Human Experience Research Articles

Beyond the Harvard Definition: A Critique of Josef Seifert’s Realistic Phenomenological Approach to Brain Death

This article explores the significance of context in defining death, particularly through the lens of the Harvard definition and the critiques offered by Josef Seifert. The Harvard definition, established in 1968, is examined within its medical context, highlighting how it reflects pragmatic interests and raises critical questions about the boundaries between life and death. Seifert’s critiques focus on the reductionist nature of equating personhood with consciousness, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding of life indicators beyond mere physiological functions. The article also discusses the social implications of medicalization in the dying process. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges posed by the cessation of brain function as a criterion for death, contrasting it with more observable signs of life such as breathing and heartbeat. Ultimately, the article argues for a more nuanced understanding of death that incorporates social, cultural, and ethical dimensions, advocating for ongoing dialogue and potential revisions of death definitions to reflect the complexities of human experience. This comprehensive approach aims to bridge the gap between medical definitions and the lived realities of individuals facing death.

Embracing Mixed Methods Research in Special Education

This introduction to the special issue on mixed methods research examines guest editor perspectives on the research culture in special education and the broader ecosystem of education research. Articles included in the special issue are used to illustrate how core methodological features and application of a flexible metaparadigm enables mixed methods research to enhance the quality and depth of research findings. Given that the researcher’s role as the instrument is pronounced in mixed methods research, we argue for reflexivity and explicit reporting of how researcher backgrounds shape the questions they ask, methods they use to answer them, and lenses through which they interpret findings. We encourage our colleagues to consider how the integration of numerical and textual data can enable us to ask questions that challenge traditional dichotomies, capture the complexities of human experiences, and generate more nuanced interpretations of findings that acknowledge the inherent limitations of relying on a single methodology or paradigm.

Quantum Fundamentalism and Theological Liberty

Quantum mechanics (QM) is astonishingly successful as a theoretical framework, underpinning countless scientific areas and providing the impetus behind entire technologies. Many scientists suspect that physical reality is fundamentally quantum in nature, even if we perceive little of this in our everyday human experience. This is the viewpoint of “quantum fundamentalism.” Yet, the conceptual implications of QM defy common sense, to such an extent that popular culture largely perceives of QM as a source of counterintuitive weirdness. At the same time, bestselling self-help manuals portray QM as a source of hidden healing power within, while spiritual readings invoke QM as a bridge to the divine, or as a source of theological analogies. Scientists often denounce these mystical approaches as “quantum quackery,” but I examine their serious side. I argue that, for quantum fundamentalism to function as a worldview, it should inform a sense of human purpose, something for which theological analysis is well equipped.

The intersection of anatomy and spirituality.

The intersection of anatomy and spirituality offers a profound exploration into how the physical and spiritual aspects of our being interrelate, enhancing our understanding of wholeness. These domains are often seen as distinct, with anatomy rooted in the tangible study of the human body, while spirituality is considered intangible and deeply personal. However, as our understanding of both fields has evolved, a more integrative approach is emerging, recognizing that the physical and spiritual are not separate but interconnected aspects of human experience. In this unique special issue, we explore the diverse ways in which spirituality influences the field of anatomy. To provide a comprehensive perspective, the issue is organized into three sections. The first section examines how spirituality shapes students' learning experiences in anatomy. The second section focuses on the role of religious beliefs in body donation practices. Finally, the third section considers the interplay between spirituality and culture, and how this dynamic has influenced the discipline of anatomy over time. This special issue emphasizes the connection between anatomy and spirituality, bridging the divide between the physical and spiritual dimensions of educators, students, body donors, and community members. More needs to be done in the future to embrace the connection between anatomy and spirituality and build upon it to advance our discipline.

Enhancing software engineering practices with generative AI: A framework for automated code synthesis and refactoring

This paper is based on how software development has been revolutionized using AI in automation, mainly dealing with code synthesis and rewrite frameworks. While there is no focused definition for software development with AI technologies, their application in development processes is unlikely to remain marginal as they mature and provide higher productivity, improved code quality, and enhanced ability for automating repetitive tasks in development. Automating coding means that predefined tools can bring code suggestions, show and apply refactoring features, and enforce coding standards so developers can devote their efforts to other aspects of software development. The following paper describes the practical systems that should be adopted before AI can be incorporated into software development. It also covers essential factors such as ethical, security, and quality aspects regarding the proper use of artificial intelligence. Lastly, the paper focuses on the direction and innovations in the future, including domain-specific AI models, better explainability of the AI solutions, and collaborative tools that can work according to improved and modified development practices. The framework is intended to balance machine learning with human experience to help developers utilize the benefits that an AI-Based Software Development Framework can render.

THE MORAL DIMENSION REFLECTED IN THE SONGS TOMORROW AND WHALIEN 52 BY BTS

Music is an important component of human existence. It has the power to change the listener's mood and evoke emotions. This is a reflection of human love for the beauty of rhythm. To fully appreciate the beauty of music, the lyrics and rhythm must be in harmony with the listener's emotions. This research analyzes the moral meaning of BTS's "Tomorrow & Whalen 52". The approach of data collection adopted is observation, while the technique utilized involves listening and recording the outcomes of the analysis. In analyzing the data, data was taken from lyric quotes in the songs. The aim of this study was to explore the ethical implications of a particular song, and the researcher used qualitative methods for data collection. The data obtained will be analyzed using Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic theory. Some of the moral messages the writer found in the songs "Tomorrow" and "Whalien 52", include the importance of perseverance, self-love, and self-disclosure with others. In writing this article, the writer hopes to achieve theoretical, academic, and practical significance for the writer and readers in at least three ways: personally, academically (literature), and practically (people in general). Personally, this article can provide insight from a literary perspective, especially regarding the meaning of morals, which we hope will be useful for other people.

PEMIKIRAN FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE: TUHAN TELAH MATI DAN IMPLIKASINYA BAGI PENDIDIKAN AGAMA KRISTEN

This article aims to analyze Friedrich Nietzche's thoughts on God is dead. Nietzche said that humans have killed God with attitudes and behaviors that do not reflect the life of Jesus.Nietzsche's critique goes beyond simply acknowledging the absence of God; it confronts the implications of the absence of human existence. He argues that the death of God necessitates a radical reassessment of values, since the moral framework that has governed society is no longer tenable. In the context of Christian education, Nietzsche's assertion calls for a reassessment of the pedagogical approaches used in teaching religious concepts. However, many authors consider Nietzche's criticism as a form of rebellion and denigration of Christianity. The research method used is a literature study. The results of the study show that Nietzche's criticism contributes to thinking related to critical thinking, multicultural education and the development of Christian educators' abilities in implementing each learning, so that Christian doctrinal fascism does not occur. Nietzsche's statement about the death of God presents both challenges and opportunities for Christian religious education.

Analisis Teologi Inkulturasi Lukisan Perjamuan Kana dan Gerakan Sego Mubeng Gereja St Antonius Kotabaru Yogyakarta

Inculturation in the context of religious life extends beyond mere adaptation in liturgical practices to permeate various aspects of human existence. This process involves the integration of cultural elements with spiritual values, fostering a harmonious unity between spirituality and everyday human reality. Two concrete examples of inculturation are explored: the Painting of the Wedding at Cana and the social movement of Sego Mubeng at St. Antonius Kotabaru Church, Yogyakarta. Through an in-depth analysis of these manifestations, the close relationship between art, daily life, and spirituality is highlighted. The painting serves as a medium to reflect religious values within the local cultural context, while Sego Mubeng demonstrates that inculturation extends beyond religious rituals into everyday activities, particularly in providing food assistance to those in need. This research enhances our understanding of how inculturation bridges the spiritual and earthly dimensions, as well as the complexity of its role in shaping worldviews and human behavior.

Spatiotemporal Change Analysis and Multi-Scenario Modeling of Ecosystem Service Values: A Case Study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration, China

Ecosystem service value (ESV) assessment is a crucial indicator of regional ecological quality and ecological management effectiveness. Ecosystem services (ES) provide the environmental foundation for human existence and social advancement. However, the future course of land use change (LUC) in urban agglomerations and its implications for human society remains uncertain, which presents a challenge to maintaining a balance between ecological service functions and regional socioeconomic growth. This paper took the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration as an example and used the future land use simulation (FLUS) model to project the spatial distribution of land use under the natural development scenario (NDS), food security scenario (FSS), and ecological priority scenario (EPS) of BTH in 2030, 2040, and 2050. Next, the changes to ESV under various scenarios were investigated through the equivalent coefficient method. In order to make more targeted recommendations for regional development, the study also used hotspot analyses to explore the impacts of LUCs on ESV. The results showed that: (1) from 2000 to 2020, the LUC in the BTH was dramatic and mainly focused on the interconversions among the three land use categories of cropland, grassland, and built-up land. The total ESV demonstrated the tendency to decrease from CNY 386,859.89 × 106 in 2000 to CNY 371,968.78 × 106 in 2020. (2) Compared with 2020, the ESV in BTH in 2050 under the FSS loses 16,568.78 × 106 CNY, followed by the NDS (CNY 10,960.84 × 106), while the ESV under the EPS increases by CNY 9373.74 × 106. The results of the scenario simulation showed that there was significant variability in ESV under different political orientations. (3) Hotspot analysis indicated that the ESV changes were clustered in the northeastern part and the eastern coastal region of the BTH. On this basis, we identified Chengde, Beijing, Tianjin, and Zhangjiakou as the key cities to focus on and made meaningful suggestions for their future regional environmental protection and sustainable development. This research can serve as a guide in creating sustainable BTH development policies and offer fresh perspectives for investigating how land use patterns affect the ecological environment’s regional quality under various policy trajectories.

An Analysis of Human Nature in Fromm's Humanistic Thought

In contemporary society, the problem of human existence has increasingly aroused the common concern of all mankind, and the rich and colorful material life has enriched people's daily life, but the spiritual life of human beings is relatively impoverished, and the great abundance of material wealth to a certain extent makes people enslaved to material things, and the spiritual life of individuals is in a state of imbalance. While elaborating on the actual state of human existence, Fromm's humanistic thought critically exposes the social problems caused by the development of productive forces, and fundamentally points out the confusion of human beings, on the basis of which it indicates that we can realize the breakthrough of the state of human beings' gradual dissolution in a certain way, so as to generate a brand-new space for the survival of human beings. In this way, human beings will be able to find their way out of numbness and self-loss, and thus step into the “kingdom of existence”. Fromm's anthropological point of view mainly centers on human nature, including three aspects: human nature, human nature alienation, and human nature liberation. This paper is a brief analysis of this aspect of human nature.

Aggregating amyloid resources: A comprehensive review of databases on amyloid-like aggregation

Protein aggregation is responsible for several degenerative conditions in humans, and it is also a bottleneck in industrial protein production and storage of biotherapeutics. Bioinformatics tools have been developed to predict and redesign protein solubility more efficiently by understanding the underlying principles behind aggregation. As more experimental data become available, dedicated resources for storing, indexing, classifying and consolidating experimental results have emerged. These resources vary in focus, including aggregation-prone regions, 3D patches or protein stretches capable of forming amyloid fibrils. Some of these resources also consider the experimental conditions that cause protein aggregation and how they affect the process. This review article explores how protein aggregation databases have evolved and surveys state-of-the-art resources. We highlight their applications, complementarity and existing limitations. Moreover, we showcase the existing symbiosis between amyloid-related databases and predictive tools. To increase the usefulness of our review, we supplement it with a comprehensive list of present and past amyloid databases: https://biogenies.info/amyloid-database-list/.

Origin and Development: History of Storytelling

Storytelling has been a fundamental part of human culture for thousands of years, serving as a means for entertainment, education, and preserving cultural traditions. The origins of storytelling can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where oral narratives were used to pass down histories, myths, and legends from one generation to the next. This research paper aims to examine the evolution of storytelling throughout history, exploring how the form and function of stories have adapted to changing social, technological, and cultural landscapes. By drawing upon a comprehensive review of historical records, anthropological studies, and contemporary scholarship, this paper will trace the development of storytelling from its earliest beginnings to the present day, identifying key milestones, influential figures, and significant shifts in the art of narrative. The research suggests that while the mediums and techniques of storytelling have evolved dramatically, from cave paintings to digital platforms, the fundamental human need to share and consume stories has remained constant throughout history, thus reflecting innate desire to make sense of the world and place within it. Through understanding the rich history and enduring significance of storytelling, this paper will provide valuable insights into the human experience and the role of narrative in shaping collective identity and cultural heritage.

Ethics and Values Matter: The Role of Higher Education

Human existence is a process of learning and development aimed at achieving wisdom, and education has been regarded as the ultimate value system since the birth of culture and way of life for this reason. Education is more than only the acquisition of skills or the gathering of knowledge or news about a topic of interest from others or from other parts of the world. It is not limited to the abilities of obtaining information received and preserved via knowing, or just the exploration of existential problems and familiarization with previously acquired knowledge or data, or with a system of knowledge - but also with the goal of comprehending this cognition. Knowledge is involved with the comprehension of a collection of propositions or concepts. Knowledge can be theoretical and practical, fundamental and abstract, and it may exist in any time period: past, present, and future. However, cognition is always done in the present. Past memories and future prophecies are also remembered in the present, as the ideas flash or surface in the mind. These flashes act as an impetus for our quick determination, allowing us to decide whether or not to undertake anything. However, for the purpose of brevity, I'll lump the two, knowledge and cognition, together under the heading of knowledge. Education fosters the development of talents from all three faculties, as well as wisdom in their right application for the benefit of people and society for creating value and ethics. The goal of NEP 2020 is also having important role in higher education teaching to encourage systematic and focused discoveries and practices that benefit society. Society views higher education institutions as catalysts for the transformation of knowledge into wisdom. The quality, morals, and ethics of higher education institutions are increasingly important in integrating young people into society. A country like India has a large young population, and they are the frontiers of the Indian government's Made in India Initiative. It has been well mentioned that the actual philosophy of education is in the combination of ethics, virtues, values, and the validity of human life, thus it is vital to improve ethical values, philosophical thinking, study, research, and moral growth in the Indian education system.

Innovative Model of Creative Tourism as a Factor of Sustainable Development in the Context of Modern Challenges

The aim of this study is to develop an innovative model of creative tourism as a key driver of sustainable development in response to modern challenges. In a world where globalization and technological advancements are reshaping traditional tourism approaches, creative tourism emerges as a novel strategy to attract visitors and foster economic growth. This study employs a data-driven analytical approach (BIG DATA analysis) to examine creative tourism, recognizing the need to manage, systematize, classify, and draw insights from large datasets enabled by digital technologies. Creative tourism systems leverage advanced neural networks with multiple hidden layers to intelligently process and extract maximum value from data, providing essential insights for tourism service consumers. This positions creative tourism as both a critical business asset and a valuable tool for improving the human experience. Research Objectives: 1.To develop a model of creative tourism that supports sustainable development. 2.To examine the daily practices and impact of creative tourism on sustainable development. 3.To identify ways to enhance the effectiveness of creative tourism models and their contribution to sustainable development. The study highlights the essential components of an innovative creative tourism model, integrating local culture, environmental responsibility, digital technologies, and the creation of unique tourism products. Special focus is given to sustainable development principles, which not only protect environmental resources but also promote the social well-being of local communities. The paper also presents successful examples of creative tourism practices, showcasing their potential to open new market opportunities and increase regional competitiveness. The findings underscore that this innovative model of creative tourism holds the potential to revolutionize the tourism industry, advancing economic, social, and environmental progress.

Natural Products with Potential for the Treatment of Pain: Global Evidence from the NAPRALERT Database.

Natural products (NPs) continue to inform the discovery and development of a diversity of drugs, both marketed and investigational. Pain, one of the most common of human experiences and profound challenges in medicine and biology, has emerged at the core of an urgent societal problem, in the United States and globally. The present study employs a retrospective analysis of an extensive set of published literature curated in the NAPRALERT database to identify NPs with experimental evidence of bioactivity supporting the selection and prioritization of NP leads with promise in pain management. The NAPRALERT pain data set currently documents >38,000 pain-relevant experiments reported in >1,750 distinct journals. The evidence presented here was annotated from >10,000 distinct scientific publications identifying NP extracts and isolates with experimental biological data indicating positive mitigation of pain, inflammation, and/or modulation of nociceptive signaling targets. Correlation of ethnomedical uses with experimental data represents a value-added approach to the selection and prioritization of leads. Dissemination of this unique NP/pain data set, with experimental data and information applicable to basic, translational, and clinical science stakeholders alike, furnishes practical evidence in support of a rational selection of NPs for directed pain research. A large portion of the NAPRALERT pain-relevant data set, along with a set of query tools designed to assist user-directed selection and prioritization of leads, are presented as Supporting Information in order to mitigate the limitations inherent in presenting such a large data set in (print) format. To support user efforts, this report involves explication of NAPRALERT data organization and the articulation of rational approaches to user-guided selection of evidence-based NP leads.

An Idea of a Secular State through Its Traits in Context of India

Any state in this world is called a happy and a peaceful state if it is a secular state. Secular state is a community where differences of things like religion, sect, clan, caste, belief and class are not taken into consideration. Because these things underestimate the human existence and divide people in unacceptable ways if they are categorised. When people give less importance to such things or treat these things respectfully, they lead a better life full of peace, compassion, empathy, sympathy and understanding. A state where people happily reside together despite having different backgrounds can be called a secular state. Any state always operates at the hands of people through a social machinery calles politics. Politics can be responsible for upliftment as well as deterioration of a state. When it is used on the basis of religion and things like it, a state gets limited to certain aspects and experiences less flourishment. But a state where governments equal importance to all religions and other such things, it emerges as an ideal abode of humanity. The idea of a secular state and its traits can be understood through this article. India is lately experiencing religious intolerance and deterioration of human and moral values. There have been a significant rise in instances involving communal violence, inhuman activities and other such things done on the basis of caste, class and religion. So it is very much mandatory to throw light on the idea of a secular state and get to know its traits.

Health literacy & somatic education: a salutogenic self-resource critical health intervention

Abstract Issue Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as musculoskeletal conditions, cause severe functional limitations. Therapeutic practices in this field have employed a theoretical-practical framework with a pathogenic and mechanistic bias. However, the causes of these NCD’s are also related to biopsychosocial factors. Therefore, a critical theoretical-practical approach, such as Somatic Education, becomes relevant as it introduces a subjective experience to an educational praxis, modifying the meaning processes in human movement experience in a complimentary approach to the pathogenic perspective. Description of the problem There is a perceptual poverty in movement experience, which dissociates doing from feeling. Somatic practices aim to foster movement awareness (perception) and autonomy (self-regulation), placing the individual as a valuable resource, strengthening the capacity for understanding, reflection and habitus change. This presentation will focus on the following research questions: Can Somatic Education, as a critical intervention of the body, contribute to increased levels of health literacy? Can somatic practices contribute to sustainable health development? Is it possible to create a new meaningful process in human movement experience through this practice incrementing its salutogenic emphasis? Results/Effects Somatic practices foster integrative approaches of health, promoting subjective bodily experience (interface between doing, thinking and feeling). Integrative progress can urge the embodiment of health literacy, encouraging more active and awareness of individuals related to their well-being, contributing to sustainable health development. Moreover, subjective bodily experience transforms the process of meaning in movement experience. Lessons Somatic practices enhance NCDs prevention and education, increasing health literacy rates through innovative conceptual foundations.

Histological Change of Placenta in Diabetic Pregnant Women in Comparison to Normal Pregnant Women

Background: The placenta is a foeto-maternal organ and its alterations is directly related to the disease’s length and severity. The human placenta experiences a number of functional and structural pathologic alterations when complicated by metabolic disorder such as diabetes mellitus. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted over a period of threeyears from January 2019 to December 2021 at the Department of Anatomy, Rajshahi Medical College, Rajshahi, in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and Diabetic Hospital Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The study was carried out on 70 pregnant women, among them 35 diabetics and 35 non-diabetics. The fibrinoid necrosis, syncytial knot and immature villi of the placenta were studied in diabetic and non-diabetic pregnant women. SPSS software, version-24 was used for data analysis, with a p-value < 0.05 indicating statistically significance for all tests. Results: The diabetic and non-diabetic pregnant women groups were almost identical in terms of attachment of umbilical cord to placenta with marginal attachment being more often found in either group (p = 0.829). Histological examination of placenta showed that fibrinoid necrosis was common in placenta of diabetic mothers than that of the normal mothers (p < 0.001). Syncytial knot and immature villi were higher in the former group than those in the latter group, here p values were also less than .001. Conclusion: Histological findings (fibrinoid necrosis, syncytial knot and immature villi) were more in placenta of diabetic mother and they were highly significant different between the groups. EWMCJ Vol. 12, No. 1&2, January-July 2024: 27-33

Phenomenology of Mystical Psychedelic Experiences: The Case of Existential Anxiety

AbstractThe essay offers an interpretation of psychedelic peak experiences. It criticizes the quasi-scientific naturalistic attempts to explain such experiences and offers an alternative ontology underlying a more complex sense of naturalism, thus defending an entheogenic view irreducible to mere psychological effects. First, the mainstream ontology in the paradigm of natural sciences is exposed as being a version of the ontology of presence. This fact is shown as the reason for the phenomenological gap and the impotence of the natural sciences to address human experience. Next, existential anxiety is interpreted in terms of Heidegger’s ontology and is suggested as the core dimension of possible spiritual transformation. Finally, the phenomenology of mystical psychedelic experiences (MPE) is interpreted in terms of overcoming existential anxiety– a well-documented effect of MPE – and explicated in ontological terms. The psychedelic experience is shown to be mystical in a sense of transcending the everyday mode of existential denial of the enigmatic nature of the universe by facing the nothingness in a way that transforms one’s stand within it into a stand of original belongingness to the field of emptiness (Nishitani). Different aspects of psychedelic experience are explained and co-related in terms of such a transformation.

ORGANIZATION OF SOCIAL WORK WITH PERSONS RELEASED FROM CAPTIVITY

War or armed conflict is an unnatural phenomenon for human existence and nature. Participation in such a conflict or living in the territories where hostilities are taking place may result in the capture of persons. The issue of social self-realization of those released from captivity is acute: they do not see themselves either in professional activity, or in the environment of relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Providing social support to persons who have been deprived of their personal freedom as a result of armed aggression against Ukraine, as an object of social work, is a necessary component of providing social assistance to such persons after their release from captivity. The purpose of the research: highlighting the features of the process of organizing social work with persons released from captivity. Research methods applied: analysis of the regulatory and legislative framework and scientific and methodological literature, the results of modern sociological, psychological, legal research, and statistical data. The result of the study is the scientific substantiation of the forms and methods of social work, as well as highlighting the practical experience of their use in working with persons who found themselves in a difficult life situation due to the armed conflict in Ukraine. The presented material makes it possible to draw the following conclusions: the technological aspects of the organization of social support for persons released from captivity are outlined by existing legal acts, but further research requires scientific substantiation of the forms and methods of social work, as well as highlighting the practical experience of their use in working with a defined category of persons, who found themselves in a difficult life situation due to the armed conflict in Ukraine.