Modern Theory Research Articles

Against the extremes: Simmel’s social and economic pluralism

ABSTRACT We live in times of increasing polarization in which the margins of the political spectrum begin to dominate our social imagination again. While the neoliberal iteration of the capitalist project suggests extreme individualism as the normative default position, the devastating impact of the globalized economy on many has reignited the pursuit of socialist alternatives. In this constellation, Simmel's social theory of modernity can be a useful resource to undercut the return of the old battle between opposite economic systems. This paper argues that two kinds of pluralism can be derived from his conceptualization of the social effects of the money economy. In contrast to one-size-fits-all concepts of freedom, Simmel embraces a social pluralism which acknowledges a plurality of cultural spheres as relevant for the self-actualization of modern individuals, attributing different combinations of independence and embeddedness to them. Moreover, he rejects the social extremes of socialism and individualism since they fail to properly integrate individual freedom into the social whole without undermining it. Instead, Simmel gives us the vision of a pluralist economy in which democratic worker's cooperatives are combined with an overall liberal market to satisfy both the longing for community and the endeavour for individual distinction.

Defining the functions of administrative law norms in the modern theory of administrative law

Defining the functions of administrative law norms in the modern theory of administrative law

The use of the Bennet indicators and their transitive versions for scanner data analysis

Although modern price index theory is based on comparisons of ratios of prices, quantities and expenditures, we may be more interested in the magnitude of differences in these characteristics in many business applications. The benefit of using these differences is that there is no problem associated with the occurrence of zero prices and quantities, a problem that arises when we work with ratios. In practice, we most often care about decomposing value difference into indicators of contributions from price and quantity differences. The best-known price and quantity indicators are the Bennet indicators, which are not transitive. Although there have been papers in the literature that propose a transitive version of the Bennet indicators, they deal with comparisons across firms in cross-section or panel contexts. This paper revises the price and quantity Bennet indicators and their multilateral versions for the analysis of scanner data. Specifically, i nstead o f c onsidering c omparisons across firms, c ountries or r egions, the t ransitive versions of t he Bennet i ndicators a re a dapted to work on scanner data sets observed over a fixed time w indow. Since the scanner data sets have a high turnover of products, which can make it difficult to interpret the difference in sales values over the compared time periods, the paper also considers a matched sample approach. One of the objectives of the study is to compare bilateral and multilateral Bennet indicator results across all available products or strictly matched products over time. It also examines the impact of data filters used and the level of data aggregation on the price and quantity Bennet indicators. According to the best author’s knowledge, this study is a pioneer in the field of implementing the multilateral Bennet indicators in scanner data analysis.

Knowledge transfer, not just true beliefs: virtue epistemology as a philosophical basis for education

Introduction. Modern pedagogical practice is being reformed due to systemic changes in the ways of social interaction. Knowledge transfer is being significantly modified under the influence of technical innovations, although it remains traditionally one of the main tasks of the educational process. The development of artificial intelligence, neural networks and other analytical computer systems shows that propositional knowledge is not the privilege of the human mind. This state of affairs changes the idea of knowledge as such. In this regard, the participants of the educational process face the task of revising the philosophical basis of modern learning in terms of finding a new definition of knowledge. It is also necessary to develop new methodological recommendations that would correspond to modern epistemological theories of knowledge, belief and understanding. Materials and research methods. The article uses the methods of conceptual analysis and comparative study characteristic of philosophy. The research materials are sources on theory of knowledge, education and also on applied epistemology. Results. Virtue epistemology is one of the most actively developing theories of knowledge in contemporary philosophy and humanities. It is based on the idea that knowledge cannot be an accidental belief, but must be the merit of a cognitive agent. This approach solves many problems of the philosophical theory of knowledge and creates a subjectoriented view of the nature of the cognitive process. This attitude allows us to use virtue epistemology in debates about applied issues, including those related to the explanation of the tasks and content of education. Discussion. A feature of the analysis within virtue epistemology is attention to cognitive skills (reliabilism) and sustained intellectual dispositions (responsibilism) in their relationship to the process of formation of true beliefs. Virtue epistemology defines knowledge through the notion of merit in the manifestation of subjective qualities, so the student's motivation and the context of belief formation should be taken into account when developing specific methodological recommendations. Such an approach explains why standardized testing cannot serve as the sole and primary means of assessing learners. At the same time, the general semantic peculiarity of the notions of virtue allows us to appeal to examples of individuals as ideal types of certain qualities (this is called exemplarism). At the same time, it is necessary to explain why these traits are the excellences that make their bearer better in epistemic terms. Conclusion. In explaining the knowledge transfer, pedagogy can be based on the philosophical principles of virtue epistemology. Such integration enriches both disciplines: pedagogy gets a conceptual scheme adequate to the modern social and technological situation, and epistemology gets a practical application.

Modern chemical graph theory

AbstractGraph theory has a long history in chemistry. Yet as the breadth and variety of chemical data is rapidly changing, so too do graph encoding methods and analyses that yield qualitative and quantitative insights. Using illustrative cases within a basic mathematical framework, we showcase modern chemical graph theory's utility in Chemists' analysis and model development toolkit. The encoding of both experimental and simulation data is discussed at various levels of granularity of information. This is followed by a discussion of the two major classes of graph theoretical analyses: identifying connectivity patterns and partitioning methods. Measures, metrics, descriptors, and topological indices are then introduced with an emphasis upon enhancing interpretability and incorporation into physical models. Challenging data cases are described that include strategies for studying time dependence. Throughout, we incorporate recent advancements in computer science and applied mathematics that are propelling chemical graph theory into new domains of chemical study.This article is categorized under: Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Dynamics and Monte‐Carlo Methods Structure and Mechanism > Computational Materials Science Structure and Mechanism > Molecular Structures

YEW-KWANG NG THE UTILITARIAN: AN APPRECIATION

The most important insight of Yew-Kwang Ng as a scholar is the single idea that welfare dictates humanity and the other sentient beings as well. This idea serves as the unifying principle that runs through the lion’s share of significant contributions by Ng, as an outstanding defender and an innovative modern theorist of utilitarianism, to a good number of literatures in economics and beyond.

К вопросу об эпистемологии, сознании и интеллекте

This paper is devoted to issues of epistemology, which has recently acquired par­ticular relevance in the national philosophy. The role of cultural-historical episte­mology in the modern theory of knowledge is revealed, where the authors hold the idea that knowing the origin and development of knowledge itself, and its cultural conditioning in specific historical experiences contributes to a better un­derstanding of its significance and the scope of use. The authors present their vi­sion of the problem of transition from gnosiology to epistemology as from a strict prescribed methodology to the choice of one’s ways and methods of con­ducting science, where a significant role is given to such disciplines as computer science and logic. In this context, the relationship between consciousness and in­telligence with the theory of knowledge, in particular with cultural-historical epistemology, is also analyzed, since both the philosophy of consciousness and epistemology seek to understand the nature of knowledge and beliefs based on our conscious experience. This approach, considering the influence of social norms, values and cultural traditions on our cognition and thinking, stimulates the development of the theoretical basis of epistemology and its practical appli­cation. The authors conclude that modern research in the field of consciousness and artificial intelligence and their application in the methodology of epistemo­logy contribute not only to rethinking views on the nature of subjectivity but also to establishing the objectivity of our judgments. Ultimately, this leads to the inte­gration of collective and individual consciousness as an important factor in un­derstanding the world and forming scientific knowledge

Ideological and methodological foundations of the «idea of law» by Gustav Radbruch

The famous German legal philosopher G. Radbruch has gone through a complex scientific path which influenced both his worldview and methodological foundations of the concepts proposed by him. The study traces the evolution of Radbruch’s philosophy of law, which was formed under the influence of representatives of neo-Kantianism, in particular G. Simmel, H. Rickert, E. Lask and the school of «free law” – G. Kantorovich, as well as historical events – the domination of Nazism in Germany. The authors reveal the peculiarities of G. Radbruch’s methodology; his position is based on the neo-Kantian methodology of distinguishing between “what is” and “what ought to be”, on the methodology of the philosophy of values and the principle that it is logically impossible from what is to derive what is valuable, what is right, what ought to be. G. Radbruch viewed law as a cultural phenomenon, a value fact that differs from other normative systems by a special value that is important for the realization of justice. The law as a phenomenon has a positive form ( statute, custom, international agreement) and social significance (regulates human behaviour and relations). But law also has a normative character (it is an evaluation and a requirement for reality), it also has a social purpose (which is to achieve the public good), it has an individual purpose (which is to realise and ensure human rights) and a nature of universality, and therefore equality and it should embody justice. The authors examine the well-known and fundamental concept of the “idea of law” which is fundamental to Radbruch’s philosophy and consists of three elements: justice, expediency (sustability), and legal certainty. The idea of law is an essential requirement for positive law; it legitimizes it, makes it “correct law” and “lawfull law (statute)”. Legislation that does not embody the idea of law essentially loses its legal nature. Justice is the formal equal treatment of equals and unequal treatment of unequals. Legal certainty reflects the social and individual purpose of law and justifies human freedom, equality and uniqueness on the basis of human value. Expediency (sustability) is the clarity, certainty, and comprehensibility of the law and should be understood as a basis for ensuring justice. G. Radbruch’s concept of the “idea of law” is essentially a modern theory of the legitimation of positive law.

A Sociological Investigation of the Theoretical Underpinnings and Applied Consequences of Social Stratification

In order to better comprehend how classical and modern sociological theories impact our understanding of social inequality; this paper will examine the theoretical underpinnings and practical implications of social stratification. Based on the writings of Pierre Bourdieu, Max Weber, and Karl Marx, the study looks at how power, position, and class maintain social hierarchies. Through the intersectionality lens, the article delves deeper into the interaction of race, gender, and class in stratification systems. This investigation emphasizes the applicability of these theories in comprehending contemporary inequality and their consequences for public policy, notably in sectors like education, healthcare, and social mobility, by combining quantitative and qualitative empirical investigations. In order to address the changing character of social stratification in the era of globalization and technological progress, the study emphasizes the necessity of multidisciplinary methods and ongoing theory revision based on actual data.

Проблемы преступности лиц, больных наркоманией, состоящих на учете уголовно-исполнительных инспекций

The article is devoted to the study of drug addiction among convicts who have been sentenced without isolation from society, suspended or replaced with something else - without isolation from society, and have also been granted a deferment of serving their sentence or parole. Purpose: to review and evaluate the results of K.V.’Luttseva s dissertation research on the topic “Crime of drug addicts registered with penal inspections: characteristics, determinants, prevention” in the context of the modern development of the drug situation. Research methods: the basis was the dialectical method of understanding drug addiction as a complex socio-legal phenomenon based on current areas of legal regulation and scientific research data. A critical and problematic analysis of K.V.’Luttseva s dissertation was carried out, expressed in the author’s opinion on the problem of criminality of drug addicts registered with penal inspections. Conclusions: it is proved that there are significant features in the content of the study of crime among drug addicts registered with penal inspections, as well as the need for adequate and coordinated prevention. Scientific and practical significance: the article has scientific significance, providing a comprehensive overview of current problems in the context of combating recidivism among drug addicts. The practical significance lies in the study of strategies based on modern theories, which can serve as the basis for improving legislation and practical interaction in the field of countering drug addiction.

ТЕКСТУАЛНА ЛИНГВИСТИКА (ДИЈАХРОНИСКИ ПРЕГЛЕД)

In the paper that is the subject of my processing and analysis, the linguistic points of view in the field of linguistics of the text, as well as applied linguistics, will be covered. The place of the linguistic approach to the text in traditional linguistic theories, but also in modern linguistic and cultural theories, will be analyzed. The concept of language culture includes all the listed skills (logical exposition, text expansion, etc.) Both in the mother tongue and in the foreign languages that are being learned, but also in the learning of the different languages and cultures of the carrier language variants. We will also pay attention to the Prague School, which expands interest in all areas of language use, thus defining functional use through functional styles, expanding interest in language to all types of linguistic texts. Namely, in the paper we will emphasize the importance of the different points of view of the language structure in textual linguistics, but also in the communicative aspects of linguistics.

Local Non Abelian Class Field Theory

The “local class field theory”, which can be defined as the description of the extensions of a given local field K in terms of the algebraic and analytic objects depending ony on the base K is one of the central problems of modern number theory. The theory developed for the abelian extensions, around the fundamental works of Artin and Hasse in the first quarter of the 20th century. It is natural to ask if one could construct this theory including the non-abelian extensions of the base field. There are two approches to this problem. One approach is based on the ideas of Langlands, and the other on Koch. Koch’s method was later generalized by Fesenko and Koch-de Shalit for some non-abelian extensions of the base field. On the other hand, Ikeda and Serbest extended Fesenko’s works to construct a non-abelian local class field theory. But there is a restriction for the base field K. In this study, we extended Ikeda-Serbest’s construction of the local reciprocity map for a certain local field to any local field. Also we have shown that the extended map satisfies the certain functoriality and ramification theoretic properties.

An overview of the development and applications of information entropy

With information entropy gradually taking the lead in modern information theory development, it begins to hold greater influence over multiple research areas as well as technology innovation. This paper aims to clarify peoples confusion with the development of entropy theory and provide a brief overview of the origin of entropy theory, including the original Shannons proposal, variants such as relative entropy and conditional entropy, and entropy concepts proposed by other scientists, such as Rnyi Tsallis entropy. The paper also includes the current application of entropy, studies hotspots, and predicts future entropy development trends. This research paper is able to add more coherence and consistency to information entropys development, helping more people to better understand the concept of entropy and its derivation. At the same time, with hotspots of entropy fields of study, this paper hopes to attract more people to devote themselves to studying entropy-related fields, and boost technological development.

The Interwoven Aesthetics and Identification: On Aesthetic Modernity in Frankenstein

Frankenstein is famous for its exploration of humanity in its bizarre plots, but the importance of this work also lies in its aesthetic modernity, which is revealed under the veil of the complementarity of aesthetics and identification. Based on the relevant theories of aesthetics and modernity, this thesis attempts to analyze the aesthetic connotation and literary expression of Frankenstein from both aspects of content and form and to reveal the aesthetic modernity in this novel. The novel exquisitely depicts the desire and reflection of the created “monster” on beauty and identity, exposes the social ills and humanity defects resulting from Enlightenment modernity in the contradiction between the construction of subjectivity and the modern aesthetic shackles, expands the scope and boundary of sympathy in the switch of multiple narrative perspectives, thus constructing a community of compassion in literary creation. As a result, Frankenstein and its research from the perspective of aesthetic modernity have great literary value and significance.

Is return on investment the appropriate tool for healthcare quality improvement governance?

PurposeIn this article, we outline our views on the appropriateness and utility of Return on Investment (ROI) for the evaluation of the value of healthcare quality improvement (QI) programmes.Design/methodology/approachOur recent research explored the ROI concept and became the genesis of our viewpoint. We reflect on our findings from an extensive research project on the concept of ROI, involving a multidisciplinary global systematic literature review, a qualitative and Delphi study with mental healthcare leaders from the United Kingdom National Health Service. Research participants included board members, clinical directors and QI leaders. Our findings led to our conclusions and interpretation of ROI against the broad QI governance. We discuss our views against the predominant governance frameworks and wider literature.FindingsROI is in-line with top-down control governance frameworks based in politics and economics. However, there is evidence that to be of better utility, a tool for the assessment of the value of QI benefits must include comprehensive benefits that reflect broad monetary and non-monetary benefits. This is in-line with bottom-up and collaborative governance approaches. ROI has several challenges that may limit it as a QI governance tool. This is supported by wider literature on ROI, QI as well as modern governance theories and models. As such, we question whether ROI is the appropriate tool for QI governance. A more pragmatic governance framework that accommodates various healthcare objectives is advised.Practical implicationsThis article highlights some of the challenges in adopting ROI as a QI governance tool. We signal a need for the exploration of a suitable QI governance approach. Particularly, are healthcare leaders to be perceived as “agents”, “stewards” or both. The evidence from our research and wider literature indicates that both are crucial. Better QI governance through an appropriate value assessment tool could improve clarity on QI value, and thus investment allocation decision-making. Constructive discussion about the utility and appropriateness of ROI in the evaluation of healthcare QI programmes may help safeguard investment in effective and efficient health systems.Originality/valueThe article raises awareness of QI governance and encourages discussions about the challenges of using ROI as a tool for healthcare QI governance.

Musthalah al-Tanash Nasyatuhu wa Ta’shiluhu wa Huduruhu fi al-Adab al-‘Arabi

A number of contemporary Arab critics have sought to root many Western critical concepts by searching for their origins in the ancient Arab and rhetorical heritage, including, for example, “intertextuality.” These critics agree that the ancient Arab critical heritage is full of critical theories and concepts, and it is necessary to return to it to uncover the origins of these modern Western theories and concepts, and to reintegrate them into modern criticism. The concept of intertextuality is one of the most Western concepts exposed to rooting in contemporary Arab criticism. This concept was rooted by linking it to old concepts created by Arab critics in the past, such as quotation, inclusion, literary theft, and others. Thus, Arab critics have enriched the human critical heritage with critical theories that they produced and applied to Arab poetic creativity. Arabs knew the idea of intertextuality in its concept, dimensions, and some of its functions, but they did not naturally create this Western term. Some modern Arab critics sought to purify the concept of intertextuality from its impurities that make it a dangerous concept, so that it could be rooted and considered a new and contemporary formulation of the concept of legalized thefts, which Abdul Qaher Al-Jurjani defined as "imitation".

Nihilism and Modern Consumerism: A Philosophical Exploration of the Search for Meaning

This study explores the relationship between nihilism and modern consumption concepts, analyzes the manifestation of nihilism as a philosophical viewpoint in modern society, and its impact on individuals’ search for meaning. By examining the origins, representative thinkers, and modern theories of nihilism, this article further reveals how nihilism affects modern consumer culture, leading individuals to feel lonely and alienated and lose meaning in their consumption behavior. The study also discusses philosophical strategies to address nihilism, proposing ways to make modern consumer behavior more meaningful and valuable through creating meaning, accepting nothingness, and strengthening community relationships. Finally, this study emphasizes the importance of nihilism in understanding modern consumer culture and calls for further philosophical exploration of it.

Research on the Path of Effective Management under New Vision

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, traditional management approaches are facing new challenges and difficulties. Effective management has become a critical element for organizational success, yet achieving it within the new environment remains a complex issue. This paper explores the path to effective management under the emerging integrated perspective. Through a comprehensive literature review and empirical research, the study identifies several key strategies that can help organizations navigate the new realities, including building adaptive organizations, strengthening communication and collaboration, promoting innovation and change, developing leadership capabilities, and fostering learning-oriented cultures. Drawing on modern management theory, innovation management, organizational behavior, and leadership frameworks, the research constructs a holistic theoretical foundation. The analysis of case studies across diverse sectors, such as information technology, cross-cultural management, strategic management, and knowledge management, reveals both the advantages and limitations of these theories in practical application. The findings suggest that the path to effective management is multifaceted, requiring the strategic and integrated deployment of various management practices. By examining the management approaches of successful organizations, the study proposes actionable strategies to help enterprises enhance their performance and competitiveness in the new era. The insights from this research are expected to provide valuable reference and practical guidance for organization leaders, supporting their efforts to achieve greater development and progress in the face of emerging challenges.

Flow control by a hybrid use of machine learning and control theory

PurposeFlow control has a great potential to contribute to a sustainable society through mitigation of environmental burden. However, the high dimensional and nonlinear nature of fluid flows poses challenges in designing efficient control laws using the control theory. This paper aims to propose a hybrid method (i.e. machine learning and control theory) for feedback control of fluid flows, by which the flow is mapped to the latent space in such a way that the linear control theory can be applied therein.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose a partially nonlinear linear system extraction autoencoder (pn-LEAE), which consists of convolutional neural networks-based autoencoder (CNN-AE) and a custom layer to extract low-dimensional latent dynamics from fluid velocity field data. This pn-LEAE is designed to extract a linear dynamical system so that the modern control theory can easily be applied, while a nonlinear compression is done with the autoencoder (AE) part so that the latent dynamics conform to that linear system. The key technique is to train this pn-LEAE with the ground truths at two consecutive time instants, whereby the AE part retains its capability as the AE, and the weights in the linear dynamical system are trained simultaneously.FindingsThe authors demonstrate the effectiveness of the linear system extracted by the pn-LEAE, as well as the designed control law’s effectiveness for a flow around a circular cylinder at the Reynolds number of ReD = 100. When the control law derived in the latent space was applied to the direct numerical simulation, the lift fluctuations were suppressed over 50%.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt using CNN-AE for linearization of fluid flows involving transient development to design a feedback control law.

A differentiable quantum phase estimation algorithm

Abstract The simulation of electronic properties is a pivotal issue in modern electronic structure theory, driving significant efforts over the past decades to develop protocols for computing energy derivatives. In this work, we address this problem by developing a strategy to integrate the quantum phase estimation algorithm within a fully differentiable framework. This is accomplished by devising a smooth estimator able to tackle arbitrary initial states. We provide analytical expressions to characterize the statistics and algorithmic cost of this estimator. Furthermore, we provide numerical evidence that the estimation accuracy is retained when an arbitrary state is considered and that it exceeds the one of standard majority rule. 
We explicitly use this procedure to estimate chemically relevant quantities, demonstrating our approach through ground-state and triplet excited state geometry optimization with simulations involving up to 19 qubits. This work paves the way for new quantum algorithms that combine interference methods and quantum differentiable programming.