Thesis title: Business contracts with consumers The objective of this thesis is to analyse current legislation in Czech Republic regarding consumer law, especially business contracts concluded with customers. The main objective of this thesis is the assessment of selected provisions of the consumer legislation from entrepreneur's view and analyse whether the consumer protection provisions in question are justified and not unreasonably limiting for the entrepreneur. The thesis is divided into 5 main chapters. Each of them deals with selected aspects of the topic in question. For the completion of the thesis were used domestic and foreign resources, especially legislation, specialised literature and the case-law. First chapter is introductory and contains my reasons and motivation for the choice of the thesis topic. Second chapter briefly summarizes world history of consumer law and history of consume law in Czech Republic. The focus is mainly on putting the Czech consumer law into context with European Union consumer law, because it is primarily based on it. The aim of the third chapter is to carefully define the main terms of consumer law which will be used in the whole thesis. The fourth chapter is the most comprehensive and forms the core of the entire thesis. It is divided into four thematic...

Advancements in three dimensional (3D) technologies are rapidly increasing. Three Dimensional Television (3DTV) aims at creating 3D experience for the home user. Moreover, multiview autostereoscopic displays provide a depth impression without the requirement for any special glasses and can be viewed from multiple locations. One of the key issues in the 3DTV processing chain is the content generation from the available input data format video plus depth and multiview video plus depth. This data allows for the possibility of producing virtual views using depth-image-based rendering. Although depth-image-based rendering is an efficient method, it is known for appearance of artifacts such as cracks, corona and empty regions in rendered images. While several approaches have tackled the problem, reducing the artifacts in rendered images is still an active field of research.   Two problems are addressed in this thesis in order to achieve a better 3D video quality in the context of view rendering: firstly, how to improve the quality of rendered views using a direct approach (i.e. without applying specific processing steps for each artifact), and secondly, how to fill the large missing areas in a visually plausible manner using neighbouring details from around the missing regions. This thesis introduces a new depth-image-based rendering and depth-based texture inpainting in order to address these two problems. The first problem is solved by an edge-aided rendering method that relies on the principles of forward warping and one dimensional interpolation. The other problem is addressed by using the depth-included curvature inpainting method that uses appropriate depth level texture details around disocclusions.   The proposed edge-aided rendering method and depth-included curvature inpainting methods are evaluated and compared with the state-of-the-art methods. The results show an increase in the objective quality and the visual gain over reference methods. The quality gain is encouraging as the edge-aided rendering method omits the specific processing steps to remove the rendering artifacts. Moreover, the results show that large disocclusions can be effectively filled using the depth-included curvature inpainting approach. Overall, the proposed approaches improve the content generation for 3DTV and additionally, for free view point television.

Thesis advisor: Arthur Madigan / Thesis advisor: Jorge L. Garcia / The relationship between intention, intentional action, and moral assessment is of fundamental importance to ethical theory. In large part, moral responsibility is based on an assessment of agent responsibility, which in turn is based on the connection between an agent's intentions and the actions which they cause. In the last twenty-five years, there has been a debate in contemporary action theory about the relationship between intentions and intentional action. Objecting to what he calls the "Simple View," which he characterizes as the view that all intentional actions are intended under some description, Michael Bratman, among others, argues that not all intentional actions are intended. In this dissertation, we will defend the Simple View by appealing to Aristotle's theory of action as developed in his psychological and ethical works. In the first part of the dissertation, we argue that all intentional actions are intended under some description; however, we argue that distinctions between different types of intention are essential: specifically, the distinction between deliberate and non-deliberate intentions and the distinction between the intention of the end and the intention of the means. Our account centers on Aristotle's concept of prohairesis, which he identifies as the distinctly human principle of action. The term prohairesis in Aristotle's works seems to have at least three senses: 1) primarily, the deliberate intention with which a person acts, an `occurent' choice; 2) the habitual or `dispositional' choice or resolve of `decent' people; and 3) general purposes that men have which may encompass voluntary action as a whole. The first sense of the term is the primary one that properly signifies the concept. Prohairesis fits within the general framework of animal motion which Aristotle sets out in the De Anima and De Motu Animalium. For Aristotle, orexis or desire is the cause of all animal motion, including human motion. Prohairesis is a deliberate desire for the means to an end. It is a principle of action peculiar to mature human beings capable of deliberating, as it is the intention which is the result of deliberation. It marks off a narrow but important stretch of intentional action. Prohairesis is set off against other types of intention, like boulesis, which is an intention of the end, and epithumia (bodily appetite) and thumos (anger), which are non-deliberate intentions relating to non-rational appetites like lust and anger. Aristotle, in contrast to contemporary accounts of intentional action, is unusually specific in his designation of the different kinds of intention. Different orexeis differ not only with regard to specific objects but also with regard to time, planning, and detail. Aristotle traces both the causal and moral responsibility agents have for their actions to the action of these internal principles of desire. Moral assessment is linked to the operative internal principle of an act. This allows for an action to be voluntary and intentional, even if the agent does not fully understand or plan for the consequences of an action. Intention, for Aristotle, if we correctly understand it as orexis and what results from orexis, is not reducible to one mode but is irreducibly plural. Furthermore, each person's capacity for intentional action is shaped by his character, and each character has correspondingly different kinds of intention, both with respect to the objects of intention and in their relation to action. Finally, the scope of intention is not definite, and depending on the agent, can include those things which attend to the means of which he has cognizance, for instance, harmful side-effect consequences or other costs of his action. In the second part of the dissertation, we examine at length the objections to the Simple View, lodged by Bratman, Gilbert Harman, and Joshua Knobe. We give an overview of objections by Bratman, Harman, and Knobe which center on three cases and four objections. The cases are: 1) a hypothetical video game; 2) unexpected success; and 3) unintended consequences. The objections are: 1) with respect to the hypothetical video game, the Simple View ascribes an irrational intention to a gamer playing the game; 2) When agents are doubtful of the success of an action they undertake, the Simple View requires that they intend the act the perform rather than that they merely try to perform the act, which opponents argue that this is irrational and false; 3) The Simple View entails the rejection of the distinction between intention and foresight which itself entails that agents intend all the results of their actions, even when those results are merely foreseen and not intended; 4) The Simple View does not adequately explain ordinary language usage with respect to ascriptions of intention for side-effect consequences, and therefore does not reflect basic, commonly shared notions of intentional action. The first two objections center on cases where it seems irrational for an agent to intend the act he performs. In the case of the video game, the scenario is so set up that the player wins a prize for hitting either target but knows that he cannot hit both or the game will shut down. It seems irrational for him to intend to hit both if he cannot; however, in order to maximize his chance winning, it would be rational to aim at both. In the case of unexpected success, it seems that agents do not intend acts whose chances of success they doubt because intending seems to require the positive belief that one will succeed; rather, it is argued that agents merely try but do not intend the act they perform. Against these cases and objections, we argue that agents are capable of conditional and complex intentions, such that one may conditionally intend to hit whichever target is opportune, while aiming at both. Likewise, we argue that intending to act does not require the positive belief that one will succeed; only that it is possible for one to succeed. Furthermore, the distinction between trying and intending is specious. Finally, we respond to the third and fourth objections centering on the intentionality of side-effect consequences. It is argued by Bratman et al. that the Simple View entails the rejection of the distinction between intention and foresight, and that such a rejection further entails consequentialism. Likewise it is also argued that the Simple View fails to account for ordinary language ascriptions of intentionality for side-effect consequences. We agree that the Simple View entails rejecting the distinction between intention and foresight as it is currently applied, but deny that this entails consequentialism, i.e., the view that the consequences of an action are the primary basis for moral evaluation and not the agent's intentions. Likewise, we agree that the Simple View does not model ordinary language ascriptions of intention; however, this is not necessarily a defect since such ascriptions are inconsistent and imprecise. Furthermore, we argue that the Simple View might be used to more adequately explain such usage. We center our response to these objections on the Doctrine of Double Effect. We argue that the doctrine arises from a mistaken interpretation of St. Thomas Aquinas' treatment of defensive killing. We argue that Aquinas does not hold that the death of an attacker is a foreseen but not intended side-effect, as proponents of Double Effect and opponents of the Simple View hold; rather it is intended as a means to the end of self-defense. Therefore, the two effects are not the desired end and a side-effect but rather the intended end and the intended means. Furthermore, we argue that this does not entail doing evil for the sake of good because Aquinas' Aristotelian account of action specification incorporates circumstances as essential components of intentions which give an act its moral quality. Furthermore, the necessary references to an agent's intentions show how the rejection of the application of the distinction between intention and foresight does not entail consequentialism. Finally, we tackle the underlying assumptions about intention and desire which lead to the rejection of the Simple View. Opponents of the Simple View hold that intention is not a form of desire because then it would not have an essential role in the genesis of action or in rational deliberation. We, however, argue that the major objections to the Simple View are defeasible once one understands intention as a species of desire, i.e. a deliberate desire, whose scope includes consequences beyond acts performed and goals achieved. The paradoxes at the heart of the debate hinge on the ambiguity of the English word `intention' and its usage, as well as the inherent difficulty of examining psychological concepts. `Intention' has several senses unified by the purposiveness of the mental states to which the word is referred. These senses can often, but not always, be distinguished in English usage by the degree and kind of deliberation attendant to them. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Philosophy.

ABSTRACT The largest part of this thesis is a novel called Still Life, which explores the mourning process of a mother who loses her baby, and the effect it has on her life and her marriage. The novel alternates between the present and the past (which is 23 years before) so that it illustrates the mother’s reaction to the death of her baby at the time of the death, and her personal development (or lack thereof) many years on.The second part of the thesis is an essay, which reflects on grieving in general and the expression of grief through literature, as well as some of the aspects of the writing process, with particular consideration given to the development of plot,the choice of point-of-view, symbolism, the ending and the choice of writing in a second language.

O presente trabalho é uma proposição sobre as possibilidades cênicas das quatro peças que compõe o último ciclo da obra de Henrik Ibsen (Solness, o Cons-trutor, John Gabriel Borkman, O Pequeno Eyolf e Quando nós, os mortos, desper-tarmos) para além dos limites normalmente estabelecidos pelo Realismo. A questão da fidelidade ao texto é relativizada pela noção de ponto de vista que estabelece o diálogo com referências de outros criadores, circunscritos por um campo de coerência. / The present work is a proposition on the scenic possibilities of the four plays that make up the last cycle of the work of Henrik Ibsen (Solness the Builder, John Gabriel Borkman, Little Eyolf and When we dead awaken) beyond the limits normally set by Realism. The issue of fidelity to the text is relativized by the notion of a point of view es-tablishing dialogue with references from other breeders, circumscribed by a field of coherence.

We study the problem of updating XML views defined over XML documents. A view update is performed by finding the base updates over the underlying data sources that achieve the desired view update. If such base updates do not exist, the view update is said to be untranslatable and rejected. In SQL, determining whether a view update is translatable is performed using schema level analysis, where the view definition and the base schema are used. XML schemas are more complex than SQL schemas, and can specify recursive types and cardinality constraints. There are two kinds of view updates: single view element update, where the user requires for an update over a particular view element, and a set of view elements update, where the user requires for an update over all view elements that satisfy a given XPath over the view. Accordingly, we propose one solution for each kind of view update problems based on schema level analysis for determining whether an update over XML views is translatable and for finding the translation if one exists, while considering the features of XML schemas.

Denna rapport beskriver utvecklingen av en ny styrutrustning för SP´s provning av elektriskaprodukter som sitter i explosionskänslig miljö. Enligt svensk lagstiftning måste produkternauppfylla ATEX-direktivet. SP har en gnistprovningsapparat för provning av elektriskaprodukter. Styrutrustningen till gnistprovningsapparaten har genom åren blivit omodern ochbesvärlig att använda. Den gamla utrustningen är konstruerad på tidigt 80-tal och saknar enkomplett dokumentation. Den bristfälliga dokumentation och komponenter som idag inte gåratt få tag på har gjort utrustningen osäker. Önskemålet är att konstruera en ny styrutrustningsom går att styra med mjukvara utvecklad i LabVIEW 6.1.Ny hårdvara har konstruerats med inventarienummer 504140. Utrustningen har blivit merkompakt och enklare för operatören att använda. En komplett dokumentation har tagits framför den nya styrutrustningen. Hårdvaran kontrolleras nu via ett USB gränssnitt till dator.Mjukvaran som används är utvecklad i LabVIEW 6.1 med namnet Spark Ignition Test v2.0. / Uppsatsnivå: C

Title: The threat of terrorism with focus on soft targets Objectives: The main aim of this work is to describe the security issues of terrorism in the Czech Republic with a focus on soft targets. Another aim is to verify whether, according to valid legislation and documents relating to the fight against terrorism in the Czech Republic, the IRS components are prepared to actively face a terrorist attack on their basis and procedure. Methods: The chosen method is the literary search of Czech and foreign literature, legislation on the fight against terrorism at the level of the Czech Republic and the European Union, and internet sources. Determination of the activities of the IRS components during a terrorist attack, protection of soft targets and explanation of the term terrorism, its forms, methods and what types are most commonly used. In particular, it focuses on the legislative framework which, in the event of a terrorist attack, will be instrumental for IRS components and other components subject to this legislation. Results: It has been found that both terrorism and the fight against it are constantly evolving. In the case of terrorist attacks on soft targets, the currently drafted legislation at the level of both the Czech Republic and the European Union and the components of the Integrated...

Esta pesquisa pode ser considerada um ensaio analítico a partir de questões de cunho filosófico que transbordam no documentário contemporâneo e encontram um diálogo muito fértil com a obra de Joel Pizzini. A nossa proposta é abordar a obra deste cineasta, especificamente o filme 500 Almas (2004) como inspiração para repensar o real, no documentário, enquanto uma questão de ponto de vista. Para tanto, torna-se necessário entender tal questão como um gesto de implicações mais profundas, comparativamente às teorizações cinematográficas e literárias acerca deste elemento. Trata-se, quiçá, de outra forma de conceber o ponto de vista no cinema, orientada pelo perspectivismo filosófico - pensamento presente nas reflexões de Leibniz, Nietsche, Deleuze e posteriormente assimilado pelo perspectivismo ameríndio com Viveiros de Castro - que amplia e reverbera o seu significado não se limitando à expressão ou fixação do ponto de vista de um sujeito autor. Trata-se da possibilidade acarretada pelo documentário, uma forma que é por pressuposto híbrida, de questionar, de produzir verdades, de repensar a distinção entre essência e aparência, entre real e invenção. Estas questões são problematizadas a partir de autores como Comolli e Guy Gauthier que pensam o documentário contemporâneo e as implicações de outros sujeitos e elementos envolvidos no filme que se faz em fricção com o real: a mise-en-scène dos sujeitos filmados, os sujeitos espectadores, a montagem criativa. Ao analisar o filme 500 Almas, observamos de que forma esses e outros elementos são engendrados para constituir o ponto de vista do real. / This research can be considered as an analytical essay from matter of philosophical that abound in contemporary documentary and find a very fruitful dialogue with the work of Joel Pizzini. Our proposal is to address the work of this director, specifically the film 500 Almas (2004) as inspiration for rethinking the real as a matter of the point of view. Therefore, it is necessary to understand this issue as a gesture of deeper implications, compared to cinematographic and literary theorizing about this element. It is, perhaps, another way of conceiving the point of view in cinema, guided by philosophical perspectivism - present thought the reflections of Leibniz, Nietzsche, Deleuze and subsequently assimilated by amerindian perspectivism with Viveiros de Castro - which expands and reverberates your meaning not limited to the expression or fastening point of view of an individual author. It brought about the possibility for the documentary, which is a form of hybrid assumption, to question, to produce truths, to rethink the distinction between essence and appearance, between real and invention. These questions are problematized from authors such as Comolli and Guy Gauthier who think contemporary documentary and implications for other subjects and elements involved in the film that is in friction with the real: the mise-en-scène of the subjects filmed, the subjects spectators, the creative mounting. When analyzing the film 500 Almas, we observe how these and other elements are interwoven to build the point of view of the real.

Richard Nixon, the president, has been given little historical credit for the environmental accomplishments of his administration. Indeed, in his post-presidency memoirs Nixon himself shows no interest in the environment and when he does speak to the issue, it is disparagingly. But ironically, my thesis shows that no administration, before or since, has brought such progress to the multiple issues of environmental quality. The thesis explores the political, social, and historical factors that contributed to the "environmental revolution" of the late 60s and early 70s. The quality of the leaders chosen within the administration helps explain the dichotomy between a negative president and the environmental reform accomplished by his government agencies. It was my privilege to serve with or under these men: Walter Hickel, Russell Train, William Ruckelshaus, John Whitaker, and John Ehrlichman. Dedicated civil servants and other bright, young political appointees joined with me on the environmental agenda.