Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / The problem of knowledge in contemporary thought is unusually complex. This dissertation seeks to isolate but one of the fundamental questions of epistemology and investigate it in the literature of Britain and America since 1920. The problem is: the nature of the given in the knowledge situation. After nothing certain historical roots of the theory, four contemporary theories of the given are examined. Their implications are brought out, and critical evaluations are made. The literature on the problem as a whole is relatively meager. One book by R.D. Mack deals with the given in Bradley, Whitehead, and Dewey. Many thinkers consider the problem seriously in developing their epistemologies and several important articles about it have appeared in the journals. Some have denied the uniqueness of the question by saying that everything is given. [TRUNCATED]

Apresentamos um método muito simples e eficiente para o cálculo do potencial efetivo para qualquer teoria contendo bósons escalares. Os exemplos incluem a Eletrodinâmica Escalar no gauge quadrático e Teorias de Yang-Mills puras, no gauge de Landau até um Ioop. E também rediscutido o método da fase estacionária, pois este se mostra aplicável ao caso dos férmions. Em seguida é analisado o teorema de Lee-Nauenberg de cancelamento de divergências infravermelhas. As divergências infravermelhas dominantes do operador de evolução temporal são determinadas, no gauge axial para uma teoria de Yang-Mills pura, sem massa. Usando este resultado, vemos que as divergências infravermelhas principais da auto-energia se exponenciam de maneira simples. Para esta mesma teoria mostramos como parte das divergências infravermelhas se cancelam. / We present an elementary and efficient method for computing the effective potential for any theory containing scalar bosons. Examples include massless scalar electrodynamics in the quadratic gauge and pure Yang-Mills theories in the Landau gauge, up to one loop. lt is also rediscussed the method of the steepest descent since it is also aplicable to the case of fermions. The Lee-Nauenberg theorem of infrared divergences cancellation is examined. The leading infrared divergences of the temporal evolution operator are determined for puro massless Yang-Mil1s theories in the axial gauge. Using this result it is then shown that the leading infrared singularities of the self-energy function exponentiate in a very simple manner. For these theories partial cancel1ation of infrared divergences are also exhibited.

A Tese é constituida de duas partes distintas . Uma parte matemática formal , completa e rigorosa - dos tópicos de Variedades Diferenciáveis, Cálculo Exterior, Geometria Riemanniana , Fibrado Principal (f.p.) com Conexões e Conexões Lineares, e uma segunda parte de aplicação desse Formalismo Matemático a Teorias FÍsicas , em particular o Eletromagnetismo de Maxwell (EM) , Teoria de gauge de Yang- Mills (Y- M) , a TRG, e a Teoria da Gravitação de Einstein-Cartan (E- C). Cada capítulo de aplicação é fechado e sua sequencia está determinada pelo aumento da complexidade matemática, isto é, cada capitulo possui uma estrutura matemática adicional. / The thesis is composed of two different parts. A formal complete and rigorous mathematical part - of topics of Differential Manifolds, Exterior calculus, Riemannian Geornetry, Principal Fiber Bundle (p . f.) with connections and Linear connections - and a second part of application of this mathematical Formalisrn concerning Physical Theories, particularly the Maxwell l\'s Eletrornagnetism (EM) , gauge theory of Yang- Mills (Y-M), the GRT , and the Gravitation Theory of Einstein - Cartan (E . C) . Each chapter of application is complete and its sequence is deterrnined by the increase of mathematical cornplexity, that is, each chapter h s an additional rnathematical structure .

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Three graphical methods, similar to Popov's approach, are derived to test a stability criterion for a general class of multivariable nonlinear feedback systems. Various simplifications of these methods are then derived for four particular classes of system: the series system, the parallel system, the internal feedback system, and the symmetric system. These stability tests may be applied to active networks that consist of passive linear time-invariant elements and many nonlinear controlled sources. It is further shown that certain special network structures may be represented as one of the four particular classes of system. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Thesis deals with the issue of the conceptualization of the post-Westphalia world system by using the New Middle Age theory with focus on its geopolitical aspects. First the theoretical concepts concerning state, sovereignty, and the basis of the neomedievalist world view are tackled. After creating a theoretical tool to assess the appearance of the neomedieval world order we apply the criteria on four selected case studies - Somalia as an example of failed state, Pakistan as failing state, the European Union as a supra-state entity, and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea as a classical example of Westphalia-type state. In the conclusion the four case studies are brought together and our findings lead to the creation of an analytical tool which can be used for understanding basic geopolitical issues of different territories.

We argue that none of the existing epistemic logics can adequately serve the needs of agent theories. We suggest a new concept of knowledge which generalizes both implicit and explicit knowledge and argue that this is the notion we need to formalize agents in Distributed Artificial Intelligence. A logic of the new concept is developed which is formally and practically adequate in the following sense: first, it does not suffer from any kind of logical omniscience. Second, it can account for the intuition that agents are rational, though not hyper-rational. Third, it is expressive enough. The advantages of the new logic over other formalisms is demonstrated by showing that none of the existing systems can fulfill all these requirements simultaneously.

In this study, I establish myself as both researcher and respondent and I use the literal and figurative interpretations of the word ‘body' to discuss how canonical epistemological paradigms, through their construction of indigenous knowledge systems, construct African bodies and how this impacts knowledge and research methods. I discuss how the corporeal bodies of Sangomas have been constructed, particularly through problematic research approaches which focus on observations of the corporeal body. Critical here, is how the imperial gaze is unrelenting in its deconstruction and reconstruction of African bodies. By engaging with the cosmology of Sangomas and their interaction with ancestors, I discuss the ineptitude of western-centric hegemonic research approaches in providing substantial responses to the variety of social phenomena with which the Social Sciences grapple. I focus on Sangoma practices of inhlolo (divination), ukuphupha (dreams and dream analysis) and the valorization of umbilini (intuition) as useful tools for the reimagination of research methodologies which have the power to transcend the corporeal lens with which canonical research approaches have become synonymous. Critical to the cosmology of Sangomas is community and the communal production and sharing of knowledge which I propose is a useful framework for transcending the individualistic researcherfocused approach which dominates Social Science research. Through an engagement with the fallaciousness of bifurcated knowledge systems, I argue that it is untruthful to assume that indigenous knowledge systems and western knowledge systems do not interact with each other or have never interacted with each other in the past. I recommend an approach to research which invites an integration of various knowledge systems and diverse ways of knowing. Furthermore, I propose, through a discourse analysis on my reflexive practice as a Sangoma, the concept of Ubungoma (as praxis) with its related theoretical and methodical approaches to decolonising the knowledge archive through ukuphupha as a pathway to insights, inhlolo as a quest for knowledge and ukuphahla as a decolonial research methodology.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in the Department of Foundations of Education at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2015 / The study dealt with the theories of motivation, causes of demotivation, the role of the school management team in educator motivation. In the study certain influential theories were briefly looked at such as the earlier theories of Maslow, McGregor and Hezberg. The empirical survey was used to gather information from educators on the following research questions: • What causes de-motivation of educators? • What is the role of the school management team in the motivation of educators? • What alternative theories, strategies and approaches can the school management team adopt to motivate educators? In the study it was found out that against the milieu in which most schools operate, there seems to be a great deal of de-motivation among educators. Educators are burdened with overload, limited resources, increased workloads, and financial constraints. The study concluded that in order for educators to perform at their best, they needed to be motivated. The responsibility lies heavily on the school management team to motivate educators. The study recommended that the school management team must provide sound visionary and creative motivational leadership in order for educators to perform.

Tax havens are denounced for eroding the sovereignty of states to tax in their jurisdictions. Using a critical interrogative lens of Empire and Imperialism, the aim of this investigation was to understand what the developmental history of the British Virgin Islands reveals about the function of tax havens in global political economy through traditions of state and taxation sovereignty. Drawing chiefly on a combination of tax, sociology and law scholarship anchored in international political economy, along with reviewing the minutes of the British Virgin Islands Legislative Council from 1950-1992, the study adopted a sociolegal perspective in exploring the relationship between tax havens, tax sovereignty and the aspirations of an equitable global tax regime. Beyond sovereign entitlement in allocating jurisdictional rights of states to tax income or capital, or a more expanded conception of tax equity through revenue sharing, the intervention of this thesis established the need to highlight the underpinnings of the international tax system by understanding the structures which maintain tax haven dependency and their development in the first instance. The basic thesis of this study is that dependency continues to the present as a function of unequal integration helping to order and maintain a hierarchical global political economy. This thesis was built on an account of post-colonial dependency through a structural lens of a reconstituting empire and neo-colonial imperialism in the development of the British Virgin Islands in two key phases. First, the political developments of the 1950 independence decade in the legislative council's relationship with sovereignty in a federated imperial structure, which then conditioned the socioeconomic development from 1960 up to 1984. Highlighting the economic apparatus of the colonial state which structurally depended on international investment through political links maintained to Britain, the second phase is demonstrated as neo-colonial imperialism and external reliance evinced through the function of the Executive Council. The thesis traced a consistent line of legislative amendments from the dawn of legislative independence providing tax incentives packages and exemptions aimed at attracting foreign capital through extensive tax holidays. This phase of neo-colonial imperialism reached its apogee in the International Business Companies Act of 1984. The parallels in the financial architecture imposed by the Foreign Commonwealth Office at the twilight of the 20th Century has striking similarities to the more recent initiatives targeted at tax havens, illustrating how the interests of metropolitan powers are maintained. Therefore, I argue and demonstrate that, the development of the British Virgin Islands as a tax haven and its integration in international political economy reveals a tradition of sovereignty in the post-colonial context which shapes neo-colonial imperialism wherein effective sovereignty remains located in the global north.