19,299 research outputs found
ADAM SMITH'S OPTIMISTIC TELEOLOGICAL VIEW OF HISTORY
No full textAdam Smith's four-stage theory provides the framework for his writings on history. The fourth stage is the commercial epoch; the culmination of history in this stage is a key component in the conventional interpretation of Adam Smith as a prophet of commercialism. In two historical case studies Smith shows the capacity of commercial society to regenerate itself. This potent capacity suggests that commercial society is inevitable. At a certain point in time it also overcomes the major obstacles to its permanence. Smith's philosophy of history anticipates the end of history views of Kant and Hegel.Political Economy,
How Might Adam Smith Pay Professors Today?
No full textAdam Smith’s proposal for paying professors was intended to induce increased faculty knowledge. If students have imperfect information about what they learn, and universities can only imperfectly measure the input of faculty time in student learning, publications may be used to measure faculty knowledge. If professors’ ability to publish is positively related to their ability to produce student learning, which universities can imperfectly measure, publications may be necessary to attract more able professors. Since research signals faculty knowledge, schools that do not value publications per se could require higher publication standards and pay higher wages than schools that value only publications.
ADAM SMITH'S VIEW OF HISTORY: CONSISTENT OR PARADOXICAL?
No full textThe conventional interpretation of Adam Smith is that he is a prophet of commercialism. The liberal capitalist reading of Smith is consistent with the view that history culminates in commercial society. The first part of the article develops this optimistic interpretation of Smith's view of history. Smith implies that commercial society is the end of history because 1) it supplies the ends of nature that he identifies; 2) it is inevitable; and 3) it is permanent. The second part of the article shows that Smith has some dark moments in his writings where he seems to reject completely such teleological notions. In this more civic humanist mood he confesses that commercial society does not supply the ends of nature, nor is it inevitable, nor is it permanent. Both views exist in Smith and the commentator is forced to choose between passages in Smith's work in order to support a particular interpretation of the former's view of history.Political Economy,
Adam Stokes, bass trombone, Wednesday, April 20, 2011
No full textIn partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Musi
Shaping drops with magnetic fields
No full textThe control of small volumes of fluids (or drops) is important for a wide range of
applications, including lab-on-chip devices, where drops are transported and merged
for sensing and chemical mixing; liquid lenses, where drops are shaped to set optical
properties; and printing, where drops are generated by nozzles. Electric techniques
are widely used to generate, transport, split and merge drops. Equivalent magnetic
techniques are less well-known. Similarly to electric dipoles in electric fields, magnetic
dipoles experience a force in magnetic fields. This effect, called magnetophoresis,
is used to shape ferrofluids in magnetic valves and seals. Interest in shaping
drops with magnetic fields for microfluidics has recently increased, and ferrofluids
and paramagnetic salt solutions have been studied. The rich phenomenology of the
interaction of magnetic fields and fluids offers ample opportunities for exploration.
Diamagnetic fluids for example have no natural electric equivalent and are rarely
studied as a tool for microfluidics.
In this thesis, I study the shaping of drops with magnetic fields. My research focus
is on para- and diamagnetic salt solutions. Deformation of drops using external fields
and induced magnetism has not been fully explored in the literature. I study here
how induced magnetism can shape the liquid-vapour interface of drops and control
solids that float on them. This thesis includes (i) an introduction to the background
of the interaction of electromagnetic fields and fluids; (ii) a derivation of an expression
for the shape of drops in electromagnetic fields; (iii) experimental validation of
this expression through the measurement of the shape of para- and diamagnetic axisymmetric
sessile drops in homogeneous magnetic fields; (iv) demonstration of the
transport of para- and diamagnetic drops in magnetic field gradients; (v) explorations
of the use of shaping drops with magnetic fields for rheological measurements, and
for the controlled driving of objects floating on drops.
In summary, I explore how drops can be shaped in homogeneous magnetic fields,
and how the drops can be transported by magnetic field gradients. These fundamental
investigations may help stimulate novel applications of the controlled shaping of
drops with magnetic fields. In particular, I explore how this technique can be used in
rheology for food or medical research
Adam Smith and Roman Servitudes
No full textThis essay is a preprint of an article that appeared at: Tijdschrift voor Rechstsgeschiedenis, 72 (2004), 327–57.This essay discusses Adam Smith historical jurisprudence and his use of Roman law materials in his Lectures on Jurisprudence. It argues that Smith found it difficult to maintain his theory of legal development in the face of a highly developed body of Roman law literature
Screen-printed platinum electrodes for measuring crevice corrosion: Nickel aluminium bronze as an example
No full textScreen-printed platinum electrodes were used to monitor crevice corrosion processes. The electrodes, printed on an inert alumina substrate, formed the bottom of an artificial crevice when mechanically clamped to a rectangular block of nickel-aluminium bronze (NAB). Cyclic differential pulse voltammetry was used to detect corrosion products over time whilst the assembly was immersed in a 3.5% by weight aqueous solution of sodium chloride. Cupric (Cu2+), ferric (Fe3+) and ferrous (Fe2+) ions were detected with evolution profiles indicative of selective phase corrosion
THE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF ADAM SMITH'S WORK
No full textThe paper will discuss the theological foundation to Smith's writings. Teleology, final causes and divine design were initially seen as central to understanding Smith's writings. Over time, this view fell out of fashion. In the period after World War II, with the rise of positivism, commentators tended to overlook or downplay this interpretation. In the last decade, or so, teleology has started to be restored to its former position as an essential element in understanding Smith. After spelling out Smith's teleology and his view of final causes, divine design and the ends of nature, we try to explain the Panglossian nature of the 'new theistic view' of Smith. While our view differs somewhat, we agree with the essence of the 'new view' claim: a theological view exists in Smith which underpins his moral and economic theories.Political Economy,
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