Aristotle on the Indetermination of Accidental Causes and Chance

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 223-240
Author(s):  
Gabriela Rossi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Infinite Number ◽  
Causal Relation ◽  
Causal Power ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Main Thesis ◽  
Chance Event ◽  
Per Se

This article offers an interpretation of Aristotle’s tenet that chance and accidental causes are indeterminate. According to one existing reading, the predicate ‘indeterminate’ is said of the effect of chance (and of accidental causes), meaning ‘causally indeterminate.’ Another reading claims instead that the predicate ‘indeterminate’ is said of the cause of a chance event, meaning something close to ‘potentially infinite in number.’ For my part, I contend that the predicate ‘indeterminate,’ when applied to Aristotle’s concept of accidental cause and to chance, is best understood as a second-order predicate. More precisely, Aristotle uses ‘indeterminate’ to qualify a certain type of causal relation, rather than to indicate a quality of the causal power or of the effect. As a preparatory step in my argument, I contend that ‘accidental’ and ‘per se’ are also best understood as second-order predicates of ‘cause,’ and as a corollary of my main thesis I offer an interpretation of how chance involves an infinite number of possible causes.

Modernization of Antimonopoly Policy in Russia (Economic Analysis of Proposed Changes in the Competition Law)

2005 ◽  
pp. 100-116
Author(s):  
S. Avdasheva ◽  
A. Shastitko
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Competition Law ◽  
Commodity Markets ◽  
State Aid ◽  
Executive Power ◽  
Rule Of Reason ◽  
Per Se

The article is devoted to the analysis of the draft law "On Protection of Competition", which must substitute the laws "On Competition and Limitation of Monopolistic Activity on Commodity Markets" and "On Protection of Competition on the Financial Services Market". The innovations enhancing the quality of Russian competition law and new norms providing at least ambiguous effects on antimonopoly regulation are considered. The first group of positive measures includes unification of competition norms for commodity and financial markets, changes of criteria and the scale of control of economic concentrations, specification of conditions, where norms are applied "per se" and according to the "rule of reason", introduction of rules that can prevent the restriction of competition by the executive power. The interpretation of the "collective dominance" concept and certain rules devoted to antimonopoly control of state aid are in the second group of questionable steps.

scholarly journals More comprehensively measuring quality of life in life-threatening illness: the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire – Expanded

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Robin Cohen ◽  
Lara B. Russell ◽  
Anne Leis ◽  
Javad Shahidi ◽  
Pat Porterfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Model Fit ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Quality Of Life Questionnaire ◽  
Healthcare Environment ◽  
Life Threatening Illness ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Order Factor

Abstract Background Domains other than those commonly measured (physical, psychological, social, and sometimes existential/spiritual) are important to the quality of life of people with life-threatening illness. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL) – Revised measures the four common domains. The aim of this study was to create a psychometrically sound instrument, MQOL – Expanded, to comprehensively measure quality of life by adding to MQOL-Revised the domains of cognition, healthcare, environment, (feeling like a) burden, and possibly, finance. Methods Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on three datasets to ascertain whether seven new items belonged with existing MQOL-Revised domains, whether good model fit was obtained with their addition as five separate domains to MQOL-Revised, and whether a second-order factor representing overall quality of life was present. People with life-threatening illnesses (mainly cancer) or aged > 80 were recruited from 15 healthcare sites in seven Canadian provinces. Settings included: palliative home care and inpatient units; acute care units; oncology outpatient clinics. Results Good model fit was obtained when adding each of the five domains separately to MQOL-Revised and for the nine correlated domains. Fit was acceptable for a second-order factor model. The financial domain was removed because of low importance. The resulting MQOL-Expanded is a 21-item instrument with eight domains (fit of eight correlated domains: Comparative Fit Index = .96; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = .033). Conclusions MQOL-Expanded builds on MQOL-Revised to more comprehensively measure the quality of life of people with life-threatening illness. Our analyses provide validity evidence for the MQOL-Expanded domain and summary scores; the need for further validation research is discussed. Use of MQOL-Expanded will enable a more holistic understanding of the quality of life of people with a life-threatening illness and the impact of treatments and interventions upon it. It will allow for a better understanding of less commonly assessed but important life domains (cognition, healthcare, environment, feeling like a burden) and their relationship to the more commonly assessed domains (physical, psychological, social, existential/spiritual).

Erythroid-Stimulating Agents in Cancer Therapy: Potential Dangers and Biologic Mechanisms

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (25) ◽  
pp. 4217-4226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon K. Hadland ◽  
Gregory D. Longmore
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Tumor Progression ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Supportive Therapy ◽  
Endogenous Erythropoietin ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents

Erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) were originally designed to replace endogenous erythropoietin in patients with anemia secondary to renal failure. Their use has subsequently been expanded to include patients with anemia of other causes, including cancer patients, in whom deficiency of erythropoietin, per se, is not the primary cause of anemia. Although early studies showed promise of ESA administration in reducing the need for transfusions and improving the quality of life in cancer patients, several large randomized clinical trials have recently shown a potential detrimental effect of ESA administration on tumor progression and survival in these patients. These studies have called into question the safety of ESAs as supportive therapy in patients being treated for oncologic conditions. However, numerous questions remain to be addressed regarding the design of these studies, the effect of various targeted hemoglobin levels, and the potential biologic mechanisms proposed to explain promotion of tumor progression and reduced survival.

Influence of method of conservation of lucerne on factors associated with voluntary intake in sheep

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
MO Etheridge ◽  
CR Stockdale ◽  
PD Cranwell
Keyword(s):  
Oral Intake ◽  
Latin Squares ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Carryover Effects ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Daily Oral Intake ◽  
Normal Feeding ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Voluntary Intake

This experiment measured the voluntary intake and rate of eating of sheep fed lucerne (Medicago sativa) that had been conserved as sun-dried material or as silage at 3 different DM contents (29.2, 33.1, and 51.2%). Changes in rumen osmolality and palatability due to diet were measured. Palatability was assessed by introducing feed directly into the rumen and measuring the subsequent oral intake. Eight sheep with rumen fistulae were used in two 4 x 4 latin squares, which allowed for adjustment for carryover effects. There was no significant (P<0.05) difference between voluntary intakes of lucerne conserved as sundried material and as silages of various DM contents (mean intake 1189 g DM/day). The lack of difference in intake was attributed to the high quality of fermentation of the silages. Rate of eating was also generally similar for all diets. Evidence from measurements of palatability and rumen osmolality support these observations. Palatability appeared not to influence the voluntary intake of any of the diets, because the sheep reduced their daily oral intake by an amount similar to that introduced into the rumen. Under normal feeding conditions, rumen osmolality was also similar for all feeds and was relatively consistent for the 9 h immediately after the start of feeding. While rumen osmolality per se may affect voluntary intake, the lack of response reported here for changes in osmolality due to diet support the lack of response reported for feed consumption.

scholarly journals Assessment of Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (02) ◽  
pp. E79-E85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Sander ◽  
Hans-Ulrich Voelter ◽  
Hans-Peter Schlake ◽  
Paul Eling ◽  
Helmut Hildebrandt
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Causal Relation ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Clinically Isolated Syndrome ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Clinical Criteria ◽  
Clinical Interviews

AbstractOne of the most frequent symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) is fatigue. It has a major impact on quality of life as well as on professional activity. Even nowadays it is still unclear what constitutes an adequate assessment of the perceived fatigue.The following overview will discuss different possibilities to assess fatigue with the help of questionnaires, clinical interviews or the objective measurement of cognitive performance. Furthermore, a structured guideline for the assessment of fatigue will be proposed. Clinical criteria for MS related fatigue include the main symptoms, their everyday relevance, the possible causal relation with the cause of disease (the underlying MS), as well as an exclusion of other possible somatic or psychological reasons. It is recommended to use the “Würzburger Erschöpfungs-Inventar bei Multipler Sklerose (WEIMUS)” (English: Würzburg Fatigue Inventory for Multiple Sclerosis) and especially the “Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions” (FSMC), as these questionnaires distinguish between motor and cognitive fatigue and due to the larger number of research studies using the FSMC. Moreover, the presence of depression, quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness should be assessed. In addition, general cognitive performance as well as performance during monotonous stimulation (vigilance) should be assessed. This may be relevant for the evaluation of a patient’s capacity to work, and for determining prognosis, as there are indications for a relation to relapse frequency, a change from a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to an MS diagnosis with an increase of brain atrophy.All in all, it can be said, that despite the growing convergence of diagnostic criteria, the available studies of the objective as well as the subjective assessment of fatigue are still not sufficient and further research is needed.

scholarly journals Analysis on the Effects of Quality of Financial Statements, Over GDP Forecasting Models. An Empirical Cross-Country Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-260
Author(s):  
Burca Valentin ◽  
Mates Dorel ◽  
Bogdan Oana
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Causal Relation ◽  
Forecast Error ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Institutional Framework ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Under increasing macroeconomic uncertainty, governments base their economic policies on high-precision GDP estimates. The models considered based on building-up government budgets incorporate main drivers of economic growth, identified along a large range of empirical studies, mostly focused on economic productivity, factor accumulation, human capital, innovation and transfer of technology, structural changes, or institutional framework. However, there is little evidence related to the impact of accounting and assurance regulation on economic growth. Our study attempts to assess the significance of causal relation between forecasting error on GDP growth and quality of accounting standards, respectively quality of financial statements. The study analyzes the causal relation between country level measures of quality of financial reporting, synthetized by Isidro et. al. (2019), and the measure of GDP growth estimate mean error. Our results confirm a significant impact of quality of the output of financial reporting practice, related to disclosure quality and asymmetric timeliness. The results remain similar, even after controlling for accounting convergence influence. Checking for robustness of the model, we observe the main drivers of one year ahead GDP forecast error are related to institutional framework to issue high quality standards and enforce them properly. The results emphasize once again the role of economic development and corresponding complexity of economic activities and political framework impact on accounting regulation and subsequently on macroeconomic measures.

Methodological Problems and Policy Implications in Vietnamese Refugee Research

1986 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena S. H. Yu ◽  
William T. Liu
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Vietnamese Refugees ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Per Se ◽  
Research Recommendations

This article is written with two objectives: First, to describe some of the critical methodological problems encountered in our research with Vietnamese refugees in San Diego, California, about which few studies have been conducted previous to their arrival in 1975. Second, to discuss the policy implications of research beset with these difficulties, some of which are unique to studies of refugee populations per se, while others are common to research on small ethnic minorities in general. This article focuses on four major issues: the quality of refugee studies; the purpose and functions of such research; the ethical dilemmas of studying refugees; and public policy implications of refugee research. Recommendations are offered to resolve some of these issues which would call for policy changes both in the ways refugee research are conducted, and in the training of researchers themselves.

Higher‐order moveout spectra

Geophysics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 1193-1207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce T. May ◽  
Donald K. Straley
Keyword(s):  
Fourth Order ◽  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Order Term ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Fourth Order Term ◽  
Higher Order Terms ◽  
Velocity Spectra

Higher‐order terms in the generalized seismic reflection moveout equation are usually neglected, resulting in the familiar second‐order, or hyperbolic, moveout equation. Modeling studies show that the higher‐order terms are often significant, and their neglect produces sizable traveltime residuals after correction for moveout in such cases as kinked‐ray models. Taner and Koehler (1969) introduced velocity spectra for estimating stacking velocity defined on the basis of second‐order moveout. Through the use of orthogonal polynomials, an iterative procedure is defined that permits computation of fourth‐order moveout spectra while simultaneously upgrading the previously computed, second‐order spectra. Emphasis is placed on the fourth‐order term, but the procedure is general and can be expanded to higher orders. When used with synthetic and field recorded common‐midpoint (CMP) trace data, this technique produces significant improvements in moveout determination affecting three areas: (1) resolution and interpretability of moveout spectra, (2) quality of CMP stacked sections, and (3) computation of velocity and depth for inverse modeling.

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