865 research outputs found
Syngas Production from Electrochemical Reduction of CO2: Current Status and Prospective Implementation
No full textThe CO2 that comes from the use of fossil fuels accounts for about 65% of the global greenhouse gases emissions, and it plays a critical role in global climate changes. Among the different strategies that have been considered to address the storage and reutilization of CO2, the transformation of CO2 into chemicals or fuels with a high added-value has been considered a winning approach. This transformation is able to reduce the carbon emissions and induce a “fuel switching” that exploits renewable energy sources. The aim of this brief review is to gather and critically analyse the main efforts that have been made and achievements that have been reached in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 for the production of CO. The main focus is on the prospective of exploiting the intrinsic nature of the electrolysis process, in which CO2 reduction and H2 evolution reactions can be combined, into a competitive approach, to produce syngas. Several well-stablished processes already exist for the generation of fuels and fine-chemicals from H2/CO mixtures of different ratios. Hence, the different kinds of electrocatalysts and electrochemical reactors that have been used for the CO and H2 evolution reactions have been analysed, as well as the main factors that influence the performance of the system from the thermodynamic, kinetic and mass transport points of view.ChemE/Catalysis Engineerin
Artificial Intelligence: On M. Gabriel’s “New Ethics”
No full textThe “new ethics” of artificial intelligence proposed by M. Gabriel is critically evaluated.
It is argued that, unlike human intelligence, artificial intelligence is devoid of a normative
dimension, or, equivalently, context sensitivity. The author shows the contradiction between
M. Gabriel’s viewpoint and J. Benoist’s contextual realist approach to ethics, and T. Williamson’s
moral realism, according to which it is not principles that are primary, but moral perception in
context, paradigmatic examples of moral knowledge. The approaches to artificial intelligence
by M. Gabriel, D. Andler, L. Floridi, and S. Russell are compared. The validity of D. Andler’s
principle of moderation is affirmed. The realist conception of artificial intelligence (AI) is opposed
to its idealist conception
Life cycle assessment of biosolids land application and evaluation of the factors impacting human toxicity through plants uptake
No full textDue to the increasing environmental concerns in the wastewater treatment sector, the environmental impacts of organic waste disposal procedures require careful evaluation. However, the impacts related to the return of organic matter to agricultural soils are difficult to assess. The aim of this study is to assess the environmental impacts of land application of two types of biosolids (dried and composted, respectively) from the same wastewater treatment plant in France, and to improve the quantification of human toxicity.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was carried out on a case study based on validated data from an actual wastewater treatment plant. Numerous impacts were included in this analysis, but a particular emphasis was laid on human toxicity via plant ingestion. For six out of the height impact categories included in the analysis, the dried biosolids system was more harmful to the environment than the composting route, especially regarding the consumption of primary energy. Only human toxicity via water, soil and air compartments and ozone depletion impacts were higher with the composted biosolids
Contextual quantum realism and other interpretations of quantum mechanics.
No full textIt is proposed a critique of existing interpretations of quantum mechanics, both anti-realistic and realistic, and, in particular, the Copenhagen interpretation, the interpretations with hidden variables, the metaphysical interpretation of H. Everett’s interpretation, the many-worlds interpretation by D. Wallace, QBism by C. Fuchs, D. Mermin and R. Schack, the relational interpretation by C. Rovelli, neo-Kantian and phenomenological interpretations by M. Bitbol, the informational interpretation by A. Zeilinger, the Nobel Prize Winner in Physics 2022, and others.
As is known compared to classical physics, quantum mechanics is a new physical paradigm. The author argues that from a philosophical point of view quantum mechanics is an anomaly within the paradigm of (post)modern philosophy.
A new approach to understanding quantum mechanics and resolving its paradoxes, rejecting the assumptions and prejudices of (post)modern philosophy, is proposed – contextual quantum realism (CQR). It is a moderately deflationary approach that combines elements of (neo-)Copenhagen, informational and realist interpretations and recognizes the possibility of knowing the things themselves. From the point of view of CQR, the measurement problem – the basic problem of philosophy of quantum mechanics – is a pseudo-proble
Richard the Lionheart. The Background to "Ja nus homs pris"
No full textIn December 1192, on his way back from the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart was captured by Duke Leopold of Austria, who bore him several grudges on account of a number of events that had taken place during the Crusade, and who later sold him on to his enemy the Emperor Henry VI. Richard was finally released in February 1194 after nearly a year and a half in captivity, following the payment of a sizeable ransom. During this time he wrote many letters to encourage his subjects to collect the funds needed to pay the ransom, one of which took the form of a song, Ja nus homs pris ne dira sa raison.
This song has been called a rotrouenge, referring to the French musical genre on which it is based, but it might be better termed a sirventes-canso or even a post Crusade song, since, unlike Crusade songs, it does not seek to encourage men to leave to fight a Crusade, but rather describes the aftermath of the Crusade for its author. However, as occurs in many Crusade songs, Richard uses the language of the love song to make a political statement, here describing or alluding to events taking place in his kingdom during his absence, while appealing to his loyal barons to provide for the ransom. Though an apparently simple poem, Ja nus homs pris has a far from simple manuscript tradition, surviving as it does in 10 manuscripts, seven of which are French and three Occitan.
In this paper I will provide a reading of the song against the background of events before and after Richard's captivity and consider whether some of the many textual problems posed by the poem and its manuscript tradition may be solved by taking into account the historical references within the text. In this way I will attempt to lay the basis for a new critical edition of the song based on all ten manuscripts and not just on the French group, or alternatively the Occitan group, which has been the tendency so far
J’ai pris mon père sur mes épaules de Fabrice Melquiot : l’épique du "petit geste"
No full textInternational audienceThe title of Fabrice Melquiot’s play, J’ai pris mon père sur mes épaules, refers to Aeneas’s gesture during the flight from Troy, an episode in which he runs away, carrying his dad Anchise on his back. In this contemporary counter-epic, no privileged relationship with the gods, no creation of a city, no res gestae : heroism as Fabrice Melquiot describes it, comes from this minor episode of the myth and this “small gesture”. The people gathered around Aeneas, residents of a district of Saint-Étienne, can’t aspire to big. This deserted population has nothing left but their bodies as their only means of action. The author then brings out the epic nature of how the destitute help even more deprived and the miraculous energy that moves them.Le titre de la pièce de Fabrice Melquiot J’ai pris mon père sur mes épaules fait référence au geste d’Énée lors de la fuite de Troie, épisode dans lequel celui-ci s’échappe en portant son père Anchise. Dans cette contre-épopée contemporaine, pas de relation privilégiée avec les dieux, pas de fondation de cité, pas de res gestae : l’héroïsme tel que le peint Fabrice Melquiot émane de cet épisode mineur du mythe et de ce « petit geste ». Le peuple réuni autour d’Énée, habitants d’une banlieue de Saint-Étienne, ne peuvent prétendre au « grand » et cette population délaissée est réduite au corps pour seule possession et seul moyen d’action. L’auteur fait alors surgir l’épique de l’aide apportée par les démunis aux encore plus démunis et de l’énergie miraculeuse avec laquelle ils sont mus
Un ouvrier, fils d'immigrés, «pris» dans la crise : rupture biographique et configuration sociale
No full textStéphane Beaud : A worker born of immigrant parents, «trapped» in the economic downturn: biographical break and family relationships Taking advantage of a survey originally concerning the schooling of two younger brothers in an Algerian family, the author focuses his analysis on the situation of Amin, the elder brother of the family. Amin is an unskilled worker alternating between unemployment and temporary employment who finds himself confronted with both the changing job market that turns him into a «permanent temp» and the rise of anti-North African racism he undergoes as an indirect result. The article attempts to grasp from a distance the link between the destruction of the worker group and the development of xenophobic attitudes, seldom mentioned in studies on immigration. The detailed report of the conditions in which this life history was recorded then leads the author to reflect on the gap between an objective trajectory, insofar as the sociologist is able to reconstruct it after the fact, and the «subjective» trajectory, in this case closely connected to changes in relationships between elder and younger siblings and between brothers and sisters. In competition with both the second brother, a foreman who is socially well-established and his younger sisters who are high school graduates, Amin is as it were rehabilitated within his family by the interview and the survey situation.■ Stéphane Beaud: Un ouvrier, fils d'immigrés, «pris» dans la crise: rupture biographique et configuration familiale Profitant des circonstances de l'enquête, qui portait au départ sur la scolarité de deux frères cadets d'une famille algérienne, l'auteur centre l'analyse sur la situation du fils aîné de cette famille (Amin). Ouvrier non qualifié entre chômage et intérim, celui-ci se trouve confronté tant aux changements du marché du travail qui le transforment en «intérimaire permanent» qu'à la montée d'un racisme anti-maghrébin qu'il subit par ricochet. L'article tente ainsi de faire apercevoir le lien, trop peu souvent abordé dans les travaux sur l'immigration, entre la déstructuration du groupe ouvrier et le développement d'attitudes xénophobes. Le compte rendu détaillé des conditions du recueil d'une histoire de vie conduit ensuite l'auteur à s'interroger sur le décalage entre la trajectoire objective, telle que le sociologue peut après-coup la reconstituer, et la trajectoire «subjective» qui dépend ici étroitement des transformations des relations entre aînés et cadets, entre frères et sœurs. Concurrencé à la fois par son second frère, chef d'équipe, bien établi socialement, et par ses sœurs cadettes, bachelières, Amin est en quelque sorte réhabilité au sein de la famille par l'entretien et la situation d'enquête.Beaud Stéphane. Un ouvrier, fils d'immigrés, «pris» dans la crise : rupture biographique et configuration sociale. In: Genèses, 24, 1996. Trajectoires, sous la direction de Robert Salais. pp. 5-32
The ERTMS railway signaling system: Deals on wheels? An inquiry into the safety architecture of high speed train safety
No full textAerospace Engineerin
Le risque pris au mot
No full textDas risiko beim wort genommen
Der Artikel fragt in philosophischer Richtung danach, was Risiko eigentlich heißt. Betrifft dieses Phänomen den Menschen grundsätzlich ? Eine historische Parallele zum Verhalten jugendlicher Fahrer von Motorrollern scheint sich jedenfalls in einem Wagenrennen von Homers Ilias zu finden ; doch war dort nicht Risikoim Spiel, da in jener griechischen Welt Götter anwesend waren. Auch gab es dies Wort Risiko damals nicht. Risiko geht zurück auf die römische Seemannssprache und meint zunächst die Felsenklippen, die zu umfahren sind. Erst der Begründer des Subjektivismus, R. Descartes, spricht vom Risiko im Sinne unserer Problematik : sich durch ein Risiko stark fühlen. Solches Risiko ist allein ein Phänomen der Neuzeit.Risk taken to the word
In this paper, the author questions the meaning of the word •risk” with a philosophical approach. Does this phenomenon concern the human being on principle ? It seems that a historical parallel can be found in the behaviour of young scooter riders and a chariot race in the Illiad by Homer ; but there was no risk at stake because the gods were present in the age of the Greeks. Besides, at that time, the word risk did not exist. The origin of the word •risk” comes from the Roman marine language and means in the first place the reefs to skirt round. R Descartes, the founder of subjectivism, was the first person to mention risk in the sense of our problematic : to feel strong through risk. Such risk is exclusively a phenomenon of modern times.Approche philosophique sur le sens du mot «risque» : ce phénomène concerne-t-il par principe l’être humain ? On trouve, semble-t-il, un parallèle historique au comportement des jeunes conducteurs de scooters dans une course de chars de l’Iliade d’Homère ; mais là il n’y avait pas de risque en jeu, car dans ce monde grec les dieux étaient présents. À l’époque, le mot «risque» n’existait d’ailleurs pas. Le mot «risque» tire ses origines du langage maritime des Romains et signifie en premier lieu les écueils rocheux à contourner. Descartes, le fondateur du subjectivisme, est le premier à parler de risque au sens de notre problématique : se sentir fort par le risque. Un tel risque est uniquement un phénomène de l’époque moderne.Tomándole la palabra al riesgo
En este artículo el autor se interroga con un enfoque filosófico acerca del significado de la palabra •riesgo”. ¿ Concierne este fenómeno, por principio, al ser humano ? Se encuentra, según parece, un paralelismo histórico al comportamiento de los jóvenes conductores de vespino en una carrera de caros de la Ilíada de Homero ; pero allí no entraba en juego el riesgo, ya que los dioses estaban presentes en el mundo griego ; De hecho, en la época, no existía la palabra •riesgo”. La palabra •riesgo” tiene su origen en el lenguaje marítimo de los Romanos y designa en primera instancia los escollos rocosos a contornear. René Descartes, el fundador del subjetivismo, es el primero en hablar del riesgo en término de nuestra problemática : Sentirse fuerte mediante el riesgo. Tal riesgo sólo es un fenómeno de nuestra época moderna.Gedinat Jürgen. Le risque pris au mot. In: Agora débats/jeunesses, 27, 2002. Les jeunes et le risque. pp. 98-103
The rights of the burkinabe author on his work
No full textL’auteur d’une oeuvre de l’esprit au Burkina Faso jouit d’un faisceau de droits reconnus par le droit positif. Ainsi, des droits aussi bien moraux que patrimoniaux lui sont octroyés. Dans le cadre de la mise en oeuvre de ces droits, un mécanisme est mis en place. Il consiste à la perception et à la répartition des droits de l’auteur sur son oeuvre. Cependant, le poids de la tradition, l’analphabétisme des populations et la méconnaissance de la propriété littéraire et artistique entravent conséquemment le bon déroulement du mécanisme. Ces facteurs socio-culturels concourent à la violation massive des droits d’auteur. En effet, les droits du créateur s’en trouvent fortement affectés tant l’exploitation illégale des oeuvres a atteint des proportions fort inquiétantes. Ainsi, l’auteur est pris en tenaille entre une société réfractaire et une loi obsolète. En effet, la loi n° 032/AN/99 du 22 décembre 1999 portant protection de la propriété littéraire et artistique au Burkina Faso est, à bien des égards, en déphasage avec l’environnement juridique contemporain. Il convient donc de procéder à une relecture de ce texte pour une protection optimale des droits de l’auteur burkinabé d’une oeuvre de l’esprit. Il convient, également, de mettre l’accent sur la sensibilisation des populations afin de changer la perception erronée de celles-ci de la propriété littéraire et artistiqueThe author of a work of the spirit in Burkina Faso enjoys a bundle of rights recognized by positive law. Thus, both moral and patrimonial rights are granted. As part of the implementation of these rights, a mechanism is put in place. It consists in the perception and the distribution of the rights of the author on his work. However, the weight of the tradition, the illiteracy of the populations and the ignorance of the literary and artistic property consequently hinder the smooth running of the mechanism.These socio-cultural factors contribute to the massive violation of copyright. Indeed, the rights of the creator are strongly affected as the illegal exploitation of works has reached very disturbing proportions. Thus, the author is caught between a refractory society and an obsolete law.Indeed, Law No. 032 / AN / 99 of 22 December 1999 on the protection of literary and artistic property in Burkina Faso is, in many respects, out of step with the contemporary legal environment. It is therefore appropriate to re-read this text for an optimal protection of the rights of the Burkinabe author of a work of the mind. Emphasis should also be placed on sensitizing the population to change their misperception of literary and artistic propert
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