in social concerns of the people, it should reshape its theology of development so that it can fully address the plight of the poor. (shrink)

Die demografische Entwicklung und der medizinische Fortschritt werden die Problematik der Ressourcenknappheit im Gesundheitswesen in Zukunft weiter verschärfen. Auch Deutschland steht eine Prioritätensetzung im Gesundheitswesen bevor. Diese sollte in möglichst transparenter Weise nach klaren Kriterien erfolgen. Ein nur selten in diesem Kontext besprochenes Kriterium der Verteilung von Mitteln in der Gesundheitsversorgung ist die marginale Wirksamkeit medizinischer Leistungen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird dieses Kriterium vorgestellt und auf seine Fairness hin untersucht. Nach der kritischen Diskussion einiger Argumente gegen den offenen Einsatz von (...) Rationierungskriterien und einer Definition von marginaler Wirksamkeit in zwei unterschiedlichen Dimensionen werden verschiedene Vorzüge und eventuelle Nachteile des Kriteriums beleuchtet. (shrink)

Entrepreneurial perspectives are distinct approaches individuals use to identify opportunities and navigate challenges in the business world, shaping their risk evaluation, innovation, and strategic decision-making for growth and success. This study aims to evaluate how entrepreneurial perspectives shape and influence organizational culture. By examining the interplay between entrepreneurial attitudes and organizational standards, it seeks to understand their impact on organizational dynamics and effectiveness. This study explores entrepreneurial perspectives and organizational culture through the analysis of 500 applications using structured questionnaires. The (...) study used statistical methods like descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, hypothesis testing, and chi-square tests to analyze the impact of proactiveness, self-efficacy, and employee engagement on organizational culture. The statistical analysis conducted using SPSS software reveals that proactiveness (CR = 0.911, R² = 0.789) and self-efficacy (CR = 0.864, R²= 0.876) significantly enhance organizational culture. Employee engagement also shows a significant impact (CR = 0.879, R² = 0.859). In contrast, collaboration (CR = 0.906, R² = 0.892) and visionary thinking (CR = 0.945, R²=0.555) do not significantly influence or mediate relationships with organizational culture, as indicated by non-significant p-values. Entrepreneurial perspectives significantly shape organizational culture by introducing innovative ideas and risk behaviors, enhancing competitiveness and responsiveness in a rapidly changing market. (shrink)

Imagination as the key to the creative process is one of the key components of design education that affects students' problem-solving skills and innovation. The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of creative imagination on the academic performance of students enrolled in design courses. It intends to obtain a measure of the way creative imagination affects or influences students’ performance as well as their achievements. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding the correlation between creativity and (...) performance among university students. The study collected data on creative imagination and academic performance through a survey of 350 participants drawn from five universities. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 350 participants, of which 320 were 176 males and 144 females. The research included quantitative techniques such as linear regression, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS). Further, the result of the analysis showed that imagination level has the most significant impact on academic outcomes in design programs with a strong positive effect (β=0.35, p-value = 0.04). Higher creative imagination scores had a positive correlation with grades and students' involvement. This underscores the importance of forecasting to enhance students’ performance and engagement in design programs. The strategies used in education should be utilized to supplement creativity to raise the performance and satisfaction of students. (shrink)

Psychology has had difficulty accounting for the creative, context-sensitive manner in which concepts are used. We believe this stems from the view of concepts as identifiers rather than bridges between mind and world that participate in the generation of meaning. This paper summarizes the history and current status of concepts research, and provides a non-technical summary of work toward an ecological approach to concepts. We outline the rationale for applying generalizations of formalisms originally developed for use in quantum mechanics to (...) the modeling of concepts, showing how it is because of the role of context that deep structural similarities exist between the two. A concept is defined not just in terms of exemplary states and their features or properties, but also by the relational structures of these properties, and their susceptibility to change under different contexts. The approach implies a view of mind in which the union of perception and environment drives conceptualization, forging a web of conceptual relations or ‘ecology of mind’. (shrink)

It is important to be clear as to whether a theory such as evolutionary archaeology pertains to biological evolution, in which acquired change is obliterated at the end of each generation, or cultural change, in which acquired change is retained. In evolutionary archaeology, the population is said to consist of artifacts, yet artifacts are said to be phenotypic. Neither nor is necessarily problematic in and of itself, but the two are inconsistent, as the first pertains to cultural change whereas the (...) second to the biological evolution of humans. A first step to avoiding this problem is to recognize that there is a need for a theory of change specific to human culture. Referring to ongoing work using a related approach to cultural change, it is suggested that the inconsistencies in evolutionary archaeology, though problematic, are not insurmountable. (shrink)

Through case studies that highlight the type of information that is seldom reported in the news, Faces of Environmental Racism exposes the type and magnitude of environmental racism, both domestic and international. The essays explore the justice of current environmental practices, asking such questions as whether cost-benefit analysis is an appropriate analytic technique and whether there are alternate routes to sustainable development in the South.

Allen Anstrengungen zur Erhöhung des Organaufkommens zum Trotz besteht in Deutschland und anderswo ein stetig wachsender Organmangel. Im vorliegenden Artikel wird eine Möglichkeit vorgestellt, die Zahl der verfügbaren Organe zu erhöhen: moderate finanzielle Anreize für die Postmortalspende. Es werden verschiedene Anreizmodelle dargestellt und zentrale ethische Argumente für und wider ihre Einführung diskutiert. Zu diesen gehören Gerechtigkeitsüberlegungen, die Sorge um ausreichende Freiwilligkeit potentieller Organspender, die Gefahr einer Schädigung des individuellen und gesellschaftlichen Altruismus sowie die Ablehnung von kommerzialisierten Vorgängen in der Medizin. (...) Es wird aufgezeigt, dass die Argumente gegen die im Artikel vorgestellten Formen moderater finanzieller Anreize nicht verfangen. Im Ausblick wird für eine sorgfältig geplante Pilotforschung zu Anreizmodellen in der postmortalen Organspende plädiert. (shrink)

In sports education, psychological strength is considered as an integral component in the performance of any athlete. One of the effective ways to improve many psychological attributes involves training. The sample consisted of 450 athletes divided into an experimental group (EG) (n = 225) that received eight-week imagination training and a control group (CG) (n = 225) that continued with conventional training. Data was examined using the latest version of SPSS 17.0, using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Analysis of covariance (...) (ANCOVA) to control for pre-existing differences. Psychological strength, mental resilience, focus and concentration, confidence, and stress management are important in athletic performance. It is proposed as a method of enhancing these psychological attributes in sports education. There were differences in significance in the EG in psychological strength, focus and concentration, confidence, and stress management compared with the CG. Paired t-tests in these variables reflect p< 0.05. ANCOVA supported the efficiency of imagination training. Imagination training significantly develops psychological strength and other related attributes in athletes. In all the variables studied, the EG performed better compared to the CG, which provided evidence that imagination training is indeed a helpful tool in enhancing psychological strength and performance in sports education. (shrink)

This study investigates the intentions, perceptions, and actual implementation of an innovative English curriculum among preparatory school EFL teachers in Iraq. The research recognizes the growing importance of English globally and Iraq's efforts to enhance English language education and implement an appropriate innovative curriculum. However, the implementation of a new curriculum poses significant challenges related to teachers' knowledge, intention, and academic culture. The study focuses on understanding the relationship between curriculum intentions, teachers' perceptions, and the actual implementation of the curriculum. (...) The study also explores how teachers' intention, culture, and other factors influence the implementation of the curriculum. Data were collected through a combination of vignettes, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and follow-up interviews with a random sample of 10 male teachers from 10 preparatory schools in Babylon Governorate during the 2023-2024 school years. The results indicated that teachers are enthusiastic about the new curriculum, but its effective implementation faces many challenges. Teachers recognize the potential of the curriculum, but suffer from insufficient materials and overcrowded classrooms that hinder optimal teaching and learning. The study emphasizes that in order to successfully implement the curriculum, through continuous professional development and strong support systems, there must be ongoing professional development and strong support systems, ongoing training programs can help teachers adapt to the new curriculum, and the provision of resources, teaching aids, and manageable class size can create a more conducive learning environment, leading to better learning outcomes. (shrink)