The first English translation with commentary of three classic Taoist texts on immortality • Translates The Jade Emperor’s Mind Seal Classic, The Immortals, and The Three Treasures of Immortality • Defines the Taoist concept of immortality and examines the lives and practices of Taoists who achieved this state • Reveals the steps needed to achieve immortality in our modern society Taoist mystics claim that it is possible to achieve immortality: “Within each of us dwells the medicine to cure the affliction (...) of mortality.” Now Western readers can access the wisdom of Taoist masters on the subject of immortality through the first English translations of three classic Taoist treatises: The Jade Emperor’s Mind Seal Classic; The Immortals, from the Pao P’u Tzu by Ko Hung of the Sung Dynasty; and The Three Treasures of Immortality, from the Dragon Gate Sect. The Jade Emperor’s Mind Seal Classic teaches that one can attain immortality through the cultivation of the three treasures of Taoism: ching (sexual and physical energy), qi (breath and vital energy), and shen (spirit and mental energy). Chinese history is sprinkled with accounts of individuals who applied the lessons of the Jade Emperor and lived up to 200 years. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of Taoism, martial arts, and Chinese history and culture, Stuart Alve Olson accompanies his translations with informative commentary that explains the historical context of the texts as well as demonstrates the practical applications of their teachings in contemporary life. (shrink)

Sequential recommendation algorithm can predict the next action of a user by modeling the user’s interaction sequence with an item. However, most sequential recommendation models only consider the absolute positions of items in the sequence, ignoring the time interval information between items, and cannot effectively mine user preference changes. In addition, existing models perform poorly on sparse data sets, which make a poor prediction effect for short sequences. To address the above problems, an improved sequential recommendation algorithm based on short-sequence (...) enhancement and temporal self-attention mechanism is proposed in this paper. In the proposed algorithm, a backward prediction model is trained first, to predict the prior items in the user sequence. Then, the reverse prediction model is used to generate a batch of pseudo-historical items before the initial items of the short sequence, to achieve the goal of enhancing the short sequence. Finally, the absolute position information and time interval information of the user sequence are modeled, and a time-aware self-attention model is adopted to predict the user’s next action and generate a recommendation list. Various experiments are conducted on two public data sets. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper has excellent performance on both dense and sparse data sets, and its effect is better than that of the state of the art. (shrink)

Drawing on institutional and signaling theories, this study examines how environmental corporate social responsibility affects firm performance in a dysfunctional institutional environment. We extend the ECSR literature by suggesting that ECSR indirectly influences firm performance through the mediating effects of business and political legitimacy. Based on a dataset of 238 firms in China, we find that ECSR affects business and political legitimacy followed by firm performance. Moreover, legal incompleteness weakens and legal inefficiency strengthens the effects of ECSR on business and (...) political legitimacy. (shrink)

The academic confusion caused by the "gang of four" was prominently manifested in the history of Chinese philosophy. The history of Chinese logic was also affected by the confusion. Now the "gang of four" has been smashed after a merciless trial by history. Under the leadership of Chairman Hua and the Party Central Committee, scientific research has begun to make a long stride ahead. Therefore, it is possible to conduct scientific investigations and thorough discussions on a series of issues in (...) the history of Chinese philosophy and logic. Appraisal of the book entitled the Kung-sun Lung Tzu [The Works of Kung-sun Lung] is one of the issues. (shrink)

Interpretation in art refers to the attribution of meaning to a work. A point on which people often disagree is whether the artist’s or author’s intention is relevant to the interpretation of the work. In the Anglo-American analytic philosophy of art, views about interpretation branch into two major camps: intentionalism and anti-intentionalism, with an initial focus on one art, namely literature. -/- This article elaborates on variations on these theories of interpretation and considers their notable objections. The debate about interpretation (...) covers other art forms in addition to literature. The theories of interpretation are also extended across many of the arts. This broad outlook is assumed throughout the article, although nothing said is affected even if a narrow focus on literature is adopted. (shrink)

This paper examines racial discrimination and algorithmic bias in predictive policing algorithms (PPAs), an emerging technology designed to predict threats and suggest solutions in law enforcement. We first describe what discrimination is in a case study of Chicago’s PPA. We then explain their causes with Broadbent’s contrastive model of causation and causal diagrams. Based on the cognitive science literature, we also explain why fairness is not an objective truth discoverable in laboratories but has context-sensitive social meanings that need to be (...) negotiated through democratic processes. With the above analysis, we next predict why some recommendations given in the bias reduction literature are not as effective as expected. Unlike the cliché highlighting equal participation for all stakeholders in predictive policing, we emphasize power structures to avoid hermeneutical lacunae. Finally, we aim to control PPA discrimination by proposing a governance solution—a framework of a social safety net. (shrink)

In the age of artificial intelligence, writing machines or robot authors have already begun to produce narrative texts in a variety of genres, including short stories and poetry, as well as journalistic articles. This article is based on the prospect that the narrative ecosystem is in a transitional period of decisive disconnection as it enters the era of artificial intelligence. The primary force driving this transition is the formidable execution of artificial intelligence algorithms, which fully automate narrative communication and narrative (...) works. This article attempts to lay the groundwork for building a new paradigm of post-narrativity through a critical examination of several detailed themes in narrative semiotics and non-anthropocentric narratology. The process of narrative creation based on artificial intelligence algorithms is a key condition that constitutes post-narrativity. This presupposes a non-anthropocentric view. In the landscape of post-narrativity, human writers, paper books, computer screens, and invisible narrative algorithms are all agents with equal influence. Automated narrative production by algorithms accelerates the repositioning of other existing media and actors, and changes the narrative ecosystem by incorporating new elements into activities such as production, distribution, and reception of narratives. (shrink)

Acute stress is believed to lead to prosocial behaviors via a “tend-and-befriend” pattern of stress response. However, the results of the effect of acute stress on prosocial behavior are inconsistent. The current study explores the moderating effect of gender and social value orientation on the relationship between acute stress and individuals’ pure prosocial behaviors. Specifically, eighty-one participants were selected and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test, followed by the third-party punishment task and the dictator game. The results showed that, in (...) general, the main effect of condition or respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity on individual prosocial behaviors was significant and did not vary between genders. Furthermore, social value orientation might moderate the impact of RSA reactivity on the amount of punishment in the third-party punishment task. That is, individuals with self-orientation exhibited more prosocial third-party punishment as RSA reactivity decreased, while the effect did not occur for individuals with prosocial orientation. Taken together, the findings of the current study provide further evidence for the “tend-and-befriend” hypothesis and highlight the underlying physical mechanisms as well as the individual dependence of the effect of psychosocial stress on individuals’ pure prosocial behaviors. (shrink)

Background: There is increasing evidence to support the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation applications in cognitive augmentation and rehabilitation. Neuromodulation achieved with tDCS may further regulate regional cerebral perfusion affiliated through the neurovascular unit; however, components of cerebral perfusion decrease across aging. A novel neuroimaging approach, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, can aid in quantifying these regional perfusional changes. To date, the interaction of the effects of tDCS on cognitive performance across the lifespan and obtained fNIRS hemodynamic responses remain unknown.Objective: This (...) review aims to examine the effects of tDCS on cognitive performance and fNIRS hemodynamic responses within the context of cognitive aging.Methods: Six databases were searched for studies. Quality appraisal and data extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers. Meta-analysis was carried out to determine overall and subgroup effect sizes.Results: Eight studies met inclusion criteria. The overall effect size demonstrates that tDCS can alter cognitive performance and fNIRS signals, with aging being a potential intermediary in tDCS efficacy.Conclusion: From the studies included, the effects of tDCS on cognitive performance and fNIRS metrics are most prominent in young healthy adults and appear to become less robust with increasing age. Given the small number of studies included in this review further investigation is recommended. (shrink)

Adherence to ethical principles in clinical research and practice is becoming topical issue in China, where the prevalence of mental illness is rising, but treatment facilities remain underdeveloped. This paper reports on a study aiming to understand the ethical knowledge and attitudes of Chinese mental health professionals in relation to the process of diagnosis and treatment, informed consent, and privacy protection in clinical trials.

The study investigates the conceptualizations and ideologies concerning family destruction metaphors in same-sex marriage debates. With data from the official websites of two opposing camps in Taiwan, we explore the ways conceptual metaphors can be adopted along with other linguistic resources to shape, redefine and negotiate new meanings of family. Drawing concepts from critical metaphor analysis (CMA), this study shows that the same conceptual metaphor can be used in different contexts to construct and promote seemingly binary ideologies. The adoption of (...) family destruction metaphor suggests that family, ideally a complete, stable, and wholesome environment, is commonly accepted by campaigners as a destructible object worthy of protection. However, the different contextual use of this metaphor showed ideological differences in the ideal membership for marriage, the attackers and protectors of family, the victims of family destruction, and the causes and consequences of family destruction. By inviting the audience to make their own evaluation and interpretation of the metaphor, sensitive arguments can be made in a less direct but emotional manner to achieve the purpose of persuasion. Our results illustrate that conceptual metaphors can be used to reinforce conventional beliefs or introduce new values within a socially accepted frame. (shrink)

In exploring the profound interplay between aesthetic experience and psychological needs within piano performance, this study adopts a philosophical lens, particularly through the dimensions of aesthetics, challenge, and novelty, guided by the BRECVEMA theoretical model. Through rigorous statistical analysis, including ANOVA, we delved into how different piano playing techniques affect these core dimensions, revealing that technique significantly influences aesthetic enjoyment (F=27.394). Notably, a nuanced delay in technique yielded the highest aesthetic ratings (7.39) among advanced players, underscoring the intricate relationship between (...) skill execution and aesthetic perception. Moreover, the challenge dimension, pivotal in shaping performers' engagement, varied significantly with experience level and technique (F=21.063). Beginner players found variations less challenging (rated 3.42) compared to advanced players (rated 4.86), highlighting how psychological needs evolve with proficiency. The novelty dimension exhibited the most pronounced effect (F=30.05), with beginners experiencing heightened psychological challenges as they navigated skill enhancement (R²=0.65, adjusted R²=0.62), suggesting that mastering new skills is integral to their aesthetic journey. In contrast, for advanced players, the capacity for self-expression emerged as paramount, directly influencing their aesthetic enjoyment (R²=0.75). This shift indicates a deeper philosophical and potentially spiritual engagement with music, where self-expression transcends mere performance to fulfill more profound psychological needs. This analysis not only sheds light on the intrinsic connection between aesthetic experience and psychological fulfillment in piano performance but also invites a philosophical contemplation of how these elements reflect broader spiritual and existential themes, thus enriching our understanding of art as a medium for profound human expression and connection. (shrink)

The level of psychological pain in patients with COVID-19 was investigated in this study by hypothesis testing, one-way ANOVA, multi factor ANOVA, and correlation analysis. The psychological pain thermometer and post-traumatic growth assessment scale were used as research tools. Many factors appear to influence the psychological state of COVID-19 patients including practical problems, communication problems, emotional problems, physical problems, and psychiatric/relative concerns. The severity of the disease, the surrounding environment, family health problems, life perceptions, interpersonal relationships, personal strength, mental changes, (...) new possibilities, and the total post-traumatic growth score are also affected. There is a significant negative correlation between psychological pain and post-traumatic growth. There are significant differences in the degree of psychological pain across the demographic data. Practical problems, communication problems, emotional problems, physical problems, and spiritual/religious concerns show significant effects on the degree of psychological pain. (shrink)

For CVaR portfolio nonsmooth optimization problem, we propose an infeasible incremental bundle method on the basis of the improvement function and the main idea of incremental method for solving convex finite min-max problems. The presented algorithm only employs the information of the objective function and one component function of constraint functions to form the approximate model for improvement function. By introducing the aggregate technique, we keep the information of previous iterate points that may be deleted from bundle to overcome the (...) difficulty of numerical computation and storage. Our algorithm does not enforce the feasibility of iterate points and the monotonicity of objective function, and the global convergence of the algorithm is established under mild conditions. Compared with the available results, our method loosens the requirements of computing the whole constraint function, which makes the algorithm easier to implement. (shrink)

Diffusion plays an essential role in the distribution of predator and prey. We mainly research the diffusion network’s effect on the predator-prey model through bifurcation. First, it is found that the link probability and diffusion parameter can cause Turing instability in the network-organized predator-prey model. Then, the Turing stability region is obtained according to the sufficient condition of Turing instability and the eigenvalues’ distribution. Finally, the biological mechanism is explained through our theoretical results, which are also illustrated by numerical simulation.

Dynamic multiobjective optimization problems bring more challenges for multiobjective evolutionary algorithm due to its time-varying characteristic. To handle this kind of DMOPs, this paper presents a dynamic MOEA with multiple response strategies based on linear environment detection, called DMOEA-LEM. In this approach, different types of environmental changes are estimated and then the corresponding response strategies are activated to generate an efficient initial population for the new environment. DMOEA-LEM not only detects whether the environmental changes but also estimates the types of (...) linear changes so that different prediction models can be selected to initialize the population when the environmental changes. To study the performance of DMOEA-LEM, a large number of test DMOPs are adopted and the experiments validate the advantages of our algorithm when compared to three state-of-the-art dynamic MOEAs. (shrink)