Nature Of Progress Research Articles

Our Current Attitude towards Science Determines the Future of Our Planet

Abstract This article examines the intertwined relationship between modern scientific advancement and its potential to shape the future of Earth’s ecological and societal well-being. While scientific innovations have brought about unprecedented developments, they also present new challenges, particularly regarding sustainability and ecological balance. By tracing humanity’s historical relationship with nature and the rise of specialized sciences, the article reflects on the dual nature of technological progress. It calls for a balanced approach, one that prioritizes wisdom alongside knowledge to avoid irreversible harm to the planet. Through philosophical reflections, the article emphasizes the need for responsible innovation, urging researchers to consider the long-term consequences of their work for Earth’s future.

Directional nature of technological progress in the petrochemical industry prompting energy marginal substitution

Technological progress does not uniformly benefit all industries or factors' productivity levels. The energy productivity and labour employment situation in the Chinese petrochemical industry have not witnessed substantial improvements in the last decade. The literature has overlooked the importance of recognizing the directional nature of technological progress, which could enable a more strategic approach to economic development, resource allocation, and policy formulation. This study, guided by the core principles of endogenous economic growth theory, aims to uncover the influencing mechanisms and effects of technological progress bias on energy and employment by extending a theoretical model to account for energy, capital, and labour factors. The results reveal: (1) From 2000 to 2021, the relationship between labour, capital, and energy factors in the Chinese petrochemical industry has been predominantly complementary, with technological progress favouring labour-augmenting that is increasing labour productivity; (2) The gross complementarity of production factors leads to labour-augmenting technological progress, ultimately biased towards energy and capital factors; (3) Energy-capital-biased technological progress encourages producers to invest more energy and capital to substitute for labour factors, leading to a limited improvement in energy productivity and a consistent decline in labour employment since 2011. This study further corroborates that without government intervention, it would lead to improper factor allocation in the industry, resulting in market failure. Finally, corresponding policy recommendations are proposed.

Inclusive Education: Bridging the Gap for Diverse Learners in India

The future of education in India is a topic of great interest and speculation as the nation stands at the cusp of significant social, economic, and technological changes. Over the years, India has witnessed considerable advancements in its education sector, but the coming years are expected to bring about even more transformative developments. This paper aims to explore the potential predictions and trends that could shape the landscape of education in India in the coming years. From embracing innovative technologies to addressing socio-economic disparities, the education system in India is likely to undergo substantial transformations to meet the evolving needs of the learners and the demands of a rapidly changing world. In this context, this paper will delve into some of the key areas that are anticipated to drive the future of education in India. These areas include the adoption of emerging technologies, the evolution of teaching methodologies, the changing role of educators, the emphasis on skill-based learning, and the integration of personalized and inclusive approaches. As we embark on this journey of exploring the future of education in India, it is essential to recognize that the predictions and trends discussed herein are speculative and subject to the dynamic nature of societal and technological progress. However, by critically examining the potential scenarios, educators, policymakers, and stakeholders can better prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, ultimately contributing to a more robust and equitable education system for India's diverse and growing population.

The curious case of democratic backsliding in Bangladesh: an analysis of people’s financial satisfaction

ABSTRACT This study investigates the intricate dynamics between electoral integrity, financial satisfaction, and democratic governance in Bangladesh, a nation facing challenges in democratic governance amid rapid economic growth. Through analysing perceptions of electoral integrity and household financial satisfaction, this research delves into their potential moderating effects on perceptions of democratic governance. With a focus on Bangladesh, which exemplifies paradoxical trends of democratic backsliding alongside significant economic advancements, this study contributes to the broader discourse on democracy and governance. It posits that financial satisfaction plays a crucial role in shaping individuals’ perceptions of democratic governance, especially under the legacy of compromised electoral integrity. This research enriches the theoretical and empirical landscape, offering insights into the paradoxical nature of democratic backsliding and economic progress.

History and evolution of surgical treatment for spasticity: a journey from neurotomy to selective dorsal rhizotomy.

The evolution of neurosurgical approaches to spasticity spans centuries, marked by key milestones and innovative practitioners. Probable ancient descriptions of spasmodic conditions were first classified as spasticity in the 19th century through the interventions of Dr. William John Little on patients with cerebral palsy. The late 19th century witnessed pioneering efforts by surgeons such as Dr. Charles Loomis Dana, who explored neurotomies, and Dr. Charles Sherrington, who proposed dorsal rhizotomy to address spasticity. Dorsal rhizotomy rose to prominence under the expertise of Dr. Otfrid Foerster but saw a decline in the 1920s due to emerging alternative procedures and associated complications. The mid-20th century saw a shift toward myelotomy but the revival of dorsal rhizotomy under Dr. Claude Gros' selective approach and Dr. Marc Sindou's dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning. In the late 1970s, Dr. Victor Fasano introduced functional dorsal rhizotomy, incorporating electrophysiological evaluations. Dr. Warwick Peacock and Dr. Leila Arens further modified selective dorsal rhizotomy, focusing on approaches at the cauda equina level. Later, baclofen delivered intrathecally via an implanted programmable pump emerged as a promising alternative around the late 1980s, pioneered by Richard Penn and Jeffrey Kroin and then led by A. Leland Albright. Moreover, intraventricular baclofen has also been tried in this matter. The evolution of these neurosurgical interventions highlights the dynamic nature of medical progress, with each era building upon and refining the work of significant individuals, ultimately contributing to successful outcomes in the management of spasticity.

Guidelines for Manufacturing and Application of Organoids: Heart.

Cardiac organoids have emerged as invaluable tools for assessing the impact of diverse substances on heart function. This report introduces guidelines for general requirements for manufacturing cardiac organoids and conducting cardiac organoid-based assays, encompassing protocols, analytical methodologies, and ethical considerations. In the quest to employ recently developed three-dimensional cardiac organoid models as substitutes for animal testing, it becomes imperative to establish robust criteria for evaluating organoid quality and conducting toxicity assessments. This guideline addresses this need, catering to regulatory requirements, and describes common standards for organoid quality and toxicity assessment methodologies, commensurate with current technological capabilities. While acknowledging the dynamic nature of technological progress and the potential for future comparative studies, this guideline serves as a foundational framework. It offers a comprehensive approach to standardized cardiac organoid testing, ensuring scientific rigor, reproducibility, and ethical integrity in investigations of cardiotoxicity, particularly through the utilization of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac organoids.

Autonomous Vehicles: From Technology to Law and Regulation

The advent of autonomous vehicles marks a convergence of technological advancement, societal change, and regulatory evolution with profound implications. This transformative technology has shifted from science fiction to reality, sparking extensive discourse encompassing technological progress, legal intricacies, and ethical considerations. This scholarly exploration navigates the intricate terrain of autonomous vehicles, tracing their evolution from a technological marvel to a catalyst for profound changes in legal frameworks, regulations, and societal dynamics. Our journey begins by delving into the technological foundations and significant achievements that underpin autonomous vehicle development. This illuminates the complex algorithms, sensor arrays, and machine-learning capabilities driving these self-driving vehicles. Transitioning from technology, we delve into the intricate realm of law and regulation, where established norms of road safety, liability, and privacy intersect with autonomy's transformative potential. This paper scrutinizes the intricate network of legal frameworks and ethical considerations governing the testing, deployment, and daily operation of autonomous cars. With their integration into transportation systems gaining prominence, balancing innovation with regulation assumes critical importance. This study embraces technology, law, and regulation, aiming to understand the multifaceted dimensions arising when autonomous cars intersect with legal and ethical frameworks. We explore the dynamic nature of global regulatory paradigms, analyzing obstacles, achievements, and ethical dilemmas shaping progress. As we embark on this endeavor, our goal is to offer a valuable resource elucidating the intricate process of transitioning from technology to legal frameworks and regulations within the era of autonomous vehicles.

ОЦІНЮВАННЯ РЕЗУЛЬТАТІВ НАВЧАННЯ ЦИФРОВОГО ПІДПРИЄМНИЦТВА В ЕПОХУ ВИСОКИХ ТА ГЛИБОКИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ

Digital transformation and the rise of Industry 4.0 in times of turbulence are changing the way organizations operate and interact with the people they serve. The massive penetration of network software applications and cloud services forces businesses to digitize their processes and provide innovative products and services. Such mass penetration is changing production and business processes, the labour market, and the basic portrait of the workforce, regardless of industry or role. In addition, we are seeing a shift in the basic skills needed in science, research and development, engineering, IT, management, entrepreneurship, and more. These skills are transformed in accordance with the technological restructuring of productive forces, at the same time, educational activity is characterized by some lag in its development. It is important to realize that the nature and speed of progress dictates the need for an advanced workforce with a multidisciplinary educational background (especially given the number of predictions promising full automation in the next few decades), regardless of industry or function, especially when it comes to deep tech start-ups and high-tech enterprises. It was concluded that in the framework of modern technical evolution, in the conditions of high-tech, and especially deep tech structures, competencies in digital entrepreneurship are, if not key, then very important. The education market is also undergoing changes, but university education is very slow to respond to digital processes. The article proposes a method of assessing the level of competences of students of economic specialties in the field of learning digital entrepreneurship based on soft computing, and also formulates the key basic competencies that arise during the online course of digital entrepreneurship, which are based on the latest development trends in the field of IT. Special considerations for using the model for higher education institutions are discussed. The proposed mathematical model has the property of universality and can be applied to obtain basic statistical samples of the level of competence acquisition based on online courses in various areas of the real sector of the economy.

Riffing on Feyerabend: Direct Observation, Paraconsistentist Logic, and a Research Immanent Account of the Rationaliy of Science

Feyerabend’s work, particularly his early papers contain important insights into the nature of science and scientific progress. I discuss his insights into the limits of empiricist foundationalism and positivism. I explain how the work of a number of philosophers has borne out Feyerabend’s claims in startling and interesting ways. Nevertheless, I criticise Feyerabend’s move from his attack on universal method to relativism. I point out that Feyerabend never confronted a well-developed research immanent view of the rationality of scientific change, which shows the limitations of the arguments in Against Method.

GUARANTEES OF FREEDOM OF SCIENTIFIC CREATIVITY IN THE NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

The article examines the consolidation and development in the law "On Science and Scientific activity" of the internationally recognized human right to freedom of scientific research. The article analyzes the normative content of freedom of science and its reflection in legislation of Uzbekistan. Much attention is paid to the issue of the correlation of freedom of science with a number of civil, social and economic human rights, the beneficiaries of which are also scientists and scientific and technical workers. It is concluded that it is necessary to establish a balance between freedom of scientific research and human rights due to the increasing risky nature of modern scientific and technological progress.

Men Replaced by Robots? Ethical Issues in Response to Technological Developments: Challenges for CSR

Over the latest decades, technology has been the driving force for most of the transformations that characterize the professional work today. Artificial Intelligence, robots, automation, complex systems and machines, and many other technological inventions do not represent a futuristic vision anymore, but they rather define our current reality, altering the fundamental nature of business and work. Besides their incontestable benefits, inquiries about the powerful impact of these technologies have surfaced, leading to a debate on "existential threat" they pose, since the nature of this technological progress is unpredictable. Therefore, there is a need to undertake proactive measures (such as a regulatory framework) in order to identify and mitigate the risks. In this context, the aim of this paper is to address some ethical issues with regard to the impact the accelerated technological developments have on humankind, mainly on the workforce, and the way the future of work is reconfigured by these transformations. In addition, the paper addresses some implications for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), highlighting that it is crucial for companies to address the challenges posed by the new technologies in an ethical manner in order to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.

A Review of Modern Computational Techniques and Their Role in Power System Stability and Control

This paper attempts to elucidate the transformative integration of computational techniques within power systems, underscoring their critical role in enhancing system modeling, control, and the efficient integration of renewable energy. It breaks down the two-sided nature of technological progress, highlighting both gains in operational efficiency and new challenges such as real-time processing, data management, and cybersecurity. Through meticulous analysis of query-based research patterns and mathematical frameworks, this study delves into the balancing act between specificity and breadth in scholarly inquiries while evaluating the impact and evolution of research trends through citation analysis. The convergence of interests and transient research trends is evident, particularly in Artificial Intelligence and optimization. This comprehensive narrative anticipates a sophisticated trajectory for power systems, advocating for continuous innovation and strategic research to foster sustainable, resilient, and intelligent energy networks.

The impact of digital economy on green total factor productivity considering the labor-technology-pollution factors

The digital economy provides new impetus for the high-quality development of manufacturing industry. Through the DEA-Malmquist model and panel regression model, this paper confirmed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the development of digital economy and the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of manufacturing industry. The research result is as follows: (1) the development of digital economy can enhance the overall GTFP of manufacturing industry. (2) The green technology progress brought by the development of digital economy is the main path to promote the GTFP of manufacturing industry. (3) The heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of digital economy on GTFP of high pollution manufacturing industry is significantly positive, the impact of labor-intensive manufacturing industry is significantly negative, and the impact of technology intensive manufacturing industry is not obvious. The contributions of this study are as follow. In terms of theory, this study theoretically continues Solow’s classical theory, demonstrating the scientific nature of digital technology progress in promoting GTFP growth. In empirical analysis, this study build a new digital economy development level evaluation index system based on the perspective of manufacturing industry. In addition, this study also add a labor-technology-pollution perspective for the development of relevant policies.

Прогресс во всемирной истории. Так был ли мальчик?

This article studies the content of the concept of progress in connection with the emergence of negative attitudes towards it in scientific publications. The analysis is carried out by comparing progress with the concepts of evolution, practice, cognition, development and personality. The author reproduces the traditional criterion of progress, i.e. freedom, but considers it in two aspects: scientifictechnical and moral, basing his reasoning on the idea of the infinity of the historical process due to the infinity of practical transformative human activity. The paper clearly demonstrates progressive development of these two aspects in world history, paying attention to distinct changes in the manmade environment, and points out the existence of moral norms in various historically conditioned cultures. At the same time, the author reveals the dialectical nature of moral progress, thereby justifying the fundamental impossibility of absolute morality in history. However, this provision is interpreted here as the basis for the objectification of labour not only in material nature, but also in the sphere of morality. The struggle of good against evil is an endless exercise of labour aimed at overcoming egocentric aspirations. Further, the article identifies the reasons for the negative attitude to progress. They are seen, firstly, in the theoretical gap between the scientific-technical and moral progress in spite of their dialectical consideration and, secondly, in the unjustified application of the teleological principle to the concept of progress, this principle being in opposition to the phenomena of the scientific-technical progress and to the dialectical unity of good and evil. As a result, the author makes a conclusion about the progressiveness of world history and its immanent incompleteness and, consequently, the incompleteness of progress. This is the basis for the impossibility of absolute freedom in history.

Word embeddings reveal growing moral concern for people, animals and the environment.

The Enlightenment idea of historical moral progress asserts that civil societies become more moral over time. This is often understood as an expanding moral circle and is argued to be tightly linked with language use, with some suggesting that shifts in how we express concern for others can be considered an important indicator of moral progress. Our research explores these notions by examining historical trends in natural language use during the 19th and 20th centuries. We found that the associations between words denoting moral concern and words referring to people, animals, and the environment grew stronger over time. The findings support widely-held views about the nature of moral progress by showing that language has changed in a way that reflects greater concern for others.

Are We There Yet?

Problem, research strategy, and findings In 2020, Berke and Conroy demonstrated that plan policies did not promote sustainability principles strongly or in a balanced fashion. Has this changed in the intervening years? We conducted a longitudinal analysis of the policies in the updated versions of the plans in Berke and Conroy using their coding framework, comparing scores with the original plans. We found that most of the updated plans from the original study locations have an overarching sustainability vision, though this did not result in consistently higher sustainability scores. Although there were no significant differences in the strength with which sustainability principles were promoted in the updated plans, there were descriptive shifts in the promoted principles. In the updated plans, we found the same imbalance in principles promoted by present policies as in the original plans, making policy integration between principles a key consideration. The progress of policy adoption to promote sustainability principles may be slow; therefore, as more communities frame their comprehensive plans around sustainability, longitudinal studies are required to continue to track the effects of the progress. Takeaway for practice Sustainability scores for comprehensive plans have not significantly changed from 20 years ago, though more are focused on the concept of sustainability as an overarching vision. Evaluating scores over time provides insight into the nature of progress in supporting that vision.

Science is more than knowing

Bird’s new book, Knowing Science, provides an exemplar of how to do epistemology and philosophy of science together. While I wholeheartedly appreciate his attempt to bridge the gap between epistemology and philosophy of science and find his project promising, I am not convinced by the central thesis of the book that knowledge plays a central role in science. In this article, I focus on Bird’s epistemic account of scientific progress, which is the view that the nature of scientific progress is the accumulation of scientific knowledge. Contra Bird, I argue that scientific progress cannot be fully characterised as the accumulation of scientific knowledge.

Population Transfer Among the Quantum Dot Eigenstates Driven by Time‐dependent Anharmonic Potential: Role of Noise

AbstractThe study meticulously inspects the time‐average excitation rate (TAER)of lowest energy state electronic probability of GaAs quantum dot (QD)to the higher energy states. The excitation occurs as the anharmonic potential(a part of QD confinement) starts varying with time either periodicallyor randomly. The anharmonic potential is characterized by either evenor oddparity. Gaussian white noise (GWN)has also been introduced to the QD either via additiveor multiplicativemode. The study announces that the coupled impact of the given physical quantity, the symmetry of the anharmonicity, presence/absence of noise, the route of entrance of noise, and the nature of time progress of anharmonicity constant, ultimately regulates and fine‐tunes the attributes of the TAER diagrams. The TAER diagrams comprise of regular rise, regular fall, maximization (pertinent to production of high value of nonlinear optical (NLO) properties), minimization and saturation (pertinent to dynamic freezing). The outcomes of the study seem to be recognizable in various applications of devices containing QD.

Detection and Classification of Brain Tumor Using Machine Learning Algorithms

The brain is the organ that controls the activities of all parts of the body. The tumor is familiar as an irregular outgrowth of tissue. Brain tumors are an abnormal lump of tissue in which cells grow up and redouble uncontrollably. It is categorized into different types based on their nature, origin, growth rate, and stage of progress. Detection of the tumor by traditional methods is time-consuming and does not widen to diagnose a large amount of data and is less accurate. So, the automatic diagnosis of the tumors in the brain by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a very important role in computer-aided diagnosis. This paper concentrates on the diagnosis of three kinds of brain tumors (a meningioma, a glioma, and a pituitary tumor). Machine learning algorithms: KNN, SVM, and GRNN are suggested to increase accuracy and reduce diagnostic time by using a publicly available dataset, features that are extracted of images, data pre-processing methods, and the principal component analysis (PCA). This paper aims to minimize the training time of the suggested algorithms. The dimensionality reducing technique is applied to the dataset and diagnosis using machine learning algorithms, such as Support Vector Machines (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Generalized Regression Neural Networks (GRNN). The accuracies of the algorithms used in diagnosing tumors are 97%, 96.24%, and 94.7% for KNN, SVM, and GRNN, respectively. The KNN is therefore regarded as the algorithm of choice.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Growth among University Professors

Universities are under constant and intense strain because of the dynamic nature of societal demand and progress. When it comes to providing economic, ecological, and sustainable solutions, the issue is whether or not HEIs produce graduates with the competencies to do so. Higher education institutions (HEIs) also have a responsibility to ensure that their students are adequately prepared for careers in today's increasingly complicated, rapidly changing, and multidisciplinary job market. In order to meet this challenge, universities need faculty members with a wide range of skills, dispositions, and levels of professional development in the areas of instruction, study, and service. Sadly, teachers don't have a good grasp on whether or not their students are prepared to thrive in today's interconnected and multicultural world. Consequently, this investigation employs a sequential mixed-methods approach to explain how professors' skills, outlooks, and training shape their classroom instruction and their students' academic growth in higher education. The professors have higher opinions of their own abilities and character than the students do. Untenured lecturers, according to faculty representatives, have a superior disposition and skillset than their tenured counterparts. One-third of professors have met at least one of the research advancement requirements. When compared to students in the social sciences and engineering, those majoring in the biological sciences had a higher level of satisfaction with their instructors and the growth of their skills. Knowing how characteristics like aptitudes, attitudes, and professional growth are likely to affect the quality of instruction and student outcomes is crucial for developing and implementing effective educational changes.