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From altered states to metaphysics: The epistemic status of psychedelic-induced metaphysical beliefs
Get PDFPsychedelic substances elicit powerful, uncanny conscious experiences that are thought to possess therapeutic value. In those who undergo them, these altered states of consciousness often induce shifts in metaphysical beliefs about the fundamental structure of reality. The contents of those beliefs range from contentious to bizarre, especially when considered from the point of view of naturalism. Can chemically induced, radically altered states of consciousness provide reasons for or play some positive epistemic role with respect to metaphysical beliefs? In this paper, I discuss a view that has been underexplored in recent literature. I argue that psychedelic states can be rationally integrated into one’s epistemic life. Consequently, updating one’s metaphysical beliefs based on altered states of consciousness does not have to constitute an instance of epistemic irrationality.NCN Opus 2019/33/B/HS1/0067
Spotkanie z arcydziełem
Get PDFRec.: Andrzej Waśko, „Pan Tadeusz”. Media pamięci, Fundacja Rozwoju Systemu Edukacji, Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, Warszawa 2022, seria: Literatura i Pamięć
Examining the evolving structures of intercity knowledge networks: The case of scientific collaboration in China
Get PDFDrawing on data on scientific co-publications derived from the Web
of Science for the periods 2002–2006 and 2012–2016, we construct
and analyse a key element of China’s intercity knowledge networks
(CIKNs): scientific collaboration networks. Employing networkanalytical
and exponential random graph modelling techniques,
we examine the evolving structures and driving mechanisms
underlying these CIKNs. Our results show that the density of the
CIKNs has significantly increased over time. CIKN flows are dense
in the Southeastern but sparse in the Northwestern part of China,
with the Hu Line acting as a clearly visible border. As the
dominant knowledge centre, Beijing is involved in scientific
collaboration networks throughout the country, with the
diamond-shaped structure anchored by Beijing-Shanghai-
Guangzhou-Chengdu becoming evident. We find that preferential
attachment and transitivity are significant endogenous processes
driving scientific collaboration, while a city’s administrative level
and R&D investment are the strongest exogenous factors. The
impact of GDP and geographical proximity is limited, with
institutional proximity being the most sizable of the well-known
suite of proximity effects.The research presented in this paper was financially supported through research project number 2020/38/A/HS4/00312 of the Polish National Science Centre (NCN)
Urban co-opetition in megaregions: measuring competition and cooperation within and beyond the Pearl River Delta
Get PDFAuthor accepted versionMegaregions are often argued to be characterized by complex dynamics of both competition and cooperation. To better understand this ‘co-opetition’, this research draws on network thinking to theoretically conceptualize, methodologically specify, and empirically assess competitive and cooperative relations between a megaregion’s constituent cities. Conceptually, we draw on insights from niche overlap theory to develop a methodology for assessing the direction and strength of cooperative and competitive intercity relations in megaregions. Empirically, the methodology is illustrated for the case of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) by drawing on human mobility big data as a proxy for flows of human capital. By comparing patterns on a regional, provincial, and national scale, insight is gained into the positions and roles of cities within the megaregion. Based on the results, we discuss the added value of this novel framework for understanding megaregional dynamics and reflect on possible avenues for further research.The research presented in this paper was financially supported through research project number 2020/38/A/HS4/00312 of the Polish National Science Centre (NCN)
The World as a Gift: Scientific Change and Intelligibility for a Theology of Science
Get PDF“Truth” and “cause” are essential issues in theology. Truths of faith are meant to remain solid and fundamental and can be traced back to the unique truth of God. The same God is conceived of as the Creator who brought everything into existence before every other cause. Recent discussions about scientific rationality and causality have engaged with the same ideas of “truth” and “cause”, even though they have done so according to different methodologies and from different points of view. Can those discussions stimulate theology, and if so, in what manner? In this paper, we begin by considering the subject of scientific change and rationality, arguing that scientific change leads to the recognition of the connection between any scientific theory and what remains intelligible in nature. Next, we show some of the outcomes from new mechanistic philosophy, focusing on the idea of cause, which unveils a strong correspondence between epistemology and ontology and provides a unique way of speaking about causality. Finally, we conclude that science can support theology through new approaches to nature and that a theology of science is required today as an intertwined perspective between science and theology. The main virtue that guides this approach is humility.This research was funded in part by National Science Centre, Poland, 2021/41/N/HS1/01338
The global historical climate database HCLIM
Get PDFLong-term instrumental meteorological series are crucial for the understanding of interannual-to-decadal variations in climate. Analyzed together with model simulations and climate proxies they may provide new insight
into underlying climate mechanisms, such as long-lasting droughts, changes in atmospheric circulation, or
effects of volcanic eruptions, and may serve as a basis for the generation of more comprehensive data products
in reconstruction or data assimilation approaches. Long-term instrumental meteorological series also serve
as a reference against which human induced climate change can be compared. For instance, Hawkins et al. (2017) suggested using the period 1720–1800 as a preindustrial reference, but only few records from this period are
currently available. We define a record as a meteorological time series with one variable at one location.There is a growing need for past weather and climate data to support science and decision-making.
This paper describes the compilation and construction of a global multivariable (air temperature,
pressure, precipitation sum, number of precipitation days) monthly instrumental climate database
that encompasses a substantial body of the known early instrumental time series. The dataset contains
series compiled from existing databases that start before 1890 (though continuing to the present) as
well as a large amount of newly rescued data. All series underwent a quality control procedure and
subdaily series were processed to monthly mean values. An inventory was compiled, and the collection
was deduplicated based on coordinates and mutual correlations. The data are provided in a common
format accompanied by the inventory. The collection totals 12452 meteorological records in 118
countries. The data can be used for climate reconstructions and analyses. It is the most comprehensive
global monthly climate dataset for the preindustrial period so far.European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme grant agreement No 787574 (PALAEO-RA),
the Swiss National Science Foundation (project WeaR 188701), Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) 311a Lot 1, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss in the framework of GCOS Switzerland (project “Long Swiss
Meteorological Series, the NCN projects No. DEC 2020/37/B/ST10/00710
and No. 2020/39/B/ST10/00653, the Nicolaus Copernicus University–Emerging field: Global Environmental Changes
Females sinners and saints. Sixteenth-century formations ending with -i/-yc(a) and -nic(a)
Get PDFThe subject of considerations of this article are 16th-century feminine names (feminatives) formed with the suffixes -i/-yc(a) and -nic(a), and derived primarily from masculine personal nouns (masculinatives) ending in -ec, -ic, -ik, and -nik. The three female suffixes form nouns belonging to the categories of agents, attributive names, and affinity names. The research material was excerpted from the Słownik polszczyzny XVI wieku [SPXVI, The Dictionary of 16th-Century Polish Language] and included 68 lexemes in 1,097 uses. For the authors, the purpose of the research was to interpret selected 16th-century feminatives by subjecting them to formal historical word-formation analysis, using the lexicographic description contained in SPXVI and other historical lexicons. The analysis was supplemented with an attempt at painting the linguistic image of the woman of the Renaissance era. In the material discussed, the most represented group were the nomina attributiva, an explicatively difficult category. On the other hand, the least represented group were the affinity names. The research demonstrated that modifying derivatives (so-called simple feminatives) were the most frequent in the group of names studied, more than half of which originated in the 16th century. Although some of the examples are nonce words, this fragmentary overview of 16th-century material allowed the authors to formulate several conclusions about the image of the woman of the era, both in the professional context and in the stereotypical perception
2-fold resolution increase and all-depth linearization using a neural network
No full textA neural network is proposed as a much better performing alternative to Fourier transformation. It processes raw OCT spectra into A-scans with twice better nominal axial resolution which remains intact at all depths even for an uncalibrated
spectrometer and uncompensated chromatic dispersion.Horizon Europe, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, SEQUOIA project, under Grant Agreement No. 10107006
AUTHORS AND COPYISTS OF TATAR RELIGIOUS LITERATURE. EDUCATION, SOCIAL POSITION, AND KNOWLEDGE OF ORIENTAL AND SLAVIC LANGUAGES
Get PDFThe purpose of the paper is to describe the competence of Tatar translators. Hence, it discusses the education system in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and focuses on the sources of knowledge and inspiration for the authors of the 16th-century translation of the Qur’an into Polish, including their knowledge of Oriental languages. Research has led to the conclusion that the author of the Tatar tefsir met the criteria for a good translator because he:
– knew the culture of both the source and target languages, i.e. Islam and Christianity,
– had expert knowledge of the reality described, i.e. the reality of the Muslim world,
– knew both languages
– the target one, i.e. Arabic, and the source one, i.e. Polish,
– displayed a knowledge of translation theory,
– knew the type of text he translated, i.e. the Qur’an, and was capable of creating it in the target language.
Moreover, what distinguished him was the knowledge of parallel texts created in the target language, i.e. mainly translations of the Bible, as well as extra-linguistic knowledge of the recipients of the translation, i.e. the community of Lithuanian-Polish Tatars
TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLITERATION OF TEXTS OF THE TATARS OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA, WRITTEN IN THE ARABIC SCRIPT. CONCLUSIONS FROM TEAM DISCUSSIONS HELD DURING WORKSHOPS AND FROM EXPERT OPINIONS AND STATEMENTS
Get PDFThe purpose of the paper is to indicate transliteration solutions, adopted for a Tatar tefsir. It was concluded that systemic transliteration solutions should be based on the Slavic linguistic layer. In order to read it, a type of a hybrid transliteration, with (semi-phonetic) transcription, was used. Simultaneously, attention was drawn to the similarity of the transliteration systems, which had already been in use, and their shared transliteration characters were accepted. Alternatively, the Oriental linguistic layer was read by means of the ISO system, as it plays a vital auxiliary function. For example, it serves to determine which graphemes of the Arabic language were used to record Polish sounds