scholarly journals Biases for Evil and Moral Perfection

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 521
Author(s):  
Hans Van Eyghen
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Enhancement ◽  
Moral Perfection ◽  
Structural Solutions

I argue that deeply ingrained dispositions to do evil do not render moral perfection impossible. I discuss various accounts of moral perfection and the evidence from cognitive (neuro)science that points towards a strong disposition for evil. Afterwards, I discuss three strategies that can allow humans to overcome their evil dispositions. These are: cognitive enhancement, avoiding triggering situations and structural solutions.

C. S. Lewis & John Hick on Theodicy: Superficially Similar but Significantly Different

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-28
Author(s):  
Brian M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
John Hick ◽  
Broad Category ◽  
Gratuitous Evil ◽  
Moral Perfection ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Greater Good

In the April 2014 edition of The Journal of Inklings Studies, Mark S. M. Scott compared the theodicies of C. S. Lewis and John Hick, concluding that there are ‘significant structural and substantive affinities’ between the two. In my essay, I too analyze these theodicies but arrive at a different conclusion. I argue two points: First, I argue that Lewis’ and Hick’s theodicies bear merely superficial similarities. Second, and more importantly, I argue that they stand in significant opposition to one another at fundamental points. The purpose of this essay is to set Lewis’ views on suffering apart from Hick’s and to suggest that, in the end, perhaps Lewis’ theodicy should not be included in the broad category of ‘greater-good’ theodicies, and would therefore be immune to attacks leveled against Hick’s theodicy as well as the various attacks leveled against the greater-good approach in general. For those who reject the greater-good approach and who hold that gratuitous evil does not count against God’s moral perfection, Lewis’ theodicy could serve as a helpful starting point from which one could develop more thoroughly a non-greater-good theodicy.

Analysis of changes in the organizational structure of municipal offices

Management ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-387
Author(s):  
Joanna Snopko
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Organisational Structure ◽  
Office Management ◽  
Organisational Structures ◽  
Partner Relations ◽  
Structural Solutions ◽  
Proper Performance

Abstract Organisational Structure of Municipal Offices - Key Determinats The multitude of tasks and problem issued faced by local governments necessitates their evolution towards improvement of the existing organisational structures. Comparison of the existing organisational structures of various municipal offices could create a misleading that their organizational structures do not undergo any transformations. In reality, the type of an organisational structure remains unchanged while its elements change very frequently. These changes are activated when, according to the office management, they do not ensure proper performance of tasks faced by local government administration and appropriate customer service. Also note that, in the applied solutions, there is a strive for perfection which can be noticed, in a sense. It expresses the concept that this is not a structure which can effectively play its role today and is prepared for challenges of tomorrow. However, the process of transformations has not developed any new solutions. To this end, the local government must develop organisational structures appropriate for identifying and reaching its objectives. For this reason, it’s worthwhile to consider solutions which combine elements of the existing and modern solutions or address new opportunities created by process-oriented structures. However, these transformations must, first and foremost, cause a transformation of bureaucratic-style municipal offices into modern organisations which apply modern methods of management. These are organisations which introduce deep-reaching organisational changes, i.e. transform their hierarchic interorganisational relations into more partner relations and transform their structural solutions into more flexible solutions as well as change their employees’ way of thinking. Without such transformations in local government, municipal offices will be still referred to as bureaucracy and civil servants as bureaucrats.

MODERN EQUIPMENT FOR DETERMINING TRACTOR-SPEED PROPERTIES OF THE VEHICLE: CHARACTERISTICS’ ANALYSIS IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-289
Author(s):  
N. V. Savenkov ◽  
V. V. Ponyakin ◽  
S. A. Chekulaev ◽  
V. V. Butenko
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Development Stages ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Force Transfer ◽  
Characteristics Analysis ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Loading Devices ◽  
Structural Solutions

Introduction. At present, stands with running drums are widely used for various types of tests. Power stands play a special role. Such stands take the mechanical power from the driving wheels of the car. This simulates the process of movement of the vehicle under operating conditions. Such equipment has various designs, principles of operation and performance. It is also used in tests that are different by purpose, development stages and types: research, control, certification, etc. Therefore, it is necessary in order to determine the traction-speed, fuel-efficient and environmental performance characteristics.Materials and methods. The paper provides the overview of the power stands with running drums, which are widespread on the domestic market. The authors carried out the analysis of the main structural solutions: schemes of force transfer between the wheel and the drum; types of loading devices; transmission layout schemes and features of the control and measuring complex. The authors also considered corresponding advantages and disadvantages, recommended spheres of application, demonstrated parameters and characteristics of the units’ workflow, presented components and equipment.Discussion and conclusions. The authors critically evaluate existing models of stands with running drums. Such information is useful for choosing serial models of stands and for developing technical tasks for designing or upgrading the equipment.

From many to one: Meditation and the plasticity of the predictive mind

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruben Laukkonen ◽  
Heleen A Slagter
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Enhancement ◽  
The Self ◽  
Predictive Processing ◽  
Focused Attention ◽  
Conceptual Processing ◽  
Current State ◽  
Contemplative Science ◽  
Open Monitoring ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Brain

How profoundly can humans change their own minds? In this paper we offer a unifying account of meditation under the predictive processing view of living organisms. We start from relatively simple axioms. First, the brain is an organ that serves to predict based on past experience, both phylogenetic and ontogenetic. Second, meditation serves to bring one closer to the here and now by disengaging from anticipatory processes. We propose that practicing meditation therefore gradually reduces predictive processing, in particular counterfactual cognition—the tendency to construct abstract and temporally deep representations—until all conceptual processing falls away. Our Many- to-One account also places three main styles of meditation (focused attention, open monitoring, and non-dual meditation) on a single continuum, where each technique progressively relinquishes increasingly engrained habits of prediction, including the self. This deconstruction can also make the above processes available to introspection, permitting certain insights into one’s mind. Our review suggests that our framework is consistent with the current state of empirical and (neuro)phenomenological evidence in contemplative science, and is ultimately illuminating about the plasticity of the predictive mind. It also serves to highlight that contemplative science can fruitfully go beyond cognitive enhancement, attention, and emotion regulation, to its more traditional goal of removing past conditioning and creating conditions for potentially profound insights. Experimental rigor, neurophenomenology, and no-report paradigms combined with neuroimaging are needed to further our understanding of how different styles of meditation affect predictive processing and the self, and the plasticity of the predictive mind more generally.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document