This is a critical discussion of Vihvelin's recent book Causes, Laws, and Free Will. I discuss Vihvelin's ideas on Frankfurt-style cases and the actual-sequence view of freedom that is inspired by them.

I wish to determine when one is justified in paternalistic interferences that override a subject’s autonomy. In order to lay the groundwork for discussing paternalistic interferences with autonomous decisions, I first consider different conceptions of autonomy, welfare, and paternalism, and determine which I mean to use. In particular, I proceed with Dworkin’s characterization of autonomy as a combination of authenticity and self-determination; Nussbaum’s capabilities theory in order to determine welfare; and a definition of paternalism as being an interference with a subject’s liberty or autonomy that is motivated exclusively by consideration for that subject’s own good or welfare. Once I have working definitions for autonomy, welfare, and paternalism, I consider arguments justifying paternalistic interferences. Because I especially wish to determine when paternalistic interferences that conflict with a subject’s autonomous decision are justified, I begin with Scoccia’s arguments for using hypothetical consent — which is based on what would maximize the subject’s welfare — to justify paternalistic acts. Using Scoccia’s argument, I consider a few cases in which concerns for welfare may justify paternalistic acts overriding the subject’s autonomy. However, hypothetical consent does not go very far in justifying paternalistic acts. Therefore, I also consider arguments justifying paternalism in cases where the subject is not necessarily fully autonomous when making or acting upon a decision. For example, Carter argues that paternalistic acts are justified if autonomy has been waived through prior or subsequent consent. Additionally, I look at justifying paternalism when the subject’s autonomy is compromised through involuntariness or incompetence.

Se trata de ver como el sistema de zonas de Ansel Adamas aplicado a la fotografía analógica en blanco y negro, se traslada al actual sistema digital en color. Como el mundo analógico se acaba reflejando en el actual mundo digital.

My overall claim in this paper is twofold: Firstly, the activity of developing arguments in favour of the existence of the Christian God is tenable and worthwhile and, secondly, the “infinite God objection” fails to undermine the kalam cosmological argument. Concerning the former, it is often claimed that the very activity of developing arguments in favour of God’s existence is futile. I argue, however, that such theistic arguments play an important role in the philosophy of religion, natural theology, and apologetics. Concerning the latter claim, I will attempt to show how the infinite God objection fails to undermine a notable theistic argument, namely, the kalam cosmological argument. As regards this objection, the proponents of the kalam cosmological argument face a dilemma – either an actual infinity cannot exist or God’s knowledge cannot be infinite. More specifically, this objection claims that God’s omniscience entails the existence of an actual infinity with God knowing an actual infinite number of future events and mathematical truths. My solution to this problem is that (1) God’s omniscience should be understood as maximal knowledge; (2) the existence of abstract objects (such as numbers and propositions) should be denied; and (3) God’s knowledge is non-propositional in nature. / MPhil, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している。

The purpose of the following thesis is evaluation of relation evolution between Turkey and European Union. Thesis is divided into four main chapters in logical subsequent order. First chapter covers the historical and economic issues from the foundation of turkish republic up to the present. Second part deals with the development description of relations between the Turkey and the Union since the fifties when the first integration attempts took place. In 1995 these attempts became real when the customs union has been set and resulted in an initiation of accession negotiations during 2005. Third chapter is dedicated to the present problems connected with Turkey accession, particularly one so called "EU absorption capacity". Last section contains opinion stands of selected member countries, both from the political elites point of view as well as the output from the public opinion polls amongst EU and Turkey citizens.

No description available.

[EN] Music bands from Valencian Country are educative, artistic, cultural and social entities, which claim their role as main axis of the Valencia's musical life. Conventionalism mostly dominates the musical composition from this kind of groups. However, we are currently able to see new proposals providing new musical languages and aesthetics more in accordance with our time. In this sense, new incentives are needed for this kind of proposals in order to push they toward others creational paradigms, which are able to update the means of musical productions. In addition, paradigms need to incorporate, on one hand, extended instrumental techniques, and on the other hand, new technologies. The final goal of this update will be normalise the contemporaneous music into the interpretative life of the music bands. This thesis is focused on the study and development of current musical composition for symphonic band. A model of musical artistic research based on compositional praxis and empirical knowledge will be used. The main point of this research is the description of creative composition process by PhD student. This process comes from an auto-ethnographic model whose main goal consists in performing new insights into the field of current band musical composition. At the same time, this model shows the synergies and issues faced by the composer throughout the development of the artistic process when compositions for these kinds of groups are written. / [ES] Las bandas de música en el País Valenciano se erigen como entidades sociales, artístico-culturales y educativas que reivindican el papel de actor vertebrador en la vida musical valenciana. La composición de música para este tipo de formaciones está dominada por el convencionalismo, lo que no ha impedido que cada vez más podamos observar nuevas propuestas que apuestan por una estética y un lenguaje más acorde con la música de nuestro tiempo. Pero este tipo de propuestas sonoras necesitan un nuevo impulso hacia otros paradigmas de creación que actualicen los medios de producción musical e incorporen en su discurso sonoro, por un lado, el uso de las técnicas extendidas instrumentales y por otro, el de las nuevas tecnologías; con la finalidad de normalizar la música contemporánea en la vida interpretativa de las bandas de música. La tesis que se presenta parte del estudio y desarrollo de la composición de música actual para banda sinfónica, a través de un modelo de investigación artística en música que se basa en la praxis compositiva y el conocimiento empírico. El punto que articula está investigación es la descripción del proceso creativo de composición del doctorando. Este proceso parte de un modelo auto-etnográfico cuyo objetivo principal es realizar nuevas aportaciones en el campo de la composición de música actual para banda; a la vez que demuestra las sinergias y la problemática con la que se encuentra el compositor a lo largo del desarrollo del proceso artístico cuando escribe para este tipo formaciones. / [CA] Les bandes de música al País Valencià es revelen com a entitats socials, artístiques-culturals i educatives que reivindiquen el status d'actor vertebrador en la vida musical valenciana. La composició de música per a aquest tipus de formacions està dominada pel convencionalisme, però malgrat tot, no ha sigut un impediment per a que cada vegada més pugam observar noves propostes que aposten per una estètica i un llenguatge més acord amb la música del nostre temps. Però aquest tipus de propostes sonores necessiten un nou impuls cap a altres paradigmes de creació que actualitzen els mitjans de producció musical e incorporen en el seu discurs sonor, per un costat, la utilització de les tècniques esteses instrumentals, i per un altre, el de les noves tecnologies; amb la finalitat de normalitzar la música contemporània en la vida interpretativa de les bandes de música. La tesi que es presenta part de l'estudi i del desenvolupament de la composició de música actual per a banda simfònica, a través d'un model d'investigació artística en música que es fonamenta en la praxis compositiva i en el coneixement empíric. L'eix que articula aquesta investigació és la descripció del procés creatiu del doctorant. Aquest procés es desenvolupa a partir d'un model auto- etnogràfic, el qual, té com a objectiu principal l'aportació de noves propostes sonores al món de la composició de música actual per a banda; al temps que demostra les sinergies i la problemàtica amb la que es troba el compositor al llarg del desenvolupament del seu procés artístic quan escriu per aquest tipus de formacions. / Escrivà Córdoba, JL. (2017). La composición de música actual para banda en el País Valenciano: propuestas sonoras no convencionales [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/90394

Yes / Arsenic (As) contamination of surface water has become a global concern, especially for the third world countries, and it is imperative to develop advanced materials and an effective treatment method to address the issue. In this paper, iron doped ZIF-8@MXene (Fe-ZIF-8@MXene) was prepared as a potential adsorbent to effectively and simultaneously remove As(III/V) from wastewater. To investigate this, Fe-ZIF-8@MXene was characterized before and after the removal of mixed As(III/V). The results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), specific surface area (BET) and point of zero charge (pHpzc) showed that Fe-ZIF-8@MXene was prepared successfully and kept a stable structure after As(III) and As(V) adsorption. The particle size of Fe-ZIF-8@MXene was in the range of 0.5 μm to 2.5 μm, where its BET was 531.7 m2/g. For both contaminants, adsorption was found to follow pseudo-second-order kinetics and was best-fitted by the Langmuir adsorption model with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.998 and 0.997, for As(III) and As(V), respectively. The adsorbent was then applied to remove As from two actual water samples, giving maximum removal rates of 91.07% and 98.96% for As(III) and As(V), respectively. Finally, removal mechanisms for As(III/V) by Fe-ZIF-8@MXene were also explored. During the adsorption, multiple complexes were formed under the effect of its abundant surface functional groups involving multiple mechanisms, which included Van der Waals force, surface adsorption, chemical complexation and electrostatic interactions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Fe-ZIF-8@MXene was an advanced and reusable material for simultaneous removal of As(III/V) in wastewater.

Yes / The main aim of this paper is to investigate how far applying suitably conceived and designed credit scoring models can properly account for the incidence of default and help improve the decision-making process. Four statistical modelling techniques, namely, discriminant analysis, logistic regression, multi-layer feed-forward neural network and probabilistic neural network are used in building credit scoring models for the Indian banking sector. Notably actual misclassification costs are analysed in preference to estimated misclassification costs. Our first-stage scoring models show that sophisticated credit scoring models, in particular probabilistic neural networks, can help to strengthen the decision-making processes by reducing default rates by over 14%. The second-stage of our analysis focuses upon the default cases and substantiates the significance of the timing of default. Moreover, our results reveal that State of residence, equated monthly instalment, net annual income, marital status and loan amount, are the most important predictive variables. The practical implications of this study are that our scoring models could help banks avoid high default rates, rising bad debts, shrinking cash flows and punitive cost-cutting measures.