CHDS State/Local / The major challenge in securing the homeland is to provide for all citizens effective and capable prevention and responsiveness to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive events. States have different homeland security organizational structures, priorities, funding strategies, and implementation methods. Consequently, the nation lacks a clear, uniform prevention and response strategy that translates into an overall capability that cannot be qualitatively defined. To combat this situation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has linked future funding to implementation of a holistic approach to homeland security program strategies, which include implementing intrastate and interstate regional approaches that effectively leverage resource sharing. North Dakota responded to funding reductions by addressing its first comprehensive statewide regional plan to develop a more efficient and effective homeland security program; however, actual implementation was not realistic. A tiered approach to sharing resources through regionalization means jurisdictional capability levels will be thoroughly examined and homeland security allocations distributed accordingly. Local jurisdictions in North Dakota exhibit very independent attitudes; instituting regionalization, which changes levels of funding, is controversial. Therefore, it was vital to first devise a plan that determined statewide acceptability for a regional approach. It was also deemed necessary to develop standardized baseline equipment lists corresponding to each of the four levels of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capability as defined by DHS. The baseline lists provide specific guidance, direction and clarity for equipment purchasing decisions and circumvents the complex and disjointed method currently in use. / Director, North Dakota Division of Homeland Security, Bismarck, ND

This  thesis  conducts  a  philosophical,  theoretical, and  practical  exploration  of digital technology design to examine how digital technologies can fulfill our two-facet of existentiality – identified in the thesis as belonginess and novelty. By belonginess, I identify human’s innate need for a feeling of connectedness and harmony with the self, others, and the natural world. The word novelty implies the human interest in exploration, invention, and desire for new experiences. This research suggests that contemporary  digital  technologies  are  largely  novelty  need-oriented,  while  our belonginess  need  is  either  ignored  or  its  growth  curtailed.  The  research  question presented in this thesis is how and why can design enable digital technologies to mediate aligned  existentiality?  With  this  broad  question,  I  will  argue  that  an  alignment between digital technologies and our two-facet of existentiality can be met through refocused design practices.  Strong arguments have been forwarded that novelty focused digital technologies can reduce our existential  needs of belonginess. Digital technologies are leading consumerist  commodities  associated  with  creating  unrelenting  demand  for  new experiences.  The  search  for  constant  stimulation  and  novelty  has  resulted  in  a fragmented and alienated state of being-human where the only way of feeling a sense of belonging comes from consuming more novel experiences. As contemporary everyday life is increasingly intertwined with digital technologies, their effect on our way of being-human becomes even more notable.  Against  this  background,  the  research  attempts  to  ‘bring  back’  our  needs  of belonginess to an equal footing with novelty in digital technologies. I have examined the  current  digital  technology  design’s  philosophical,  theoretical,  and  practical foundations  to  refocus  design,  from  its  too  strong focus  on  developing  novelty experiences  to  mediating  aligned  existentiality.  With  the  aim  of  refocusing  the design  role,  a  theoretical  framework  based  on  holism  has  emerged  that  could provide design a background to focus on mediating aligned existentiality. Primarily ivinformed by three thinkers – Marin Heidegger, Karl Marx, and John Dewey – the proposed holistic theoretical framework aims to provide design with a basis to (1) embed belonginess values in digital technologies (2) redirect digital technologies from  alienating  values  such  as  consumerism,  and  (3)  provide  a  mediating materiality for digital technologies to advance aligned existentiality while in use. The  thesis  further  illustrates  the  proposed  holistic  dimensions  –  philosophy, theory, and practice – using three empirical materials. I argue that the proposed holistic foundation for design is also aligned with how digital technologies are being used in the everyday lifeworld. Consequently, by freeing design from its traditional responsibility of making technically savvy and novel artifacts and refocusing its role to mediating aligned existentiality, design can itself be used to support our being-human in the world of digital artifacts. / <p>Vid tidpunkten för disputationen var följande delarbeten opublicerade: delarbete 8 accepterat, delarbete 9 under granskning.</p><p>At the time of the doctoral defence the following papers were unpublished: paper 8 accepted, paper 9 under review.</p>

This thesis attempts to investigate the possibilities for application of Gestalt therapy to deal with psychosomatic problems. The induction of thesis presents the development of Gestalt psychology from its beginning until today. The next section highlights the differences in other psychotherapeutic approaches, specifically deal with Daseinanalysis, which has a different approach to a holistic understanding of man. On the other hand, thesis attempts to map the same statements with psychosomatic approach or options when these two directions can complement each other. The following section of this thesis is the opportunities to get know more techniques in Gestalt therapy, which are divided into soft, hard and expressive. The practical implementation of these techniques we can find in the fourth chapter which demonstrates the interconnection of Gestalt therapy and Psychosomatics in practice. The spiritual approach in Gestalt therapy is described in the last section. This approach provides an unusual insight into the possible role of spirituality in Gestalt therapy

The National Curriculum Statement argues that it takes all of the different components of the individual into account when attempting to educate each learner. It states that one of the goals of the National Curriculum Statement is to promote the “holistic development of learners”, and within this area to take each learner’s emotions into account. This is a bold statement that has many practical implications for the learner, the educator, and the lecturers in teacher training programmes. There appears to be very little guidance provided in the National Curriculum Statement or teacher training programmes with regards to how one should take the “holistic development of learners”, and specifically the emotions into account. For this reason, this research focuses on whether it is possible to prepare teachers to take the “whole child” into account, with particular reference to the emotional dimension of the learner. The research also focuses on whether educators in schools feel adequately prepared to look at the emotions, and what different factors come into play when attempting to look at the both the emotions and the “holistic development of learners”. In order to do this, the current research focuses on Life Orientation, since it appears to be the subject that is most able to deal with the cognitive, spiritual, physical social and emotional needs of the learners. With the purpose of achieving the abovementioned objectives, the researcher conducted a qualitative research study which involved the interviews of six Life Orientation Educators from six different public schools in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg; as well as three lecturers who lecture Life Orientation at the University of the Witwatersrand. The findings of this research report indicate that most of the educators and lecturers who participated in the research feel inadequately prepared to take the emotions, and the holistic development of learners, into account in the teaching /learning process. There are a number of reasons for this. First, many participants felt that both the emotions and holism are implied within the curriculum. However, the participants felt that there is not an explicit explanation for what these elements of the individual are. As a result of the lack of a coherent explanation of the different elements of the individual, the participants felt that it is difficult to teach the non-cognitive aspects of the individual. Second, because the emotions and holism are implicit rather than explicit, it was felt that there are no clear indications provided by the National Curriculum Statement, or in the Life Orientation courses or workshops on how it is possible to teach or assess the whole child, and the emotions specifically.

Orientador: Ângelo Caporalli Filho / Banca: Marcos Valério Ribeiro / Banca: Isabel Cristina de Castro Monteiro / Banca: Rosinei Batista Ribeiro / Banca: Luis Carlos Paschoarelli / Resumo: O objetivo é refletir sobre novas propostas de interações disciplinares, objetivarem críticas ao modelo interdisciplinar e propor diretrizes que privilegiem a interação entre disciplinas e campos de conhecimentos diversos, em detrimento ao conceito rígido de práticas disciplinares compartimentalizadas. A interação profissional entre Engenheiros Mecânicos e Designers Industriais é cada vez mais preconizada, tanto no meio acadêmico quando no processo produtivo. Estes profissionais estão cada vez mais inseridos em um processo de complementação de conhecimentos e experiências no seu momento profissional. No que se refere ao processo acadêmico, os discentes de ambos os cursos estão vinculados a um conjunto de disciplinas, cujos conteúdos freqüentemente são apresentados de forma segmentada, o que torna o aprendizado focado e sistematizado, determinando constrangimentos no processo de obtenção do conhecimento. Esta Tese indica situações em que é perceptível o quanto um conjunto de disciplinas com conteúdos programáticos rígidos pode interferir em uma visão ampla do contexto em que está inserido o futuro profissional. Também verifica a percepção que Engenheiros Mecânicos e Designers Industriais têm entre si de suas carreiras. Ainda são inseridas pesquisas tabuladas e experimentos didáticos que revelam a importância da inserção de atitudes epistemológicas transdisciplinares, com a formatação e discussão do processo observado. A inserção da visão prática dos acontecimentos e a percepção do componente holístico também é fator de considerações. / Abstract: The professional interaction between Mechanical Engineers and Designers is increasingly recommended both in academia in the production process. These professionals are embedded in a process of knowledge complementation and experience in their professional time. Regarding the academic process, the students of both courses are bound to a range of disciplines, whose contents are often presented in high sectioned, which makes the learning focused and systematized, determining constraints in the process of obtaining the knowledge. This thesis indicates situations where it is perceptible how a range of disciplines with focused programmatic content can interfere with a broad overview of the context in which it is inserted the professional future. It also notes the perception of Mechanical Engineers and Designers have of each other in their careers. Also included research and tabulated experiences revealing the importance of the inclusion of trans epistemological attitudes, with the format and discussion of the process observed. The integration of the practical vision of events and perception of the holistic component also is a factor of consideration. The goal is to suggest new proposals for disciplinary interactions, aiming criticism of the interdisciplinary model and propose disciplinary guidelines that promote the interaction between disciplines and different fields of knowledge rather than the concept of hard practices high sectioned. / Doutor

Thesis advisor: Danny G. Willis / Abstract Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors are at risk of suffering from myriad physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and energetic aftereffects. Scant research has addressed healing of spiritual and energetic aftereffects, especially sense of fragmentation/soul loss. No published research has addressed shamanic healing for CSA survivors. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive research was to describe the use of shamanic healing as a complementary health approach for adult CSA survivors from the perspectives of shamanic healers. A qualitative descriptive design was used in this research. In-depth semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 shamanic practitioners. Interviews focused on the shamanic practitioners’ perspectives of CSA healing from western and shamanic viewpoints, shamanic methods of assessment, intervention, evaluation of outcomes, and benefits for adult CSA survivors. Interview data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis, including coding, sorting, and categorizing. Shamanic practitioners described the Western viewpoint on CSA healing as limited in scope by not adequately addressing energetic and spiritual aftereffects, with the potential to leave the survivor stuck in victim mode. In contrast, the shamanic perspective was described as an expanded paradigm for CSA healing, extending beyond the individual to multigenerational healing. CSA was framed as an event in the survivor’s life that served as a teacher of life lessons, inviting the survivor to live up to one’s full potential and not be defined by CSA. The findings indicated that shamanic healing has the potential to facilitate transformative integrative healing of the adult CSA survivor by addressing the relational, spiritual, energetic, and multigenerational impact of CSA. Shamanic healing involved integrating the survivor’s perceived lost soul parts (vital energy) back into consciousness, clearing toxic energy, and restoring energy flow. The findings have implications for nursing education, theory, practice, research, and policy. The findings can serve as a foundation for designing future research on shamanic healing to address the full spectrum of healing needs of adult CSA survivors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

As tendências atuais na capacitação de recursos humanos apontam para o desenvolvimento de profissionais com uma postura crítica e reflexiva, com habilidades que vão além dos aspectos técnicos, constituindo-se um grande desafio para as instituições formadoras. Na formação do enfermeiro notamos também esse movimento e apesar do amplo discurso da integralidade do ser humano, acreditamos que a dimensão técnica é ainda mais enfatizada, desconsiderando a necessidade de instrumentalizar o processo de crescimento interno do profissional. Entendemos que não há como desvincular a dimensão profissional da pessoal, ou seja, a pessoa reside no ser profissional e o profissional integra a pessoa humana, de forma dialética. A partir de um referencial humanístico, desenvolvemos este estudo em uma abordagem qualitativa, com o objetivo de identificar e analisar as percepções e os sentimentos do aluno do curso de graduação em Enfermagem, com relação à sua formação como pessoa/profissional. Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas individuais com acadêmicos da Faculdade de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Goiás, cujas falas foram submetidas a análise temática de conteúdo. Os resultados revelaram que os alunos percebem a formação acadêmica centrada em conhecimentos técnico-científicos, voltados especialmente ao atendimento das necessidades daqueles que vão ser assistidos, sem considerar a pessoa que os assiste, além de sinalizar que a trajetória acadêmica é permeada por vários sentimentos que aparecem em função das experiências ocorridas ao longo dela. Ficou evidenciado ainda que, em situações específicas, principalmente ligadas à área de saúde mental, o aluno tem tido a oportunidade de expressar e lidar com seus próprios sentimentos. Consideramos que esta pesquisa oferece elementos importantes a serem repensados pelas Escolas de Enfermagem, visando a formação do aluno como pessoa integral e integrada em suas ações. / The current tendencies in the training of human resources appear for the professionals' development with a critical and reflexive posture, with abilities that are beside technical aspects, being constituted a great challenge to preparing institutions. In nursing formation we also noticed this tendency and, in spite of the wide speech of the human being totality, we believed that technical dimension is still the essential concern in this process. We understand that are not any separations between personnel's professional dimension, where a person resides in a professional being and the professional integrates the human person, in a dialectical way. Starting from a humanistic referential, we developed this study in a qualitative approach, and sought to identify and to analyse the student's perceptions and feelings about Nursing course and its relationship with their own formation. The data were collected through individual interviews with the academics of the Nursing College at Federal University of Goiás, whose speeches were submitted to the content analysis. The results revealed that the students understand their teaching centred in technician-scientific knowledge, specifying the needs from those that they will attend, without considering the person that attends them, besides signalling that the academic way is permeated by several feelings that appear in function of experiences that happens. We considered that the lifted up aspects in this research offer important subjects to be rethought at Nursing Colleges, in the sense of contemplate student's formation as an integral person and integrated in their actions.

Charles Taylor é um dos principais e mais influentes filósofos contemporâneos. No campo da política, o debate liberal-comunitário é o tema em que suas contribuições são mais conhecidas. Entretanto, o estudo da reflexão política de Taylor tem sido parcial. No registro teórico do debate liberal-comunitário, sua assim chamada crítica comunitarista é, muitas vezes, tomada como uma resposta normativa a possíveis equívocos ou limitações dos ideais morais do liberalismo. A conclusão mais comum é que o pensamento tayloriano se contrapõe à tradição liberal, sendo por vezes identificado ora com o comunitarismo, ora com o republicanismo, ora com o multiculturalismo. A reflexão de Taylor, contudo, se ocupa de um outro registro, mais amplo: o desenvolvimento de concepções de identidade e de bem baseadas em argumentos que não são normativos, mas sim ontológicos. Nesse registro, o objetivo de sua obra não é questionar os ideais morais do liberalismo, mas reconfigurá-los num contexto ontológico específico, bem como ampliar o leque de bens moral e politicamente relevantes para as sociedades contemporâneas. O objetivo dessa dissertação é o de justamente explorar a estrutura conceitual do que poderíamos chamar de individualismo holista, uma tipologia de pensamento político que, embora defensora normativamente da liberdade, pluralismo e autonomia, guarda uma profunda preocupação com a natureza irredutivelmente social da ação e dos bens humanos. Espera-se que a partir dessa chave de leitura sejamos capazes de uma abordagem mais sistemática da reflexão política de Charles Taylor, articulando suas diferentes e fragmentadas intervenções no debate político num quadro mais amplo, referenciado também às discussões sobre a natureza da agência, do self e da modernidade. Ao final, sugerimos que o autor canadense se move teoricamente muito mais próximo daquilo que se considera uma tradição liberal de pensamento do que sua classificação usual permitiria imaginar. / Charles Taylor is one of the most important and influential contemporary philosophers. In the political field, the liberal-communitarian debate is the theme where his contributions are most recognized. Nevertheless, the study of Taylors political thought has been limited. In the liberal-communitarian theorical debate arena, his so called 6 communitarian criticism has many times been taken as an advocacy answer to possible mistakes or limitations of liberalisms moral ideals. The most common conclusion is that the taylorian thought opposes itself to the liberal tradition and it has been identified with communitarianism theories, republicanism, or even with multiculturalism. Taylors reflection, however, is concerned with another more ample aim: the development of identity and good conceptions based in ontological arguments. The purpose of his work is not to question liberalistic moral ideals, but to reconfigure those in a specific ontological background, as well as to amplify the set of allowable moral and political relevant conceptions of goods to contemporary society. The intent of this paper is indeed to explore the conceptual structure of what we could call holistic individualism, a political thinking typology which although concerned with the advocacy of freedom, pluralism and autonomy also continues to take into account the inextricable social nature of agency and human goods conception. Hopefully, with this interpretation key we will be able to put in place a most systematic account of Charles Taylors political reflection, articulating its different and sparse contributions in the political debate in a more comprehensive landscape which will be referenced to his agency, self and modernity discussions. In the end, we suggest that the Canadian author is closer to what we could call a liberal tradition thinking than his usual classification would allow.

Um dos debates mais importantes na Filosofia da Ciência é aquele sobre as relações entre os níveis de explicação dos fenômenos e, portanto, os níveis da ciência. Esta controvérsia, intimamente relacionada ao problema metafísico dos níveis da realidade, tem sido marcada por uma polarização entre os reducionistas e seus críticos, geralmente caracterizados como holistas. O primeiro capítulo deste trabalho tem como objetivo a proposição de uma tipologia das posições metodológicas sobre a explicação na qual esta polarização entre holismo e reducionismo seja evitada. Argumenta-se que esta polarização resulta em uma série de mal-entendidos, que contribuem para que as explicações reducionistas sejam vistas, inclusive no ensino de ciências, como as únicas explicações científicas, sendo qualquer posição alternativa considerada contrária aos cânones da ciência. Uma tipologia proposta por Levine e colaboradores em 1987 é tomada como ponto de partida. Esta tipologia evita a polarização comentada acima, incluindo as seguintes posições: individualismo metodológico (reducionismo), holismo, antireducionismo e atomismo. Tendo-se em vista alguns problemas na proposta de Levine e colaboradores, sustenta-se a necessidade da construção de uma nova tipologia. São examinadas algumas tendências, como o fisicalismo de tipos na Filosofia da Mente, os programas da unidade da ciência de Carnap e de Oppenheim & Putnam, e o selecionismo gênico e o gene-centrismo na Biologia, que podem ser caracterizadas como formas de reducionismo, de acordo com a tipologia de Levine e colaboradores. O termo fisicalismo não-redutivo é preferido, em relação a antireducionismo, destacando-se que, apesar de qualificada como não-redutiva, esta variedade de fisicalismo atribui um papel à redução na explicação dos macrofenômenos. Embora os fisicalistas não-redutivos rejeitem a redução ontológica ou epistemológica completa, eles admitem a redução epistemológica parcial, que não resulta em um nivelamento dos fenômenos ao domínio de uma única ciência, mas apenas na explicação, em termos causais/mecânicos, de como e por que macrofenômenos ocorrem em sistemas ou objetos mereologicamente complexos. Variedades moderadas de reducionismo, como as de Bunge e Campbell, são consideradas, bem como algumas variedades de holismo, como o paradigma holístico de Capra, o holismo de Taylor e a abordagem holista de Mayr. A análise destas diferentes abordagens conduz a uma tipologia contendo seis posições metodológicas: atomismo, reducionismo radical, reducionismo moderado, fisicalismo não-redutivo, holismo moderado e holismo radical. O segundo capítulo trata da primeira formulação sistemática do fisicalismo nãoredutivo, o emergentismo. O objetivo principal é chegar a um conceito de emergência de propriedades capaz de contornar as dificuldades apontadas na literatura, propiciando a ontologia ao mesmo tempo materialista e não-reducionista necessária para uma formulação consistente do fisicalismo não-redutivo. Inicialmente, examinam-se as origens do emergentismo, suas relações com o vitalismo e as proposições que constituem seu núcleo duro (sensu Lakatos). As teorias de níveis propostas por Salthe, Bunge, Blitz e Emmeche e colaboradores são discutidas, tomando-se como marcos de referência para o tratamento do conceito de emergência a ontologia de Emmeche e colaboradores e o realismo moderado de Dennet. São examinados problemas acerca do 2 conceito de emergência apontados na literatura, destacando-se o problema da causação descendente: Como explicar a modificação a que um sistema ou uma totalidade submete seus componentes, resultando na emergência da novidade qualitativa, sem violar-se premissas fisicalistas como a crença na universalidade da Física ou o fechamento causal do domínio físico? Após argumentar-se que o fisicalismo de superveniência, apresentado como uma variedade de fisicalismo não-redutivo alternativa ao emergentismo, fracassa em suas intenções não-redutivas, propõe-se a investigação de uma posição filosófica combinando as noções de superveniência e emergência de propriedades. O problema da causação descendente é então discutido em detalhe, considerando-se, primeiro, a possibilidade de o tratamento da causalidade na filosofia aristotélica propiciar uma solução para este problema em um contexto fisicalista. Os quatro modos causais aristotélicos e a distinção entre forma e matéria são examinados, preparando-se o terreno para uma discussão das três versões de causação descendente (forte, fraca e média) distinguidas por Emmeche e colaboradores. A versão média da causação descendente propicia uma maneira de combinar as noções de superveniência e emergência em uma formulação do emergentismo compatível com a identificação das entidades de nível superior com casos especiais de sistemas físicos, sem apresentar as conseqüências reducionistas (radicais) que muitos cientistas e filósofos consideram indesejáveis. No contexto desta variedade de emergentismo, uma nova definição de propriedade emergente é proposta. Por fim, discute-se o problema da realidade dos emergentes com base no realismo moderado de Dennett. No terceiro capítulo, são discutidas algumas conseqüências dos aspectos ontológicos, epistemológicos e metodológicos abordados neste trabalho para o ensino de Biologia e outras ciências. / One of the most important debates in the philosophy of science concerns the relations between levels of explanation and, therefore, levels of science. This controversy, closely related to the metaphysical problem regarding the levels of reality, has been marked by a polarization between reductionists and their critics, generally described as holists. The first chapter of this work is intended to offer a typology of methodological stances on explanation avoiding this polarization between holism and reductionism. Such a marked disagreement results in a series of misunderstandings, contributing to the belief, also found in science teaching, that reductionism provides the only scientific explanations, being any alternative stance regarded as opposed to the canons of science. A typology proposed by Levine and colleagues in 1987 is taken as a starting-point for the discussion. This typology avoids the above-mentioned polarization, including the following positions: methodological individualism (reductionism), holism, antireductionism, and atomism. Due to some problems found in Levine and colleagues approach to the problem, the construction of a new typology is taken as a desirable objective. Some tendencies, like type physicalism in the philosophy of mind, the unity of science programmes of Carnap and Oppenheim & Putnam, and genic selectionism and gene-centrism in biology, are examined, being characterized as forms of reductionism, according to Levine and colleagues typology. The term nonreductive physicalism is preferred to antireductionism, being emphasized that, despite being qualified as nonreductive, this variety of physicalism assigns a role to reduction in the explanation of macrophenomena. Although nonreductive physicalists reject ontological and full epistemological reduction, they admit partial epistemological reduction, which does not result in a leveling of the phenomena to the domain of a single science, but only in the causal/mechanical explanation of why and how macrophenomena occur in mereologically-complex systems or objects. Moderate versions of reductionism, such as those of Bunge and Campbell, are examined, as well as some varieties of holism, such as Capras holistic paradigm, Taylors holism, and Mayrs holistic approach. An analysis of those diverse approaches leads to a typology including six methodological stances: atomism, radical reductionism, moderate reductionism, nonreductive physicalism, moderate holism, and radical holism. In the second chapter, the first systematic formulation of non-reductive physicalism, emergentism, is examined. The main goal is to propose a concept of property emergence that avoids the difficulties presented in the literature, providing the ontology simultaneously materialist and non-reductionist demanded by a cogent formulation of nonreductive physicalism. Initially, the origins of emergentism, its relations to vitalism, and the tenets that compose its hard core (sensu Lakatos) are examined. The theories of levels advanced by Salthe, Bunge, Blitz, and Emmeche and coworkers are discussed, being taken as the frames of reference for the treatment of the emergence concept Emmeche and coworkers ontology and Dennetts mild realism. A series of problems concerning the concept of emergence is examined, emphasis being given to the problem of downward causation: How to explain in what sense a system or 4 whole modifies its component parts, resulting in the emergence of qualitative novelty, without violating physicalist premises, such as the belief in the universality of Physics or the physical causal closure? After arguing that supervenience physicalism, presented as a version of non-reductive physicalism alternative to emergentism, fails in fulfilling its non-reductive purposes, the investigation of a philosophical alternative combining the notions of supervenience and property emergence is proposed. The problem of downward causation is then discussed in detail and the first issue to be dealt with is the possibility that the treatment of causality in Aristotelian philosophy offers a solution to this problem in a physicalist framework. The four Aristotelian causal modes and the distinction between form and matter are examined, as a basis for the discussion of the three versions of downward causation (strong, weak, and medium) distinguished by Emmeche and coworkers. Medium downward causation provides a way of combining the notions of supervenience and property emergence in a formulation of emergentism compatible with the identification of higher-level entities with special cases of physical systems, without the (radical) reductionist consequences that many scientists and philosophers regard as undesirable. In the frame of this variety of emergentism, a new definition of an emergent property is put forward. At last, The problem of the reality of emergents is discussed, from the standpoint of Dennetts mild realism. In the third chapter, some consequences of the ontological, epistemological and methodological features discussed in this work for the teaching of Biology and other sciences are discussed.

This research investigated the transformative and extraordinary experiences of nurse healers. The broad aim of the research was to promote the role of the healer in nursing by providing data on the experiences specific to nurse healers’ evolution as healers. The research was theoretically informed by van Manen (1990, 1984) and utilised hermeneutic phenomenology. Van Manen’s emphasis on writing as the key element of phenomenology in lived experience research was employed to bring forth a sense of lived immediacy and aesthetic colour essential to phenomenological understanding. The thesis was also theoretically aligned with the conceptual model of nursing as a caring-healing profession, developed by Jean Watson (1999, 1990a, 1988, 1985a). In particular, this research drew on Watson’s explicit connection of nursing with healing and nursing practice with transformational, transpersonal and esoteric insights. There were eleven nurse (nine women and two men) participants in the study. All participants identified strongly as healers. Selection was based on how long, and important to the individual was their commitment to being a healer. The data collection method used was semi structured interview with a predominant focus on storytelling. The overarching theme of ‘Walking Two Worlds’ was identified, and within that five essential themes were uncovered: (1) Belonging & Connecting; (2) Opening to Spirit; (3) Summoning; (4) Wounding & Healing Journey; and (5) Living as a Healer. Implications for nursing discussed include the need for the profession to provide support to nurse healers as they encounter challenging experiences and to allow for ontological flexibility regarding the esoteric aspects of human/spiritual experience revealed by this research. Further the need to extend the understanding invoked by healing beyond the obvious and opening vistas into experience which have been previously repudiated by domineering, narrow and spirit-denying powers in our society is also discussed.