Universal Belief Research Articles

Majority Voting – A Critique Preferential Decision-Making – An Alternative

The basis of western democracy is the almost universal belief that controversies shall be resolved by the will of a majority. And quite right too. Unfortunately, this leads many to take decisions by a majority vote, with proposed amendments and then the motion itself all approved or rejected in simple yes-or-no ballots. Other more accurate voting systems have long since been devised, and yet binary voting prevails, not only in democracies, but also in theocracies and autocracies; it is ubiquitous, in politics, business and law. Accordingly, this article analyses its weaknesses, discusses its origins, relates a little history, and refers to some of its worst consequences. It then goes on to describe a non-majoritarian methodology, to compare majority voting to other decision-making voting procedures, and finally to talk of a world where the words ‘majority’, ‘minority’ and ‘veto’ may fade from the political lexicon.

Vietnamese EFL teachers’ approach in employment of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) via synchronous online learning

With the advent of technology-enhanced learning, research emphasizes the pivotal role of teachers’ beliefs in shaping their implementation of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), whether in traditional or virtual classroom. Nevertheless, little investigation has been conducted concerning Vietnamese EFL teachers' beliefs, especially those working in language centres and private teaching, with regards to CLT and their implementation of this approach in online contexts. This research aims to explore the universal beliefs towards CLT among Vietnamese teachers as well as their methods to apply the approach into their virtual classrooms. A mixed-methods approach, with a combination of an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, was adopted to generate both generalised and in-depth data from Vietnamese EFL teachers. Findings showed that Vietnamese teachers have positive beliefs towards the principles and characteristics of CLT despite certain misconceptions regarding the importance of teaching grammar and a preference for teaching speaking skills. Moreover, they demonstrated a noticeable dedication as they apply certain teaching strategies and activities associated with CLT during their virtual classes. Accordingly, the research revealed a strong link and alignment between teachers' beliefs and their implementation of the approach in virtual classrooms. The research also highlighted the relevant obstacles faced by Vietnamese teachers when adopting CLT online and potential solutions to these problems.

Мифологический бестиарий в гербах: Россия — Британия

In our days long text is losing ground and being replaced by a form that is easier to comprehend. These are so-called creolized texts, where a significant part is occupied by the visual component. Heraldry can be viewed as such variety of texts. As a rule, the description of the coat of arms includes its drawing and verbal description. One of the most impressing and complicated in interpretation aspects of coats of arms are non-heraldic armorial figures, especially mysterious beasts. The zoonymic semiotics is an echo of ancient universal beliefs. Heraldry is full of animals’ signs with a quite conventional drawing. Animals of various species appear as almost all elements of the coat of arms, namely, armorial figures, crests, supporters, badges in English heraldry. The range of animals is not related to their actual habitat. Beasts’ images, especially mythological monsters, give opportunity to touch very ancient views, analyze and compare cultural interpretation of the world. This aspect is quite significant but not very frequent. Still in Russian and British armorial bearings there is mostly the same list of characters and their pragmatics, although the echo of Eastern concepts is much more prominent in Russian tradition. Russia organically takes an intermediate position in the sphere of monsters. As the kernel the state armorial bearings of Russia and Britain have the double-headed eagle, lion and unicorn.

“Muslim Rimba”: Dialectic of Indigenous Belief Bukit Dua Belas National Park (TNBD) Jambi

Islam is the universal belief of mankind and as a dialogical religion is able to interact with various beliefs, various cultures and local traditions that develop in a multicultural society such as Indonesia. "Muslim Rimba" is associated as a religious subject who can reconcile the interpretation of Islamic teachings into local beliefs or the Religion of Rimba. An ethnographic approach was used in this study. Descriptions of observations, source interviews and participatory experiences are the strengths it. The findings of this study indicate after to be a Muslim Rimba view that the rituals and beliefs of rimba people are still carried out as a form of acculturation and respect for the teachings of indigenous peoples without leaving the commandments of the religious law they adhere to. The Muslim Rimba consistently participated in rituals such as Godong (Bebalai and Mandiko Budak); Sedang (Bedikir, Ngicap Rapah, Melantok Kedundung and Orang Beranok) and Kecik (Nyambatko Tuhan, Pepatiah Budak and Sanggokko).

Revisiting the Customs Act 1969 in line with WCO’s International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures 1974

In the present-day system of integrated world economy, the administration of customs or customs procedure clearly carries considerable effects on the trade transactions both within the border and beyond. In fact, the gravity of the cross-border business potentials leads to the realization of simplifying and harmonizing the customs procedures all over the world. Moreover, the development and operation of the modern customs administration signifies, by and large, a radical shift from the revenue collection to the trade facilitation focus. In the current day, it has become almost a universal belief that trade facilitation and removal of trade barriers go hand in hand with simplification and harmonization of customs procedures. The World Customs Organization (WCO) with this in mind had the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) enacted in 1974. The customs regime of Bangladesh is still dependant on the half century old the Customs Act, 1969. Although some changes have been brought to bring it in line with the RKC, many of its provisions are still the same. This creates an impediment towards trade facilitation and economic growth. This paper discusses the differences between the provisions of RKC and Customs Act, 1969 and recommends the changes that are required to be brought in the customs regime of Bangladesh for overall trade facilitation and economic development of the country.

International Survey of Pediatric Oncologists' Beliefs and Communication Practices Regarding Symptom Self-Monitoring by Childhood Cancer Survivors.

Childhood cancer survivors report self-monitoring for and worrying about symptoms of disease recurrence and secondary cancers, although symptom-related worry is associated with poorer health-related quality of life. This survey captured pediatric oncologists' beliefs and communication practices regarding symptom self-monitoring for childhood cancer survivors. Using a closed-loop snowball sampling technique, pediatric oncologists completed an online survey regarding the importance of symptom self-monitoring for off-therapy patients, the degree to which symptom self-monitoring was perceived to cause stress and worry, and communication practices. 196 pediatric oncologists (White [78%]; female [64%]; Mage = 47 years) from every continent except Antarctica participated. Oncologists believed it is important for off-therapy patients to self-monitor for symptoms of cancer recurrence (90%) and treatment late effects (94%), although some noted that recurrence (30%) and late effects (55%) are typically detected by routine surveillance before symptoms appear. Oncologists varied in their beliefs that off-therapy patients do (31%) or do not (31%) worry unnecessarily about symptoms of recurrence. Two thirds (62%) of oncologists reported often/always discussing with off-therapy patients which symptoms could indicate cancer recurrence, whereas fewer than half (43%) often/always discussed which symptoms were unlikely to indicate recurrence. Oncologists identified a need for education regarding how to communicate around symptom self-monitoring and the potential utility of a screening tool to identify those who worry excessively. Despite nearly universal belief that their off-therapy patients should self-monitor for symptoms of disease recurrence and late effects, a substantial proportion of pediatric oncologists do not counsel patients on symptom self-monitoring. Since nearly one-third believe that off-therapy patients worry unnecessarily about symptoms of recurrence, improving patient education regarding which symptoms are and are not medically concerning could decrease stress and improve health-related quality of life for pediatric cancer survivors.

Critical success factors for high routine immunization performance: A case study of Nepal

IntroductionThe essential components of a vaccine delivery system are well-documented, but robust evidence on how and why the related processes and implementation strategies drive catalytic improvements in vaccination coverage are not well established. To address this gap, we identified critical success factors that may have led to substantial improvements in routine childhood immunization coverage in Nepal from 2000 through 2019. MethodsWe identified Nepal as an exemplar in the delivery of early childhood immunization through analysis of DTP1 and DTP3 coverage data. Through interviews and focus group discussions at the national, regional, district, health post, and community level, we investigated factors that contributed to high and sustained vaccine coverage. We conducted a thematic analysis through application of implementation science frameworks to determine critical success factors. We triangulated these findings with quantitative analyses using publicly available data. ResultsThe following success factors emerged: 1) Codification of health as a human right, - along with other vaccine-specific legislation - ensured the stability of vaccination programming; 2) National and multi-national partnerships supported information sharing, division of labor, and mutual capacity building; 3) Pro-vaccine messaging through various mediums, which was tailored to local needs, generated public awareness; 4) Female Community Health Volunteers educated community members as trusted and compassionate neighbors; and 5) Cultural values fostered collective responsibility and community ownership of vaccine coverage. ConclusionThis case study of Nepal suggests that the success of its national immunization program relied on the engagement and understanding of the beneficiaries. The immunization program was supported by consistent and reliable commitment, collaboration, awareness, and collective responsibility between the government, community, and partners. These networks are strengthened through a collective dedication to vaccination programming and a universal belief in health as a human right.

The Divine Feminine in Mormon Art

The Divine Feminine in Mormon Art

Only Ashes? Jewish Visitors to the New Poland in 1946 and the Future of Polish Jewry

In this article, I will take a fresh look at the allegedly universal belief in the immediate post-war period that the Jews had no future in post-Holocaust Poland. While providing new analysis of reports from Poland in 1946 that were written by Jewish travellers from United States, Western Europe and Palestine, my revisionist goal is to problematize and question the concept of the ‘Holocaust aftermath.’ I seek to demonstrate that the widespread view of post-war Poland as the cemetery of Polish-Jewish civilization in the immediate post-war period did not – contrary to common perceptions today – necessarily lead to the conclusion that the subsequent marginalization of Polish Holocaust survivors and their departure from Poland was inevitable. This logic of inevitability crystallized only over the course of a couple of years. From 1946 to at least the intensification of the Communist dictatorship in 1948–49, such logic was matched by ambivalence and the cautious belief that a collective Jewish life, centred on national expressions of Jewish identity, was still feasible in Poland.

Properties of aqueous solutions. A treatise against osmotic and activity coefficients

The current common and almost universal belief is that most water solutions do not behave ideally is incorrect. It is our understanding of what is happening that is not ideal. The culprit for this is the ill-conceived invention of osmotic and activity coefficients, which allegedly measure deviations from ideality. There are currently two different definitions of what constitutes an “ideal” solution. Solutions adhering to Raoult’s law are considered as behaving ideally. Osmotic coefficients, φ, measure deviations of the solvent from ideality, with φ = 1.000 indicating ideality. Activity coefficients, γ, measure deviations of solutes, with γ = 1.000 indicating ideality. Hardly any of the many aqueous solutions whose vapor pressures have been measured have φ or γ values of unity. The definitions of φ and of γ assume that strong electrolytes dissociate completely and that the amount of solvent available is constant over all solute concentrations. Raoult’s law was not based on any assumptions, but on the observation that the relative diminution of vapor pressure is proportional to the amount of solute particles. These two generally accepted, but different, definitions of ideality are in conflict with each other. They have generated an undeserved aura of mystique and complexity regarding the behavior of aqueous solutions. The present work shows that one needs to know only one thing for demonstrating ideal behavior by adherence to Raoult’s law. Each solute’s affinity for water, i.e., its unique hydrodesmic (water-binding) number, Hd. We compare results expressed in terms of osmotic and activity coefficients to those obtained by use of Hd. We examine vapor pressure measurements of the following typical and well-studied solutes: glycerol, glucose, KCl, NaCl, CaCl2 and H2SO4. Their vapor pressures have been measured many times and solutions of the four electrolytes are commonly used as a standard against which properties of other solutes are determined.

Determining the Level of Security Culture of the Entity Using the Midified Shalom Schwartz Value Model

Each consciously existing entity has its own unique, hierarchical set of values, helping to make decisions and set directions for action. This power is a security culture, also defined as a set of universal values, attitudes and beliefs. The foundation upon which the security culture grows is the three pillars of security – the three energy streams of the security culture. The objective is to estimate the level of the entity’s security culture and present its structure. The determination of the empirical size of a security culture is made by adapting Shalom Schwartz’s value theory and his ten types of fundamental values. The values placed on the Schwartz circle model are aggregated to the appropriate energy streams of the security culture, and this move allows for empirical determination of the level of the security culture of an individual. The obtained results show the structure of energy streams and determine the empirical level of the subject’s security culture. The approach taken shows that the level of security culture is computable.

How the rise of testosterone therapy in men was inspired by lizard research with David Crews.

A chance encounter in 1975 with David Crews in Harvard Square led to 3 years of research in his lab, investigating the role of testosterone (T) in male sexual behavior of the lizard, Anolis carolinensis. In 1988 when I began my practice as a urologist and specialist in men's health, my research experience with lizards led me to offer testosterone therapy (TTh) to men suffering with symptoms of testosterone deficiency, despite the universal belief that TTh caused prostate cancer (PCa). My investigation of this topic over 30+ years has led to revolutionary changes in the diagnosis and treatment of men with testosterone deficiency and our understanding of the biology of testosterone and PCa. Today, it is routine for men successfully treated for PCa to receive TTh, a remarkable fact given that standard treatment for men with advanced PCa has been androgen deprivation for the last 80 years. Our research showed low T was not protective for PCa; TTh did not appear to worsen PCa for various cancer stages; and provided the theoretical framework for understanding why androgen deprivation shrinks PCa tumors, yet TTh appears to not cause PCa growth under most conditions. This is based on the Saturation Model, which recognizes there is a finite ability of androgens to stimulate PCa growth, which becomes maximal at low T concentrations. David Crews was an outstanding mentor-the lessons I learned from him inspired a lifetime of work, which in turn led to improved quality of life for millions of men.

A Study on Behavioral Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases among Rural School Going Adolescents in a Block of Hooghly District, West Bengal

Introduction: Cost effective interventions (educational and behavioural interventions) for the reduction of non-communicable diseases risk factors should be promoted especially in the low and middle income countries such as India. Method: A pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was used in class-room setting to collect information from students regarding their socio- demographic characteristics and presence of behavioral risk factors of non-communicable diseases. Results: A total of 761 students of class VI-XII participated in the study of which 61.4% were boys and rests were girls. Most common risk factor was ‘intake of extra salt with food’ (54.7%), followed by fast food intake >3 times/week (33.8%). Statistical analysis by chi square test revealed that extra salt intake, tobacco use and alcohol use was significantly associated with age. Similarly, sex of the students was significantly associated with tobacco use, alcohol use and physical activity (p <0.05). Father’s education was significantly associated with extra salt intake in food. Mother’s education was significantly associated with unsatisfactory intake of fruits and vegetables (< 5 times/week), extra salt intakes in food and tobacco use (p <0.05). Father’s occupation was significantly associated with fast food intakes and physical activity whereas mother’s occupation had significant association with tobacco use (p <0.05). Conclusion: Healthy children are the foundation for a healthy nation. The universal belief is that schools are designated as an important setting in which children should develop behaviour and skills for physical, emotional and social well-being. Keywords: Adolescents, Behavioral Risk factor, Socio- Demographic characteristics, Rural school.

Social Identity of an Ancestral Religious Group: A Study of the Hamai People in Northeast India

An ancestral group, with a native religion, views its religion from a strictly confined group’s identity perspective. This narrowly confined identity narrative of their origin, rooted in their relationship with their proto-ancestor’s creator, contributes towards their belief systems that naturally precludes all other groups and thus results in a cautiously guarded religion of their ancestral group. The social identity process of religion shields it from evolving into a more universal belief system that cuts across cultures and languages. Nevertheless, the social identity process of the religion of an ancestral group is certainly a phenomenon that allows one to better comprehend the various intricate dynamics within an ancestral group and their inter-group dynamics. The article is contextualised within an ancestral group known as Hamai who come under Zeliangrong, an organisation formed for the socio-economic and political objectives of a section of the Hamai people of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

Myth Theory: A Study towards Mythic Tale and It’s Reach in Today’s Life

Myth can vaguely be said to have come into existence due to the urge of seeking answers to curious mind about the universe, nature, man or can be the result emerged from the need for religious stability of societal control using certain customs and rituals. Myth when looked with a proper outlook can be termed as meaningful, for it beholds metaphysics, the branch of philosophy that deals with the first source of things, including intangible concepts such as being, identity, time and space in its primary sense while developing close proximity to immediate perception of reality. The universal belief system is held and disseminated with a certain amount of pompousness in language and settings, based on mythic stories of a clan or cult. The purpose of this paper is to establish mythic tales as a vital ingredients for posterity to look upon and validate that the re-reading of mythic tales into fiction opens up a variety of possibilities, including: various perspectives and dimensions to the same story portrayed in/as legendary texts. Humanistic consideration is brought about by individual representation. There are a variety of ways to look at the philosophy that has been passed down through the generations through stories.

Developing an Interactive Storybook Application ‘Jack and the Dirty Smelly Beast’ for English Language Proficiency among Children

The high percentage of students who are still struggling with the English language is worrisome, even though there are many well-planned strategies and education policies that are developed to resolve this problem. It is a universal belief that learning a foreign language at a young age through reading plays an important role. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to design, develop and evaluate an interactive storybook application combined with suitable multimedia elements and features to encourage children to read. The interactive storybook entitled 'Jack and the Dirty Smelly Beast' was developed using Instructional System Design (ISD) and Rapid Prototyping model. An experimental study was conducted with 17 respondents between the ages of 6 – 8 years to test the effects of the multimedia elements and features in improving children’s learning. Their responses were recorded and analysed using descriptive analysis. The findings showed that respondents agreed that learning experience improved significantly and attracted children to read when using this application. In conclusion, by using correct multimedia elements and suitable features in the interactive storybook application, it is envisaged that the children’s comprehension in learning a foreign language can be expanded. This research foresees there is enormous opportunity for literacy development in foreign language learning in the early ages through the creation of an interactive storybook application with suitable multimedia elements and features for children.

A qualitative evaluation of community and acute hospital nursing oncology services in Ireland.

Cancer patients are a particularly vulnerable population group, facing an increase in physical, mental, logistical and financial difficulties. This, as well as Ireland's increased focus on primary care with the Sláintecare health plan, led to the development of the Community Oncology Nursing Programme, where community nurses are trained to provide cancer care in the community. This paper sought to explore the lived experiences of the patients and nurses involved in this programme in order to examine its impact as well as determine facilitators and roadblocks for future development. A qualitative examination of the service was carried out by interviewing cancer patients receiving care as part of the programme as well as the nurses delivering care, both in the community and hospital day-ward. Thematic analysis was used. Themes of improved patient experience, nurse-patient relationship, the importance of location and roadblocks to further implementation of the programme emerged. There was a universal belief that the programme offered benefits to the patient and improved their care in some manner. The Community Oncology Nursing Programme has been well received by both nurses and patients. The service provided by community nurses as part of this programme offers benefits to patients and an improved cancer service.

Pursuing Universalism Through the Particular: Zionism and Transnational Modernism in Arieli's "In the Light of Venus"

Two methodologies dominate recent scholarship on early twentieth-century Hebrew literature—discourse analysis and the transnational approach. These approaches' proponents disagree about this literature's political character. While pointing to how the discourse analysts' work accords more effectively with historical research and how early twentieth-century Hebrew literature can be better understood in relationship to its political function, this article stresses how scholarship employing a transnational approach nonetheless contributes to more effective understanding of this literature. In fact, through analysis of Levi Aryeh Arieli's 1911 novella In the Light of Venus, this article will explore how the national, the transnational, the aesthetic, and the political are interwoven in early twentieth-century Hebrew literature, with these elements finding variant expression in different Hebrew works, even the works of individual authors. Despite this crisscrossing, Zionist objectives proved highly significant to Hebrew writers looking to contribute to the development of textual and spatial locations where Jews, especially Jewish men, could fully express their cosmopolitan character and universal beliefs and desires. Thus, while Arieli draws on the transnational literary milieu to aesthetically depict the modern individual's quest for religious experience, his engagement with gender and sexuality to promote Jewish gender and sexual norms considered best able to aid in promotion of Zionism aims in Palestine constitutes his novella's center of gravity. Such a reading offers a new way to look at Arieli and his literary work, as well as early twentieth-century Hebrew literary works with overlapping aesthetic and political aims.

PID self-tuning method based on deep belief network and improved firefly algorithm

In order to overcome the difficulty of tuning the proportion integration differentiation (PID) parameters, a PID parameter self-tuning method based on the firefly algorithm improved by Newton's law of universal gravitation (LOGFA) and deep belief network (DBN) is proposed. Compared with the FA, LOGFA cannot only maintain the evolutionary advantage of the original algorithm but also can effectively improve the accuracy and convergence ability of the algorithm. The advantage of DBN is to train each layer of neural network separately, which greatly improves the training efficiency and accuracy. The closed-loop PID speed control system of a three-phase asynchronous motor is used as the simulation object for PID parameter self-tuning. The proposed LOGFA-DBN is compared with other three algorithms. Simulation results show that the algorithm combining LOGFA and DBN can realise the off-line parameter tuning which is not subject to the controlled object, and speed up the parameter tuning.

The 1931 Kahn Multiplier Creation Myth: Its Incorporation in the 2019 Elgar Companion to John Maynard Keynes Demonstrates the Universal Belief of the Economics Profession in Mythology

The myth, that R. Kahn developed the mathematical and logical theory of the multiplier and then taught J M Keynes about the technical and mathematical properties of the multiplier concept is a myth deeply inbedded in the economics profession. It then leads to another myth that without Kahn’s contribution, there would have been no possibility of Keynes having been able to write and publish the General Theory in February, 1936. This myth, like the myth that there is no IS-LM mathematical model in the General Theory, can be traced directly to deliberate canards originally made up by Joan Robinson repeatedly in her life time and also presented many times by G L S Shackle in his publications. The historical facts are quite different from the concocted mythology. The technical and mathematical properties of the multiplier concept were first developed and applied by Keynes in 1921 in chapter 26 of the A Treatise on Probability in section seven on page 315 in footnote 1. Kahn himself made it quite clear in his 1936 response to H. Neisser in the Review of Economics and Statistics that he had gotten most of his ideas from Mr. J.M Keynes!!!! In 2007. Kent showed that Keynes had constructed an arithmetical, numerical, multiplier example in May,1929. This analysis follows directly from the mathematical and technical exposition contained in 1921 in chapter 26 of the A Treatise on Probability in section seven on page 315 in footnote one, which Kent had and has no inkling of. The current universal belief among economists that Kahn developed the theory of the multiplier himself before he explained it to Keynes in 1932 is simply a fable agreed upon unanimously by an economics profession that has been “played” for ninety years by the fairy tales, yarns, fables, canards, claims, and stories spun by Joan Robinson and supported by the Pseudo Kynesians (Joan Robinson, Austin Robinson, Richard Kahn and Roy Harrod). The appearance of these myths as historical facts in the 2019 book published by Edward Elgar, titled The Elgar Companion to John Maynard Keynes, seriously calls into question the claims of economists to being a science. By definition, there can’t be any myths in a scientific enterprise. That these myths have endured for so many decades does provide evidence that economics is not a science, but simply a type of rhetoric based on the accepted “wisdom” of fairy tales or stories made up by Joan Robinson. The economics profession has incorporated these myths into their official history of economic thought and macroeconomic history, as can easily be seen by visiting Investopedia or Wikipedia. These myths go hand in glove with other myths about Keynes, such as the myth that an 18 year old Frank Ramsey showed up in Cambridge in 1921 and convinced Keynes that his logical theory of probability, based directly on the work of the greatest mathematical logician in history, George Boole, was full of errors and mistakes that then led Keynes to renounce his theory and accept some version of Ramsey’s approach.