This thesis engages in an interpretative debate over Kant’s general aims in the first Critique. I argue that a defense of the rational legitimacy of religious faith is at the very center of Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Moreover, I argue that Kant’s defense of faith is inextricably bound up with his views on the legitimacy of science. On my account, Kant’s Critique not only demonstrates that science is fully consistent with religious faith, but also that science, when properly understood, actually favors religious belief over non-belief.

Current Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) procedures for evaluating coarse aggregate for portland cement concrete (PCC) have been in place for over 39 years. Item 421 in the TxDOT "Standard Specifications for Construction and Maintenance of Highways, Streets, and Bridges" describes the tests and test limits that must be met by aggregates before they can be approved for use in portland cement concrete applications. The intention of Item 421 is to ensure that only strong, durable aggregates are used in concrete so that the life of concrete is not cut short by common distress mechanisms which ultimately lead to costly repairs and replacements. The two main tests currently used by TxDOT to evaluate aggregates are the magnesium sulfate soundness test and the Los Angeles abrasion and impact test. These tests are meant to characterize the overall soundness and resistance to abrasion and impact of an aggregate respectively. Unfortunately, past research has shown that the magnesium sulfate soundness and test and the Los Angeles abrasion and impact test are not able to successfully predict the field performance of an aggregate in concrete. The requirements of item 421 have thus far done a reasonably good job of ensuring long-lasting concrete; however the current tests and test limits may be unnecessarily precluding the use of some local materials. As high quality aggregate sources are depleted and transportation costs increase, it will become more necessary to distinguish good performers from marginal and poor performers in the future. If aggregate tests can be found that demonstrate better correlations with field performance, it may be possible to use more local aggregate sources and still provide the desired level of reliability for pavements, bridges, and other TxDOT concrete applications. Researchers are in the processing of collecting coarse and fine aggregates commonly used in Texas and testing these aggregates on a variety of alternative tests. Researchers will attempt to relate this test data to concrete behavior and ultimately recommend tests for improved TxDOT aggregate specifications. / text

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, school districts face a myriad of challenges including a steady stream of calls for reform, major shifts in demographics and increasing accountability standards. Despite the calls for reform and the threat of sanctions, school districts have found it difficult to affect significant changes in the gaps between the academic success rates for those who are identified as Economically Disadvantaged or minority and their more affluent, white students. The literature on change, on motivation, and on successful organizations quite often suggests having a “shared vision” as a prerequisite for success. The research specifically examining vision as a critical variable in school district-level success is limited. This study sought to examine vision as a “shared” or aligned component of success as perceived from the perspectives of the superintendent and principals in a successful urban school district. While there are questions about various aspects of vision that could be examined, this study drew its focus from three. The research questions the study considered were: What does the superintendent perceive the essential components of the district’s vision to be? What do the principals perceive the essential components of the district’s vision to be? Are the principal’s perceptions of the vision aligned with the perceptions of the superintendent? This study used qualitative research methods to study the strategies and practices employed by the superintendent of Compass ISD to generate a shared vision of success. Data for this study was from information from the Texas Education Agency, district publications and one-on-one interviews with the superintendent and several principals. Findings revealed a strong alignment of the superintendent’s perception of the vision for the district with those perceptions held by campus principals. The vision became a shared vision through the use of communication strategies, the establishment of desired results, setting guidelines for achieving those results, the appropriation of resources, through sharing accountability methods and measures, and by making the consequences for success or failure in achieving those standards known. The superintendent used data as a frame for his communications and for his decisions in all areas. / text

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Darbe nagrinėjami bausmės tikslai ir jų įgyvendinimo problemos. Atskleidžiama bausmės samprata, pateikiama kaip bausmės sąvokos įtvirtinamos Lietuvos ir užsienio šalių baudžiamuosiuose įstatymuose. Apžvelgiamos bausmių teorijos ir jų kritika bei tai, kokią įtaką jos turi Lietuvos baudžiamajai politikai. Aptariami bausmės požymiai, esmė, turinys ir elementai. Didelis dėmesys skiriamas bausmės tikslams apibrėžtiems baudžiamajame įstatyme, nagrinėjamos jų teorinės bei praktinės problemos. Atskleidžiama bausmės tikslų samprata Lietuvos ir užsienio šalių baudžiamuosiuose įstatymuose. Atskirai nagrinėjami baudžiamajame įstatyme įtvirtinti bausmės tikslai. Pateikiama kaip teismam skiriant bausmes pavyksta įgyvendinti teisingumo principą bei kaip šis tikslas atsispindi teismų praktikoje. Nagrinėjama kokią įtaką bausmės vykdymas turi bausmės tikslų pasiekimui, kaip teismas skirdamas bausmes sieja jas su bausmės tikslai. / The master this is concentrates on the aims of punishment and their implementation issues. The concept of punishment is disclosed. The theories of punishment and their criticisms are overviewed, their impact on Lithuanian criminal policy is considered. Separate characteristics and elements of punishment as well as its essence and contents are discussed. Close attention is paid to the aims of punishment defined in the criminal law; their theoretical and practical problems are discussed. The concept of punishment aims foreseen in the criminal law is disclosed. All punishment aims foreseen in the criminal law are overviewed and problems related to their implementation discussed. It is also analyzed what influence the enforcement of the punishment has on the achievement of the punishment aims, how the court applying the punishment links it with the aims of the punishment.

The aim of this study was to determine the views of the Transkei College of Education (TCE) lecturers concerning the principles that should guide a quality assurance (QA) policy of the academic programme of the institution. To address this, five sub-questions were raised, dealing with respondents' perceptions on: generic or specific skills; involvement in drafting teacher education outcomes; the criteria for outcomes' assessment; programme monitoring and the handling of the results of the monitoring process. This case study, was conducted at TCE, in Umtata. Data were gathered by using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to all college lecturers, resulting in a (64%) return rate. Participating lecturers' responses revealed that they preferred that the teacher education programme contained both generic and specific skills/outcomes; that such outcomes be developed by stakeholders, the most important of which should be mastery of subject matter to be taught. The respondents' regarded the establishment of a committee to oversee the self-evaluation process as the most important criteria to be used in the process of self evaluation, while senior members of staff take on the responsibility of monitoring self-evaluation processes. The respondents felt that the results of self-evaluation should be used to improve and develop the programme. Overall, the respondents exhibited a good understanding of the principles that should guide the development of both the college's educational outcomes and a QA system for the college. The respondents also showed alacrity of thought regarding the important elements in the development of criteria and outcomes for the programme offered at the college, as well as for the assessment and monitoring of the programme to ensure quality. The study therefore, recommends that practical steps be put in place for the review of the educational outcomes of the college - which of necessity will entail maximum stakeholder participation - both from within the college and outside. Furthermore, it is also evident from the results of this study that the college is ready for a quality assurance system for its academic programme. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.