Critical Realism

Settecentocinquant’anni fa san Tommaso d’Aquino saliva alla gloria del Cielo. Egli ha insegna che la sacra doctrina è più che una scienza pratica, essendo una scienza speculativa, sebbene tenga conto anche delle realtà che si collegano con la prassi dell’uomo. La ragione del carattere primariamente speculativo della sacra pagina non toglie il suo aspetto sapienziale, di teologia mistica.

The study investigated principals' supervisory techniques for combating corruption and the attainment of quality school governance. Two null hypotheses were formulated. The ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. Census technique was used to draw the entire population of 81 principals from all the public secondary schools in Aba Education Zone of Abia State. Data collection was carried out with the use of a research instrument titled: "

The commentaries provided by Haig; Derksen and Morawski; and Trafimow vary considerably in how they address critical realism and its implications for replication. Haig's preference for Kaidesoja's "naturalised" version of critical realism and Lipton's inference to the best explanation is deeply problematic. While Derksen and Morawski concede that they deal only indirectly with critical realism, their endorsement of "performativity" negates it. In Trafimow's case, ontology's regulative role is untenably diminished and ultimately supplanted by classic methodologism. I conclude that replication should be replaced by exploratory stratified contextualism.

Les mobilisations sociales autour des questions environnementales et de developpement (QED) caracterisent les societes humaines contemporaines. Ce type de mobilisations constitue un tournant dans la vie politique a l’âge de l’anthropocene. Pratiquement, les mobilisations environnementales sont des repertoires pour une education informelle au politique par les apprentissages qu’elles developpent chez les acteurs impliques. De nos jours, les scenes politiques educatives internationales et nationales se trouvent orientees vers l’institutionnalisation de ces mobilisations environnementales dans des dispositifs d’education non formelle ou dans les curriculums de l’education formelle. Le politique, dans les contenus educatifs impliquant des QED, se manifeste par des potentialites pour la socialisation democratique. Cette derniere integre la socialisation cognitive (disciplinaire et critique) et la socialisation politique. Ainsi, le politique devient un nouvel objet de recherche en didacti...

Conference Presentation on the 9th Internationa Conference on Catholic Social Thought and Business Education, Prosperity, Poverty and Purpose of Business Rediscovering Integral Human Development in the Catholic Social Tradition De La Salle University—College of Saint Benilde—Ateneo de Manila University Manila, Philippines February 26-28, 2015,  BOOK OF SUMMARY PAPERS

Portugali's proposal to unify urban theory based on Bohm's theory of quantum phenomena is discussed. The propositions of complexity theory and phenomenology are compared, and it is argued that their ontologies and epistemologies cannot be easily reconciled. It is argued that Bohm's theory is compatible with complexity theory but does not help bridge the differences between complexity theory and phenomenology. A grand unification of urban theory, the way Portugali envisions it, does not seem to be possible.

This paper presents a model of language processing where word segmentation is an integral part of sentence analysis. We show that the use of a parser can enable us to achieve the best ambiguity resolution in word segmentation. The lexical component of this model resolves most of the ambiguities, but the final disambiguation takes place in the parsing process. In this model, word segmentation is a by-product of sentence analysis, where the correct segmentation is represented by the leaves of a parse tree. We also show that the complexity usually associated with the use of a parser in segmentation can be reduced dramatically by using a dictionary that contains useful information on word segmentation. With the aid of such information, the sentence analysis process is reasonably fast and does not suffer from the problems other people have encountered. The model is implemented in NLPWin, the general-purpose language understanding system developed at Microsoft Research. A demo of the syst...

Social Sciences are intimately associated with a number of philosophies. Sociology itself emerged from Positivism .The main debate in the social sciences is between naturalism and non naturalistic or anti naturalistic philosophies of the social sciences. The researcher is confronted by a wide variety of philosophies or theoretical positions each of which gives the researcher a different perspective of the social world. IN conclusion, the researcher is advised to develop a theoretical perspective which would enable a proper explanation of the findings of the research.

This article explores some of the possible links between community psychology and critical realism, a relatively new approach to the philosophy of science that has received little attention from community psychologists. Critical realism is presented in relation to seven key insights that can be linked to fundamental tenets of the ecological approach in community psychology. These insights are: (1) A complex reality exists independently of our ideas about it, and this reality is knowable, although imperfectly. (2) Reality is composed of a complex and stratified hierarchy of open systems. (3) Causality is best understood in terms of causal processes that may or may not be directly observable or generalizable; these processes involve complex interactions among generative mechanisms and contextual conditions. (4) Theory and theorizing about causal processes are central to both scientific explanation and practical action. (5) Theory exists at multiple levels of abstraction, ranging from models to metatheory. (6) A diversity of methods can provide evidence in the search for causal processes operating in context. (7) As social scientists, we have an obligation to use social science knowledge to promote human flourishing. Although these insights may be familiar to many community psychologists who adopt an ecological approach to their work, we suggest that clearly articulating these principles can provide more solid foundations for inquiry in the field. We conclude the article by highlighting how critical realism may help to bridge the research‐practice gap in community psychology and similar social sciences.

This article explores the role of the International Court of Justice (hereafter ICJ) in the relations between Iran and the United States (hereafter U.S.), with reference to the last disputes between the two countries over the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights. The article argues that the ICJ has both jurisdiction (Ratione Materiae) and substantive competence (Merits) to adjudicate the case, based on the trans-analytical method. The article draws on the past judgments of the ICJ in similar cases between Iran and the U.S., such as the Case Concerning US Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran, the Case Concerning the Aerial Incident, and the Case Concerning Oil Platforms, to support its findings. The article also discusses the implications of the U.S. decision to terminate the Treaty of Amity and to challenge the ICJ’s jurisdiction. The article predicts that the ICJ will establish its judgment based on Article 10 of the Treaty of Amity, which affirms the principle of free trade, and conclude that the U.S. sanctions violate the Treaty of Amity.

Dynamic Transcendental Dialectics: A Framework for Multidimensional Liberation
This treatise introduces Dynamic Transcendental Dialectics, a comprehensive framework that redefines liberation as a fluid, multidimensional process rather than a fixed or static state. By integrating the material, quantum, and transcendental dimensions of reality, this model presents liberation as an ongoing cycle of praxis—the continuous engagement between reflection and action—that evolves in response to the complexities of existence. Drawing on dialectical philosophy, quantum indeterminacy, and spiritual principles akin to those found in yoga and bhakti yoga, this framework transcends traditional linear models of freedom, which often reduce liberation to an endpoint or singular achievement.

Dynamic Transcendental Dialectics argues for a more holistic approach, where liberation is achieved through the dialectical synthesis of opposing forces—such as materiality and transcendence, or determinism and free will—leading to deeper, ever-evolving states of freedom. The treatise demonstrates how each dimension of reality must be engaged and harmonized through cyclical processes, where consciousness revisits tensions and contradictions, using them as opportunities for growth.

This framework also emphasizes the critical role of adaptation in modern contexts, advocating for a liberation that is responsive to the rapidly changing conditions of the world. In a society facing technological, environmental, and social transformations, Dynamic Transcendental Dialectics provides the necessary flexibility for navigating these challenges while maintaining a clear focus on holistic and lasting freedom.

Ultimately, this treatise makes the case that true liberation is not a final, static achievement but a dynamic, living process—an ever-expanding horizon of possibilities, continuously shaped by the individual’s engagement with the multidimensional realities of life.

In Pragmatic Humanism: On the Nature and Value of Sociological Knowledge, Marcus Morgan positions sociology not as a science of society, but as a discipline of humanity. Rather than resurrect a problematic, classical conception of humanism, Morgan instead engages with past and contemporary critiques of humanist thought to position humanism as a pragmatic approach to sociology that draws on human action as a tool for progressive social change. Adam Carter heartily recommends this invigorating book to anyone interested in forging a politically engaged and humane social studies.

Natural resources have been always a controversial issue. Also, the most special kind of
natural resources which has caused the most of disputes and issues in recent years has
been hydrocarbon resources. Recently one of the most problematic issues under this
topic has been the disputes over shared hydrocarbon resources between two or more
countries. Due to the fluid nature of hydrocarbon resources, neighbor states usually
compete over producing the most possible amount of hydrocarbon which usually leads
to inefficient production rates and also legal disputes with a background of ownership
and sovereignty. ownership and sovereignty over natural resources have been always
one of the major issues. There are different theories and philosophies regarding these
two legal notions. And these two notions (ownership and sovereignty) have got some
interactions with each other which makes the situation more ambiguous. In this
research, our main hypothesis is that ownership as a civil right is considered a dualistic
concept and sovereignty is considered a phenomenal concept which is based on
monism. Based on the analysis presented in this research, we concluded that ownership
is a right which exists independently from sovereignty. Sovereignty creates public
ownership concept, which in this research we explain how it is different from ownership
right. In the end arrangements on the joint development of the shared natural resource,
which is called unitization agreements have been suggested as the proper solution for
the challenges.

The demand for more doctoral education puts pressure on universities to increase the number of academics with doctoral degrees who can supervise the next generation of researchers. The Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF, 2013) indicates that being able to supervise is one of the outcomes of attaining a doctorate. Still, this study found this to be rarely the case. The study participants often took on the supervision role before they felt that their capacity had been sufficiently developed. Although emerging supervisors have been supervised during their doctoral journey, their new role may still be daunting. This study aims to provide evidence for institutions and academic developers to develop and support emerging supervisors. The qualitative study employs critical realism as an underlabourer and uses Margaret Archer's (1995) social realist framework to account for the interplay between structure, culture, and agency. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 54 participants from 20 South African institutions. The key finding is that supervisors were thrown into the deep end and relied on trial and error. They also had to supervise from experience while faced with high teaching workloads.

Advances in screening technology have been made in tandem with the aging population and increasing atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence. While several randomized controlled trials demonstrate the efficacy of AF screening, less evidence has been synthesized addressing the implementation and evaluation of AF screening programs. We systematically searched the PubMed database from 1st January 2000 to 18th January 2024. The search terms included "atrial fibrillation" and "screening" and their synonyms. Articles that described screening implementation, including screening methods, were included. Editorial, commentary, engineering, and basic science articles were excluded. 1767 abstracts were screened, of which 138 full articles were reviewed, and 87 studies were included: 90% from high-income, 8% from upper-middle-income and 2% from lower-middle-income countries/ regions. The screening initiatives included general practice (n = 31), remote self-screening (n = 30), pharmacy (n = 11), community centers and villages (n = 10), hospital (n = 4), and nursing home (n = 1). Most studies used handheld ECG devices (n = 72, 83%), some used wearable devices (n = 13, 15%), and two (2%) used implantable cardiac devices. Comparator groups were described in 17% (15/87) studies: all 6 remote self-screening trials showed superior AF detection rates compared to usual care (these studies applied intermittent screening using handheld ECG devices over 2 weeks to 12 months or wearing ECG patches for continuous monitoring over 2-4 weeks), but 9 trials using systematic and opportunistic screening in primary care settings showed mixed results. Among 72 studies without comparator groups, 18 reported new AF detection rates below 1%, 48 reported 1-10%, 5 reported above 10%, and one reported an AF incidence rate of 2.25% patient-years (95% CI 2.03-2.48). Only 22% (19/87) of studies reported on the implementation evaluation (12 by surveys and 7 by interviews), surveying participant acceptability, usability, and satisfaction, and some studies in general practice and pharmacy interviewing participants and qualitatively evaluating the enablers and barriers to implementation. These studies reported barriers of lack of resources and referral pathways and enablers of having a designated staff member to lead implementation at point-of-care settings. AF screening implementation studies were mainly conducted in high-income countries/ regions. Detection rates were highest in older and higher risk groups, and if longer continuous ECG monitoring was used. Few studies reported details of the implementation of AF screening programs concerning cost, scalability, or comparative effectiveness of remote technology-driven screening approaches versus lower-tech approaches such as pulse palpation.
Despite AF screening recommendations existing for some time, we seem to lack the data to effectively scale these initiatives.

In this text focused on thinking about the global future, four challenges are proposed to work simultaneously, progressively, and incrementally to make the leap from the overdiagnosed climate outlook and the well-known postponing discourse to the bioethical praxis of caring for life. The starting point is that the protection of the biosphere is inseparable from human development. The proposed integrative praxis for an effective global bioethics is epistemologically and ontologically grounded in approaches that can be provided by the AQAL metatheory and a philosophy of education for the 21st century that designs pedagogies for trans-cognitive transformation, enhancing all intelligences and higher states of consciousness envisioned by evolutionary psychology, transpersonal psychology, evolutionary sociology, and the phenomenology of the transcendent horizon and meaning of human and biospheric or cosmic life.

*Tradução para fins exclusivamente acadêmicos*Translation exclusively for academic purposes*

Tradução minha do texto "On Truth and Lie in the Object-Oriented Sense" de Graham Harman.

Resumo do autor:

Este artigo começa com um tratamento do primeiro ensaio de Friedrich Nietzsche "Sobre a verdade e a mentira no sentido extramoral". O ensaio é frequentemente lido, na tradição desconstrutiva, como um exemplo de vitrine da impossibilidade de fazer uma afirmação filosófica literal: a afirmação de Nietzsche de que toda verdade é meramente metafórica é uma afirmação verdadeira, ou meramente metafórica? O presente artigo afirma que este suposto paradoxo se baseia na suposição infundada de que toda filosofia deve, em última análise, ser fundamentada em alguma verdade literal inabalável. A partir daqui, voltamo-nos para a famosa crítica de Edmund Gettier à noção generalizada de conhecimento como "crença verdadeira justificada". Expandindo o ponto de vista de Gettier, argumenta-se que só pode haver "crença falsa justificada" ou "crença verdadeira injustificada", nunca uma crença que seja ao mesmo tempo justificada e verdadeira.

Die Auseinandersetzung damit, ob moralphilosophische Begründung für gesellschaftliches Handeln nötig oder gar möglich sei, ist nicht neu. Dennoch handelt es sich hierbei um ein akademisch immer noch umkämpftes und gesellschaftlich immer wieder polarisierendes Feld, welches von dieser Arbeit aufgegriffen werden soll. Diese befasst sich mit dem Streit der zwei Freunde und ehemaligen Kollegen Jürgen Habermas und Karl-Otto Apel. Während die beiden zusammen die Theorie der Diskursethik entwickelten und in vielen Punkten übereinstimmen, haben sie zwei fundamentale Differenzen. Die eine Differenz betrifft die theoretische ‚Architektur‘ der Diskursethik, die andere betrifft die metaethische Frage nach der Rolle von ‚Ideen‘ für die Diskursethik. Beide Philosophen greifen dabei auf die Untersuchung der Präsuppositionen des Diskurses zurück.
Es wird in dieser Arbeit also um die Fragen gehen, ob moralphilosophische Ideen auch Diskursbedingungen sein können und ob dies die Architektur einer Diskursethik beeinflussen muss, was zuletzt in der Frage nach der Möglichkeit resultiert, ob ein (moralphilosophischer) Diskurs jemals zu einem Ende kommen kann.
Matthias Kettner bringt den Kern dieses Streites mit folgenden Worten auf den Punkt: „Eine Letztbegründung philosophisch tragender Gedanken ist für Apel möglich und philosophisch unerlässlich, für Habermas weder möglich noch nötig“.
Abschließend wird festgehalten, dass Karl-Otto Apel mit seinem
Ansatz in großer Präzision die Schwachpunkte des eindrücklichem Werks von Jürgen Habermas berührt und insgesamt interessante Lösungen anbietet: Mit der prinzipiellen Möglichkeit eines faktischen Konsenses und der prinzipiellen Möglichkeit von Wahrheitsfindung auf Basis eines rationalen Diskurses, wird ein stark kognitivistischer, prinzipiell erreichbarer Zustand beschrieben. Mit dem prinzipiell möglichen Zusammenfallen von Konsens und Wahrheit wird die Konsenstheorie um den ihr fehlenden korrelationstheoretischen Realitätsanker ergänzt. Ein ‚Bewähren‘ von Geltungsansprüchen in Raum und Zeit bekommt damit die Chance auf tatsächlichen Erkenntnischarakter. Gleichzeitig hebt Apel das Fallibilismus-Prinzip hervor und betont, dass wir nie damit rechnen dürfen, tatsächlich und endgültig erkannt zu haben.

Continental philosophy has entered a new period of ferment. The long deconstructionist era was followed with a period dominated by Deleuze, which has in turn evolved into a new situation still difficult to define. However, one common thread running through the new brand of continental positions is a renewed attention to materialist and realist options in philosophy. Among the current giants of this generation, this new focus takes numerous different and opposed forms. It might be hard to find many shared positions in the writings ...

Despite emerging interest in mixing experimental and qualitative methods, a gap exists in integrating qualitative vignettes and experimental design. We present a novel mixed methods design, the qualitative vignette experiment, defined as the use of vignettes designed to introduce experimentally controlled variation in information within qualitative semistructured interviews. We argue that this design can provide context-rich data on causal mechanisms. This article contributes to the debate on integration in mixed methods research and is useful for scholars studying human practice and the link between macro-structural conditions and micro-interpretive processes. The design builds on an integrated ontology of critical realism and a complementary epistemological foundation of postpositivism and interpretivism. This means that researchers have to adhere to multiple validity criteria.

なぜ近代知は様々な支配性、すなわち色々な物事を抹消し犠牲にするほどの力を持っているのか？ 近代知の支配性を超克する可能性はあるのか？ その超克のためには、どのような課題に対峙しなければならないのか？本稿は、まず 「近代知」 の特殊性について、近代知までの知（とその力）の系譜、そして近代知支配の外部・物質と内部・文化的な要因の視点から掘り下げて考察をおこなう。それを踏まえて、総合人間学会第18回大会シンポジウムで報告された近代知の支配性に対峙するアプローチを簡単に述べる。さらにその後に、知（文化体系）を変革するための地平として、四つの象限（マトリックス）の類型化とそれらと社会・教育変革の各アプローチとの相互作用に関する考察をおこない、展望について論じていく。 全書紹介：https://honnoizumi.co.jp/book/2024/0606.html Amazonで購入：https://amzn.asia/d/070gRb53