Controversial Decision Research Articles

Don’t be rash: how effort, religion, and decision-type influence judgments of morality

ABSTRACT The present study explored how knowledge (Study 1) and inferences (Study 2) about religiosity influence impressions of morality depending on whether effort is exerted to reach a morally controversial decision. In Study 1, undergraduates judged a [religious/nonreligious] doctor who exerted [little/great] effort into their decision to euthanize a patient. Results indicated that when the doctor was nonreligious or exerted low effort, they were considered less moral compared to when they were religious or exerted high effort. In Study 2, Turk Prime participants evaluated a doctor who decided in favor or against euthanizing a patient, with the same effort manipulation as Study 1. Results indicated that the doctor who favored euthanasia was considered less religious than the doctor who did not. As in Study 1, greater morality was associated with the doctor who exerted greater effort, particularly when they favored euthanasia. When the doctor favored euthanasia, they were rated as more moral when their background was inferred to be more religious; however, the opposite pattern of results emerged when the doctor decided against euthanasia.

More transparent and explainable machine learning algorithms are required to provide enhanced and sustainable dataset understanding

For detailed dataset interrogation and auditing purposes the lack of dataset explainability/transparency of the majority of available machine-learning (ML) models poses limitations. There is a tendency for ML models to focus on prediction speed and accuracy at the expense of transparently revealing dataset relationships. A case is made here to broaden that focus and for ML models to offer alternative configurations tailored to provide more explanations about how individual predictions are derived. Indeed, those striving to achieve sustainable objectives should not rely on opaque ML models and seek transparency as a fundamental objective of good modelling practice (GMP). Doing so tends to boost trust and confidence in the outputs of models relating to complex socio-environmental systems (SES), particularly those being used to potentially justify controversial social, political and ethical decisions. Currently, the transparent open box algorithms (TOB) are the only ML algorithms available that are configured specifically to routinely provide detailed data record relationships for each of their predictions. This study describes the data mining benefits of the Python-coded optimized data-matching TOB algorithms generally, and when applied to environmental datasets characterized by complex non-linear relationships involving many variables.

FDA Decision to Authorize NJOY ACE Menthol Was Based on a Rigorous Review of the Science to Determine That the Benefits Outweigh the Risk

Response to the article written by Rita Rubin, “Controversial FDA Decision Authorizes Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarettes Despite Risks” JAMA. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.14243 [https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.14243]. Online ahead of print.

National Guard Command Authority and the Black Lives Matter Protests of 2020: Domestic Security Debates for a New Generation of Military Veterans

This study explores connections between the military experiences of a new generation of War on Terror (WoT) veterans elected to the U.S. Congress and controversial policy decisions on domestic security during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. WoT veterans became the largest cohort of lawmakers with common military experiences on Capitol Hill in 2020, and this article examines their engagement through two original case studies of legislative debates over command and control of the National Guard mobilization during BLM protests. Confrontations between federal law enforcement officers and BLM protestors led some WoT veterans to propose legislation to restrict executive authority over National Guard deployments, including reforms of Titles 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code and the Insurrection Act, but other WoT veterans challenged these positions. This exploratory study of events and circumstances links the timely topic of domestic security to traditional debates in the civil–military relations literature on whether veterans are more or less likely to support the use of military force and try to expand congressional oversight of presidential powers. By bridging the gap between research areas and crossing generations, this article offers lessons for past, present, and potentially future debates about the use of troops for domestic security operations.

Keeping a national institution on the stage: Ernest Blythe and the rebuilding of the Abbey Theatre

Historians have, for the most part, overlooked the rebuilding of the Abbey Theatre after its 1951 destruction by fire, a neglect that this article sets out to redress. Debates about rebuilding the Abbey had begun before the fire. The conversations that occurred then, conversations in which Ernest Blythe played an active part, are important to understanding what happened in the years after 1951. Having outlined that context, this article examines the pivotal and underappreciated role played by the Abbey’s managing director Ernest Blythe in securing the reconstruction of the new theatre. Blythe’s familiarity with government proved to be a precious asset in the theatre’s reconstruction, a feat achieved amid some of the most arduous economic conditions in the state’s history. In the fifteen years between the fire and the opening of the new theatre, Blythe liaised with four different governments about the provision of the new theatre. Criticism of the theatre’s work at its place of exile, the Queen’s, frequently made Blythe the focus of personal attack, and he was accused of stifling artistic standards in favour of easy profit. This article identifies the various decisions Blythe made to maintain an agreeable relationship with the government and to emphasise the worth of the national theatre to the Irish state. It also challenges some of the assumptions about Blythe’s tenure at the Abbey and explains the reasoning behind some of his most controversial programming decisions, which, it is argued, he made to maintain government support for the rebuilding of the Abbey Theatre.

The New Education Politics in the United States

During the COVID-19 pandemic, school district politics rose to prominence on the nation's political agenda, as school boards grappled with controversial decisions about reopening schools and implementing mask mandates. A growing number of political scientists are using newly available data and innovative research strategies to examine policy responsiveness, elections, segregation and inequality, state takeovers, interest groups, democratic deliberation, and public opinion—all while focusing on the unique context of education politics. We illuminate the distinctive institutional and policy context of US education politics and review new research in the field, including growing evidence of partisan polarization and the continuing significance of race for influencing power and decision making about schools in the United States. The field has made great strides in the last decade; we highlight the emerging themes from that already rapidly growing literature, while pointing out areas for future research.

Politics Policy Indonesia's Moving A New Capital City To East Kalimantan: Its Impact On The Environment, Marginalization Of Local Communities, And Under The Shadow Of The Oligarch Interest

This paper discusses the political policy of President Joko Widodo's government to move Indonesia's national capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan. This controversial decision has sparked debate among various stakeholders, both domestically and internationally. The official justification for relocating the capital is Jakarta's overpopulation, severe traffic congestion, and flooding problems, along with the goal of fostering economic development and income equality outside Java. However, these reasons are overshadowed by significant political and business interests, particularly those of foreign investors, due to East Kalimantan's rich natural resources. These underlying interests drive President Joko Widodo's determination to proceed with the capital relocation amidst domestic economic and political challenges. The project exacerbates socio- economic inequality and national debt, benefiting a few oligarchs at the expense of many. Additionally, the relocation project has resulted in massive environmental damage, displacing tens of thousands of hectares and disrupting the lives of indigenous communities, such as the Balik tribe. This project erodes local wisdom and social systems that have existed for generations. The capital relocation is heavily influenced by Chinese business interests, facilitated by Government Regulation No. 12 of 2023, which provides a legal framework for investor control for 190 years. This regulation is seen as more exploitative than colonial practices of the past. Internationally, the project has drawn criticism for its environmental destruction amid global concerns about climate change. Ultimately, the New Capital City Relocation Mega Project raises critical questions about who truly benefits and who suffers from this massive undertaking.

Gideon's Leadership Cohesion and the Negative Side of His Power Based on Judges 8:22-35

This study is the antithesis of many studies on Gideon that praise and position him as a great leader. It is ironic that Gideon turned out to have a bad legacy to Israel as a result of the cohesion between leadership and the negative side of power and this is rarely exposed by researchers. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors of Gideon's failure and make it an important lesson for leaders to have the right character so that they can reach the end of good leadership (finishing well). Based on the hermeneutic method with a literature study approach, this article finds several negative factors of Gideon, namely: first, unstable emotions triggered controversial decisions as a slaughterer; second, leaving a legacy that led the Israelites to fall into the worship of ephods as idols; and third, having a high lust for power so that he named his son Abimelech, who later became king through intrigue and murder. The results of this study are very useful as an important lesson to every believer, that even though leaders are chosen by God, but as humans they still have weaknesses, so they should not be worshiped excessively.

The Influence of the Constitutional Court Ruling No 90/PUU-XXI/2023 on the Authority and Marvel of the Constitutional Court as Guardian of the Constitution

The Constitutional Court was formed to maintain the integrity of the Constitution through a deeper interpretation based on the 1945 Constitution. This journal discusses the influence of CC Decision No. 90/PUU-XXI/2023 on the Authority and Dignity of the Constitutional Court as Guardian of the Constitution. The study combines a literature review methodology with a qualitative approach. The research results show that CC Decision No. 90/PUU-XXI/2023 is contrary to the Constitutional Court's authority based on the 1945 Constitution. The addition of new regulations that were previously unregulated or not is not outside the Constitutional Court's jurisdiction, but rather the legislative authority. Research examines the importance of maintaining judicial neutrality to prevent abuse of power. The Constitutional Court, as the Guardian of the Constitution, must pay attention to the rights of citizens and maintain the balance of power. With this controversial decision, in the context of the CC authority which should be limited to constitutional review and maintaining the neutral role of the judiciary in fighting abuse of power by the legislature and executive. Even though the Constitutional Court is the final decision maker on laws based on the 1945 Constitution, its authority is limited to reviewing laws and is not involved in the legislative realm.

When the Opposition Dominates the Conversation (Twitter Network Analysis about the Controversial Indonesian Constitutional Court Decision)

When the Opposition Dominates the Conversation (Twitter Network Analysis about the Controversial Indonesian Constitutional Court Decision)

The development of mediation strategies when relaying information, both in speech and writing: Task samples for undergraduate students of Spanish as a foreign language

Mediation was marginally included in the CEFR (2001), but it is in most recent editions (2018, 2020) that this area has gained pivotal recognition. New descriptors have been incorporated to foster the development of mediation activities and strategies, as well as the emphasis on plurilingual and pluricultural competences for language learning, among other aspects. This paper will discuss two sequences of tasks based on the illustrative descriptor “Relaying specific information” included within the “Mediating a text” scale, which “involves passing on to another person the content of a text to which they do not have access, often because of linguistic, cultural, semantic or technical barriers” (CEFR/CV 2020: 91). Furthermore, there are two subscales that have been covered throughout our activities. The first is “Relaying specific information” and the second is “Processing text.” Both subscales can take place in speech, writing or sign, but in the case of our tasks, they were done in speech followed by the writing format. In the first one (CEFR/CV, B2), textual mediation was carried out whilst discussing the controversial decision of adding Castilian Spanish subtitles -- the variety of Peninsular Spanish spoken in northern and central Spain-- to the film Roma (2018), shot in Mexican Spanish, and Mixtec. The second task aimed to offer an in-depth revision of cohesive devices. Thus, it provided students (CEFR/CV, C1) with the opportunity to review various Spanish linking words and strengthen their use in argumentative texts.

Analisis Legal Standing dan Konsistensi Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi dalam Pengujian Materiil UU Nomor 7 Tahun 2017 tentang Pemilihan Umum: Studi Kasus Putusan No.90/PUU-XXI/2023

This research reviews constitutional review at the Constitutional Court (MK), especially in Case No.90/PUU-XXI/2023. The focus is on the applicant's legal standing and the Constitutional Court's considerations in making decisions. Legal standing is a legal right or position that allows a party to file a lawsuit before a court. In the context of material review, the applicant's legal position is the main determinant of the legitimacy of judicial review. Normative legal methods are used in this research to systematically and in-depth analyze the legal framework governing legal standing and the Constitutional Court's interpretation of it in the context of the cases studied. This research discusses the requirements and criteria for legal standing which are regulated in both the law and MK regulations, as well as the MK's interpretation of them in this case. The results show a debate surrounding the consistency, independence, and integrity of the Constitutional Court, especially regarding the controversial decisions received. Criticism emerged regarding the Constitutional Court's approach in assessing legal standing, where there were allegations of inconsistencies, loose assessments, and potentially dubious conflicts of interest. Thus, this research provides in-depth insight into the constitutional review process and the challenges faced by the Constitutional Court in maintaining its authority as an independent and credible constitutional justice institution.

Перспективы легализации семейного предпринимательства: опыт Португалии

Family and business relationships are closely interconnected and potentially acute succession issues often turn out to be a source of serious conflicts between business representatives. The implementation № 1 2024 год 64 АННОТАЦИИ of specific corporate governance measures is more than just a fundamental prerequisite for the survival of many family businesses. The appointment of a general manager often turns out to be one of the most controversial decisions in the life of a family business. The survival and prosperity of family entrepreneurship in Portugal serves to strengthen competition and choice.

Aligning Schwartz’s model of culture with that of Minkov-Hofstede

Recent studies have shown that the validated dimensions in the best-known models of national culture converge into a two-dimensional default model, yielding a cultural map of the world reminiscent of the geographic one. The revised Minkov-Hofstede model is very similar to that default, whereas Inglehart-Welzel’s model is a rotated and flipped variant of it. However, another popular model - Schwartz’s - differs from the default: it does not have a dimension capturing the cultural contrast between East Asia and Latin America plus Africa. Consequently, it cannot explain national differences in educational achievement and a number of other important national indicators, relevant in international business. This omission in Schwartz’s model is puzzling as its author claims to have analyzed all values with invariant meanings across the world. On the other hand, Schwartz’s model has an idiosyncratic “mastery-harmony” dimension that is not consistent with any geo-economic pattern and has poor predictive properties, constituting another weakness. We show that these idiosyncrasies of Schwartz’s model stem from Schwartz’s controversial decision to ipsatize his items and use multidimensional scaling: a method which, even without ipsatization, can create spatial opposites of items that are not negatively correlated. A principal component analysis of raw (non-ipsatized) Schwartz value domains does yield a variant of the default model of culture. We argue that although ipsatizing Schwartz value measures is not wrong in an absolute sense, it yields an impoverished and somewhat puzzling image of cultural differences across the globe, whereas raw measures reproduce the Minkov-Hofstede variant of the default model relatively well, although a different selection of values might perform even better.

Third Time's the Charm? Indications and Outcomes for Redo-Redo IPAA.

Up to 20% to 40% cases of redo IPAA procedures will result in pouch failure. Whether to offer a second redo procedure to maintain intestinal continuity remains a controversial decision. To report our institutional experience of second redo IPAA procedures. This was a retrospective review. Patient-reported outcomes were compared between patients undergoing second redo procedures and those undergoing first redo procedures using propensity score matching to balance the 2 cohorts. Tertiary referral center. Patients who underwent second redo IPAA procedures between 2004 and 2021 were included in this study. Second redo IPAA. Pouch survival and patient-reported outcomes were measured using the Cleveland Global Quality of Life survey. Twenty-three patients were included (65% women), 20 (87%) with an index diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and 3 (13%) with indeterminate colitis. The final diagnosis was changed to Crohn's disease in 8 (35%) cases. The indication for pouch salvage was the same for the first and second redo procedures in 21 (91%) cases: 20 (87%) patients had both redo IPAAs for septic complications. After a median follow-up of 39 months (interquartile range, 18.5-95.5 months), pouch failure occurred in 8 (30%) cases (7 cases due to sepsis, of whom 3 never had their stoma closed, and 1 case due to poor function); all patients who experienced pouch failure underwent the second redo procedure due to septic complications. Overall pouch survival at 3 years was 76%: 62.5% in patients with a final diagnosis of Crohn's disease versus 82.5% in patients with ulcerative/indeterminate colitis ( p = 0.09). Overall quality-of-life score (0-1) was 0.6 (0.5-0.8). Quality of life and functional outcomes were comparable between first and second redo procedures, except incontinence, which was higher in second redo procedures. Single-center retrospective review. A second pouch salvage procedure may be offered with acceptable outcomes to selected patients with high motivation to keep intestinal continuity. See Video Abstract . ANTECEDENTES:Hasta un 20-40% de los casos de rehacer anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal (IPAA) resultarán en falla de la bolsa. La posibilidad de ofrecer un segundo procedimiento para mantener la continuidad intestinal sigue siendo una decisión controvertida.OBJETIVO:Reportar nuestra experiencia institucional de una segunda re-confección de la anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal.DISEÑO:Revisión retrospectiva; los resultados informados por los pacientes se compararon entre los pacientes que se sometieron a una segunda re-confeccion con los de los pacientes que se sometieron a una la primera re-confeccion utilizando el puntaje de propensión para equilibrar las dos cohortes.AJUSTES ENTORNO CLINICO:Centro de referencia terciario.PACIENTES:Pacientes que se sometieron a una segunda re-confeccion de de la anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal entre 2004 y 2021.INTERVENCIONES:Segunda re-confeccion de la anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Supervivencia de la bolsa, resultados informados por los pacientes medidos mediante la encuesta Cleveland Global Quality of Life.RESULTADOS:Se incluyeron veintitrés pacientes (65% mujeres), 20 (87%) con diagnóstico inicial de colitis ulcerosa y 3 (13%) con colitis indeterminada. El diagnóstico final se cambió a enfermedad de Crohn en ocho (35%) casos. La indicación para el rescate de la bolsa fue la misma para la primera y segunda re-confeccion en 21 (91%) casos: 20 (87%) pacientes tuvieron ambas re-confecciones de la anastomosis anal con bolsa ileal por complicaciones sépticas. Después de una mediana de seguimiento de 39 meses (RIC 18,5 - 95,5), se produjo falla de la bolsa en 8 (30%) casos (7 casos debido a sepsis, de los cuales 3 nunca cerraron el estoma y 1 caso debido a una mala función); todos los pacientes que experimentaron falla de la bolsa se sometieron a una segunda re-confeccion debido a complicaciones sépticas. La supervivencia global de la bolsa a los 3 años fue del 76%: 62,5% en pacientes con diagnóstico final de enfermedad de Crohn, versus 82,5% en colitis ulcerativa/indeterminada ( p = 0,09). La puntuación general de calidad de vida (0 -1) fue 0,6 (0,5 - 0,8). La calidad de vida y los resultados funcionales fueron comparables entre la primera y la segunda re-confeccion, excepto la incontinencia, que fue mayor en la segunda re-confeccion.LIMITACIONES:Revisión retrospectiva de un solo centro.CONCLUSIONES:Se puede ofrecer un segundo procedimiento de rescate de la bolsa con resultados aceptables a pacientes seleccionados con alta motivación para mantener la continuidad intestinal. (Traducción- Dr. Francisco M. Abarca-Rendon ).

School Closures during the 1918 Flu Pandemic

Abstract During the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic, many local authorities made the controversial decision to close schools. We use newly digitized data from newspaper archives on the length of school closures for 165 large U.S. cities during the 1918–1919 flu pandemic to assess the long-run consequences of closing schools on children. We find that the closures had no detectable impact on children's school attendance in 1920, nor on their educational attainment and adult labor market outcomes in 1940. We highlight important differences between the 1918–1919 and COVID-19 pandemics and caution against extrapolating from our null effects to modern-day settings.

The WTO Condemns Trump’s Tariffs on Steel and Aluminium, but Biden Condemns the WTO

Recently World Trade Organization (WTO) panels declared the illegitimacy of the tariff increases imposed in 2018 by the US government, based on national security grounds, on imports of steel and aluminium products. This paper addresses some of the key legal issues raised in the four controversial panel decisions, leaving some final reflections on the future of multilateral trade system. Given the unsettled nature of the terrain, we firstly focus on the WTO rules that are relevant to the tariffs imposed by Trump in 2018, before dwelling on the complainants’ arguments and panels’ findings. Two indications or conclusion can be drawn from the paper. First, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XXI doesn’t constitute a self-judging or non-justiciable provision, differently from what argued by the US Government. Second, the controversial reports will not resolve the ongoing conflict initiated by US against the WTO. In fact Biden, far from distancing himself from Trump’s measures, openly condemned the panel’s decisions through an official statement widely disseminated by the media. The practical significance of the recent condemnation of the US tariffs is even less evident when considering the persistent issue of the appointment of members to the WTO Appellate Body. If multilateralism continues to falter, the US may no longer be the only country winking at bilateralism, as evidenced by the recent rules adopted by the EU. Security Exceptions, Dispute Settlement Understanding, Antidumping Duties, WTO, international economics, European Union, GATT, escape clauses, multilateral trade system

The Influence of Health Professional Ethics on Controversial Medical Decisions

This study investigates the implications of differences in ethical values between healthcare practitioners, patients, and families related to the use of advanced medical technology in medical decision making. In the context of complex medical decisions, this research reviews how moral, social, and medical factors influence the decision-making process, especially in situations of terminating care for patients in terminal condition. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this study investigates how healthcare practitioners navigate ethical dilemmas, consider patient perspectives, and integrate ethical values in clinical practice. The results of this study provide deep insight into the complex dynamics of medical decision making and encourage the adoption of a holistic approach in responding to differences in ethical values

Legacies of Leadership

Abstract Leaving office after 16 years as German chancellor, Angela Merkel has multifold and complex legacies. While Merkel's leadership style has frequently been described as cautious in domestic politics, her role in international relations is often characterized as that of an active defender of liberal international norms and values. Yet she was also responsible for some of the most controversial decisions regarding Europe, often raising questions about Germany's commitments and goals. This article explores her foreign policy and her role in the European Union through a gender-sensitive lens. It examines the scope and significance of her leadership based on three case studies to allow for a differentiated analysis: the Eurozone crisis, the migrant crisis, and the COVID-19 crisis.

Examining the Morality of the U.S. Atomic Bombings: Strategic Necessity or Controversial Decision?

The morality of the two atomic bombings conducted by the United States on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has long raised contention among both strategists and the general public. This paper discusses the strategic context of World War IIs Pacific theater and proposes that despite the unprecedented cruelty casted on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by atomic weapons, the bombs were dropped out of the strategic necessity to bring a swift end to the war. By reviewing the diaries of key commanders, the U.S. Armys reports and forecasts of a land invasion of Japan, and account of Japanese resilience and unfathomable refusal to surrender under conventional circumstances, this study demonstrates that by forcing an early Japanese surrender, the atomic attacks obviated a land invasion of Japan, which would have inflicted much heavier casualties and thus provide the moral underpinnings of the atomic weapon attacks.