ΠΑΙΣ ΠΑΙΖΩΝ. Homer, Iliad XV 362–364, Heraclitus, DK 22 B 52, and F. Nietzsche

This work is a synopsis of an argument for a semiotic approach to theorizing religion. The central argument combines Jonathan Z. Smith's notion of "sacred persistence" as the dynamic relationship between a canon and a hermeneute with the work of Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Mikhail Bakhtin. The argument is that religion is a process of on-going semiotic construction and displacement wherein heremeneutes select paradigmatic elements to form syntagmatic combinations. One of the aspects of this process of selection and combination is what Bakhtin refers to as "the speech of the other". Often, though not always, this element of religious semiotica takes the form of an agon, or contest. This work draws upon Foucault and Nietzsche to supplement Smith's and Bakhtin's notion of the production of religious speech/interpretations by further theorizing the concept of the agon. It is argued that this approach is an advance upon both essentialist phenomenological approaches and inductive, explanatory approaches. Religion, it is claimed, is best understood on the model of language, and by means of analogous approaches used in the study of language and language behaviors.

The construction industry is one with a large number of specialized areas and disciplines, many based on cyclic processes at construction phase. With the advent of the lean construction concept, a few researchers have begun to apply lean principles to construction processes at construction phase. This paper seeks to test the applicability of lean principles to one of construction operations using discrete-event simulation. One of the general simulation tools with a powerful 3D animation in this regard is ARENA, which is used in this paper. Data required to simulation model development were gathered from the construction site. It concluded that the concepts of lean construction can be applied properly using simulation as means of testing lean concepts prior to actual field implementation. Results of the simulation models showed that lean principles enhanced the performance of the selected processes by reducing the total time of the project and increasing the process efficiency.

Universities are academic organisations built by disciplines, and the level of discipline construction is an important basis to reflect the strength of universities. Discipline performance management is a dynamic and cyclical process. In order to study the performance of discipline construction, a two-dimensional input-output model is established to monitor the process of discipline construction in universities, and a least squares model is established to monitor the result of subject construction. Using these two models, we carried out a comprehensive study on the performance process and results of discipline construction performance in the selected 11 universities. It provides a certain references for the sustainable development of discipline construction.

The major requirement of every construction project is meeting client’s need of cost, quality and time. However, the construction industry is overwhelmed with risks more than any other industry due to the fact that they are present in every activity from design to completion. These risks need to be controlled early or face the possibility of cost overruns, time delays and poor quality work leading to displeasure of client and public. Although risk management in construction projects is a very important issue in terms of the firms operating in the construction sector, it has not yet gained clarity and prevalence in our country. Within the scope of this research, the aim of this research is to introduce the risk management system as a concept and to classify the risk in construction projects and to demonstrate the risk management techniques. Risk management system is a cyclic process. In the monitoring and control phase of applied risk responding strategies, some of the risks will be eliminated or reduced, some of unforeseen risks will appear and analysis steps will be realized again. At the end of the project, determination of to what degree project aims and targets have been reached and documentation of risk management system after evaluation regarding to the project will enable the company to use project risk management system more effectively and usefully in the projects undertaken later. Due to construction activities, processes, environment and organization’s structures, construction industry and the clients are broadly in relation with high risk degrees. Therefore, it is highly important for our country’s firms in construction industry to give necessary significance to project risk management idea and system and to consider them as a basic function of the projects for permanence of their enterprise existence.

The major requirement of every construction project is meeting client’s need of cost, quality and time. However, the construction industry is overwhelmed with risks more than any other industry due to the fact that they are present in every activity from design to completion. These risks need to be controlled early or face the possibility of cost overruns, time delays and poor quality work leading to displeasure of client and public. Although risk management in construction projects is a very important issue in terms of the firms operating in the construction sector, it has not yet gained clarity and prevalence in our country. Within the scope of this research, the aim of this research is to introduce the risk management system as a concept and to classify the risk in construction projects and to demonstrate the risk management techniques. Risk management system is a cyclic process. In the monitoring and control phase of applied risk responding strategies, some of the risks will be eliminated or reduced, some of unforeseen risks will appear and analysis steps will be realized again. At the end of the project, determination of to what degree project aims and targets have been reached and documentation of risk management system after evaluation regarding to the project will enable the company to use project risk management system more effectively and usefully in the projects undertaken later. Due to construction activities, processes, environment and organization’s structures, construction industry and the clients are broadly in relation with high risk degrees. Therefore, it is highly important for our country’s firms in construction industry to give necessary significance to project risk management idea and system and to consider them as a basic function of the projects for permanence of their enterprise existence.

In psychology the need for methodological innovation along the lines of the co-constructionist paradigm is emphasised. The model of methodology outlined is a cyclical research process in which goal-oriented thinking and interven tional procedures are used by the investigator in interaction with investigated phenomena. Traditional psychology's concern with variables has led to a sepa ration of the different facets of the target phenomena and has not proved useful in studying developmental processes. Co-constructionist methods involve the re-interpretation of existing methods, for example, interview and it is sug gested that these methods are akin to the hermeneutic process of knowledge construction whereby the emergence of relevant and novel psychological phe nomena is possible. The microgenetic research strategies that are used help to retain the individual sequence of the phenomena in the constructed data. The co-constructionist methodological approach is used to study cooperative and competitive behaviours in pre-school children. This process involves a uni fication of inductive and deductive inferences and a re-conceptualisation of the phenomena in terms of goal orientation convergence and divergence. An analysis of interactions between children and the adult experimenter is provided.

The development and maintenance of semantic web (SW) means that collaborative manufacturing systems are faced with increasing challenges caused by the growing difficulty in managing distributed manufacturing knowledge. This paper presents a multi-perspective modelling approach to systematically manage distributed manufacturing knowledge on the SW. Considering knowledge engineering as a cyclic and constructive modelling process, a multi-perspective knowledge modelling process is proposed to evolve along knowledge elicitation, engineering modelling, UML-based object modelling, OWL-based ontology modelling, knowledge formalisation and OWL-QL assisted knowledge verification activities. The proposed approach is viewed as a promising knowledge management method that facilitates the implementation of computer supported cooperative work (CSCW) in distributed manufacturing for SW applications by integrating the industrial, UML enabled software engineering techniques into recent ontology-based knowledge engineering process. The feasibility of knowledge management through multi-perspective modelling is manifested using the manufacturing ontology for manufacturing electronic connectors.

Grounding knowledge acquisition with ontology explanation:A case study

Knowledge validation is still a challenge when constructing knowledge-based systems. It is one of the major reasons for user rejection and disagreement between project participants. Systematic and periodic reviews of the domain ontology, with a formal agreement of the whole development team (including the experts) are a recommended good practice. Nevertheless, these reviews do not guarantee system success. This paper presents a case study of the construction process of a knowledge-based system. The process involved a group of experts with varied work experience. A great deal of negotiation happened during knowledge acquisition meetings, which took place during a 6-month period. After each meeting, changes in the ontology were verified through a web-based questionnaire, from which either consensual agreement was reached (and changes implemented) or the need for a new meeting was ascertained. An explanatory review at the beginning of each meeting further solidified the understanding of all participants. This cyclic process led to a final version of the ontology, ratified by all participants. This model supports diagnosis and prediction of failures in mechanical drilling rigs in oil exploration sites. Unexpectedly, during system trials, experts disagreed with results, which raised questions about the validity of the domain ontology. The system’s explanation module provided a cornerstone for a reflective process that helped identify inconsistencies and corrections needed. These reflections led to adjustments to the ontology, and a reflection about previous decisions and element definitions. Explanations, derived from the ontology and instantiated using real scenarios, shed light on knowledge gaps and semantic inconsistencies of the domain model. In this paper we have three main goals: (1) to present our ontology construction process; (2) to highlight a particular situation where results were inadequate; and (3) to show how the explanation system helped experts and knowledge engineers identify gaps. We also present lessons learned from the whole process, that may apply in other situations.

This article illustrates the possible application of homeokinetics to the constructive process of the origin of life. The homeokinetic strategy is to seek out cycles at all time scales in a system where they can be discovered (spectroscopy) and to show how interacting cyclic processes can account for historical emergence of new entities, many of which also are cyclic processes. The full story of emergence necessarily begins with cosmology, which eventually results in an earth that can support geological processes, which form the matrix for life.

Reliability assessment of heritage buildings is in many aspects different from that taken in designing the structure of a newly proposed building. The effects of the construction process and subsequent life of the architecture, during which it may have undergone alteration, deterioration, misuse, and other changes to its as-built (as-designed) state, must be taken into account. That is why the assessment of heritage architecture often requires application of sophisticated methods, as a rule beyond the scope of traditional design practice and codes. The two main principles for the assessment of heritage architecture may be summarized as follows: (1) Available scientific knowledge and know-how including currently valid codes should be applied; historical practice and provisions valid when the architecture was built (designed), should be used as guidance information only; (2) Actual characteristics of structural material, action, geometric data and structural behaviour should be considered; the original documentation including drawings should be used as guidance material only. The most important step of the whole assessment procedure of heritage architecture is evaluation of inspection data and updating of prior information concerning strength and structural reliability. Typically, assessment of heritage architecture is a cyclic process in which the first preliminary assessment is often supplemented by subsequent detailed investigations and assessment.

Friedrich Nietzsche's aesthetic language philosophy and theory of history, coupled with Michel Foucault's limit attitude, combine to create the foundation for limit work as a form of rhetorical criticism. As a rhetorical theory, limit work is designed to map the limits imposed by identity formation, including the strategies of remembrance accompanying articulations of collective belonging, through the analysis of controversial speech. In this essay, after reviewing the identity logic derived from Nietzsche, Foucault, and others, I exemplify the utility of limit work by applying it to the process of national identity construction in 1988 West Germany, 1993 Russia, and 1995 Quebec.

The reuse system mentioned in this paper is an overall system for realizing a reuse business in a cyclic process of design, fabrication, construction, maintenance, dismantling, and storage. The reuse system mainly aims at reusing building steel structures that have already constructed. On the other hand, the sustainable building structure aims at reusing new building steel structures in the future. This structure is one form of a damage-controlled structure. Clearly separating the main structure from seismic energy absorption members keeps the main frame within the elastic range, and the seismic energy absorption members can collectively absorb the seismic energy force. The continued use of the main structure is possible by replacing only earthquake-damaged braces where necessary; reusing structural members is also possible.In this paper, the authors verify that the sustainable building structure is suitable for reusing structural members through trial construction. Then, easiness of erection and dismantling of sustainable building structure is evaluated.

The reuse system mentioned in this paper is an overall system for realizing a reuse business in a cyclic process of design, fabrication, construction, maintenance, dismantling, and storage. The reuse system mainly aims at reusing building steel structures that have already constructed. On the other hand, the sustainable building structure aims at reusing new building steel structures in the future. This structure is one form of a damage-controlled structure. Clearly separating the main structure from seismic energy absorption members keeps the main frame within the elastic range, and the seismic energy absorption members can collectively absorb the seismic energy force. The continued use of the main structure is possible by replacing only earthquake-damaged braces where necessary; reusing structural members is also possible.In this paper, the authors verify that the sustainable building structure is suitable for reusing structural members through trial construction. Then, easiness of erection and dismantling of sustainable building structure is evaluated.

Microorganisms, though invisible, they play a pivotal role in influencing both the global economy and societal progress., and job market. This discussion highlights their significant impact on various sectors like food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. These versatile microorganisms act as efficient cell factories, producing chemicals from renewable sources and aiding in waste degradation. The historical development of microbial cell factories has relied on a trial-and-error approach, following a cyclic process of design, construction, testing, and refinement. The essay delves into the critical role of microorganisms in sustainable development, highlighting their capacity for sustainable chemical production and waste degradation. The incorporation of microbial technology presents significant opportunities for advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Microorganisms contribute significantly to sustainable development by influencing the economy, creating jobs, improving food and pharmaceutical production, and advancing chemical manufacturing. Their utilization brings advantages like cleaner production methods, renewable resource utilization, and healthcare contributions. Overall, microorganisms are essential players in sustainable development, offering solutions for a more environmentally friendly and economically viable future.