Primary Argument Research Articles

Reply to: Mechanisms by which growth and succession limit the impact of fire in a south‐western Australian forested ecosystem—A comment on Zylstra et al.'s model

Abstract Empirical evidence in scientific literature shows that forest flammability in south‐western Australia declines as forests recover from disturbance, indicating that current policies mandating disturbance may be counterproductive. Zylstra et al. (2023) used mechanistic modelling to explain this trend in Red Tingle (Eucalyptus jacksonii) forest in south‐western Australia. McCaw. (2024) have questioned the validity of the modelling, advancing hypothetical arguments as to why one of the inputs (‘suspended litter’) is incorrect and re‐asserting the need for the current policy. The primary argument by McCaw. (2024) depends upon the redefinition of a component of surface litter into suspended litter. The published definition of near‐surface fuel defines necromass as ‘suspended’ fuel only if it is suspended in living plants or collapsed shrubs. McCaw. (2024) removed this requirement, so that a component of surface fuel was incorrectly measured as ‘suspended’ fuel long after the plants that might suspend it had self‐thinned from the landscape. This physically impossible assertion was supported by an empirical study led by an architect of the policy and utilising the same redefinition of suspended litter, also reporting physically impossible findings as a result. Given the well‐documented decline in wildfire likelihood in long‐unburnt forest, the claim by McCaw. (2024) that suspended litter does not decline suggests at best that such litter plays a lesser role than previously believed. The approaches used by McCaw. (2024) to defend Government policy should be understood in context of growing international concerns around scientific suppression used in defence of Government policy. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Intuition and Kagan's Hierarchicalism

Abstract According to Shelly Kagan, the moral status of an individual is determined by the extent to which the individual has (has now, might/will have, or could have had) certain psychological capacities. Roughly speaking, the greater one's relevant psychological capacities, the higher their moral status. In this paper, I offer a twofold critique of Kagan's hierarchicalism. On the one hand, I argue against the primary argument in favor of Kagan's view (the argument from distribution) by challenging the key intuition on which the argument relies, thereby reducing the appeal of Kagan's position. On the other hand, using Kagan's general methodology, I argue that a good reason to reject Kagan's account of moral status is that he fails to explain away the counterintuitive result of his theory in the case of normal variation.

Preconception carrier screening in couples seeking in vitro fertilization: exploring the patient perspective

Research questionWhat is the level of understanding, and what are the attitudes and considerations regarding preconception carrier screening (PCS) among patients seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)? DesignA mixed methods design was used. Nine interviews were conducted with couples or individual partners (N = 16) who had an intake for IVF/ICSI in the two years prior to this study. A questionnaire was completed by 115 participants. No actual PCS was offered. ResultsAll interviewed couples expressed a positive attitude towards PCS, and over half of the respondents would pursue or seriously consider pursuing PCS if possible. Some couples falsely believed that PCS could identify a cause for their fertility problems and increase their chances of conceiving. The desire to make an informed reproductive decision was the most important argument in favour of PCS. The primary argument against PCS was the apprehension of being confronted with reproductive dilemmas. The longer the delay in their IVF/ICSI treatment required to perform PCS, the more couples would be inclined to decline screening. Participants preferred receiving information about PCS from a medical specialist at an early stage in their IVF/ICSI treatment. ConclusionAlthough attitudes towards PCS were generally positive, some concerns were raised about treatment delays and potential reproductive dilemmas, and some couples had misconceptions about the purpose of screening within the context of their IVF/ICSI treatment. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring the information and counseling to the specific needs of IVF/ICSI patients.

Finding Space for Advocacy and Scholarship on Mauna Kea and Beyond

Reflecting upon the role and place of advocacy in realtionship to scholarship in the context of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) dispute on Mauna Kea (Hawai’i), I chart shifts in my career regarding activism and advocacy with reference to moving away from the ‘purity’ demands on scholarship common in religious studies and toward an ethics of engagement more common in Indigenous studies. This framing is in the service of addressing questions about the entailments of public engagement, including its demands, rewards, and costs. My primary argument is that in some contexts engaged scholarship is the condition of possibility for ethical and theoretically generative scholarship. I distill three basic lessons from my experiences on and around Mauna Kea: (1) the importance of foregrounding community relationships, (2) the formative role of community led decision-making for charting research and advocacy efforts, and (3) a willingness to recalibrate expectations around academic timelines and outcomes.

Educational Excellence and Societal Benefits: The Case for Supporting UK Faith Schools

This paper explores the controversial issue of government funding for religious schools in the UK, advocating for this support by studying its comprehensive impact on society and education. Firstly, the research delineates the historical evolution of faith-based education in the UK and the debates surrounding its public financing. Subsequently, the study posits three primary arguments to substantiate government support for these institutions. The first argument underscores the educational preferences of numerous UK families who desire education for their children that is congruent with their religious beliefs, supported by statistical evidence and highlighting the government’s role in ensuring religious freedom and diversity. The second argument examines how government funding for religious schools enhances social cohesion and bolsters moral values, challenging the view that such schools exacerbate social divisions. The third argument reveals that religious schools frequently achieve exemplary educational standards and outcomes. Employing a critical analysis of both proponents and critics, this paper advocates for continued government funding of religious schools to meet diverse educational needs and promote societal harmony.

On the possible advantages of combining small lineups with instructions that discourage guessing-based selection

The primary argument for including large numbers of known-to-be innocent fillers in lineups is that guessing-based selections are dispersed among a large number of lineup members, leading to low innocent-suspect identification rates. However, a recent study using the two-high threshold eyewitness identification model has demonstrated advantages of smaller lineups at the level of the processes underlying the observable responses. Participants were more likely to detect the presence of the culprit and less likely to select lineup members based on guessing in smaller than in larger lineups. Nonetheless, at the level of observable responses, the rate of innocent-suspect identifications was higher in smaller compared to larger lineups due to the decreased dispersion of guessing-based selections among the lineup members. To address this issue, we combined smaller lineups with lineup instructions insinuating that the culprit was unlikely to be in the lineup. The goal was to achieve a particularly low rate of guessing-based selections. These lineups were compared to larger lineups with neutral instructions. In two experiments, culprit-presence detection occurred with a higher probability in smaller compared to larger lineups. Furthermore, instructions insinuating that the culprit was unlikely to be in the lineup reduced guessing-based selection compared to neutral instructions. At the level of observable responses, the innocent-suspect identification rate did not differ between smaller lineups with low-culprit-probability instructions and larger lineups with neutral instructions. The rate of culprit identifications was higher in smaller lineups with low-culprit-probability instructions than in larger lineups with neutral instructions.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child and Article 12: Applying the Lundy model to treaty body recommendations

Abstract Article 12 of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires that states afford children the opportunity, subject to certain qualifications, to express their views on all matters that affect them. Alongside the substantive, procedural and normative significance of this right, Article 12 both reflects and contributes to progressive understandings of childhood more generally; it recognizes children as agentic beings ‘with integrity and personality and the ability to participate freely in society and articulate a view’. Nevertheless, the fulfilment of this legal right is often not realized, requiring ongoing efforts to help translate it into practice. This article examines how the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CommCRC), through recommendations to state parties issued as part of its monitoring function, can assist, or hinder the realization of Article 12. The primary argument advanced is that when issuing recommendations, the CommCRC ought to draw on the Lundy Model of Child Participation as an organizing concept- one utilized to weave together the substance of their recommendations in ways more instructive, useful, and impactful than the current approach.

Restricted nominalism about number and its problems

Hofweber (Ontology and the ambitions of metaphysics, Oxford University Press, 2016) argues for a thesis he calls “internalism” with respect to natural number discourse: no expressions purporting to refer to natural numbers in fact refer, and no apparent quantification over natural numbers actually involves quantification over natural numbers as objects. He argues that while internalism leaves open the question of whether other kinds of abstracta exist, it precludes the existence of natural numbers, thus establishing what he calls “restricted nominalism” about natural numbers. We argue that Hofweber’s internalism fails to establish restricted nominalism. Not only is his primary argument for restricted nominalism invalid, the analysis of quantification proposed threatens to collapse internalism into either a traditional form of error theory or realism.

Evaluating nuclear power's suitability for climate change mitigation: technical risks, economic implications and incompatibility with renewable energy systems

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the suitability of nuclear power as an option to combat the escalating climate emergency. Summarizing and evaluating key arguments, we elucidate why nuclear power is unsuitable for addressing climate change. The primary argument centers around the unresolved technical and human risks of accidents and proliferation, which are unlikely to be effectively mitigated in the future. Furthermore, we highlight the significant cost disparities between nuclear power and other non-fossil energy sources, such as solar photovoltaics and wind power, considering levelized costs of electricity. We also address the incompatibility of nuclear power with renewable energy systems, emphasizing the need for flexibility in the face of variable solar and wind resources. Alternative reactor technologies will not be available in time to make a major contribution. Nuclear power also poses challenges in power plant operation amid climate change and war. Ultimately, we argue that other motivations should be explored to explain the continued interest in nuclear power in some countries, as energy supply arguments alone are insufficient to justify new investments.

A critique of the use of colour lightness in animal studies

Abstract Colour lightness has received considerable attention owing to its diverse functional aspects, such as in thermoregulation, pathogen resistance, and photoprotection. However, the theoretical basis underlying the function of colour lightness is closely related to melanin pigments. Therefore, here we discuss that neglecting other colour-producing mechanisms may bias interpretation of the results. In general, colour lightness is indiscriminately employed as a measure of melanization. Nevertheless, animals may exhibit colours that derive from several pigmentary and structural mechanisms other than melanin. Our primary argument is that colour lightness should not be used indiscriminately before knowing the colour-producing mechanism and validating correlated physiological parameters. For instance, the use of colour lightness as a proxy for thermal or photoprotection function must be validated for pterins, ommochromes, and structural colours.

Interoceptive experiences and ecological care: an embodied approach within therapeutical realms.

The conventional dichotomy between human health and disease has historically been approached through reductionist models that emphasize the exclusive causal relevance of physiological and pathological processes. Consequently, self-awareness and affective dimensions, integral to a phenomenological perspective, are often relegated to secondary traits, affording little consideration for the causal role of embodied living organization. Our interest lies in exploring the potential relevance of the phenomenology of embodied self-awareness in relation to interoceptive processes within therapeutic settings. As we illustrate, when the unfolding processes of interoceptive awareness and its affective capacity take precedence, the agent assumes an active, rather than passive, role in their own experience of health or illness. Departing from an enactive, phenomenological, and ecological standpoint, we propose a distinctive perspective on interoceptive processes, relying on an affective conceptualization of a spectrum of experiences of bodily being-in-the-world. Our primary argument posits that considering interoceptive processes from an embodied and ecological viewpoint of the self, interacting with the material and social environment, enables an approach to the gradient of affective experiences of embodied self-awareness-where pleasure or suffering is perceived and felt-in a naturalized, non-reductive, and relational manner. We discern two ways in which interoceptive processes interrelate with the experience of embodied self-awareness: sensitivity (self-affective) and affective-laden perception. Drawing on this distinction, we provide a nuanced description of these experiences within communities of cis-women, exemplified through the contexts of menstruation and endometriosis. This exploration seeks to enhance our understanding of the phenomenology of embodied, ecological, and affective self-experience from within diverse and situated bodies. The goal is to contribute to their autonomy and ability to adapt and self-regulate within therapeutic contexts.

Have Arguments For and Against Medical Aid in Dying Stood the Test of Time?

Have Arguments For and Against Medical Aid in Dying Stood the Test of Time?

Rethinking the Sport Management Internship

Internships are widespread and usually a mandatory component of the student experience, but the focus on the employment experience may overshadow the educational function of experiential learning. This article argues for a shift in perspectives and priorities for career development in sport management curricula. While internships were originally seen as an effective means of preparing students for the sports industry, concerns over issues related to access and pedagogy have created an urgency to review practices across the discipline. The primary argument highlights an imbalance in the discourse surrounding professional and educational foci of sport management internships, changes in the understanding of careers since the adoption of internships in sport management, and design features that can be at odds with student development and motivation. Finally, we propose a more holistic approach and make recommendations for how rethinking internships can improve issues of equity, access, and student development.

Delik Samen Leven Dalam KUHP Baru Perspektif Fikih

The creation of the law on the offense of the samen leven (cohabitation) in the new Criminal Code has reaped the pros and cons of society. Some support it, while others reject it on the grounds that the government is taking too much care of its citizens' privacy rights. Through this writing, the author wishes to analyze the creation of cohabitation offense laws from an Islamic perspective using a tool called fiqh. The research method used in this study was library research. The primary arguments in formulating Islamic views through this research are (1) Al-Qur'an, (2) Al-Hadith, (3) rules of jurisprudence and (4) at-turāṡ (yellow book). These primary postulates were then managed using a tafsīr (interpretation) approach to formulate the final conclusion. As a result of this research, the author found that from an Islamic perspective, the adoption of cohabitation as a law is in line with Islamic norms. However, jurisprudence does not necessarily agree with the content of articles of the law on cohabitation. Some articles are not in accordance with Islamic values. Therefore, in this case, the governent has an obligation to improve the content of the Samen Leven (cohabitation) Law.

The Indefectibility of the Apostolic See: Was the Idea of a Heretical Pope Formally Excluded at the First Vatican Council?

During the prelude to the First Vatican Council, the idea of a heretical pope was used as the primary argument against the solemn definition of papal infallibility. The medieval canonists and conciliarists had allowed for the notion of papal heresy by making a strict distinction between the apostolic seat itself and the individual occupants of the throne of Peter. However, when we examine the text of Pastor Aeternus in light of the contents of the official Relatio, which was drawn up at the council to explain the meaning of this document, we find that the above distinction used by the conciliarists was formally proscribed with an anathema. This article will argue that in doing so, the Council Fathers definitively excluded the possibility of a heretical pope.

James Sully’s psychological reduction of philosophical pessimism

One of the greatest philosophical disputes in Germany in the latter half of the nineteenth century concerned the value of life. Following Arthur Schopenhauer, numerous philosophers sought to defend the provocative view that life is not worth living. A persistent objection to pessimism is that it is not really a philosophical theory at all, but rather a psychological state; a mood or disposition which is the product of socio-economic circumstance. A developed and influential version of this view was advanced in the 1870s by the English psychologist James Sully. Yet, as important as Sully's critique was for the pessimism dispute, it has been almost entirely overlooked in the history of philosophy. With some growing recent attention to nineteenth-century pessimism, this paper aims to reconstruct Sully's view, and what I argue is his primary argument for it in terms of the best explanation for an alleged historical correlation between pessimistic belief and social hardship in the form of frustrated ideals. The paper then presents and analyses some challenges to this argument, some of which are argued to have been at least partially anticipated in the nineteenth-century by the likes of Schopenhauer and Olga Plümacher.

After Sovereignty: From a Hegemonic to Agonistic Islamic Political Thought

The phenomenon of “Muslim Democracy” has been analyzed by scholars for a number of years, at least since the mid-1990s. The standard view about Muslim Democracy is that (perhaps like its European counterpart Christian Democracy) it represents a nonideological, or postideological, pragmatic approach to electoral politics. The purpose of this article is to advance two primary arguments. The first is that the turn to Muslim Democracy as an ideology and practice should first be understood as a way of thinking about politics that breaks with the sovereigntist imaginary that dominated modern Islamic political thought. Second, Muslim Democrats do not forswear the use of democratic means to advance goals derived from religious commitment as part of their recognition of pluralism and constitutional democracy. Their attitude toward politics should thus be seen as a form of agonistic pluralism. This article thus proposes an interpretation of Muslim Democracy as post-sovereigntist agonistic political Islam.

The Consequences of the Use of Internment Without Trial in Northern Ireland in the Early 1970s for the Provisional Irish Republican Army

This article examines the consequences of the use of internment without trial in Northern Ireland in the early1970s. The main focus of the article will be how the introduction of the measure effected the foremost republican paramilitary group, the Provisional Irish Republcan Army, during the conflict known as the Troubles. The effects of the measure on unionists and the British will also be considered. How internment helped to internationalise the conflict and the way it influenced other events will be highlighted. The primary argument of the article is that the internment period helped create a core republican community which provided enough support for PIRA for it to carry out its military campaign for almost thirty years.

Appreciating the need for autonomy, or recognizing the truth of evidentialism?

ABSTRACT In this article I raise two challenges for the primary argument of Adam Carter's Autonomous Knowledge. The first is that his argument for thinking that internalist theories of epistemic justification face problems from TrueTemp-style examples is unsound. The second is that the autonomy condition that Carter argues for is not new as it seems to be already implicit in Earl Conee and Richard Feldman's account of well-founded belief. Ultimately, I do not see these challenges as undermining the value of Carter's project. Rather, these challenges help illuminate that what Autonomous Knowledge does is provide a powerful argument for Evidentialism.

Origin of People’s Multiparty Democracy from the Perspective of Patriotism

Madan Bhandari’s theory of People’s Multiparty Democracy has evolved from a patriotic perspective amidst the intricacies of Nepali geopolitics and contemporary global political dynamics. This theory sheds light on the need-based causes and consequences in the development of PMPD, utilizing historical study as the methodological approach. In this article, the primary argument is in favor of the validity of PMPD within internal geopolitical realities and global political dynamics, considering the perspectives of contemporary Nepali national interests and patriotic values. However, the innovative spirit of Bhandari’s political philosophy has yet to be truly transformed into practice. Furthermore, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN [UML]) has struggled to maintain a balance between its rhetoric and reality, given that PMPD serves as its guiding principle in Nepali politics. First, there is perplexity in analyzing the character of Nepali sovereignty accurately in the post-Bhandari era. Secondly, the CPN (UML) leadership still needs to exert efforts to advance the implementation of this philosophy. To substantiate the argument regarding the disparity between rhetoric and reality, circumstantial evidence is provided from political documents and statements made by prominent leaders, among others. The Nepali experience of the PMPD political philosophy is explored using qualitative research methodology.