Expression Of Doubt Research Articles

Literacy: Trends and Explanations

For almost every statement on literacy, one can find another that directly opposes it, from the status of literacy—what it is today and whether it is getting better or worse, to how and why we got there. The universally accepted idea that it is good to be literate is even being questioned, and by some very sophisticated people. One argument is that TV, computers, and other interactive media may be viable substitutes for those who find it difficult to learn to read and write. Yet others claim that because of computer technology, a higher level of literacy is needed. This expression of doubt was not as prevalent during the 1970s when there seemed to be a greater optimism and a more intensive national effort to improve the literacy of children and adults.

Literacy: Trends and Explanations

For almost every statement on literacy, one can find another that directly opposes it, from the status of literacy—what it is today and whether it is getting better or worse, to how and why we got there. The universally accepted idea that it is good to be literate is even being questioned, and by some very sophisticated people. One argument is that TV, computers, and other interactive media may be viable substitutes for those who find it difficult to learn to read and write. Yet others claim that because of computer technology, a higher level of literacy is needed. This expression of doubt was not as prevalent during the 1970s when there seemed to be a greater optimism and a more intensive national effort to improve the literacy of children and adults.

The Political Sociology of Education

The study of how the agenda for education is made up and translated into what goes on in schools was until very recently undertaken from a number of different and quite separate disciplinary bases. The approaches of educational administration and sociology of education differed considerably both in intensity and purpose, though they were on the whole mutually indifferent rather than mutually hostile. Political science, as Tapper & Salter pointed out in their first book (Tapper & Salter, 1978) has traditionally shown little interest in education, an omission which they set out to remedy in both that book and in the one under review here. However, over the last five to ten years, that situation has changed considerably. Expressions of doubt about the effectiveness of education as a form of social engineering began to appear. Some of these looked to the processes within policy formation and implementation for explanation of that failure; that approach is represented here by the Lodge & Blackstone book. More generally, it appears that in an era of educational contraction the political nature of educational systems is very much more apparent than in an era of expansion. Decisions about how to expand educational provision, we might be forgiven for assuming, are taken on educational grounds, while deciding where to cut is a political matter. It is certainly much harder to disguise the political nature of education in a time of contraction, and this has begun to lead all three disciplines to focus more directly on how political decisions effecting education are taken. Towards the end of the period unprecedented attention was devoted to the role of the civil service in government and its part in advancing or, more often, obstructing the implementation of party

Bankruptcy, Preferences, and Efficiency: An Expression of Doubt

Bankruptcy, Preferences, and Efficiency: An Expression of Doubt

On Doubting One's Intentions

Mr. C. H. Whiteley's recent note (Mind, January I971) in which he objects to a view I defended in 'Momentary Intentions' (Mind, January I968) is the occasion for me to clarify the position I had in mind. Part of the problem arises from my failure to make clear the scope of the claim: 'An expression of uncertainty whether one had an intention is senseless. ... Whether I did for a moment intend to deceive him is, for me, not open or closed to doubt' (p. io). I thought the context made it clear that the scope of this claim included only momentary intentions which were also what I called 'interpretative' intentions. Whiteley's argument against excluding doubt from all past momentary intentions does not contain a case of an interpretative intention for which doubt (or resolution of doubt) is possible. Whiteley cites three cases of doubting one's own intentions. The case of the absent-minded coffee pot fetcher is clear and unobjectionable. For a moment he may not remember and thus doubt what he meant to fetch. The case of the forgetful interviewer, who cannot remember whether he intended to reject both or only one of a pair of candidates for admission, is equally clearly a case of doubt about one's past intention. And the case of an interviewer who today cannot remember whether or not yesterday he intended to admit a certain candidate is unobjectionable. This seems to be because these are all cases of dated, past intentions, or else dated, past events in which one could well have formed an intention of the relevant sort. None of these cases is a case of a past, unheeded, momentary interpretative intention. That is, none is a case in which it did not then occur to one that he momentarily meant to do such-and-such in any of the relevant senses of 'occur to'; it did not occupy his thinking; he did not say to himself, and so on. Nonetheless, there seem to be cases of interpretative intentions in which a person later truthfully avows a previous, momentary intention. Here the intention has a special, interpretative role in making clear to others (and perhaps to the agent also) what he was doing in acting as he did or what was happening in the past situation he is now explaining. These avowals put the past in the right light, though they do not avow past 'mental occurrences'. But they are not fictions, since the whole past situation makes it possible for the agent to truthfully avow a past momentary, interpretative intention. Now, what would it mean to doubt momentary, interpretative intentions such as this? 'I think that for a moment I meant to deceive him' may even be an expression of such an intention. The argument that this is not an expression of doubt is that the thought-qualifier here expresses an unclear interpretative intention rather than a doubt about an intention. Similarly, 'For a moment I did mean to deceive him' expresses a clear or firm

KIŠ I ALBAHARI – JEDNA POETIČKA RAZLIKA

Uporedna analiza Kišovog romana Peščanik i Albaharijevog romana Cink započinje hipotezom da se ova dva romana, uprkos tematskoj sličnosti, poetički razlikuju. Analiza Kišovog romana započinje tumačenjem modifikacija u autentičnom očevom pismu kojim se završava Peščanik. U stavu junaka da se sve osipa susrećemo se i sa univerzalnim iskazom, ali i sa autopoetički postavljenim pitanjem: kako književno uobličiti vreme u kome se sve osipa. Kiš to čini putem poverenja u Književnost, tačnije u njenu moć da preobrazi prepoznavanje u viđenje predmeta, te u moć da bude garant kontinuiteta. Nasuprot Kišovom poverenju u Književnost, kod Albaharija se pojavljuje radikalna sumnja u književnost, sumnja u moć njene forme i moć kontinuiteta. Izraz takve radikalne sumnje u književnost jeste žanr metafikcije, koji je istovremeno i karakterističan žanr postmoderne poetike.

The evaluation of learning under dissimilar systems of instruction

Some of you who are present can recall the time when the possible uses of the silent motion picture for instructional purposes first attracted wide attention. As is regularly true on the appearance of a new educational medium, opinions ranged through the whole gamut from expressions of doubt and opposition to extreme claims, such as that we might soon be able to dispense with much that teachers do in the classroom. Naturally, some brave souls saw in the controversy the need to undertake research in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the silent film in comparison with traditional procedures.

United States China Policy

Communism has taken over much of East Asia and poses a grave military and subversive threat to the free countries of the area. United States policy is aimed at counter ing this threat by deterring military aggression through a series of security pacts and the development of indigenous Free World military strength; strengthening the economies and the internal security of the free nations; and opposing any action which would contribute to Chinese Communist power to conquer or subvert. Essential to the policy of limiting the external political effectiveness of the Peiping regime is our support of the Republic of China. United States China policy has been strongly supported by the American people, but there have been expressions of doubt as to the validity of the policy for the future. A "two-Chinas" concept has sometimes been proposed as an alternative. However, the concept is vehemently op posed by both Peiping and Taipei. Even if it were practicable, its presumed advantages are highly questionable and its adop tion by the United States would seriously injure the Free World position in East Asia. This article was written just prior to the renewal of the Chi nese Communist artillery bombardment of Quemoy on August 23 and therefore does not reflect events which have taken place since then. However, it remains an authoritative exposition of United States policy towards China.

The Identity of the Ophidian Name Coluber eques Reuss

HE first attempt to allocate the name Coluber eques Reuss (1834: 152155, pl. 8, fig. 2) was that of Boulenger (1893: 209), who attached it to a series of specimens (actually several closely related species and subspecies were included) from various localities over a considerable area in southwestern United States and Mexico. In his admirable monograph of the genus Thamnophis, Ruthven (1908: 158-164) followed, with refinement, Boulenger's allocation. Smith later did the same (1942: 106-108), with, however, an expression of doubt based upon Reuss' illustration, which did not depict characters of the species to which the name had been allocated in the past. This doubt ultimately has proved well founded, thanks to the foresight and considerateness of Mr. K. P. Schmidt, who obtained a photograph (P1. I) of Reuss' type of Coluber eques (Senckenberg Mus. No. 7209a) and took certain critical data, all of which he generously turned over to me. The type of Coluber eques is a female with 155 ventrals, 25 + caudals, 23-21-19-17 scale rows, and a sharply defined lateral light stripe on scale rows 3 and 4. These data unquestionably demonstrate that the name has been misapplied in the past and actually belongs to the species currently known as Thamnophis subcarinata (Gray, 1839), which name T. eques antedates and replaces. The oldest name referable to the species previously known as T. eques is Eutaenia cyrtopsis Kennicott, 1860. Three lines of evidence provide conclusive information regarding the subspecific identity of Coluber eques. The two subspecies of T. subcarinata currently recognized (T. s. subcarinata and T. s. megalops) differ as a whole solely in ventral and caudal counts. Since the type of C. eques has an incomplete tail, the ventral count is the only significant character remaining. In females of T. s. subcarinata, 39 percent (28) of 72 counts are 155 or less; in T. s. megalops, only 10 percent (4) of 40 counts are as low as 155. Accordingly, on this basis, the type of C. eques is more likely referable to the subspecies T. s. subcarinata than to T. s. megalops. The lower figures in ventral counts occur in about the same frequency in all parts of the range of T. s. subcarinata, however, and thus give no clue to the general area the type may represent. Of greater significance, although not useful as a key character because of its limited geographic occurrence, is the pattern represented by the type found in this species only in the subspecies T. s. subcarinata. Ruthven (loc. cit.) and Brumwell (1939: 426-427) have described pattern groups in this species. The type of C. eques corresponds perfectly with Ruthven's third group (from Chalco, Mexico), and with Brumwell's second group (from La Quemada, Jalisco). Both groups represent the southern subspecies (T. s. subcarinata). The pattern apparently does not occur in the northern subspecies. Again this character yields no dependable clue to the geographic provenance of the type of C. eques. Furthermore, on the basis of probability of access in the early 1800's, the southern subspecies is much more to be expected.

Social Values, the Social Studies, and the Foreign Languages

Author's summary.— Two frank questions raised by a schoolman. Educational and practical reasons for the desire of foreign language teachers to have their subject recognized as a social study. An expression of doubt as to the application of rigid criteria in selecting the social studies. Foreign language as a “skill” and as a subject largely interested in social relationships. Striking testimony from a great newspaper.

The Negro Junior College

Many educators believe that the junior college movement is the most significant educational advance of the twentieth century. Starting most vigorously in California a little more than a quarter of a century ago, it has spread rapidly over the nation until every state in the union except Delaware, Nevada, Rhode Island and Wyoming can claim at least one. California has 55, Texas 43, and Iowa 37. There have been expressions of doubt in many quarters as to the permanency of this new type of college, but Reinharbt and Beu tell us in An Introduction to Education that the junior college is here to say. Be that as it may, we who are engaged in the difficult task of extending higher education to the ever-increasing masses of the underprivileged are asking with concern whether there is any hope to be found for the Negro youth in this new movement. Having been identified with a standard Negro junior college since its reorganization in 1929 to comply with the requirements of this two-year program, I have been fascinated by the above question and have therefore set out to investigate its possibilities.

Obesity

Article1 December 1929ObesityProcedure, Classification, Treatment, And Results, In 151 Cases Studied During The Past Six Years, With Special Reference to An Endocrinopathic Origin.*JOSEPH EIDELSBERG, M.D.JOSEPH EIDELSBERG, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-3-6-604 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptMuch has been written on the subject of Obesity, and the literature on the study of the condition is certainly voluminous. However, there still remains a vast amount to be uncovered, and explained. Recently there have appeared several expressions of doubt as to an endocrinogenic factory in obesity,1'2and placing its incidence below one per cent. No "normal healthy adult" measures his food intake in grams of carbohydrate, fat and protein, and then, to keep his weight stationary, proceeds to work and exercise, play and rest in a measured caloric-equivalent amount. Still, some will gain weight, while others on the...References1 EVANSSTRONG FAJM: A Departure From the Usual Methods in Treating Obesity. Am. J. of Med. Sc., March, 1929. CrossrefGoogle Scholar2 BAUMAN L: Obesity—Recent Reports in the Literature and Results of Treatment. J. A. M. A., Jan. 7, 1928, Vol. p. 22. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3 GRAFEGRAHAM E: Ueber die Aupassungsfa̋highkeit des Tierischen Organismus an uberreichliche Nahrungazufuhr. Ztsch. F. Physial. Chem. 73:, 1911. Google Scholar4 STROUSEDYE SM: Relation Between Food Intake and Body Weight in Some Obese Persons. Arch. Int. Med., Sept., 1924, p. 267. CrossrefGoogle Scholar5 VON NOORDEN C: Ueber die Verschiedenen Formen der Fettsucht. Med. Klin. 5:, 1909. Google Scholar6 HAGEDORN : Metabolism in Obesity. Arch. Int. Med., July, 1927, p. 37. Google Scholar7 JOHN HJ: Treatment of Obesity with Special Reference to Dangers in Use of Thyroid. Med. J. and Rec., Oct. 19, 1927, p. 476. Google Scholar8 STROUSE S: Studies on Metabolism of Obesity. Arch. Int., Med., Sept., 1924, p. 275. CrossrefGoogle Scholar9 HAUSSLEITER H: Ueber den Gas. verschiednen Formen von Fettsucht und seine Beeinflussung durch Nahrings-arbeit und Arzneimittel. Ztschr. f. exper. Path. u. Therap. 17:413, 1915. CrossrefGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: New York*From the Endocrine Clinic, Department of Medicine, New York Post Graduate Medical School and Hospital. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByThe treatment of obesity: An analysis of methods, results, and factors which influence success 1 December 1929Volume 3, Issue 6Page: 604-607KeywordsCarbohydratesEatingExerciseFatsGraduate medical educationHospital medicineObesityProteinsWeight gain Issue Published: 1 December 1929 PDF DownloadLoading ...

Treatise on Thermodynamics

THIS is in many respects a singular work. Whole pages, we may almost say whole sheets, are devoted to the multiplication of elaborate proofs of intrinsically simple theorems for which a few lines would be ample allowance, while some of the real difficulties of the subject are but lightly touched on. The other special characteristics, so far as we have seen, are three in number. First, and most prominent, the extraordinary proportion of formulæ to text, which gives the whole The look of a treatise on Partial Differential Coefficients rather than on a branch of Physics. Second, the fearful and wonderful collection of names for special cycles, e.g. Isothermentropicycle, Isobarymegacycle, Isenergentropicycle, &c. Finally, the expressions of doubt or hesitancy with which many steps, universally recognised as valid, are introduced. In the first and second of these characteristics the author far transcends the results of the licence willingly allowed to pioneers like Clausius and Rankine. But these have been (at least in great part) long since discarded, and can never be reintroduced. The third characteristic is, to say the least, not precisely one to be desiderated in a textbook, where we naturally expect to find some slight trace of “Sir Oracle.”