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Another plan for negation
Get PDFThe paper presents a plan for negation, proposing a paradigm shift from the Australian plan for negation,
leading to a family of contra-classical logics. The two main ideas are the following:
Instead of shifting points of evaluation (in a frame), shift the evaluated formula.
Introduce an incompatibility set for every atomic formula, extended to any compound formula, and impose the condition on valuations that a formula evaluates to true iff all the formulas in its incompatibility set evaluate to false. Thus, atomic sentences are not independent in their truth-values.
The resulting negation, in addition to excluding the negated formula, provides a positive alternative
to the negated formula.
I also present a sound and complete natural deduction proof systems for those logics.
In addition, the kind of negation considered in this paper is shown to provide an innovative notion of grounding negation.
 
Anti-Exceptionalism about Logic: Introduction
Get PDFIntroduction to this special issue of The Australasian Journal of Logi
On Williamson's new Quinean argument against nonclassical logic
Get PDFIn "Semantic paradoxes and abductive methodology", Williamson presents a new Quinean argument based on central ingredients of common pragmatism about theory choice (including logical theory, as is common). What makes it new is that, in addition to avoiding Quine's unfortunate charge of mere terminological squabble, Williamson's argument explicitly rejects at least for purposes of the argument Quine's key conservatism premise.
In this paper I do two things. First, I argue that Williamson's new Quinean argument implicitly relies on Quine's conservatism principle. Second, by way of answering his charges against nonclassical logic I directly defend a particular subclassical account of logical consequence
Is Australian Local Government Ready for Localism?
Get PDFLocalism is widely supported as an antidote to what are seen as the adverse impacts of globalisation and one-size-fits-all, top-down central government. But interpretations of localism and views on how it should be practised vary greatly. This presents particular challenges for local government, which typically sees itself as the rightful beneficiary of a localism agenda focused on devolution and decentralisation, but must then confront difficult questions about its own institutional frameworks, its revenue base, and sharing power with local communities. While local government in New Zealand is exploring these issues through a national Localism project, its counterparts in Australia seem ill-prepared to follow suit
A Potted History of Freshwater Management in New Zealand
Get PDFThis article traces the history of freshwater management in New Zealand from the earliest laws to protect newly introduced trout and salmon from pollution in the 1860s through to what an increasing number of New Zealanders today consider as a ‘freshwater crisis’ – a consequence of the failure of government to respond adequately to the unprecedented speed and scale of land use intensification and its impacts over the last few decades. Two themes are highlighted by this history: the tension between the protection and use of our water (and land) resources; and the tendency of government to intervene only when serious environmental damage has become evident
Freshwater Decline: the need for precaution and polluter pays in agriculture
Get PDFRegional councils set objectives in 1992 to maintain and improve freshwater quality. Since then water quality in most agricultural areas has deteriorated. Proposals for freshwater reform need to understand the reasons for this long divergence between stated intentions and actual results. A key driver has been the accretion over time of farmer entitlements to damage freshwater resources. This accretion has been overseen by regional councils, contrary to their own stated objectives. Councils’ lack of precautionary action, and primary reliance on encouraging good management practices within existing livestockbased land uses, has allowed limits to be overshot. Livestock numbers will now have to reduce in many areas. Councils are unlikely to deliver such an outcome without major changes to the policy framework. A government which has both economic and environmental goals needs policy instruments which can decouple agricultural value creation from environmental impacts. This requires an ability to apply the polluter pays principle, to drive eco-efficiency, innovation and land use change. Six major barriers exist to implementing polluter pays, which should be addressed if the pastoral export economy is to escape being hard-wired in pollution-intensive mode
How Water is Reshaping the Political Landscape
Get PDFNew Zealanders place great value on the quality of their freshwater rivers, streams and lakes for recreation, conservation and food gathering. But over the last 25 years they have become increasingly concerned at the deterioration in water quality, the loss of swimming holes and fishing spots, and the impact of pollution on native and valued introduced species and their habitat. The issue has deeply divided the community and become more and more acrimonious. Recreational and conservation groups blame industrial agriculture for much of the decline, and accuse central and local government of turning a blind eye to the problem and failing to protect the environment. Scientists have added their voices to the debate, but big agriculture and its lobby groups have responded aggressively, denying the problem exists, attacking their accusers and warning government against tackling the problem with tighter controls. Public frustration at the political paralysis and inaction has seen water quality become New Zealanders’ biggest single concern. The issue is now firmly established on the political agenda and one any political party wanting to govern the country ignores at its peril
Measuring the Effectiveness of New Zealand’s Local Government
Get PDFLocal Government New Zealand’s recently introduced CouncilMARKâ„¢ scheme assesses local councils’ effective management of finance and resources, their leadership and their responsiveness to their communities, and enables them to be compared and the prospect for collaboration towards improved performance explored. Other measures of reputation and ratepayer participation suggest that CouncilMARK may be over-emphasising managerial capability relative to stakeholder engagement, which may have implications for the scheme’s value if community well-being is introduced as a prominent measure of performance
Public Financial Management and Reforms to the State Sector Act
Get PDFThis article addresses changes to the Public Finance Act that have been proposed in the Public Finance (Wellbeing) Amendment Bill or are being considered for future legislative or administrative action. It discusses these changes in the context of the State Sector Act. The interrelationship between the two pieces of legislation is described, as are the implications of proposed changes to the Public Finance Act. These changes include requirements for the specification of objectives for wellbeing (outcomes) in the budget process and reporting of wellbeing by the Treasury at least every four years. Changes also include, potentially, greater flexibility in the nature of appropriations and the selection of the services that will be provided within an appropriation, as well as legislative support for the public service to operate in a more ‘joined-up’, innovative and collaborative way. The article identifies as a strength of the proposed changes to the Public Finance Act and the State Sector Act that they maintain consistency between the two acts, but also identifies the risk of replacing one one-size-fits-all system with a different one-size-fits-all system, and considers a ‘two-track’ public management system as an alternative
The Utilisation of Social Science Research in Policy Development and Program Review
Get PDFThe aim of this project was to examine research utilisation within public sector agencies in Australia at both state and national levels, focusing on agencies whose responsibilities include human services policies and programs. This project was concerned with examining the processes, practices and circumstances that facilitate and hinder the uptake of academic social research within policy and program contexts. The project was supported by an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant and undertaken in conjunction with nine public sector industry partners. The project involved both surveys and interviews with academic researchers and staff of public sector age.Results suggest that the current processes, practices and circumstances of both academic researchers and policy-makers inhibit the translation and uptake of academic research within public sector policy contexts. Public sector agencies and academic institutions have very different cultures, incentives and expertise. Both policy staff and researchers attest to the need for better processes for research translation and interaction. Agencies may need to be encouraged to build networks with academic researchers; while academic researchers should heed the preferences of policy-makers, by providing summary documents, translating research find-ings into policy relevant results, and generally transmitting research into formats that facilitate policy uptake
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