Counter Arguments Research Articles

Improving Cognition Without Clearing Amyloid: Effects of Tau and Ultrasound Neuromodulation.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by progressive impairment of neuronal functions culminating in neuronal loss and dementia. A universal feature of dementia is protein aggregation, a process by which a monomer forms intermediate oligomeric assembly states and filaments that develop into end-stage hallmark lesions. In Alzheimer's disease, this is exemplified by extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques which have been placed upstream of tau, found in intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and dystrophic neurites. This implies causality that can be modeled as a linear activation cascade. When Aβ load is reduced, for example, in response to an anti-Aβ immunotherapy, cognitive functions improve in plaque-forming mice. They also deteriorate less in clinical trial cohorts although real-world clinical benefits remain to be demonstrated. Given the existence of aged humans with unimpaired cognition despite a high plaque load, the central role of Aβ has been challenged. A counter argument has been that clinical symptoms would eventually develop if these aged individuals were to live long enough. Alternatively, intrinsic mechanisms that protect the brain in the presence of pathology may exist. In fact, Aβ toxicity can be abolished by either reducing or manipulating tau (through which Aβ signals), at least in preclinical models. In addition to manipulating steps in this linear pathocascade model, mechanisms of restoring brain reserve can also counteract Aβ toxicity. Low-intensity ultrasound is a neuromodulatory modality that can improve cognitive functions in Aβ-depositing mice without the need for removing Aβ. Together, this highlights a dissociation of Aβ and cognition, with important implications for therapeutic interventions.

Beyond convergence, divergence and resilience: identity construction of the second generation of the Bangladeshi diaspora in a globalised world

ABSTRACT In today’s globalised world, there's a widespread belief about Diaspora communities: that while they may have a global perspective, they still regard their homeland as their eventual destination. However, research on the second generation of the Bangladeshi Diaspora challenges this notion. This study aims to delve into this scholarship and uncovers the reasons behind this counter argument. Specifically, it examines how the first and second generations of the Bangladeshi Diaspora converge, diverge, and adapt in terms of identity formation, survival strategies, and acculturation. Using thematic analysis of existing literature, supplemented by virtual ethnography and semi-structured interviews, thirty in total, this study seeks to develop a nuanced understanding of Diaspora identity and acculturation, without claiming broad generalisations.

Critique of Modern Feminism

This paper explores the counter argument for Chapter 3 of Marriages, Families, and Relationships by Mary Ann Lamanna, Agnes Riedmann, and Susan Stewart, which deals with the topic of Gender Identities and Families, especially regarding feminism. This paper will provide a general summary, main points, and concepts of the chapter that focuses on feminism. Afterwards, this paper will continue to provide a general social, legal, and cultural climate of the time the book was written versus now (2024), and then reflect on some new information and research that disproves the glorification of modern feminism as done in the book. The critique will demonstrate how modern feminism, under the guise of advocating for gender equality, can sometimes promote racist and sexist agendas. Specifically, this paper will detail the mechanisms through which modern feminism disguises itself, manipulating social perceptions to orient one group as superior over others. This will include an analysis of how certain feminist narratives utilize the concepts of victimhood and social proof to establish a hierarchy of suffering and legitimacy, thereby positioning some groups as more deserving of support and resources than others, based on race, class, or historical experiences.

The mediating role of nurses' attitude towards reporting child abuse and neglect

PurposeAttitudes towards reporting child abuse and neglect play a significant role in determining the tendency to report abuse and neglect. In addition, Cognitive Response Theory (Shen, 2020) suggests that individuals actively process messages by producing pro and/or counter arguments referred to as “Gain – loss thoughts”. However, literature positioning the variable, attitudes towards reporting, as a mediator, as well as its importance, are limited. The purpose of the study was to investigate the mediating effect of pediatric nurses' attitudes between “gain-loss thoughts” and the tendency to report child abuse and neglect. Design and methodsA cross-sectional study examined 124 pediatric nurses working in central Israel's hospital departments concerning nurses' tendency to report (tendency to report = TTR), attitudes towards reporting, and “gain-loss thoughts” (positive and negative consequences for the child). ResultsMost of the nurses had professional experience of 11 years or more (n = 75; 62.5%). According to the findings, nurses' attitudes towards reporting mediate the effect of gain-loss on the TTR child abuse and neglect. ConclusionsFindings from this study contributed to our understanding of the importance of pediatric nurses' attitudes in determining the TTR abuse and neglect. Only nurses' positive attitudes towards reporting child abuse had a mediating effect on TTR. Practice implicationsUnderstanding the importance of attitudes and gain-loss thoughts can serve as a strategy for training programs and in the assimilation of reporting obligations by health professionals in general and nurses in particular.

Current Practice: Rationale for Screening Children with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia for Brain Vascular Malformations.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is an autosomal dominant vascular dysplasia characterized by mucocutaneous telangiectasias, recurrent epistaxis, and organ vascular malformations including in the brain, which occur in about 10% of patients. These brain vascular malformations include high-flow AVMs and AVFs as well as low-flow capillary malformations. High-flow lesions can rupture, causing neurologic morbidity and mortality. International guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia recommend screening children for brain vascular malformations with contrast enhanced MR imaging at hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia diagnosis. Screening has not been uniformly adopted by some practitioners who contend that screening is not justified. Arguments against screening include application of short-term data from the adult A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations (ARUBA) trial of unruptured sporadic brain AVMs to children with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia as well as concerns about administration of sedation or IV contrast and causing patients or families increased anxiety. In this article, a multidisciplinary group of experts on hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia reviewed data that support screening guidelines and counter arguments against screening. Children with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia have a preponderance of high-flow lesions including AVFs, which have the highest rupture risk. The rupture risk among children is estimated at about 0.7% per lesion per year and is additive across lesions and during a lifetime. ARUBA, an adult clinical trial of expectant medical management versus treatment of unruptured brain AVMs, favored medical management at 5 years but is not applicable to pediatric patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia given the life expectancy of a child. Additionally, interventional, radiosurgical, and surgical techniques have improved with time. Experienced neurovascular experts can prospectively determine the best treatment for each child on the basis of local resources. The "watch and wait" approach to imaging means that children with brain vascular malformations will not be identified until a potentially life-threatening and deficit-producing intracerebral hemorrhage occurs. This expert group does not deem this to be an acceptable trade-off.

On Seeing Long Shadows: Is Academic Medicine at its Core a Practice of Racial Oppression?

Suggestions that academic medicine is systemically racist are increasingly common in the medical literature. Such suggestions often rely upon expansive notions of systemic racism that are deeply controversial. The author argues for an empirical concept of systemic racism and offers a counter argument to a recent suggestion that academic medicine is systemically racist in its treatment of medical trainees: Anderson et al.'s(Academic Medicine, 98(8S), S28-S36, 2023) "The Long Shadow: a Historical Perspective on Racism in Medical Education." Contra the authors of "The Long Shadow," the author argues that racial performance disparities in medical education cannot be validly attributed to racism without careful empirical confirmation; he further argues that standards of assessment in medical education cannot be properly deemed racist merely because minority trainees are disproportionately disadvantaged by them. Furthermore, the history of medicine and society in the Anglo-European West is not, as argued by the authors of "The Long Shadow," best viewed as one long tale of racial oppression culminating in the present day pervasive racism of academic medicine in the United States. Racism is a deplorable stain on our history and our present but it is not the historical essence of Christianity, European civilization, Western medicine, or contemporary academic medical institutions.

Will Including Health at COP28 Mean Transformation of Global Mental Health Action? And will Mental Health Professionals transform to help achieve it?

Introduction: For the first time COP28 have included Public Health in their climate change discussions. Given progress on climate change has many hurdles, from domestic, economic and corporate pressures, it is pertinent to explore what impact this inclusion might have and what specific challenges there might be in relation to global mental health.Purpose: This positioning paper considers whether the implication of the inclusion of Health at COP28 might bring about transformation in the way Global Mental Health is addressed. It also considers how it might transform how mental health professionals, but also all others involved in working with people with mental health issues, transform mental health. The paper considers challenges to be faced going forward and potential solutions. The author acknowledges they are sharing their position on this subject, but in doing so, hopes to generate wider discussion.Methodology: As this is a positioning paper, data has been derived from the argument and counter argument within the paper. Therefore, there is a possibility of the risk of bias. Results: Plans to improve mental health globally have focused on replicating a Western, Global North model. Despite over 10 years of the WHO Mental Health Action Plan, there continues to be a growing mental health pandemic, worsened by Covid-19. Mental ill- health is caused by multiple factors, many are national, regional and even localized. The Western Global North model does not factor this in sufficiently to bring about improvement.Conclusion: This paper evaluated whether by including ‘Health’ at the recent COP28, it would help transform Global Mental Health. What became clear, after reviewing previous policies and action plans, was that significant change and improvement had not occurred. Policy makers and professionals approach needs to focus on preventing mental ill-health rather than treating after the event. Additionally, decolonisation of policies and professionals education is required to co-create sustainable resilience with people/communities and reduce mental ill-health.

There are alternatives. Models for sustainable employment structures in the German system of higher education.

The German system of higher education and public research is characterized by a high rate of temporary contracts with short contract durations and a nearly complete absence of structured career options. About 82% of employees not holding a full professorship have fixed-term contracts, with an average contract period of 20 months. This is facilitated by a special fixed-term employment law (Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz) which universities and other public research institutions have stretched to its limits. Against the background of a survey which we conducted in 2021 and whose results once more demonstrate the shortcomings of this system, we discuss alternative options in the form of model calculations. We propose a reform of employment structures and career paths that could improve not only personal working conditions but also ensure the quality of research and teaching in German academia. By quantitative comparison with the current employment situation, our model calculation demonstrates that plannable career decisions can be enabled at an early stage without changing budgets or teaching duties. We also show that the counter argument of a "congestion" of positions is not substantiated, and that young scholars will still have the opportunity to start a career in the reformed system, while the total number of employees can be kept nearly constant.

TOWARDS STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS FOR BLOCK CHAIN SMART CONTRACTS: INSIGHTS FROM DELPHI AND SWARA ANALYSIS

The rise of digital currency and the public ledger Block Chain has led to the development of a new type of electronic contract known as "smart contracts." For these contracts to be considered valid, they must adhere to traditional contract rules and be concluded without any impediments. Once written, encrypted, and signed, smart contracts are recorded in the Block Chain Ledger, providing transparent and secure record-keeping. Smart contracts offer several benefits, including their ability to execute automatically without requiring human intervention, their provision of public visibility of contract provisions on the Block Chain, their avoidance of financial crimes like Money Laundering, and their prevention of contract abuses. However, disputes arising from smart contracts still require human intervention, presenting unique challenges in enforcing these contracts, such as evidentiary issues, enforceability of waivers of defenses, and jurisdictional and choice-of-law considerations. Due to the novel nature of smart contracts, there are currently no standardized regulations that apply to them. Countries that have approved them have turned to customary law to legitimize their use. The Delphi method was used to identify critical success factors for applying blockchain transactions in a manufacturing company. Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) was then utilized to determine the most influential factors. The proposed methodology was implemented, and results show that the most influential factors for the successful application of blockchain transactions as smart contracts in a manufacturing company are: turnover, the counter argument, vision, components for building, and system outcome quality. Conversely, connections with government entities and subcontractors, and the guarantee of quality have the least influence on successful implementation. These findings can contribute to the development of a legal framework for smart contracts in a manufacturing company.

Climate Protection and Supply Chain Civil Liability

Abstract This article explores two issues raised by the EU legislative project of a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“csddd”), that of climate change and civil liability. It focuses on environmental issues – and leaves workers´ protection aside. The comparison of the various draft texts of the EU Commission of 23 February 2022, the position of the ep´s Committee on Legal Affairs of 8 November 2022, the Council´s joint statement of 1 December 2022, and the ep´s statement of 1 June 2023 reveals that climate abatement has become an important pillar, next to workers´ protection. The analysis shows how contested the instrument of civil liability in the context of climate change abatement has become. It is most likely that civil liability for the violation of climate change related due diligence obligations will become central to the final package of compromises, and once enacted it may neither be frequent, nor an important legal tool. However, for the understanding of the political momentum, it is important to understand the background of some delegations standpoints, in this case the fierce opposition of the German delegation against civil liability as a tool, and the counter arguments. The analysis also reveals some interesting novelties: Liability would, if causation could be established, extend to ecological damages. The concept of due diligence changes some basic requirements of civil liability, such as the violation of a duty, the addressee of a claim and the procedural set-up. The limitation to large firms is consistent with this concept, and does not appear non-equitable.

TOWARDS STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS FOR BLOCK CHAIN SMART CONTRACTS: INSIGHTS FROM DELPHI AND SWARA ANALYSIS

The rise of digital currency and the public ledger Block Chain has led to the development of a new type of electronic contract known as "smart contracts." For these contracts to be considered valid, they must adhere to traditional contract rules and be concluded without any impediments. Once written, encrypted, and signed, smart contracts are recorded in the Block Chain Ledger, providing transparent and secure record-keeping. Smart contracts offer several benefits, including their ability to execute automatically without requiring human intervention, their provision of public visibility of contract provisions on the Block Chain, their avoidance of financial crimes like Money Laundering, and their prevention of contract abuses. However, disputes arising from smart contracts still require human intervention, presenting unique challenges in enforcing these contracts, such as evidentiary issues, enforceability of waivers of defenses, and jurisdictional and choice-of-law considerations. Due to the novel nature of smart contracts, there are currently no standardized regulations that apply to them. Countries that have approved them have turned to customary law to legitimize their use. The Delphi method was used to identify critical success factors for applying blockchain transactions in a manufacturing company. Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) was then utilized to determine the most influential factors. The proposed methodology was implemented, and results show that the most influential factors for the successful application of blockchain transactions as smart contracts in a manufacturing company are: turnover, the counter argument, vision, components for building, and system outcome quality. Conversely, connections with government entities and subcontractors, and the guarantee of quality have the least influence on successful implementation. These findings can contribute to the development of a legal framework for smart contracts in a manufacturing company.

TOWARDS STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS FOR BLOCK CHAIN SMART CONTRACTS: INSIGHTS FROM DELPHI AND SWARA ANALYSIS

The rise of digital currency and the public ledger Block Chain has led to the development of a new type of electronic contract known as "smart contracts." For these contracts to be considered valid, they must adhere to traditional contract rules and be concluded without any impediments. Once written, encrypted, and signed, smart contracts are recorded in the Block Chain Ledger, providing transparent and secure record-keeping. Smart contracts offer several benefits, including their ability to execute automatically without requiring human intervention, their provision of public visibility of contract provisions on the Block Chain, their avoidance of financial crimes like Money Laundering, and their prevention of contract abuses. However, disputes arising from smart contracts still require human intervention, presenting unique challenges in enforcing these contracts, such as evidentiary issues, enforceability of waivers of defenses, and jurisdictional and choice-of-law considerations. Due to the novel nature of smart contracts, there are currently no standardized regulations that apply to them. Countries that have approved them have turned to customary law to legitimize their use. The Delphi method was used to identify critical success factors for applying blockchain transactions in a manufacturing company. Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) was then utilized to determine the most influential factors. The proposed methodology was implemented, and results show that the most influential factors for the successful application of blockchain transactions as smart contracts in a manufacturing company are: turnover, the counter argument, vision, components for building, and system outcome quality. Conversely, connections with government entities and subcontractors, and the guarantee of quality have the least influence on successful implementation. These findings can contribute to the development of a legal framework for smart contracts in a manufacturing company.

TOWARDS STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS FOR BLOCK CHAIN SMART CONTRACTS: INSIGHTS FROM DELPHI AND SWARA ANALYSIS

The rise of digital currency and the public ledger Block Chain has led to the development of a new type of electronic contract known as "smart contracts." For these contracts to be considered valid, they must adhere to traditional contract rules and be concluded without any impediments. Once written, encrypted, and signed, smart contracts are recorded in the Block Chain Ledger, providing transparent and secure record-keeping. Smart contracts offer several benefits, including their ability to execute automatically without requiring human intervention, their provision of public visibility of contract provisions on the Block Chain, their avoidance of financial crimes like Money Laundering, and their prevention of contract abuses. However, disputes arising from smart contracts still require human intervention, presenting unique challenges in enforcing these contracts, such as evidentiary issues, enforceability of waivers of defenses, and jurisdictional and choice-of-law considerations. Due to the novel nature of smart contracts, there are currently no standardized regulations that apply to them. Countries that have approved them have turned to customary law to legitimize their use. The Delphi method was used to identify critical success factors for applying blockchain transactions in a manufacturing company. Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) was then utilized to determine the most influential factors. The proposed methodology was implemented, and results show that the most influential factors for the successful application of blockchain transactions as smart contracts in a manufacturing company are: turnover, the counter argument, vision, components for building, and system outcome quality. Conversely, connections with government entities and subcontractors, and the guarantee of quality have the least influence on successful implementation. These findings can contribute to the development of a legal framework for smart contracts in a manufacturing company.

Podcasting as a powerful tool for the promotion of bilingual scientific argumentation in a formative assessment environment

ABSTRACT The internationalisation of higher education as well as the emergence of evidence for the claim that bi/multilingualism in science should be the norm, not just an option, are conditions that explain the rise in university bilingual science courses. Thus far, however, little is known about how to foster bilingual scientific argumentation in this type of course. The purpose of this study was to provide evidence that the creation of bilingual scientific argument podcasts (BSAP) – a form of podcast where two languages are used to communicate elements of scientific argument structure (e.g. argument, counterargument, rebuttal) – can be used as a springboard to foster undergraduate bilingual scientific argumentation. The data was derived from scripts of the podcast episodes produced by twenty-seven students (19 females and 8 males, 19–25 years old) during a university Spanish-English bilingual science course taught within a formative assessment environment. Results indicate that student-created BSAP effectively enriched participants’ skills to produce (counter) arguments and rebuttals in Spanish (g = 0.79) and in English (g = 1.20). Moreover, findings suggest that undergraduates benefited from formative assessment practices such as instructor feedback and peer feedback. Implications related to bilingual science education practices and supporting students’ development of bilingual scientific argumentation within formative assessment environments are discussed.

Are you Really Competent to Be a Computer Scientist, a Computing Educator, or Even to Use a Computer? The Missing Societal Competency

The position postulated in this Parting Opinion is quite simple: the answer to the question posed in the title is a resounding NO for many people; no matter which of the categories you're in. Hopefully, you're curious to know why I believe this. If you think I'm crazy or that it simply doesn't apply to you, please read on and submit your counter argument to the next issue of Computers and Society. My opinion derives tangentially from my recent work on the CS2023 Steering Committee and pondering, what's next? , with respect to computers and society.

노동조합법 제2조 및 제3조 개정법률안에 대한 거부권 행사의 부당성

This article aims to look into the constitutional legitimacy of the possible exercise of the President's veto power to prevent the proposed amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act, which were referred to the plenary session of the National Assembly at the end of June 2023 with the collaborative initiation of the opposition parties despite the resistance of the ruling party, from becoming law.
 The presidential veto is a power that allows the president to object to a bill passed by the National Assembly and return it to the National Assembly for reconsideration. There are some competing views on the legal nature of this power, which is understood as a suspension or release condition, but it is reasonable to understand it as a unique constitutional mechanism that restrains the finalization and promulgation of laws for a certain period of time, since the request for reconsideration itself does not actively create a legal effect on whether the bill is confirmed or not.
 The constitutional function of the presidential veto has been recognized to be the procedural control of rushed, frivolous, or flawed legislation but it is noteworthy to growing focus is given to the presidential check on the National Assembly to promote the balance of power. As the function of the veto has been expanded, there has been a strengthening tendency to argue that there are no legal limitations on the requirements for its exercise so that it can be used out of policy disagreement or political motivation alone. Against this tendency, counter arguments have been consistently put forward that there should be inherent limitation on the exercise of the veto power so that it can be justified only if the target legislation is (1) unconstitutional, (2) unenforceable, (3) contrary to the national interest, and (4) politically motivated to exert political pressure by unreasonably restricting executive power in violation of the separation of powers. I conclude that the inherent limitation theory is preferred when considering the compatibility of the basic values, principles, and institutions of a democratic republic, the constitutional implications of the constitutional power structure, and the relative persuasiveness and logical consistency of the arguments. Above all, considering that the legislative power is an inherent function of the National Assembly in accordance with the principle of separation of powers, which is a universal principle that cannot be denied regardless any form of government, and that the veto power is a procedural controlling power, not a substantive formative power, even according to the systematic interpretation of democracy and the rule of law, and that its legitimacy is to control the evils such as legislative dictatorship, not to replace the legislative power, the constitutional principles of a democratic republic cannot justify that the legislative power is neutralized by the abuse of the presidential veto leading to the presidential administrative dictatorship.
 Even if there is an inherent limit in the exercise of presidential veto power, there is a problem that this limit is a ‘political morality of the constitution’ rather than a ‘law of the constitution’ where normative power can be enforced through judicial procedures, and there is no possibility of external control such as judicial review or constitutional adjudication.

Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of nickel and nickel oxide on silicon for photoelectrochemical applications

The production of hydrogen fuel through sunlight-driven water splitting has the potential to harness and store large quantities of solar energy in a clean and scalable chemical state, suitable for later use in a range of energy applications. Silicon (Si) possesses many of the required properties to be used effectively as a photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting photoanode. However, its sensitivity to corrosion during the oxygen evolution reaction limits its performance in photoanode applications, thus requiring additional overlayer materials to protect the underlying Si substrate. Nickel oxide (NiO) is one material that acts as an effective protective layer, being transparent, suitably conductive and stable. In this work, we present NiO deposition via state-of-the-art atomic layer deposition and photoemission studies to grow and characterize NiO and Ni–metal protective films. Early-stage nucleation of deposited thin films is illustrated along with the effects of post-deposition annealing and argon milling on depth profile information. Previous reports on the effects of slow argon milling are explored and counter arguments are proposed. Protective films are subjected to PEC testing, which shows enhancement of stability and photocurrent output as a result of the deposited films and plasma annealing on these thin films.

The Aerospace Industry’s Impact on 20th Century American Society

Since the dawn of mankind, the stars have been an inspiration for humanity. From the studies of the Greeks and the observations of the Indians and Chinese to Da Vinci’s plans and the research of the Wright Brothers, exploring the sky, space and stars has always been at the forefront of human ingenuity. In the United States, the idea of flight exploration began in the early 1900s: a true embodiment of the American dream. This paper examines developments in politics, economics and social movements in 1900s America while contrasting claims with counter arguments and exposing continuities in U.S. history to discuss the impact of the aerospace and defense industry on U.S. society. From Women’s Rights and Civil Rights to military and economics, the growth of the aerospace and defense industry paralleled a period of radical growth for American society creating lasting changes in the process.

Caste is a Betrayal to Natural Justice, Accommodating Inequality as a Driving License: A Narrative of Oppression in a Parallel of Democracy

From dropping out of college seats to analyzing meritocracy the paper explores how the question of caste is essentially Brahmanical which is decided on birth and how ideological state apparatus like family or educational institutions practise caste as a ‘natural component’ to the human life to maintain the status quo of Indian social order. This paper will discover how on the Indian enlivened screen ‘democracy for all’ plays in absentia where caste for few others gets mechanically reproduced with a presence of a protagonist obligated to democracy. It will further analyze the way caste has seeped into democratic institutions to maintain inequality in profession isolating class while overlapping with it. Counter arguments also will appear where caste struggle is seen independently as a form of right separated from the question of dignity. This paper will track down the seed of discrimination that was usurped around 1500 BCE through the line of the struggle between two groups of people and try to do a comparative study on consent and hegemony through the reproduction of the silver screen. If Indian Parliament as an established ruling power incorporates equality, then caste goes against the whole idea of Parliament. Interestingly often caste politics submits itself to the worship of Parliament to segregate people not by default. It will track down democracy that embeds natural law and rights where caste is a betrayed natural justice. In this paper, the role of humans as genetically engineered beings will be placed against the unnatural component of Brahmanism that is often decided by production relations. It will also discuss how a written code of conduct could replace blood feuds, a power struggle that gave birth to democracy, and caste was born to accommodate inequality. John Locke’s idea of consent of individuals will be discussed further.

Swaying Individuals’ Privacy Concerns via Amplifying versus Diminishing Counter Argument

Background: Though limited, research has found that individuals' privacy concerns could be swayed by counter argument. This study investigated the swaying influence of amplifying vs. diminishing argument (i.e., counter argument seeking to increase or decrease privacy concerns) on individuals’ privacy concerns and the moderating influences of level of sensitivity and privacy-related knowledge. Method: Data was collected using online survey and respondents were college students enrolled in a Midwestern university. 215 students participated in the survey, resulting in 180 completed responses; two factors (survey competition time and response consistency for reversely-coded items) were used to screen response quality and 90 responses were kept. Data was analyzed using univariate analysis. Results: Results suggest that the swaying influence of counter argument depends on the level of sensitivity—the swaying influence is greater when individuals are presented with amplifying (diminishing) argument for a highly (less) sensitive issue/scenario. In addition, although the swaying influence is smaller for those with high privacy knowledge in general, it is not necessarily easier to sway those with low privacy knowledge. Instead, those with low privacy knowledge are more likely to get stuck or trapped in their existing privacy beliefs when facing privacy argument inconsistent with their existing beliefs, and are more likely to be provoked or stirred up when facing argument reinforcing their existing beliefs. Conclusion: Findings suggest that when processing privacy argument, individuals show confirmation bias and tend to “go with their initial assessments”. This is especially true for those with low privacy knowledge. When facing privacy related argument, individuals with low privacy knowledge behave the opposite of how magnets work—while magnets’ opposite poles attract each other and similar poles repel, individuals with low privacy knowledge embrace argument consistent with their existing beliefs and repel/reject argument inconsistent with their existing beliefs.