This article examines one of the most crucial yet often-overlooked links in global film processes: piracy. It does so within the context of a changing digital media environment that calls for a reassessment of key dimensions: networks, globalization, technology, space and the state. More specifically, it focuses on the operation of film piracy networks in Greater China that includes the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. By zooming in on `Greater China', this article presents empirical accounts of specific links and connections (...) on and between the intersecting distribution and piracy networks. In sum, distribution and piracy in China highlight some of the most interesting and intricate insights into issues of power, control, technology, network, speed, global-regional-national dynamics, subjectivities and reflexivity. Given the complexity of the issues, this study argues for a spatial, network and process-oriented theoretical framework. (shrink)

Late in 1990, the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at Illinois Institute of Technology (lIT) received a grant of more than $200,000 from the National Science Foundation to try a campus-wide approach to integrating professional ethics into its technical curriculum.! Enough has now been accomplished to draw some tentative conclusions. I am the grant's principal investigator. In this paper, I shall describe what we at lIT did, what we learned, and what others, especially philosophers, can learn (...) from us. We set out to develop an approach that others could profitably adopt. I believe that we succeeded. (shrink)

This current study aims to know the impact of a nurse completing his educational attainment and its impact on the health services provided to society in general. It is also important to know the effect of completing his educational attainment on the quality of work and better dealing with patients and medical staff. It is also important to know its impact on increasing the organization of his time at work. Knowing its impact on increasing his efficiency in his work environment, (...) A questionnaire was prepared via Google Drive and distributed to the population aged 25-55 years, men and women, in the city of Mecca. As for the questionnaire, it was distributed via the social networking program (WhatsApp) for the purpose of distancing for fear of the presence of the Corona virus. 400 questionnaires were distributed, and 395 responses were obtained via email to the principal researcher. The current study concluded that the impact of completing the educational attainment of male and female nurses and its impact on the health service provided was a very positive impact of 94.8%, and it also helped improve the health service provided to patients by a greater percentage of 90%. (shrink)

Kucha was the major Buddhist center on the Northern Route of the Silk Road, and well known for being dominated by the Sarv?stiv?da school for most of its history. Replacing the j?taka story, the avad?na story became the major theme depicted on the ceiling of the central-pillar caves in this area. Turfan is another important cultural center in Central Asia where Buddhism once flourished. The pra?idh?na painting, which was based on the Bhai?ajyavastu, a vinaya text of the Mulasarv?stiv?da school, was (...) a unique subject normally appearing on the walls of Buddhist caves in Turfan. Both the avad?na and pra?idh?na stories are derived from j?taka stories, with significant shifts of focus, as well as of the format of the narrative. In this paper, through studying the avad?na and vow paintings at Kucha and Turfan, and comparing them with j?takas in early Buddhist art, I attempt to show how j?taka stories were transformed for different doctrinal messages of Buddhist teaching in some late ‘H?nay?na’ schools, namely Sarv?stiv?da and Mulasarv?stiv?da, and how the visual representations mirror the narrative styles in Buddhist texts. (shrink)

This work is a contribution to analytic philosophy of sex. It deals with the scientific concept of the sexed human body by focusing in particular on the logical and the semantic implications of such a concept.

Transsexuality has been subject to careful reflections in many disciplines outside philosophy. I first contextualize my philosophical approach by relating to the existing scholarship on transsexuality. Focusing on matters of sexual identity, I then propose a characterization of what might be considered the philosophical dimension of transsexual identity. Paying particular attention to the propositional consciousness of transsexuals, I develop the main thesis that transsexuality helps philosophers of sex to forcefully establish the contingency of sexual identity in terms of the underlying (...) biology of the sexed human body. I eventually argue that sexual identity is a cluster concept, which is constituted by sex, gender, sexual practice and desire. In this sense the following argument against “foundationalism” in philosophy of sex emerges: none of the four aspects of sexual identity can function as basic, prior to any normative commitments regarding the nature of human sexuality. (shrink)

The rise of Big Data changes the context in which organisations producing official statistics operate. Big Data provides opportunities, but in order to make optimal use of Big Data, a number of challenges have to be addressed. This stimulates increased collaboration between National Statistical Institutes, Big Data holders, businesses and universities. In time, this may lead to a shift in the role of statistical institutes in the provision of high-quality and impartial statistical information to society. In this paper, the changes (...) in context, the opportunities, the challenges and the way to collaborate are addressed. The collaboration between the various stakeholders will involve each partner building on and contributing different strengths. For national statistical offices, traditional strengths include, on the one hand, the ability to collect data and combine data sources with statistical products and, on the other hand, their focus on quality, transparency and sound methodology. In the Big Data era of competing and multiplying data sources, they continue to have a unique knowledge of official statistical production methods. And their impartiality and respect for privacy as enshrined in law uniquely position them as a trusted third party. Based on this, they may advise on the quality and validity of information of various sources. By thus positioning themselves, they will be able to play their role as key information providers in a changing society. (shrink)

Truth and Meaning is a classic collection of original essays on fundamental questions in the philosophy of language. It was first published in 1976, and has remained essential reading in this area ever since. The contributors include leading figures in late twentieth-century philosophy, such as Donald Davidson, Saul Kripke, P. F. Strawson, and Michael Dummett.